God and the King: OR Monarchy proved from Holy Writ, To be the only Legitimate Species of Politic▪ Government, and the only POLITY Constituted and Appointed by GOD.  
Wherein the Phantasied Principles of Supereminencing the People's welfare above the King's Honour; and Popular Election of Kings, Are manifested to be groundless and unreasonable.  
Briefly Collected, by Robert Constable, M. A.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Rom. 13. 1.  
Wherhfore we must be subject, not because of wrath only, but also for Conscience sake, Rom. 13. 5.  
London, Printed for W. L at the Crown in Cornhill near the Stock-market, 1680.   

To the REVEREND, and His Loving Father, Robert Constable.  
Dear Father,  
HOW much I am Obliged to you both for my Being and Wellbeing, I desire now to testify unto the world; for though to requite your Love, and Bounty be not within the Sphere of my 
* Quicquid est quod dat patri filius, utique minus est, quia hanc ipsam dandi facultatem patri debet. Seneca, lib. 3.  Ability, yet since the 
† 1 Tim. 5. 4. (a) The Stork.  Apostle commandeth Children to learn to requite their Parents, and Nature itself hath taught unreasonable (a) Creatures this Lesson, I shall Endeavour (by God's help) to pay that threefold debt of Obedience, Reverence, and Gratitude, which all Children owe to their Parents. And therefore I shall ever devote myself unto your Service, to whom (next under God and my King) I owe myself, and those Abilities I have, both Natural, and which through God's Blessing upon your Liberal Education, by a double Apprenticeship, in two 
* St. leonard's College in St. Andrews in Scotland, and Gray Inn in London.  famous and flourishing Societies, I have acquired. To express therefore my due Observance, and grateful Recognition of your former Care, and Cost; I here present you with (the first = born of all my Labours) a brief Collection of the Divine Right of Monarchy, evidently deduced (e Sacris paginis) to be the only Species of Politic Government, and that the people have no Right in the Collation of their King, or any Colour to presume to the same. The undeniable Right of this Subject absolutely lessens my Endeavours; because to prove a Principle is to deny it the force of a Principle: But, because some in the world are not ashamed to make this Case disputable, therefore, (pregnant with zeal, though weak in the Delivery) I brought this into the world, presuming that the always assented to Truth hereof would strengthen me in my Travel. And thus brought forth I beg for it (as a true born Son) your Baptism. Hoping that for the Father's sake, qualis qualis est, aequo animo consuls: And so to the world, under your Protection, it is committed, by  
Reverend Sir, your ever Obedient Son, and Humble Servant. Robert Constable.   

GOD and the KING.  
GOvernment, in general, is, the Administration and Exercise of that Power and Authority which the Superior hath over the Inferior; which, at the very instant of the Creation of the world, took beginning; For the very first Creatures which God made, being inferior to him both in Glory and Power, became subject unto his Guidance, Rule, and Government. And God, who is a God of Peace and Unity, to the end to establish and preserve peace and unity amongst his Creatures of different Kind's and Nature's, did by his Providence and Wisdom create all their kinds in several Degrees of Superiority and Subordination, that as one kind did naturally exercise a Rule, so the other might as naturally yield Submission and Obedience. So that Government, being a word of Relation, necessarily requires a Correlatum, which is Subjection, the one not existing without the other. And therefore as Government is an undeniable Institution of God (as in the Series of the whole Universe is most evident and clear, every Creature having a certain Rule Dominion, and Dependency one of anoher) so Subjection or Obedience, being its necessary Correlate, is as undeniably requisite and necessary. For the wisdom of God which saw the preservation of the Universe, to have a necessary dependence upon the mutual peace and unity of these three several kinds of Creatures, (viz. the Angelical, Intellectual, and Natural Agents) whereof the Universe was composed, and that peace and unity to have the like dependency upon their Order and Government, did likewise see it necessary that the same means should have the same efficacy in the particulars of each of these three species, lest confusion in particulars should produce the destruction of the species, and by consequence of the Universe. For 
lib. de Moderatione in disp. Servand.  most true is that Saying of Nazianzen, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Order is the Mother and preserver of all things. Therefore the Lord did not terminate the influence of Order and Government in the species of any of the three several sorts of Creatures, but did also originally constitute the particulars of each in different degrees of Superiority and subordination or subjection. As amongst the holy Angels we find Arch-Angels, 1 Thess. 4. 16. and, Judas v. 9 And amongst the Devils Belzebub, the Prince of Devils, Matth. 9 34. And the obedience of Angels (I mean not that of the whole species unto God, but their obedience unto one another,) is strongly intimated by Christ in the third Petition of that Prayer (which he gave to all Christians as a precept, Luk. 2. 11.) wherein we desire that our observance of Gods Will here on earth, may be such as the Angels perform in heaven: But our observance of Gods will is not terminated in the obedience of the species unto God, but further comprehends the performance of those duties, adhibited in the fifth Commandment between Inferiors and Superiors, whether it be in political or paternal Government.  
And amongst the natural Agents which by a natural instinct are dependant and subservient one to another; as the Heavens to the Earth, the Earth and Heavens to the Plants and these three to Sensible Creatures; amongst whom the Lion is invested with a certain natural Power and Authority over the Beasts of the field; the Eagles over the Fowls of the Air, and the Leviathan or Whale over the Fish of the Sea. And Jerome affirmeth the same order to be observed 
Ad rusticum Monachum.  amongst every particular Society of Sensible Creatures. The dumb beasts and wild herds (faith he) do follow their Leaders; the Bees have their King, and the Cranes fly after one another like an Alphabet of Letters.  
