MONARCHY No creature of Gods making, etc.  
Wherein is proved by Scripture and Reason, that Monarchical Government is against the mind of God. And that the Execution of the late King was one of the fattest sacrifices that ever Queen justice had. Being a Hue and Cry after Lady Liberty which hath been ravished and stolen away by the Grand Potentates of the Earth.  
Principally intended for the undeceaving of some honest hearts who like the poor jews cry, give us a King, though they smart never so much for it.  
By JOHN COOK late of Gray's Inn Esquire, Chief justice 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 thyself 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 year of our Lord God, 1651.   

To the Supreme Authority of the three Nations the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England.  
Most Renowned Senators, who like the Heavenly bodies, having for many years been in continual motion for your Country's good; have by God's blessing upon your unwearied labours after so many Hericanes by virtue of the Act of May 9 1649. brought the Ship of State to Anchor into its desired haven, and settled that form of Government which was appointed for God's peculiar people who chose a man of every Tribe, a head of a house, Captains of Thousands, and of Hundreds, famous, Choice and mighty men of valour; Chief of the fathers of the Children of Israel, to assemble at jerufalem in public Counsels (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 〈◊〉 only say this, that since the Apostles days there was never more Divinity, Reason, and Eloquence, in any writing, for (as it is said of humility) it is not only a virtue but a ground work for, & a vessel that contains 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 mortal man, that rule of my Lord Bacons, that the supreme power may not bind but dissolve itself, 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 than at the wickedness of Kings, their oppressing; burdening, impoverishing, and enslaving the people, and so make it an Act of self-love to ease themselves in casting their riders, as if good Kings might be tolerated, 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 cloak then the wind) like those which we call good witches, that seem to cure one that they may without suspicion bewitch twenty, whereas if any man shall ask why hath the Parliament abolished the Kingly office in England and Ireland? the answer is, because God commanded them so to do, that it was not out of any affection of change, nor yet only for the ease of the People, but from a Divine precept and conscientious principle in the faithful discharge of their duty to God and man▪ that for any people willingly to suffer Monarchy is to make themselves wiser than God who hath told us that there are no Laws 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 judgement so righteous as all this Law that I set before you this day, the very first of which Laws was that wise men and understanding known to be such among the Tribes should be Rulers and heads of the people Deut. 1. 13. An Elective Aristocracy being a principle in nature for wise men to govern ignorants, as parents their little children that cannot order themselves▪ for I can find no other ground whereon the conscience of a Christian can rest with any satisfaction, but the Law of God, he whose Conscience bears him witness that he would have had no hand in the King's Death, no finger in the change of the government, but in a dutiful 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 Crown of Gold upon him and a Crown of thorns upon jesus Christ, the saving of him had been the beheading of all holiness and righteousness, the sparing of him would have been of far more mischievous consequence than the sparing of Agag, and if the life of the Parliament and therein the lives of all honest people had not gone for his; Certainly never can any true Christian that would have taken in his interest be quiet in his Conscience without repentance: judge Fortescue (chap. 5. hath a story of a Gentlewoman at Salisbury, who being accused by her own man for murdering her husband, was upon his oath without any further proof condemned and burnt to ashes, but within a year after it was discovered that the Accuser was the murderer, who cleared his Mistress, though too late; but the judge who suffered the jury to find her guilty upon a single proof (not informing them what proof 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 witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die) was so troubled in mind that he confessed that he should never be able to clear his conscience of that fact; You that profess yourselves 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. ye 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 only the blood of jesus 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 judge was haunted with the Ghost of that Gentlewoman for an omission in his duty in manner as aforesaid, or per adventure for not giving strict charge to the jury to inquire diligently into all the circumstances; how can any Christian hope to sleep in quiet, so long as he murmurs and complains against the justice done upon such a murderer, and God being as infinitely Glorious in justice as in mercy, all that are for Christ are commanded to rejoice 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 bless God that the, roaring of the Lion, the voice of the fierce Lion, and the teeth of the young Lions are broken▪ the old Lion perished for lack of prey and the stout Lion's whelps scattered abroad, job 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 Tyrants, and by whelps their children that Antichristian state of men that would be obtruding and enforcing Liturgies and Directories upon God's 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 do not rise nor possess the Land, nor fill the face of the world with Cities for the name, Son, and Nephew must be cut off, and that 58. Psal. compared with Esay 7. 5. 6. seems as it were to prophesy and point at the third of September last that what ever evil Council 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 pass the great teeth of the young Lions are broken, those wicked Instruments whereby they would hurt shall melt away and be cut in pieces, therefore shall the righteous rejoice with Anniversary solemnities, for that there is a God that hath judged in the earth, I have endeavoured to satisfy the people that the great Gorgon's head that hath so long enchanted them, was Sacred Majesty, and to evince it by Scripture and reason that Monarchical Government was never of Divine Institution ordained in love to any Nation but by a Divine permission hateful in its nature, as Adultery or Murder, & most unnatural for fools to govern wise men, and that in matters of justice the Law must not be set by the Scripture and not repugnant to it, otherways we set the Sun by the Dial, which must not be understood as if there were a precedent or example to be found in Scripture for every case, for men's actions are so infinite, that there will be different cases as differing faces not alike in all particulars; but the principal cases of moment are to be found in Scripture, and such general rules, exemplars, and Idaeus, are there laid down that every man may thereby be assured of the justice of any partitular case that hath a mind studious therein, and 
Animum 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 Honourable wisdom than truth and nothing more honoured than sincerity in the Inner parts, therefore I humbly crave leave to speak a few words concerning this weighty and Important matter of the Rule of justice, I have seen some Treatises wherein the Spirit of God (who is justice and Truth) is much breathing concerning a Reformation or rather a new plantation or foundation of Laws proceeding, I am confident from conscientious principles, and a pure love to justice and the public good; but its possible that there may be some spots in the face of Venus; I conceive in general that Civil prudence for governing of a State and Commonwealth, is to be fetched and drawn from the sacred fountain of Scripture rather than the puddles of history, the Law of God being the general directress of all laws as the NorthStar directs the Seaman to his Port, not that we should despise human learning▪ for Moses and Daniel were learned in all the wisdom 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 jewel so excellent in itself that it shall never have but one enemy which is the ignorant man; It is most true, that human wit and policy hath been much of that smoke of the bottomless pit that hath blinded the eyes of many Nations, but God grant (I wish it from my heart) that England which twelve or twenty years since so much Idolised learning be not in another age as much plagued with ignorance; as it is a mistake on the one hand to confine the attainment of learning to places that no man should be a Magistrate or Minister that hath not been educated at the Inns of Court or Universities, for provided men have parts, & abilities, the place where or manner of acquiring them is not material; 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 persuaded that there are fewer, converted and regenerated in this last ten years notwithstanding the multiplicities of Sermons and glorious freedom of the Gospel, than there was in ten years before; though there was scarce then one Sermon for many since, because the generality of people neglect a soul searching powerful, learned Ministry and follow others who though they may be Godly, yet are but a voice in comparison; there may be some persons which are not called to the Bar that are fit, and able to be judges, men famous for Godliness and excellent in wisdom and reason, which must be the life of all human laws without exception, but that any man should be fit for such an employment that hath not a good stock of learning and discretion, as some men seem to insinuate; I confess it is above my apprehension; I do exceedingly honour the whole fabric and form of the Israeliticall policy; and certainly no Council can well govern any State, where Christ is professed; that neglecting that sacred Law, shall fetch the Rules and limits of justice and equity from other histories, for human prudence is in many things blind, and in others perverse; & he is but a profane estimator of God's Word, that shall think any human Laws to be as good as the Laws of God; it is true that since Christ's time the Sceptre is departed from judah, and the Lawgiver from among his feet, but the Equity of that judicial Law which shines in those Institutes is Moral and perpetual; Circumstances only being changed, and some particular cases excepted▪ according to the nature or disposition of several people, some requiring a straighter bridle than others; for was there ever such wise Kings in the world as Moses, David, and Solomon, whose famous Acts recorded in Scriptures, are not only propounded to us as examples of Piety; but of true Prudence and Wisdom; and the Gentills, even the wisest amongst them as Solon and Plato acknowledged Moses Laws, to be the best and most learned and travailed into Phoenicia Syria, and Egypt, to be acquainted with the people of God; and their Laws; and because Plato borrowed so much from Moses therefore he is called Mosen Atticum, and Pythagoras spent two and twenty years with the Priests and Prophets, and then went into Italy where he instructed six hundred Scholars in the wisdom of Moses and the Egyptian writers called Moses, Andra, Daumaston ki deion, Virum admirandum ac divinum, certainly the Platonists were therefore counted the best Philosophers, because they came nearest to Moses Law, and had it not been for Monarchical Government all the world had long since been governed by the Laws of God in matters of Civil justice; that high commendations which is given of our Laws, that if Adam had not sinned in Paradise all the world should have been governed by the Common Law of England, is either Complemental and Poetical▪ or else must arise from that Maxim, that the Law of England is grounded upon the Eternal Law of God, right reason and pure natural principles and that sentence of better it is to go to the fountain then to follow the streams, is very excellent, if it be rightly understood, of the Law of God; which is the fountain of all true justice, josephus says, that Ptolemy Phyladelphus, the most prudent of the Egyptian Kings, when Theoprast had sent him Moses Law in Hebrew, he sent Ambassadors to the jews to entreat them to send men skilful in Hebrew▪ and Greek to translate it into Greek, which being done he made it in force throughout his Dominions; but how little do Christians prise this good Law of God, 1 Tim. 1. 8. which place must needs be intended of the judicial Law, as my honoured friend Mr. Peter hath rightly observed, for he speaks of the Law against Murderers and Whoremongers; did Plato and those famous Law givers light their Candle at Moses Law, making use of Scripture for Civil wisdom, though not for their Religion? and shall Christians that have such a Treasure in their hands as the holy Laws of God, make no use of it for the Civil policy of States for which the judicial Law was principally intended? I never understood any other Reason of Clergy men's sitting in great Counsels, but that no Law might be enacted till it were examined by the Law of God, and the Levites being judges amongst the jews does not prove that one man may have several callings, for all true reputation consists in the discharge of a man's proper profession, but that the Law of God was as their Civil or Common Law, justice is the end of the Law, the Law is the Commonwealths servant; the Magistrate is God's Party, and the Image of God; therefore the Law must be in substance according to the model of the Law of God. Blessed be God for the many good Laws that have been made since january 30. 1648. yet still I hear that the great cry in England is Reformation of 
Reformatio Legum.  Laws no doubt there may be abuses and errors specially in the practical part of the Law, and I know, it is and hath been long in your Honour's Breasts to Rectify and Reform them, and to settle an expedient for speedy, cheap, and sure justice to run down, not by drops, but like a mighty stream, Amos 5. 29. in a quick, constant and invariable way; I confess I am something troubled at the diversity of honest men's opinions in this particular; some look upon it as a more difficult work then abolishing the Tyrannical Government, that Lawyers will struggle as much for their interests, as Bishops did, that many honest men must be disobliged who have been cordial to the State, and must suffer Diminution in point of Fees, and so conclude that the work is not done, because it cannot be done, though it be the earnest desire of all honest men, yet the difficulty of the work discourages the enterprise, as Columbas and others who discovered the western Plantations knew that there was Land there; but looked upon the voyage as insuperable, whereas (to my weak apprehension) there will be no such great difficulty in the thing, for first as to suits 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 mouths; indeed after Civil wars, what by reason of former obstructions in Courts of justice; and personal Animosities there must needs be abundance of suits, and therefore in Germany, France, and other Nations upon the settlement of a Peace, they usually pass an Act of Oblivion or grant Commissions for determining them in a summary way, dispensing with the solemnities of their Imperial Constitutions and municipal ways of proceedings, the people having been so exhausted by the wars, being not able to undergo tedious Circucularities in their Law-matters; for the remedy would prove worse than the disease; and then for the future, men will not be so contentious, when they see that it is in vain to begin or defend unjust or vexatious causes when dilatory and declinatorie pleas and exceptions (like the Sea-marks) are to be avoided 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 cross suits and clapping great Actions upon him who is not able to give Bail thereunto, or by the Defendants wearying out the Plaintiff, and forcing him to become Recreant, like the Trial by battle, if the Defendants Champion can hold out so many hours his innocence is presumed, or like the Tyrant that threatened Death to one, unless he would make his Ass to speak as Balaams did; which he undertook to do in three years; and his friends judging him to be in a desperate condition, he said, that within that time, either he or the Tyrant, or the Ass would be dead; but when men shall peeceive that it is but an expense of time and of coin to defend unjust suits or to Commence frivolous or malicious Actions; the parties will agree, and there will not be one suit of twenty, and for difficult matters experience shows us that special 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 looked after and throughly provided for; otherways it is but to look after the booty before the victory be wholly obtained, but then with all possible expedition because as to the malignants in England, specially such as make any Conscientious scruples about great Mutations there is nothing will so soon win their hearts and settle their minds in conformity to the present government as the Regulating of the Course of justice which belongs to all men as men only, and not as Christians; it is not the force of power but the force of reason that conquers hearts, and certainly as the spring is best for purging natural bodies, so is the spring of a Commonwealth the most proper season for rectifying bodies politic, when the wheels of Reformation are well oiled, and in a true motion, no man thinks himself a loser, though he suffer in his particular, because the public 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 wisdom to put down 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 less 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 lawful for any judge but only for the supreme authority to remove a stone which is ill placed in the building; Laws that are made by public consent are not to be judged or censured by any but the Law makers, because by them all judgement is made; as justice (which is to do reason to every man) is the end of the Law so the Law must be the rule of that justice; a judge must not judge of Laws, but according to Laws, and no man must be wiser than the Law, are excellent maxims, the Law is the hedge of every State, and he that breaks down the hedge shall be bitten with Serpents: I confess it would be most honourable for the Reverend judges and learned practisers of the Law to present an expedient to that good effect, and to do it so effectually as to challenge all rational knowing men to find out a better; Men that travail 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 miscarry and die for want of formal and Regular proceedings occasioned through the want of friends or money as many poor sick people die for want of looking to; it is no such hard matter to discover the defects and errors in a man's profession, nor to propound an expedient for Civil justice, to satisfy every honest man without hurting any man's person, or destroying him in his livelihood only pareing the nails 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 only an imparative but an operative word, so in the infancy of a Commonwealth every thing is to be done in order; as many a man may lie long sick without any fault in the Physician, physic, or patient, so may it be in a body Politic, weighty stones require a long time to be laid in a building, & sometimes the impatience of the sick Patient records and hinders the cure. I crave leave to say a word in faithfulness to the Reverend and learned practisers of the Law my honoured 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 dross, and to take away all the Tin that is in our profession by rooting up those unnecessary delays which are like pricking briers and brambles about the Vine of justice retaining but what is moral and rational; judging that to be Law which is a decree of practic, reason agreeing with the Law natural and eternal, then shall we be judges as at the first & Counsellors 
Vivimus.  as at the beginning, I say in that case we live; but if we be like the Oak that will rather break then bow▪ if we stand upon the Excellency and the Antiquity of our Laws because they came in with the Romans and were never altered by Danes, Saxons, or Normans, than it is 
Morimur.  death, and so it will be of all other professions or mysteries where people find themselves grieved and straitened in their liberties what ever questions may be made▪ as what will you destroy the Law? if they cannot untie the knot they will cut it, they will have a Law but it shall be for their own good and so plain that they may understand it, else they will not be bound by it; the Law is but a servant to the Commonwealth if it be found inconvenient or mischievous in Theory or practise it must be changed, and no doubt but many formalities and ceremonies must be buried in the sepulchre of Monarchy, many old forms and cursary observations which exalt themselves must like the Ceremonial Laws of the jews vanish and dissolve; a learned judge shall not be directed in making Orders, or giving Rules by the ancientest Clerk▪ but what is moral, rational 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 look the same way, I say not in substance but many ceremonies and formalities in the practice of the Law must vanish upon the settlement of the Commonwealth upon its true Basis even as the old shadows and Legal ceremonies of the jews did disappear and vanish at the coming of the substance, but we know that there was much struggling to maintain them, and the Apostles did not absolutely condemn such as were zealous for their old practices, they thought it better to temporize a little, and to give the Ceremonies a decent funeral gradually as the people were able to leave it rather than to struggle too much and destroy all that are contrary minded, and Paul's council in the 15. of the Acts is full of divine wisdom, that where God hath put no difference between Christians, but purified their hearts by faith they should not oppress one another through difference of opinions, though it was about a great ordinance (a Scripture that should make many Christians ashamed for refusing to join & walk with such in Christian societies that are not in every thing alike minded with them) all honest Patriots and faithful servants to the Commonwealth are not happily of the same judgement about the Reformation of the Laws and settling the course of the practice, yet are not therefore to differ in affection, but being intent upon the popular utility, and therein all agreeing, there is much prudence required, not to disoblige honest men so to reform for the public 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 employment which is not evil in itself but by accident, should be destroyed & turned a begging I hope we are none of us possessed with that perniciousiprinciple of the Pope's infallibility, nor much taken with that tale of Counsel given to our late King in Spain upon a set of Diamond buttons that he had in his doublet all fastened by one thread, one of them slipping they all fell off, says a Grandee there, so it will be Sir in England if you part with an inch 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 honoured brethren in England: Let us not be like that generation of men the Bishops that hated to be reform; so the Commonwealth flourish it is no matter what becomes of our practices; we are members of that Body, and if it go well with the State it cannot go amiss 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 lingering consumption then deny ourselves in point of diminution of gain, it is not necessary that we should live, much less exact great matters, but that justice be easy and speedy, and mercy shown to the poor is the only thing necessary; Indeed the the greatest part of my fear is, that many Godly honest hearts are possessed with an opinion that knowledge is not requisite in a Commonwealth as under a Monarchy, as if learning was only for a Court and for the splendour of Majestic, which indeed is the glory of all Nations.  
