Monarchy, no creature of Gods making, &c. wherein is proved by Scripture and reason, that monarchicall government is against the minde of God, and that the execution of the late king was one of the fattest sacrifices that ever Queen Iustice had ... / by Iohn Cooke ... Cook, John, d. 1660. 1651 Approx. 275 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 96 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A34420 Wing C6019 ESTC R20620 12117428 ocm 12117428 54357

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A34420) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 54357) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 88:9) Monarchy, no creature of Gods making, &c. wherein is proved by Scripture and reason, that monarchicall government is against the minde of God, and that the execution of the late king was one of the fattest sacrifices that ever Queen Iustice had ... / by Iohn Cooke ... Cook, John, d. 1660. [56], 134, [1] p. By Peter de Pienne, Printed at Waterford in Ireland : 1651. Reproduction of original in British Library.

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eng Monarchy -- Controversial literature. Great Britain -- History -- Commonwealth and Protectorate, 1649-1660. 2006-08 Assigned for keying and markup 2006-09 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-10 Sampled and proofread 2006-10 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

MONARCHY No creature of Gods making, &c.

Wherein is proved by Scripture and Reaſon, that Monarchicall Government is againſt the minde of God. And that the Execution of the late King was one of the fatteſt ſacrifices that ever Queen Iuſtice had. Being a Hue and Cry after Lady Liberty which hath been raviſhed and ſtolne away by the Grand Potentates of the Earth.

Principally intended for the undeceaving of ſome honeſt hearts who like the poore Iewes cry, give us a King, though they ſmart never ſo much for it.

By IOHN COOKE late of Grayes Inne Eſquire, Chief Iuſtice of the Province of Munster in Ireland.

Hoſea the 8. and 4.

They have ſet up Kings but not by me, they have made them Princes but I knew it not.

O Iſrael (O England) Thou wouldſt have deſtroyed thy ſelfe but in God is thy help, he will be thy King.

Hoſ. the 13. 9-10.

I gave thee a King in mine anger & took him away in my wrath.

Printed at Waterford in Ireland, by Peter de Pienne; in the yeare of our Lord God, 1651.

To the Supreame Authoritie of the three Nations the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England.

Moſt Renowned Senators, who like the Heavenly bodyes, having for many yeares been in continuall motion for your Countreyes good; have by Gods bleſsing upon your unwearied labours after ſo many Hericanes by vertue of the Act of May 9. 1649. brought the Ship of State to Anchor into its deſired haven, and ſetled that forme of Government which was appointed for Gods peculiar people who choſe a man of every Tribe, a head of a houſe, Captaines of Thouſands, and of Hundreds, famous, Choyce and mighty men of vallor; Chief of the fathers of the Children of Iſrael, to aſſemble at Ierufalem in publique Councells (1 Numb. 4. 2 Chron. 1. 2. and 5. 2.) a Commonwealth and free State; governed by their Repreſentatives in Parliament, and ſuch whom they shall appoint for the good of the People; of which bleſſed Statute 〈◊〉 onely ſay this, that ſince the Apostles dayes there was never more Divinitie, Reaſon, and Eloquence, in any writing, for (as it is ſaid of humility) it is not onely a vertue but a ground worke for, & a veſſell that containes all the rest, ſo this Statute is that only Law (of the Medes & Perſians) that is unchangeable & conſequently above the Law makers, for a free people may not make themſelves ſubject to any mortall man, that rule of my Lord Bacons, that the ſupreme power may not binde but diſſolve it ſelfe, being to be underſtood from Monarchy to a free State, but not from liberty to ſlavery. But I obſerve that few understand the true ground and reaſon of it, looking no further then at the wickednes of Kings, their oppreſsing; burdening, impoverishing, and enſlaving the people, and ſo make it an Act of ſelfe-love to eaſe themſelves in caſting their riders, as if good Kings might be tollerated, who giving the people many good words and ſome few good Acts of grace enſlave them faſter (as the Sun ſooner takes away the travellers cloake then the winde) like thoſe which we call good witches, that ſeeme to cure one that they may without ſuſpicion bewitch twenty, whereas if any man shall aske why hath the Parliament abolished the Kingly office in England and Ireland? the anſwer is, becauſe God commanded them ſo to doe, that it was not out of any affection of change, nor yet onely for the eaſe of the People, but from a Divine precept and conſciencious principle in the faithfull diſcharge of their duty to God and man that for any people willingly to ſuffer Monarchy is to make themſelves wiſer then God who hath told us that there are no Lawes ſo righteous as thoſe which it pleaſed him to give to his Elech People to be governed by Deut. 4. 7. For what Nation is there ſo great that hath Statutes and Iudgement ſo righteous as all this Law that I ſet before you this day, the very firſt of which Lawes was that wiſe men and underſtanding knowne to be ſuch among the Tribes should be Rulers and heads of the people Deut. 1. 13. An Elective Ariſtocracie being a principle in nature for wiſe men to governe ignorants, as parents their little children that cannot order themſelves for I can finde no other ground whereon the conſcience of a Chriſtian can reſt with any ſatisfaction, but the Law of God, hee whoſe Conſcience beares him witneſse that he would have had no hand in the Kings Death, no finger in the change of the goverment, but in a dutifull conformity to the Law of God, from the Divine authority (which not to have done had been flat Rebellion againſt God, and a contempt of his holy Law) ſleeping and waking will be at reſt; that to have made an agreement with him had been but to put a Crowne of Gold upon him and a Crowne of thornes upon Ieſus Christ, the ſaving of him had been the beheading of all holines and righteouſnes, the ſparing of him would have been of far more miſchievous conſequence then the ſparing of Agag, and if the life of the Parliament and therein the lives of all honest people had not gone for his; Certainely never can any true Chriſtian that would have taken in his interest be quiet in his Conſcience without repentance: Iudge Forteſcue (chap. 5. hath a ſtory of a Gentlewoman at Salisbury, who being accuſed by her owne man for murdering her husband, was upon his oath without any further proofe condemned and burnt to ashes, but within a yeare after it was diſcovered that the Accuſer was the murderer, who cleered his Miſtris, though too late; but the Iudge who ſuffered the Iury to finde her guilty upon a ſingle proofe (not informing them what proofe was neceſſary, the Law of God requiring two witneſſes at the leaſt, in ſuch caſes, Num. 35. 30. who ſo killeth any perſon, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witneſſes, but one witneſſe shall not teſtify against any perſon to cauſe him to dye) was ſo troubled in minde that he confeſſed that he should never be able to cleere his conſcience of that fact; You that profeſſe your ſelves to be Chriſtians and yet would have taken in the Interest of a murderer who was the principle Author Contriver, Abettor, and Countenancer of the effuſion of ſomuch Innocent Blood, Rapines, devaſtations, depredations and deſolations in England, Ireland and Scotland, for an unjuſt prerogative, read the next verſe 31. yee shall take no ſatisfaction for the life of a murderer which is guilty of death but he shall ſurely be put to death, and know that it is onely the blood of Ieſus Chriſt (which cleanſeth us from all ſin) that can purge you from that ſin; which calls for repentance in all ſorts of people, Levit. 4. 2. 27. And certainly if that Iudge was haunted with the Ghost of that Gentlewoman for an omiſsion in his dutie in manner as aforeſaid, or per adventure for not giving ſtrict charge to the Iury to enquire diligently into all the circumſtances; how can any Chriſtian hope to ſleep in quiet, ſo long as he murmurs and complaines againſt the Iuſtice done upon ſuch a murderer, and God being as infinitely Glorious in Iuſtice as in mercy, all that are for Chriſt are commanded to rejoyce that he hath avenged the blood of Barrow, Greenway, Tiſdall, Coppinger, Mr. Burton, Mr. Prin and Dr. Baſtique, and other his perſecuted ſervants upon that ſtate of men which were most guilty thereof Revel. 18. 19. 20. and to bleſſe God that the, roaring of the Lion, the voyce of the fierce Lion, and the teeth of the young Lions are broken the old Lion perished for lack of prey and the ſtout Lions whelps ſcattered abroad, Iob the 4. 10. and Pſal. the 58. 6. 10. It is not my private interpretation but the learned Divines and their anotations, that by Lions are meant Tirants, and by whelps their children that Anti-Christian ſtate of men that would be obtruding and enforcing Liturgies and Directories upon Gods people. Elay 14. 13. 14. that will be like the moſt high, making their will a Law, giving no reaſon or account of their actions, he that opened not the houſe of his priſoners muſt be caſt out like an abominable breach verſe 17. 19. and verſe 21. prepare ſlaughter for his Children for the iniquity of their Fathers that they doe not riſe nor poſſeſſe the Land, nor fill the face of the world with Cities for the name, Sonne, and Nephew must be cut off, and that 58. Pſal. compared with Eſay 7. 5. 6. ſeemes as it were to propheſie and point at the third of September last that what ever evill Councell should be taken against the good people in England, to ſet a King over them even the Son of Tabeall, thus ſaith the Lord God, it shall not ſtand neither shall it come to paſſe the great teeth of the young Lions are broken, thoſe wicked Inſtruments whereby they would hurt shall melt away and be cut in peeces, therefore shall the righteous rejoyce with Anniverſary ſolemnities, for that there is a God that hath Iudged in the earth, I have endeavoured to ſatisfy the people that the great Gorgons head that hath ſo long inchanted them, was Sacred Majesty, and to evince it by Scripture and reaſon that Monarchicall Goverment was never of Divine Institution ordeyned in love to any Nation but by a Divine permiſsion hatefull in its nature, as Adultery or Murder, & most unnaturall for fooles to governe wiſe men, and that in matters of Iuſtice the Law muſt not be ſet by the Scripture and not repugnant to it, otherwayes we ſet the Sun by the Diall, which muſt not be underſtood as if there were a preſident or example to be found in Scripture for every caſe, for mens actions are ſo infinite, that there will be different caſes as differing faces not alike in all particulars; but the principall caſes of moment are to be found in Scripture, and ſuch generall rules, exemplars, and Idaeus, are there laid downe that every man may thereby be aſſured of the Iustice of any partitular caſe that hath a minde ſtudious therein, andAnimum verbi Divini ſtudi oſum that no law ought to be made till it be examined by the word of God. And becauſe I know that nothing is more welcome to your Honorable wiſdome then truth and nothing more honored then ſincerity in the Inner parts, therefore I humbly crave leave to ſpeake a few words concerning this weighty and Important matter of the Rule of Iuſtice, I have ſeene ſome Treatiſes wherein the Spirit of God (who is Iustice and Truth) is much breathing concerning a Reformation or rather a new plantation or foundation of Lawes proceding, I am confident from conſciencious principles, and a pure love to Iustice and the publique good; but its poſsible that there may be ſome ſpots in the face of Venus; I conceive in generall that Civill prudence for governing of a State and Commonwealth, is to be fetcht and drawne from the ſacred fountaine of Scripture rather then the puddles of hiſtory, the Law of God being the generall directreſse of all lawes as the NorthStar directs the Sea-man to his Port, not that wee should diſpiſe human learning for Moſes and Daniel were learned in all the wiſdome of the Chaldeans and Egyptians, and the least ſparks of the Image of God are not to be neglected; this I ſay of learning that it is a Iewell ſo excellent in it ſelfe that it shall never have but one enemy which is the ignorant man; It is most true, that human wit and pollicie hath beene much of that ſmoake of the bottomleſſe pit that hath blinded the eyes of many Nations, but God grant (I wish it from my heart) that England which twelve or twenty yeares ſince ſo much Idolized learning be not in another age as much plagued with ignorance; as it is a miſtake on the one hand to confine the attainement of learning to places that no man should be a Magiſtrate or Minister that hath not been educated at the Inns of Court or Vniverſities, for provided men have parts, & abillities, the place where or manner of acquiring them is not materiall; ſo on the other hand to hold that all honest, godly men, are fit to be Magiſtrates or Ministers is as unſafe, for though it is fit that every Magistrate or Miniſter should be an honeſt man, yet every honest man is not fit to be a Magistrate or a Minister, I am perſwaded that there are fewer, converted and regenerated in this laſt ten yeares notwithſtanding the multiplicities of Sermons and glorious freedome of the Goſpell, then there was in ten yeares before; though there was ſcarce then one Sermon for many ſince, becauſe the generallity of people neglect a ſoule ſearching powerfull, learned Miniſtery and follow others who though they may be Godly, yet are but a voyce in compariſon; there may be ſome perſons which are not called to the Barre that are fit, and able to be Iudges, men famous for Godlines and excellent in wiſedome and reaſon, which must be the life of all human lawes without exception, but that any man should be fit for ſuch an imployment that hath not a good ſtocke of learning and diſcretion, as ſome men ſeeme to inſinuate; I confeſse it is above my apprehenſion; I doe exceedingly honor the whole fabricke and forme of the Iſraeliticall pollicie; and certainely no Councell can well governe any State, where Chriſt is profeſt; that neglecting that ſacred Law, shall fetch the Rules and limits of Iuſtice and equity from other hiſtories, for human prudence is in many things blinde, and in others perverſe; & he is but a profane eſtimator of Gods VVord, that shall thinke any human Lawes to be as good as the Lawes of God; it is true that ſince Chriſts time the Scepter is departed from Iudah, and the Law-giver from among his feet, but the Equitie of that Iudiciall Law which shines in thoſe Institutes is Morall and perpetuall; Circumstances only being changed, and ſome particular caſes excepted according to the nature or diſpoſition of ſeverall people, ſome requiring a ſtraiter bridle then others; for was there ever ſuch wiſe Kings in the world as Moſes, David, and Solomon, whoſe famous Acts recorded in Scriptures, are not onely propounded to us as examples of Pietie; but of true Prudence and VViſedom; and the Gentills, even the wiſeſt amongst them as Solon and Plato acknowledged Moſes Lawes, to be the beſt and moſt learned and travailed into Phaenicia Syria, and Egypt, to be acquainted with the people of God; and their Lawes; and becauſe Plato borrowed ſo much from Moſes therefore hee is called Moſen Atticum, and Pythagoras ſpent two and twenty yeares with the Priests and Prophets, and then went into Italy where hee inſtructed ſix hundred Schollers in the wiſedome of Moſes and the Egyptian writers called Moſes, Andra, Daumaſton ki deion, Virum admirandum ac divinum, certainly the Platoniſts were therefore counted the beſt Phyloſophers, becauſe they came neereſt to Moſes Law, and had it not been for Monarchicall Goverment all the world had long ſince been governed by the Lawes of God in matters of Civill Iuſtice; that high commendations which is given of our Lawes, that if Adam had not ſinned in Paradice all the world should have been governed by the Common Law of England, is either Complementall and Poeticall or els muſt ariſe from that Maxime, that the Law of England is grounded upon the Eternall Law of God, right reaſon and pure naturall principles and that ſentence of better it is to go to the fountaine then to follow the ſtreames, is very excellent, if it be rightly underſtood, of the Law of God; which is the fountaine of all true Iuſtice, Ioſephus ſayes, that Ptolomy Phyladelphus, the moſt prudent of the Egyptian Kings, when Theopraſt had ſent him Moſes Law in Hebrew, he ſent Embaſſadors to the Iewes to intreat them to ſend men skilfull in Hebrew and Greeke to tranſlate it into Greeke, which being done hee made it in force throughout his Dominions; but how little doe Chriſtians prize this good Law of God, 1 Tim. 1. 8. which place muſt needs be intended of the Iudiciall Law, as my honored friend Mr. Peters hath rightly obſerved, for he ſpeakes of the Law againſt Murderers and VVhoremongers; did Plato and thoſe famous Law givers light their Candle at Moſes Law, making uſe of Scripture for Civill wiſedome, though not for their Religion? and shall Chriſtians that have ſuch a Treaſure in their hands as the holy Lawes of God, make no uſe of it for the Civill pollicie of States for which the Iudiciall Law was principally intended? I never underſtood any other Reaſon of Clergy mens ſitting in great Councells, but that no Law might be enacted till it were examined by the Law of God, and the Levites being Iudges amongst the Iewes does not prove that one man may have ſeverall callings, for all true reputation conſiſts in the diſcharge of a mans proper profeſsion, but that the Law of God was as their Civill or Common Law, Iuſtice is the end of the Law, the Law is the Commonwealths ſervant; the Magiſtrate is Gods Party, and the Image of God; therefore the Law muſt be in ſubſtance according to the modell of the Law of God. Bleſſed be God for the many good Lawes that have been made ſince Ianuary 30. 1648. yet ſtill I heare that the great cry in England is Reformation ofReformatio Legum. Lawes no doubt there may be abuſes and errors ſpecially in the practicall part of the Law, and I know, it is and hath been long in your Honors Breasts to Rectify and Reforme them, and to ſettle an expedient for ſpeedy, cheap, and ſure Iustice to run downe, not by drops, but like a mighty ſtreame, Amos 5. 29. in a quicke, conſtant and invariable way; I confeſſe I am ſomething troubled at the diverſitie of honeſt mens opinions in this particular; ſome looke upon it as a more difficult worke then abolishing the Tirannicall Goverment, that Lawyers will ſtruggle asmuch for their intereſts, as Bishops did, that many honeſt men must be diſobliged who have been cordiall to the State, and must ſuffer Diminution in point of Fees, and ſo conclude that the worke is not done, becauſe it cannot be done, though it be the earneſt deſire of all honest men, yet the difficulty of the worke diſcourages the enterpriſe, as Columbas and others who diſcovered the weſterne Plantations knew that there was Land there; but lookt upon the voyage as inſuperable, whereas (to my weake apprehenſion) there will be no ſuch great difficulty in the thing, for first as to ſuites already depending either they are for weight and number like the ſands of the Sea, in compariſon or may be all ended in a few mouthes; indeed after Civill warrs, what by reaſon of former obſtructions in Courts of Iuſtice; and perſonall Animoſities there must needes be aboundance of ſuites, and therefore in Germany, France, and other Nations upon the ſettlement of a Peace, they uſually paſſe an Act of Oblivion or grant Commiſsions for determining them in a ſummary way, diſpenſing with the ſolemnities of their Imperiall Constitutions and municipall wayes of proceedings, the people having been ſo exhauſted by the warrs, being not able to undergoe tedious Circucularities in their Law-matters; for the remedy would prove worſe then the diſeaſe; and then for the future, men will not be ſo contentious, when they ſee that it is in vaine to begin or defend unjust or vexatious cauſes when delatorie and declinatorie pleas and exceptions (like the Sea-marks) are to be avoyded and will not be allowed; for this I obſerve, that no man wages Law, but in hopes to caſt his adverſary, if not by the merit of the Cauſe, yet by croſſe ſuites and clapping great Actions upon him who is not able to give Bayle thereunto, or by the Defendants wearying out the Plaintiffe, and forceing him to become Recreant, like the Tryall by battaile, if the Defendants Champion can hold out ſo many houres his innocence is preſumed, or like the Tyrant that threatned Death to one, unleſſe he would make his Aſse to ſpeake as Balaams did; which hee undertooke to doe in three yeares; and his friends judging him to be in a deſperate condition, he ſaid, that within that time, either he or the Tyrant, or the Aſſe would be dead; but when men shall peeceive that it is but an expence of time and of coyne to defend unjuſt ſuites or to Comence frivolous or malicious Actions; the parties will agree, and there will not be one ſuite of twenty, and for difficult matters experience shewes us that ſpeciall verdicts are very rare, and not one Exchequer Chamber cauſe of one hundred; As for the time of this Reformation, no doubt but the ſooner the better, matters of ſafety and ſecurity againſt common Enemies, and dangers, being in the firſt place lookt after and throughly provided for; otherwayes it is but to looke after the bootie before the victory be wholly obtayned, but then with all poſsible expedition becauſe as to the malignants in England, ſpecially ſuch as make any Conſciencious ſcruples about great Mutations there is nothing will ſo ſoone win their hearts and ſettle their mindes in conformitie to the preſent government as the Regulating of the Courſe of Iuſtice which belongs to all men as men onely, and not as Chriſtians; it is not the force of power but the force of reaſon that conquers hearts, and certainely as the ſpring is beſt for purging naturall bodyes, ſo is the ſpring of a Commonwealth the moſt proper ſeaſon for rectifying bodyes politique, when the wheeles of Reformation are well oyled, and in a true motion, no man thinks himſelfe a looſer, though he ſuffer in his particular, becauſe the publique is a gainer, and it is but the Law and neceſsity of the times, but let that motion ceaſe and the clock ſtand a while there comes a ruſt; & it is difficult to raiſe the Bell in ringing, and that which before would have been counted a juſt and neceſſary reformation will be called (by perſons intereſted in point of lucre) a dangerous innovation. But it is not in Law as it is in Religion; It was great wiſedome to put downe and extirpate the Hierarchy before any order or government was agreed upon, but if there were ten grievances for one in the Law, it would be leſſe miſchievous to Continue them all then to have no Law at all, for should the force of the Law be ſuſpended but one day ſcarce a man living but hath ſome enemy or other that would deſtroy him in body or estate in that time; Nor is it lawfull for any Iudge but onely for the ſupreme authority to remove a ſtone which is ill placed in the building; Lawes that are made by publique conſent are not to be judged or cenſured by any but the Law makers, becauſe by them all judgement is made; as Iuſtice (which is to doe reaſon to every man) is the end of the Law ſo the Law muſt be the rule of that Iuſtice; a Iudge must not judge of Lawes, but according to Lawes, and no man must be wiſer then the Law, are excellent maximes, the Law is the hedge of every State, and he that breaks downe the hedge shall be bitten with Serpents: I conſeſſe it would be most honorable for the Reverend Iudges and learned practiſers of the Law to preſent an expedient to that good effect, and to doe it ſo effectually as to challenge all rationall knowing men to finde out a better; Men that travaile a Road daily can the beſt tell every deep and dangerous ſtep in it, it is no ſuch hard matter to obſerve where and how honest cauſes many times miſcary and dye for want of formall and Regular proceedings occaſioned through the want of friends or money as many poore ſicke people dye for want of looking to; it is no ſuch hard matter to diſcover the defects and errors in a mans profeſsion, nor to propound an expedient for Civill Iuſtice, to ſatisfy every honeſt man without hurting any mans perſon, or deſtroying him in his livelyhood onely pareing the nayles of ſome ſuperfluities, but as there was no light in the beginning till the Lord was pleaſed to ſay, Let there be light, which was not onely an imparative but an operative word, ſo in the infancie of a Commonwealth every thing is to be done in order; as many a man may lye long ſicke without any fault in the Phyſician, phyſique, or patient, ſo may it be in a body Politique, weighty ſtones require a long time to be layd in a building, & ſometimes the impatience of the ſicke Patient records and hinders the cure. I crave leave to ſay a word in faithfulnes to the Reverend and learned practiſers of the Law my honored Fathers, and beloved Brethren, this is my opinion of us if we be like the willow that will bow and bend and help forward a reformation purely to purge the droſſe, and to take away all the Tin that is in our profeſsion by rooting up thoſe unneceſſary delayes which are like pricking bryers and brambles about the Vine of Iuſtice retayning but what is morall and rationall; Iudging that to be Law which is a decree of practique, reaſon agreeing with the Law naturall and eternall, then shall we be Iudges as at the firſt & CounſellorsVivimus. as at the beginning, I ſay in that caſe we live; but if we be like the Oake that will rather break then bow if we ſtand upon the Excellency and the Antiquity of our Lawes becauſe they came in with the Romans and were never altered by Danes, Saxons, or Normans, then it isMorimur. death, and ſo it will be of all other profeſsions or miſteries where people finde themſelves grieved and ſtraitned in their liberties what ever queſtions may be made as what will you deſtroy the Law? if they cannot untye the knot they will cut it, they will have a Law but it shall be for their owne good and ſo plaine that they may underſtand it, els they will not be bound by it; the Law is but a ſervant to the Commonwealth if it be found inconvenient or miſchievous in Theorie or practiſe it muſt be changed, and no doubt but many formalities and ceremonies muſt be buried in the ſepulcher of Monarchy, many old formes and curſary obſervations which exalt themſelves must like the Ceremoniall Lawes of the Iewes vanish and diſſolve; a learned Iudge shall not be directed in making Orders, or giveing Rules by the ancienteſt Clarke but what is morall, rationall and equitable according to the judgement of Godly learned men shall be the Tract and Courſe of every Court; and Law and Equity (which are the greateſt antagoniſts in the world) shall be made friends and looke the ſame way, I ſay not in ſubſtance but many ceremonies and formallities in the practiſe of the Law must vanish upon the ſettlement of the Commonwealth upon its true Baſis even as the old shadowes and Legall ceremonies of the Iewes did diſappeare and vanish at the coming of the ſubstance, but wee know that there was much ſtrugling to maintaine them, and the Apostles did not abſolutely condemne ſuch as were zealous for their old practiſes, they thought it better to temporize a little, and to give the Ceremonies a decent funerall gradually as the people were able to leave it rather then to ſtruggle too much and deſtroy all that are contrary minded, and Pauls councell in the 15. of the Acts is full of divine wiſedome, that where God hath put no difference betweene Chriſtians, but purified their hearts by faith they should not oppreſse one another through difference of opinions, though it was about a great ordinance (a Scripture that should make many Christians ashamed for refuſing to joyne & walke with ſuch in Chriſtian ſocieties that are not in every thing alike minded with them) all honest Patriots and faithfull ſervants to the Commonwealth are not happily of the ſame judgement about the Reformation of the Lawes and ſetling the courſe of the practiſe, yet are not therefore to differ in affection, but being intent upon the popular utillity, and therein all agreeing, there is much prudence required, not to diſoblige honest men ſo to reforme for the publique good as not to deſtroy private Relations, the Monks and Friars had a maintenance upon the diſſolutions of Monaſteries, and God forbid that any man that hath an office or imployment which is not evill in it ſelfe but by accident, should be deſtroyed & turned a begging I hope we are none of us poſſeſt with that perniciousiprinciple of the Popes infallibility, nor much taken with that tale of Counſell given to our late King in Spayne upon a ſet of Diamond buttons that he had in his dublet all fastned by one thred, one of them ſlipping they all fell off, ſayes a Grandee there, ſo it will be Sir in England if you part with an inche of your prerogative, if you ſuffer any reformation it will be your deſtruction, we ſee what became of it; I preſume better things of my honored brethren in England: Let us not be like that generation of men the Bishops that hated to be reformed; ſo the Commonwealth florish it is no matter what becomes of our practizes; wee are members of that Body, and if it goe well with the State it cannot goe amiſse with us; God forbid that any one of us should be counted of ſo bad and corrupt a principle, as rather to keep three Nations in a lingring conſumption then deny our ſelves in point of diminution of gaine, it is not neceſſary that we should live, much leſſe exact great matters, but that Iuſtice be eaſie and ſpeedie, and mercy showne to the poore is the only thing neceſſary; Indeed the the greateſt part of my feare is, that many Godly honest hearts are poſſeſt with an opinion that knowledge is not requiſite in a Commonwealth as under a Monarchy, as if learning was onely for a Court and for the ſplendor of Majeſtic, which indeed is the glory of all Nations.

The Lord deliver England from three ſorts of Mountebancks, Iudges, Miniſters, and Phyſicians, that have but one ſaddle for all horſes, that getting upon a bench talke of great cures, and if they cure one for a hundred that miſcarie; they are admired, like ſome old witches; not knowing the reaſon or cauſe of any effect or operation, which is the onely currant learning, one mans reaſon (like his money) being as good as anothers; the grand reaſon why the learned Iudges in E. 3. and H. 6. and E. 4. times, and ſince, have not endeavored a Reformation of the Lawes hath been for want of conſideration to what end the Law was ordained; they have been very learned in book caſes; in the hiſtoricall part, that ſuch a Caſe was ſo adjudged; but the reaſon of that Iudgement, whether for the publique good or to advance prerogative they lookt not after, neglecting the polliticall part and end of the Law: And not tracing the Kings of England, in their foundations and footſteps of Tyrannie; in ſo conferring all places and offices of Iustice in the ſeverall Courts that it might mount (like a Piramis) to advance prerogative; but certainly the greatest miſerie to an Innocent is the ignorance of the, Iudge for what conſcience can there be where there is no ſcience, what Iuſtice can be expected from ſuch (though honest and godly men) that neither know what Iuſtice is, nor what Law the rule of Iustice is, nor why ſuch a Caſe is Law, but doe Iustice right or wrong, as we ſay Proverbially, if the Plaintiffe demand a hundred pound give him fifty pound to make them friends; and if a tall man have a short cloake, and a low man have a long cloake let the tall man have the long cloake for conveniencie; and truly Title Conveniency will be very large; indeed the Law ought to be plaine and eaſie, obvious to every mans ſence & apprehenſion; but if every man did know the Law, that is not all that is requiſite in a Iudge.