But this Wisdom and Providence of God in the constitution of Degrees of Superiority and Subordination amongst the particulars of the immediate species of the Universe, is most manifest and perspicuous in the species of the Rational Creatures. For God, in the very first beginning of the world invested Adam, Gen. 1. 26. not only with the Rule and Dominion over all the other Creatures of the world, but likewise with a Monarchical Supremacy; not only Oeconomical over the one created family in Paradise, but Political over a Society consisting of many families, which were to descend of Adam. For the same Law which commanded obedience to Parents did oblige all Adam's posterity to the performance of this Monarchical obedience to Adam. Now although this Government be styled most commonly Paternal, because all Adam's Subjects could derive their Pedigree from the blood Royal; Yet is it the very same with that we term Regal. Therefore the Holy Ghost, to demonstrate unto us that the name did not create any real difference between this Paternal and Regal Government, did afterwards in the Penning of the Decalogue, use only the word, Father, to express all sorts of Government. And this indeed is the ground of Monarchy: which, as a Learned Divine hath well described, is a Politic Government instituted and approved by God, consisting in the prudential Administration and Exercise of the Supreme Power and Authority of one Person over all other within the same Society, for the preservation of Peace and Unity in order to God's Glory, the King's honour, and the People's welfare. Where we may observe,  
1. The Efficient cause of Monarchy.  
2 The End or Final cause thereof,  
The Efficient cause of Monarchy, is, either Principal or Instrumental. The Principal Efficient cause of Monarchy is God, by whom all Power is ordained, Rom. 13. 1. For God is the universal, principal, and primary Efficient cause of all things (sin only excepted) Rom. 11. ult. And Gen. 14. 18. there we find a King of Gods own making, and His Regal Power of God's own Institution. For Sem (alias Melchisedec) was by God's special Ordinance a Type of Christ, both in his Regal and Sacerdotal Office, Heb. 7. 12. And therefore is styled by the Holy Ghost, the King of Righteousness, and King of Salem, which is Jerusalem, where this Melchisedec reigned until Jacob's time. And also several persons received their Regal Investiture from God's immediate and particular Consignation, who had no other Title to that Monarchical Honour and Supremacy; as, Saul, 1 Sam. 10. 1. David, 1 Sam. 13. 14. and Solomon, 1 King. 1. 30. Kings of Israel, Jeroboam, 1 King. 11. 30. Jehu, 2 King. 11. Kings over the ten Tribes; and amongst the Heathens, Hazael, 1 King. 19 16. was made King of Syria by God's particular appointment; and Cyrus, Isa. 45. 1. who, although a Heathen, is there called Gods Anointed, Ergo.  
Obj. But it may be Objected. That when the people of Israel asked God for a King, He was very angry with them, and did declare his dislike thereof by a miraculous Thunder and Rain, 1 Sam. 12. 18. Ergo.  
Sol. To this I Answer; that God was not angry with the People's desire of a King, as in relation to the Object of their desire, viz. Monarchy, but rather was well pleased therewith, being the very Ordinance of God himself, Deut. 17. 14, 15. and therefore was sanctified to the people with the promise of a blessing, 1 Sam. 12. 14. and further confirmed unto them by God himself in his own particular Election of another King, viz. King David, a man after Gods own heart: But as in relation to the end of their desire, which was Idolatrous and sinful, laying the hopes of their deliverance, from those pressures under which they then groaned, upon the King, looking for deliverance from him, and not from God, He was angry with them; as God deolared unto Samuel, 1 Sam. 1. 7. They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me; Imputing more to the power of a King for their deliverance than unto my power, so forgetting me their Creator and Preserver.  
And for the further manifestation of the Divine Right of Monarchy God was pleased to sanctify it with the Blessing of Divine prescription. For Monarchy began in Adam, and so continued in his Posterity successively until the Flood; and after the Earth was again replenished, the Church was limited to Sem (as aforesaid) King of Jerusalem, where he Reigned till Jacob was fifty years of Age. Who went down to Egypt with all his posterity, and there lived in Bondage and slavery, till God raised up Moses their Monarch and Ruler, by whose hand he delivered them, and after Successively continued that Monarchical Rule over them (as is manifest in the holy History of the Israelites) even from Moses unto our Saviour Christ, King of Kings, and the true King of the Jews, Matth. 2. 2. Except where their sin and ingratitude made them incapable and unworthy of the great blessings and favour of the Monarchical Government, and brought that heavy curse of Anarchy upon them. For whilst there was no King in Israel, in those days every man did what was right in his own eyes, measuring their Actions by the Law of their own Lusts. All which enormities the Holy Ghost justly imputeth to the want of a King and Regal Government in Israel. Although they had their Synedrim and great Council amongst them; Yet it pleased God in all their Captivities and Distresses during those sinful times wherein they wanted a King and Regal Government, to raise them up occasional Judges and Monarches for their occasional deliverances; thereby to manifest to them the benefit of Monarchy, and how conducent Regal and Monarchical Government was to their constant security and happiness; God himself honouring this blessing of Monarchy with many gracious Pactions and promises, as to David, 2 Sam. 7. To Solomon, 1 King. 3. yea and to wicked Saul, 1 Sam. 12. and Idolatrous Jeroboam, 1 King. 11. and therefore a token of God's approbation of that calling of Monarchy, as a natural gift and blessing▪ requisite to humane perfection, for the Lord did never thus directly declare his approbation of any curse or privation of these blessings, which was an effect of sin; nor of any calling which was grounded thereupon, such as that Monkish mendicancy which is used in the Church of Rome. For that command of Christ to the young man in the Gospel was principally probatory; and all Christ's promises made, either to him, or his Disciples for remuneration of their piety, who forsake all for his sake, relate primarily and properly to the love of Christ, and to such disvaluations and desertions of worldly and natural gifts and blessings, only Accidentally and in a Secundary sense, when they come in competition with Christ, who is to be preferred above all other things whatsoever, although never so dear unto us, Matth. 16. 25: But I say such curses and privations of Worldly and natural gifts and blessings were never directly and positively honoured with a Sanction of a remunerative promise, as Monarchy is in the prementioned Texts. And this I hope may suffice to evidence the Primary and principal cause of Monarchy, to be God alone. Now it rests to speak of the Secondary or Instrumental cause thereof.  
