THE RIGHT OF KINGS, AND THE Duty of Subjects: A CHRISTIAN DISCOURSE PROVING That it is not Lawful for SUBJECTS upon any Ground or Pretence whatever to Rebel against their Lawful KING.  
Written by P. Charron, Parisian, Author of the Book of Wisdom. Now Englished by J. R.  PROV. 24.21. 
〈◇〉 Son, fear thou the Lord, and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change.  
〈◇〉 King, a Faith, a Law, is a Trinity of State, which is so reduced ●… to the Unity of the King, that there never was any defection against ●… e Prince, but the Authority of the Law, and the Majesty of religion were greatly impaired by it.  T. or F. C. 
LONDON, Printed for Simon Miller at the Star in S. Paul's Church yard.   

To the Reader.  
HEnry the third King of France, being a mildred and peaceable Prince, and one who would not use rigour against the Protestants in this Dominions, they of the house of Guise took occasion thereupon to slander their King, that he was an enemy to the Roman catholic Religion, and under the fair pretence of Religion screwed themselves into the favour of the common people( who are usually deceived by such pretences,) raising a strong party against the King, by the name of the holy League, which caused much confusion in that Kingdom: Many sober and understanding Roman catholics did not like of this League; for they saw that it tended rather to the ruin than to the settlement of their country, and that the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal his Brother sought their own advancing most of all, such is the nature of Ambition to look always forward and never backward. In those times and upon this occasion Mr. P. Charon, the Author of that learned Book of Wisdom, wrote this Letter of the unlawfulness of Subjects to rise against their King, the which because it agrees so well with the late troubles in this Kingdom of England, I have taken the boldness to present it to public view: and although it was written by a Roman catholic, yet his opinion concerning the obedience due unto Kings, is very consonant to the Doctrine of the true Christian Protestant Religion, which will be seriously considered of those who have not denied the power of godliness.  
farewell. 
 Ut sides, sic veritas, non à personis, 
 said contrá. 
 Your Friend 
 J. R.   

A CHRISTIAN DISCOURSE, PROVING, That it is not lawful for Subjects, upon any ground, to make a League, Plot, and Rebel against their King: Being a Letter written to a Doctor of Sorbone, by P. Charon, Parisian.  
BUt I would fain know, what you think of these times: This public revolution, although the monstrous, horrible and bloody exploits of it were set aside, doth it not afflict us? By the grace of God as for myself, I am well enough, in regard of many others. But the wounds which my imagination receiveth and suffereth by it, are such, that what remaineth in me, is much the weaker. It seems there is no reason to be quiter free from it, yet would I be hidden in some corner, for to hear nothing but when all is over, and then I wish one would tell me stories of it. Let us leave that, and come to what is of conscience. I will confess myself to you, and freely say what I think of it.  
For a time I was about to turn on the League's side, and had gone half way. For in truth I was never wholly of it, nor resolutely, nay their actions have exceedingly offended me. What had moved me to it was chiefly the 
* Henry the third King of France, caused the Duke of Guise, and the Cardinal of Lorraine, to be put to death, who were the chief of the League.  fact of Blois, which troubled me much, not for any other reason, than the defect I did find in the manner and proceeding of the execution. But this great heat of anger and indignation being somewhat cooled, and having heard many o●… ll for a talk of it; consulting often within myself what in conscience one ought to esteem and believe of this matter in the end I found myself very much changed. For I first found doubtful, then evil, lastly horrible and abominable, what before seemed to me not only tolerable, but good and expedient, and became to be greatly ashamed of myself, and to have pity and compassion of others, whom I saw continuing yet in my error. And earnestly seeking why I went thus astray, being I knew well enough before, whatsoever made me come back and recant, I found it was passion and fury, and that I had had some conceit of the League, I was always as it were in anger, in a continual fever and agitation; whence I have learned to my cost, that it is impossible to be moved and wise both together. The beginning of my re-advisement came from a sentence of good Cassiodorus, who says; Nullam satis justam causam videri posse, adversus patriam arma capiendi; one cannot find out a just cause enough, to take up Arms against ones country; which I remembered. I will not here pled the Kings Cause, nor insist upon the accusation or justification of the King and of the League, many Pamphlets do speak of all that. I have seen some of them, every where me thinks one may add, both to the accusations and justifications, so that in them the case is not entire. But I grant that all that the League says of the King be true( although whatsoever they allege against him be either calumny, or mere imposture, or else conjectures and divinations for the time to come; whereupon it should not be lawful so much as to impeach the wretchedest man in the world, and the basest that ever