FIrst because Kings are Elected and called of God in Christ before the Foundation of the World, to the Office, Digni­ty, and Vocation of Kings, to govern his Church, King­dom and People, while the World endureth. Nor can the wisdom or Power of Men make, prevent, or alter Kings or Times, as appeareth by the Scriptures ensuing.

Thou shalt make him King over thee whom the Lord thy God shall chuse, Deut. 17.15. I will send thee a Man out of the Land of Benja­men, him shalt thou Annoynt, 1 Sam. 7.16. See, this is the Man of whom I spake to thee, he shall rule my People, vers. 17. I will Rent out of the hands of Solomon, and will give ten Tribes to thee, 1 King. 7.31. And Kings shall be thy nurcing Fathers, and queens thy Narces. Thou shalt know I am the Lord thy God, Esay 49.23. It was the Ordinance of the Lord that he might performe his saying which he had spoken to Ahijah the Shunomite, 1 King. 12.15. The name of God be Praysed for ever and ever, for wisedom and strength is his, and he changeth the times and seasons he taketh away Kings, he setteth up Kings, Dan, 2.20. Heare yee, O Isles, hearken yee People from far, the Lord hath called me from the Wombe, and made mention of my name from my Mothers belly, Esay 49.1. He hath chosen me before Saul. According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, 1 Pet. 1.2. He hath chosen us in Christ before the Foundation of the World, Ephes. 1.4. That the pur­pose of God might remain according to Election, Rom. 9.11.

Secondly, Because this Kingdom, as all others, and the power and glory thereof, is the Right and Inheritance of God in chief, as appea­reth by the conclusion of the Lords Prayer. And he only giveth the deputation thereof to those whom he hath Elected, and called ther­unto, and endued with gifts and graces suteable to that calling, to rule and govern the same; by which gifts they are made and known to be other Men, then any other of any inferiour calling, and such as to whom only God hath imparted and communicated, not onely [Page] the Titles and Attributes of his own Prerogative, as those of King­dom, Power, Might, Majesty, Honour, glory, &c. which he forbiddeth to be given to any other Creature, and which holy Men and Angels have refused to accept or to give to any but Kings, as examples to us to do the like without fear or suspition of Blasphemy or Idolatry; but also the divine efficacy of His own Spirit, Majesty, and Presence, That as the Devill is forced to feare and tremble, at the voice and frownes of God; so are proud and rebellious men, though faire and ambitious as Absalom, or wise and politique as Achitophell, often astonied and confounded with the Speeches and Countenances of Kings. Let the observer thereof, that findeth his Reason already captivated, consider the Scriptures ensuing.

The Kingdoms of the World are our Lords and his Christs, and he shall raign for evermore, Revel. 11.15. He is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, vers. 16. Your God is a God of Gods, and King of Kings, Dan. 2.47. The most High beareth Rule over the Kingdom of Men, he giveth it to whom he will, Dan. 4.22. Hath not the Lord Annoynted thee to be Governour of His Inheritance, 1 Sam. 10.1. Then the Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee, and thou shalt Pro­phecie with them and be turned to another Man, 1 Sam. 10.11. Then the spi­rit of God came upon Saul, and they that knew him wondred, saying, What is come to the Son of Kish [...] 1 Sam. 11.6. & 1 Sam, 10.15. And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was de­parted from Saul, 1 Sam. 18.12. Then Saul saw and understood that the Lord was with David, vers. 28. I have said yee are gods, and yee all are Children of the most High, Psal. 82.6. O King, thou art a King of Kings, for the God of Heaven hath given thee a Kingdome, power, strength, and Glory, Dan. 2.37. The most high God gave thy Father a Kingdom, and Majesty, and Honour, and Glory. And for the Majesty that he gave him, all People, Nations, and Languages trem­bled, and feared before him; he put to death whom he would, whom he would he set up, and whom he would he put down, Dan. 5 27. I Coun­sell thee, keep the Kings command, and that in respect of the Oath of God, Eccles. 8.2. Submit, &c. to the King as Supreme, &c. Feare God, Honour the King, 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Not onely for wrath, but also for Conscience sake. Rom. 13, 5,

Thirdly, Because it is a damnable sinne, proper to this later and most erring age to think, much more to speak, and much more then [Page] that to write, and perswade others to speak and write evill of Kings, or which is worse, to slander them, and worst of all to rebell, or, but to take defensive Arms against them, though upon apparant force much more upon suggested feares and presumptions. Wherefore let him that is so full of Reasons that he thinks it reasonable, that if he should suspect his Wife when she deserveth not, he may provoke her to sin when she would not; consider what it is to distrust the Kings Justice, or rather Gods providence and to provoke both or either to anger. The Scriptures ensuing will partly tell him.