In Crowns as in all other (nay much more than in any other) Possessions, he that entereth not in by the door of Right and Justice is a Thief and a Robber whose intent is but to Rob and Steal, whereby to satisfy his own Ambition and Avarice, as the constant event hath manifested in all Usurping Traitors, Abimelech, Absalon, Baasha, Zimri, Omri, and many others both Ancient and Modern, as that Traitor the bane of our English Nation O. Cromwell, whose wickedness (I fear) hath drawn those National Judgements upon us, which since we have suffered: whose name (I call God to Record with me) when I remember, makes my flesh tremble, stupifies all my senses to think flesh and blood should be guilty of such execrable Acts, the perpetration whereof Hell with all its damnable Crew scarcely could or ever did exceed. But the prodigious guilt of this Miscreant so much exceedeth the mild point of my pen, that in the further process, I should but lessen my own resentments, and seem to favour that which is the fittest subject for the greatest Satire in the world.  
The instrumental cause of Monarchy, is the secondary means which God makes use of, for the immediate collation of this Supremacy upon any man, whereby to Entitle him to the Regal Diadem, and that, either Extraordinary, when God doth declare his will by extraordinary revelation, and that either for a blessing to his people, over whom he placeth him, by making him a Minister of his favours and mercies, or for the Executioner of his Judgements for the punishment of the people's sins.  
Or Ordinary, when God doth advance a man to this Regal Dignity and Honour by those ordinary ways and means, which are constant Rules for us to judge of, whereby to acknowledge this Sovereignty and yield our obedience; and this likewise either, when the Sovereign Power is attained by those ordinary ways and means which are approved and warranted by the word of God, and the Rules of Reason and Equity: Or when the same is attained by Violence and Injustice, and such cursed ways and means, as are repugnant to the word of God, and the Rules of Justice and Equity. The dispute of the former would be arrogant and impious; for the extraordinary ways of God, are far above our Judgement, and further above our imitation: God never intending such for a precedent whereby to frame our Actions, but only our Submissions thereunto. And therefore I shall insist upon those ordinary ways and means which are the rule of our Actions in this kind; which (as I have said) is twofold. Either when attained by violence and injustice, and repugnant to the word of God, and the Rules of Justice and Equity; which is called Vindicative: Or when it is attained by those ordinary means which are approved and warranted by the word of God; and this is called Gracious.  
Concerning which, there are two opinions, the one, propugned by some, that the Right of the Royal Investiture pertaineth to the people. The other, and that most certainly, is imputed to Birthright and Hereditary Succession. Their Arguments, whereupon they ground the former opinion, are, partly instantial, and partly rational.  
The instances alleged for the propugnation hereof, are the Inaugurations of those Kings which the Scriptures mention, to be made or Anointed by the people; as Saul, 1 Sam. 11. 15. All the people of the Land came to Gilgal to make him King. And David whom all the men of Juda Anointed King at Hebron, 2 Sam. 2. 4. And afterwards was Anointed King over Israel at Hebron by all the Tribes of Israel, 2 Sam. 5. 3. And Solomon who was likewise Anointed by the people, 1 Chron. 29. 20. And Jeroboam, whom the people made King, 1 King. 12. 20. And Vzziah, whom the people of the Land made King, 2 King. 14. 21. And Jehoahas, who (although he was the second Son of Joshuah) was made King by the people in his father's stead, 2 Chron. 23. 20.  
The reason, they ground this opinion upon, is taken from that Aristotelian principle, Honour est in honour ante, & none in honorato. And therefore the honour (say they) and Submission, which Kings receive, is originally in the people. And therefore they think it not reasonable, that the people should be obliged to give obedience and yield honour to any person but him whom they think and judge worthy of it, and so manifest their Judgement of his worth, by their Election of him to be their King and Sovereign.  
And lastly, they add St. Peter's Testimony, 1 Pet. 2. 13. who terms Regality an Ordinance of Man, which were false, if it did proceed from God, and not from the people; for than it were an ordinance of God and not of Man.  
Now from these grounds they deduce two damnable (because Rebellious) Consequences and Corollaries.  
1. That though the King be Major singulis, yet he is Minor universis; and therefore that is no Rebellion, but duty in the people, to resist and oppose the King, nay to depose and dethrone him, where the people judge it necessary in relation to the defence of their own safety.  
2. That the King doth receive and enjoy this honour only by virtue of a stipulation or Covenant between himself and the people. And therefore if the King do violate this Covenant and break the Trust reposed in him by the people, by any acts which are destructive, ad Salutem populi, (whereof they presuppose themselves to be Judges:) that then the people are absolved from their Allegiance grounded upon that Trust and Covenant, and may Lawfully provide for their own safety and welfare, either by resistance, deposition, dethronement, or any such means as themselves shall judge thereunto conducent.  