was, and that one can imagine) What will we, what can we conclude of that? That it is lawful for French-men to rise up in arms against him? Per quam regulam? by what rule that? is there any Law, rule, decision, example, sentence that serves for it? Let us speak seriously and in conscience as before God: for I swear and protest that I have no private end. I find three points of Doctrine in the holy Scriptures, concerning this matter, to obey, or disobey sovereigns. Primò, First, we have an express commandement to obey Kings directed to all in general: Omnis anima potestatibus sublimioribus subdita sit; let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, Rom. 13. And this with two very notable additions for the time present. The one to obey all, as well good as bad: for in matter of obedience, the goodness or malice of the Superior doth not come at all into consideration, neither ought it to hasten, or slacken, heat, or cool subjects to obey. For the commandement and obligation of obeying, stands upon that which is of God, to wit upon his ordinance, and not upon what is of man. Non est potestas nisi à Deo, & potestas à Deo ordinata est; itaque qui potestati resistit, Dei ordinationi resistit; There is no power but of God, and the power is ordained of God, therefore he that resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, Rom. 13. In saying that all power is of God, he neither excepts, nor excludes any; saying that it is the ordinance of God, he forbiddeth us to cast down our eyes upon the merits or demerits, worth, goodness, indignity of persons. It is not reason that the defect of men should abate any thing of the intention, and ordinance of God. Besides, the examples of Nebuthadnezzar, Saul, Caesar, are plain. To allege the tyranny, wickedness, insufficiency, negligence of Kings, 'tis to say they are wicked, but it hinders them not from being true Kings. Now we ought to obey them, not because they are good, but because they are true, that is lawful; for we ought in all things to know how to distinguish between true, and good; false, and wicked. The Son of God saith indeed we should take heed of false Prophets, but not of wicked ones. Otherwise matters should never be at an end, we must go out of this world. On the contrary he would have us to obey the wicked, such as were the Scribes and Pharisees who were quiter wicked: but because they were true and sate in the chair of Moses, the Son of God commands to obey them. The other addition is that obedience be given them, Mat. 17. not for any human politic consideration, as for necessity, quasi malum sit neussarium; as if it were a necessary evil, or for the utility that comes from thence to human society, or to avoid the troubles and misfortunes which might arise, if one would disobey or change any thing in State; but for a spiritual and conscientious consideration. Non solùm propter iram, not only for anger, saith S. Paul, said etiam propter conscientiam, but also for conscience sake, Rom. 13. And a little before he said, Qui resistunt, ipsi sibi damnationem acquirunt; They that resist, do receive damnation to themselves. There is the first point which contains the commandement of obeying, most express, most general, most ample and well stored. But is this commandement so absolute that there is no exception? Is there never cause to disobey? Yes, there is: and this is the second point. The holy Scriptures teach, not to obey: but it is in a certain case only: it is when they command things contrary to God. How, say I? For let sovereigns live, think, speak, and do what they will against Go●… nature, and all Laws; that falleth upon their own account; a subject is not to pry into it: it is a crime to speak of it, and to detract from it, Mat. 17. Rom. 13, & 14. What presumption is it, what rage, to control, judge and condemn the actions, and deportments of ones sovereign? it is not lawful to do it towards ones neighbour, ones companion, the Scripture forbids it; will we have more authority and right over our King, than the King doth exercise over his subjects? He doth not go and see nor search into closerts. That is worthy the curse of Cham, and Chanaan, to discover and publish the nakedness of ones superior, ones King: but when not being content to live, do, and speak, they will yet by Acts and Ordinances, by express command and by force constrain their subjects to do things contrary to God, then and in this case their superiority and power ceaseth, which is subordinate to that of God, as they acknowledge it, calling themselves Kings by the grace of God. God is their superior, God is the first and ancientest creditor, to whom we are rather obliged, and by a stricter obligation, whom we ought rather to pay and satisfy:( neither do we obey Kings, but to obey God who commandeth it, and hath installed them:) in such a case the word of God dispenseth us from obeying them, saying that we ought to obey God rather than men, Acts 5. And our Saviour saith, that we must not fear those who have power on the body, and none upon the soul; but him who hath power upon both, Matth. 