The Lord deliver England from three sorts of Mountebancks, judges, Ministers, and Physicians, that have but one saddle for all horses, that getting upon a bench talk of great cures, and if they cure one for a hundred that miscarry; they are admired, like some old witches; not knowing the reason or cause of any effect or operation, which is the only currant learning, one man's reason (like his money) being as good as another's; the grand reason why the learned judges in E. 3. and H. 6. and E. 4. times, and since, have not endeavoured a Reformation of the Laws hath been for want of consideration to what end the Law was ordained; they have been very learned in book cases; in the historical part, that such a Case was so adjudged; but the reason of that judgement, whether for the public good or to advance prerogative they looked not after, neglecting the political part and end of the Law: And not tracing the Kings of England, in their foundations and footsteps of Tyranny; in so conferring all places and offices of justice in the several Courts that it might mount (like a Pyramid) to advance prerogative; but certainly the greatest misery to an Innocent is the ignorance of the, judge for what conscience can there be where there is no science, what justice can be expected from such (though honest and godly men) that neither know what justice is, nor what Law the rule of justice is, nor why such a Case is Law, but do justice right or wrong, as we say Proverbially, if the Plaintiff demand a hundred pound give him fifty pound to make them friends; and if a tall man have a short cloak, and a low man have a long cloak let the tall man have the long cloak for conveniency; and truly Title Conveniency will be very large; indeed the Law ought to be plain and easy, obvious to every man's sense & apprehension; but if every man did know the Law, that is not all that is requisite in a judge.  
There is first, Patience; to hear 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 heard 
Pauca recensentes facile pronunciant.  Parties and Council speak enough. There is doubtless much learning required in a Minister to be able to speak to a Case of Conscience, to compare Scripture with Scripture, and to search for Truth as in Ours, which is a laborious work▪ indeed if there were a plain Precept for every duty, and a litter all express prohibition against every sin, there would be the less need of learning in the Ministry; but many truths lying deep, (though every believer hath the Spirit of God, to apply the Blood of Christ to his own soul) 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 gross sins are no sins, because not literally forbidden, and many duties neglected, because not commanded in express te arms in Scripture, though by necessary deductions made manifest by the help of reason; though Lea, Rachel, and Sarah furnished their husbands with other women, and that many of the Patriarches had many wives, yet there is no such Law now; though the Scripture say, we are to give an account of every action, yet we shall be accountable as well for our idleness; 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 general redemption, as we for any Article of our faith: It is not for bunglers to take upon them the charge of souls; 
Cura anima rum est cura curarum.  And there is much learning requisite in a Physician to know the principles of man's Composition, the nature of Spirits, the nature, causes, Symptoms, and differences of the several diseases, and the method and manner of curing them; the knowledge of herbs, flowers, plants, roots, trees, mettles, mineral, drugs; and how to choose and prepare medicines, with infinite other particulars which require a whole man to attain a competent measure or knowledge therein; and God forbid that any Empiric should be suffered to try experiments upon so noble a subject as the body of man, and though sincerity of affection may counter veil depth of judgement in private matters; and advises; yet in things of public concernment, it will be but a blind zeal to judge according to events, for hard and great matters will arise in judgement, Exod. 18. 26. but the part of a judge is more difficult in some respects specially in point of time. A Minister hath a week happily for his Sermon, and seldom any disease so violent, but the Physician may consult about it; but where many people demand justice at an Assizes, there is not only a promptitude of elocution, but much science requisite to give quick dispatch, which is the Client's joy, and judgement is something more than science. Be instructed ye judges of the earth! but be 
Erudimini.  conscientious 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 judges are so far to be skilled in the Law of God, that in all causes coming before them they are to warn the Clients that they trespass not against the Lord, 2 Chron. 19 10. If this learning should fall (which I hope I shall never live to see) than 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 suits the parties Litigant commonly think that they are both in the right, and if the matter be heard by no wiser men than themselves, how shall he that is in the wrong ever come to see his Error? and this Prudence in a judge consists principally in giving satisfaction to the hearers, that the sentence is Just, and if possible to satisfy him against whom judgement is given, that he hath no wrong done him.  
Thirdly, justice; which must respect the cause and not the person; judges were pictured blind and the Areopagites gave sentence in the dark; Thou shalt not pity the poor in judgement (though it be plausible (and natural for tender hearted men especially so to do yet) God abhors it.  
Fourthly, There is required Mercy; after judgement, the poor man's condition is to be considered, for, if justice be wound up a peg too high in the Execution of it, it breaks Summa justicia is the degeneration of it.  
But by this learning I am far from understanding any Craft or Artificial subtillities in taking legal exceptions for the quashing of Inditements and thereby to save a witch or a murderer from the Gallows, or to arrest the judgement when the money is conscionably due to the Plaintiff, this is none of that wisdom which Solomon desired, I Kings 3. 9 which is requisite in a judge; it is a wise and understanding heart to discern judgement between good and bad, truth and falsehood, a righteous and just cause, from that which only is so in appearance the simplicity of the Dove in doing wrong to no man, and the wisdom of the Serpent, to see that by subtility in plead, unnecessary delays, captious interpretations, and clamorous importunities, an honest cause be not delayed▪ or overthrown; mark I beseech you, what a judge Prince job was Chap. 29. 11. when the ear heard me, than it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me, hearers had not words enough to praise my eloquence, he was so admired, that any one but job would have been proud of half so many acclamations. Ver. 12, 13, 14. Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him; the blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness and it clothed me, my judgement was as a robe & a diadem, the poor oppressed ones gave him 10000 benedictions, the widow owed to his care, the conservation of her children; and by banishing sadness from her looks he made her life comfortable, and her mouth published his praise; the fatherless, being virtuously educated, were in a better condition, then when they had a father; though Kings adorn themselves with purple, yet they mind their pleasures and honours more than doing justice to the friendless; but jobs principle ornament and garment, Crown, and Diadem, was justice.. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame, I was a father to the poor, and the cause which I knew not, I searched out, he mixed the quality of a father with that of a judge, granting executions against poor men with a bleeding heart; melting to think that such as are lame, and blind, should be ordered to run, and see like those who are to lie in prison for one hundred pound when they are not worth twenty pounds; certainly the most honourable title is to be styled a father of the poor (for what need is there of rich men, but only to do good to the poor?) and though a Iudge must not pity the poor in judgement, yet after judgement pronounced there is place for mercy, which is but justice; and before sentence the poor man's interest ought to be so dear & precious to the judge as not to pronounce any sentence against him till his cause be throughly not only opened, but studied▪ and when the poor had none or but little Council, job was as well their Advocate as their judge; As by the wisdom of the Law of England the judge is to be a Council for the prisoner in matter of life and death, so was justice job a Council for poor men in all Civil Causes; and would not let any man lie in prison for a debt until he had examined the justness of it, and that it was clearly due as well in equity as by Law, and his justice is most conspicuous. job 31. 13. If I did despise the cause of my man servant or of my maid servant, when they contended with me; he heard the complaint of his slaves, he permitted every man to speak for himself before he be hailed to prison, to allege reasons why he ought not to be carried thither, and the ground of such his supereminent justice was ver. 14. 15. What then shall I do when God riseth up, and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? did not he that made me in the womb, make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb? that though he was a judge 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 judge, and the Client be different, yet their birth is alike, God is Father of them both, the Client's body moulded of dirt, and the judges not form of any nobler matter, and that both of them had the honour of being form by the hand of God, and both their souls made after his Image, as if judge job 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 poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; Or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof: (for from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father; and I have guided her from my mother's womb.) If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; if his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my Sheep; if I have lift up my hand against the fatherless▪ when I saw my help in the gate; then let mine Arm fall from my shoulderblade and mine arm be broken from the bone; for destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure; if I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, thou art my confidence; if I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much; if I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him. The stranger did not lodge in the street, but I opened my doors to the traveller. If I used to keep guard at my study-doore that suitors could not speak with me without a fee; if I sent a man back with a shameful denial; if I did not minister speedy justice to the poor for the love of justice; and to the rich for a small matter; when I sat in the City-gate where the Court of justice were kept that every man might see and hear 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 sucked the same milk; 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 wool of my flock hath not defended the poor from the storms and rigour of winter; if I have ill treated the Orphans 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 esteem of birth than virtue, and preferred greatness before piety; I then wish that that guilty part may be torn from my body and that to terrify all judges that abuse their power; then let my arm be broken from the bone by the infamous hangman; for Mariners are not in so much fear of the Tempest in winter as I stand in awe of the anger of the great judge. If mine enemy's misery have been any pleasure to me; if I have thought myself better than my neighbours, because I was richer, if I were ever overcome by threats, or corrupted by presents, to pervert judgement; if my constancy was ever shaken by any bribe; or if ever money had more power over my mind then reason; if I were ever cruel 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 only to have hurried any man to prison to have repaired my honour, or contented my passion, but such as also would have cut them in pieces, and devoured them; if I have not help every man to his Lands that had right to them without drawing tears from their eyes by tedious attendances, than 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 historical observation?  
In Holland after they had given a wrtt of Ejectment to Monarchy & the Mass, the Courts of justice for a time went on in their tedious formalities; which so discontented the people (their Law suits taking them off from their trades with dilatory and costly attendances) that they began to repent themselves of their so dear purchase liberties; Doctor Walaeus professor then at Leiden, a grave, judicious man, having by Scripture and reason satisfied and quieted many exasperated minds, that the chief Magistrates of the Provinces, aught in the first place, principally to intend securety, and laying foundations (where the super structures will be easy) then applied himself to the Senators in an oration, which though I do not affect the mixing of Latin in an English discourse, yet lest the liquor should be vitiated by pouring it out into another vessel, I think fit to give you his own words, speaking of judges and Advocates, by way of interrogation, or admiration he saith; Nos qui sumus Reipublicae Christianae Candidati; tales respiciemus & retinebimus judices ac Legulares, quos Cicero vocat, praecones Actionum, Cantores formularum, & Aucupes syllabarum; ut qui cadat, in litera, cadit in causa. Absit; long absit; nos tales habebimus judices & Advocatos qui Deo noverint dare quod suum est, & populo quod suum est; plana vera; & immota praescripta justiciae 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 aliis 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 scriptures, 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 juris, quae formulae Legis non suntipsa Lex; And much more to the same effect by learned Walaeus; which oration of his, took such impression, that within a month after, the form of Legal proceedings received such an alteration and abbreviation, that whereas before according to Imperial constitutions, a suit in Law continued three or four years, and the best purse at last prevailed, causes were ordinarily ended in a month; and if the Plaintiff cannot bring his cause to a period in three months he is dismissed of course, unless it be necessary to send Commissions beyond seas between Merchant and Merchants, or in very difficult cases, and where the witnesses are in foreign parts rare; The contrary practice whereunto is but as a sweet harmony to Satan, for does not he laugh to see a murderer escape through a misnaming or mistake in the Indictment; and a poor man that cannot read hanged for a sheep, or some corn taken to relieve his poor wife and children; to see a man that hath an estate to walk abroad and confront his creditors (though a prisoner in execution) and a poor wretch not worth ten pounds thrust into a hole until he pay one hundred pounds, which he is no more able to do then the Philosopher to dry the sea with an Oyster shell; It is not Cor gaudium to him, to hear learned men say, that the Plaintiff hath a clear 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 Majesty dispense with the breach of thy holy Law, to save the life of an Ox or a Sheep, that should fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, and shall not thy servanti dispense with a circumstance (where the right plainly appears) to save the life of a family; nothing is substantial in a course of justice but what is equal, reasonable, and good, all other forms or methodes are but in effect Popery, or Turkism, as being a slavery to men's persons, or estates, and to be abolished by virtue of the Covenant which in the equity of that branch of the Hierarchy I speak of the Ceremonial and Circumstantial forms 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 Gospel's 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 than 
Dr. st▪  books, the main pillar whereof is the righteous Law of God, according to which the reformation must be, otherwise it is impossible to have any settled peace in a Commonwealth, where every one does or may study Scripture; it is pure solid reason whereof to deprive any Law, Custom, or Course of a Court, is to take away the soul from man, for where the Law or any Course of Practice is taken upon trust by tradition and not upon election and choice of reason, the greatest tyranny and oppression is exercised by colour of that Law which puts oppression both into one Act and an Art, but then this Law must be public reason, that which the judicious and most learned men judge so to be, not the sense or judgement of any private man, for that will be as dangerous to the Commonwealth as the private interpretation of Scripture arising out of some men's brains, and not out of the Scripture itself, is to their souls. 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 truths 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 chains, 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 concernment for all that are servants to the Commonwealth in public employments, to live in the opinion of all good men as the best and strongest fortification and engagement to faithfulness and diligence, therefore having received some loving advertisements from some faithful friends in England, as if we proceeded here irregularly or arbitrarily in matters of justice; that some turned the Law into Preaching that had other business 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 Honours. I crave leave to answer, first, as to the administration of Civil justice in this Province, thus it stands; my Lord Lieutenant (the days of whose life, the Lord of life multiply and sweeten to the further Terror of his Enemies: and greater comfort of his dear servants) upon many petitions from the Inhabitants of the Province of Munster was pleased to revive the presidency Court there as formerly; consisting of the Lord Precedent, two Gownemen, viz▪ a first and second justice, and other Commissioners.  