Now to confute this opinion concerning the People's Right and Power in this Regal Investiture, and in answer, to the Arguments alleged for the propugnation thereof, and to those damnable and execrable inferences grounded thereupon; we must know, that these acts of the People, mentioned in the premised instances of Scripture of making and Anointing Kings, are,  
Either acts of Homage and Duty, by way of acknowledgement and testification of the Supremacy already Legally confirmed upon the person to whom these duties are performed; which in Scripture are expressed upon two several occasions; The one, where God did confer this Supremacy and Regal Honour, by any extraordinary ways and means, as in Saul, David, Solomon, and Jeroboam. The other, where God used their means for the vindication of the King's just Title against an Usurper, as in Joas, whom Jehoida the Priest, and the Captains, and the people crowned and anointed King in the Temple; restoring him to his just Rights which had been usurped by his Grandmother Athaliah, 2 King. 11. 12, 13. And in Hosiah the son of Amaziah whom the people restored to his just Power, which the Conspirators (who slew his Father) had usurped: And in both these cases, the acts of the People are good and Lawful, and approved by God; being declared to be the will of God, upon the former occasion, extraordinarily; upon the latter, ordinarily. And indeed is nothing else, but the people's necessitated assent and manifestation of joy, for that blessing which God hath bestowed upon them; and therefore bound to perform all acts of obedience and Loyalty to him so Invested, whereunto they do by this act of theirs silently and implicitly promise and engage. And not by this act of theirs stipulating▪ or adding any Authority or Supremacy to the person so inaugurated; as in those instances, if severally and seriously considered, will appear: For, 1 Sam. 10. 1. we find Saul, and that by God's appointment (where the Text faith) hath not the Lord anointed thee to be Governor over his inheritance? as also David, who was Anointed King by Samuel, according to God's command, 1 Sam. 16. 13. Solomon by Zadoc the Priest and Nathan the Prophet, 1 King. 1. 34. Jeroboam, by the Prophet Ahijah, 1 King. 11. 30, 31. all which being performed by the immediate command of God, declaring his will and pleasure concerning the advancement of them to their several Power and Pre-eminence by Extraordinary Revelations, do evidence, the Right of Royal Investiture, to pertain only to God; by whom King's Reign: And that, not only when he doth so declare his will by those Extraordinary means; but also, when that Power is attained by those ordinary ways and means, which are warranted by God's word and the Rules of Reason and Equity; as in Joas whom Jehoida the Priest made King in pursuance to the promise of God to his servant David that his house should be established for ever.  
Or else these acts of the people are acts of seeming Power or Authority, collating this Supremacy and Regal Power upon some person, who hath no other Right or Title thereunto, neither of Birthright, nor of Revelation from God; as upon Absalon, Adonijah, Jehoadas, Judas, Theudas, and Barchozba, (who professed himself the Messiah, and drew the people into Rebellion against the Roman Emperor▪ which occasioned those wars wherein Jerusalem and the Jews were destroyed,) and these acts of the People are execrable, sinful, and Rebellious, and so declared by God's Judgements thereupon, for wheresoever the Scriptures mention the constitution of a King after this manner, you shall find that they likewise record (not only the frustration of the people's endeavours, but also) that they were frustrated by some heavy and sudden Judgements of God, both upon the Usurper (whereby he was degraded from his undue honour) and the people, who presume to confer that honour upon him without a warrant from God, and so by that means to obtrude a Deputy upon God of their own and not of God's Election. Whereof we have a lively instance in the madness of the People of England in these late times, placing forsooth their (Lord Protector) by those horrible sins of Rebellion and Sacrilege, not only perpetrated against the Right and Power of our late dread Sovereign, but even against his Sacred and most Royal Person. O Heaven! O Earth! what satisfaction can be made for that Sacred blood, shed, to satiate the gluttonous and Sacrilegious lust of Traitors and Rebels, who build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity? But surely God will avenge the blood of his Servant, crying (like the blood of Abel) for vengeance.  
These acts of the people in Anointing of Kings are only mentioned where some of these occasions happened (that is) where there was an interruption of the ordinary means of conferring the Supremacy by birthright and Hereditary Succession; either by the interposition of God's just Prerogative in the Advancement of some Person by Extraordinary and Immediate Revelation, or else by the usurpation of some who had no right or Title at all, but Force and Violence, (either private of themselves and some few partners, wherein God stirred up the people to vindicate the King's right; or Public of the people) but where the Supremacy and Sovereign Power (with all the Appendages) descended by Birthright; there is no mention at all made of the people; though the act of Duty and Homage was as necessary to be performed to all who enjoyed the Crown by Hereditary Succession (as to Abijah, Asa, Jehosaphat, Jehoram, and the rest, to whom the people were no less obedient and subject than to those who were appointed by God) but I say in those cases, the people's acts of Submission and Homage are not expressed but presupposed, as known acts of Duty to those Kings who attained the Supremacy by those ordinary and known means of Birthright. And how many Instances are there in Scripture of the inefficacy of the people's endeavours in this kind, as in Aaron's and the Israelites honouring and Proclaiming the Golden Calf, to be a God and Guide in Moses stead, yet did not that popular Election Legitimate that Calf's power and Title, Exod. 32. And Absalon was proclaimed King by all the thousands of Israel, yet did not that act of the people Legitimate Absaloms' Title to the Crown. For the Holy Ghost termeth it a Conspiracy when it was at the very height, 1 Sam. 15. 12. Shcba had Ten Tribes for him, when David had but one, and yet was he never termed a King, but a man of Belial, 2 Sam. 20. Adonijah confesseth that (although the faces of all Israel were set on him to make him King, yet) he never had any just Title or Right to the Kingdom; for the Lord had designed it for his Brother Solomon, 1 King. 2. 15. upon all which God manifested the guilt of their sin, by sending those fearful judgements both upon the people and the Traitors so exalted.  