There is first, Patience; to heare all that can be ſaid, which men that know but little (though never ſo honest) will not have, for thoſe that have but little ſcience quickly pronounce ſentence; a wiſe man never thinks he hath heardPauca recenſentes facile pronunciant. Parties and Councell ſpeake enough. There is doubtleſſe much learning required in a Miniſter to be able to ſpeake to a Caſe of Conſcience, to compare Scripture with Scripture, and to ſearch for Truth as in Mynes, which is a laborious work indeed if there were a plaine Precept for every duty, and a litter all expreſse prohibition againſt every ſin, there would be the leſſe need of learning in the Ministery; but many truthes lying deep, (though every believer hath the Spirit of God, to apply the Blood of Christ to his owne ſoule) yet without the bucket of human learning and ſtrength of reaſon, he will draw but little for the good of others; the not underſtanding whereof hath already introduced a grand error, that many groſſe ſins are no ſins, becauſe not litterally forbidden, and many duties neglected, becauſe not commanded in expreſſe te armes in Scripture, though by neceſsary deductions made manifeſt by the help of reaſon; though Lea, Rachell, and Sarah furnished their husbands with other women, and that many of the Patriarks had many wives, yet there is no ſuch Law now; though the Scriptur ſay, we are to give an account of every action, yet we shall be accountable as well for our idlenes; it is not the words but the meaning of the Scripture which is Scripture, if otherwiſe, the Papiſt hath as much to ſay for his Tranſubſtantiation, and Arminians for generall redemption, as we for any Article of our faith: It is not for bunglers to take upon them the charge of ſoules;Cura anima rum eſt cura curarum. And there is much learning requiſite in a Phyſician to know the principles of mans Compoſition, the nature of Spirits, the nature, cauſes, Symptomes, and differences of the ſeverall diſeaſes, and the method and manner of curing them; the knowledge of hearbs, flowers, plants, roots, trees, mettles, minerall, druggs; and how to chooſe and prepare medicines, with infinit other perticulars which require a whole man to attaine a competent meaſure or knowledge therein; and God forbid that any Empericke should be ſuffered to trye experiments upon ſo noble a ſubject as the body of man, and though ſincerity of affection may counter vayle depth of Iudgement in private matters; and adviſes; yet in things of publique concernement, it will be but a blind zeale to judge according to events, for hard and great matters will ariſe in Iudgement, Exod. 18. 26. but the part of a Iudge is more difficult in ſome reſpects ſpecially in point of time. A Miniſter hath a weeke happily for his Sermon, and ſeldome any diſeaſe ſo violent, but the Phyſician may conſult about it; but where many people demand Iuſtice at an Aſsiſes, there is not onely a promptitude of elocution, but much ſcience requiſite to give quicke diſpatch, which is the Clyents joy, and Iudgement is ſomething more then ſcience. Be inſtructed ye Iudges of the earth! but beErudimini. conſciencious for learning and a good Conſcience are two of the bravest ſupports in the world; becauſe a man cannot be deprived of the firſt in this world, nor of the other in the world to come, and Iudges are ſo far to be skild in the Law of God, that in all cauſes coming before them they are to warne the Clyents that they treſpaſſe not againſt the Lord, 2 Chron. 19. 10. If this learning should fall (which I hope I shall never live to ſee) then farewell to Ministers, and after that, no more Magiſtrates.

Secondly, Prudence; 10 anſwer all objections and cavillations that will be brought to put life into a dead Cauſe; for in most great ſuites the parties Litigant commonly thinke that they are both in the right, and if the matter be heard by no wiſer men then themſelves, how shall he that is in the wrong ever come to ſee his Error? and this Prudence in a Iudge conſiſts principally in giving ſatisfaction to the hearers, that the ſentence is Iuſt, and if poſsible to ſatisfy him againſt whom Iudgement is given, that he hath no wrong done him.

Thirdly, Iuſtice; which muſt reſpect the cauſe and not the perſon; Iudges were pictured blind and the Areopagites gave ſentence in the dark; Thou shalt not pitie the poore in Iudgement (though it be plauſible (and naturall for tender hearted men eſpecially ſo to doe yet) God abhorrs it.

Fourthly, There is required Mercy; after Iudgement, the poore mans condition is to be conſidered, for, if Iuſtice be wound up a peg too high in the Execution of it, it breaks Summa Iuſticia is the degeneration of it.

But by this learning I am far from underſtanding any Craft or Artificiall ſubtillities in taking legall exceptions for the quashing of Inditements and thereby to ſave a witch or a murderer from the Gallowes, or to arest the Iudgement when the money is conſcionably due to the Plaintiffe, this is none of that wiſedom which Solomon deſired, I Kings 3. 9. which is requiſite in a Iudge; it is a wiſe and understanding heart to diſcerne Iudgement betweene good and bad, truth and falshood, a righteous and just cauſe, from that which onely is ſo in appearance the ſimplicity of the Dove in doeing wrong to no man, and the wiſedom of the Serpent, to ſee that by ſubtillitie in pleadings, unneceſſary delayes, captious interpretations, and clamorous importunities, an honeſt cauſe be not delayed or overthrowne; marke I beſeech you, what a Iudge Prince Iob was Chap. 29. 11. when the eare heard me, then it bleſſed me, and when the eye ſaw me, it gave witnes to me, hearers had not words enough to praiſe my eloquence, hee was ſo admired, that any one but Iob would have been proud of halfe ſo many acclamations. Ver. 12, 13, 14. Becauſe I delivered the poore that cryed, and the fatherleſſe, and him that had none to help him; the bleſſing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I cauſed the widowes heart to ſing for joy. I put on righteouſnes and it clothed me, my Iudgement was as a robe & a diademe, the poore oppreſsed ones gave him 10000. benedictions, the widow owed to his care, the conſervation of her children; and by banishing ſadnes from her looks he made her life comfortable, and her mouth publisht his praiſe; the fatherleſſe, being vertuouſly educated, were in a better condition, then when they had a father; though Kings adorne themſelves with purple, yet they minde their pleaſurs and honors more then doeing Iustice to the friendleſse; but Iobs principle ornament and garment, Crowne, and Diademe, was Iustice. I was eyes to the blinde, and feet was I to the lame, I was a father to the poore, and the cauſe which I knew not, I ſearched out, hee mixed the quallitie of a father with that of a Iudge, granting executions against poore men with a bleeding heart; melting to thinke that ſuch as are lame, and blinde, should be ordered to run, and ſee like thoſe who are to lye in priſon for one hundred pound when they are not worth twenty pounds; certainly the moſt honorable title is to be ſtiled a father of the poore (for what need is there of rich men, but onely to doe good to the poore?) and though a ludge must not pitie the poore in Iudgement, yet after Iudgement pronounced there is place for mercy, which is but Iuſtice; and before ſentence the poore mans intereſt ought to be ſo deere & precious to the Iudge as not to pronounce any ſentence againſt him till his cauſe be throughly not onely opened, but ſtudied and when the poore had none or but little Councell, Iob was as well their Advocate as their Iudge; As by the wiſedome of the Law of England the Iudge is to be a Councell for the priſoner in matter of life and death, ſo was Iuſtice Iob a Councell for poore men in all Civill Cauſes; and would not let any man lye in priſon for a debt untill he had examined the justnes of it, and that it was cleerely due as well in equity as by Law, and his juſtice is moſt conſpicuous. Iob 31. 13. If I did deſpiſe the cauſe of my man ſervant or of my maid ſervant, when they contended with mee; hee heard the complaint of his ſlaves, he permitted every man to ſpeake for himſelfe before he be hayled to priſon, to alledge reaſons why hee ought not to be carryed thither, and the ground of ſuch his ſupereminent Iustice was ver. 14. 15. VVhat then shall I doe when God riſeth up, and when he viſiteth, what shall I anſwer him? did not he that made me in the wombe, make him? and did not one fashion us in the wombe? that though he was a Iudge upon earth, yet he was a ſervant to the God of heaven; who would enter into judgement with him, that though the condition of the Iudge, and the Client be different, yet their birth is alike, God is Father of them both, the Clients body molded of dirt, and the Iudges not formed of any nobler matter, and that both of them had the honor of being formed by the hand of God, and both their ſoules made after his Image, as if Iudge Iob and his ſlaves were Copartners or Tenants in Common; that Princely ſpirit goes on, and from ver. 16. to ver. 25. makes the moſt incomparable challenge that ever the people heard of; If I have withheld the poore from their deſire, or have cauſed the eyes of the widow to faile; Or have eaten my morſell alone, and the fatherleſse hath not eaten thereof: (for from my youth hee was brought up with me, as with a father; and I have guided her from my mothers wombe.) If I have ſeene any perish for want of cloathing, or any poore without covering; if his loynes have not bleſſed me, and if hee were not warmed with the fleece of my Sheep; if I have lift up my hand against the fatherleſſe when I ſaw my help in the gate; then let mine Arme fall from my shoulder-blade and mine arme be broken from the bone; for deſtruction from God was a terror to me, and by reaſon of his highnes I could not endure; if I have made gold my hope, or have ſaid to the fine gold, thou art my confidence; if I rejoyced becauſe my wealth was great, and becauſe mine hand had gotten much; if I rejoyced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up my ſelfe when evill found him. The ſtranger did not lodge in the ſtreet, but I opened my dores to the traveller. If I uſed to keep guard at my ſtudy-doore that ſuitors could not ſpeake with me without a fee; if I ſent a man back with a shamefull deniall; if I did not miniſter ſpeedy juſtice to the poore for the love of Iuſtice; and to the rich for a ſmall matter; when I ſate in the City-gate where the Court of Iuſtice were kept that every man might ſee and heare the reaſons of my proceedings, if I were not as tender of Clients and Petitioners as if we had tumbled in one belly together, and ſuckt the ſame milke; if I have not uſed my power to tame the inſolence of proud ſpirits, making them examples by death or other penalties, where their wicked lives had given ſcandales, if the wooll of my flocke hath not defended the poore from the ſtormes and rigor of winter; if I have ill treated the Orphants and let one brother feaſt & brave it, and the younger children to be all beggars, or be fed at the charity of the elder brother; if I have confidence in the merit of the perſon & not in the justice of the Cauſe; if I have more eſteeme of birth then vertue, and preferred greatnes before pietie; I then wish that that guiltie part may be torne from my body and that to terrifie all Iudges that abuſe their power; then let my arme be broken from the bone by the infamous hangman; for Mariners are not in ſo much feare of the Tempeſt in winter as I ſtand in awe of the anger of the great Iudge. If mine enemies miſerie have been any pleaſure to me; if I have thought my ſelfe better then my neighbours, becauſe I was richer, if I were ever overcome by threats, or corrupted by preſents, to pervert Iudgement; if my conſtancy was ever shaken by any bribe; or if ever money had more power over my minde then reaſon; if I were ever cruell to any man and made dice of his bones; though the men of my tabernacle ſaid ver. 3. Oh that we had of his flesh, we cannot be ſatisfied; I had ſervants and officers enough, not onely to have hurried any man to priſon to have repaired my honor, or contented my paſsion, but ſuch as alſo would have cut them in peeces, and devoured them; if I have not helpe every man to his Lands that had right to them without drawing teares from their eyes by tedious attendances, then I am content not only, that heaven should curſe my lands (that for wheat which I shall ſow I may reap but thiſtles) but to be tormented with an eternity of miſeries! May I crave leave to inſert an hiſtoricall obſervation?

In Holand after they had given a wrtt of Ejectment to Monarchy & the Maſſe, the Courts of Iuſtice for a time went on in their tedious formallities; which ſo diſcontented the people (their Law ſuites taking them off from their trades with dilatorie and costly attendances) that they began to repent themſelves of their ſo deerely purchaſe liberties; Doctor Walaeus profeſſor then at Leiden, a grave, judicious man, having by Scripture and reaſon ſatisfied and quieted many exaſperated mindes, that the chief Magiſtrates of the Provinces, ought in the first place, principally to intend ſecurety, and laying foundations (where the ſuper ſtructures will be eaſie) then applyed himſelfe to the Senators in an oration, which though I doe not affect the mixing of Latin in an English diſcourſe, yet leaſt the liquor should be viciated by powring it out into another veſſell, I thinke fit to give you his owne words, ſpeaking of Iudges and Advocates, by way of interrogation, or admiration he ſaith; Nos qui ſumus Reipublicae Chriſtianae Candidati; tales reſpiciemus & retinebimus Iudices ac Legulares, quos Cicero vocat, praecones Actionum, Cantores formularum, & Aucupes ſyllabarum; ut qui cadat, in litera, cadit in cauſa. Abſit; longe abſit; nos tales habebimus Iudices & Advocatos qui Deo noverint dare quod ſuum eſt, & populo quod ſuum eſt; plana vera; & immota praeſcripta Iuſticiae Deo placent, ſi aliqua conſuetudo fit in contrarium, praeferatur antiquus ille dierum; nulla debet praeſcriptio praevalere contra Verbum Dei, quia veritas antiquior eſt falſo; vera & ſuprema Dei Lex architectonica, omnibus Legibus municipalibus eſt praeferenda; quia hec ſola omnibus alijs praeſcribit modum, ac formam; neceſſe enim eſt aut leges veſtras praeſcribere legibus Dei; aut leges Dei praeſcribere veſtris; ſi priori modo, non eſtis Dei ſervi, Ejus etenim ſervi eſtis cui eſtis obedientes, ſcitote vero adminiſtratores Reipublicae rationem Legum ſuarum ſummo moderatori Deo reddere teneri nee valebit argumentum patribus Reipublicae uti invenimus leges, & ſtatuta, ſic ea reliquimus; quia boni Concilij eſt, aut leges corruptas mutare aut eorum officia deferere quomodo enim pertinet Romana lex ad Chriſtianum, niſi à Deo approbetur? Pontificij ſublevant & reformant Leges Civiles per Ius Canonicum non à ſcripturis, ſed Paparum decretis, Concilijs, ac Patrum ſentencijs, deſumptis, nos vero nullum agnoſcimus Ius Canonicum niſi quod ex ſacro Dei Verbo aut ex ejus certa & conſtanti analogia colligatur; abſurdum eſt dicere, leges priores eſſe puriores, aut antiquiores, meliores, quomodo enim Mancipij leges ſalubres condere valeant, & nolunt Monarchae Cedere populo in materia libertatis; quaelibet bona lex eſt precium ſanguinis, & in Regione & Religione Catholica impoſſibile eſt Leges Civiles eſſe puras, quia Religio & Lex inter tolares fiunt ac in permixtae, ubi pura Religio ibi pura Lex Civilis; Corrupta Religio Tirannica Lex, reformatio Religionis neceſſario ergo inducit mutationem legum Civilium, non quoad fundamentalia vitae; membrorum ac proprietatis, ſed quoad formulas ac ſolemnitates Iuris, quae formulae Legis non ſuntipſa Lex; And much more to the ſame effect by learned Walaeus; which oration of his, tooke ſuch impreſsion, that within a moneth after, the forme of Legall proceedings received ſuch an alteration and abbreviation, that whereas before according to Imperiall constitutions, a ſuite in Law continued three or foure yeeres, and the beſt purſe at laſt prevailed, cauſes were ordinarily ended in a moneth; and if the Plaintiff cannot bring his cauſe to a period in three moneths he is diſmiſt of courſe, unleſſe it be neceſsary to ſend Commiſsions beyond ſeas between Merchant and Merchants, or in very difficult caſes, and where the witneſſes are in forreigne parts rare; The contrary practiſe whereunto is but as a ſweet harmonie to Satan, for does not he laugh to ſee a murderer eſcape through a miſnaming or miſtake in the Indictment; and a poore man that cannot read hanged for a sheep, or ſome corne taken to relieve his poore wife and children; to ſee a man that hath an estate to walke abroad and confront his creditors (though a priſoner in execution) and a poore wretch not worth ten pounds thruſt into a hole untill he pay one hundred pounds, which he is no more able to doe then the Phyloſopher to dry the ſea with an Oyſter shell; It is not Cor gaudium to him, to heare learned men ſay, that the Plaintiffe hath a cleere right and title to the Land or money demanded, but becauſe of ſome miſtake in the bill or proceedings he muſt pay costs to the Defendant, that is the wrong doer; Bleſsed God! did thy ſacred Majeſtie diſpence with the breach of thy holy Law, to ſave the life of an Oxe or a Sheep, that should fall into a pit on the Sabboth day, and shall not thy ſervanti diſpence with a circumſtance (where the right plainely appeares) to ſave the life of a family; nothing is ſubſtanciall in a courſe of Iuſtice but what is equall, reaſonable, and good, all other formes or methodes are but in effect Poperie, or Turciſme, as being a ſlavery to mens perſons, or eſtates, and to be abolisht by vertue of the Covenant which in the equity of that branch of the Hierarchy I ſpeake of the Ceremoniall and Circumſtanciall formes and proceedings which are coſtly, delatory, and mortiferous; but the eſsence of the Law like the ſubſtance of the doctrine of the Church of England (truly ſo called, not as Conſtituted in a Goſpell order, but in oppoſition to Rome as Antichrist is ſaid to ſit in the Temple of God, and Rome called a Church in oppoſition to Turks and Pagans) is in moſt things inviolable, inalterable, and immutable, for indeed the Law of England is ancienter thenDr. & ſt books, the maine pillar whereof is the righteous Law of God, according to which the reformation muſt be, otherwiſe it is impoſſible to have any ſetled peace in a Commonwealth, where every one does or may ſtudy Scripture; it is pure ſollid reaſon whereof to deprive any Law, Custome, or Courſe of a Court, is to take away the ſoule from man, for where the Law or any Courſe of Practiſe is taken upon truſt by tradition and not upon election and choice of reaſon, the greateſt tiranny and oppreſſion is exerciſed by collour of that Law which puts oppreſſion both into one Act and an Art, but then this Law muſt be publique reaſon, that which the Iudicious and moſt learned men judge ſo to be, not the ſenſe or Iudgement of any private man, for that will be as dangerous to the Commonwealth as the private interpretation of Scripture ariſing out of ſome mens braines, and not out of the Scripture it ſelfe, is to their ſoules. 2 Pet. 1. 20. and 3. 16. by miſinterpreting and drawing them violently from the true ſenſe, to a falſe one; to uphold their errors as it is poſſible ſome may uphold old errors againſt new truthes for advantage ſake; for there is a remnant of old Adam in the best man. The two great enemies that S. Paul had, were two Smiths, the ſilver Smith, and the Copper Smith that got much money by making ſilver and copper chaines, or Image to the Heathen Gods, and Goddeſses, Acts 25. 24. to the 28. great is Diana: and 1 Tim. 4. 14.

Now becauſe it is of very high concernement for all that are ſervants to the Commonwealth in publique imployments, to live in the opinion of all good men as the beſt and ſtrongest fortification and engagement to faithfulnes and diligence, therefore having received ſome loving advertiſements from ſome faithfull friends in England, as if we proceeded here irregularly or arbitrarily in matters of Iustice; that ſome turned the Law into Preaching that had other buſines to do; and that Ministers are harshly dealt with, or to that effect, knowing that truth is very welcome and reaſon very prevalent with your Honors. I crave leave to anſwer, first, as to the adminiſtration of Civill Iuſtice in this Province, thus it ſtands; my Lord Lieutenant (the dayes of whoſe life, the Lord of life multiply and ſweeten to the further Terror of his Enemies: and greater comfort of his deere ſervants) upon many petitions from the Inhabitants of the Province of Munſter was pleaſed to revive the Preſidencie Court there as formerly; conſisting of the Lord Preſident, two Gownemen, viz a first and ſecond Iustice, and other Commiſſioners.

My Lord Deputie (who is a bleſsed Inſtrument and indefatigable in the works of holines and righteouſnes) for the great eaſe and ſafety of the people, hath altered the Provinciall Court into County Courts, that whereas before the people travailed fourty or fifty miles, now their differences are ended at home in the nature of Aſſizes or ſittings; And the Honorable Commiſsioners of Parliament promoting the true liberties and freedome of the people, have given great eaſe to them in taking away ſome needleſſe offices and in matter of Fees, there being ſeldome twenty shillings ſpent in a cauſe by all parties, unleſſe it be in Councells Fees, which are aſcertained, and but very ſmall in compariſon; I doe not in the twenty shillings include the charge of witneſſes which yet is very ſmall, not goeing out of their owne County; but the Fees uſuall which are allowed to the officers, Iury, Clarks, and Attorneys (for the Court hath not any) every man pleading his owne Cauſe, which I obſerve to be a good way for diſcovering the truth; The forme and method of proceedings hath not by me been altered in any point conſiderable; but indeed the originall conſtitution of the Court ſeeme to me to be excellent in foure particulars.

The firſt proces of the Churt hath ever been a ſummons in the nature of a Subpena, then an attatchement or diſtreſse of the defendants goods, not reſtraining his perſon but for matter of Contempt, or upon very juſt and reaſonable cauſe.

Secondly, It is a mixt Court, and the Bill may containe both Law and equitie whereby halfe the ſuites in the Province are ended or prevented, but hath no Cognizance of Pleas reall concerning titles of Land.

Thirdly, The Cauſe is heard and ended as ſoone as it is ripe for hearing; indeed herein is ſome alteration, for whereas formerly there were but two or three ſittings in a yeare; the Iustices and practizers attending the upper Courts at Dublin, in the Terme-time, and ſo cauſes depended long; Now (having no other buſines to doe) wee end the difference as ſoone as it is prepared for a hearing, which ſome (how Iuſtly let wiſe men Iudge) have cenſured to be an inovation and precipitous Iuſtice; indeed precipitancy is the Stepmother of Iuſtice, and must as carefully be avoided as falling from a Rocke, but that is to heare and determine before both parties are ready or had convenient time ſo to be; otherwiſe when a Cauſe is ripe for ſentence why should not the Court put in the Sickle? a ſpeedy tryall is the Plaintiffs joy and just Iudgement delayed may prove worſe then an unrighteous ſentence ſpeedily pronounced.

Fourthly, There is a great difference between the proceedings in England, and the ancient courſe of this Court in point of payment of debts; for debts are payd by instalment as the Defendants are able to pay them (a most excellent and admirable compoſition of a Court) for the caſe of poore Ireland ſtands thus; the poore Engliſh who through Gods mercy ſaved their lives, but lost their estates by the Rebells; begin now (bleſſed be God) to returne to their poſſeſsions, and the protected Iriſh make a hard shift to live, paying great Contributions; and many a poore man hath got a plough of five or ſix garrons, as many cowes, forty or fifty sheep, all worth about fifty pound; this poore man payes for horne and corne, and begins to grow warme in his buſines, but comes an Action of debt (like an armed man) upon him, for fifty or a hundred pound, contracted before, or for his neceſſarie ſubſistance during the Rebellion; the Plaintiffe having been long out of his money, is very ſtomack-full (blame him not after ſo long faſting) and proſecutes with all rigor; Iudgement cannot be denyed him; an execution againſt goods in other Courts Iſsues of Courſe, and what followes? the goods are ſold at under rates, at 25. or 30. l'. (for who will buy his neighbours goods ſo taken from him but will be ſure of a good penny-worth?) and the fees and charges of the execution are ſo great, that the debt if it were but 50. P. is not halfe payd, and for the remainder, the defendant is taken in execution where he ſtarves to death, and his wife and poore children beggs from doore to doore, unleſſe relieved by the parish; but by the courſe of this Court the defendant comes in, and prayes an Instalement and a Iury of indifferent and impartiall neighbours inſtall the debt to be payd by ſeverall gales and dayes of payment, as in the Defendant shall be thought able, and if the Iury (who certainely are the proper Iudges in ſuch caſes, for it may be their own caſes the next day) findes any fraude, deceit, or violence, the Defendant is impriſoned, as he well deſerves, by which meanes (it is an obſervation to me very admirable) though the people be extremely indigent, there not being ſcarce a tenth part of the money here that is in England, debts are I believe ten times better paid here then in England for of 5. or 600 l'debts that have been here ſued, for in ſome one Countie ſcarce know ten of them but are payd, or ſecured, whereas if the Reynes of the Law had beene let looſe here, as in other Courts in all probability, there had never been ten debts of a hundred ſatisfieed; for not one Defendant in twenty hath ſo much money by him, and if either his perſon be restrained, or his little flocke taken away, his friends leave him, and ſo miſerie quickly findes him; but give him time, he works like a mole to keepe himſelfe or his goods from Arreſt; one friend like one hand helps another; he recovers ſome other debts due to him, and in a short ſpace becomes a noune ſubſtantive; I could inſtance in many that had Actions against them of 2. or 3000 l'. value (it would pitie a man to ſee more load ſtill layd on, as if they would be prest to death; yet by this way of Inſtalment, the man having a breathing time agrees firſt with one, then with another, and in a short ſpace growes into as good credit, as any of his neighbours, the contrary practize of not inſtaling debts, as men are able to pay, hath beene the ruine of many families that might have flourished to this day; and by this meanes the Contribution to the Army is payd, Agriculture increaſed with many families) would all be quickly ruined if the Farmers should be unſtocked by ſuch executions. The practiſe of this Court hath likewiſe formerly been very profitable and eaſie to the people in matter of Executorships, and Adminiſtrations, as to end ten or twenty ſuites upon one bill filed againſt an executor, or adminiſtrator, the creditors are all called, and every mans part proportioned according to the conſcionable demerit of the debt, and not the whole eſtate ſwept away upon a dormant Iudgement, to the defrauding of many poore Creditors, with ſome other equitable practiſes too long for an Epiſtle.