My Lord Deputy (who is a blessed Instrument and indefatigable in the works of holiness and righteousness) for the great ease and safety of the people, hath altered the Provincial Court into County Courts, that whereas before the people travailed forty or fifty miles, now their differences are ended at home in the nature of Assizes or sit; And the Honourable Commissioners of Parliament promoting the true liberties and freedom of the people, have given great ease to them in taking away some needless offices and in matter of Fees, there being seldom twenty shillings spent in a cause by all parties, unless it be in Counsels Fees, which are ascertained, and but very small in comparison; I do not in the twenty shillings include the charge of witnesses which yet is very small, not going out of their own County; but the Fees usual which are allowed to the officers, jury, Clarks, and Attorneys (for the Court hath not any) every man pleading his own Cause, which I observe to be a good way for discovering the truth; The form and method of proceedings hath not by me been altered in any point considerable; but indeed the original constitution of the Court seem to me to be excellent in four particulars.  
The first process of the Churt hath ever been a summons in the nature of a Subpena, than an attatchement or distress of the defendants goods, not restraining his person but for matter of Contempt, or upon very just and reasonable cause.  
Secondly, It is a mixed Court, and the Bill may contain both Law and equity whereby half the suits in the Province are ended or prevented, but hath no Cognizance of Pleas real concerning titles of Land.  
Thirdly, The Cause is heard and ended as soon as it is ripe for hearing; indeed herein is some alteration, for whereas formerly there were but two or three sit in a year; the justices and practizers attending the upper Courts at Dublin, in the Termtime, and so causes depended long; Now (having no other business to do) we end the difference as soon as it is prepared for a hearing, which some (how justly let wise men judge) have censured to be an inovation and precipitous justice; indeed precipitancy is the Stepmother of justice, and must as carefully be avoided as falling from a Rock, but that is to hear 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 trial is the Plaintiffs joy and just judgement delayed may prove worse than 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 paid by instalment as the Defendants are able to pay them (a most excellent and admirable composition of a Court) for the case of poor Ireland stands thus; the poor English who through God's mercy saved their lives, but lost their estates by the Rebels; begin now (blessed be God) to return to their possessions, and the protected Irish make a hard shift to live, paying great Contributions; and many a poor man hath got a plough of five or six garrons, as many cows, forty or fifty sheep, all worth about fifty pound; this poor man pays for horn and corn, and begins to grow warm in his business, but comes an Action of debt (like an armed man) upon him, for fifty or a hundred pound, contracted before, or for his necessary subsistence during the Rebellion; the Plaintiff having been long out of his money, is very stomachful (blame him not after so long fasting) and prosecutes with all rigour; judgement cannot be denied him; an execution against goods in other Courts Issues of Course, and what follows? the goods are sold at under rates, at 25. or 30. l'. (for who will buy his neighbour's goods so taken from him but will be sure of a good pennyworth?) and the fees and charges of the execution are so great, that the debt if it were but 50. P. is not half paid, and for the remainder, the defendant is taken in execution where he starves to death, and his wife and poor children begs from door to door, unless relieved by the parish; but by the course of this Court the defendant comes in, and prays an Instalement and a jury of indifferent and impartial neighbours install the debt to be paid by several gales and days of payment, as in the Defendant shall be thought able, and if the jury (who certainly are the proper judges in such cases, for it may be their own cases the next day) finds any fraud, deceit, or violence, the Defendant is imprisoned, as he well deserves, by which means (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 County scarce know ten of them but are paid, or secured, whereas if the reins of the Law had been 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 flock taken away, his friends leave him, and so misery quickly finds him; but give him time, he works like a mole to keep himself 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 noun substantive; I could instance in many that had Actions against them of 2. or 3000 l'. value (it would pity a man to see more load still laid on, as if they would be pressed 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 grows into as good credit, as any of his neighbours, the contrary practice of not instaling debts, as men are able to pay, hath been the ruin of many families that might have flourished to this day; and by this means the Contribution to the Army is paid, Agriculture increased with many families) would all be quickly ruined if the Farmers should be unstocked by such executions. The practice of this Court hath likewise formerly been very profitable and easy to the people in matter of Executorships, and Administrations, as to end ten or twenty suits upon one bill filled against an executor, or administrator, the creditors are all called, and every man's part proportioned according to the conscionable demerit of the debt, and not the whole estate swept away upon a dormant judgement, to the defrauding of many poor Creditors, with some other equitable practices too long for an Epistle.  
As to the second censure that many preach uncalled, or that have other business to do, we know that until there was a standing office of Priesthood, Moses who was the chief judge of all Civil 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 do not read that he was consecrated himself; Magistracy and Ministry are distinct bodies, but in the absence of a Minister, every gifted man, not only may, but aught to speak to the people, as a good steward of the grace of God under penalty, not only to have the Talon taken from him (which human prudence would think sufficient) but the unprofitable servant is to be cast into utter darkness, in which sense doing all that we can, I hope we are not unprofitable servants; If such an objection should be regarded here, we had long since been Atheists, without any face of Religton upon the Sabbath day, and without any form of godliness; surely if in Law, much more in Religion; Necessity makes that not only lawful but commendable, 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 virtue of that Statute, that hath a special gift and ability to be a Preacher; but there is something of more particular concernment. In suits depending between 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 speak truth upon a Lady's Psalter, or by St. Patrick; now they will not come to our Sermons to hear their gross Idolatries and superstitious fopperies reproved, but are very constant auditors in Courts of justice, where some of us take occasion to inform them of the nature of Oaths, and endeavour to convince them of the ridiculousness 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 perjury remembering them of Ananias, and Saphira, who for telling a lie (without any oath) were strucken dead upon the place; that their Popes have been monsters of mankind, conjurers, witches, and devils in a humane figure; that Priests and Friars are very cheats and thiefs in robbing poor deluded simple people; that their Priests by their Law are not to marry, and by custom not to live chaste; that the pretended miracles they brag on, are mere impostures; that their true miracles are only such as these their Priests to have no wives, and yet many children; Friars to have no ground and yet most corn; no money nor vineyards yet the best Sellars of wines and provisions; that it is a miracle that they do not all rise as one man against the Pope for his cruelty, that having power (as they hold, and himself confesses) to let out and discharge all their ancestors & friends from Purgatory (which they say, is as hot as Hell fire) yet will not do, because they have not money enough to give him, and his Priests for it; that their Religion is wholly composed and patched up of judaism, Paganism, and Turkism, 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 than what some of the Reverend judges 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 seem to exasperate, yet the manner of delivery may much mollify and salve it; we pity their blindness, that their souls 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 own 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 we have silenced the Clergy in Munster, to make way for ourselves to vent our own 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 briefly to report the true state thereof; at my coming into Munster, I found the Clergy there generally sequestered for delinquency against the Parliament, in having adhered to the Lord of Ormondes' and Lord Inchiquines' illegal authorities, after their being declared Traitors▪ 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 general case in Adam, that man who was the master piece of the creation was wholly lost, was pleased to refer the said Clergies Petition to Sir William Fenton, Colonel Phaier, and myself, to proceed against them in like manner as the Honourable Committee at Westminster proceed against scandalous Delinquents, or insufficieut Ministers; which we did accordingly and (in his Excellency's absence) attended my Lord Deputies pleasure therein, who joined Esquire Gookin, Dr. Harding, Colonel Hodder, and Capt. Baker▪ with us, and as in all his Actions having in his eye the glory of God, and the goodtof poor Creatures, required us to Act therein as might most conduce to the public good we endeavoured what we could to separate the precious from the impure, and to distinguish between murder and manslaughter; viz. though they had all contracted, and were involved in a general guilt by that subscription; and consequently obnoxious to justice; because a greater difference could not possibly have been done to the Parliament, then for the Provincial Ministers to declare their judgements and resolutions to assist and adhere to those Traitors, for no doubt but thereby many of the English which had so much suffered by the Rebels were taken off from their former good affection & faithfulness to the Parliaments just authority, being like so many poor sheep, ruled by those whom they call their spiritual Shepherds; yet becanse many of them might be drawn 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 scandal in life and doctrine, and were gifted for the Ministry are continued, and enjoy their benefices without diminution, unless it be in case of pluralities: and truly for my own part, I found much Ingennitie in many of them; and wherein they differ from us, I take it to be from a conscientious principle; & hope & daily pray that there may be a right understanding and better agreement between all honest and conscientious people that fear the Lord, that we may all as one man with one shoulder, labour to exalt the Kingdom of jesus Christ▪ and to advance holiness & rigbteousnes in our several Actions; but indeed, the harvest is like to be very great in this Nation, and the laborers in Christ Vineyard are very few, many poor English here are like corn, ready to be brought into God's Barn by Conversion, but there are very few painful, skilful, harvest-men, pray we therefore the Lord of the Vineyard, that he will send forth Laborers unto his Vineyard, or as the words are, cast them out, for men are very slow in so holy a work, Preachers that have the tongue of the Learned, that know how to speak 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 news of the translation of our incomparable Lord Deputy, the truly Honourable Henry Ireton Esquire; therefore though I fear I have already exceeded the limits of an Epistle, yet my heart being so brimful of grief, I humbly beg Your wont Clemency, and much Honoured patience, that it may a little vent and run over in a few broken words, though bedewed with tears, his Death is such an Eclipse to poor Ireland; that may be best felt & understood many years hence; indeed England and Scotland, and all sorts of people in the three Nations, especially the poor oppressed fatherless, and widows (to whom he was upon all occasions a patron, father, and husband) have no small cause of lamentation, never had Commonwealth a greater loss, because undoubtedly there was never a more able painful, provident and industrious servant; that with more wisdom, prudence, faithfulness, fortitude, and selfe-deniall, discharged his duty to all people, and acted every part so well since he first appeared to public view, as if he had been borne only for that particular; if he erred in any thing (as error and humanity are inseparable) it was in too much neglecting himself, for like a candle he wasted his vitals, to give light to others, seldom thinking it time to eat till he had done the work of the day at nine or ten at night, and then will sit up as long as any man had business with him; indeed he was every thing from a foot Soldier to a General; 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 dear (as I understand) occasioning the fever; his heavenly Father would not suffer him to die by the hand of the enemy, nor of the Pestilence▪ whereby many of his dear servants have been called home; he was a most exact justiciary in all matters of moral righteousness, and with strength of solid reason had a most piercing judgement, and a large understanding heart to discern between good and evil, truth and error; he 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 God's honour, that he never thought himself served or be friended in any Action unless God was therein, served and honoured; let us mind our duty (says he) and what Scripture have you to warrant it? I believe few men knew more of the Art of Policy and self interessed prudentials, but never man so little practised them; he is, and shall be most dear to my remembrance; and of all the Saints that ever I knew, I desire to make him my Precedent; for uprightednes, singleheartednes, and sincerity; he exercised it to his enemies; Oh, says he, deal platnely with them, let them know what they must trust too, and though he was very sparing in his promises to the Rebels, yet he was most liberal in performances; he had a very clear divine light of truths supernatural, and being strong in faith and of a most humble and meek spirit, gave God the glory of all success; upon the least loss we received by the Irish, or any disappointment; Oh, says he, is not our God angry with us? let us be fervent in prayer to know his mind in every check or chastisement; as upon the loss in attempting the Island by Lymericke, where gallant Major Walker lost his life; He wrote to Colonel Laurence, and others of us here, by the name of his Christian friends and brethren, to be earnest with the Lord, to know his mind what he would have his poor servants in the Army to do; I do verily think, that since the Apostles days there was never more Divine breathing of the Spirit of Christ in any Letter then in that; He had a most noble property, that if any man was questioned or censured behind his back, he would be his Counsel, and argue for him every thing that could be rationally alleged; never did man in the owning of his Authority more disowne himself; he was a most exemplary Christian in duties of piety and Religion, always beginning and ending Conferences & Counsels with prayer, seeking wisdom, advise and strength from God upon all occasions, he had constantly (when in Garrison) an exercise before supper, and though he sat in Council till eight or nine at night, yet by his good will the discourse should not be the shorter, but when Mr. Patient (a man of great experience in heavenly things) or any other, seemed to be strained in time, he would say, let us not think that time too long in Gods immediate service, and when others had spoken to any disputable and useful question, he would speak with that depth of judgement ever tending to unity and unanimity in opinions and affections, that (to my slender apprehensions) I do not know that ever I heard him maintain any error; and was willing to hear truth from the Soldier; when the sickness increased the last year, he appointed not only one or two days to seek the Lord to revoke that Commission▪ but every fourth day of the week for six weeks together; and sure it is a blessed thing when Moses speaks to Aaron, the Magistrate to all God's people, to be servant 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 form, opinion, judgement, or attainment; but where he found the main bent and resolution of his school to be to know God in the face of jesus Christ, and to promote his glory, to serve the Saints, to begin or second a good motion, with all his might; to do 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 honours, profits and pleasures of this life for Christ's 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 only foundation of that Church, against which the gates of hell shall never prevail, as that sweet spirited Christian Mr. jesse hath unanswerably evinced; he would often say to this effect, that there was no honour like to the service of jesus Christ, and let our ambition be who shall be most instrumental for God in his generation, and having done our work with all diligence, let us trust God for our wages, but half work 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 controversy with many of us in Ireland for several deficiencies or redundancies, as first, our undervallueing the Lords Supper, I am afraid sometimes that God will make the less account of our bloods and of our children, because we so little esteem (if not trample underfoot) the blood of his Son in that Ordinance; if a Christian cannot conveniently enjoy it, yet he should mourn for the want of it. Secondly, for not Sanctifying the Lords Day, the morality whereof too many deny, and such as hold it, yet upon every trivial and slight business, 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 public utility; but a culpable necessity of our own making will not excuse the breach of that holy Law. Thirdly, that when the honest interest is struggling for life some should be striving for estates or rather when jesus Christ is daily Crucified in his members by the bloody Tories, there should be emulations and contentions amongst us for superiority, or prudency, as was amongst the Apostles; that whereas S. Paul only commands to render honour to whom honour is due, Rom. 13. 7. we are too ready to assume titles of honour which are not owned in England. Fourthly, or it may be that every officer hath not the bowels and tender care of a father to his poor companions, 1 Chron. 11. 17. 18. 19 And David longed and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlem that is at the gate. And the 3. broke through the host of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David, but David would not drink of it but poured it out to the Lord▪ and said, my God forbid it me, that I should do this thing; shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it, therefore he would not drink it. Fiftly, or per adventure that we are not so intent upon the principle work that we were sent over about▪ viz to right and restore the plundered, banished, and oppressed English, Sixtly or lastly, that we do 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, we know not how to cast a severe eye upon the offence, and yet a pitiful eye upon the person, some are too indulgent in the remission of just punishment; others turn judgement into wormwood 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 Holiness, justice▪ and Mercy; specially such as are entrusted in Council and Conduct; this is but as an humble Caution. And whether it pleased God to take away so precius an Instrument; either for his own sins, or for ours (we being indeed not worthy of him) or that his glory may be made more manifest, that he is not tied to any man, but can carry on his own work, in the removal of the wisest Counsellors, and most valiant worthies; It is not for us positively to determine.  