To the reason grounded upon that principle (quoth honour est in honorante & non in honorato) let it be premised; that honour involves a twofold relation: The one primarily and per se to that quality or excellency which is found in the person, for which he is honoured and esteemed. The other secondarily and virtute prioris to the act of honour and estimation whereby we judge well of the person so and so qualified; and therefore all acts of honour in the secondary sense are acts of duty, as being the effect of that qualification in the person so magnified and honoured. So that it is evident the honour and submission which the people exhibit to their King, even from this ground and principle of Aristotle, are not acts of favour to be conferred and disposed voluntarily at their own will and pleasure, but acts of Duty, not only morally, as the acts of honour in the premised principle merely intimates; but also by a Divine necessity, being thereto obliged by the Law of God. And therefore must be performed to such, as God esteems worthy of the honour to be his Deputies; and not upon such as themselves judge worthy to be their Rulers: For you know the people are obliged to exhibit acts of honour and reverence to a Judge; but it doth not therefore follow▪ that the people make that man a Judge, but he is made such by Letters Patents from the King, without ask any consent from the people.  
To St. Peter's Testimony I answer, that the Apostles expression there, relates to the subject of Sovereignty and Power, which is the King, and those who are over us under him; As manifestly appears by the immediate following words of the Text, 1 Peter 2. 13, 14. Submit yourselves unto every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake, whether it be to the King as Supreme or unto Governors as them that are sent by him: (as if he had said) Submit yourselves to every Humane Power and Authority that God hath set over you, not only to the King himself, but also to his Ministers and Magistrates, although they are his Subjects as well as you: for there is no power but of God, and whosoever resisteth the Power, resisteth the Ordinance of God. And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation, etc. Rom. 13. But it doth not at all relate to the Original and Efficient cause of that Power, which is God, and neither King nor people.  
And now (I hope) the profanity of that former inference of theirs is perspicuous, appearing most damnable being directly contradictory to that express Rule, which God himself hath prescribed in this case, Exod. 23. 2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil, neither agree in a controversy to decline after many. Where God plainly declares that the universality of the offenders cannot legitimate the fault; as appears in the sin in erecting the Golden Calf, and Absaloms' Conspiracy. For though it be a Maxim in Policy, that Multitudo peccantium tollit peccatum (i. e▪) Poenam peccati: and therefore in crimes of the blackest die the offenders often times escapes their due punishment. It is as true a Maxim in Divinity, that multitudo peccantium aggravat peccatum (i. e.) culpam peccati; and the more I seduce the more guilt I contract: Although the multitude of partakers may secure me from punishment, in foro judicii humani, yet I am sure to receive the just reward of that sin at God's Tribunal; from which the whole Society of men and Devils, cannot secure me.  
But not to bind these nice Disputants to an Argument of Conscience (which indeed is scarce to be found amongst them) to evince their error, let us consider the absurdity and sencelesness of their opinion both in Policy and Reason. For if the Major part of the people be Superior to the King, than the Government is not Monarchical, but Democratical, every species of Policy deriving its Denomination and nature from those that are Invested with the Supremacy: But that Democracy is the basest kind of Policy (Confusion and Destruction being the conclusion of such a Government) both experience, and the general consent of all Politians do declare and so asserted both by Jerome, and Cyprian, and even Calvin himself (although a favourer of the People's Right, in appointing of their King and Monarch) 
* Jerom. cap. 1. ad Titum Ep. ad Evagrium.  divers men have divers minds and meanings, and therefore amongst a multitude of Governors, Emulation and dissension are no rare springs. Nay (both Jerome and Cyprian) record it for a probatum in daily experience, that so many Leaders, so many followers, so many Rulers, so many Factions, do tear and rent in pieces the peace and Unity of all Societies. To which agrees Calvin, affirming, an equality amongst Governors to be the mother of Factions.  
It's one of our Saviour's own Maxims, Matth. 3. 24. That a Kingdom divided against itself cannot stand; but every Democracy must necessarily divide a Kingdom against itself, Ergo, etc. That Democracy must necessary divide a Kingdom against itself, is proved from another of Christ's own Maxims, Matth. 6. 24. No man can serve two Masters (much less three or four hundred masters) but in every Democracy there are (at least) two Masters. And therefore no man can be a true Subject or servant in such a Commonwealth; but (as Christ faith) must necessarily be factious, by loving one and hating all others, and adhering to one, and rebelling against others. And therefore it is observed, that in Christ's time, when Esay had prophesied, that there should be an Universal peace over the whole Earth; that then, there was not any kind of Polarchy in any Kingdom in the world; because in its own nature every Polarchy is inconsistent with Peace and Unity; the end and conclusion thereof being absolute ruin and desolation (the common fate of all divided Kingdoms) except God in his mercy, prevent the same by the reducement of such a Government to a Monarchy; a manifest experience whereof we have both in the Athenian, Syracusan, Lacedaemonian, and Roman Commonwealths; whose Polarchical Dissensions occasioned many Intestine Wars and Tragical Conflicts, which in fine must necessarily have produced the ruin and desolation of them all, if the opportune reducement of those Polarchies to a Monarchy had not prevented it.  