As to the ſecond cenſure that many preach uncalled, or that have other buſineſſe to doe, wee know that untill there was a ſtanding office of Prieſthood, Moſes who was the chiefe Iudge of all Civill Controverſies exerciſed, the Prieſtly office, Pſal. 99. 6. Moſes and Aaron among his Priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name. It was Moſes that conſecrated Aaron; but we doe not read that he was conſecrated himſelfe; Magiſtracie and Miniſtery are distinct bodyes, but in the abſence of a Miniſter, every gifted man, not onely may, but ought to ſpeake to the people, as a good ſteward of the grace of God under penalty, not onely to have the Talent taken from him (which human prudence would thinke ſufficient) but the unprofitable ſervant is to be cast into utter darknes, in which ſenſe doeing all that we can, I hope we are not unprofitable ſervants; If ſuch an objection should be regarded here, wee had long ſince been Atheiſts, without any face of Religton upon the Sabboth day, and without any forme of godlines; ſurely if in Law, much more in Religion; Neceſſity makes that not only lawfull but comendable, which otherwiſe would not be ſo; beſides there are ſome that can give an account of their faith Latinaliter; and ſo by the Statute of the 13. Eliz. cap. 12. may preach, and ſo may any other, by vertue of that Statute, that hath a ſpeciall gift and ability to be a Preacher; but there is ſomething of more particular concernement. In ſuites depending betweene the Engliſh and Iriſh; when Iriſh witneſſes are produced, the Engliſh object (which indeed is one of the greateſt difficulties I meet with) that they make no Conſcience of ſwearing upon our Bibles, but will ſpeake truth upon a Ladyes Pſalter, or by St. Patricke; now they will not come to our Sermons to heare their groſse Idolatries and ſuperſtitious fopperies reproved, but are very constant auditors in Courts of Iuſtice, where ſome of us take occaſion to informe them of the nature of Oathes, and endeavor to convince them of the ridiculouſnes of their bread God in their tranſubstantiation; that they commit adultery with their Images, and are ſo impudent in croſsing their foreheads that they cannot blush at it; of the danger, infamy and horror of perjurie remembring them of Ananias, and Saphira, who for telling a lye (without any oath) were ſtrucken dead upon the place; that their Popes have been monſters of mankinde, conjurers, witches, and divells in a humane figure; that Prieſts and Friars are very cheats and theeves in robbing poore deluded ſimple people; that their Priests by their Law are not to marry, and by cuſtome not to live chaſt; that the pretended miracles they brag on, are meere impostures; that their true miracles are onely ſuch as theſe their Prieſts to have no wives, and yet many children; Friars to have no ground and yet most corne; no money nor vineyards yet the beſt Sellars of wines and proviſions; that it is a miracle that they doe not all riſe as one man against the Pope for his cruelty, that having power (as they hold, and himſelfe confeſſes) to let out and diſcharge all their anceſtors & friends from Purgatory (which they ſay, is as hot as Hell fire) yet will not doe, becauſe they have not money enough to give him, and his Priests for it; that their Religion is wholly compoſed and patcht up of Iudaiſme, Paganiſme, and Turciſme, and as many abſurdities in thoſe points they differre from Proteſtants, as there have been minutes of time ſince they crept in amongst them, which ſome call preaching & Innovation, though in effect it is no other then what ſome of the Reverend Iudges in England have mentioned in their charges in the Circuits upon the Statutes of Recuſancy, which expreſſions, though for the matter of them they must ſeeme to exaſperate, yet the manner of delivery may much mollifie and ſalve it; we pitie their blindnes, that their ſoules should be ſo deluded, and they perceiving that it is ſo ſpoken in love, and that we would not diſpleaſe them, but inteutionally for their owne good, they are not angry with that Surgeon that cuts and lanches the patient, deſiring to cure him; but concerning the laſt part of the objection that wee have ſilenced the Clergie in Munſter, to make way for our ſelves to vent our owne opinions becauſe I underſtand that the matter of fact concerning that particular, hath been untruly repreſented, and a falſe diſguiſe put upon it; as godly, learned Miniſters were thereby diſcouraged from coming over hither, where they are ſo much wanting, and should be ſo cordially welcome; I preſume briefely to report the true ſtate thereof; at my coming into Munſter, I found the Clergie there generally ſequeſtred for delinquencie againſt the Parliament, in having adhered to the Lord of Ormondes and Lord Inchiquines illegall authorities, after their being declared Traytors which reſolutions were printed with their names thereunto, which was not denied ſcarce by any of them; my Lord Lieutenant, looking upon it ſomething like the generall caſe in Adam, that man who was the maſter peece of the creation was wholly loſt, was pleaſed to referre the ſaid Clergies Petition to Sir William Fenton, Colonell Phaier, and my ſelfe, to proceed againſt them in like manner as the Honorable Committee at Weſtminſter proceed against ſcandalous Delinquents, or inſufficieut Miniſters; which we did accordingly and (in his Excellencies abſence) attended my Lord Deputies pleaſure therein, who joyned Eſquire Gookin, Dr. Harding, Colonell Hodder, and Capt. Baker with us, and as in all his Actions having in his eye the glory of God, and the goodtof poore Creatures, required us to Act therein as might moſt conduce to the publique good we endeavoured what we could to ſeperate the precious from the impure, and to diſtinguish betweene murder and manſlaughter; viz. though they had all contracted, and were involved in a generall guilt by that ſubſcription; and conſequently obnoxious to Iuſtice; becauſe a greater difference could not poſſibly have been done to the Parliament, then for the Provinciall Ministers to declare their Iudgments and reſolutions to aſsiſt and adhere to thoſe Traytors, for no doubt but thereby many of the Engliſh which had ſo much ſuffered by the Rebells were taken off from their former good affection & faithfulnes to the Parliaments juſt authority, being like ſo many poore sheep, ruled by thoſe whom they call their ſpirituall Sheepheards; yet becanſe many of them might be drawne thereunto for their own preſervations (as the caſe then ſtood with them) and upon the matter forced to ſubſcribe rather to ſave their livings then out of any diſaffection to the proceedings of Parliament; ſuch of them as did acquit themſelves from ſcandall in life and doctrine, and were gifted for the Miniſterie are continued, and enjoy their benefices without diminution, unleſſe it be in caſe of pluralities: and truly for my owne part, I found much Ingennitie in many of them; and wherein they differ from us, I take it to be from a conſciencious principle; & hope & daily pray that there may be a right understanding and better agreement between all honest and conſciencious people that feare the Lord, that we may all as one man with one shoulder, labour to exalt the Kingdome of Ieſus Chriſt and to advance holines & rigbteouſnes in our ſeverall Actions; but indeed, the harveſt is like to be very great in this Nation, and the laborers in Christ Vineyard are very few, many poore Engliſh here are like corne, ready to be brought into Gods Barne by Converſion, but there are very few painfull, skilfull, harveſt-men, pray we therefore the Lord of the Vineyard, that hee will ſend forth Laborers unto his Vineyard, or as the words are, caſt them out, for men are very ſlow in ſo holy a worke, Preachers that have the tongue of the Learned, that know how to ſpeake words in ſeaſon acceptable and delighfull Eſay 50. 4. Ecleſ. 12. 10. able Ministers of the new Testament, 2 Cor. 3. 6. who by an ordinance of heaven ought to have a comfortable maintenance, 1. Cor. 9. 14. Gal. 6. 6.

And as I was concluding, came the ſad newes of the tranſlation of our incomparable Lord Deputie, the truly Honorable Henry Ireton Eſquire; therefore though I feare I have already exceeded the limitts of an Epiſtle, yet my heart being ſo brimfull of grief, I humbly beg Your wonted Clemency, and much Honored patience, that it may a little vent and run over in a few broken words, though bedewed with teares, his Death is ſuch an Ecclipſe to poore Ireland; that may be beſt felt & underſtood many yeers hence; indeed England and Scotland, and all ſorts of people in the three Nations, eſpecially the poore oppreſsed fatherleſse, and widowes (to whome he was upon all occaſions a patron, father, and husband) have no ſmall cauſe of lamentation, never had Commonwealth a greater loſſe, becauſe undoubtedly there was never a more able painefull, provident and industrious ſervant; that with more wiſedom, prudence, faithfulnes, fortitude, and ſelfe-deniall, diſcharged his duty to all people, and acted every part ſo well ſince he firſt appeared to publique view, as if he had been borne only for that particular; if he erred in any thing (as error and humanity are inſeperable) it was in too much neglecting himſelfe, for like a candle hee waſted his vitalls, to give light to others, ſeldome thinking it time to eat till he had done the worke of the day at nine or ten at night, and then will ſit up as long as any man had buſines with him; indeed he was every thing from a foot Souldier to a Generall; and thought nothing done whilst any thing was undone; his laſt tedious and wet march into Conaught, for the reducing of Clare, and other Caſtles, after the rendition of Lymericke cost him deere (as I underſtand) occaſioning the fever; his heavenly Father would not ſuffer him to dye by the hand of the enemy, nor of the Peſtilence whereby many of his deere ſervants have beene called home; he was a moſt exact Iusticiarie in all matters of morall righteouſnes, and with ſtrength of ſollid reaſon had a moſt piercing Iudgement, and a large understanding heart to diſcerne betweene good and evill, truth and error; hee was one of thoſe good Magiſtrates propheſied of in Rom. 13. and his converſation was a true interpretation of that Text, being ſo intent to Gods honor, that he never thought himſelf ſerved or be friended in any Action unles God was therein, ſerved and honored; let us minde our duty (ſayes hee) and what Scripture have you to warrant it? I believe few men knew more of the Art of Policy and ſelfe intereſſed prudentialls, but never man ſo little practized them; he is, and shall be moſt deere to my remembrance; and of all the Saints that ever I knew, I deſire to make him my Preſident; for uprightednes, ſingleheartednes, and ſincerity; he exerciſed it to his enemies; Oh, ſayes he, deale platnely with them, let them know what they muſt truſt too, and though hee was very ſparing in his promiſes to the Rebells, yet he was moſt liberall in performances; he had a very cleere divine light of truthes ſupernaturall, and being ſtrong in faith and of a most humble and meeke ſpirit, gave God the glory of all ſucceſse; upon the leaſt loſse we received by the Iriſh, or any diſappointment; Oh, ſayes he, is not our God angry with us? let us be fervent in prayer to know his minde in every checke or chaſtiſement; as upon the loſſe in attempting the Iſland by Lymericke, where gallant Major Walker lost his life; He wrote to Colonell Lawrence, and others of us here, by the name of his Christian friends and brethren, to be earnest with the Lord, to know his minde what he would have his poore ſervants in the Army to doe; I doe verily thinke, that ſince the Apoſtles dayes there was never more Divine breathing of the Spirit of Chriſt in any Letter then in that; He had a moſt noble propertie, that if any man was queſtioned or cenſured behind his backe, he would be his Counſell, and argue for him every thing that could be rationally alledged; never did man in the owning of his Authority more diſowne himſelfe; hee was a most exemplary Christian in duties of piety and Religion, alwayes beginning and ending Conferences & Councells with prayer, ſeeking wiſedom, adviſe and ſtrength from God upon all occaſions, he had conſtantly (when in Gariſon) an exerciſe before ſupper, and though he ſatt in Councell till eight or nine at night, yet by his good will the diſcourſe should not be the shorter, but when Mr. Pacient (a man of great experience in heavenly things) or any other, ſeemed to be ſtrained in time, he would ſay, let us not thinke that time too long in Gods immediate ſervice, and when others had ſpoken to any diſputable and uſefull question, hee would ſpeake with that depth of Iudgement ever tending to unity and unanimity in opinions and affections, that (to my ſlender apprehenſions) I doe not know that ever I heard him maintaine any error; and was willing to heare truth from the Souldier; when the ſicknes encreaſed the last yeare, he appointed not onely one or two dayes to ſeeke the Lord to revoke that Comiſsion but every fourth day of the weeke for ſix weeks together; and ſure it is a bleſſed thing when Moſes ſpeaks to Aaron, the Magiſtrate to all Gods people, to be ſervent in prayer, when wrath is gone out from the Lord and the Plague begin Num. the 16. 46. his eſtimat or character of a godly man, was not principally that he was of ſuch a ſorme, opinion, judgement, or attainement; but where he found the maine bent and reſolution of his ſcule to be to know God in the face of Ieſus Christ, and to promote his glory, to ſerve the Saints, to begin or ſecond a good motion, with all his might; to doe good to every viſible object, to love the first appearances and cherish the least ſparks of grace, and Image of Chriſt in whom ſoever exiſting and to renounce the honors, profits and pleaſures of this life for Chriſts ſake who became of no reputation for us; he greatly delighted in the Communion of Saints, and made union with Chriſt (and not any other opinion) the ground of it, which is the onely foundation of that Church, againſt which the gates of hell shall never prevaile, as that ſweet ſpirited Chriſtian Mr. Ieſſe hath unanſwerably evinced; he would often ſay to this effect, that there was no honor like to the ſervice of Ieſus Chriſt, and let our ambition be who shall be moſt inſtrumentall for God in his generation, and having done our worke with all diligence, let us truſt God for our wages, but halfe worke is not pleaſing to God. I know the want of ſome diſtinguishing ordinances was a burden to him, and I am afraid that our heavenly Father hath a controverſie with many of us in Ireland for ſeverall deficiencies or redundancies, as first, our undervallueing the Lords Supper, I am afraid ſometimes that God will make the leſſe account of our bloods and of our children, becauſe we ſo little eſteeme (if not trample under-foot) the blood of his Son in that Ordinance; if a Chriſtian cannot conveniently enjoy it, yet he should mourne for the want of it. Secondly, for not Sanctifying the Lords Day, the morallity whereof too many deny, and ſuch as hold it, yet upon every triviall and ſlight buſines, which might have been done the day before, or deferred till the day after; forget to keep it holy; I agree that works of neceſsity and mercy may be done upon that day where it is really ſo of Gods ſending, and for publique utillity; but a culpable neceſsity of our owne making will not excuſe the breach of that holy Law. Thirdly, that when the honest interest is ſtrugling for life ſome should be ſtriving for eſtates or rather when Ieſus Chriſt is daily Crucified in his members by the bloody Tories, there should be emulations and contentions amongſt us for ſuperiority, or prudencie, as was amongst the Apoſtles; that whereas S. Paul only commands to render honor to whom honor is due, Rom. 13. 7. wee are too ready to aſſume titles of honor which are not owned in England. Fourthly, or it may be that every officer hath not the bowells and tender care of a father to his poore companions, 1 Chron. 11. 17. 18. 19. And David longed and ſaid, Oh that one would give me drinke of the water of the well of Bethlem that is at the gate. And the 3. brake through the hoſt of the Philiſtines and drew water out of the well of Bethlem that was by the gate, and tooke it and brought it to David, but David would not drinke of it but powred it out to the Lord and ſaid, my God forbid it me, that I should doe this thing; shall I drinke the blood of theſe men that have put their lives in Ieopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it, therefore he would not drinke it. Fiftly, or per adventure that we are not ſo intent upon the principle worke that wee were ſent over about viz to right and reſtore the plundered, banished, and oppreſſed Engliſh, Sixtly or lastly, that we doe not put a difference between ſuch as have been active in the beginning or proſecution of the Rebellion, and ſuch as have only had their hearts, and not their hands in it; the Lord help us, wee know not how to caſt a ſevere eye upon the offence, and yet a pitifull eye upon the perſon, ſome are too indulgent in the remiſſion of juſt punishment; others turne Iudgement into wormewood by an over exact ſeverity; but bleſſed be God, what errors are amongſt us? they are but in the head, I hope our hearts are ſound and right for Holines, Iuſtice and Mercy; ſpecially ſuch as are intrusted in Councell and Conduct; this is but as an humble Caution. And whether it pleaſed God to take away ſo precius an Inſtrument; either for his owne ſins, or for ours (we being indeed not worthy of him) or that his glory may be made more manifest, that he is not tyed to any man, but can carry on his owne worke, in the removall of the wiſeſt Counſellors, and moſt valiant worthyes; It is not for us poſitively to determine.

Pray pardon me but a word more, truly all things conſidered I doe not know, that there are diverſities of gifts and operations, but it is the ſame God and Spirit which worketh all in all, 1. Cor. 12. 2. 4. and happily ſome may excell in one thing and ſome in another; but for ſo great a ſtocke of knowledge, ſuch extraordinary abilities in matters and learning, Military, Iudiciall Reipublicall, Mathematicall, Morall, Rationall, and Divine, I ſay for every thing requiſite and deſirable, both as a man and as a Chriſtian, I thinke it will be hard with many candles to finde his equall; but he that made him ſo good lives for ever, and his yeeres change not, Pſal, 102. 27. who can (and I truſt will) richly adorne and quallifie his ſucceſſors, and make them ſuch as he would have them to be; that what his Moſeſſes shall leave undone, may be finisht by his Ioſhuaes; which will undoubtedly be ſo, if our unbeliefe hinder not good things from us; for bleſſed be God they which are next in Command here, and many others, are of Gods deſignation Called and faithfull and Choſen, and ſuch as honor God; and therefore ought to be honored; but Tragedies muſt not be long, thoſe that knew him not may thinke I ſpeake for affection, and thoſe that were intimate with him will blame me of ignorance that I ſay ſo little, the more worthy he was, the greater is the loſſe, eſpecially to his deere and honored relations, (whom the Lord bleſse with all benedictions, temporall and eternall) for whoſe ſakes I should not have ſaid any thing in point of Comendation least it should encreaſe their ſorrow, but that I hope that they are, and shall pray that they may be more poſſeſsed of that rare Iewell of Chriſtian reſignation and living in the divine will; I am ſure that hee was tender of the honor and wellfare of the Sonne of God and his members: therfore no doubt but God will be a Father to his good Lady and Children, but great griefes command ſilence, and it is beſt to caſt a vayle upon it, that wee ſorrow not even as others which have no hope, and now (moſt Honorable) becauſe God will honor them that honor him; It is but my duty to beare testimony to all thoſe excellent things which you have done for the glory of God and good of the Nations; It was ſaid of Hercules, that no man deſerved ſo much as he, becauſe hee freed the world from Lions, VVolves, and Tygers; you that may truly ſay with David; we have killed the Lion and the Beare, shall I trust be bleſſed and aſsiſted to curbe and overcome the Goliahs that oppoſe righteouſnes and holines, the Phyliſtins, deceivers and myſticall wolves; all oppreſſors, and cruell men, all ſuch as are inwardly ravening wolves in point of ſelfe-intereſt, building their fortunes upon the ruines of honeſt men, though they appeare in any sheeps clothing; ſo shall your names be famous, and immortall; which yet is not to be interpreted ſo much a comendations of the perſons, as the gifts and Graces of God in them. And ſo with all ſubmiſſe gratitude to Your Honors, that wee Your faithfull ſervants here, live in Your remembrances, as knowing it to be all the intereſt expected; therein reſembling (like deere Children) Your Heavenly Father, who finding a thankfull heart, for one mercy conferrs another; I shall turne my prayſes of you into prayers for you and yours, that God would make you maſters over the peoples hearts and mindes, as well as over their bodyes, that you may be a burdenſome ſtone to all oppreſsion, to breake in peeces all petty Tyrants; and to conquer not only the Eccleſiasticall beast, but the Politicall; that if it be his will you may live to rayſe the ſuperſtructures, and finish the building of that foundation which you have ſo happily layd and begun; And that after long lives, for the glory of God, and the good of the Nations, you may follow that truly worthy member that is gone before, into that bliſſefull inheritance of the Saints in light, where is all day and no night, where your daily cares and troubles shall ceaſe; and the voyce of the oppreſsor shall not be heard; ſo prayes

Your Honors moſt dutifull and thankfull ſervant, Iohn Cooke.
Monarchie no Creature of Gods making, &c.

Monos arkein. BY Monarchy I underſtand, the Government of one man over many, to give lawes and commands alone; to have thouſands accomptable to him, and he alone to be accomptable to God; as the late King Charles in 3. Car. in his ſpeech (printed amongſt the Statutes no doubt by the finger of God, to let the world ſee what he ever intended) in theſe words: I must avow that I owe an accompt of my actions to none but God alone; God is no more the Author of ſuch a government then he is the Author of ſinne, which to hold is to deny him to be God, for hee that believes a Deitie muſt conclude that God is without fault, without defect, infinitly good, and juſt, or elce he is not God. Monarchs that aſſume an abſolute Supremacy to do what they liſt are not creatures of Gods ordination by his promiſſive hand of love, but God permits ſuch to be, as he ſuffers ſin to be in the world by his permiſſive hand of divine providence being that wiſe Phyſician that maks uſe of poyſon for the good of thoſe that feare him, and that knowes how to create light out of darknes. Indeed we read: Dan. 2. 21. That God removeth Kings, and ſetteth up Kings, Pſal. 75. 7. Iob 34. 30. God plucks down Tyrants that they may oppreſſe no more, yet ſuffers an Hypocrite ſometimes to raigne for the wickednes of a people, but he appoints no government but what is juſt and rationall, as a Democracie or Ariſtocracie elective, for that Wiſe men ſhould governe Ignorants, is a principle in Nature; but that God ſhould create millions of people to be ſubject to the Arbitrary luſts of one man, and that to go in ſucceſſion to a minor or Idiot: That he ſhould be governor over millions; that knowes not how to order himſelfe, Reaſon abhors it, and God approves it not though he permits it ſo to be, as thoſe great Empires of Turky, Perſia, the Tartars, Mogull, Ruſsia, China, Preſto-Iohn, and to come neerer the Potentates in Europe, whoever aſſumes ſuch an abſolute, unlimited prerogative and ſupremacie to make Lawes, Warre, pardon Murders, to raiſe money when he wants it, and makes himſelfe Iudge of that neceſſitie ſuch a governor rules not by Gods immediat will of love and approbation but his mediate will of wrath & anger which he appoints not, having commanded the contrary viz. a juſt, rationall goverment; but permits and ſuffers Tiranny and oppreſſion, for glorious ends and reaſons beſt known to his Divine Majeſtie; and if any ſuch be called Gods, Pſal. 82. 6 it is no otherwiſe then as Satan is called the God Revel. 9. 11. & King of this world, 2 Cor. 4. 4. and the Prince of the Aire who ruleth in the children of diſobedience for to make any chief Magiſtrat above law, is to make Authoritie which is given of God to puniſh ſin, to be a protection againſt heaven contrary to Gods pure eſſence; not onely as if he approved ſin, but as if he ſhould protect ſin by an ordinance of his owne inſtitution, and any accomptablenes in a Monarch deſtroyes that goverment. And thoſe pollitique and ſpecious Arguments brought for the maintenance of Monarchy (no doubt the beſt that could be had for money): poore Calvin made many rich. HePauper Calvinus multos fecit divites. that could bring a freſh argument againſt Calvins life or doctrine, or for the Popes Supremacy had a good penſion with impunitie for Enormities precedent or ſubſequent) that they ought not to be accomptable to Law for the prevention of Mutinies and Inſurrections, that if the King of France or Spayne ſhould kill a man it would be more h zard and coſt to the people to bring them to Iuſtice then to let them eſcape unpuniſhed and Monarchs having the Militia at their commands, and carrying life and death in their eyes and tongues no man dares proſecute againſt them; The poore ſheepe thought it very fit that there ſhould be a bell tyed about the Wolves necke to give notice of his approach but none of them durſt adventure to tye it about him, andPrudentia Humana Capitalis Inimica Chriſti. therefore ſayes worldly wiſedom: Let the people be accomptable to Kings, and they only be accomptable to God, that is let the Wolves and Beares devoure the Sheepe without controle: As if God had appointed the Bee to make hony onely for the Drones; this is to exalt the wiſedome of fooliſh men above the Infinite Wiſedome of the Eternall God.

But the queſtiō preciſely ſtated, is whether Monarchicall goverment have any footing in the Word of God to be of divine Inſtitution which I deny; And becauſe I have obſerved that the ground of ſo many errors is principally mens ſnatching at Scripture, reading here and there a verſe, and very few in compariſon that will take the paines to conſult the whole minde of God, therefore I would in a Parenthiſis in treat all ſuch as pretend to Chriſtianity to begin at the firſt of Geneſis, and not be weary of reading till they come to the end of the Revelation, daily praying & caſting themſelves upon Gods aſſiſtance for the guidance of his holy ſpirit in the interpretation thereof; for indeed it is a ſhame for a Child not to be acquainted with his Fathers will every legacie part and branch thereof: every one will be objecting; what, was not David a Monarch, and a man after Gods owne heart? pray ſtay a while, it is not ſaid that Davids office was after Gods owne heart, and the contrary will plainely appeare if we conſult thoſe ſacred Oracles which (the more is the pity) men doe not value as their pardon or evidences of their ſalvation but diſeſteeme them as if they were their Indictment like unhanſome people care not for the glaſſe, or as the Elephant that muds the water to hide its owne deformity.

To begin then with Adam, who had an abſolute ſupremacie over the Creatures, but neither Adam (nor Noah who was the heire of the new world) ever challenged to be Kings, becauſe for one man to ſet himſelfe above others without giving an accompt of his Actions, is, to put off the nature of man and to make himſelfe a God, whoſe will is a Law, and the ground of all created goodnes and Iuſtice, things being therefore good and juſt becauſe God wills them, and he does not will them becauſe they are good and juſt.

The firſt man then that we find taking upon him Kingly power was Nimrod, Geneſ. 10. 8. 9. the mighty Hunter, what did he hunt? the lives, liberties and eſtates of poore people, thoſe that would not hunt and catch veniſon for him he hunted them, and ever ſince though never before; Monarchs and Tyrants have hunted men, as men have hunted Beares and Wolves, and ſuch noxious creatures; and it is obſervable that the tower of Babel was not built to advance any one man, or to get glory to a particular perſon, as a King above his Brethren, but to gaine a name and renowne to them all, Gen. 11. 4. Let us make us a name not one of us; If any Cavaleriſt or Caroliſt object that Cain was a King over Abel becauſe of his primogeniture being the firſt borne and heire to the priviledges of Adam, and that the Lord promiſed Cain that if hee did well he ſhould rule over Abel, Gen 4. 7. That will more diſſervice him in the reare and conſequence, then advantage him in the front, for Cain was accomptable for murder, and was a man of death for killing Abel and though he did not dye (peradventure becauſe there were then few to take example and to be terrified by his death) Yet by that murder he was made incapable of enjoying any dignitie and God did not preſerve him alive in love but reproved him in his fury that others which ſhould be borne after, might ſee the vagabond and fugitife, and magnifie the Iuſtice of God upon him, the branding, feare, and ſhame that he underwent being farre worſe then death; and ſo the firſt King was not unaccomptable but loſt all for a murder; ſo true it is that many a man marries a widow that would gladly be rid of her traine of children; and whereas many have inſtanced in Davids caſe, that he was a man of blood in the murder of Vriah and yet not put to death, the anſwer is eaſy that David ought by the Law of Man to have ſuffered death though he was a Monarch, and Nathan cauſed him to be his owne judge 2 Sam. 12. 5. As the Lord liveth that man that hath done this thing ſhall ſurely dye, then Nathan ſaid to David thou art the man; and if he had ſaid no more, there muſt have been ſome Executioner found out to have taken away the life of David it being againſt the law of Nature to make any man his owne executioner, but be pleaſed to obſerve how Nathan aggravated the ſin verſe 8. 9. as if it were a farr greater ſin for David to commit a murder then for a private man, becauſe it is a double ſin, murder and breach of truſt it is the higheſt treaſon for a King to murder his Subjects; and there can be no greater honor to any people in the world then to doe Iuſtice upon a murderous King but verſ. 13. David confeſſeth his ſin: I have ſinned againſt the Lord in killing Vriah the Hittite with the ſword, and ſlaying him with the ſword of the Children of Ammon, though David never toucht the weapon that ſhed the blood of Vriah 2 Sam. 11. 14. therefore it is an impotent argument that the late King never killed any man with his owne hands, and as weake to ſay that there was no malice in him which formally denominates and diſtinguiſhes murder from man-ſlaughter, but a Martiall contending for his owne right upon ſuch probable grounds, that if a plaintif in Chancery were non-ſuited he ought not to pay any coſts for that he had a probable cauſe of litigation; for if there was not a prepenced and precogitated malice againſt all publique ſpirited men againſt whom he breathed out ſo many threatnings, wiſhing that they had but one head, that they might be taken off at a blow as another Nero, yet there was malice in Law, and malice implyed, to kill every man that ſhould ſtand in his way of an abſolute unaccountable domination; which certainely is a clearer malice then a thiefe hath that kills a man that will not looſe his purſe, the thiefe hath no deſire to hurt the honeſt man wiſhes him at his owne houſe in ſafety, if he would but leave his purſe behind him; for I appeale to every ſober man whoſe judgement is not corrupted by preingaged affections which is more hainous murder and offence in the ſight of God for a poore man to rob a rich man of ten pound and in caſe of reſiſtance to kill him, or for a Prince that for the maintenance of his Pretogative (which himſelfe ſayes is to be accountable for his actions to none but God alone) ſhall grant Commiſſions of Array, and raiſe Armies to put a whole Land into a Combuſtion and flame, to the pillaging, plundering, maſſacring and deſtroying many thouſands of poore innocent people; And Nathan ſaid to David, the Lord hath put away thy ſin, thou ſhalt not dye, No man can pardon murder but God alone ſo that the reaſon why David was not put to death for that murder was not for the authority that he had as a King but out of Gods pure mercy to him, there being a ſuperſedeas to the Execution from the Court of Heaven, thereby to make him and Manaſſes in the old Teſtament, and Paul in the new, patternes to ſuch as ſhould believe, not only of Eternall, but of Temporall ſalvation; he that may command Abraham to ſacrifice Iſaac may pardon David for killing Vriah, that however the good Thiefe was put to death, and if a godly man commit a murder he ought as well regularly to ſuffer death as the moſt impious, the Law of man bearing a correſpondency with the Law of God, that he that never ſins till ſeventy if he then kill a man muſt then ſuffer death, not only Temporall but Eternall, if he be under the Law, Galat. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 5. Let no beleever ſuffer as a murderer, thiefe, or evill doer proves that if any ſuch be murderers they ought to ſuffer; and the next verſe holds forth to me more then what is ordinarily obſerved: yet if any man ſuffer as a Chriſtian not for his Religion only, for then it ſhould ſignify no more then verſe 14. but if a Saint ſhould, through the ſtrength of a temptation and malice of Satan commit a murder (as the beſt man living may poſſibly commit any ſin, but the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt) in ſuch a caſe let him ſuffer legall puniſhment as a Chriſtian, let not him be terrified ſo much at the preſent death as rejoyce that he is goeing to his fathers houſe to Eternall happines, let him be more affected and afflicted that Religion ſhould ſuffer by his fault then for his owne ſufferings; let him take a kinde farewell of faith which ſhall preſently be turned into viſion, and of repentance for that all teares ſhall inſtantly be wiped from his eyes, let him feele by the ſpirit how all things worke together for his good even his great ſin for which he ſuffers; it being the occaſion to bring him ſoonet to his Crowne of glory; I ſay though this be regularly true, that if a godly man commit a murder the Law will take hold of him, 1 Tim. 1. 9. 10. yet if the Lord worke hearty Contrition in his ſoule for the offence as in the caſe of David, I have ſinned, & the heart be kindly touched with godly ſorrow (which did not appeare to be the Caſe of the late King) it ſeemes to me that they which carry the ſword may in ſome ſpeciall caſes ſave ſuch a man alive where happily the Lord hath ſo ſanctified that affliction to him; that he is thereby become a new creature and is not the ſame man that offended, and may be more ſerviceable and inſtrumentall for the Publique then his death would have been advantage to the people in point of exemplary Terror without any violation or infringement of that preceptive fundamentall law of Gen. 9. 6. the reaſon whereof being perpetuall ſo long as men are made after Gods Image it can never be abrogated, though any one ſhould extraordinarily be ſaved, by the equity of the Law as in Davids Caſe; who certainely were it not for ſome ſpeciall reaſon as a King did more deſerve death then for a private perſon to commit a murder, as he that is a Scholler and knowes the Law ought in reaſon rather to be hanged for ſtealing then he that cannot read a letter, as Levit. 4. 3. 27. 28. if a Prieſt ſin it requires a greater expiation, he muſt offer a Bullocke, whereas if a poore man ſin through ignorance a Kid was ſufficient.