Pray pardon me but a word more, truly all things considered▪ I do 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 excel in one thing▪ and some in another; but for so great a stock of knowledge, such extraordinary abilities in matters and learning, Military, judicial▪ Reipublicall, Mathematical, Moral, Rational, and Divine, I say for every thing requisite and desirable, both as a man and as a Christian, I think it will be hard with many candles to find his equal; but he that made him so good lives for ever, and his years change not, Psal, 102. 27. who can (and I trust will) richly adorn and qualify his successors, and make them such as he would have them to be; that what his Mosesses shall leave undone, may be finished by his joshuaes; which will undoubtedly be so, if our unbelief hinder not good things from us; for blessed be God they which are next in Command here, and many others, are of God's designation Called and faithful and Chosen, and such as honour God; and therefore aught to be honoured; but Tragedies must not be long, those that knew him not may think I speak 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 loss, especially to his dear and honoured relations, (whom the Lord bless with all benedictions, temporal and eternal) for whose sakes I should not have said any thing in point of Commendation lest it should increase their sorrow, but that I hope that they are, and shall pray that they may be more possessed of that rare jewel of Christian resignation and living in the divine will; I am sure that he was tender of the honour and welfare of the Son of God and his members: therefore no doubt but God will be a Father to his good Lady and Children, but great griefs command silence, and it is best to cast a veil upon it, that we sorrow not even as others which have no hope, and now (most Honourable) because God will honour them that honour him; It is but my duty to bear 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 he freed the world from Lions, Wolves, and Tigers; you that may truly say with David; we have killed the Lion and the Bear, shall I trust be blessed and assisted to curb and overcome the Goliahs that oppose righteousness and holiness, the Phylistins, deceivers▪ and mystical wolves; all oppressors, and cruel men, all such as are inwardly ravening wolves in point of self-interest, building their fortunes upon the ruins of honest men, though they appear in any sheep's clothing; so shall your names be famous, and immortal; which yet is not to be interpreted so much a commendations of the persons, as the gifts and Graces of God in them. And so with all submiss gratitude to Your Honours, that we Your faithful servants here, live in Your remembrances, as knowing it to be all the interest expected; therein resembling (like dear Children) Your Heavenly Father, who finding a thankful heart, for one mercy conferrs another; I shall turn my praises of you into prayers for you and yours, that God would make you masters over the people's hearts and minds, as well as over their bodies, that you may be a burdensome stone to all oppression, to break in pieces all petty Tyrants; and to conquer not only the Ecclesiastical beast, but the Political; that if it be his will you may live to raise the superstructures, and finish the building of that foundation which you have so happily laid 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 blissful inheritance of the Saints in light, where is all day and no night, where your daily cares and troubles shall cease; and the voice of the oppressor shall not be heard; so prays  
Your Honour's most dutiful and thankful servant, john Cook.   

Monarchy no Creature of Gods making, etc.  

Monos arkein.  BY Monarchy I understand, the Government of one man over many, to give laws and commands alone; to have thousands accountable to him, and he alone to be accountable 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 account of my actions to none but God alone; God is no more the Author of such a government than he is the Author of sin, which to hold is to deny him to be God, for he that believes a Deity must conclude that God is without fault, without defect, infinitely good, and just, or else he is not God. Monarches that assume an absolute Supremacy to do what they list are not creatures of God's 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 makes use of poison for the good of those that fear him, and that knows how to create light out of darkness. Indeed we read: Dan. 2. 21. That God removeth Kings, and setteth up Kings, Psal. 75. 7. job 34. 30. God plucks down Tyrants that they may oppress no more, yet suffers an Hypocrite sometimes to reign for the wickedness of a people, but he appoints no government but what is just and rational, as a Democracie or Aristocracy elective, for that Wise men should govern 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 knows not how to order himself, Reason abhors it, and God approves it not though he permits it so to be, as those great Empires of Turkey, Persia, the Tartars, Mogul, Russia, China, Presto-Iohn, and to come nearer the Potentates in Europe, whoever assumes such an absolute, unlimited prerogative and supremacy to make Laws, War, pardon Murders, to raise money when he wants it, and makes himself judge of that necessity such a governor rules not by God's immediate will of love and approbation but his mediate will of wrath & anger which he appoints not, having commanded the contrary viz. a just, rational government; but permits and suffers Tyranny and oppression, for glorious ends and reasons best known to his Divine Majesty; 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 Air who ruleth in the children of disobedience for to make any chief Magistrate above law, is to make Authority which is given of God to punish sin, to be a protection against heaven contrary to God's pure essence; not only as if he approved sin, but as if he should protect sin by an ordinance of his own institution, and any accomptablenes in a Monarch destroys that government. And those politic and specious Arguments brought for the maintenance of Monarchy (no doubt the best that could be had for money): poor Calvin made many rich. He 
Pauper Calvinus multos fecit divites.  that could bring a fresh argument against calvin's life or doctrine, or for the Pope's Supremacy had a good pension with impunity for Enormities precedent or subsequent) that they ought not to be accountable to Law for the prevention of Mutinies and Insurrections, that if the King of France or Spain should kill a man it would be more hazard and cost to the people to bring them to justice then to let them escape unpunished and Monarches having the Militia at their commands, and carrying life and death in their eyes and tongues no man dares prosecute against them; The poor sheep thought it very fit that there should be a bell tied about the Wolves neck to give notice of his approach but none of them durst adventure to tie it about him, and 
Prudentia Humana Capitalis Inimica Christi.  therefore says worldly wisdom: Let the people be accountable to Kings, and they only be accountable to God, that is let the Wolves and Bears devour the Sheep without control: As if God had appointed the Bee to make honey only for the Drones; this is to exalt the wisdom of foolish men above the Infinite Wisdom of the Eternal God.  
But the question precisely stated, is whether Monarchical government 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 men's snatching at Scripture, reading here and there a verse, and very few in comparison that will take the pains to consult the whole mind 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 God's 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 legacy part and branch thereof: every one will be objecting; what, was not David a Monarch, and a man after Gods own heart? pray stay a while, it is not said that David's office was after Gods own heart, and the contrary will plainly appear if we consult those sacred Oracles which (the more is the pity) men do not value as their pardon or evidences of their salvation but disesteem them as if they were their Indictment like unhandsome people care not for the glass, or as the Elephant that muds the water to hide its own deformity.  
To begin then with Adam, who had an absolute supremacy over the Creatures, but neither Adam (nor Noah who was the heir of the new world) ever challenged to be Kings, because for one man to set himself above others without giving an account of his Actions, is, to put off the nature of man and to make himself a God, whose will is a Law, and the ground of all created goodness and justice, 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 than 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 poor people, those that would not hunt and catch venison for him he hunted them, and ever since though never before; Monarches and Tyrants have hunted men, as men have hunted Bears 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 gain a name and renown 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 heir to the privileges of Adam, and that the Lord promised Cain that if he did well he should rule over Abel, Gen▪ 4. 7. That will more disservice him in the rear and consequence, than advantage him in the front, for Cain was accountable for murder, and was a man of death for kill Abel and though he did not die (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 dignity 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 magnify the justice of God upon him, the branding, fear, and shame that he underwent being far worse than 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 train of children; and whereas many have instanced in David's 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 own judge▪ 2 Sam. 12. 5. As the Lord liveth that man that hath done this thing shall surely die, than 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 own executioner, but be pleased to observe how Nathan aggravated the sin verse 8. 9 as if it were a far 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 honour to any people in the world then to do justice upon a murderous King but vers. 13. David confesseth his sin: I have sinned against the Lord in kill Vriah the Hittite with the sword, and slaying him with the sword of the Children of Ammon, though David never touched 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 own hands, and as weak to say that there was no malice in him which formally denominates and distinguishes murder from manslaughter, but a Marshal contending for his own right upon such probable grounds, that if a plaintiff in Chancery were nonsuited 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 public spirited men against whom he breathed out so many threatenings, 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 employed, to kill every man that should stand in his way of an absolute unaccountable domination; which certainly is a clearer malice than a thief hath that kills a man that will not lose his purse, the thief hath no desire to hurt the honest man wishes him at his own house in safety, if he would but leave his purse behind him; for I appeal to every sober man whose judgement is not corrupted by preingaged affections which is more heinous murder and offence in the sight of God for a poor 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 himself says 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 poor innocent people; And Nathan said to David, the Lord hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die, 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 God's 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, patterns to such as should believe, not only of Eternal, but of Temporal salvation; he that may command Abraham to sacrifice Isaac may pardon David for kill Vriah, that however the good Thief 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 Temporal but Eternal, if he be under the Law, Galat. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 5. Let no believer suffer as a murderer, thief, or evil doer proves that if any such be murderers they ought to suffer; and the next verse holds forth to me more than what is ordinarily observed: yet if any man suffer as a Christian not for his Religion only, for than it should signify no more than 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 legal punishment as a Christian, let not him be terrified so much at the present death as rejoice that he is going to his father's house to Eternal happiness, let him be more affected and afflicted that Religion should suffer by his fault then for his own sufferings; let him take a kind farewell of faith which shall presently be turned into vision, and of repentance for that all tears shall instantly be wiped from his eyes, let him feel by the spirit how all things work together for his good even his great sin for which he suffers; it being the occasion to bring him soonet to his Crown 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 work hearty Contrition in his soul for the offence as in the case of David, I have sinned, & the heart be kindly touched with godly sorrow (which did not appear to be the Case of the late King) it seems to me that they which carry the sword may in some special 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 instrumental for the Public than his death would have been advantage to the people in point of exemplary Terror without any violation or infringement of that preceptive fundamental law of Gen. 9 6. the reason whereof being perpetual so long as men are made after God's Image it can never be abrogated, though any one should extraordinarily be saved, by the equity of the Law as in David's Case; who certainly were it not for some special reason as a King did more deserve death then for a private person to commit a murder, as he that is a Scholar and knows 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 Bullock, whereas if a poor man sin through ignorance a Kid was sufficient.  
He that with David meditates in God's precepts, and delights in his holy Law, and Statutes, Psal. 119. 15. shall find that in judgement the person of the poor is not to be respected, nor the person of the mighty to be honoured, but in righteousness every man to be judged Levit. 19 
Altius patibulum.  15. King's to die for murder as well as others, and higher scaffolds to be erected for them than others by reason of their high birth, that justice upon them may be more conspicuous, another generation will as much wonder that Wise Royalists should be taken with such fond arguments, as we do now admire that our ancestors should so long believe Transubstantiation, A King's unaccountablenes, and a Pope's Infallibility being all one in the balance of reason. Did not the people disobey a man after Gods own heart in the case of jonathan, and yet vain 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 solemn elections of Knights and Burgesses in Parliament ludibrious and no more than a spider's web.  
The Patriarches until Moses time governed in their several lines and families according to the mind of God never refusing to give an account of all they did to those whom they were over in the Lord; Indeed the Nimrods' and the Pharaohs exercised and usurped authority over poor creatures and finding Nimrods' Monarchy, Gen. 10. in the 16. Chap. we find Wars; four Kings fight against five but for the great Empires of the Assyrians (oh Assiria the Rod of mine anger) Medes and Persians, Grecians and Romans; that have been in the world there is no more ground in Scripture to make such Imperial Government to be of God; then there is for the Pope's supremacy, they that expect another Antichrist are as blind as the poor jews that look for another Messias; and I hope it will be granted me that Antichristian government is no more of Gods ordaining then the Devil may be said to be God's ordinance, because he is permitted to do mischief 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 God's appointment for he had either made himself a King by force, or else being a valiant man, poor people were constrained to run to such for protection, and to put their lives, liberties, and estates under their power, to prevent a greater mischief, and being so subjected the Nimrods' have dealt from time to time no better with them then the Lions with poor beasts which they get into their denns, devour them at their pleasures, thinking it a great courtesy if they reserve them to the second course, as Poliphemus promised Ulysses to keep him for the last bit, or if they afford them food and raiment it is but as the Turks use their slaves, feed them fat that they may the better endure their blows, it is the text of the Civil Law, that all is the Emperors, and what the people enjoy is of courtesy, for says the Emperor, I expect all, and were it not for me another Nimrod should despoil them of all; and so he that steals a Goose and leaves a few feathers behind him, thinks the poor woman is much beholding to his gentleness, but let such titles & claims be examined by the Word of God.  
Before we come to King Moses, we read of many Kings of Edom, and Dukes that descended of Esau, Genes. 36. etc. he is Esau the father of the Edomites, but not a word that this government was approved by God, and what good did Pharaoh ever do, but at the instance of joseph in giving a habitation and maintenance to jacob and his Children, Genes. 47. It is possible that Tyrants may at the crave and Rogation of worthy men consent to the enacting of some wholesome Laws, still keeping the Militia in their own hands to have a power to destroy all when they please, Exod. 1. 8. There arose up a new King over Egypt which knew not joseph▪ but oppressed God's people, and he said unto his people, behold the people of the Children of Israel are more and mightier than we, come on, let us deal wisely with them; Reason of state put jesus 
Habemus legem, etc.  Christ to death, verse 14. All their service wherein they made them serve was with rigour, than the Lord being moved with compassion towards the Israelites respected their cry, he appeared to Moses saying, that he would send him to Pharaoh 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 jesus, was not willing to be King, Exod. 4. 10. I am not eloquent says Moses, but slow of Speech, and God's anger was kindled against him, humble pride is proud humility, when God calls to any employment a Christian may not deny the work of God upon his own spirit, but see what a gallant public spirit King Moses had, Exod. 5. 22. 23. Lord, says he, I can do no good for thy people; it is the greatest grief to a man of honour that he cannot see through his business to the furthest end of it, and when he cannot with Paul do that good which he would; such a man hath a divine calling, and see how Moses stands for the people's liberty, Exod. 10. 9  
He would not accept of his own liberty without the people's rights, but was willing to lose his own natural life to save them spiritually.  