Lastly, every individual member of the same Society is obliged to exhibit acts of Obedience and Loyalty to their Lawful Prince (as the former part of this distinction of these subtle Logicians intimate) allowing the King to be Major singulis, but upon what grounds they deny his Authority in Vniversis, I leave to the Censure of every rational Judgement seriously considering this deduction, Peter is obliged to exhibit acts of obedience to his Prince, so Paul, so John, and so every individual member of the same Society; Ergo, (according to that Logical Maxim, a particularibus ad universale valet consequentia) they all in universal, are obliged to exhibit acts of Obedience to their King.  
To the second Inference (viz.) That the King doth receive and enjoy this honour only by virtue of a stipulation or Covenant between himself and the people; and therefore if the King doth violate this Covenant, and break the Trust reposed in him by the people; that then the people are absolved from their Allegiance, grounded upon that Trust and Covenant, and may Lawfully provide for their own safety and welfare, either by Resistance, Deposition, Dethronement, or any such means as themselves judge to be most conducent to their own security. To this I answer that this Covenant (its true) implieth a mutual engagement of the parties therein concerned; but the parties primarily and originally concerned are, God upon the one party, and the people upon the other party, as Moses declareth, when he reciteth that Original and general Covenant (which is indeed the ground of all other particular Covenants) Leu. 26. Deut. 28.  
And therefore Solomon, Eccles. 8. 4. maketh this Covenant a ground why people should obey the King's Commandments, not as the Kings, but as God's Commandments▪ whose Vicegerent the King is; for where the word of the King is there is power, and who shall say unto him what dost thou? for the King's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the Rivers of water he turns it which way soever he will, Prov. 21. 1. And therefore the King is only the deputative party assigned by God, and entrusted by him for the performance of the Covenant upon God's part, either for a vengeance, or recompense to the people, as the Lord himself judgeth of their merits. And though the King may spare the wicked and persecute the Righteous even unto death, as Pilate did our Saviour, yet even in that the King doth but execute Gods Decrees, as the Holy Ghost doth declare concerning that unjust Judgement of pilate's, Acts 4. 28. for Pilate did nothing but what God had Determined before to be done, For every man's judgement is from the Lord, Prov. 29. 26. and not from the Judge or Ruler. So that (in a word) the King may do male (that is) a wrong to himself, (for which he is accountable to God) but he cannot do malum (that is, any wrong to us) by inflicting any thing upon us, which is not just and according to our deserts from God, whose place the King supplies in Judgement, which is the ground of Solomon's assertion, that, The King's lips do pronounce Divine sentences, and that his mouth transgresseth not in Judgement, Proverbs 16. 10. Now therefore upon these grounds of solomon's it is manifest, that there is no sense, why the people should claim any power over the King by virtue of this Covenant.  
First, Because the King is not their Deputy, but Gods, and every man must account to him for his Actions, who doth constitute and depute him; as when the King doth depute a Judge for any Province or City, the people under his Command have no power to question him for any act which they conceive unjust, but either by Petition to that Judge, or else by their addresses to the King his Master, whose trust all corrupt Judges do deceive, and not the Trust of the people; for they receive not any Power or Authority from the people, but from the King: And in like manner the people for redress of their grievances from the King's oppressions, must address themselves to the King by Petition, and if that prevail not, then to God by prayer, (who is the King's sole Lord and Master, and from whom he receives his Power, and whose Trust all Tyrannical Kings break by acts of Injustice) which is the ultimum refugium, as Samuel declares when he Prophesieth of Saul's Tyranny, whereby the people should be grievously oppressed; for redress whereof the people (when the King would not hear) should cry unto the Lord, 1 Sam. 8. 18. other means of remedy than which, the Prophet Samuel did not dream of, nor could prescribe to the people to make use of; and whereas if he had conceived resistance to be Lawful, he might soon have found out that way, and have the people so to provide for their own security.  
Secondly, Because the people never receive Injustice from the King, if they look upon themselves; for the Judgement is the Lords, who cannot do injustice, nor break the Covenant upon his part; although his Minister and Deputy may fail and offend in the execution of his Office in his own particular, which is his own guilt. As a Hangman that Executes the just sentence of death upon a Malefactor, if in doing his office, his intentions have not reference to the sentence of Justice, but the satisfaction of some private grudge, or some Covetous Design or the like, that Officer is guilty of Murder, although the Malefactor receive from his hand nothing but his due deserts. And thus much (I hope) sufficiently declares the error and vanity of that opinion, that the people's consent and approbation, are the ordinary and instrumental means and causes of that Supremacy and Sovereign Power, which doth Pre-eminence the Monarch above all others within the same Society.  
Now it rests to speak of that opinion, which (and that most certainly) imputeth the Secondary and Instrumental cause of Monarchy and Regal Dignity to Birthright and Hereditary Succession; the Efficacy whereof Holy Writ doth manifest, Preheminencing, the first born above all his Brethren in Honour and Possessions, as the Lord declared to Cain, Gen. 4. 7. nor was it in the Father's power, either for love or hatred, to alter the Law of the first born, and to transmit the Honour and Inheritance due to him, to his younger Brother, Deut. 21. 15. and in that statute, which the Lord himself made, ordering the descent of honours and possessions, Num. 27. the Lord doth direct that they be conferred by Birthright and Hereditary Succession; and not by the Election or Discretion either of Moses or the people.  