He that with David meditates in Gods precepts, and delights in his holy Law, and Statutes, Pſal. 119. 15. ſhall find that in Iudgement the perſon of the poore is not to be reſpected, nor the perſon of the mighty to be honored, but in righteouſnes every man to be judged Levit. 19.Altius patibulum. 15. Kings to dye for murder as well as others, and higher ſcaffolds to be erected for them then others by reaſon of their high birth, that Iuſtice upon them may be more conſpicuous, another generation will as much wonder that Wiſe Royaliſts ſhould be taken with ſuch fond arguments, as we doe now admire that our anceſtors ſhould ſo long beleeve Tranſubſtantiation, A Kings unaccountablenes, and a Popes Infallibilitie being all one in the ballance of reaſon. Did not the people diſobey a man after Gods own heart in the caſe of Ionathan, and yet vaine men to preach paſſive obedience where a power ſhall be aſſumed above Law to pardon murderers, diſſolve Parliaments contending for a negative voice, to make ſolemne elections of Knights and Burgeſſes in Parliament ludibrious and no more then a ſpiders webb.

The Patriarks untill Moſes time governed in their ſeverall lines and families according to the minde of God never refuſing to give an accompt of all they did to thoſe whom they were over in the Lord; Indeed the Nimrods and the Pharaohs exerciſed and uſurped authoritie over poore creatures and finding Nimrods Monarchy, Gen. 10. in the 16. Chap. we finde Warrs; foure Kings fighting againſt five but for the great Empires of the Aſsirians (oh Aſſiria the Rod of mine anger) Medes and Perſians, Graecians and Romans; that have been in the world there is no more ground in Scripture to make ſuch Imperiall Government to be of God; then there is for the Popes ſupremacie, they that expect another Antichriſt are as blind as the poore Iewes that looke for another Meſſias; and I hope it will be granted me that Antichriſtian goverment is no more of Gods ordaining then the Divell may be ſaid to be Gods ordinance, becauſe he is permitted to doe miſchiefe for a time and though we read, Gen. 21. 26. That good Abram and Iſaac made a Covenant with King Abimelecke, that does not prove him to be a King of Gods appointment for he had either made himſelfe a King by force, or elſe being a valiant man, poore people were conſtrained to run to ſuch for protection, and to put their lives, liberties, and eſtates under their power, to prevent a greater miſchiefe, and being ſo ſubjected the Nimrods have dealt from time to time no better with them then the Lyons with poore beaſts which they get into their denns, devoure them at their pleaſures, thinking it a great curteſie if they reſerve them to the ſecond courſe, as Poliphemus promiſed Vlyſſes to keep him for the laſt bit, or if they afford them food and rayment it is but as the Turks uſe their ſlaves, feed them fat that they may the better endure their blowes, it is the text of the Civill Law, that all is the Emperours, and what the people enjoy is of curteſie, for ſayes the Emperour, I expect all, and were it not for me another Nimrod ſhould diſpoile them of all; and ſo hee that ſteales a Gooſe and leaves a few feathers behind him, thinks the poore woman is much beholding to his gentlenes, but let ſuch titles & claimes be examined by the Word of God.

Before wee come to King Moſes, wee read of many Kings of Edom, and Dukes that deſcended of Eſau, Geneſ. 36. &c. he is Eſau the father of the Edomites, but not a word that this goverment was approved by God, and what good did Pharoah ever doe, but at the inſtance of Ioſeph in giving a habitation and maintenance to Iacob and his Children, Geneſ. 47. It is poſſible that Tirants may at the crave and Rogation of worthy men conſent to the enacting of ſome wholeſome Lawes, ſtill keeping the Militia in their owne hands to have a power to deſtroy all when they pleaſe, Exod. 1. 8. There aroſe up a new King over Aegypt which knew not Ioſeph but oppreſſed Gods people, and hee ſaid unto his people, behold the people of the Children of Iſrael are more and mightier then wee, come on, let us deale wiſely with them; Reaſon of ſtate put IeſusHabemus legem, &c. Chriſt to death, verſe 14. All their ſervice wherein they made them ſerve was with rigour, then the Lord being moved with compaſſion towards the Iſraelites reſpected their crye, he appeared to Moſes ſaying, that he would ſend him to Pharoah to bring them out of Egypt Exod 3. 11. So that Moſes was the firſt King, or Ruler of Gods making, but Moſes like unto his Saviour Chriſt Ieſus, was not willing to be King, Exod. 4. 10. I am not eloquent ſayes Moſes, but ſlow of Speech, and Gods anger was kindled againſt him, humble pride is proud humility, when God calls to any imployment a Chriſtian may not deny the worke of God upon his owne ſpirit, but ſee what a gallant publique ſpirit King Moſes had, Exod. 5. 22. 23. Lord, ſayes hee, I can doe no good for thy people; it is the greateſt griefe to a man of honour that hee cannot ſee through his buſines to the furtheſt end of it, and when he cannot with Paul doe that good which he would; ſuch a man hath a divine calling, and ſee how Moſes ſtands for the peoples libertie, Exod. 10. 9.

Hee would not accept of his owne libertie without the peoples rights, but was willing to looſe his owne naturall life to ſave them ſpiritually.

The next Ruler to him of Divine ordination was his ſucceſſour Ioſua, Deut. 34. 9. as God had been with Moſes guideing his heart and hand to governe the people by the law of right reaſon, not aſſuming any unaccomptable authoritie over them but to ſpeake and act in ſuch evidence and demonſtration of the ſpirit and power to them that the moſt ignorant amongſt them might eaſily perceive that Moſes intended the peoples good, and if any one could have given advice how to have eaſed them, or comforted them in the leaſt kinde more then he did, hee would no doubt have hearkened unto it, and when the people murmured as for this Moſes wee know not what hee is; hee drew no ſword againſt them, to hurt them, but prayed for them and cryed over them, ſo then the Lord appointed Ioſua to ſucceed Moſes, and the people accepted of him and approved of Gods election, Ioſua 1. 15, 16, 17, 18. is a very ſweet Covenant and agreement made between Magiſtrates and people not a word of paſſive obedience to doe Ioſuas will or ſuffer his diſpleaſure but the people promiſed to hearken unto him as they did to Moſes, onely the Lord thy God be with thee as he was with Moſes, that is ſo farr as the Lord is with thee, in the way of holines and righteouſnes ſo farr we are thy ſubjects and no farther, and whoſoever rebells againſt thy Command ſo farr as it is the Commandment of the Lord ſhall ſurely dye; then Ioſua 3. 9. ſayes to the people, come hither, and heare the Word of the Lord your God, and 4. 14. the people feared Ioſua, but it was becauſe the Lord had magnified him in the ſight of all Iſrael; the Lawes that the people were governed by, were the Lawes of God which Moſes had written in the preſence of the people of Iſrael, Ioſua 8. from the 31. to the 35. and in all difficult cauſes no doubt but Ioſua conſulted with the Elders of Iſrael, Ioſua 10. Hee hangs up five Kings, makes quicke worke with them, they did not plead that their perſons were ſacred, that they were the Lords anointed and not to be toucht, but ſaid Ioſua verſe 25. thus ſhall the Lord your God doe to all your enemies againſt whom ye fight, as if he ſhould ſay, if there be at any time ſo long as God hath a people in the world, a King in England, Scotland, or any other part of the world fighting againſt them, the Captains of the men of Warre muſt put their feet upon the necks of ſuch Kings who ever they be, and they muſt be ſmitten, ſlaine, and hanged up untill the evening; and never did trees in England yeeld and bring forth ſuch ſweet fruit as thoſe wherof the Scaffolds were made at VVhitehall, Ianuary 30. 1648. Some ſlips or ſtocks whereof to be planted for the ſame good uſe of hanging and beheading all Tirants and oppreſſors, will be more worth to the three Nations then all the Timber in the Foreſt of Deane: in the ſame Chap. 7. Kings more are Conquered and ſmitten, and Ioſua 12. 24. all the Kings 31. and obſerve the precious counſell that good Ioſua gives to the people before his death, ſuch Rulers and no others are of the Lords appointment.

Come wee to the Booke of Iudges, Ioſua being dead the people did evill in the ſight of the Lord, 2. 11. and they were ſold into the hands of their Enemies that ſpoiled them, yet ver. 16. the Lord raiſed up Iudges which delivered them out of the hands of thoſe that ſpoiled them, and Chap. 3. 9. the Lord raiſed up a deliverer to the people of Iſrael who delivered them even Othniel, and the ſpirit of the Lord came upon him and he judged Iſrael, and went out to warre ver. 15. left-handed Ehud ſlew Eglon, Chap. 6. 14. The Lord raiſed up Gideon to deliver Iſrael from the Mideanites, and Chap. 8. they would have made him King, then the men of Iſrael ſaid unto Gideon, rule thou over us 22. 23. both thou and thy ſon, and thy ſons ſon alſo, for thou haſt delivered us from the hand of Midian, and Gideon ſaid unto them, I will not rule over you, neither ſhall my ſon rule over you, the Lord ſhall rule over you, Gideon rejects the motion with diſdaine, hereditary Kingdomes have no footſtep in Scripture, but the Lord is ſaid to rule when fit men rule by the Lawes of God. Chap. 8. 33, 34, 35. The people ſoone forgot God and Gideon, then Chap. 9. the bramble will be King that which is a curſe of God upon the earth, Gen. 3. 18. will play Reax. Gideon would not be King, but Abimeleck makes no bones to kill ſeventy of his brethren to make himſelfe King, 9. 5. is ſuch one likely to be a governor of Gods appointment? Can it be the minde of God that the Trees of the Forreſt ſhould have a bramble to raigne over them? Iotham the Survivour ver. 7. ſtands up and ſayes, hearken unto mee yee men of Sechem, that God may harken unto you, and may I humbly beg leave of my miſerably deluded and diſcontented Countrey-men to put them in minde of Iothams Parable, and in true love to tell them, that as Iotham by that parable foretold their ruine, and ver, 57. the curſe of Iotham the ſon of Ierubbaal, was fulfilled upon them accordingly; ſo undoubtedly whoever ſhall by plots and conſpiracies endeavour to introduce any of Abimelecks race or conditions to be King of England, Ireland or Scotland, or act any thing againſt the late ſtatute for the aboliſhing of Kingly power ſhall periſh by the ſword of Iuſtice, and thoſe Cities that reſiſt ſo juſt Acts & Ordinances ſhall be beaten down and ſowed with ſalt, ver. 45. The Lord grant that the ſalt there mentioned, and Lots wifes converſion into a pillar of ſalt Geneſ. 19. 26. (which the Lord Ieſus would have us remember, Luke 17. 32.) may be as ſavory condiments to ſeaſon mens ſpirits, with a deteſtation of all Tiranny and oppreſſion, and with a love to Iuſtice and Rationall goverment; that the Parliament may give us every day more and more of the fatnes of the Olive, the peace bringing Olive quicke, cheape,Celerem Iuſtitiam non Iuſtitium. and ſure Iuſtice, which can onely make peace and harmony in a Common wealth, it being the onely ſtrong oake, that can keep up the ſhip of State from ſinking; and let all that would not be found fighting againſt God make a Covenant of ſalt to be true and faithfull to the Commonwealth as it is now eſtabliſhed, renouncing ever to have any thing more to doe with Abimelecke; for ſee what became of him ver. 53.

So God will undoubtedly render the wickednes of thoſe that imbrued their hands in the blood of that learned Doctor Doriſlaus, and Ingenious Mr. Aſcam, upon their owne heads, for ſuch bloody Actions are ſeldome onely puniſht in hell; Chap. 11. Iephthah the Gileadite that mighty man of valour (who was thruſt out of his native place by his brethren) was ſoon called backe to their aſſiſtance to be their Captaine and Ruler, note there a plaine agreement and ſtipulation betweene a Prince and people, and certainly ſo it was in the beginning of Parliaments no doubt but it was agreed upon under hand andThat Fox Herod. ſeale (but Kings have been too ſubtill creatures to ſuffer it to be printed) that if the King ſhould be of one Iudgement and the Repreſentatives of another it muſt paſſe according to the Publique reaſon of the whole, and that Parliaments were not to be diſſolved till the buſines was done which they met about; other wiſe what fickle things were Kings? and what vaine things were Parliaments, as building of Caſtles in the Aire? Now Iepthah Magno Conatu nugas agere. having judged Iſrael ſix yeares, died 12. 7. after whom Ibzan and Edom were Iudges, they being dead, the Children of Iſrael did evill againe in the ſight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistins 40. yeares, 13. 1. then the Spirit of the Lord began to move in Sampſon and his valiant exploits are the ſubſtance of the 14, 15, and 16. Chap. then comes the great objection which the Royaliſts make Chap. 17. 6. in thoſe dayes there was no King in Iſrael but every man did that which was right in his own eyes, Chap. 18. 1. and 19. 1. repeated upon the occaſion of the abuſe and murder of the Levites Concubine, where the Holy Ghoſt does not meane ſuch a King as Abimelecke, or as the Gentiles had, to breath life into the Lawes by his Royall aſſent for ſuch a King the people of Iſrael never had, nor owned in the Land of Canaan, not a man that challenged a power unaccomptable to oppreſſe, murder, ſweare, plunder, and commit all manner of wickednes without controle, ſuch a monſter being fitter to carry garbidge to Beares then to live amongſt Civill people; but there was then no man zealous for Gods glory to fight for Iſrael, and to judge them according to the Law of God, therefore the Lord raiſed up Samuel a ſingular man for Iuſtice and mercie, 1 Sam. 1. 28. Hanah his Mother lent him the Lord, Chap. 3. The Word of the Lord was revealed unto him, he dealt faithfully in telling Eli what the Lord commanded; thereupon he was eſtabliſhed to be a Prophet of the Lord, verſ. 20. Chap. 7. He exhorteth to ſolemne Repentance then they make him a Iudge verſ. 6. being ſo, he yet prayed, and ſacrificed, and the Lord diſcomfited, the Philistines by Thunder, and Samuel judged Iſrael all his dayes, and went Circuits, carrying home Iuſtice to the peoples houſes, and built an Altar unto the Lord having ver. 12. taken a ſtone and called the name of it Ebenezer, ſaying, hitherto hath the Lord helped us. Iudges being to take ſpeciall care that God may be purely worſhipped and glorified, and that Gods people may not forget the mercie of the Lord in deſtroying their Enemies.

Certainly Moſes and Samuel were two of the beſt Iudges that ever were in the world; and are to be as patternes and looking-glaſſes to all Magiſtrates, ſo that as he is the beſt Chriſtian that is moſt like unto Ieſus Chriſt; ſo he is the beſt Iudge that is moſt like unto Moſes and Samuel, Moſes Exod. 18. 13. ſat to Iudge the people who ſtood by him from the morning untill the evening he ended the buſineſſe of the day with the day, ver. 16. ſayes he, I Iudge betweene one man and another and I make them know the Statutes of God and his Lawes, if a Iudge can but teach people the Statutes of God and his Lawes his worke is in a good forwardnes, and more then halfe done: In that Samuel is commended for telling Eli the deſtruction of his houſe, it argues that the beſt part of faithfulnes is to diſcover the abuſes and errors in any profeſſion as being beſt knowne unto them, for the end of the profeſſors and of every ones profeſſion ought to be the ſame (viz.) the welfare of the body politique; therefore whereas there are many Ieofailes & rubs that lie in the Allies of Iuſtice, that poore men are overborne in their righteous cauſes by full purſes which the Reverend Iudges proceeding regularly as they find the courſe of the Court, cannot remedie without the power of Parliament; I have ſeriouſly thought that oppreſſions in Courts of Iuſtice have been ſpun by the late Courtiers with ſo fine a threed that few but thoſe that daily meet with it in practiſe can ſee it, and therefore unleſſe it pleaſe God to move the hearts of the honorable Iudges in pure love to Iuſtice to propound fit remedies to the Parliament, plaiſters that may be large enough for the wound, I meane an Act of Retranchement to cut off all unneceſſary delayes, and expences in matter of Iuſtice, between man and man; that poore men may have it for Gods ſake, & the rich for reaſonable conſideration; it will lye very remote from the underſtandings of many worthy publike ſpirited men what courſe to take therein; without which all the warres have been but as purgings and vomitings; the health of a State conſiſting in the equallity and harmony of Iuſtice; and all Martiall Iuſtice is ſanctified by the Civill Iuſtice; as for example, if one of the Reverend Iudges would make it his ſuite to the Parliament, that a bargaine and ſale might be as ſtrong, as a fine & Recovery, that a poore Farmer, or Cottager might leave ſome ſmall portions to his yonger Children without paying one or two yeares purchaſe for the charge of a fine, and recovery, what an eaſe might this be to men of ſmall eſtates to paſſe them from one to another, and to cut off Intailes by a deed in writing without ſo much ſolemnitie and expence; if another would ſet forth the unprofitablenes of Outlawries which are to no purpoſe but to multiply expence; And a third be earneſt for an Act to plead the generall Iſſue in all Actions, and at the Aſſiſes to inſiſt wholly upon the merit of the Cauſe whether the money be due or not, whether the Plaintiffe have right to the Land or not; I am confident it would make ſweet muſicke in Parliament; I do not intend to diſpute the lawfulnes of Legall proceedures in point of conſcience to them that Iudge them ſo, but in point of comfort at the day of Iudgment let me humbly propound this to thoſe that ſit in the ſeat of Iuſtice, whether it appearing to them that the defendant hath paid the money though it be after the day of payment limited in the Condition, or that the money is payd upon a ſingle Bill, where payment by Law is no plea; or that the Plaintiff in an Ejectment hath a cleere right to the Land, but the leaſe, Entry, and Ejectment was not proved in due forme of Law, or if a wilfull murder be committed, and ſo found by the Iury but there is a word miſtaken in the Indictment whereby the murderer eſcapes for that Aſſiſes and ſo the matter compounded, or the proſecutor deſiſts, and the Plaintiff in the Ejectment muſt begin againe having loſt his own charges and payd above five pound coſts to the defendant, who continues the wrong & keeps the Lands unjuſtly from the plaintif, & the defendant that hath paid the money is forced to fly into Chancery for reliefe where the unjuſt Plaintiff at Law refuſes to appeare or elſe demurrs, becauſe he hath a Iudgement at Law, or the witneſſes dead, and ſo the poore defendant taken in execution and buried above ground in priſon for ten pound where the principle debt was but five pound, and that paid, (though not at the prefixt day and ſo proved to the Iury,) I ſay whether it would not be eaſier for thē to give an accompt of reforming ſuch errors then otherwiſe; but if by the Parliaments intention in altering the Iudges oathes enjoyning them onely to proceed according to Iuſtice, the Iudge may not of himſelfe moderate ſuch like extremities; then of what huge concernment muſt it needs be, humbly and earneſtly to ſollicite for preſent remedies, for what ſouldier can with comfort fight with a blunt ſword? it is a great joy to Phyſicians to cure their Patients, but if any dye under their hands when they might by a little more then ordinary trouble have recovered them; it cannot but be a purgatory to an Ingenious ſpirit; certainly that Iudge which helps a man to his right and thereby preſerves a family from beggery deſerves as much as he that cures a man of a deſperate fever.

But I Sam. 8. Is the Statute Law concerning Kings where it cleerely appeares that the firſt generation of Monarchs and the riſe of Kings, was not from above, not begotten by the Word and Command of God but from the peoples pride & ardent importunity, they were mad for a King to be like unto the Heathens; I beſeech you obſerve the ſtory it is a Chapter that deſerves to be written in Capitall letters of Gold, and if it were convenient to appoint the reading of it but once a moneth in the publique meeting places, I am confident it might be of great advantage in the ſatisfying men of perverſe ſpirits, for let the moſt violent aſſertors and contenders for Monarchy but ſeriouſly conſider and be intreated to heare it as the Word of God, 1 Theſſ. 2. 13. and they muſt needs be convinced that they which endeavour to deſtroy a Parliament conſiſting of Godly, Wiſe and Iudicious men that are willingly bound by the ſame Lawes which are made for others, abhorring all thoughts of unaccomptablenes; and to ſet up a King who fights for a boundleſſe prerogative to doe what he pleaſes on earth giving an accompt thereof only to God, (as if hell were made only for them who muſt not be toucht nor be puniſhed in this life for any of their abominations;) doe caſt off and reject the God of Iuſtice and mercy: for when good Samuels rule the people, it is God that rules in them and by them, and there is nothing ſo contrary to the gracious Nature of God as the violence, oppreſſion and Legall Thefts of the wicked Nimrods of the world, and then marke the doome of their favorits, Iohn 12. 48. he that rejecteth mee and receiveth not my words hath one that Iudgeth him, the word that I have ſpoken the ſame ſhall Iudge him in the laſt day.

Firſt, it is very obſervable what it was that bred a diſlike of the Iudges ver. 3. they turned aſide after lucre and tooke Bribes and perverted Iudgement which Samuel did not ver. 5. when Commonwealths men turne private wealths men and more minde the Trimming of their owne Cabbins then the Ship of State, then the people cry out, make us a King to Iudge us like all the Nations, as if they ſhould ſay, better have one Tirant then thirty Tirants in Athens, better fill one purſe then many, now the Lord Commands Samuel to proteſt ſolemnly againſt Monarchy that they may not pretend ignorance but be left inexcuſable, and then if they will have a King, hearken unto them, ſayes the Lord, ver. 7. which is no approbation of Monarchy as ſome vainely argue, the Lord therein dealing with them as a tender wiſe Phyſician when the impatient Patient cryes out for wine which will encreaſe the diſeaſe, the Phyſician to ſatisfie his importunitie gives him a little wine which he knowes rather encreaſes then aſſwages the diſeaſe; but knowes that if he have it not, his impatience may worke a greater miſchiefe, ver. 19. Nay, but we will have a King over us, are words of men poſſeſſed with afrenſie, give us a King or wee ſhall run madd for him, wee will have one whatſoever it coſt us, that we may be like all the Nations; ſhall France and Spayne have Kings and we none? will they take away our God from us, from verſ. 11. to 17. Samuel deſcribes a lively portraiture and lineament of a Kings prerogative which are principally three as you may pleaſe to obſerve firſt a prerogative over mens perſons, to impriſon any one whom the King pleaſes; Hee will take your ſons upon pretence of diſobedience, or for reaſon of State either intowre him, or ſend him beyond ſea if he were a Commonwealths man which in Court language is as much as to ſay a dangerous man, ver. 11. 13. and 16. Secondly, in point of Militia, ver. 12. Hee will ap point the Capitaines, the Kings Councell called that an inherent priviledge as an inſeperable accident and incident to the Crowne, without which he is no King, and then having the ſword it is no head matter to command all the money in the Land. Thirdly, in point of Intereſt and propertie ver. 14. 17. he will take a tenth of all the Corne, Wine and Cattle, if the Iudgement of Ship-money had not been reverſed a tenth would not have ſufficed I meane that ſenſeles Iudgment (which I cannot mention without indignation) that men ſhould be ſo ſilly to talke of building of ſhips when the Land was ready to be invaded or in eminent danger, as if it were a time to looke after leather to make buckets when a houſe is on fire.

It ſeems to me, that the holy Spirit in expreſſing thoſe three grand prerogatives that the Kings of the Gentiles would pretend unto; had an eye to the preſent age wherein wee live; and therefore many booke learned Royaliſts not being able to anſwer this Scripture, have declared their Iudgements to be (whether their hearts and pens were of the ſame minde Ilargue not) that the Lord did allow of ſuch a Goverment, and ver. 11. hee will take your ſonns which is to be meant by uſurpation contrary to the Law of God, Deut. 17. 20. See the learned Annotations upon that Chapter very excellent, not what they ought to doe in right, but that they would ſo doe in fact; they read hee ſhall take your ſons, and ver. 15. hee will take a Tenth, that he ſhall, and may take a Tenth as if they had a Commiſſion from heaven ſo to doe and to fortifie that opinion they alleige, Deut. 17. 14. When thou art come unto the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and ſhalt poſſeſſe it, and ſhalt dwell therein, and ſhalt ſay I will ſet a King over mee like as all the Nations that are about me, v. 15. Thou ſhalt in any wiſe ſet him King over thee whom the Lord thy God ſhall chooſe, one from among thy brethren ſhalt thou ſet King over thee, thou mayeſt not ſet a ſtranger over thee which is not thy brother, ver. 16. but he ſhall not multiply horſes to himſelfe, not cauſe the people to returne to Egypt; to the end that hee ſhould multiply horſes for as much as the Lord had ſaid unto you yea ſhall henceforth returne no more that way, ver. 17. Neither ſhall he multiply wives to himſelfe that his heart turne not away, neither ſhall he greatly multiply to himſelfe ſilver and gold, ver. 18. And it ſhall be when he ſitteth upon his Throne of his Kingdome, that he ſhall write him a copie of this Law in a booke out of that which is the Prieſts, the Levites, ver. 19. and it ſhall be with him, and he ſhall read therein all the dayes of his life that hee may learne to feare the Lord his God to keep all the words of this Law and theſe Statutes to doe them, ver. 20. that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turne not aſide from the Commandement to the right hand or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his dayes in his Kingdome he and his Children in the midſt of Iſrael: And they read thoſe words, I will ſet a King over me, which is ſpoken by the people, Thou ſhalt ſet a King over thee, as if God had commanded a Kingly Goverment in Canaan which was only permiſſive as the ſin of Adam; let them have a King at their owne perill, ſaith the Lord, The Lord foreſaw that the Iſraelites would rebell, and caſt off a happy Goverment by the heads of the people and Iudges, and God permits it and Moſes ſpeakes of the election and dutie of a King, the election is from the people, they will have a King whether the Lord will or no; where by the way wee may take notice how bold many have beene, and poore deluded Royaliſts ſtill are, to wreſt the Scripture for the advancement of Monarchy, when men dare ſay, that in the Hebrew it is that Moſes commands them to elect a King which the holy Scripture reproves in them as the greateſt inſanity & madnes in the world, that when they may have honeſt Religious men to go in & out before them that will not oppreſſe them, nor exalt themſelves above their brethren that they will notwithſtanding inſlave themſelves to the Arbitrary and lawleſſe Iuſts of one man and his poſteritie, whether they be Idiots, Children, knaves, Theeves, Murderers, Fornicators, Gluttons, Drunkards, Idolators; or Women, which though never ſo wiſe, Religious and mercifull (as by reaſon of the tendernes of their ſpirits and want of temptation; I believe there are more godly women then men in the world) yet it is againſt the law of God and Nature to make Millions of men ſubject to the commands of a woman; but bleſſed be God that the knowledge of the Hebrew language is not neceſſary to bring an English man to heaven, Ioſua had the honour to conduct them into Canaan, and they tooke it into poſſeſſion, but there was a remnant of the Canaanites left unſubdued to prove them as the law is, Deut. the 20. from the 16. 10 the 18. which I the rather mention for the Illuſtration of the equitable proceedings in Ireland, the Lambe Iudges and makes war in Righteouſnes, Revel. 19. 11. Every Souldier hath been as a Iudge to execute the Iudgment written Pſal. 149. 9. farre be it from Gods ſervants to ſlay the righteous with the wicked, Geneſ. 18. 23. No ſuch beatificall ſight as to ſee a Murderer that hath imbrued his hands in the effuſion of Innocent blood to ſuffer the moſt painefull and ſhamefull death that can be imagined, but the Children of thoſe Murderers ought not to be put to death for their originall ſin as we read in the caſe of Amaziah 2 Kings 14. 5. 6. And it came to paſſe as ſoone as the Kingdome was confirmed in his hand that hee ſlew his ſervants which had ſlaine the King his Father; But the Children of the Murderers he ſlew not according unto that which is written in the booke of the law of Moſes; wherein the Lord commanded, ſaying, the Fathers ſhall not be put to death for the Children, nor the Children be put to death for the Fathers; but every man ſhall be put to death for his owne ſinne, Deut. 24. 16. And many that by reaſon of their wicked principles and adherence to the Pope are not fit to be truſted in Gariſons yet receive rents for their houſes or eſtates there; Ezek. 18. 20. The ſoule that ſinneth it ſhall dye, the ſonne ſhall not beare the iniquity of the Father; neither ſhall the Father beare the iniquitie of the Son, the righteouſnes of the righteous ſhall be upon him, and the wickednes of the wicked ſhall be upon him. Now by the equitie of that law Deut. 20. 16. where Gods people ſhall reſide, they being chief in Command may and ought for their owne ſecurities; expell delinquents and malignants out of London, or any Garriſon in England or Ireland for a time, or for ever, as may conduce to the Weale publique and their owne ſafeties whoſe lives are ſo precious in the Lords eſteeme.