The next Ruler to him of Divine ordination was his successor josua, Deut. 34. 9 as God had been with Moses guideing his heart and hand to govern the people by the law of right reason, not assuming any unaccomptable authority over them but to speak 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 people's good, and if any one could have given advice how to have eased them, or comforted them in the least kind more than he did, he would no doubt have harkened unto it, and when the people murmured as for this Moses we know not what he is; he drew no sword against them, to hurt them, but prayed for them and cried over them, so then the Lord appointed josua to succeed Moses, and the people accepted of him and approved of God's election, josua 1. 15, 16, 17, 18. is a very sweet Covenant and agreement made between Magistrates and people not a word of passive obedience to do josuas' will or suffer his displeasure but the people promised to hearken unto him as they did to Moses, only the Lord thy God be with thee as he was with Moses, that is so far as the Lord is with thee, in the way of holiness and righteousness so far we are thy subjects and no farther, and whosoever rebels against thy Command so far as it is the Commandment of the Lord shall surely die; then josua 3. 9 says to the people, come hither, and hear the Word of the Lord your God, and 4. 14. the people feared josua, but it was because the Lord had magnified him in the sight of all Israel; the Laws that the people were governed by, were the Laws of God which Moses had written in the presence of the people of Israel, josua 8. from the 31. to the 35. and in all difficult causes no doubt but josua consulted with the Elders of Israel, josua 10. He hangs up five Kings, makes quick work with them, they did not plead that their persons were sacred, that they were the Lords anointed and not to be touched, but said josua verse 25. thus shall the Lord your God do 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 fight against them, the Captains of the men of War must put their feet upon the necks of such Kings who ever they be, and they must be smitten, slain, and hanged up until the evening; and never did trees in England yield and bring forth such sweet fruit as those whereof the Scaffolds were made at Whitehall, january 30. 1648. Some slips or stocks whereof to be planted for the same good use of hanging and beheading all Tyrants 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 josua 12. 24. all the Kings 31. and observe the precious counsel that good josua gives to the people before his death, such Rulers and no others are of the Lords appointment.  
Come we to the Book of judges, josua being dead the people did evil in the sight of the Lord, 2. 11. and they were sold into the hands of their Enemies that spoilt them, yet ver. 16. the Lord raised up judges which delivered them out of the hands of those that spoilt 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 war 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, than the men of Israel said unto Gideon, rule thou over us 22. 23. both thou and thy son, and thy son's 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 disdain, hereditary Kingdoms have no footstep in Scripture, but the Lord is said to rule when fit men rule by the Laws of God. Chap. 8. 33, 34, 35. The people soon forgot God and Gideon, than 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 himself King, 9 5. is such one likely to be a governor of God's appointment? Can it be the mind of God that the Trees of the Forest should have a bramble to reign over them? jotham the Survivor ver. 7. stands up and says, harken unto me ye men of Sechem, that God may hearken unto you, and may I humbly beg leave of my miserably deluded and discontented Countrymen to put them in mind of jothams' Parable, and in true love to tell them, that as jotham by that parable foretold their ruin, and ver, 57 the curse of jotham the son of jerubbaal, 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 justice, 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 Lot's wife's conversion into a pillar of salt Genes. 19 26. (which the Lord jesus would have us remember, Luke 17. 32.) may be as savoury condiments to season men's spirits, with a detestation of all Tyranny and oppression, and with a love to justice and Rational government; that the Parliament may give us every day more and more of the fatness of the Olive, the peace bringing Olive quick, cheap, 
Celerem justitiam non justitium.  and sure justice, which can only make peace and harmony in a Common wealth, it being the only strong oak, that can keep up the ship of State from sinking; and let all that would not be found fight against God make a Covenant of salt to be true and faithful to the Commonwealth as it is now established, renouncing ever to have any thing more to do with Abimelecke; for see what became of him ver. 53.  
So God will undoubtedly render the wickedness of those that imbrued their hands in the blood of that learned Doctor Dorislaus, and Ingenious Mr. Ascam, upon their own heads, for such bloody Actions are seldom only punished in hell; Chap. 11. jephthah the Gileadite that mighty man of valour (who was thrust out of his native place by his brethren) was soon called back to their assistance to be their Captain and Ruler, note there a plain agreement and stipulation between a Prince and people, and certainly so it was in the beginning of Parliaments no doubt but it was agreed upon under hand and 
That Fox Herod.  seal (but Kings have been too subtle creatures to suffer it to be printed) that if the King should be of one judgement and the Representatives of another it must pass according to the Public reason of the whole, and that Parliaments were not to be dissolved till the business was done which they met about; other wise what fickle things were Kings? and what vain things were Parliaments, as building of Castles in the Air? Now jepthah 
Magno Conatu nugas agere.  having judged Israel six years, died 12. 7. after whom Ibzan and Edom were judges, they being dead, the Children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines 40. years, 13. 1. then the Spirit of the Lord began to move in Samson 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 days 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 mean such a King as Abimelecke, or as the Gentiles had, to breathe life into the Laws by his Royal 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 oppress, murder, swear, plunder, and commit all manner of wickedness without control, such a monster being fitter to carry garbage to Bears then to live amongst Civil people; but there was then no man zealous for God's 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 justice and mercy, 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 solemn Repentance than they make him a judge vers. 6. being so, he yet prayed, and sacrificed, and the Lord discomfited, the Philistines by Thunder, and Samuel judged Israel all his days, and went Circuits, carrying home justice to the people's 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. judges being to take special care that God may be purely worshipped and glorified, and that God's people may not forget the mercy of the Lord in destroying their Enemies.  
Certainly Moses and Samuel were two of the best judges that ever were in the world; and are to be as patterns and looking-glasses to all Magistrates, so that as he is the best Christian that is most like unto jesus Christ; so he is the best judge that is most like unto Moses and Samuel, Moses Exod. 18. 13. sat to judge the people who stood by him from the morning until the evening he ended the business of the day with the day, ver. 16. says he, I judge between one man and another and I make them know the Statutes of God and his Laws, if a judge can but teach people the Statutes of God and his Laws his work is in a good forwardness, and more than half done: In that Samuel is commended for telling Eli the destruction of his house, it argues that the best part of faithfulness is to discover the abuses and errors in any profession as being best known unto them, for the end of the professors and of every one's profession ought to be the same (viz.) the welfare of the body politic; therefore whereas there are many jeofailes & rubs that lie in the Allies of justice, that poor men are overborne in their righteous causes by full purses which the Reverend judges proceeding regularly as they find the course of the Court, cannot remedy without the power of Parliament; I have seriously thought that oppressions in Courts of justice have been spun by the late Courtiers with so fine a thread that few but those that daily meet with it in practice can see it, and therefore unless it please God to move the hearts of the honourable judges in pure love to justice to propound fit remedies to the Parliament, plasters that may be large enough for the wound, I mean an Act of Retranchement to cut off all unnecessary delays, and expenses in matter of justice, between man and man; that poor men may have it for God's sake, & the rich for reasonable consideration; it will lie very remote from the understandings of many worthy public spirited men what course to take therein; without which all the wars have been but as purge and vomitings; the health of a State consisting in the equality and harmony of justice; and all Martial justice is sanctified by the Civil justice; as for example, if one of the Reverend judges would make it his suit to the Parliament, that a bargain and sale might be as strong, as a fine & Recovery, that a poor Farmer, or Cottager might leave some small portions to his younger Children without paying one or two years' purchase for the charge of a fine, and recovery, what an ease might this be to men of small estates to pass them from one to another, and to cut off Intails by a deed in writing without so much solemnity and expense; if another would set forth the unprofitableness of Outlawries which are to no purpose but to multiply expense; And a third be earnest for an Act to plead the general Issue in all Actions, and at the Assizes to insist wholly upon the merit of the Cause whether the money be due or not, whether the Plaintiff have right to the Land or not; I am confident it would make sweet music in Parliament; I do not intend to dispute the lawfulness of Legal proceedures in point of conscience to them that judge them so, but in point of comfort at the day of judgement let me humbly propound this to those that sit in the seat of justice, 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 paid upon a single Bill, where payment by Law is no plea; or that the Plaintiff in an Ejectment hath a clear right to the Land, but the lease, Entry, and Ejectment was not proved in due form of Law, or if a wilful murder be committed, and so found by the jury but there is a word mistaken in the Indictment whereby the murderer escapes for that Assizes and so the matter compounded, or the prosecutor desists, and the Plaintiff in the Ejectment must begin again having lost his own charges and paid 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 relief where the unjust Plaintiff at Law refuses to appear or else demurs, because he hath a judgement at Law, or the witnesses dead, and so the poor 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 prefixed day and so proved to the jury,) I say whether it would not be easier for them to give an account of reforming such errors then otherwise; but if by the Parliaments intention in altering the judge's oaths enjoining them only to proceed according to justice, the judge may not of himself moderate such like extremities; then of what huge concernment must it needs be, humbly and earnestly to solicit for present remedies, for what soldier 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 than ordinary trouble have recovered them; it cannot but be a purgatory to an Ingenious spirit; certainly that judge which helps a man to his right and thereby preserves a family from beggary 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 clearly appears that the first generation of Monarches and the rise of Kings, was not from above, not begotten by the Word and Command of God but from the people's 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 Capital letters of Gold, and if it were convenient to appoint the reading of it but once a month in the public 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 entreated to hear 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 judicious men that are willingly bound by the same Laws which are made for others, abhorring all thoughts of unaccomptablenes; and to set up a King who fights for a boundless prerogative to do what he pleases on earth giving an account thereof only to God, (as if hell were made only for them who must not be touched nor be punished in this life for any of their abominations;) do cast off and reject the God of justice and mercy: for when good samuel's 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 Legal Thefts of the wicked Nimrods' of the world, and then mark the doom of their favourites, john 12. 48. he that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him, the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day.  
First, it is very observable what it was that bred a dislike of the judges ver. 3. they turned aside after lucre and took Bribes and perverted judgement which Samuel did not ver. 5. when Commonwealths men turn private wealth's men and more mind the Trimming of their own Cabins then the Ship of State, than the people cry out, make us a King to judge us like all the Nations, as if they should say, better have one Tyrant then thirty Tyrants 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, harken unto them, says the Lord, ver. 7. which is no approbation of Monarchy as some vainly argue, the Lord therein dealing with them as a tender wise Physician when the impatient Patient cries out for wine which will increase the disease, the Physician to satisfy his importunity gives him a little wine which he knows rather increases then assuages the disease; but knows that if he have it not, his impatience may work a greater mischief, ver. 19 Nay, but we will have a King over us, are words of men possessed with afrensie, give us a King or we shall run mad for him, we will have one whatsoever it cost us, that we may be like all the Nations; shall France and Spain 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 King's prerogative which are principally three as you may please to observe first a prerogative over men's persons, to imprison any one whom the King pleases; He 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. He will ap point the Captains, the King's Council called that an inherent privilege as an inseparable accident and incident to the Crown, 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 property ver. 14. 17. he will take a tenth of all the Corn, Wine and Cattle, if the judgement of Ship-money had not been reversed a tenth would not have sufficed I mean that senseless judgement (which I cannot mention without indignation) that men should be so silly to talk of building of ships when the Land was ready to be invaded or in eminent danger, as if it were a time to look 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 we live; and therefore many book learned Royalists not being able to answer this Scripture, have declared their judgements to be (whether their hearts and pens were of the same mind Ilargue not) that the Lord did allow of such a Government, and ver. 11. he will take your sons 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 do in right, but that they would so do in fact; they read he shall take your sons, and ver. 15. he will take a Tenth, that he shall, and may take a Tenth as if they had a Commission from heaven so to do and to fortify that opinion they alleige, Deut. 17. 14. When thou art come unto the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say I will set a King over me 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 himself, not cause the people to return to Egypt; to the end that he should multiply horses for as much as the Lord had said unto you yea shall henceforth return no more that way, ver. 17. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself that his heart turn not away, neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold, ver. 18. And it shall be when he sitteth upon his Throne of his Kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this Law in a book out of that which is the Priests, the Levites, ver. 19 and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to do them, ver. 20. that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the Commandment to the right hand or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his Kingdom 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 Government in Canaan which was only permissive as the sin of Adam; let them have a King at their own peril, saith the Lord, The Lord foresaw that the Israelites would rebel, and cast off a happy Government by the heads of the people and judges, and God permits it and Moses speaks of the election and duty of a King, the election is from the people, they will have a King whether the Lord will or no; where by the way we may take notice how bold many have been, and poor 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 & madness in the world, that when they may have honest Religious men to go in & out before them that will not oppress them, nor exalt themselves above their brethren that they will notwithstanding enslave themselves to the Arbitrary and lawless justs of one man and his posterity, whether they be Idiots, Children, knaves, Thiefs, Murderers, Fornicators, Gluttons, Drunkards, Idolators; or Women, which though never so wise, Religious and merciful (as by reason of the tenderness of their spirits and want of temptation; I believe there are more godly women than 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, josua had the honour to conduct them into Canaan, and they took 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 Lamb judges and makes war in Righteousness, Revel. 19 11. Every Soldier hath been as a judge to execute the judgement written Psal. 149. 9 far be it from God's servants to slay the righteous with the wicked, Genes. 18. 23. No such beatifical sight as to see a Murderer that hath imbrued his hands in the effusion of Innocent blood to suffer the most painful and shameful death that can be imagined, but the Children of those Murderers ought not to be put to death for their original sin as we read in the case of Amaziah 2 Kings 14. 5. 6. And it came to pass as soon as the Kingdom was confirmed in his hand that he slew his servants which had slain the King his Father; But the Children of the Murderers he slew not according unto that which is written in the book 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 own sin, Deut. 24. 16. And many that by reason of their wicked principles and adherence to the Pope are not fit to be trusted in Garrisons yet receive rents for their houses or estates there; Ezek. 18. 20. The soul that sinneth it shall die, the son shall not bear the iniquity of the Father; neither shall the Father bear the iniquity of the Son, the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. Now by the equity of that law Deut. 20. 16. where Gods people shall reside, they being chief in Command may and aught for their own securities; expel delinquents and malignants out of London, or any Garrison in England or Ireland for a time, or for ever, as may conduce to the Weal public and their own safeties▪ whose lives are so precious in the Lords esteem.  
But here I meet a Goliath 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 maintain a war to destroy the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizites, Hivites, and jebusites, and there being no command to destroy the Gibeonites, Deut. 20. 17. therefore the league with them was lawful Ios. 9 wherein the war may be judged lawful on both sides, for josua 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 Monarchies when they oppose jesus Christ, and will not suffer his people to enjoy their liberties which he hath purchased for them by his precious blood?  