But more specially to our Case, the Lord was pleased to honour it with the promises of perpetuating these Honours and Royal Dignities unto any Family, which were always grounded upon the perpetuation of the Royal Issue, in giving Sons that should sit upon the Throne, as appears in his promises to David, 2 Sam. 7. 12. to Solomon, 1 King. 9 4. to Jehu, 2 King. 10. 30. and most manifestly upon jacob's Prophecy, which upon this very ground Entailed the Crown and Sceptre unto Judah, until Shiloe came, Gen, 49. 10.  
The performance of which gracious promise was executed in Abijam, who succeeded Rehoboam, and Asa him, Jehosaphat him, and Jehoram him, and so in the rest, as the Sacred Chronicle doth at large relate, who all inherited the Crown by virtue of this Birthright, without the concurrence of any other cause or meancs. And this may suffice as touching that Instrumental and ordinary means (viz. Gracious) whereby God doth advance a man to the Regal Diadem, Dignity and Honour, and which is a constant Rule for us to Judge of whereby to acknowledge this Sovereignty and yield our obedience.  
The other Instrumental means of this Supremacy, which creates a Right and Title to the Crown, is Vindicative, and that is Sword and Conquest, which the Lord declareth to be one of the severest and heaviest of his Curses and Judgements upon a Nation, Leu. 26. 25. And the Lord styled the victorious King of Assyria, Isa. 10. 5. The Rod of his wrath, and staff of his Indignation; because by his sword he was resolved to pour out the Vials of his fierce wrath upon the Ten Tribes, for their Idolatries and abominations.  

Quest. It may be here demanded, whether Conquest be a Lawful and good Title, and whether any King who doth claim from thence, be a Lawful King, or only an Usurper.   

Answ. Conquest in itself makes no better Title to a Crown, than Ahab had to Naboths Vineyard, or than the Robber hath to the Traveller's purse: For as it is an affliction and punishment to the passive party, so it is a sin and Injustice in the active party; and directly contrary to the Law of God which prohibits all injuries to our neighbours; but yet such a Title may be legitimated and made Lawful by the declaration of Gods will concerning the same. Now Gods will in this case is declared two ways.  
First, Extraordinarily, by immediate Revelation; and so Jeroboams, Jehues, and Nebuchadnezars Titles were Legitimated.  
The second Ordinarily, by the Extinguishment of the Royal Family, which is a Declaration of his wrath and vengeance upon that House; and so the Lord did Legitimate Baasha's Title, as himself acknowledgeth by the Extinguishment of Jeroboams House, 1 King. 15. 29. Now where the Lord hath declared his will by either of these ways, the Conquerors Title is good and Legal, and all those who claim from that Conqueror are Lawful Kings. But where the Conquerors. Title is not Legitimated by one of these two ways, the Conqueror is but a mere Usurper, and it is not only Lawful, but a necessary duty in the people to resist him, and to use their utmost endeavours for the Deposition of that Usurper, and the restitution of their Lawful Sovereign to his just Rights, as Jehojada, and the people restored Jehoash, by the Deposition and Murder of Athaliah, after she had Reigned peaceably for six years, 2 King. 11. and as the people restored Vzziah by the Deposition of those Conspirators, who slew his father Amaziah, after they had Reigned peaceably eleven years, 2 Chron. 26.   

Quest. If it be not Lawful for a people to Elect their own King, nor any means assigned by God for Collation of this honour, but either Birthright or Conquest; what is to be done when the Royal Family is Extinct, and no Conqueror doth claim; and where a mixed multitude (amongst whom there is no Relation of Blood to Pre-eminence one above the rest) do consent to make a Plantation, and to Erect a new Commonwealth?   

Ans. Samuel hath set us a Precedent in this case, 1 Sam. 10. 20, 21. For though the Lord had revealed his will to Samuel concerning his own Election and appointment of Saul to be King, 1 Sam. 9 15. yet because Samuel foreknew that King should be a Tyrant, to plague the people for their Idolatrous Trust in a King, he concealed that Revelation, and would not nominate their King, lest the people should afterwards (when they suffered by Saul's oppression) blame Samuel for appointing him: but used the means of Lots, to declare the will and pleasure of God in Electing of a King unto the people. And the like was used by the Eleven Apostles, when they had no warrant from God to Appoint or Elect another Apostle, nor durst presume to confer that High calling upon any man without a warrant from God, as you may read, Acts 1. 23. So that in both those cases mentioned in this question, we are to use the means of Lots; for that means is likewise warranted by God, where his will is not otherwise known and declared, Prov. 16. 33. but the people's Election is absolutely unlawful (as the premises, (I hope) have sufficiently manifested) either in those or any other cases. And this of the Efficient Causes of Monarchy.  
The End or Final Causes thereof, are, either Principal, and that is God's Glory and the King's Honour; or less Principal, and that is, the Subjects welfare. The principal End of Monarchy is, either, (as the Schoolmen term it) Originans, which is God's Glory; or Originatus, that is, the King's Honour. Now concerning the Original Principal End which is God's Glory, it is to be understood that we do not speak of it here in its extent and latitude, as it is the universal end of all things, but only as it is limited to Monarchical Actions and Duties; in which sense, God's Honour and the Kings, are not really, but modally only different, both of them consisting in the very same Duties, and are of the same Nature in reference to Monarchy. For all excellency, worth and goodness is radically and essentially in God, from whom is communicated Personae honoratae that worth and goodness for which he is honoured and esteemed. And therefore this Politic honour which Preeminences the Monarch above all others in the same Society, is that excellency which God communicates to him, enabling him for the execution of the Duties of his Calling, in the Rule and Government of his people and subjects; and with a Power to constitute and Enact Laws and Statutes for the Public good, and benefit of the Commonwealth; and with power to execute the same Laws, either by remunerating the integrity of pious and just men, according to the merits of their service and obedience; or by correcting and punishing the Delinquences of Disobedient and evil men: For a Seditious person seeketh only evil, and a cruel messehger shall be sent against him, Prov. 17. 11.   