But here I meet a Goliah in the way that threatens much, but the ſpirit of God is not in it, and therefore it is but as a ſtatue; that God had given the land of Canaan by promiſe to Iſrael, and therefore they might juſtly maintaine a warr to deſtroy the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizites, Hivites, and Iebuſites, and there being no command to deſtroy the Gibeonites, Deut. 20. 17. therefore the league with them was lawfull Ioſ. 9. wherein the warr may be judged lawfull on both ſides, for Ioſua to fight, having a command from God and the Canaanites to defend their poſſeſſion not knowing of any ſuch command; but is there the ſame reaſon to deſtroy ancient Monarchyes when they oppoſe Ieſus Chriſt, and wil not ſuffer his people to enjoy their liberties which he hath purchaſed for them by his precious blood?

Anſwer. Yes doubtleſſe, there are as evident promiſes for the Churches of Chriſt in this age of the world to be redeemed out of Antichriſtian bondage by the Moſeſes, Ioſuas, Sampſons, Gideons, Iepthahs, and Samuels, which the Lord ſhall raiſe up to be inſtruments in his hand to ſave his people; as there were in Moſes and Ioſuas ages, that the Church of Iſrael ſhould be delivered from the Egyptian ſlavery, and reaſon to me cleerely makes it out; that if a promiſe of an earthly Canaan were a ground of the Churches Warre much more their ſpirituall liberties; that if I may defend my houſe by force from theeves and robbers, certainly I may defend my ſelfe in the exerciſe of my ſpirituall liberties, which are ten thouſand times deerer to me: if I may fight for a peece of glaſſe, may I not engage for a precious pearle that is invalluable? The Kings of Canaan might have pleaded antiquity ſucceſſion, and the peoples conſent which no King can plead againſt Gods people in the matter of their ſpirituall priviledges; God will have the Monarchs of the world know, that whatever Civill right they may pretend to their Kingdomes where they have by force or flattery gained the peoples conſent as the honeſt man parts with his purſe to ſave his life; yet they muſt not upon paine of forfeiting their Royalties perſecute his friends and ſervants: Kings that ſtile themſelves, Defenders of the Faith, if they prove offendors of the faithfull; God will take away their Kingdomes in a way of Iuſtice, and righteouſnes, when any of the 10. Kings having formerly given their power and ſtrength to the beaſt, Revel. 17. 12. ſhall afterwards cut off his head, as Henry the eight uſed the Pope in taking away his ſupremacy and making himſelfe head of the Church by Act of Parliament, leaving the body of Antichriſtian Goverment by Biſhops as before; or if the body of Antichriſt come to be deſtroyed and the thighes, leggs or feet onely remaining in any Coercive Presbiters, when Kings will play at ſmall games rather then ſit out and joyne with any people in the world to perſecute the people of God, ſee the end of ſuch Kings, ver. 14. They ſhall make warre with the Lambe and the Lambe ſhall overcome them, for he is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, and they that are with him are called and choſen, and faithfull, and this Arraignement of Monarchs and Grandees for abuſing the Spouſe of Chriſt, ſhall not be onely upon the puritie of Intention (which will not Iuſtifie any Irregular Action for to Act Irregularly upon an Impetus or Impulſive ſpirit makes Scripture uſeleſſe) but according to naturall Iuſtice and common equitie, that when Kings ſhall proclaime the Saints Traitors, Heretiques, and Rebells, becauſe they will not fall downe and worſhip the Lord according to human inventions, and ſhall raiſe Armies to deſtroy them as enemies to their Crowne and dignities; ſuch Kings have forfeited their Civill Rights as the Kings of Canaan did, and honeſt, faithfull, righteous men choſen by the people ſhall be their ſucceſſors to whom by vertue of the equity of the Oathes of Allegiance and Supremacy, the people are to be true and faithfull as to the Lord; for whom, and by whoſe lawes they preſide, and regulate their Adminiſtrations: and other obligation lies upon no man by vertue of any ſuch Oath that he formerly tooke, for there is no other ſucceſſor; the wiſedome of God hath in Iuſtice ſo ordered it, and He that is Truth when men are lyars, is alſo wiſe when they are fooles; for the oath was only binding to the poſitique capacity, to be true to the King, ſo farr as he was true to the Lawes and ſafety of the people: Hee that tooke it in any other ſenſe made the King a God, infallible and impeccable when he ſets up a ſtandard of defiance againſt them, is any man ſo unſound in his intellectualls as to thinke that the oath obliges him to ſtand ſtill, and ſuffer his owne throat to be cut; No oath can tye any man to doe or ſuffer that which is deſtructive to humanity, and as for Chriſtians certainely by that ſtatute of Numb. 30. what ever any Chriſtian vowes without the conſent of her husband Ieſus Chriſt is meerely voyd in Law, and a precipitate raſh oath, as that of David againſt Nabal, I Sam. 25. 22. binds not but to repentance Levit. 5. 4. 5. If it be objected that Ioſua fought againſt Kings of another Nation as Gods people in England did not; what forraigne aſſiſtance hath been in that kinde? I ſhall not diſpute, but the anſwer is very eaſie, that the neerenes of the relation much aggravates the offence on the Royaliſts part; If ambitious Princes would give Commiſſions of Array againſt forraigners, and not to deſtroy their owne people, then it might be but a ſin againſt the ſixt and eight Commandement, but to deſtroy his own Countreymen is a complicate offence of Treaſon alſo; and a ſin againſt the fift Commandement as well as the other two, to betray thoſe that truſted him; and certainly had not the Parliament executed the late King, the Danes or ſome others might have deſtroyed them, for God binds his people by his legall Commands to Act and accompliſh his deſignes, and to deſtroy all Tirants and oppreſſors, and to ſay who ever heard of ſuch a thing before is an argument wherewith onely ignorant poore people are taken, as the people ſaid when Ieſus Chriſt caſt out the dumbe Spirit, Matth. 9. 33. 34. it was never ſo ſeene in Iſrael, he caſteth out Divells through the Prince of Divells; wee doe not read that God ever dealt with any Saint as with Iob, yet Iob was no hypocrite; I ſay the Lord hath layd an abſolute Command upon the Parliament to proceed as they have done upon paine of his high diſpleaſure, and being guilty of high treaſon againſt the Majeſty, (a terme not fit for any mortall man, becauſe higher then that wee cannot give) of Heaven, and of being utterly deſtroyed if they had not done it; and that ſtroke put England into a ſalvable condition for doe but conſider how ſeverely the Lord dealt with Iſrael and Iudah, when their Princes turned Lions and Wolves: Then the Lord gave them a King in his anger, 1 Sam. 8. 7. and Hoſea 13. 11. ver. I gave them a King in mine anger, and tooke him away in my wrath; will any man ſay that Sauls office of being King was of Divine ordination which was done in anger, all Gods ordinances are appointed in love for the good of his people and Divine and humane ſociety, but Sauls being made King diſpleaſed the Lord; and it is very remarkable that on the day, and at the very houre of election, Samuel dealt juſtly with them, and told them of their great evill in rejecting God and his Goverment, 17, 18, 19. and Samuel called the people together unto the Lord to Mizpeh, and ſaid unto the Children of Iſrael, thus ſaith the Lord God of Iſrael, I brought up Iſrael out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all Kingdoms, and of them that oppreſſed you, and yee have this day rejected your God who himſelfe ſaved you out of all your adverſities and tribulations, and yee have ſaid unto him, Nay, but ſet a King over us; but though the Kingly Government diſpleaſe God, yet obſerve how gently Saul behaved himſelfe to the people, 1 Samuel 11. 12. There were ſome that would not have Saul raigne over them which the people would have had put to death, but Saul ſaid ver. 13. There ſhall not be a man put to death this day; whereas the Monarchs of the world make men offendors for a word, one man for ſpeaking in jeſt, that he will make his ſonne heire of the Crowne, meaning a houſe that had that ſigne in Cheape-ſide; and another for ſaying, there goes Ed. 6. in Coleman-ſtreet have been moſt Tirannically murdered and executed, Saul was never ſo bloody minded.

But one paſſage I may not omit, the Holy Ghoſt (foreſeeing that Monarchy would have many Advocates to plead for its divine right) for the ſatisfaction of all that will not wilfully ſhut out the light, calls this importunitie of the Iſraelites to have a King to be a great wickednes, and ſuch a ſin that the Lord will not let goe unpuniſhed, but ſent unreaſonable weather, thunder and raine in wheat harveſt, Proverbs 26. 1. As ſnow in ſummer, and as raine in harveſt, ſo honor is not ſeemely for a foole, I hope England will not forget the wet ſeaſon in ſummer 1648. how it was mid-winter at mid-ſummer, and certainely the works of God have a voice and are moſt eloquent to his owne people; what the Lord did to the Iſraelites for their asking a King, England hath great cauſe to thinke that the Lord was highly diſpleaſed with thoſe that would have made peace with the late King, read but 1 Sam 12. from the 16. to the 22. and it is all one to ſay, that God is the Author of Monarchy, as that he is the Author of ſin; for the bleſſed ſpirit (which cannot lye) calls it a great wickednes, the people call it their evill, and Samuel ſayes they have done all this wickednes; yet feare not, for the Lord will not forſake his people; for his great names ſake, becauſe it hath pleaſed the Lord to make you his people, and he promiſes to pray for them ver. 23. as if Monarchy was ſuch a great ſin that if it had not beene, that the Lord will not truly deſtroy his owne people, Pſal. 89. 33. Exod. 32. 12. (for what would the Egyptians then have ſaid?) hee would never have pardoned it, for a Iuſt rationall Goverment is one of the things that is of the greateſt concernement in the world: but is it not ſaid 1 Sam. 15. 9, 10, 11. that God ſet up Saul to be King? true, but no otherwayes then he ſet up Pharoah to oppreſſe his own people, but Saul and the people ſpared Agag, and the fatlings which was Sauls diſobedience, and obſerve for what Saul loſt the Kingdome, the people will have a King; though he erre but in mercy, ſaying, it is more noble to ſave him whom wee may deſtroy then to kill him whom wee may ſave alive, and the beſt of the Sheep and the Oxen, ſpared for ſacrifice unto the Lord, and confeſſed his ſinne v. 24. Saul ſaid unto Samuel, I have ſinned, for I have tranſgreſſed the Commandement of the Lord and thy words, becauſe I feared the people and obeyed their voice, 25. Now therefore I pray thee pardon my ſin & turne againe with me that I may worſhip the Lord, 26. And Samuel ſaid unto Saul, I will not returne with thee for thou haſt rejected the Word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being King over Iſrael, 27. and as Samuel turned about to goe away hee laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle and it rent, 28. and Samuel ſaid unto him, the Lord hath rent the Kingdome of Iſrael from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine that is better then thou, 29. and alſo the ſtrength of Iſrael will not lye nor repent for he is not a man that ſhould repent 30. then he ſaid, I have ſinned, yet honour mee now I pray thee before the Elders of my people and before Iſrael, and turne againe with mee that I may worſhip the Lord thy God, 31. ſo Samuel turned againe after Saul and Saul worſhipped the Lord; what would not the mercifull God of Iſrael pardon the King of Iſrael an error in mercy? being but too pittifull to ſpare a great man that happily might have repented; that confeſt his ſin, prayed for pardon, that he might worſhip the Lord, that prayed againe for pardon, of that particular ſinne, and did worſhip the Lord accordingly, that was annointed, 1 Sam. 10. 1. in token of the giftes and graces of Gods ſpirit, and kiſt by Samuel for congratulation and homage, 1 Kings 19. 18. Pſal. 2. 12. it ſpeaks aloud to me, that the Lord was very angry at Monarchicall Goverment, and that Kings when they have poſſeſt themſelves of ſuch a God-like ſtate, and Immenſe powers, Incompetible (almoſt with humanitie) not only by force and uſurpation, but by the peoples conſent or election, as Saul was; the people ſhouted and ſaid, God ſave the King, 1 Sam. 10. 24. and Chap. 11. 15. 'tis ſaid, that the people made Saul King, and Saul and all the men of Iſrael rejoyced greatly, yet one offence and that a ſmall matter in compariſon (though no ſin be little that is committed againſt the great God) makes a Monarch to forfeit all his Royalties; for when people, either for feare, or through the vanity or pride of heart, will tye themſelves by Oathes or Covenant, to be in ſubjection to any man; the Scripture tells them that God is angry with them for giving away that libertie, which he would have them keep, and if they breake their truſt never ſo little they may plucke them downe and chooſe godly and Iudicious men to rule over them in the feare of the Lord; certainly Saul was a Saint in compariſon of the pretenders to Monarchy in our dayes: He ſins in mercy not in cruelty, confeſſed his ſin, never uſed any means to be King but hid himſelfe as unwilling and unworthy to be King, ventured his life moſt freely for the people, was not guilty of Innocent Blood as we read of, unles it were in the caſe of the Prieſts, 1 Sam 22. 19. tooke the newes of his rejection from Samuel patiently, acknowledged divine Iuſtice in all, and would not have a man ſuffer that denyed his title to the Crown as in the place before alledged: How unlike was Saul to Charles the laſt; but by Solons law, no evill is to be ſpoken of the dead leaſt quarrells ſhould be immortall; He hath appealed to a higher Tribunall, where no error will be found in the ſentence pronounced againſt him, but all that had a hand and acted in that execution from a conſciencious principle to be rid of Tiranny and oppreſſion, in diſcharge of their duties to God and man. Not for any ſiniſter end to make themſelves great, but faithfully to ſerve their generation; will have much cauſe of rejoycing therein, at that great day when the ſecrets of all hearts ſhall be diſcloſed, and many Iudgments given in ſeverall Courts ſhall be reverſed, but that undoubtedly will be confirmed.

Object. But it is ſtrongly objected for Monarchy that God accepted David, it is ſaid of him, 1 King. 15. 4. 5. Nevertheles for Davids ſake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Ieruſalem to ſet up his Son after him, and to eſtabliſh Ieruſalem, becauſe David did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, and turned not aſide from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life, ſave onely in the matter of Vriah the Hittite.

Anſ. Gods chooſing David was no approbation of the Kingly office in him, more then in Saul; God never ſaid, that Davids office was after his own heart, unles ſin and great wickednes be after GodsSpiritum Regiminis non regenerationis. heart; God gave Saul gifts, he had a ſpirit of Regiment, the Iſraelites were reſolved to have a King as the Heathens had, whether God would or not; let them have one ſayes God, at their own perills, when the King was good and governed them as the good Iudges did, and would give an account to the people & a reaſon of all his actions, Then God had his will, and the people had their wils, to have the name of a King, but the Nature of good magiſtrates; and certainly I have thought many times upon the late troubles that if I durſt (have asked any thing in the world contrary to the minde of God) which may not be, mee thinks it ſhould have been the continuance of a Kingly Goverment in England, to have had the preeminence and power in one, Good, Gracious, Iuſt, Mercifull, Valiant, Faithfull, and Patient Man, as a Moſes or a Iob, Iehoſophat, Ioſiah, or Hezekiah, that would dye for the people.

A Chriſtian that like his Saviour Ieſus Chriſt goes about doeing good, Acts 10. 28. that makes it his trade to relieve the poore people, the father leſſe, and widow, and ſuch as are oppreſſed, and his recreation to ſit down at night and thinke upon it, and that day which he hath done no good in, he counts it loſt. A man whoſe maine reſolution of his ſoule is to know God as accounting it the moſt honorable thing in the world for the Creature to know its Creator that counts it his chiefeſt good to promote the glory of God; to doe good if it were poſſible, to every viſible object, and living creature, at leaſt to pray for them: A man that loves the Saints as his owne ſoule for Chriſts ſake, knowing he will reward him, and puts forward every good motion withall his might, that will renounce his owne honour and become of no reputation and thinke himſelfe highly honored if by the meaneſt office of love he may be ſerviceable to any, ſpecially to the Elect, if ſuch a man had a plenartie of power to doe what he pleaſed without controle from a bleſſed principle of love to God what aboundance of good might an E. 6. have done had his dayes been numerous whom God onely ſhewed to the world, and recalled him as not worthy of him, I ſay, what aboundance of good might one ſuch rare incomparable perſon doe in a ſhort time when great Councells can move like great bodyes but ſlowly, but this is but worldly wiſedom to be wiſe above what is written, for man to be wiſer then God, who ſayes, it is dangerous to truſt any ſingle perſon (though never ſo ſingular) with an unlimitted power; for the beſt men are but men at the beſt, and there is no grace but may be counterfeit, he that ſeemes to be a Paul to day, may be a Saul to morrow, the heart of man is deceitfull above all things, and the very conceit of ſuch a power is enough to corrupt the beſt man living, therefore the beſt goverment is to have Princes of the congregation, godly & righteous men to be choſen, governors, and Iudges, (a Ioſua to lead and conduct their Armies againſt their Enemies which Iob calls a King in the Army, Iob 29. 25. is a ſweet text for a generall; I ſat chief and direct as a King in the Army as one that comforteth the mourners, V. 11. to 18. When Iob was compaſſed about with extraordinary honors, and ſeated in the Aſſembly of other Eaſterne Princes, ſat in the Chaire; thoſe honors entred not into his ſoule, but his thoughts were taken up, about the afflicted and miſerable, ſuch as were in a mournefull condition his ſoule was with their ſoules, to alleviate and eaſe his diſtreſſed Countrey men by bearing part of their burden, his greateſt coverouſnes was to enrich the poore, and the deſire of comforting them was always the ſtrongeſt of his paſſions; and ſo the people are not to be led up and downe by the noſes, but the Magiſtrates are to open their eyes, who are very ſenſible of their own good; and this is the minde of God and great deſigne of Heaven to governe the world by rationall men as hee enlightens it by the ſun; for Reaſon is the ſoule of all things ſublunary, and the life of all Iuſt human lawes without exception, by this reaſon no man in the world ought to challenge a power unaccomptable over others; for the people are more immediatly the originall of all Iuſt power, then any King ever was, of a Conſtables authority: And ought to be accountable by the ſame reaſon for offences againſt the Publique good, as a Conſtable for his offence, but it is not the name of a King but the boundleſſe power which I argue againſt (though the Romans for the inſolence of Tarquin would not endure the name) if any people ſhall place the Legiſlative power in Parliamentary authority and give unto one man the Title of King for their better correſpondency with forraigne Kingdomes, with no more power to hurt the people, then the Duke of Venice or the Duke of Genoa have; ſuch a goverment may be Iuſt and Rationall, but Domination is a ſweet morſell, let all States take heed how any man growes too popular & engroſſes too much power into his hands.

Object. But many object that Paul and David being annointed by Gods ſpeciall command, that their office was pleaſing unto God.

Anſ. I agree that Annointing does generally imply that God accepts of ſuch perſons and things that are ſo annointed by his command; but obſerve, that God and the people were of a contrary minde in that Action; God appointed and annointed Saul as a Captain to goe before them to defend them from the Tyranny of the Philiſtines, 1 Sam. 9. 15. 16. and Chap. 14. 47. So Saul tooke the Kingdome over Iſrael and fought againſt all his enemies on every ſide againſt Moab and againſt the Children of Ammon, and againſt Edom, and againſt the Kings of Zobah, and againſt the Philiſtines, and whitherſoever he turned himſelfe he vexed them; but the people tooke it as an accompliſhment of their deſires to have a King as the Nations had, which power God gave him not, but told the people that hee would make them cry. Chap. 8. 18. And yee ſhall cry out in that day, becauſe of your King which yee ſhall have choſen you, and the Lord will not heare you in that day; and wee read, 2 Sam. 21. That they had three yeares famine for Sauls wickedneſſe, becauſe hee had ſlaine the Gibeonites in his zeale to the Children of Iſrael it is a golden Scripture ſufficient to ſatisfie an Iron age of men that are ſo ſtupid to thinke that Kings and their Children are not to be executed for murders verſ. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. 9. then there was a famine, &c. and ſo did Iob 4. 10, 11. The roaring of the Lion, and the voice of the fierce Lion, and the teeth of the young Lions are broken, the old Lion periſheth for lacke of prey, and the ſtout Lions whelps are ſcattered abroad: I judge the meaning of it to be, that men who raigne like Lions, Kings and great ones who under the face of men carry the hearts of Tygers; and their Children who equall them in and inherit their fathers crueltie; and their wives who ſurpaſſe them in Inſolence, and Marian perſecntions; muſt all receive ſuch puniſhments as their ſins deſerve, they end their lives tragically, heaven hath, and will make it ſeene in their perſons that it never leaves cruelties without chaſtiſement, as there ſhall be no Innocent ones abandoned, ſo the greateſt perſons that are culpable ſhall not be unpuniſhed, ſuch as plough iniquity and ſow wickednes ſhall reap the ſame ver. 8. 9. thoſe to whom the newes of the murder of the Innocent is as ſweet, as a plentifull harveſt is agreable to the husbandman; ſhall not be able to avoid the ſtroke of Iuſtice, but be like high trees that are planted upon the mountaines ſhall be made a ſport and paſtime for the windes, and tempeſts. But the poore Gibeonits caſe before wee leave it, affords us an excellent document how Gods Iſraelites ought to carry themſelves towards Iſmaelits and Canaanits, that would have deſtroyed them, viz. to be very ſparing in promiſes and protection towards them, but haveing once conditionated with them and received them into favour, to be very liberall in performances towards them, and not to violate faith given in a title, though the conditions were obtained by craft and deception; And now I humbly intreat you to obſerve what little eſteeme David had of Sauls Royall ſeed to hang up ſeven of them; for what offence does not appeare, but very probable that they had given Saul bad councell to deſtroy the poore Gibeonites; and yet David had ſworne to Saul not to cut off his ſeed after him, 1 Sam. 24. 20. 21. And now behold I know well that thou ſhalt ſurely be King, and that the Kingdome of Iſrael ſhall be eſtabliſhed in thine hand. Sweare now therefore unto me by the Lord that thou wilt not cut off my ſeed after mee, and that thou wilt not deſtroy my name out of my fathers houſe, and David ſwore unto Saul: With theſe two arguments I doe in the name of the Lord, Challenge all the Royaliſts in England, Ireland, and Scotland, to anſwer them if they can, or reſt ſatisfied with Scripture and reaſon.

1. That no oath of Allegiance or Supremacy can be any ground to any people not to doe Iuſtice upon a King for murder; David a man after Gods owne heart (that never offended but in the matter of Vriah) therefore did not erre in delivering up Sauls ſeven ſons to execution; would not make his oath to Paul a ground not to doe Iuſtice for the Spirit of God in David argued thus, I am by the Law of Nature as I am a creature, a poore worme bound to the holy and juſt Law of my Creator (which is unchangeable and undiſpenſable; God can no more diſpenſe with my loving and obeying of him, then hee can ceaſe to be God by reaſon of his Infinite goodnes) which Law is that blood requires blood, Geneſ. 9. 6. It is a fundamentall Law without which there can be no conſervation of human ſociety, and I finde in the Law of God that my eye muſt not pittie him that ſheds blood, Deut. 19. 11, 12, 13. But if any man hate his neighbour and lye in wait for him, and riſe up againſt him and ſmite him mortally that he dye and fleeth into one of theſe Cities: then the Elders of the City ſhall ſend and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood; that he may dye, ver. 5. thine eye ſhall not pittie him, but thou ſhalt put away the guilt of Innocent blood from Iſrael that it may goe well with thee (paralell whereunto) is 2 Kings 14. 4. And alſo for the Innocent blood that he ſhed, (for hee filled Ieruſalem with Innocent blood) which the Lord would not pardon. And therefore when I take an oath of Allegeance or Supremacy, it muſt be ſaving that faith which I owe unto my Creator; as in Iuſtice Littletons caſe when any man did Fealty to his Lord, it was with a ſaving that faith and dutie which he owed unto the King, and thoſe other Lords which he held land of, by Priority of Tenure, which if it were not expreſſed it is implyed in Law.

2. Thus I argue that if it were juſt to put Sauls ſons to death for their fathers ſin wherein hee was principall and they but acceſſaries, at the moſt; doubtleſſe it had been juſt to have recompenced it upon the head of their father, it could be no ſin to put Saul to death for killing the Gibeonites where it was lawfull to execute his ſons which might have made many pleas, that what they did, was Sauls command, they had the Kings Commiſſion of Array and warrants from Saul to raiſe forces to ſecure the Countrey, and under pretence of keeping the peace to plunder and deſtroy whom they pleaſed, but obſerve what a glorious ſight it was in the eyes of heaven, 1 Sam. 21. 14. when thoſe ſeven ſons were executed, God was intreated for the Land: It may be the common Law would have acquitted thoſe ſeven gentlemen, becauſe regularly where the principall is dead, the acceſſory cannot be tryed, but the Law of God makes all principall in murder whether preſent or abſent, as the Law of man makes all principall in the higheſt offences of Treaſon, and the loweſt offences of treſpaſſe; nor did David queſtion, what? ſhall I ſhed the blood of the ſeed Royall for the Gibeonites who were ſtrangers and bondmen, hewers of wood, and drawers of water, upon which Eternall Law of Righteouſnes, Major Ottoway and Cornet Grant, were ſhot to death for murdering an Irish-man at the ſiege of VVaterford who having leave to goe into VVaterford to receive ſome money and to returne, was at his coming backe murdered by their Orders or Command, for which by the Councell of Warre they were juſtly condemned, and the execution was a moſt famous peece of juſtice, for had not zeale and love to Iuſtice preponderated, and out-voted all private affections much might have been ſaid for the vallor, Gallantry, and hopefulnes of the Major, and Cornet; I could not in faithfulnes but mention it as being a caſe ſo parallell to that 1 Sam. 21. That Sauls ſons ſhould be executed for murder of the Gibeonites, and out of my dutifull reſpect to beare witneſſe to the exemplary and exact diſcipline of the Army where vice is puniſht & vertue rewarded whereof I was ſometimes Advocate, and count it more honorable to be a member of an Army fighting for Chriſt then to be head of an Antichriſtian Empire.

But before we leave David, let me but obſerve how the anger of the Lord was kindled againſt Iſrael for Davids one ſin of numbring the people; what had the poore ſheep done that 70000. men from Dan to Beersheba ſhould dye by the Peſtilence in three dayes? Did not God thinke you therein reckon with them for their Kingly goverment, you will have a King ſaith the Lord to them, whether I will or no; you ſhall now ſmart for your wickednes; for your great wickednes, for unmanning your ſelves, making your ſelves leſſe then men, to make one man equall with God, to doe what he pleaſes; I will not endure it in my owne people; Eli ſinned, yet the people not puniſht, for he governed the people according to the minde of God but you will have a King, ſayes the Lord, as the Heathens have, be it ſo, but if he ſin Ile puniſh you, not only with the famine, but by a great peſtilence, and as you like that, ſo continue your Kingly goverment.

Object. But Davids dayes drew to an end therefore he gives a charge to Solomon his ſon, of righteouſnes, ſaying, there ſhall not faile thee a man on the Throne of Iſrael, 1 Kings 2. 4. which expreſſing a ſtability of Davids Throne: ſome may argue, that God approved Kingly goverment.