Answer. Yes doubtless, 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, josuas, sampson's, gideon's, jepthahs, and samuel's, which the Lord shall raise up to be instruments in his hand to save his people; as there were in Moses and josuas ages, that the Church of Israel should be delivered from the Egyptian slavery, and reason to me clearly makes it out; that if a promise of an earthly Canaan were a ground of the Church's War much more their spiritual liberties; that if I may defend my house by force from thiefs and robbers, certainly I may defend myself in the exercise of my spiritual liberties, which are ten thousand times dearer to me: if I may fight for a piece of glass, may I not engage for a precious pearl that is invalluable? The Kings of Canaan might have pleaded antiquity succession, and the people's consent which no King can plead against God's people in the matter of their spiritual privileges; God will have the Monarches of the world know, that whatever Civil right they may pretend to their Kingdoms where they have by force or flattery gained the people's consent as the honest man parts with his purse to save his life; yet they must not upon pain of forfeiting their Royalties persecute his friends and servants: Kings that style themselves, Defenders of the Faith, if they prove offenders of the faithful; God will take away their Kingdoms in a way of justice, and righteousness, when any of the 10. King's 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 himself head of the Church by Act of Parliament, leaving the body of Antichristian Government by Bishops as before; or if the body of Antichrist come to be destroyed and the thighs, legs or feet only remaining in any Coercive Presbyters, when Kings will play at small games rather than sit out and join with any people in the world to persecute the people of God, see the end of such Kings, ver. 14. They shall make war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, and they that are with him are called and chosen, and faithful, and this Arraignment of Monarches and Grandees for abusing the Spouse of Christ, shall not be only upon the purity of Intention (which will not justify any Irregular Action for to Act Irregularly upon an Impetus or Impulsive spirit makes Scripture useless) but according to natural justice and common equity, that when Kings shall proclaim the Saints Traitors, Heretics, and Rebels, because they will not fall down and worship the Lord according to human inventions, and shall raise Armies to destroy them as enemies to their Crown and dignities; such Kings have forfeited their Civil Rights as the Kings of Canaan did, and honest, faithful, righteous men chosen by the people shall be their successors to whom by virtue of the equity of the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, the people are to be true and faithful as to the Lord; for whom, and by whose laws they preside, and regulate their Administrations: and other obligation lies upon no man by virtue of any such Oath that he formerly took, for there is no other successor; the wisdom of God hath in justice so ordered it, and He that is Truth when men are liars, is also wise when they are fools; for the oath was only binding to the positique capacity, to be true to the King, so far as he was true to the Laws and safety of the people: He that took 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 intellectuals as to think that the oath obliges him to stand still, and suffer his own throat to be cut; No oath can tie any man to do or suffer that which is destructive to humanity, and as for Christians certainly by that statute of Numb. 30. what ever any Christian vows without the consent of her husband jesus Christ is merely void 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 josua fought against Kings of another Nation as God's people in England did not; what foreign assistance hath been in that kind? I shall not dispute, but the answer is very easy, that the nearness of the relation much aggravates the offence on the Royalists part; If ambitious Princes would give Commissions of Array against foreigners, and not to destroy their own people, than it might be but a sin against the sixth and eight Commandment, but to destroy his own Countrymen is a complicate offence of Treason also; and a sin against the fifth Commandment 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 legal Commands to Act and accomplish his designs, and to destroy all Tyrants and oppressors, and to say who ever heard of such a thing before is an argument wherewith only ignorant poor people are taken, as the people said when jesus Christ cast out the dumb Spirit, Matth. 9 33. 34. it was never so seen in Israel, he casteth out Devils through the Prince of Devils; we do not read that God ever dealt with any Saint as with job, yet job was no hypocrite; I say the Lord hath laid an absolute Command upon the Parliament to proceed as they have done upon pain of his high displeasure, and being guilty of high treason against the Majesty, (a term not fit for any mortal man, because higher then that we cannot give) of Heaven, and of being utterly destroyed if they had not done it; and that struck put England into a salvable condition for do but consider how severely the Lord dealt with Israel and judah, 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 took him away in my wrath; will any man say that Saul's office of being King was of Divine ordination which was done in anger, all God's ordinances are appointed in love for the good of his people and Divine and humane society, but Saul's being made King displeased the Lord; and it is very remarkable that on the day, and at the very hour of election, Samuel dealt justly with them, and told them of their great evil in rejecting God and his Government, 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 ye have this day rejected your God who himself saved you out of all your adversities and tribulations, and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a King over us; but though the Kingly Government displease God, yet observe how gently Saul behaved himself to the people, 1 Samuel 11. 12. There were some that would not have Saul reign 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 Monarches of the world make men offenders for a word, one man for speaking in jest, that he will make his son heir of the Crown, meaning a house that had that sign in Cheapside; and another for saying, there goes Ed. 6. in Coleman-street have been most Tyrannically 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 importunity of the Israelites to have a King to be a great wickedness, and such a sin that the Lord will not let go unpunished, but sent unreasonable weather, thunder and rain in wheat harvest, Proverbs 26. 1. As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool, I hope England will not forget the wet season in summer 1648. how it was midwinter at midsummer, and certainly the works of God have a voice and are most eloquent to his own people; what the Lord did to the Israelites for their ask a King, England hath great cause to think 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 lie) calls it a great wickedness, the people call it their evil, and Samuel says they have done all this wickedness; yet fear 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 been, that the Lord will not truly destroy his own people, Psal. 89. 33. Exod. 32. 12. (for what would the Egyptians then have said?) he would never have pardoned it, for a Just rational Government is one of the things that is of the greatest concernment 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 otherways then he set up Pharaoh to oppress his own people, but Saul and the people spared Agag, and the fatlings which was Saul's disobedience, and observe for what Saul lost the Kingdom, the people will have a King; though he err but in mercy, saying, it is more noble to save him whom we may destroy then to kill him whom we may save alive, and the best of the Sheep and the Oxen, spared for sacrifice unto the Lord, and confessed his sin v. 24. Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned, for I have transgressed the Commandment of the Lord and thy words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice, 25. Now therefore I pray thee pardon my sin & turn again with me that I may worship the Lord, 26. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return 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 go away he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle and it rend, 28. and Samuel said unto him, the Lord hath rend the Kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine that is better than thou, 29. and also the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for he is not a man that should repent 30. than he said, I have sinned, yet honour me now I pray thee before the Elders of my people and before Israel, and turn again with me that I may worship the Lord thy God, 31. so Samuel turned again after Saul and Saul worshipped the Lord; what would not the merciful God of Israel pardon the King of Israel an error in mercy? being but too pitiful to spare a great man that happily might have repent; that confessed his sin, prayed for pardon, that he might worship the Lord, that prayed again for pardon, of that particular sin, and did worship the Lord accordingly, that was anointed, 1 Sam. 10. 1. in token of the gifts and graces of God's spirit, and kissed 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 Monarchical Government, and that Kings when they have possessed themselves of such a Godlike state, and Immense powers, Incompetible (almost with humanity) not only by force and usurpation, but by the people's 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 rejoiced 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 fear, or through the vanity or pride of heart, will tie themselves by Oaths or Covenant, to be in subjection to any man; the Scripture tells them that God is angry with them for giving away that liberty, which he would have them keep, and if they break their trust never so little they may pluck them down and choose godly and judicious men to rule over them in the fear of the Lord; certainly Saul was a Saint in comparison of the pretenders to Monarchy in our days: He sins in mercy not in cruelty, confessed his sin, never used any means to be King but hid himself 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, unless it were in the case of the Priests, 1 Sam 22. 19 took the news of his rejection from Samuel patiently, acknowledged divine justice in all, and would not have a man suffer that denied his title to the Crown as in the place before alleged: How unlike was Saul to Charles the last; but by Solon's law, no evil is to be spoken of the dead lest quarrels should be immortal; He hath appealed to a higher Tribunal, 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 conscientious principle to be rid of Tyranny 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 rejoicing therein, at that great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, and many judgements given in several 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. Nevertheless for David's sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in jerusalem to set up his Son after him, and to establish jerusalem, 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 days of his life, save only in the matter of Vriah the Hittite.  
Ans. God's choosing David was no approbation of the Kingly office in him, more than in Saul; God never said, that David's office was after his own heart, unless sin and great wickedness be after God's 
Spiritum 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 says God, at their own perils, when the King was good and governed them as the good judges 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 wills, 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 mind of God) which may not be, me thinks it should have been the continuance of a Kingly Government in England, to have had the preeminence and power in one, Good, Gracious, Just, Merciful, Valiant, Faithful, and Patient Man, as a Moses or a job, jehosophat, josiah, or Hezekiah, that would die for the people.  
A Christian that like his Saviour jesus Christ goes about doing good, Acts 10. 28. that makes it his trade to relieve the poor people, the father less, and widow, and such as are oppressed, and his recreation to sit down at night and think upon it, and that day which he hath done no good in, he counts it lost. A man whose main resolution of his soul is to know God as accounting it the most honourable thing in the world for the Creature to know its Creator that counts it his chiefest good to promote the glory of God; to do 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 own soul for Christ's sake, knowing he will reward him, and puts forward every good motion withal his might, that will renounce his own honour and become of no reputation and think himself highly honoured if by the meanest office of love he may be serviceable to any, specially to the Elect, if such a man had a plenarty of power to do what he pleased without control from a blessed principle of love to God what abundance of good might an E. 6. have done had his days been numerous whom God only showed to the world, and recalled him as not worthy of him, I say, what abundance of good might one such rare incomparable person do in a short time when great Counsels can move like great bodies but slowly, but this is but worldly wisdom to be wise above what is written, for man to be wiser than God, who says, it is dangerous to trust any single person (though never so singular) with an unlimited power; for the best men are but men at the best, and there is no grace but may be counterfeit, he that seems to be a Paul to day, may be a Saul to morrow, the heart of man is deceitful above all things, and the very conceit of such a power is enough to corrupt the best man living, therefore the best government is to have Princes of the congregation, godly & righteous men to be chosen, governors, and judges, (a josua to lead and conduct their Armies against their Enemies which job calls a King in the Army, job 29. 25. is a sweet text for a general; I sat chief and direct as a King in the Army as one that comforteth the mourners, V. 11. to 18. When job was compassed about with extraordinary honours, and seated in the Assembly of other Eastern Princes, sat in the Chair; those honours entered not into his soul, but his thoughts were taken up, about the afflicted and miserable, such as were in a mournful condition▪ his soul was with their souls, to alleviate and ease his distressed Country men by bearing part of their burden, his greatest coverousnes was to enrich the poor, and the desire of comforting them was always the strongest of his passions; and so the people are not to be led up and down by the noses, but the Magistrates are to open their eyes, who are very sensible of their own good; and this is the mind of God and great design of Heaven to govern the world by rational men as he enlightens it by the sun; for Reason is the soul of all things sublunary, and the life of all Just human laws without exception, by this reason no man in the world ought to challenge a power unaccomptable over others; for the people are more immediately the original of all Just power, than any King ever was, of a Constable's authority: And aught to be accountable by the same reason for offences against the Public good, as a Constable for his offence, but it is not the name of a King but the boundless 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 foreign Kingdoms, with no more power to hurt the people, than the Duke of Venice or the Duke of Genoa have; such a government may be Just and Rational, but Domination is a sweet morsel, let all States take heed how any man grows too popular & engrosses too much power into his hands.  
Object. But many object that Paul and David being anointed by God's special command, that their office was pleasing unto God.  
Ans. I agree that Anointing does generally imply that God accepts of such persons and things that are so anointed by his command; but observe, that God and the people were of a contrary mind in that Action; God appointed and anointed Saul as a Captain to go before them to defend them from the Tyranny of the Philistines, 1 Sam. 9 15. 16. and Chap. 14. 47. So Saul took the Kingdom 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 himself he vexed them; but the people took 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 he would make them cry. Chap. 8. 18. And ye shall cry out in that day, because of your King which ye shall have chosen you, and the Lord will not hear you in that day; and we read, 2 Sam. 21. That they had three years' famine for Saul's wickedness, because he had slain the Gibeonites in his zeal to the Children of Israel▪ it is a golden Scripture sufficient to satisfy an Iron age of men that are so stupid to think 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, etc. and so did job 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 lack of prey, and the stout Lion's whelps are scattered abroad: I judge the meaning of it to be, that men who reign like Lions, Kings and great ones who under the face of men carry the hearts of Tigers; and their Children who equal them in▪ and inherit their father's cruelty; and their wives who surpass 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 seen 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 wickedness shall reap the same ver. 8. 9 those to whom the news of the murder of the Innocent is as sweet, as a plentiful harvest is agreeable to the husbandman; shall not be able to avoid the stroke of justice, but be like high trees that are planted upon the mountains shall be made a sport and pastime for the winds, and tempests. But the poor Gibeonits' case before we leave it, affords us an excellent document how Gods Israelites ought to carry themselves towards Ismaelits and Canaanites, that would have destroyed them, viz. to be very sparing in promises and protection towards them, but having once conditionated with them and received them into favour, to be very liberal 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 entreat you to observe what little esteem David had of Saul's Royal seed to hang up seven of them; for what offence does not appear, but very probable that they had given Saul bad council to destroy the poor Gibeonites; and yet David had sworn 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 Kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house, and David swore unto Saul: With these two arguments I do 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 do justice upon a King for murder; David a man after Gods own heart (that never offended but in the matter of Vriah) therefore did not err in delivering up Saul's seven sons to execution; would not make his oath to Paul a ground not to do justice▪ for the Spirit of God in David argued thus, I am by the Law of Nature as I am a creature, a poor worm 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, than he can cease to be God by reason of his Infinite goodness) which Law is▪ that blood requires blood, Genes. 9 6. It is a fundamental Law without which there can be no conservation of human society, and I find in the Law of God that my eye must not pity him that sheds blood, Deut. 19 11, 12, 13. But if any man hate his neighbour and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him and smite him mortally that he die 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 die, ver. 5. thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of Innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with thee (parallel whereunto) is 2 Kings 14. 4. And also for the Innocent blood that he shed, (for he filled jerusalem with Innocent blood) which the Lord would not pardon. And therefore when I take an oath of Allegiance or Supremacy, it must be saving that faith which I owe unto my Creator; as in justice Littleton's case when any man did Fealty to his Lord, it was with a saving that faith and duty 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 employed in Law.  
2. Thus I argue that if it were just to put Saul's sons to death for their father's sin wherein he was principal and they but accessaries, at the most; doubtless it had been just to have recompensed it upon the head of their father, it could be no sin to put Saul to death for killing the Gibeonites where it was lawful to execute his sons which might have made many pleas, that what they did, was Saul's command, they had the King's Commission of Array and warrants from Saul to raise forces to secure the Country, 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 entreated for the Land: It may be the common Law would have acquitted those seven gentlemen, because regularly where the principal is dead, the accessary cannot be tried, but the Law of God makes all principal in murder whether present or absent, as the Law of man makes all principal in the highest offences of Treason, and the lowest offences of trespass; nor did David question, what? shall I shed the blood of the seed Royal for the Gibeonites who were strangers and bondmen, hewers of wood, and drawers of water, upon which Eternal Law of Righteousness, Major Ottoway and Cornet Grant, were shot to death for murdering an Irishman at the siege of Waterford who having leave to go into Waterford to receive some money and to return, was at his coming back murdered by their Orders or Command, for which by the Council of War they were justly condemned, and the execution was a most famous piece of justice, for had not zeal and love to justice preponderated, and out-voted all private affections much might have been said for the valour, Gallantry, and hopefulnes of the Major, and Cornet; I could not in faithfulness but mention it as being a case so parallel to that 1 Sam. 21. That Saul's sons should be executed for murder of the Gibeonites, and out of my dutiful respect to bear witness to the exemplary and exact discipline of the Army where vice is punished & virtue rewarded whereof I was sometimes Advocate, and count it more honourable to be a member of an Army fight 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 David's one sin of numbering the people; what had the poor sheep done that 70000. men from Dan to Beersheba should die by the Pestilence in three days? Did not God think you therein reckon with them for their Kingly government, you will have a King saith the Lord to them, whether I will or no; you shall now smart for your wickedness; for your great wickedness, for unmanning yourselves, making yourselves less than men, to make one man equal with God, to do what he pleases; I will not endure it in my own people; Eli sinned, yet the people not punished, for he governed the people according to the mind of God▪ but you will have a King, says the Lord, as the Heathens have, be it so, but if he sin I'll punish you, not only with the famine, but by a great pestilence, and as you like that, so continue your Kingly government.  
Object. But David's days drew to an end therefore he gives a charge to Solomon his son, of righteousness, saying, there shall not fail thee a man on the Throne of Israel, 1 Kings 2. 4. which expressing a stability of David's Throne: some may argue, that God approved Kingly government.  