If thou hast thought evill of the King, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, Prov. 30.32. Thou shalt not speak evill of the Ruler of thy People, Acts 23.5. Where the word of a King is there is power, and who may say unto him, what dost thou? Eccles. 8.4. Who therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the Ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. Rom. 13.1.2. But there shall be false teachers among you, which privily shall bring in damnable He­resies and bring upon themselves swift damnation, and many shall follow their destructions, &c. 2 Pet. 1.2. These filthy Dreamers despise Do­minion and speak evill of Dignities, Jude 8. They shall perish in the gain-saying of Core, vers. 11. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption, 2 Pet. 2.10.12. My Sonne heare no more the Instructions that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge, Prov. 19.27. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evill, neither agree in a controversie to decline after many to overthrow the truth, Exod. 23.2. The feare of a King is like the roaring of a Lyon. he that provoketh him to anger, sinneth against his own soule, Prov. 20.2. My Son, feare the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them that are seditious, Prov. 24.21. As a Coale maketh burning Coales, and wood a fire, so the contentious man is apt to kindle strife, Prov. 26.21. When the wicked are increased, transgression increaseth, but the Righteous shall see their fall, Prov. 29.16.

Fourthly, Because the observers Reasons too weake to Jobs, and the Parliaments wisdom too short of Solomons, and all humane in­ventions put together, will never serve to circumscribe Kings or to reforme them, otherwise then God shall be pleased by his own provi­dence and our Prayers to direct his Annoynted, of whom he is never carelesse; nor is it but arrogancy and folly in men (especially Sub­jects and Servants) to assume such wisedome or power, as to attempt [Page] such designes, as partly may appeare by the Scriptures ensuing.

The Lord is the strength, he is the saving strength of his Annoin­ted, Psal. 28.8. He is the tower of Salvation for his King, and sheweth mercy to his Annointed, 2 Sam. 24 51. I will beat down his foes before his Face, and plague them that hate him; his enemies will I cloath with shame, but upon himselfe shall his Crown florish, Psal. 89.23. & 132.18. There is no man upon the Earth that can declare the Kings matter, Dan. 2.10. The Heavens height, and the Earth in deepnesse, and the Kings heart can no man search out, Prov. 25.3. The Kings heart is in the Hands of the Lord as the Rivers of Waters, he turneth is whither­soever it pleaseth him, Prov. 21.

The secret which the King hath demanded can neither the wise, &c. declare to the King, but there is a God in Heaven that revealeth se­crets and sheweth the King Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the later daies, Dan. [...].27.28. As for me this secret is not shewed me for my wisedome that I have more then any other living, but onely to shew the King the Interpretation, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thine Heart, vers. 30.

Hath not God made the wisedom of this World foolishnesse, 1 Cor. 1.20. I will destroy the wisedome of the wise, and will cast away the under­standing of the prudent, vers. 29.

I am counsell and wisedom, I am understanding and I have strength, by me Kings Raign, and Princes decree Justice; by me Princes Kule, and all the Nobles, and all the Judges of the Earth, Prov. 8.14.15.16. The unthrifty man and the wicked man walketh with a froward mouth, he maketh a signe with his eyes, he signifieth with his feet, he instru­cteth with his fingers. Lewd things are in his heart, he imagineth evill at all time, and raiseth up contentions, Prov. 6.12.13. But my Lord the King is as an Angell of God, 2 Sam. 19.27.