As alſo there is another objection that ſhould have had priority in Deut. 17. 14. to 20. That God gave a Law for chuſing a King, therefore he approved that government; the anſwer whereunto is eaſie, that the Lord foreſeeing, that when he had brought them into Canaan they would deſire a King, like the Pagans, being a people deere unto him, he would not therefore caſt them off; but tells them how to make the beſt of a bad bargaine, that if they will play with the Lion or the Beare let them plucke out his teeth; all Kings are ravenous creatures in point of their office, but ſome will doe leſſe hurt then others, and the words of the Text are very perſpicuous: when thou art come into the land which Iehovah thy God giveth thee, and ſhalt poſſeſſe it, and ſhalt dwell therein, and ſhalt ſay, I will ſet a King over me like as all the nations that are about me, &c. So that the riſe of Monarchy was plainely from the peoples pride, the words are not, that God will ſet a King over them, but they will have one againſt his deſire; If Pride, Luxury, & Rapacity which were called R. 2. daughters, and that if he did not marry them they would undoe him, be of a divine of spring and originall; then Monarchy is; but the very conſtitution of it is Tirannicall, Antichriſtian and diabolicall; And now the reaſon why God choſe the ſeed of David and not the ſeed of Saul, was not his approbation of Monarchy, but becauſe he had appointed Ieſus Chriſt to come of Davids race, Geneſ 49. 10. The ſcepter ſhall not depart from Iudah, nor a Law-giver from between his feet untill Shilo come, and to him ſhall the gathering of the people be; therefore a King muſt be untill Chriſts time; yet onely over the Tribes of Iudah and Benjamin, for the ten Tribes were carryed away Captive; and who knowes but that the reaſon thereof was principally becauſe of their great wickednes; in caſting of Gods goverment by godly righteous Iudges, and ſetting up Monarchy like the Heathens; and ſo Davids poſterity did not terminate and end untill Chriſts time, becauſe the Law-giver was not borne before.

Solomon therefore after Davids death, was a moſt glorious King, who preferred wiſedome before honor, riches, and pleaſure, none before him or after him were ever like unto him, 1 Kings 3. 12. 28. For the Wiſedome of God was in him to doe Iudgement, yet being but a man was drawne away by his wives to Idolatry, and did evill in the ſight of the Lord, 1 Kings 11. 5. hee went after Ashtoreth the goddeſſe of the Sidoneans.

And there is ſeldome any ſo ſingular, eminent or rare-gifted man, but wants his graines of allowance; either he is contrited, cenſorious, paſſionate, or hath ſome mixture or tincture of folly which yet muſt be charged upon the unregenerate part; See what it is to be an abſolute Monarch onely accomptable to God; if Solomons power had been onely to have confirmed ſuch good and wholeſome Lawes as Gods people would have propounded to him, or if Solomon had onely been a leading man in Parliament in probability Iſrael had not run a whoreing from the Lord after ſuch Idolls; but you ſhall taſt, ſayes the Lord of thoſe bitter fruits which are of your owne planting: It was a web of your owne weaving, a King you would have, well ſaith God, I will ſurely rend the Kingome from Solomon, 1 Kings 11. 11. Yet not all the Kingdome, for the Meſſiah is not borne, and Solomon ſlept with his fathers, and the people came to Rehoboam his ſon, 1 Kings 12. who heard his Senators ſpeake, but did as the young men adviſed him, 1 Kings 12. 10. how like unto Rehoboam are the Monarchs of this world, they will be content to heare what a Parliament will adviſe, but keep a negative voice, and prefer copper heads before ſilver haires, and Court Paraſites have diſtinguiſht betweene advice and conſent, that whereas by ancient fundamentall Lawes Kings could doe nothing without conſent of the people in great Counſells and Parliaments, they ſay, they may not doe it without adviſe, as if the great Councells of the Law ſtood only for a Cypher and a Kings pleaſure to be the figure, but let ſuch as are wiſe but call to minde who it was that uſed this ſpeech of Rehoboam, that the late Kings little finger ſhould be heavier then his Fathers Ioynes, and Adore the Iuſtice of God in the Tragicall end of ſuch wicked Councellors; And in the revolt of the ten Tribes from the houſe of David, ſee what meanes Rehoboam attempted to reduce them, 1 Kings 12. ver. 21. to 24. And why ſo? certainly, becauſe the government was unjuſt and tirannicall in it ſelfe, and therefore if the people who in their choice of a King have diſpleaſed God, when they have well ſmarted for their folly, have wit to caſt him off, the Scripture ſayes, it is from the Lord, God does not ſay as in the caſe of Election they have rejected and caſt off me, not a word of anger or diſpleaſure, which holds forth this divine truth to all that will not willfully ſhut their eyes againſt the light, that if the people in Turky, Perſia, Ruſſia, or any place in the world where one man governes, or pretends to rule as he pleaſes, will riſe againſt him and dethrone him, it is an action not only juſtifiable, but commendable, and if the King cauſe any of them to be put to death as Traitors, it is murder in him, and he fights againſt God, Iuſtice, and Reaſon, but it is otherwiſe where the goverment is juſt and rationall by godly righteous Magiſtrates and Iudges choſen by the people, if they be affronted and injured it is an offence, and high treaſon againſt the Majeſtie of heaven, they have not caſt off thee, but they have rejected me, ſayes the Lord, to a juſt authority acting for him and giving an accompt to the people of their lawes and adminiſtrations in love; we may obſerve in Ionathans caſe, that when the Legiſlative power is in one mans hand, though none of the worſt, what lawes are unadviſedly enacted? 1 Sam. 14. 24. And the men of Iſrael were diſtreſſed that day, for Saul had adjured the people ſaying, curſed be the man that eateth any food untill evening, that I may be avenged on my enemies, ſo none of the people taſted any food: And they came to a wood, and there was hony upon the ground ver. 26. and when the people were come into the wood behold the hony dropped, but no man put his hand to his mouth for the people feared the oath, but Ionathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath, wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipt it in a hony-combe and put his hand to his mouth and his eyes were enlightned; then anſwered one of the people, and ſaid, thy father ſtrictly charged the people with an oath, ſaying, curſed be the man that eateth any food this day, and the people were faint; then ſaid Ionathan, my father hath troubled the land, ſee I pray you how mine eyes hath been enlightned, becauſe I taſted a little of this hony, ver. 30. how much more if happily the people had eaten freely to day of the ſpoyle of their enemies which they found, for had there not been now a much greater ſlaughter amongſt the Philiſtins; 'Tis a cruell ſaw, we had kild more if we had eaten; Ionathan was a gracious man and had a ſweet ſpirit for goverment, and Ionathan ſaid to the young man that bare his armour, come and let us goe over unto the garriſon of theſe uncircumciſed, it may be that the Lord will worke for us, for there is no reſtraint to the Lord, to ſave by many or by few. As gallant Caleb ſaid, Ioſ. 14. 12. If ſo be the Lord will be with me, then I ſhall be able to drive out the Anakims: but nothing would ſatisfie Saul but the life of Ionathan, and the execution of a cruell law and that againſt nature, for hungry men not to eat food, which in the Hebrew is bread; now bread being not hony, and that being a penall law, it ought to have been taken ſtrictly; and ſo Ionathan not guilty, for a penall ſtatute is not to be extended by equity, for the oath was much better broken then kept, but the people had more wit then to ſuffer Ionathan to be put to death, ver. 45. nor was Ionathan legally guiltie, becauſe hee was not preſent when the law was made ver. 3. and 17. nor had any notice of it, and ſuch lawes that are not conſonant to the lawes of nature are not obligatorie without full and perfect notice and proclamation thereof made to the people, and in that the Lord did not anſwer Saul ver. 37. It was becauſe he was angry with him for his raſh oaths, he being given to ſwearing, ver. 44. and it appeares chap. 28. ver. 6. 16. that Gods not anſwering is a ſigne of anger, though Saul ſuſpected Gods ſilence was for ſome hidden ſinne therefore would caſt a lot, ver. 7. ſayes God to Samuel, I am chief King, thou art my Miniſter, I rule by thee, therefore they have rejected me in caſting off a juſt goverment free from Tiranny and oppreſſion which my ſoule abhorrs, for God is King over all the earth, hee keepes the ſupreme power to himſelfe, it is his prerogative onely to give no accompt of his Actions to any creature, and yet in love he is pleaſed to condeſcend to poore creatures, and makes out the reaſon of his adminiſtrations; and the Image of God conſiſts in Holines, Iuſtice, Mercy, and Goodnes, which is a goverment of a divine originall it comes from heaven and hath a tendancie thither, and thoſe that are my governors have ſuch graces and gifts of my holy Spirit ſignified by powring on of oyle upon the heads of the rulers, as being neceſſary graces for prieſts Prophets and Kings, but the Iſraelites would not let the Lord to keep the power in his owne hand to appoint what governor and goverment he pleaſed.

Therefore obſerve in the next place what courſe does Ieroboam take to eſtabliſh his Kingdome, hee thinks to ſtrengthen himſelfe by the Idolatry of the two Calves, the people will revolt from me, ſayes Ieroboam, unles I make them two Calves of gold and ſay, behold thy Gods O Iſrael which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt; Monarchs care not what they doe, though they deſtroy even the ſoules of millions of people to maintaine their pompe and glory, make the people believe ſayes he, that theſe Calves which were made but yeſterday, brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, ver. 27. If they ſacrifice they will turne to Rehoboam; Kings feare that pietie to God will draw away peoples hearts from thē: Monarchs delight wickedly to keep the people in groſſe ignorance; and how fooliſh was this Ieroboam, 1 Kings 14. to ſend his wife diſguiſed to the Prophet Ahijah to know whether his ſon ſhould recover, as if the Prophet could tell the greater and not find out the wifes diſguiſement, Ideots, Minors, Murderers, any are good enough and will ſerve to be Kings; marke therefore what becomes of King Ieroboam, 1 Kings 14. ver. 10. 11. Therefore behold I will bring evill upon the houſe of Ieroboam and will cut off from Ieroboam him that piſſeth againſt the wall, and him that is ſhut up and left in Iſrael, and will take away the remnant of the houſe of Ieroboam as a man takes away dung till it be all gone: him that dyeth of Ieroboam in the City ſhall the doggs eat, and him that dyeth in the fields ſhall the foules of the aire eat, for the Lord hath ſpoken it; but if onely guiltie Kings might be puniſht it were no great matter, but the poore people muſt be deſtroyed for their Kings wickednes ver. 15. 16. for the Lord ſhall ſmite Iſrael, as a reed is ſhaken in the water, and he ſhall root up Iſrael out of this good land which hee gave to their fathers, and ſhall ſcatter them beyond the river becauſe they have made their groves, provoking the Lord to anger, ver. 16. and hee ſhall give Iſrael up becauſe of the ſins of Ieroboam who did ſin, and who made Iſrael to ſin; bleſſed Lord! it was Ieroboam that made the groves & high places and not the people, but when the people chooſe a King, what he does, is reputed their Act; they doe it by him, as the whole body ſees & heares by the organs of the eares and eyes: what a ſad conſideration is it, that Gods people ſhould be deſtroyed for the ſinne of the Kings of Iſrael? let them ſmart, ſayes the Lord, a King they will have, then there was warre betweene Rehoboam and Ieroboam all their dayes, 1 Kings 14. 30 which the ſpirit of God reiterates Chap. 15. 6. as if Kings delighted in nothing but wars about prerogatives, precedencie, or ſuch triviall matters, the poore people muſt ſhed their precious blood, looſe their lives, not onely temporall but hazard their ineſtimable ſoules; for as the tree falls, ſo it lies, their Wives and Children utterly deſtroyed, and all to attaine and ſatisfie the ambitious deſignes and wicked luſts of proud imperious men that ſet all on flame to warme themſelves, as if God had made Bees to make hony onely for the Drones, poore men onely to be as the wooll in the breach to receive Cannon and Muſquet bullets; and yet, when the world is; in love, and bowells of pittie, jogged & wakened out of this pleaſeing dreame, they are angry with their Monitor, and hee that is a friend to publique libertie, is counted an enemy to Ceſar, poore Turks, Ruſsians, and Europian ſlaves, that delight rather in ſervitude then freedome, and like ſpannells fawne upon thoſe that moſt beat them, and are ſorry that they have but one life to looſe for the glory of their Soveraigne; well, after Ieroboam and Rehoboam, there was warre betweene Aſa King of Iudah, and Baasha King of Iſrael all their dayes, 1 Kings 15, 16. 32. and ſee what became of Baasha, 1 Kings 16. 1. Then the Word of the Lord came to Iehu the ſonne of Hanani againſt Baasha ſaying, for as much as I exalted thee out of the duſt and made thee prince over my people Iſrael, and thou haſt walked in the way of Ieroboam, and haſt made my people Iſrael to ſin to provoke me to anger with their ſins: behold I will take away the poſteritie of Baasha, and the poſteritie of his houſe, and will make thy houſe like the houſe of Ieroboam the ſon of Nebat, him that dyeth of Baasha in the City ſhall the dogs eat, and him that dyeth in the fields ſhall the fowles of the aire eat. Then Elah ſucceeds Baasha, he being druncke was killed by Zimri, who made himſelfe King, 1 Kings 16. 9. Where Monarchies have been elective or gotten by force or fraud, what hath been alwayes held the beſt way to ſecure the new Monarch in his throne but by dedeſtroying the family of his predeceſſor, Gloria Papoe ſucceſsoris eſt reſcindere Acta predeceſsoris deleatur nomen Calvini. Zimri deſtroyed all the houſe of Baasha, left him not one that piſſed againſt the wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends, 1 Kings 16. 11. As the Popes alwayes glory to reſcinde and repeall the Acts of their predeceſſors (what bloody butchers have Kings & Popes ever been, if any man ſtand in their way, let his name be blotted out) then Omri was choſen King, and beſieged Zimri in Tirzah, Zimri becomes deſperate, ſets the houſe on fire and burnes himſelfe, ver. 17. 18. and ver. 25. this Omri wrought evill in the ſight of the Lord, and did worſe then all that were before him; Ahab his ſonne ſucceeded him, and ver. 30. Then Ahab the ſon of Omri did evill in the ſight of the Lord above all that were before him ſo that 1 Kings 21. 25. there was none like unto Ahab which ſold himſelfe to worke wickedneſſe in the ſight of the Lord whom Iezebel his wife ſtirred up; and therefore whereas the practiſe of the primitive Chriſtians is objected, that they prayed for the healths and proſperitie of the heathen Roman Tirants that perſecuted them; here you may ſee the reaſon thereof, they knew that if one Tirant died, a more cruell one would ſucceed; as the poore woman having had three cruell Landlords ſucceſſively; haveing wiſht the death of the two former, prayed earneſtly for the long life of the third, and being demanded a reaſon thereof anſwered, that the laſt is alwayes the worſt, and if this ſhould dye, certainly the next would be the divell, for a more cruell Tiger there could not be in a human ſhape then the third was; but concerning the Primitive Chriſtians that were as the Lords garden hedged in, with his protection, it pleaſed God ſometimes to take away the hedge, and to let the wild beaſts in; they ſaw that through many tribulations and perſecutions in the world they muſt enter into the Kingdome of heaven, and finding that Antichriſt was to be their greateſt, and the moſt cruell, enemy to the Church of God; and that he could not get into the throne during the raigne of the Roman Emperors who hindred him, as it is 2 Theſs. 2. 7. 8. therefore they prayed for the proſperity of the Dragon, for the fourth Monarchy, Dan. 7. 7. is generally interpreted to be the Roman Empire, which is deſcribed to be very terrible and dreadfull, and exceeding ſtrong, it had three iron teeth, it devoured and brake in peeces, and ſtamped the reſidue with the feet of it, and if this heathen Empire was taken away, the poore Chriſtians knew that the ſame power muſt be given to the beaſt Anti-Chriſt, Revel. 13. And therefore it were better for them to have it continue; but it is moſt admirable to obſerve, that the great Monarchies of the world, viz. Babylonians, Perſians, Grecans, and Romans, ſhould be ſet out, and deſcribed by foure beaſts; it ſhewes unto us, that thoſe that are moſt highly eſteemed by the men of the world are but as beaſts in the ſight of God, that the great King of Kings (who rules in Equity and Righteouſnes over all the world) looks upon the great Nimrods and Monarchs of the world with a moſt contemptible eye, counts them no better then the moſt ravenous creatures, that are ſuffered a little to rage for the puniſhment of wicked men; when the Lord ſayes, that the beaſt ſhall devoure his people: It is the King of Aſiria, and his wicked Cavaliers, and therefore God threatens to deale with him as with a beaſt; I am againſt thee, O Gog, the chief Prince of Mesbech and Tubal, Ezek. 38. 2. 4. I will put a hooke in thy jawes, and ſo the Lord threatned to put a hooke in the noſtrills of Senacherib the King of Aſiria, and a bridle in his lips, Eſa. 37. 29. becauſe of his rage and his tumult it was fit to uſe him as a beaſt, and marke how contemptibly God ſpeaks of the great King of Babylon and his numerous Army, Ioel 2. 20. his ſtincke and ill ſavor ſhall come up: the Spirit of God gives no other Epithet then a ſtincking King, an unſavorie prince; and David ſpeaking of Saul and his Courtiers, Pſal. 59. 6. 7. 8. as if he had predicted the deportments and behaviours of the malignants about ſuch time as the late King was Iuſticed; their nocturnall whiſperings in Tavernes and Conventicles againſt the State and ſuch as are Godly in the Land, they returne at evening, they make a noiſe like a dog and goe round about the City; behold they belſh out with their mouths, ſwords are in their lips, for who ſay they doth heare (but thou, O Lord, ſhalt laugh at them, thou ſhalt have all the heathens in deriſion, ver. 14. at evening let them returne, and let them make a noiſe like a dog and goe round about the City, and therefore Gods people may rejoyce in the Lord, as in ver. 16. 17. But we will ſing of thy power, yea wee will ſing of thy mercy in the morning, for thou haſt been our defence and refuge in the day of trouble unto thee our ſtrength will wee ſing for God is our defence and the God of our mercie: Indeed he was the ſong of the drunkards, Pſal. 69. 12. but now to be compared to a beaſt is worſe then to be ſo by nature, for it is no diſhonor to a hog to be called ſo; for it is but to be as God made it, but for a man to make himſelfe a beaſt is the corruption of the creature, the worſt deformitie that can be in the world, and where is there any Monarch in the world, that aſſumes a power of accompting onely to God, but hath in him the ſenſuallitie of a ſwine, the filth and uncleanenes of a Leopard, the crueltie and inexorablenes of a Tiger, Beare, or Lion; the ſubtiltie and craft of a Fox, the skittiſhnes and ſtubbornes of a Mule or an Aſſe; and in what things they have common together with beaſts, they are worſe then beaſts, for beaſts will not be druncke with their drinke as the drunkard corrupts himſelfe in his drinke Iude 10. they ſpeake evill of that they know not and what they naturally know as brute beaſts, in thoſe things they corrupt themſelves; if it would be ſuch a judgement that a man would be willing to endure any miſery in the world rather then to have his body turned into the faſhion of a beaſt; and if our Anceſtors have been ſo diligent to deſtroy Woolves andE peſſimo Cane ne catulus quidem relinquendus. ſuch noxious creatures, that whoſoever ſhould bring in the head of a Woolfe was to have a reward for it; what a madnes or lethargie is it in men that would be counted rationall, not onely to ſuffer Tirants and myſticall Woolves to domineere with a rod of iron when God gives them an opportunitie of extirpation, root and branche; but to contend againſt their brethren to ſet up a Tirant; to rage like the waters, becauſe they cannot bring in an overflowing Tide and ſtreame to breake downe the banks of honeſtie and equitie; what was it that made David wiſh? Pſal. 55. 6. compared with Ier. 9. 1. to 6. and Pſal. 59. Oh that I had the wings of a Dove that I might fly into the wildernes, and there abide; are not wild beaſts in their proper element in a wildernes as fiſhes in the Sea? true, but the goverment of Saul and his prerogative creatures was more cruell then the fierce Lion, that will either pitie the crouching paſſenger; or not prey upon him till hunger require it, and then put him out of his paine in an inſtant, but Tirants (and ſuch are all that will not be accomptable to the people) keep men in priſon many yeares to ſatisfy their inſatiable cruelties; and torture poore creatures by lingring deaths, denying them the favour of expedition in that kinde, therefore David ſayes, Pſal 22. 20. Deliver my ſoule from the ſword, my darling from the power of the dog, the ſpirit of God in David calls Saul a dog; better ſayes David, to fall into the hands of a Tiger, and wilde beaſts then live under a Tirannicall goverment: there is a famous ſtory of ſome Spaniards, that being beſieged by a Tirant and in danger to be taken, the young men firſt tooke all the old people in the City and let them blood to death, and cut off their heads killing them with the faireſt and eaſieſt deaths that could be, next they tooke all the treaſure and riches in the City and ſet it on fire, and then they tooke poyſon and poyſoned themſelves; and the ſurvivor opened the gates and killed himſelfe, ſo as the enemy had nothing but rubbiſh and aſhes, of two evills chooſing the leaſt; old and yong, and all the City to be deſtroyed together, rather then to fall into the hands of a Tirant; where no Iuſtice can be had the Lord cō tinue and increaſe the ſame gallantry and nobleneſſe of ſpirit, in the Engliſh nation rather to endure any miſery in the world, then ever to admit any more of a Tirannicall Goverment, for that is to make our ſelves lower then beaſts (which are not devoured by thoſe of the ſame kinde) to make one man more then a man; with Titles of Sacred Majeſtie, and Gracious Highnes, Incompitible with a ſtate of humanity.

Now I beſeech you, have patience a little longer to obſerve what ſtrange creatures the Kings of Iſrael were, and then let every honeſt hearted man but aske himſelfe ſome ſuch queſtions as theſe, whether it is not likely that God would give his owne people as good Kings as to any other Nation?

Secondly, if God was ſo exceedingly wroth with his owne children for deſireing a King, whether will he not be more angry with us if wee ſhould not take warning by Gods people? Note therefore that when King Ahab was dead Iehoram raigned in Iſrael, 2 Kings 3. 1. 6. and becauſe there was a famine in the Land, the firſt newes, is that Elisha the Prophet muſt be ſlaine, 2 Kings 6. 31. 32. then he ſaid, God do ſo, and moreover alſo to me, if the head of Elisha the ſon of Shaphat ſhall ſtand on him this day; but Elisha ſat in his houſe and the Elders ſat with him, and the King ſent a man from before him; but ere the meſſenger came to him he ſaid to the Elders, ſee yee how the ſon of a murderer hath ſent to take away my head, take heed all yee fighters, for the ſon of a murderer in the 8. Chap. ver. 15. Hazael kills King Benhadad and Elisha told him what a Tirant he would be againſt Iſrael, and wept for griefe to thinke how Hazael when he came to be King ſhould oppreſſe and Tirannize over them then ver. 12. ſayes Hazael, why weepeth my Lord? & he anſwered, becauſe I know the evill that thou wilt doe unto the children of Iſrael, their ſtrong holds wilt thou ſet on fire, and their young men wilt thou ſlay with the ſword and wilt daſh their children and rip up their women with child, ver. 13, 14, 15. And Hazael ſaid, but what is thy ſervant a dog, that he ſhould do this great thing? and Elisha anſwered, the Lord hath ſhewed mee that thou ſhalt be King over Syria, ſo hee departed from Elisha and came to his maſter who ſaid to him, what ſaid Elisha to thee? and he anſwered, hee told mee that thou ſhouldeſt ſurely recover; and it came to paſſe on the morrow that he tooke a thicke cloath and dipt it in water and ſpead it on his face, ſo that hee died, and Hazael raigned in his ſteed. As if a King ſhould take the Sacrament upon it, that hee intends no more hurt to the Parliament then to his owne children and the very ſame day grant comiſſions to ſlay and murder the moſt ſaithfull patriots, but ſee what credit there is to be given to ſuch mens vowes and proteſtations, 2 Kings 10. 32. Hazael ſmote them in all the coaſts of Iſrael; Iehu was next made King by the Souldiours, and 2 King. 9. 24. Iehu drew a bow with his full ſtrength and ſmote Iehoram betweene his Armes and the Arrow went out at his heart and he ſunck down in his Chariot; then Iehu followes after Ahaziah King of Iudah and ſmites him and he died at Megiddo 2 Kings 9. 27. and Iehoahaz ſucceeds Iehu in the Kingdome of Iſrael, 2 Kings 10. then Chap. 11. Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah aroſe and deſtroyed all the ſeed Royall onely Ioash, who with his nurſe was hid and peſerved from the maſſacre, and was afterwards annointed King, and the people clapt their hands, and ſaid, God ſave the King, 2 Kings 11. 12. and blew their Trumpets; then Athaliah rent her cloathes ver. 14. and cryed, Treaſon, Treaſon, ſhe might with more reaſon have cryed out; away with Kingly goverment that occaſions ſo many murders; treacherie & villanous conſpiracies who to get into the throne, and to ſecure their ſtations and maintaine their pompe and grandor muſt deſtroy poore Innocents and all that ſtand in their way of abſolute Dominion.