As also there is another objection that should have had priority in Deut. 17. 14. to 20. That God gave a Law for choosing a King, therefore he approved that government; the answer whereunto is easy, that the Lord foreseeing, that when he had brought them into Canaan they would desire a King, like the Pagans, being a people dear unto him, he would not therefore cast them off; but tells them how to make the best of a bad bargain, that if they will play with the Lion or the Bear let them pluck out his teeth; all Kings are ravenous creatures in point of their office, but some will do less hurt than others, and the words of the Text are very perspicuous: when thou art come into the land which jehovah thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a King over me like as all the nations that are about me, etc. So that the rise of Monarchy was plainly from the people's 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 undo him, be of a divine of spring and original; then Monarchy is; but the very constitution of it is Tyrannical, Antichristian and diabolical; 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 jesus Christ to come of David's race, Genes▪ 49. 10. The sceptre shall not depart from judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet until Shilo come, and to him shall the gathering of the people be; therefore a King must be until Christ's time; yet only over the Tribes of judah and Benjamin, for the ten Tribes were carried away Captive; and who knows but that the reason thereof was principally because of their great wickedness; in casting of God's government by godly righteous judges, and setting up Monarchy like the Heathens; and so David's posterity did not terminate and end until Christ's time, because the Lawgiver was not borne before.  
Solomon therefore after David's death, was a most glorious King, who preferred wisdom before honour, riches, and pleasure, none before him or after him were ever like unto him, 1 Kings 3. 12. 28. For the Wisdom of God was in him to do judgement, yet being but a man was drawn away by his wives to Idolatry, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, 1 Kings 11. 5. he went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidoneans.  
And there is seldom any so singular, eminent or rare-gifted man, but wants his grains 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 only accountable to God; if Solomon's power had been only to have confirmed such good and wholesome Laws as God's people would have propounded to him, or if Solomon had only been a leading man in Parliament in probability Israel had not run a whoring from the Lord after such Idols; but you shall taste, says the Lord of those bitter fruits which are of your own planting: It was a web of your own 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 Kingdom, 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 speak, but did as the young men advised him, 1 Kings 12. 10. how like unto Rehoboam are the Monarches of this world, they will be content to hear what a Parliament will advise, but keep a negative voice, and prefer copper heads before silver hairs, and Court Parasites have distinguished between advice and consent, that whereas by ancient fundamental Laws Kings could do nothing without consent of the people in great Counsels and Parliaments, they say, they may not do it without advice, as if the great Counsels of the Law stood only for a cipher and a King's pleasure to be the figure, but let such as are wise but call to mind who it was that used this speech of Rehoboam, that the late Kings little finger should be heavier than his Fathers joins, and Adore the justice of God in the Tragical end of such wicked Councillors; And in the revolt of the ten Tribes from the house of David, see what means Rehoboam attempted to reduce them, 1 Kings 12. ver. 21. to 24. And why so? certainly, because the government was unjust and tyrannical in itself, 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 says, 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 wilfully shut their eyes against the light, that if the people in Turkey, Persia, Russia, or any place in the world where one man governs, 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, justice, and Reason, but it is otherwise where the government is just and rational by godly righteous Magistrates and judges chosen by the people, if they be affronted and injured it is an offence, and high treason against the Majesty of heaven, they have not cast off thee, but they have rejected me, says the Lord, to a just authority acting for him and giving an account to the people of their laws and administrations in love; we may observe in Jonathan's case, that when the Legislative power is in one man's hand, though none of the worst, what laws 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 until 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 honey upon the ground▪ ver. 26. and when the people were come into the wood behold the honey dropped, but no man put his hand to his mouth for the people feared the oath, but jonathan 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 dipped it in a honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth and his eyes were enlightened; 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 jonathan, my father hath troubled the land, see I pray you how mine eyes hath been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey, ver. 30. how much more if happily the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found, for had there not been now a much greater slaughter amongst the Philistines; 'Tis a cruel saw, we had killed more if we had eaten; jonathan was a gracious man and had a sweet spirit for government, and jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour, come and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised, it may be that the Lord will work 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, than I shall be able to drive out the Anakims: but nothing would satisfy Saul but the life of jonathan, and the execution of a cruel law and that against nature, for hungry men not to eat food, which in the Hebrew is bread; now bread being not honey, and that being a penal law, it ought to have been taken strictly; and so jonathan not guilty, for a penal 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 jonathan to be put to death, ver. 45. nor was jonathan legally guilty, because he was not present when the law was made ver. 3. and 17. nor had any notice of it, and such laws that are not consonant to the laws of nature are not obligatory 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 appears chap. 28. ver. 6. 16. that Gods not answering is a sign of anger, though Saul suspected God's silence was for some hidden sin therefore would cast a lot, ver. 7. says 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 government free from Tyranny and oppression which my soul abhors, for God is King over all the earth, he keeps the supreme power to himself, it is his prerogative only to give no account of his Actions to any creature, and yet in love he is pleased to condescend to poor creatures, and makes out the reason of his administrations; and the Image of God consists in Holiness, justice, Mercy, and Goodness, which is a government of a divine original 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 pouring on of oil 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 own hand to appoint what governor and government he pleased.  
Therefore observe in the next place what course does jeroboam take to establish his Kingdom, he thinks to strengthen himself by the Idolatry of the two Calves, the people will revolt from me, says jeroboam, unless I make them two Calves of gold and say, behold thy Gods O Israel which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt; Monarches care not what they do, though they destroy even the souls of millions of people to maintain their pomp and glory, make the people believe says 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 turn to Rehoboam; Kings fear that piety to God will draw away people's hearts from them: Monarches delight wickedly to keep the people in gross ignorance; and how foolish was this jeroboam, 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 wife's disguisement, Idiots, Minors, Murderers, any are good enough and will serve to be Kings; mark therefore what becomes of King jeroboam, 1 Kings 14. ver. 10. 11. Therefore behold I will bring evil upon the house of jeroboam and will cut off from jeroboam 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 jeroboam as a man takes away dung till it be all gone: him that dyeth of jeroboam in the City shall the dogs eat, and him that dyeth in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat, for the Lord hath spoken it; but if only guilty Kings might be punished it were no great matter, but the poor people must be destroyed for their King's wickedness▪ 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 he 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 he shall give Israel up because of the sins of jeroboam who did sin, and who made Israel to sin; blessed Lord! it was jeroboam 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 do it by him, as the whole body sees & hears by the organs of the ears and eyes: what a sad consideration is it, that God's people should be destroyed for the sin of the Kings of Israel? let them smart, says the Lord, a King they will have, than there was war between Rehoboam and jeroboam all their days, 1 Kings 14. 30 which the spirit of God reiterates Chap. 15. 6. as if Kings delighted in nothing but wars about prerogatives, precedency, or such trivial matters, the poor people must shed their precious blood, lose their lives, not only temporal but hazard their inestimable souls; for as the tree falls, so it lies, their Wives and Children utterly destroyed, and all to attain and satisfy the ambitious designs and wicked lusts of proud imperious men that set all on flame to warm themselves, as if God had made Bees to make honey only for the Drones, poor men only to be as the wool in the breach to receive Cannon and Musket bullets; and yet, when the world is; in love, and bowels of pity, jogged & wakened out of this pleaseing dream, they are angry with their Monitor, and he that is a friend to public liberty, is counted an enemy to Cesar, poor Turks, Russians, and Europian slaves, that delight rather in servitude then freedom, and like spannells fawn upon those that most beat them, and are sorry that they have but one life to lose for the glory of their Sovereign; well, after jeroboam and Rehoboam, there was war between Asa King of judah, and Baasha King of Israel all their days, 1 Kings 15, 16. 32. and see what became of Baasha, 1 Kings 16. 1. Then the Word of the Lord came to jehu the son 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 jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin to provoke me to anger with their sins: behold I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house, and will make thy house like the house of jeroboam 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 fowls of the air eat. Then Elah succeeds Baasha, he being drunk was killed by Zimri, who made himself King, 1 Kings 16. 9 Where Monarchies have been elective or gotten by force or fraud, what hath been always 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 always glory to rescind and repeal 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) than Omri was chosen King, and besieged Zimri in Tirzah, Zimri becomes desperate, sets the house on fire and burns himself, ver. 17. 18. and ver. 25. this Omri wrought evil in the sight of the Lord, and did worse than all that were before him; Ahab his son succeeded him, and ver. 30. Then Ahab the son of Omri did evil 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 himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord whom jezebel his wife stirred up; and therefore whereas the practice of the primitive Christians is objected, that they prayed for the healths and prosperity of the heathen Roman Tyrants that persecuted them; here you may see the reason thereof, they knew that if one Tyrant died, a more cruel one would succeed; as the poor woman having had three cruel Landlords successively; having wished 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 always the worst, and if this should die, certainly the next would be the devil, for a more cruel Tiger there could not be in a human shape then the third was; but concerning the Primitive Christians that were as the Lord's 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 Kingdom of heaven, and finding that Antichrist was to be their greatest, and the most cruel, enemy to the Church of God; and that he could not get into the throne during the reign of the Roman Emperors who hindered 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 dreadful, and exceeding strong, it had three iron teeth, it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it, and if this heathen Empire was taken away, the poor Christians knew that the same power must be given to the beast Antichrist, 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 four beasts; it shows 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 Righteousness over all the world) looks upon the great Nimrods' and Monarches of the world with a most contemptible eye, counts them no better than the most ravenous creatures, that are suffered a little to rage for the punishment of wicked men; when the Lord says, that the beast shall devour his people: It is the King of Asiria, and his wicked Cavaliers, and therefore God threatens to deal 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 hook in thy jaws, and so the Lord threatened to put a hook in the nostrils 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 mark how contemptibly God speaks of the great King of Babylon and his numerous Army, joel 2. 20. his stink and ill savour shall come up: the Spirit of God gives no other Epithet than a stinking King, an unsavoury 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 justiced; their nocturnal whisper in Taverns and Conventicles against the State and such as are Godly in the Land, they return at evening, they make a noise like a dog and go round about the City; behold they belsh out with their mouths, swords are in their lips, for who say they doth hear (but thou, O Lord, shalt laugh at them, thou shalt have all the heathens in derision, ver. 14. at evening let them return, and let them make a noise like a dog and go round about the City, and therefore God's people may rejoice in the Lord, as in ver. 16. 17. But we will sing of thy power, yea we 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 we sing for God is our defence and the God of our mercy: Indeed he was the song of the drunkards, Psal. 69. 12. but now to be compared to a beast is worse than to be so by nature, for it is no dishonour to a hog to be called so; for it is but to be as God made it, but for a man to make himself a beast is the corruption of the creature, the worst deformity that can be in the world, and where is there any Monarch in the world, that assumes a power of accounting only to God, but hath in him the sensuality of a swine, the filth and uncleanness of a Leopard, the cruelty and inexorablenes of a Tiger, Bear, or Lion; the subtlety and craft of a Fox, the skittishnes and stubbornness of a Mule or an Ass; and in what things they have common together with beasts, they are worse than beasts, for beasts will not be drunk with their drink as the drunkard corrupts himself in his drink jude 10. they speak evil 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 than to have his body turned into the fashion of a beast; and if our Ancestors have been so diligent to destroy Woolves and 
E pessimo Cane ne catulus quidem relinquendus.  such noxious creatures, that whosoever should bring in the head of a Wolf was to have a reward for it; what a madness or lethargy is it in men that would be counted rational, not only to suffer Tyrants and mystical Woolves to domineer with a rod of iron when God gives them an opportunity of extirpation, root and branch; but to contend against their brethren to set up a Tyrant; to rage like the waters, because they cannot bring in an overflowing Tide and stream to break down the banks of honesty and equity; what was it that made David wish? Psal. 55. 6. compared with jer. 9 1. to 6. and Psal. 59 Oh that I had the wings of a Dove that I might fly into the wilderness, and there abide; are not wild beasts in their proper element in a wilderness as fishes in the Sea? true, but the government of Saul and his prerogative creatures was more cruel than the fierce Lion, that will either pity the crouching passenger; or not prey upon him till hunger require it, and then put him out of his pain in an instant, but Tyrant's (and such are all that will not be accountable to the people) keep men in prison many years to satisfy their insatiable cruelties; and torture poor creatures by lingering deaths, denying them the favour of expedition in that kind, therefore David says, Psal▪ 22. 20. Deliver my soul from the sword, my darling from the power of the dog, the spirit of God in David calls Saul a dog; better says David, to fall into the hands of a Tiger, and wild beasts than live under a Tyrannical government: there is a famous story of some Spaniards, that being besieged by a Tyrant and in danger to be taken, the young men first took 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 took all the treasure and riches in the City and set it on fire, and then they took poison and poisoned themselves; and the survivor opened the gates and killed himself, so as the enemy had nothing but rubbish and ashes, of two evils choosing the least; old and young, and all the City to be destroyed together, rather than to fall into the hands of a Tyrant; where no justice can be had the Lord continue and increase the same gallantry and nobleness of spirit, in the English nation rather to endure any misery in the world, than ever to admit any more of a Tyrannical Government, for that is to make ourselves lower than beasts (which are not devoured by those of the same kind) to make one man more than a man; with Titles of Sacred Majesty, and Gracious Highness, 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 ask himself some such questions as these, whether it is not likely that God would give his own people as good Kings as to any other Nation?  
Secondly, if God was so exceedingly wroth with his own children for desiring a King, whether will he not be more angry with us if we should not take warning by God's people? Note therefore that when King Ahab was dead jehoram reigned in Israel, 2 Kings 3. 1. 6. and because there was a famine in the Land, the first news, is that Elisha the Prophet must be slain, 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 ye how the son of a murderer hath sent to take away my head, take heed all ye fighters, for the son of a murderer in the 8. Chap. ver. 15. Hazael kills King Benhadad and Elisha told him what a Tyrant he would be against Israel, and wept for grief to think how Hazael when he came to be King should oppress and Tyrannize over them then ver. 12. says Hazael, why weepeth my Lord? & he answered, because I know the evil that thou wilt do 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 showed me that thou shalt be King over Syria, so he departed from Elisha and came to his master who said to him, what said Elisha to thee? and he answered, he told me that thou shouldest surely recover; and it came to pass on the morrow that he took a thick cloth and dipped it in water and speed it on his face, so that he died, and Hazael reigned in his steed. As if a King should take the Sacrament upon it, that he intends no more hurt to the Parliament then to his own children and the very same day grant comissions to slay and murder the most saithful patriots, but see what credit there is to be given to such men's vows and protestations, 2 Kings 10. 32. Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel; jehu was next made King by the Soldiers, and 2 King. 9 24. jehu drew a bow with his full strength and smote jehoram between his Arms and the Arrow went out at his heart and he sunk down in his Chariot; then jehu follows after Ahaziah King of judah and smites him and he died at Megiddo 2 Kings 9 27. and jehoahaz succeeds jehu in the Kingdom of Israel, 2 Kings 10. then Chap. 11. Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah arose and destroyed all the seed Royal only joash, who with his nurse was hid and peserved from the massacre, and was afterwards anointed King, and the people clapped their hands, and said, God save the King, 2 Kings 11. 12. and blew their Trumpets; then Athaliah rend her clothes ver. 14. and cried, Treason, Treason, she might with more reason have cried out; away with Kingly government that occasions so many murders; treachery & villainous conspiracies who to get into the throne, and to secure their stations and maintain their pomp and grandor must destroy poor Innocents' and all that stand in their way of absolute Dominion.  