Obj. But it may be objected, that seeing the King's Honour is subsequent to God's Glory (it being the chief principal End of Monarchy) that then when the King's Commands are contrary to Gods, we may resist.   

Sol. We may resist his Commands, but not his Power, for in those Cases we must obey God by an Active, the King only by a Passive Obedience: For which we have the precedent of the Apostles themselves, Acts 4. 5. who did refuse to obey the Commands of the Rulers, prohibiting them to preach in the Name of Jesus, but yet submitted to their power, in yeiding themselves to be imprisoned and beaten, according to the commands of the Rulers. So that they obeyed both God and the Magistrate; the first by doing, the latter by suffering. For Rom. 13. we must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for Conscience sake, by Christ's example, who needed not to have submitted to Pilate, or the Jews for wrath (for he was able to overthrow them all with a blast of the breath of his mouth) but yet to honour the Substitute and Deputy of his Father, he submitted to their power, Acts 4. 28. which is the Ground of Nazianzens advise, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; We must submit to good Kings, as to the Lord himself; to bad Kings, for the Lords sake. And Solomon, Eccles. 10. 20; makes this more evident, where he extends the Honour and reverence due to Kings, unto the very thoughts and imaginations of the heart (notwithstanding they were both Fools, Tyrants, and Idolaters) for when Solomon prohibited the cursing of the King, yea even in the thought, he was not ignorant that Saul had been a Tyrant, himself an Idolater, and that his Son Rehoboam, who should succeed him, was a fool.   

Object. You will say, what? must men then think and believe manifest lies? must we neither say nor think that those Kings are evil and wicked, which manifest themselves to be such in all their actions, such as the Scriptures record for most infamous and notorious finners?   

Sol. Kings in reference to their duty towards God, may be more wicked than other men, because they may offend in a double capacity.  
First, In their Natural, by transgressing Gods Commandments, which do oblige them equally▪ as they do other men.  
Secondly, In their Politic, as God's Deputies by breach of that Trust, which God hath reposed in them, for Ruling and Governing of his people according to Justice and Equity. But in reference to their duty towards us, they cannot do wicked things, (as before showed:) so that the words of Solomon are to be understood only of Kings, in reference to the exercise of their Power upon us; which whether it be for good or hurt, is still from God: And therefore we may not think them evil and unjust to us; for the Judgement is not theirs but Gods, Prov. 26. 29. who cannot be unjust.  
Now as God did deligate unto Kings a Power over our persons in his Ordinance, for their Primary power and Authority; so did he likewise give them a Power over our Estates, for the Magnificent Maintenance and support of that Honour, which is their Secondary honour of Maintenance and Revenue: Which was the ground of Christ's command, Matth. 22. 21. to render a Tribute of our Goods to Caesar, intimating that this temporal honour of Tribute, was (by virtue of God's Deligation) as due unto Caesar, as the spiritual honour of Praise and Worship was unto God. And upon the same ground St. Paul commands to render Custom and Tribute to Kings, not as a gift and favour, but as a due and just debt, Rom. 13. 7; and gives this reason for it, because they are Gods Ministers, appointed to supply his place in Ruling and Judging us. And seeing God hath transferred the greater power to Kings, (viz.) over our lives, by putting the sword into his hands; the Apostle thence concludes their Investiture with the less, (viz.) a Power over our Estates, and the like Power we see exercised by Pharaoh in that Ordinance for storeing up a fifth part of all the Corn in Egypt for seven years together; which Law was Enacted by Pharaoh upon the single Counsel of Joseph, with the Approbation only of Pharao's servants, or Council, and not by the general consent of the people, Gen. 41. 34. neither can we pretend this Law to be Tyrannical, for it proceeded from the wisdom of God, who in this business directed the mind of Joseph, Gen. 45. 57 nor can any man imagine, but the State and magnificence of Saul, David, Jeroboam, and others, who of private persons and others, were advanced by God himself to Regal Honour and Dignity, was supported by this means of Custom and Tribute, nor do I find any particular Law or Statute for the particular endowment of those Kings, but only that general Right and Prerogative, which they derive from God, Investing them with a Power over both our Persons and Estates.  
And now (I hope) our obedience (either Active or Passive) being a necessitated Duty and incumbency upon us (as the premises do sufficiently declare) to be performed (both from our Persons and Estates) to our Lawful King and Monarch, doth absolutely manifest the people's welfare to be the less principal end of Monarchy; which (though it be really distinct from the King's honour, yet) is indeed a mere result and product of the same. For Salus populi can never be effected or energated by any other means, but those which in the first place do effectuate and energate the King's honour, whether we look upon the Monarchical Actions of King or Subjects, both which are versant about the same object and matter, only in a divers manner. For the King is Interested only in the Active part of Government, by Enacting, and duly Executing of Laws for God's Glory, his own honour, and the people's welfare; the people in the Passive part of Government, by their obedience and submission to such Laws and Commands of the King, the violation whereof is a direct means of Dishonour to God and the King, and of Ruin and of Destruction to the people.   
FINIS.