In Chap. 12. 2. Iehoash did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, yet ver. 20. his ſervants aroſe and made a conſpiracie and ſlew Ioash in the houſe of Millo which goeth down to Silla; if God ſometimes gives a good Ioſiah, an Edward the ſixt, or a good Queene Elizabeth, the office is not ſanctified by the perſon; when princes profeſſe love to the people; It is but ſowing the ſeeds of future troubles and miſeries for when Kings are good, the people are never jealous, of their liberties; and faire language, and a few good Acts and actions, bring the people into a fooles paradiſe, the prerogative then taking ten times firmer & deeper root in ſuch Halcyon dayes; and certainly the Tares, Wormewood, Gall, Colloquintida, and bitter fruits which England hath lately taſted of and reaped in ſuch aboundance; were ſowne, ſet, and planted, in thoſe calmer times; and the precious blood that hath been ſhed, is no doubt the ſeeds time of freedome and glory to the Nation, the ground worke of thoſe precious & durable priviledges, that English-men ſhall hereafter enjoy, but ſee Chapter 13. Iehoahaz ſon of Iehu was King in Iſrael, ver. 2. and he did that which was evill in the ſight of the Lord and followed the ſins of Ieroboam the ſon of Nebat which made Iſrael to ſin, he departed not there from, and the anger of the Lord was kindled againſt Iſrael, and ver. 3. he delivered them into the hand of Hazael King of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the ſon of Hazael all their dayes; it would make the very bowels, liver, and intralls of a Chriſtian, to yearne and ſtir within him, to conſider how poore creatures from time to time have been puniſht for the wickedneſſe of their Kings, ſayes David, 2 Sam. 24. 17. Indeed I have done wickedly, but theſe ſheep what have they done? Let thine hand be againſt me and my Fathers houſe, againſt a Kingly goverment. Next comes Amaziah upon the ſtage of Monarchy, 2 Kings 14. and his comendation is for doeing Iuſtice upon thoſe that killed his father; and ſparing the children of the murderers according to the Law of Moſes that the Fathers ſhall not be put to death for the Children, nor the Children for the Fathers, but every man ſhall be put to death for his owne ſin, ver. 6. but vaine man that he was to thinke to proſper, knowing how greatly God was diſpleaſed with his office, ver. 19. the people made a conſpiracie againſt him in Ieruſalem and he fled to Lachish and they ſlew him there, and they brought him on horſes and buried him at Ieruſalom as Rich. the third ſlaine at the battaile at Boſworthfield by Henry the ſeventh, was throwne over a horſe like a Calfe, and carried to Leister & there interred; then ver. 23. there was Ieroboam the ſecond King of Iſrael & he did that whch was evill in the ſight of the Lord and departed not from all the ſins of Ieroboam the ſon of Nebat that made Iſrael to ſin ver. 24. then in chap. 15. 3. 4. Azariah ſon of Amaziah raigned in Iudah & did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord according to all that his Father Amaziah had done; ſave that the high places were not removed, the people ſacrificed and burnt incenſe ſtill on the high places, ſo the Lord ſmote him that he was a Leper to the day of his death and dwelt in a ſeverall houſe apart by himſelfe ſcarce a king of them that died like other men; for hee that will take upon him to be above other mens judgements, and only to account to Heaven, is not worthy the ſociety of men, ver. 8. Zachariah the ſon of Ieroboam reigned in Iſrael, and ver. 9. 10. he did that which was evill in the ſight of the Lord as his Father had done, hee departed not from the ſin of Ieroboam the ſon of Nebat who made Iſrael to ſinne; how made them to ſin? is not example a morall violence? that where the King is wicked the people muſt needs be ſo; or is ſin taken there for puniſhment, that the people are puniſht for the Kings enormities; but ver. 10. Shallum the ſon of Iabe h conſpired againſt him and ſmote him before the people, and ſlew him, and reigned in his ſteed, what? would the people ſtand by, and ſee Shallum kill their King, and then preſently make him King, how violently and inſenſately are men ſet upon Monarchy, that though they feele all the Plagues of Egypt upon them for it, yet they will have a King, like the Heathens; but how fared it with King Shallum ver. 13. he reigned but a moneth in Samaria, for Menahem the ſon of Gadi, went up from Tirzah, and came to Samariah and ſmote Shallum there, and ſlew him, and reigned in his ſteed, but how does Menahem comport himſelfe in his Kingſhip ver. 16. then Menahem tooke Tipſah and all that were therein and the Coaſts thereof from Tirzah becauſe they opened not to him; and all the women therein that were with child he ript them up; then ver. 19. 20. Pul the King of Aſſyria came againſt him, and he exacted a thouſand Talents of ſilver of the rich men of Iſrael fifty ſhekells of ſilver, thence they tooke the Preſident for Ship-money; to tirannize and bring themſelves and the people into danger, and then take what they pleaſe from the people to procure forraigne forces to aſſiſt King Menahem to confirme the Kingdome in his hand, but ver. 22. this bloody man ſlept with his fathers; and his ſon Pekahiah raigned in his ſteed, bleſſed God! that ſuch a cruell monſter ſhould dye a dry death; but if Murderers and Tyrants were alwayes puniſht in this world, men would thinke that there were no other hell for them; and yet if they were not commonly puniſht here, many men would believe that there was no God; well Pekahiah reigned two yeares, and did miſchief enough to have deſtroyed Iſrael, becauſe no doubt they might have caſt off Monarchy, but would not doe juſtice upon their King, therefore the Lord ſtirred up particular men ſtill to doe it, ver. 25. Pekah the ſon of Remaliah a Captaine of Pekahiah conſpired againſt him and ſmote him and killed him in Samaria in the Palace of the Kings houſe with 52. more, and reigned in his roome; a good riddance of the King and his Cavaliers; but the more unwiſe they (to give them no worſe Epithete being Gods people) to ſuffer Pekah to be their King, for he abounded in wickednes, and in his dayes ver. 29. ſeven Cities of Iſrael were carried captive to Aſſyria, but ver. 30 Hoshea the ſon of Ekah made a Conſpiracie againſt Pekah, and ſmote him and ſlew him & reigned in his ſteed; indeed Iotham King of Iudah did righteous things howbeit the high places were not removed by him ver. 35. hee is a good man againſt whom there is but one But, or How beit in his Kingly goverment chap. 16. 2. ſucceeds Ahaz who walked in the way of the Kings of Iſrael, and ver. 3. made his ſon to walke through the fire according to the abominations of the Heathen whom the Lord caſt out from before the Children of Iſrael, and he ſacrificed and burnt Incenſe in the high places, and on the hills, & under every greene tree; this is the fruit of their crying give us a King, like the Heathen Nations? it is noted how the Lord drove out the Heathens from before his people to aggravate their folly, that when the Heathens were deſtroyed, yet they would have a Government like the Heathens; if the good Kings had removed the high places and burnt the ground, then the wicked Kings had not ſacrificed thereon, but if the people had not been ſtarke blind they would have ſeene their extreame folly in admitting that goverment, but why doe I ſpeake ſo improperly, as to ſay good Kings, a good Monarch is a white Divell, cures one and kills twenty; doe men gather grapes of thornes, or figgs of thiſtles? he that is bound to no Law cannot be a good King, for the office is againſt Divine Inſtitution, and therefore ſinfull, unaccomptable Monarchs are no more to be ſuffered then Divells; if they doe any good it flowes not from the conſtitution of the office but as they are private men that would do leſſe hurt if they had leſſe power; if one ſhould have a commiſſion to rob; and he ſhould ſuffer ſome poore men to paſſe untoucht, no thanks to his Commiſſion; but his Debonaritie; and naturall pitie; unaccountablenes is a moſt corrupt, pernicious, accurſed, and peſtilent principle, and fountaine from whence muſt needes flow ſtreames of much Oppreſſion, Injuſtice, and Crueltie, towards poore people; chap. 17. 3. Salmanezer King of Aſsyria falls out with Hoshea King of Iſrael about Newyeares-gifts: Kings have ſo many Courtiers to feed, that they muſt be like the Horſe-leach that cry, give, give, therefore the King of Aſsyria ſhut him up, and bound him in priſon, ver. 4. then was Iſrael carried away captive, for ver. 21. Ieroboam had made them ſinne a great ſinne, which ver. 8. and 15. is ſaid to be walkeing in the Statutes of the Heathen and of the Kings of Iſrael which they had made; where note, that, the King had the Legiſlative power, made what lawes he pleaſed, and the people imitated the Heathen round about them therein in giving the ſame power to their Kings; as the Heathens did, to carry life & death at his nod, and honoring a wicked man more then the King of Glory; ver. 23. untill the Lord removed Iſrael out of his ſight as he had ſaid by all his ſervants the Prophets, ſo was Iſrael carried away out of their owne Land to Aſſyria unto this day: is it not admirable that the Iſraelites ſhould be ſo extreame mad to ſet up a King like the Heathens to their owne deſtruction many ſins might concurre to their captitie, but the Grand Capitall ſin is noted to be their inordinate deſire to have a King, the Lawes, Cuſtomes, Statutes, and Ordinances of the Heathens; now marke I beſeech you poore miſtaken deluded Caroliſts, if wiſe men, Gods peculiar people, worth all the world, for ſuffering ſuch Tirants deſerve for ever to be called not the men, but the Children of Iſrael, more fooliſh then babes, nay then the brute creatures, that will not impower one of themſelves to deſtroy, or to be cruell to their owne kinde; It ſpeakes loud to all ſuch, as by Gods infinit mercie have caſt off Tirants, to abrogate, repeale, oblitterate and change their Lawes, Statutes, Ordinances, and Cuſtomes, to ſuffer no filthy rags infected with the Plague to remaine; not to thinke to waſh and purifie them, for the Blackamore will not change his skin; the firſt worke done at Geneva upon the change of their Religion from Papiſts to Proteſtants was (Reformatio Legum) to examin their Lawes, and ſuch as were contraryIgni traduntur lege Papiſtarum. to the Law of God they burnt them; for Iuſtice is more neceſſary in a Commonwealth then reformed Religion, no State can continue without the firſt, but many flouriſh in Temporalls, without the latter, ſalt is more uſefull then ſuggar, and Pearles, though not ſo excellent in its nature. The next King chap. 18. was Hezekiah ver. 5. who truſted in the Lord God of Iſrael, ſo that after him was none like him among all the Kings of Iudah, nor any that were before him, he falling ſicke, by prayer had his life lengthened, a Heathen King ſent to congratulate his recovery, and Hezekiah did not magnifie the Lords mercie to him, and ſpeake in the language of an Iſraelite to the Ambaſſadour, but ſhewed him his treaſures and rejoyced more in them then in the God of his mercies (a fault that Gods people are too ſubject unto, when their friends viſit them they doe not entertaine the time by magnifying Gods mercy, and multiplyed preſervations towards them, but ſhew one another their fine roomes, cloathes, and ſuch vanities) for which very thing the Prophet Eſay denounces unto Hezekiah the Babilonian captivitie, chap. 20. and ſee how the poore Iewes were puniſht for that very ſin of Hezekiah chap. 24. ver. 10. to the 16. At that time the ſervants of Nebucadnezar King of Babylon came up againſt Ieruſalem, and the City was beſieged, and Nebucadnezar King of Babylon came againſt the City, and his ſervants did beſiege it, and Iehoiachin the King of Iudah went to the King of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his ſervants, and his princes, and his officers; and the King of Babylon tooke him in the eight yeare of his raigne; and hee carried out thence all the Treaſures of the houſe of the Lord, and the Treaſures of the Kings houſe, and cut in pieces all the veſſells of gold which Solomon King of Iſrael had made in the Temple of the Lord, as the Lord had ſaid; and he carried away all Ieruſalem, and all the Prince, and all the mighty men of vallour, ten thouſand captives, and all the Crafts-men and ſmiths, none remained ſave the pooreſt ſort of the people of the Land, and he carried away Iehoiachin to Babylon, and the kings mother and the kings wifes, and his officers, and the mighty of the Land, thoſe carryed he into captivity from Ieruſalem to Babylon: and all the men of might even ſeven thouſand, and Crafts-men and Smiths one thouſand, all that were ſtrong and apt for war; even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon; bleſſed God that ever any people of underſtanding ſhould contend for Monarchy! when the Spirit of God ſpeaks ſo plainely, that whether the kings be good men or bad, I will puniſh the people ſayes the Lord, ſo long as they have any kings; it is not a goverment of my ordination, kings are the peoples Idols creatures of their own making; if they will have them, let them be ſure that if the beſt of their kings doe but out of a little vaine-glory ſhew his treaſures to a Heathen king Ile puniſh them for that tranſgreſſion; The next ſucceſſor was Manaſſeh, and hee followed the abomination of the Heathens, chap. 21. 9. he ſeduced the people to doe more evill then did the Nations above all that the Amorites did, and made Iudah to ſinne with his Idolls: Is not man a free Agent, if he ſuffer no outward violence hee hath none within him: but a kings example is unreſiſtible violence. Mercifull God, ſhall thy owne children, that one of them before they had a king was worth 10000. Amorites, be made worſe then the moſt abominable Heathens onely by having a king, ver. 12, 13, 14. therefore thus ſaith the Lord God of Iſrael, behold, I am bringing evill upon Ieruſalem, and Iudah, that whoſoever heareth of it both his eares ſhall tingle, and I will ſtretch over Ieruſalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the houſe of Ahab, and I will wipe Ieruſalem as a man wipeth a diſh, wiping it, and turning it upſide downe, and I will forſake the remnant of my inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies, and they ſhall become a prey & ſpoile to all their enemies; this Manaſſeh ſhed innocent blood till he filled the ſtreets with it, 2 Reg. chap 22. after Manaſſeh reigned Ammon, who was the fathers own ſon in wickednes, and his ſervants conſpired againſt him, and ſlew the king in his own houſe, and the people ſlew them and made Ioſiah king, the hopefull prince, who turned not aſide to the right hand or to the left but walkt in all the wayes of David his father, ver. 2. but if the Lord will not turne from the fierceneſſe of his great wrath againſt Iudah, becauſe of the provocation of Manaſseh, as it is 2 Kings 23. 26. will not the Lord be intreated to ſave the people for good Ioſiahs ſake? no; all that the Lord will doe for the beſt king is to take him away from the evill to come, chap. 22. 19. 20. then chap. 25. Ieruſalem the glory of the Lord is beſieged by Nebucadnezar king of Babylon who built forts againſt it round about; the famine prevailed, and there was no bread for the people of the Land, the men of warre therein forced to fly, the City taken and defaced, ver. 9. the houſe of the Lord burnt; and all the houſes of Ieruſalem, every great mans houſe burnt; the kings eyes put out and his ſons ſlaine. 7. and bound him with chaines, as it is more at large expreſſed, Ier. 39. 7. and it is very obſerveable (to teach Gods people how to behave themſelves when the people are ſo mad in contending for Monarchy, to bring Gods Iudgments upon them) that Ieremiah who in al probability would have been one of the firſt that had ſuffered for his faithfulnes, in reproving ſin ſo impartially as he did, was onely preſerved Ier. 39. 11. 12. Now Nebucadnezar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Ieremiah to Nebuzaradan the Captain of the guard, ſaying, take him, and looke to him, and doe him no harme, but doe unto him even as he ſhall ſay unto thee, this ſame Ieremiah that had mourned in ſecret for the Court vanities, or rather enormities, the inſanitie and egregious folly of the people to caſt off a Rationall, juſt Goverment by worthy Patriots that charge their owne eſtates as well as others, and to eſtabliſh kings according to the manner of the Heathen, for whoſe ſins ſo many of the people loſt their lives, God puniſhes the people for their ſins, not onely where the kings are wicked and monſters of men, but where they are good men and live good lives (which yet is very rare) yet the people muſt ſmart for ſuffering the kingly office to continue; but if that be not a ſufficient argument take another: If the moſt deſparate Malignant in England or Scotland was but in Ireland, to heare of the horrid Maſſacres that have been committed upon the poore Engliſh, 154000. barbarouſly murdered in one Province, and to ſee the miſerable effects and ſad deſolations of ſo bloody a Rebellion whereof the maintenance of the late Kings pretended prerogative was undoubtedly the firſt inducing cauſe he was as ſure the Author of it as ever the Divell was the Author or firſt tempter to ſin, for without his countenance they durſt never have attempted it; without queſtion, he would be for the Parliament, if it were but from the common ſence of humanity, for feare either of being tormented with the Ghoſts and diſmall apparitions of thoſe poore Innocents, or out of a ſad conſideration to bethinke himſelfe what an aſtoniſhment it will be unto him at that great day to heare the cry of all the Innocent blood that hath been ſhed in the three Nations crying to the Iuſt God for vengeance, vengeance againſt all thoſe that have in any ſort made themſelves guilty or acceſſary to the death of their bodies, but to the death of many of their ſoules as it is to be feared; for as the tree falls ſo it lyes, many a poore Creature innocently murdered for ought wee know to the contrary might have lived to repent, but the ſentence is paſt, and he can but curſe all thoſe malignants that had a hand in his death, as every one undoubtedly had that hath either warred or pleaded for the late King or his poſterity. The ſum of theſe and many other Scripturs and reaſons that might be alledged to the ſame purpoſe is to let you ſee, that not only wicked Kings have brought miſery and the wrath of God upon his people, but the beſt men that ever ſwayed the Scepter of Iudah or Iſrael have been authors and occaſioners of ruine and deſtruction to the poore people; David by numbring the people, Solomon by tolleration of Idolatry; Iehoſaphat by taking part with Ahab; Aſa for his confidence in the arme of fleſh, and his ſeverity to the Prophet; and Ioſiah for his raſh and unadviſed war with Pharo, Neco, did all of them though godly men, bring wrath upon Gods people which (I beſeech you obſerve) the Iudges of old never did, though Elies offence might be greater then theirs; yet the people ſmarted not for that, as for their Kings tranſgreſſions, and though the Lord was pleaſed to chooſe the ſeed of David and not of Saul, that did not juſtifie Iſrael; but it was becauſe God appointed Chriſt Ieſus to come of Davids race, from Iudah; therefore there was a ſtabilitie of Davids throne, and his poſterity to terminate in Chriſt, and therefore as that Scripture of Geneſ. 49. 10. The Scepter ſhall not depart from Iudah, nor a Law-giver from between his feet untill Shiloh come, and unto him ſhall the gathering of the people be; might be ſufficient to convince the Iewes of their unbeliefe, and that the Meſſias is come, becauſe the ſcepter is ſo long ſince departed from Iudah; they have had no King of their Nation but have been many yeares as a ſcattered people (though happily their diſperſion hath been their preſervation, for had they not found favour amongſt many Princes, and to live quietly under them, they might in all probability have been deſtroyed, and in a worſe condition then they are) if there were not ſome malice and imbitterednes of ſpirit amongſt them againſt Chriſtians it being ſo pregnant a Scripture, that a more cleere and expreſſe Text cannot be imagined; ſo we may ſafely conclude from the forementioned Scriptures; that if there were not much malignitie in the hearts of people they muſt needs be convinced that Monarchy was never any ordinance of God but an invention of wicked men acted by the ſpirit of Satan, being content to Idolize one Tirant, that themſelves might tirannize over many: and whereas it is called a Human Ordinance, 1 Pet. 2. 13. Submit your ſelves to every ordinance of man for the Lords ſake whether it be to the King as ſupreme; that is either to be intended of a King that is guided and directed by his Parliaments or Counſells who in caſes of Competition muſt yeeld to them with ſuch power as a Duke of Venice or Geneva may have, or elſe it is an agreement and conſtitution of Irrationall people, a nation delighting rather in ſervitude, then freedome; and thoſe ancient Scholaſticks & Phyloſophers which made ſuch learned arguments of the beſt kinde of Goverment, whether Monarchy, Ariſtocracy or Democracy, were to be preferred, many holding that Monarchy ought to have the preeminence, ſpecially where Kings were good men; Certainely they did not intend it of abſolute unaccountable Monarchs, for Aristoteles King, was no more then a Duke of Venice, greater then any one, but leſſe then all; the Prince of Orenge had two votes in Counſell, which yet was more then right reaſon allowes; for that ſaying of his, that Nature makes Kings, is meant that nature makes men valiant, wiſe and amiable, qualified for Kingly power; or elſe being ſuch that ſtudied Books more then men did not underſtand the end of government, and being little acquainted with thoſe many provocations that the beſt of Monarchs have, to degenerate into Tiranny, and the ſtrong temptations that they have to ſatisfie their ſinfull appetites, and how the Concupiſible and Iraſible faculties of the ſoule are predominant, as occaſions are preſented; they being good, mercifull, juſt, and patient, men themſelves, judged others accordingly; and ſo are moſt Heteradox and Erronious in that opinion, concerning Monarchy, but they never conſulted with the ſacred Oracles of God; which wee that profeſſe our ſelves Chriſtians muſt either yeeld unto, or els make Scripture uſeles, and leave every thing to the greateſt incertainty & confuſion that is in the world, and ſo being in the darke may run out heads one againſt another, like two blind men, that joſling complaine of one another, can you not ſee? and why doe you thruſt me? but never complaining of their owne blindnes; in a far thicker Egyptian darknes are all people in the world, in matter of Goverment and Policy that reject the Councell of God, and yet never complaine of want of wiſedome, but thinke themſelves the wiſeſt people in the world, in contending ſo eagerly, ſtrenuouſly and impetuouſly, for the maintenance of old heatheniſh Goverments and ſuperſtitious cuſtomes, Ierem. 8. 9. The Wiſemen are aſhamed, they are diſmayed and taken, they have rejected the Word of the Lord, and what wiſedom is in them? and becauſe many whom I honor in the Lord; as godly and precious Chriſtians may happily be entangled and captivated with the Majeſty of Monarchy, as being borne under it, and are in love with their own iſſue, though never ſo deformed; Deare hearts let us conſider, that truth is more ancient then error, and that all are but novelties to the Word of God; you are in love with fowle miſtris Monarchy, not becauſe ſhe is not faire, but for that you are in the darke, and then we tell the Papiſts, that in the darke Pope Ioane with them is as good as her Lady; what ever may by carnall politicians be invented for the maintenance of Monarchy, let us give more credit to the Word of God then the wiſedome of men which is fooliſhnes, when it approaches before the God of Wiſedom, God ſayes, he will not have his people come under a Kingly Goverment, and that hee will plague them for their Kings offences; if they ſuffer it, there needs no other reaſon againſt Monarchy but a Divine Prohibition; why was the Manna ſweet at one time and at another corrupt? but becauſe it was Gods Ordinance for the better ſanctifying of the Sabboth. Why would the Lord have the walls of Ierica beaten downe with the ſound of a Ramshorne onely, but that the more of his own power might appeare? why was there no more ceremonies uſed in the cleanſing of Namaan but waſh and be cleane; are not other waters as good? Is not Monarchy more pompeous and like the Heathens? now God hath proteſted againſt Monarchy in all theſe places of Scripture, and therefore to contend for it, is flat rebellion againſt the Majeſtie of Heaven, to make our ſelves wiſer then God: for this is certaine, that what the Lord did enjoine or forbid unto his people of old, in matters of Iudicialls, there is an equity in it, for Gods people to obſerve for ever; Gods poſitive Lawes can no more be altered or changed then his eſſence; hee is delighted with the wayes of Truth and Iuſtice. It is very true, that carnall Iſrael expected a reſtoration of Monarchy, and therefore perceiving that Ieſus Chriſt did not exalt himſelfe as a Monarch, they did not believe in him, his Kingdome being not of this world (though he will have a Kingdome in the world) they did not conclude him to be the promiſed Meſſias we thought hee ſhould have reſtored the Kingdome of Iſrael; many godly learned men, are of opinion, that the Lambs bride will not be glorious till the calling of the Iewes; Ieſus Chriſt hath already a Spouſe and viſible Churches of Saints in the world; but come and behold the Lambes bride is conceived to be after the Iewes converſion; at which time it is likewiſe conjectured that the Iewes ſhall have a great command in the world, but no man to be a King over them; only King Ieſus to be Lord and Soveraigne; Conſider well Hoſ. 1. 11. Then ſhall the children of Iudah & the children of Iſrael be gathered together; and appoint themſelves one head and they ſhall come up out of the Land, for great ſhall be the day of Iezerel That head is meant Ieſus Chriſt, the head of his Church, 1 Eph. 22. and Hoſea. 13. 9. 10. 11. Oh Iſrael, thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelfe, but in me is thine help. I will be thy King, where is any other that may ſave thee in all the Cities, and thy Iudges of whom thou ſaidſt, give me a King and Princes. I gave thee a king in mine anger and tooke him away in my wrath: no king but Ieſus, And Eſay, the 1. holds it out fully what Goverment they ſhall have when they have repented, Not Monarchy; but by good Iudges and Councellors, ver. 12. how is the faithfull City become an harlot? it was full of judgement; righteouſnes lodged in it, but now murderers; ſo long as they had their good Samuels, Iuſtice was like a mighty ſtreame but when they would have a king like the Heathens then men were made offenders for a word, & if any man ſtand in the way of the kings domination the kings Iudges for money would condemne him, as in the caſe of Naboth for his vineyard, ver. 23 thy Princes are Rebellious, and companions of theeves; therefore ver. 25. when the Iewes ſhall be converted, ſayes the Lord, I will take away the tin (of Monarchy) and I will reſtore thy Iudges as at the firſt, and thy Councellors as at the beginning; afterwards thou ſhalt be called the City of righteouſnes, the faithfull Citie, there are hopes now that England, Ireland and Scotland may be faithfull Cities, the droſſe and Tin of Monarchy being happily purged away, the Lord tells them againe of their ſin, in chooſing kingly Goverment in the dayes of Hezekiah. Hoſ. 8. 3. Iſrael hath caſt off the thing that is good: the enemy ſhall purſue him, ver. 4. they have ſet up Kings but not by me, they have made Princes: and I knew it not; did any Royaliſt ever thinke, that God makes the ſin of Monarchy equall to Idolatry; as there he does? but let any Royaliſt (if he can) ſhew me one word of approveing, or commending, kingly office, or Regall Goverment in Scripture. And when God redeemed them from the Babylonish captivity, and gave them Ezra who was a ready Scribe in the Law of Moſes. Ezra 7. 6. he ſpeaks not one word of the commendations of Kingly goverment: nor yet Nehemiah who was the Kings cup-bearer, 1 Nehe. 11. a moſt active and zealous inſtrument for Gods ſervice ſpeaks not a word of Kingly power to be of God, but chap. 6. 6. 7. Sauballat and Tobiah enemies to reformation; ſent a letter to Nehemiah that it was reputed that he intended to make himſelfe King, and appointed Prophets to preach him up King at Ieruſalem, but Nehemiah ſent word that there was no ſuch thing, but it was feigned by craft and pollicie to hinder the worke of God, and ver. 13. ſayes Nehemiah, they would have made me afraid and to have ſinned that they might have matter for an evill report that they might reproach me; and was not this the very language of the Malignants; that the Parliament intended to make themſelves Kings, and many other falſe accuſations raiſed againſt them to diſcourage & weaken their hands from the worke, but bleſſed be God, that hath maintained a ſpirit of Chriſtian fortitude in our good Nehemiahs, ver. 11. ſhall ſuch men as wee, doe good works by the halfes? God forbid, the Lord thinke upon his ſervants, both in Parliament and Army for good, according to all that they have done and ſuffered: And ſo Haggai 2. 22. propheſies of overthrowing the throne of kingdomes, and the ſtrength of the kingdomes of the heathens, and the chariots, and thoſe that ride in them, but not a tittle in any of the Prophets; whereby the lawfulnes of Monarchy may be gathered or maintained, if the goverment were lawfull, why ſhould the Lord deſtroy it? and if it muſt be deſtroyed from amongſt the heathen people (that are ignorant of God, and rationall rather in habit then in act:) certainely God is exceeding angry with his owne people for ſuffering Monarchs to Lord it over them, when they have a power in their hands to ſubdue them.

Object. But was not Ieſus Chriſt borne in the dayes of Augustus Caeſar who had ſo great a power, that all the world was taxed in his dayes, Luk 2. 1. and did not Ioſeph and Mary of their own accord goe up from Galilee into Iudea to be taxed? and is not ſubjection commanded to the Roman Emperors (that were ſome of thē monſters of men? and that even for conſcience ſake Rom. 13. 5. nay did not Ieſus Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe worke a miracle to pay tribute for himſelfe and Peter, for Caeſars ſervice?