10. But also we must not forget, that although they command things contrary to God, and that in such a case we must not obey them, yet they still remain true Kings, preserve their power and authority, and that obedience is due to them in all other things, 21. q. 3. C. Julianus. Julian the Apostate persecuting Christianity, which he had made profession of, and under the title whereof he had taken possession of the Empire, was acknowledged true Emperour, and obeied of the Christians in War, and all other things, except the abjuration of their Religion, as S. Ambrose and S. Austin do say, and History relateth it enough. Neither is it to be admitted, what some say, that the Christians in those days were not strong enough to get into authority. 'Tis to be too much ignorant of History: The Army, the Roman Legions, yea totus orbis Romanus, the whole Roman world, were then Christians. If there was yet any Heathen remaining, it was not one a hundred. The principal Commanders and great Captains were Christians, it was seen after his death, that without any dispute or difficulty, the Empire as unanimously given to Jovinian a Christian, who had been a great man, and ●… s the first next to Julian. But what will they say of those Emperors which ●… ame afterwards, and were heretics, as Valens, Zeno, lo Isauricus, who were Arrians; Anastasius, an Eutychian; and others who persecuting the catholics, were nevertheless acknowledged Emperours, and obeied by the catholics without dispute or contradiction? But it is not enough to say that we must not obey them, for we must not stay here: We must know what we right to do, and learn the right and lawful remedies in such cases, or in such extremity. This is the third point. I find that the Scripture giveth us two remedies, Fugere aut pati; I find not a third; one of these remedies is to go any, fly, leave our Country, and land. The other to suffer and endure all things. The Son of God hath taught us both ways, by word and dead. If they persecute you in one City, fly into another: Ye are happy if ye suffer for my name. Thus have good men done, thus our Master. It is not reason that the servant and Disciple should be better used. The third remedy is, not to fly, nor endure, or stay for the blow, but to prevail by force, to rise up in arms. Where is written, let the 
* Sorbone is a college of Divines in Paris; hence the Doctors of Sorbone.  whole Sorbone, let the whole ●… ague together show it me, if they can. But it is easy ●o show the contrary. nabuchadnezzar 
* The League was the Guisian faction, who under pretence of maintaining the Roman catholic Religion, undermined the Kings authority, and sought to advance themselves.  and Caesar, sides that they were both Idolaters, they were not ●… e and lawful Kngs by the ordinary way, but strangers, usurpers, who by force of Arms had seized on, and in●… ded the Country of Israel, Kings by fact, and not by ●… ght: yet it is commanded to obey nabuchadnezzar. ●… d in Jer. 27. all those are called false Prophets, that ●… ld persuade the peole not to obey him. And it is commanded by our Saviour to give unto Caesar what is his. And S. Paul appealed unto Caesar, which was Nero, the wickedest and wretchedest that ever was born of a woman. All that is far from rebelling. The aforesaid examples of Julian the Apostate, and other heretic Emperours do also show well enough the contrary. ●t is lawful not to obey, and this in a certain ease only; but to rebel and use ●… rce and violence, never. Between not obeying, and fighting against, there 〈◇〉 a vast distance, as between omission, and commission, between the child that ●… eyeth not his Father, who commandeth him to kill his Mother; and the child ●… at will cut his Fathers throat, and doth persecute him to the uttermost. O ●xellency of the Gospel! O purity of the Christian Doctrine! which giveth us good and sweet a qualification in such pressing and desperate extremities, so a means, that all is safe without violence, which is so contrary to Christian ●… arity and meekness. There is no contrariety of Laws in the Gospel. The Commandements of obeying God, not resisting sovereigns, not hindering 〈◇〉 another; for God and the King, are they contrary? duty and force do 〈◇〉 justle one another? There is a good remedy for this, which is in everyo●… hand, without breaking any thing. Art thou faint-hearted? go away, 〈◇〉 The earth is the Lords, we go sometimes abroad for lighter occasions: Give 〈◇〉 to wrath, to force, and save thyself with God. Is thy heart good? never 〈◇〉 thing came more seasonably, make a sacrifice unto God of all thou hast, 〈◇〉 thyself. Do two things at once, yea three: Make hast to pay thy tribute 〈◇〉 nature; also for thy last act, do an excellent service to God, and a very go●… and perpetual profit for thyself. This is the doctrine of the Son of God. 〈◇〉 then I say it more briefly than all those who dispute, deny, excuse, con 〈…〉 justice, and pled all along. I say in a word, Although all what the Le●… saith, were true, which is not, and yet worse than all that: Notwithstan●… it is never lawful, for any cause whatsoever, to use force and violence again●… ones sovereign, it is rather a wicked, cursed, and pernicious thing. Now 〈◇〉 security in their conscience can all those of the League have, to be so futi●… against their true, natural and lawful King; though he should be quiter s●… one as they set him forth? I say then, that there is no Heaven for them 〈◇〉 are against the King, and dying in such a condition, though there should 〈◇〉 nothing else amiss in them; they carry away with them their condemnati●… and for the over-weight, and aggravation of it, they partake of all the ●… thers, treasons, robberies, scandals, villainies that are done every wh●… which they are the cause of.  
FINIS.