Fifthly, Because to Rebell against the King or to desert him in things good or indifferent, is to renounce God and his Ordinance, Christ his Commandements and examples, and the Apostles and Martyrs whose conquest were sufferings, even the most ignominious and cruell deaths, and to become the son of Beliall, that is, the Devill, Gods first Rebell, with whom Saint Paul asketh what agreement hath Christ, &c. and to perish with such as did so. Such were they that said of Saul. How shall he save us? 1 Sam. 10.26. Such was She­ [...] the son of B [...]chri, that first said, Every man to his Tent O Israel, [Page] 2. Sam. 20.1. Such was Naball the rich foole, of whom his servants said, Evill will surely come upon our Master, 1 Sam. 17.25. Such were they that followed Jeroboam, whom I beleive the observer calleth his Israel, and his Robbini, whom he will not have called Round-heads; but such David called Thornes, that should be thrust away, 2 Sam. 24.6. And so they proved Thorns to prick one another, every suces­sor King for the most part thrusting his Predicessor from his Throne by treason and rebellion, untill God at last thrust them and their People under the Assirian captivity, whence they never returned; For God said I will no more have pitty upon the House of Israel, but I will utterly take them away, Hosea 1.6. Hereupon I wish such ob­serving Israelites as put us so much and so often in mind with the deposition of King Richard the second, to observe and remember also, that though Samaria went under the name of Israel, after their defection from Roboam, untill their destruction in name and liberty under the Assirians. It was but a nest of Hydra's and a stage of Re­bellions, treasons, warres, famines, and all kinds of calamities all that while. And so, though England was Governed under the name of Plantagenett, after the declension from King Richard the second, till the redemption under King Henry the seventh; it was but a Labyrinth of Divisions between the Families of York and Lancaster all that while, from the like of which miseries, O Lord save thy People and blesse thine Inheritance.

Sixthly and lastly, Because this Kingdome ever did adheare to Kings; And no Parliament (as the observer saith truely in that point) did ever desert them, but did confide in them and hold them­selves so bound by Gods Commandements and the Fundamentall Laws of England, as appeareth by the few collections ensuing.

The King is a mixt Person, because he hath both Ecclesiasticall and Temporall Jurisdiction, Sir Edward Cook. lib. de Jure Regis Ec­clesiastico, fol. 28. relating to 10. H. 7. 18.

By an Act of Parliament made 24. H. 8. It is declared, That whereas by divers old and authentick Histories and Chronicles, It was manifestly declared and expressed, that the Realm of England is an Empire and so hath been accepted in the World, Governed by one supreame head and King, having the dignity and Royall estate of the Imperiall Crown of the same; unto whom a body po [...]ique, compact of all sorts and degrees of People, divided in [Page] tearmes and by names of Spirituality and Temporality, been bound and ought to bear next to God a naturall and humble obedience; he being also institute and furnished by the goodnesse and fur­therance of Almighty God with plenary, whole, and entire power, preheminence, authority, prerogative and Jurisdiction, to render and yeeld Justice and finall determination to all manner of folks resiant within this Realme, in all causes, matters, debates, and con­tentions. See the Statute at large.

The King who is the Vicar of the highest King, is ordained to this end, that he should govern and rule the Kingdom and Peo­ple of the Land, and above all things, the holy Church, and defend the same from wrong-doers, and root out workers of mischiefe. See King Edward the Confessor his Laws before the Conquest, c. 19.

The perswading or withdrawing the Subjects obedience from the King, is Treason by Common-Law without controversie, saith Sir Edward Cook in his said Book, de Jur. Reg. Ecclesiastico. fol. 38. a.

It appears by the ancient Common-Laws of this Realme, by the resolution and Judgement of the Judges and Sages of the Laws of England as by authority of many Acts of Parliaments ancient, and of later times, that the King is the onely supream governer, as well over Ecclesiasticall Persons and in Ecclesiastical causes as Temporall with­in this Realm To the keeping of which Laws both the King and the Subjects are sworn. Sir Edward Cook in the same Book, fol. 40. b.

The queens power within her Realms and Dominions, is the high­est power under God, to whom all men in the same Realm and Do­minions owe most Loyalty and Obedience afore and above all Po­tentates in Earth. See queen Elizabeths Injunctions to her Cler­gy and Layitie Land Statute made the first of her Raign to that effect.

If any man imagine the death of the King Prince, Princesse or any heare apparant to the Crown, or kill the Kings Messenger in his Mes­sage or any one that rideth with men to ayd the King or if any man affirme by writing, or other Act, that the King is not supream head of the Church of England, or if any imagine to deprive the King of his estate Royall or of the Titles of his Realme. It is high Treason. Ro­bert Brook Serjeant at Law and Recorder of London, in his Reading upon Magna Charta. c. 17. see his Book in Print, fol. 1.

If any keep War against the King in his Realm, is high Treason by Statude, 25. Edw, 2. Let us hear the end of all, Fear God, for this is the whole duty of man. Eccl. 12.13. Collected by I.I. a faithful Sub­ject to his King and welwisher to his Parliament, to the use of all true Protestants.