Anſ. Firſt, concerning that of Rom. 13. I marvaile, that any man that hath but a dram of ingenuitie will object it, for it is as cleere as criſtall, that the Magiſtrates there which are not to be reſiſted, are ſuch as command juſt things and forbid the contrary that are not a terror to good works, but to the evill; for the Law is not made for the righteous man, 1 Tim. 1. 9. Hee that puniſhes a man for doeing good is no more to be obeyed by any command from God then Satan is; If God ſhould ſuffer any people to be ſpiritually poſſeſt or obſeſt by the Divell, the Scripture ſayes, that in ſuch caſes onely ſpirituall reaſons are to be uſed, this kinde of burning, drowning, and perſecution goeth not out, but by prayer and faſting, Matth. 17. 15. 21. but when rulers are poſſeſt with a ſpirit of crueltie, hunting and thirſting after the blood, liberties, and eſtates of honeſt people; they are not to crouch under ſuch burthens with an aſinine patience, but to quit themſelves like men, and purchaſe their freedome at any rate, for no remedy can be ſo bad as ſuch a diſeaſe; If it ſhould be intended of Religion, then Nero might have compelld Chriſtians to worſhip the Sun, and the Apoſtles had find in Acts 5. and if it ſhould be conſtrued of a ſubmiſſion in Civill matters, that is to arme ſin by a Commiſſion againſt the law but the queſtion is whether Monarchicall Government have any footing or Divine approbation in Scripture; for God is not obliged to hinder ſin and oppreſſion, but he approves it not; there is a plaine and direct prohibition againſt it; my people ſhall not have a King, ſayes the Lord, but we will have a King, ſay they; tis your great ſin and wickednes to aske a King, ſayes the Lord, but let us have one at our owne perills, ſay they; as the poore Iewes ſaid in another cauſe, his blood be upon us and our children; let us have a King, though wee ſmart never ſo much, and pay never ſo deere for it, the people are made ſenſible of their ſin in asking aHabetis confitentes reos King, and crave pardon for their rejecting God, and a rationall Goverment; againſt which expreſſe inhibition and charter, in that 1. Sam 8. Some interences are made of the lawfulnes of Monarchy in generall, which yet if it were lawfull (as it can never be evinced being againſt reaſon) amongſt the Heathens, yet it is no argument that it is lawfull amongſt Gods people, becauſe of that Divine injunction that they ſhall not imitate the goverment, nor manners of unbelievers; but that which Paul by inſpiration wrote to the Saints at Rome, was to ſatisfie them in any doubt that might ariſe by their living under Imperiall Goverment; to tell them that untill God did finde out a way to free them from hard Taske-maſters, they muſt ſubmit for conſcience ſake, if Nero would ſend to them for halfe their goods, it was better for them to part quietly with them, then to reſiſt, and ſo to looſe their lives; for what could two or three hundred Chriſtians doe to oppoſe the Emperours power; however, he was none of their Lord; they ſet him not up, but they came in by blood and conſpiracies, or els the Romans elected them; the Chriſtians were meerely paſſive in the Goverment, and in conſcience ought to pay tribute to them, not as if the Goverment was approved by God, but becauſe it was Gods will that Chriſtians ſhould with as much peace and quietnes as the world would affoard thē, paſſe the time of their ſojorning here in feare, wherein the Saints lookt at the performance of the promiſes of God, and the will and minde of their heavenly Father, which they found in Scripture to be, that as the people of God had ſuffered under the Egyptian power thoſe Pharoes and hard taske-maſters, and ſo under the Babyloniſh power in the captivitie, and had ſuffered and were trampled upon by the Aſſyrian, Perſian, and Grecian Monarchs; ſo likewiſe they were to ſuffer and to be oppreſſed by the Roman power, as we read Dan. 7. where by the viſion of the foure Beaſts is repreſented the foure Monarchs men of beſtiall ſpirits that create a propertie by force, as amongſt the beaſts poſſeſſion is the onely right, but ſayes Daniel, it muſt not be ſo alwayes, for ver. 18. and 26, 27. But the Saints of the moſt High ſhall take the Kingdom, and poſſeſſe the Kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever, but the Iudgement ſhall ſit, and they ſhall take away his dominion to conſume and deſtroy it unto the end, and the Kingdom and dominion, and the greatnes of the Kingdom; under the whole heaven ſhall be given to the people of the Saints of the moſt High whoſe Kingdom is an everlaſting Kingdom, and all dominions ſhall ſerve and obey him, ſee Dan. 2. 44. now this is a truth, that the Malignants exceedingly vex and fret at Pſal. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4. why doe the Heathen rage, and the people imagine a vaine thing? the Kings of the earth ſet themſelves, and the rulers take councell together againſt the Lord, and againſt his Annointed, ſaying, Let us breake their bonds aſunder, and caſt away their cords from us; he that ſitteth in the Heavens ſhall laugh, the Lord ſhall have them in deriſion: then ſhall he ſpeake unto them in his wrath and vex them in his ſore diſpleaſure, ver. 6. Yet I will (ſayes the Lord) ſet King Ieſus upon his holy hill of Sion; The Monarchs of the world thinke to intaile their Crowns ſo faſt upon their poſterity, and make Lawes like the Medes and Perſians to be unchangeable, and men may thinke to eſtabliſh Royall Statutes, and make firme Decrees that Monarchy ſhall ſtand, but the Lord will blow upon them; It is admirable to conſider that Scripture of Ier. 29. Babylon was to be deſtroyed as it is, Pſal. 137. 8. 9, O daughter of Babylon who art to be deſtroyed, happy ſhall he be that rewardeth thee as thou haſt ſerved us; happy ſhall hee be that daſheth thy little ones againſt the ſtones; and yet for the 70. yeeres the people of God muſt be patient and pray for the peace of that City where they were captives; doe but read that excellent place Ier. 29. from the 4. to the 7. 10. If the Parliament had complyed with the late King, and ſet him upon the throne, it had been putting a golden Scepter into the hand of Anti-Chriſt, and a reed into the hand of Chriſt, to have called Chriſt maſter but to have Crowned him with thornes; and a mortall man with Gold; it had been but mocking and ſcoffing at the promiſes of Iuſtice, Holines, Purity, Peace, Plenty; and freedom from oppreſſion, which the people of God are to enjoy upon the earth; for doe but conſider how ridiculous it is, to call thoſe Defendors of the Faith, that are offendors of the faithfull; that make the Saints offendors for a word; that hate the Saints, as men naturally hate poyſon; from whence it followes, that the darknes and diſſatiſfaction which hath been upon the ſpirits of many Chriſtians concerning the Iuſtice done upon the late King proceeds from their not underſtanding the Scriptures & not diſtinguiſhing the times and ſeaſons which the Lord hath appointed for his people, when to be in a ſuffering condidition and when to be in a proſperous condition; the primitive Chriſtians were predeſtinate to be conformed to the image of their head Ieſus Chriſt, in a patient ſuffering, Rom. 8. 2. 9. under Tirants, but in theſe later times the Saints are to get victory over the Beaſt, and the Kings of the earth ſhall bring their glory to Gods people, Revel. 21. 24. the Churches of Chriſt ſhall not any longer as ſucking Lambes be in feare of wolves, or as tender kids in the pawes of Beares, nor as a prey to the mouthes of Lions, but thoſe that oppreſſe the Lords people ſhall be fed with their own fleſh, and drunke with their own blood, as with ſweet wine, and all the world ſhall know that the Lord is the Saviour and the Redeemer of his people, the mighty one of Iacob, Eſay 49. 26. as it is Gods prerogative to binde the Divell in chaines, ſo the Saints ſhall binde Kings on earth, let Malignants mocke and jeare at the Saints and ſervants of the moſt high God, minde what the Scripture ſayes Pſal. 149. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9. ver. prayſe the Lord; ſing unto the Lord, a new ſong, and his praiſe in the congregation of Saints; let Iſrael rejoyce in him that made him: let the Children of Sion be joyfull in their King: Let the high praiſes of God be in their mouths, & a two edged ſword in their hands, to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and puniſhments upon the people, to binde their Kings with chaines, and their Nobles with fetters of iron, to execute upon them the Iudgement written: this honour have all his Saints, prayſe yee the Lord: that as Paul was delivered from the mouth of the Lion, ſo the Saints ſhall be delivered from all the Lions and beaſts of prey, for God will ere long viſit Babylon and all thoſe Kings that have been druncke with the blood of the Saints, and then all men that are of the ſame ſpirit as the holy Apoſtles were (as all Chriſtians are animated by the ſame ſpirit as the members by the ſame ſoule) ſhall rejoyce, Rev. 18. 20. and it is a ſpeciall duty of Chriſtians to expreſs their joy by ſinging & exaltations in the Lord, Rev. 19. 1, 2, 3. and for the effecting of ſo glorious a work the Lord will plead with fire and ſword with all the potentates of the earth, Eſay 66. 16. but it muſt be a righteous warr, Revel. 19. 11. And I ſaw heaven opened, and behold a white horſe and hee that ſat upon him was called faithfull and true, and in righteouſnes he doth Iudge and make warr: for unleſſe Iuſtice be advanced in the front of all military deſignes, God will not protect the reare; It is an error in any to hold that the power of Anti-Chriſt muſt not be deſtroyed by the materiall ſword and maintained by ſuch only as turne all Scriptures into Allegories; I doe not count it any ſuperſtition for the Gentry of Poland to ſtand up, and draws their ſwords at the reherſal of the Creed, ſignifying, that they wil fight for their Religion againſt all oppoſers: And they that are called, are faithfull, choſen, and true, Ier. 51. 20. Thou art my battell Axe and weapon of war for with thee will I breake in pieces the nations, and with thee will I deſtroy Kingdomes, men of Gods deſignation and appointment. Hee is the Lord of Hoſts that hath taught the hands of his ſervants to warre and their fingers to fight, Pſal. 144. 1. For not only that knowledge which is divine is from God, but skill in armes and expertnes in warrs, which though it may in a great meaſure be acquired by naturall valour and underſtanding, voluntary induſtry, and long experiences, yet conſidering how many veteran Commanders of noble extraction and education, famous in feates of Chivalrie; have been foiled, broken in peeces, and beaten at their owne weapons by a few gentlemen (in compariſon) and inuenile mecanicks and honeſt tradeſmen, whoſe hearts the Lord hath drawn forth and engaged to fight his battailes; we muſt needs acknowledge, that their valor, proweſſe and dexterity hath either been infuſed by God, or improved by him to a miraculous proficiencie.

The Scripture is very cleere, that Gods people were governed by Parliaments for though we read, 1 Kings 8. 2. That all the men of Iſrael aſſembled to King Solomon, yet v. the 3. the Elders of Iſrael only came, the people were but vertually preſent by repre ſentation as every man, woman and child, is ſuppoſed to be preſent in Parliament, otherwiſe an Act could not in reaſon oblige them; 1 Num. 4. one of every Tribe, one chief of the houſe of his Fathers to appeare and ſtand up for the reſt, and more expreſſely in the 2 Chron. 1. 2. and 5. 2. They are called Captains of thouſands and of hundreds, that ſtand up for Counties, and Cities, Iudges that weigh mens cauſes, Governors of Forts and Garriſons, and chief men for wiſedome, principall officers, for age and prudence, and by Kings, and Princes in ſeverall texts of Scriptures are onely meant eminent nurſing fathers to Gods people; but accountable to their brethren for any Male-adminiſtration; but Kings make themſelves ſo ſacred that they may not be toucht, they ſay, the Lawes are their own Creatures, to which they can no more be ſubject then the Romans could be ſubject to their owne ſlaves; the Civillians at Paris not long ſince reſolved, that the King could not be plaintiffe in any Action, for he was not tyed to any Law, all is the Emperors as to property, though not as to poſſeſſion, ſay ſome of them, and they have no other obligation but the conſervation of their owne dominions and greatnes, they muſt diſſemble for their proper intereſts: one made many promiſes and after being made a King, ſaid; he was not the perſon that promiſed, and ſo all was void.

In the Warrs betweene Henry the third and the Barons, moſt of the Cittizens of London tooke part with the right ſide againſt the King (for never had any King juſt cauſe to fight againſt the people) who was taken priſoner; an obſtinate man that would not yeeld, though he was brought to a morſell of bread; the people in that midnight of Popery tooke oathes and proteſtations from him, for the maintenance of their lives and eſtates, and ſet him at liberty, and in ſpeciall he tooke a ſolemne oath not to queſtion the Londoners for any former matter, wiſhing damnation, and the loweſt chamber in hell for himſelfe and his poſterity, if he did not punctually keepe and obſerve them, and tooke the Sacrament upon it, which hee believed to be the very Body and Blood of Chriſt; and the people counted him a Heretique that made the leaſt doubt of his non-performance; what not believe the King upon ſuch ſolemne Oathes and imprecations? this was ratified by Act of Parliament, but what followed? he had no ſooner got the Milicia into his owne hands, but the active men that contended for their liberties were Impriſoned, the Liberties of the City invaded, Strangers appointed to be Governors of the City; thoſe that had been honeſt put to death; their goods confiſcate, and never poore creatures more miſerably afflicted and tormented; and what promiſes did Queen Mary make to the Suffolke men at Franingham Caſtle, that they ſhould enjoy their Religion eſtabliſht by Edw. 6. but when ſhee had got power in her hand ſhee began to perſecute and burne them for Heretiques, the poore Suffolks men beſought her to make good her promiſe, what ſaid ſhee, keepe promiſe with Heretiques? I ſhall make you know that the members muſt not be ſo bold with their head, as to endeavour to rule it; Innumerable inſtances might be made of forraigne Princes in this kinde, but it is but to ſhow the Sun with a candle; Monarchs have no other principles but ſelfe preſervation, though they ſhould intend to performe when they promiſe (which I doubt very few of them doe) it is but as the I eſuits teach, to keep untill they have power to break and forgive an injury, as the Italian ſayes, till he can revenge it, they have ſuch ſtrong temptations to draw their hearts, from what they have engaged their ſelves unto; if it croſſe them in point of domination; which is ſo ſweet a morſell unto them, that no prudent people will ever truſt them for matter of their liberties: Richlieus principle and Councell to his Maſter was, keep your Subjects low Sir, that having time little enough to get bread they may never thinke of any liberties: I doe not know whether his tongue and his head were of the ſame opinions (for he was famous for deep diſſimulations) but if he ſpoke as he thought I might without offence ſay, that it was as unwiſe a ſpeech as ever came from a Scholler; Let me intreat your honorable patience but to read a little of Machiavell (which Kings ſtudy more then Scripture) his words are theſe in his Prince; A King ſayes he, muſt be a Fox, that he may be aware of ſnares, and a Lion, that he may ſcare the Wolves; A wiſe Prince ought not to keepe his faith given when the obſervance thereof turnes to diſadvantage and the occaſions that made him promiſe are paſt; if men were all good this rule would not be allowable, but being the people are full of miſchiefe and would not make it good to the Prince, neither is he tyed to keep it with them, nor ſhall a Prince ever finde lawfull occaſion to give collour to this breach, very many moderne examples might be alledged wherein might be ſhewed how many peaces have been concluded, and how many promiſes made, have been violated and broken by the infidelity of Princes; ordinarily things have beſt ſucceeded with him that hath been likeſt the Fox, but it is neceſſary to underſtand how to ſet a good colour upon it, and to be able to faine and diſſemble thoroughly, and many are ſo ſimple and yeeld ſo much to the preſent neceſſities that hee who hath a minde to deceive ſhall alwayes finde ſome or other that will be deceived; Alexander the ſixt never did any thing els but deceive men, and never meant otherwiſe, and alwayes found ſome to worke upon, yet never was there any man that would proteſt more effectually, nor averre any thing with more ſolemne oathes and obſerve them leſſe then he did; nevertheleſſe his coſenages thrive all with him; and further ſayes hee, a Prince will be forced for the maintenance of his State to doe contrary to his Faith, Charity, Humanity, and Religion, therefore it behoves him to have a minde ſo diſpoſed as to turne and take the advantage of all windes and fortunes; and a little further, let the Prince ſeeme to him that ſees and heares him, to be all pitie, all faith, all integrity, all humanity, all Religion, nor is there any thing more neceſſary for him to ſeeme to have then this laſt quallity, for men in generall judge by the ſight and appearances, few by the touch, every man may come to ſee what thou ſeemeſt to be, but few come to the truth and feeling of thee to underſtand what thou art, and thoſe few dare not oppoſe the opinion of many who have the majeſty of State to protect them, and in all mens actions, eſpecially thoſe of Princes, where there is no judgement to appeale unto, men forbeare to give their reaſons till the events and ends of things; let a Prince therefore take the ſureſt courſes to maintaine his life and eſtate, the meanes ſhall always be thought honorable and commended by every one for the vulgar is ever taken with the appearance and event of a thing, and for the moſt part of the people they are but the vulgar, the others are but few in compariſon, there is a Prince, ſays he, that preaches faith, and that Princes are not above their words, but had hee kept his promiſes hee had loſt his ſtate long agoe, ſo far Machiavell: And another principle amongſt Monarchs is, that if any ſubject begin to have a conceit of his owne merits, or to deſerve well from the publique, he muſt in reaſon of ſtate be diſcourted, if not executed; for ſeare of factions and Rebellion; when David came to Ieruſalem with the head of the Giant the women met him ſinging, Saul hath ſlaine his thouſands, and David his ten thouſands, 1 Sam. 18. 7. thereby aſcribing more honor to David then Saul, for which Saul was wroth againſt him, and from that houre you may obſerve that hee never lookt upon him with a pleaſant countenance, oh this David he ſtands in the way of my applauſe; he is counted a better ſouldier, more juſt, mercifull, or Religious then my ſelfe, baniſh him at the leaſt, if not, utterly deſtroy him; Monarchy and wholeſome Lawes can no more cohabit, then the Arke and Dagon; take but one divine inſtance; what wicked lawes and ſtatutes of Omri were practiſed and put in execution, even by Monarchs that profeſſed to governe and rule as for the Lord and over his people in that 59. of Eſay v. 3. the land is defiledExeat aula qui vult eſse pins. with blood, the King ſhall have power by Law to pardon murders under the name of man-ſlaughters, ver. 4. none calleth for Iuſtice; nor any pleadeth for truth ver. 5. they hatch Cokatrice eggs and weave the Spiders web, ver. 8. there is no judgement in their goeings, they have made them crooked pathes, ver. 9. therefore is judgement far from us, neither doth Iuſtice overtake us, ver. 14. 15. and Iudgement is turned away back, and Iuſtice ſtandeth a far off for Truth is fallen in the ſtreet, and equity cannot enter, and the Lord was diſpleaſed that there was no Iudgement; the meaning whereof can be no other then this; That Evangelicall Propher, or Propheticall Evangeliſt Iſaiah foretelling the Iudgement that ſhould befall his owne Nation by the Aſſirians and the Caldeans, telleth Iudah and Iſrael, that principally for corruption in their Courts of Iuſtice; they ſhall be ſeverely puniſht, his propheſie riſing no higher then to the reigne of Vzziah King of Iudah and Ieroboam the ſecond King of Iſrael, hee tells them that their Lawes are like Spiders webbs, they entangle poore clients as the Spiders web doth the flyes, to their deſtruction, and undoeing, their Lawes are ſpun with ſo fine a threed that none but Eagle eyed practiſers can diſcerne them; the plaintiffe hatches Cockatrice eggs, the iſſue of many tedious ſuites, is poyſonfull and pernicious, if he recover, conſidering his coſts and paines he may put his gaines in his eyes and ſee never the werſe, and if he miſtake his Action, or doe not hit the bird in the eye, hee muſt pay the defendant his coſts (who yet is in conſcience indebted unto him) to his utter undoeing; but the Spirit of God propheſieing againſt ſuch wicked Councellors that contend for Monarchs ſaith ver. 6. their webbs ſhall not become garments, when Monarchs are deſtroyed; their Lawes ſhall periſh with them, they ſhall prove but as cobwebs to thoſe that practiſe them, and ſhall afford them no ſuccour againſt Gods vengeance, their Lawes are crooked like the ſerpent, full of turnings and windings, Maeanders and Intricaties; ſuch as ſwerve from the ſtrait and eaſie path of Gods Iudiciall Lawes; for equity can finde no admittance, or is not able to ſtand and beare it ſelfe up; and ver. the 11. the people roare like beares and moutne ſore like doves and looke many yeares for Iudgement, yet there was none; for Monarchy and good Lawes are inconſiſtent; and what Amos ſaith chap. 5 21, 22, 23. I hate and abhorre your feaſt dayes, and I will not ſmell in your ſolemne aſſemblies, 22. though yee offer me burnt offerings and meat offerings; I will not accept them, neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beaſts, 23. take thou away from me the multitude of thy ſongs, for I will not heare the melody of thy violls, that is, leave off praying and ſinging till there be a ſettled courſe of Iuſtice betweene partie and partie to run downe not by drops, but like a mighty ſtreame of water in a firme, quicke, cheap and unvariable way, and chap. 6. 8. ſaith the Lord. I abhorre, the excellencie of Iacob, and hate his Palaces, what bleſſed Lord! abhorre thy poore worme Iacob and his fathers pompe and beſt condition? ſure it muſt be for ſome tranſcendent iniquitie, behold the reaſon rendred Amos the 5. and 7. and 6. 12. for yee have turned Iudgement into Worme wood and Gall, and the fruit of righteouſnes into hemlocke; Iuſtice (which of it ſelfe is the moſt pleaſing and profitable thing in the world and which being tempered with mercie cures all the diſtempers and diſeaſes in a Body politique) was corrupted, made moſt bitter to the oppreſſed and moſt abominable to God, when men are undone by the Law which ſhould preſerve them: And the Lawes were no better in Habakkuks time, 1. 13, 14, 15. wherefore holdeſt thou thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he, and makeſt them as the fiſhes of the Sea, as the creeping things that have no ruler over them, they take up all of them with the angle, they catch them with their net, & gather thē in their drags, therefore they rejoyee and are glad; that as in the Sea the greater fiſhes devoure the leſſer ſo a full purſed malicious plaintiffe or defendant wearies out his poore adverſarie and right is conquered by might; by meanes of thoſe Angles, Netts, Draggs, and Cobwebs, and Rubbs that hang and Iye in the way and allies of Iuſtice, preferring ceremonies, formes, and ſhaddowes, before truths, reallities, and ſubſtances; and Monarchs ever loved ſuch wittie Iudges as could expound the Law, that Iudgement ſhould be given as his Imperiall Sacred Majeſtie deſired, and where the plaintiffs cauſe was ſo cleere that it was too groſſe to give Iudgement againſt him, then after Iudgement given for him to have ſuch Councell as ſhould finde a knot in a Bullruſh, an error in the proceedings, to reverſe the Iudgement, and ſo the poore creature caught like a fiſh in a Net, or a bird in the ſnare, and the more he ſtruggles to get out the faſter hee is enſnared, for he muſt pay coſts to the defendant who unjuſtly keeps away his Land from him, and if there be no ſuch net or ſnare in one Court, then he isNon unitum ſed unum brought into another, becauſe Law and Equity (which ſhould be the oeareſt friends in the world) are many times together by the eares and it is hard reconciling them; and being upon this ſubject, let but the wiſehearted conſider what the Lord ſaith, Eſay 1. from the 1. ver. to the 18. verbatim, ſo 5. 7. God looked for judgement but behold oppreſſion for righteouſnes, but behold a cry: God will at the length be cloyed (as one is cloyed with meat which he loatheth, and his ſtomack goeth againſt, Prov. 27. 7. with the prayers and devotions of any Nation in the world, that have not an expedient of quicke, ſure and cheape Iuſtice, and will diſown and ſpew out ſuch a people, though they be never ſo inſtant in prayer, and by their inſtancie and importunities hope to ſpeed, Matth. 6. 7. yet his ſoule hateth them, he abhores it from his very heart; and take but that precious Text of Ier. 22. 15, 16. did not thy father eat and drinke and doe Iudgement and Iuſtice, and then it was well with him, he judged the cauſe of the poore and needy, then it was well with him, was not this to know me, ſaith the Lord?

Indeed a man would thinke that it ſhould be eaſier to finde one good man, that would even ſacrifice his life to reputation and for the good of the people, and ſo one good King for whom the people would even dare to dye, Rom. 5. 7. and if Gods people had been left to any kinde of goverment which they ſhould thinke beſt they might happily have intruſted ſome good man with a plenartie of power, and have expected a bleſſing therein, but Monarchie is againſt Gods inſtitution, and bleſſings are onely annexed to Gods Ordinances; bread & wine in the Sacrament are better to worke devotion then pompious toyes, Images and Puppets are for carnall Goſpellers, ſayes God, when his people chooſe a King they reject him.

But does not Peter & Paul call an abſolut Monarchie Gods Ordinance, I deny it, for the power Legiſlative was in the Senate, the Romans did never intruſt any man by any Legall conſtitution to doe what he liſt without the peoples conſent in the Senate, Neroes cruelties were never with the peoples conſent, but ſayes Paul to the poore Saints there, you ſee what differences there are between the Caeſars and the Senators who ſtand for the peoples Liberties, in ſuch a Caſe, thoſe that have the ſwords in their hands as the Emperors had (the Millicia being at his diſpoſe) it is beſt for you to ſubmit to them, thoſe to whom Peter wrote being ſtrangers, ſcattered by perſecution, were not to trouble themſelves with State-matters no more then it had been proper for the Dutch or French Congregations that live quietly in London, to have troubled themſelves with the difference between the late King and the Parliament: But may not people live happily in a mixt Monarchy; where the King may have a prerogative in many things, and yet the people enjoy their Liberties; I ſay not, for Monarchy and Liberty are inconſiſtent and incompatible; Indeed an Apprentice that hath a good maſter may after a ſort be ſaid to be free; but to ſpeake properly, he is a ſervant, ſo if there ſhould be a good King (like a blacke ſwan) the people may be leſſe miſerable for a ſeaſon but it cannot hold long, for every creature ſeeks its owne perfection which depending upon the deſtruction of one another, they Act accordingly, and therefore for any people to live in quiet it is neceſſary that they be totally ſlaves or wholly free, and thoſe Kings at firſt that promiſe or pretend to be ſatisfied with a mediocrity of power; they doe not intend to reſt there, but that they may the more eaſily compaſſe what remaines, and for my owne part, when I heare many wiſe men ſpeake of making peace with the King and tyeing him up ſo cloſe to his Lawes, that he ſhould not be able to hurt the people; I thought it was but a kinde of diſſimulation to make people beyond Sea thinke him to be a great King, and yet in effect to make him ſtand but for a cypher therefore I do much preferre the Spanish principle before the Scottish, the firſt wiſhes that he had many lives to looſe for his King, and that hee had rather looſe his life then queſtion the Kings Iuſtice, but the Scots contend for a King of Clouts meerely for the name of a King that muſt be whipt if he looke but awry, keeping their Kings in as much awe as ſchoole-boyes; for any people to live in ſlavery whenthey may be free is a baſenes of ſpirit, and for others to contend for a King and no King, I meane a titular King without power not; ſo much power as a High Conſtable hath, to commit a night-walker; is rather worſe, for God that hath puniſht groſſe profanenes in England and Ireland with rods, will puniſh hypocriſie in Scotland with Scorpious; But ſtill verſatill witts will be objecting, what, were all the former Emperors Tirants in the foure Monarchies? or if ſo, what ſhall we ſay of the Kings of Iſrael & Iudah? where the King is ſole Iudge, or hath a negative voyce there he is unlimitted, and conſequently a Tirant that may do wha the pleaſes, and ſuch a one can never have any love of a people of any underſtanding; if the people be Iudges, and may make warre or peace without the King, then he is no King; it is no diſcretion to be too much in particulars; Certainly for the generall, Monarchs have beene monſters of men; a generation of men and women borne for the ſcourge and puniſhment of man kinde, whoſe wickednes and villanies have been of the higheſt Elevation and Magnitude, more forcible to provoke and irritate Gods Iuſtice to puniſh the world then the honeſty and ſingleheartednes of the people, to incite & procure his pardoning mercie and forgivenes; Therefore I hope all good people will agree with me, that we have great cauſe to rejoice in that famous peece of Iuſtice of Ianuary the 30. 1648. acted where moſt of their miſeries had been plotted; and as Ioſephus records (antiquit. lib. 18. cap. 6.) of one Marſias, that after the death of that Tirant Nero or Tiberius; Hee made an Oration to the people to write every man upon his doore The Lion is dead: andTedneken o Leon as after the removall of Tarchoni, the Romans would not ſo much as endure the name of a King; which comes from the old Saxon word Koning; or rather cunning; for they learne to catch the prey and devoure men; I would intreat my Honored Countreymen to be as wiſe in this generation as the Romans were before Chriſts time; and inſtead (of plotting to deſtroy themſelves by hunting after new Tirants) to conſider what the Spirit of God ſaith in the 19. of Ezek from v. 1. to the 9. v. Let them ſay unto the children of the late King, what your mother a Lioneſſe? ſhe lay downe among Lions, ſhee nouriſhed her whelps among young Lions, and ſhee brought up one of her whelps, it became a young Lion, and it learned to catch the prey, it devoured men; but when ſhe ſaw that her hope was loſt, ſhee tooke another of her whelps and made him a young Lion, and hee went up and down among the Lions, he became a young Lion & learned to catch the prey and devoured men, then the nations ſet againſt him on every ſide, and ſpread their net over him he was taken in their pit, and they put him in chaines, and impriſoned him, that his voice was no more heard upon the mountaines of Iſrael; how admitable and adorable is the fulnes of Scripture, as if it had been calculated for the Meridian of England; Zedekiah was the laſt King of Iudah, the whelpe was Iehoahaz who was King for three moneths only, 2 Kings 30. ver. 31. he was taken in a pit or net, a phraſe importing the manner of catching Lions, of whom Ieremie Propheſied, that he ſhould never returne to ſee his native Countrey, Ier. 22. 10. the other whelp was Iehoiakim, who went up and downe craving aid from the King of Egypt to make him King; which was the cauſe of his ruine, the roaring of the whelpe made a great noyſe, by their cruell and tirannicall commands, but they were taken in ſtrong holds, & being dead were buried with the buriall of an Aſſe Ier. 22. 18. thrown out upon a dunghill; It is not I but the Spirit of God in the holy Scriptures that calls a King (that challenges a power againſt the publique judgment of the people in a nationall Counſell) and his Children, a Lion and his whelps: the Lord knowes my heart, that I beare no more malice to any one herein mentioned or intended, then I did when I lay in my cradle, and though I ſhould expect no more mercy from them then there is milk in a male-Tiger, if the Lord ſhould ſuffer mee to fall into their hands, as hee juſtly might in regard of my ſins, though I truſt for his mercies ſake hee will not; yet I doe freely pray for bleſſings upon them, that if it be the will of God, thoſe Fatherleſſe Children which are not fit to be Kings upon earth may be Heires of Heaven, to a Kingdom that cannot be moved; and if it ſhall pleaſe God to give repentance to any of them, that with Achan they ſhall confes their ſin, and give glory to God; learne to governe themſelves, and renounce all vaine and ſinfull pretences: I ſhould be an humble Advocate for them, that Mercy might be honorably ſeated on the right hand of Iuſtice; and that there might be not onely a competent, but an eminent exhibition allowed them for their ſupport; for I could heartily wiſh, that ſuch as profeſſe Chriſt, would dye more to vaine Phyloſophy, Col. 2. but live to morall Phyloſoply, if it were but to learne this leſſon, of bleſſing them that curſe us, and doeing the good of Iuſtice againſt the evill of injuſtice; becauſe for any man to lay aſide his Iuſtice is to deprive himſelfe of reaſon, & to become a brute; Iuſtice being neerer of kin to every Magiſtrate then his child or brother, as being part of his ſoule, but Iuſtice without Mercie is crueltie, and Mercie without Iuſtice is meere fatuitie.

FINIS.
Pray excuſe the want of a Greeke Character and the Errata, viz.

OMitted in the title page theſe words, viz. With ſome humble petitions and obſervations interweaved, concerning Cheap and ſpeedy Iuſtice; with the Authors hopes above his feares of happy dayes. In the ſame page leave out late in the Epiſtle read in their annotations for breach read branch read the Law muſt be ſet. for party read Deputy. for records r. retards. for leave it read beare it. for intertolares read intercalares for it is not r. Is it not. for one Act r. an Act. r. Ima es. r. ſeemes. r. a juſt. r. as the defendant r. I ſcarce. for flocke r. ſtocke r. many families preſerved which would. r. breaden. r. will not doe it. r. may ſeeme. r. as if godly. r. would ſit. r. ſtraitned. r. any time. r. meaneſt ſouldier. for begin r. begun for have been called home r. may be called home. for prudencie r. precedencie. a line left out r. I doe not know that he hath left his peere behind him. fol. 32. for head r. hard. f. 52. for direct r. dwelt. f. 57. for Paul r. Saul f. 63. for contrited r. conceited. fol. 82. r. preſerved. f. 90. r. captivity. f. 92. Princes. fo 96. r. Author of. f. 97. r. not only to the death f. 139. r. when I heard. f. 131. r. Tarquiu