In Chap. 12. 2. jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet ver. 20. his servants arose and made a conspiracy and slew joash in the house of Millo which goeth down to Silla; if God sometimes gives a good josiah, an Edward the sixth, or a good Queen Elizabeth, the office is not sanctified by the person; when princes profess 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 fair language, and a few good Acts and actions, bring the people into a fool's paradise, the prerogative then taking ten times firmer & deeper root in such Halcyon days; and certainly the Tares, Wormwood, Gall, Colloquintida, and bitter fruits which England hath lately tasted of and reaped in such abundance; were sown, set, and planted, in those calmer times; and the precious blood that hath been shed, is no doubt the seeds time of freedom and glory to the Nation, the ground work of those precious & durable privileges, that Englishmen shall hereafter enjoy, but see Chapter 13. jehoahaz son of jehu was King in Israel, ver. 2. and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and followed the sins of jeroboam 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 days; it would make the very bowels, liver, and entrails of a Christian, to yearn and stir within him, to consider how poor creatures from time to time have been punished for the wickedness of their Kings, says 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 Father's house, against a Kingly government. Next comes Amaziah upon the stage of Monarchy, 2 Kings 14. and his commendation is for doing justice 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 own sin, ver. 6. but vain man that he was to think to prosper, knowing how greatly God was displeased with his office, ver. 19 the people made a conspiracy against him in jerusalem and he fled to Lachish and they slew him there, and they brought him on horses and buried him at jerusalom as Rich. the third slain at the battle at Bosworth-field by Henry the seventh, was thrown over a horse like a Calf, and carried to Leicester & there interred; than ver. 23. there was jeroboam the second King of Israel & he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and departed not from all the sins of jeroboam the son of Nebat that made Israel to sin ver. 24. then in chap. 15. 3. 4. Azariah son of Amaziah reigned in judah & 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 dwelled in a several house apart by himself scarce a king of them that died like other men; for he that will take upon him to be above other men's judgements, and only to account to Heaven, is not worthy the society of men, ver. 8. Zachariah the son of jeroboam reigned in Israel, and ver. 9 10. he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord as his Father had done, he departed not from the sin of jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin; how made them to sin? is not example a moral violence? that where the King is wicked the people must needs be so; or is sin taken there for punishment, that the people are punished for the King's 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 feel 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 month 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 himself in his Kingship ver. 16. then Menahem took 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 ripped them up; than ver. 19 20. Pull the King of Assyria came against him, and he exacted a thousand Talents of silver of the rich men of Israel fifty shekels of silver, thence they took the Precedent for Ship-money; to tyrannize and bring themselves and the people into danger, and then take what they please from the people to procure foreign forces to assist King Menahem to confirm the Kingdom in his hand, but ver. 22. this bloody man slept with his fathers; and his son Pekahiah reigned in his steed, blessed God that such a cruel monster should die a dry death; but if Murderers and Tyrants were always punished in this world, men would think that there were no other hell for them; and yet if they were not commonly punished here, many men would believe that there was no God; well Pekahiah reigned two years, and did mischief enough to have destroyed Israel, because no doubt they might have cast off Monarchy, but would not do justice upon their King, therefore the Lord stirred up particular men still to do it, ver. 25. Pekah the son of Remaliah a Captain of Pekahiah conspired against him and smote him and killed him in Samaria in the Palace of the King's house with 52. more, and reigned in his room; a good riddance of the King and his Cavaliers; but the more unwise they (to give them no worse Epithet being God's people) to suffer Pekah to be their King, for he abounded in wickedness, and in his days ver. 29. seven Cities of Israel were carried captive to Assyria, but ver. 30▪ Hoshea the son of Ekah made a Conspiracy against Pekah, and smote him and slew him & reigned in his steed; indeed jotham King of judah did righteous things howbeit the high places were not removed by him ver. 35. he is a good man against whom there is but one But, or How beit in his Kingly government chap. 16. 2. succeeds Ahaz who walked in the way of the Kings of Israel, and ver. 3. made his son to walk 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 green 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 burned the ground, than the wicked Kings had not sacrificed thereon, but if the people had not been stark blind they would have seen their extreme folly in admitting that government, but why do I speak so improperly, as to say good Kings, a good Monarch is a white Devil, cures one and kills twenty; do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? he that is bound to no Law cannot be a good King, for the office is against Divine Institution, and therefore sinful, unaccomptable Monarches are no more to be suffered then Devils; if they do any good it flows not from the constitution of the office but as they are private men that would do less hurt if they had less power; if one should have a commission to rob; and he should suffer some poor men to pass untouched, no thanks to his Commission; but his Debonaritie; and natural pity; unaccountablenes is a most corrupt, pernicious, accursed, and pestilent principle, and fountain from whence must needs flow streams of much Oppression, Injustice, and Cruelty, towards poor people; chap. 17. 3. Salmanezer King of Assyria falls out with Hoshea King of Israel about New-yeares-gifts: Kings have so many Courtiers to feed, that they must be like the Horseleech 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. jeroboam had made them sin a great sin, 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 laws 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 honouring a wicked man more than the King of Glory; ver. 23. until 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 own Land to Assyria unto this day: is it not admirable that the Israelites should be so extreme mad to set up a King like the Heathens to their own destruction many sins might concur to their captitie, but the Grand Capital sin is noted to be their inordinate desire to have a King, the Laws, Customs, Statutes, and Ordinances of the Heathens; now mark I beseech you poor mistaken deluded Carolists, if wise men, Gods peculiar people, worth all the world, for suffering such Tyrants deserve for ever to be called not the men, but the Children of Israel, more foolish than babes, nay then the brute creatures, that will not empower one of themselves to destroy, or to be cruel to their own kind; It speaks loud to all such, as by God's infinite mercy have cast off Tyrants, to abrogate, repeal, oblitterate and change their Laws, Statutes, Ordinances, and Customs, to suffer no filthy rags infected with the Plague to remain; not to think to wash and purify them, for the Blackamoor will not change his skin; the first work done at Geneva upon the change of their Religion from Papists to Protestants was (Reformatio Legum) to examine their Laws, and such as were contrary 
Igni traduntur lege Papistarum.  to the Law of God they burned them; for justice is more necessary in a Commonwealth then reform Religion, no State can continue without the first, but many flourish in temporals, without the latter, salt is more useful than suggar, and Pearls, 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 judah, nor any that were before him, he falling sick, by prayer had his life lengthened, a Heathen King sent to congratulate his recovery, and Hezekiah did not magnify the Lords mercy to him, and speak in the language of an Israelite to the Ambassador, but showed him his treasures and rejoiced more in them then in the God of his mercies (a fault that God's people are too subject unto, when their friends visit them they do not entertain the time by magnifying God's mercy, and multiplied preservations towards them, but show one another their fine rooms, clothes, and such vanities) for which very thing the Prophet Esay denounces unto Hezekiah the Babylonian captivity, chap. 20. and see how the poor jews were punished 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 jerusalem, and the City was besieged, and Nebucadnezar King of Babylon came against the City, and his servants did besiege it, and jehoiachin the King of judah went to the King of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers; and the King of Babylon took him in the eight year of his reign; and he carried out thence all the Treasures of the house of the Lord, and the Treasures of the King's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels 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 jerusalem, and all the Prince, and all the mighty men of valour, ten thousand captives, and all the Craftsmen and smiths, none remained save the poorest sort of the people of the Land, and he carried away jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the Land, those carried he into captivity from jerusalem to Babylon: and all the men of might even seven thousand, and Craftsmen 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 plainly, that whether the kings be good men or bad, I will punish the people says the Lord, so long as they have any kings; it is not a government of my ordination, kings are the people's Idols▪ creatures of their own making; if they will have them, let them be sure that if the best of their kings do but out of a little vainglory show his treasures to a Heathen king I'll punish them for that transgression; The next successor was Manasseh, and he followed the abomination of the Heathens, chap. 21. 9 he seduced the people to do more evil than did the Nations above all that the Amorites did, and made judah to sin with his Idols: Is not man a free Agent, if he suffer no outward violence he hath none within him: but a king's example is unresistible violence. Merciful God, shall thy own children, that one of them before they had a king was worth 10000 Amorites, be made worse than the most abominable Heathens only by having a king, ver. 12, 13, 14. therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, behold, I am bringing evil upon jerusalem, and judah, that whosoever heareth of it both his ears shall tingle, and I will stretch over jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down, and I will forsake the remnant of my inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies, and they shall become a prey & spoil 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 wickedness, and his servants conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house, and the people slew them and made josiah king, the hopeful prince, who turned not aside to the right hand or to the left but walked in all the ways of David his father, ver. 2. but if the Lord will not turn from the fierceness of his great wrath against judah, because of the provocation of Manasseh, as it is 2 Kings 23. 26. will not the Lord be entreated to save the people for good josiahs' sake? no; all that the Lord will do for the best king is to take him away from the evil to come, chap. 22. 19 20. then chap. 25. jerusalem 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 war therein forced to fly, the City taken and defaced, ver. 9 the house of the Lord burnt; and all the houses of jerusalem, every great man's house burnt; the king's eyes put out and his sons slain. 7. and bound him with chains, as it is more at large expressed, jer. 39 7. and it is very observable (to teach God's people how to behave themselves when the people are so mad in contending for Monarchy, to bring God's judgements upon them) that jeremiah who in all probability would have been one of the first that had suffered for his faithfulness, in reproving sin so impartially as he did, was only preserved jer. 39 11. 12. Now Nebucadnezar king of Babylon gave charge concerning jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the Captain of the guard, saying, take him, and look to him, and do him no harm, but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee, this same jeremiah that had mourned in secret for the Court vanities, or rather enormities, the insanity and egregious folly of the people to cast off a Rational, just Government by worthy Patriots that charge their own 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 only 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 desperate Malignant in England or Scotland was but in Ireland, to hear of the horrid Massacres that have been committed upon the poor 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 King's pretended prerogative was undoubtedly the first inducing cause he was as sure the Author of it as ever the Devil 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 sense of humanity, for fear either of being tormented with the Ghosts and dismal apparitions of those poor Innocents', or out of a sad consideration to bethink himself what an astonishment it will be unto him at that great day to hear the cry of all the Innocent blood that hath been shed in the three Nations crying to the Just 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 souls as it is to be feared; for as the tree falls so it lies, many a poor Creature innocently murdered for aught we 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 Scriptures and reasons that might be alleged 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 Sceptre of judah or Israel have been authors and occasioners of ruin and destruction to the poor people; David by numbering the people, Solomon by toleration of Idolatry; jehosaphat by taking part with Ahab; Asa for his confidence in the arm of flesh, and his severity to the Prophet; and josiah for his rash and unadvised war with Pharo, Neco, did all of them▪ though godly men, bring wrath upon God's people which (I beseech you observe) the judges of old never did, though Elies offence might be greater than theirs; yet the people smarted not for that, as for their King's transgressions, and though the Lord was pleased to choose the seed of David and not of Saul, that did not justify Israel; but it was because God appointed Christ jesus to come of David's race, from judah; therefore there was a stability of David's throne, and his posterity to terminate in Christ, and therefore as that Scripture of Genes. 49. 10. The Sceptre shall not depart from judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the people be; might be sufficient to convince the jews of their unbelief, and that the Messias is come, because the sceptre is so long since departed from judah; they have had no King of their Nation but have been many years 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 than 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 clear and express Text cannot be imagined; so we may safely conclude from the forementioned Scriptures; that if there were not much malignity 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 Idolise one Tyrant, that themselves might tyrannize over many: and whereas it is called a Human Ordinance, 1 Pet. 2. 13. Submit yourselves 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 Counsels who in cases of Competition must yield to them with such power as a Duke of Venice or Geneva may have, or else it is an agreement and constitution of Irrational people, a nation delighting rather in servitude, than freedom; and those ancient Scholasticks & Philosophers which made such learned arguments of the best kind of Government, whether Monarchy, Aristocracy or Democracy, were to be preferred, many holding that Monarchy ought to have the preeminence, specially where Kings were good men; Certainly they did not intend it of absolute unaccountable Monarches, for Aristoteles King, was no more than a Duke of Venice, greater than any one, but less than all; the Prince of Orange had two votes in Counsel, which yet was more than right reason allows; 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 than men did not understand the end of government, and being little acquainted with those many provocations that the best of Monarches have, to degenerate into Tyranny, and the strong temptations that they have to satisfy their sinful appetites, and how the Concupisible and Irasible faculties of the soul are predominant, as occasions are presented; they being good, merciful, just, and patient, men themselves, judged others accordingly; and so are most Heteradox and Erroneous in that opinion, concerning Monarchy, but they never consulted with the sacred Oracles of God; which we that profess ourselves Christians must either yield unto, or else make Scripture useless, and leave every thing to the greatest incertainty & confusion that is in the world, and so being in the dark may run out heads one against another, like two blind men, that josling complain of one another, can you not see? and why do you thrust me? but never complaining of their own blindness; in a far thicker Egyptian darkness are all people in the world, in matter of Government and Policy that reject the Council of God, and yet never complain of want of wisdom, but think themselves the wisest people in the world, in contending so eagerly, strenuously and impetuously, for the maintenance of old heathenish Goverments and superstitious customs, jerem. 8. 9 The Wisemen are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken, they have rejected the Word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them? and because many whom I honour 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; Dear hearts let us consider, that truth is more ancient than error, and that all are but novelties to the Word of God; you are in love with fowl mistress Monarchy, not because she is not fair, but for that you are in the dark, and then we tell the Papists, that in the dark Pope joan with them is as good as her Lady; what ever may by carnal politicians be invented for the maintenance of Monarchy, let us give more credit to the Word of God than the wisdom of men which is foolishness, when it approaches before the God of Wisdom, God says, he will not have his people come under a Kingly Government, and that he will plague them for their King's 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 God's Ordinance for the better sanctifying of the Sabbath. Why would the Lord have the walls of jerica beaten down with the sound of a Rams-horne only, but that the more of his own power might appear? why was there no more ceremonies used in the cleansing of Namaan but wash and be clean; are not other waters as good? Is not Monarchy more pompous 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 Majesty of Heaven, to make ourselves wiser than God: for this is certain, that what the Lord did enjoin or forbid unto his people of old, in matters of judicials, there is an equity in it, for God's people to observe for ever; Gods positive Laws can no more be altered or changed then his essence; he is delighted with the ways of Truth and justice. It is very true, that carnal Israel expected a restoration of Monarchy, and therefore perceiving that jesus Christ did not exalt himself as a Monarch, they did not believe in him, his Kingdom being not of this world (though he will have a Kingdom in the world) they did not conclude him to be the promised Messias we thought he should have restored the Kingdom of Israel; many godly learned men, are of opinion, that the Lamb's bride will not be glorious till the calling of the jews; jesus Christ hath already a Spouse and visible Churches of Saints in the world; but come and behold the Lamb's bride is conceived to be after the jews conversion; at which time it is likewise conjectured that the jews shall have a great command in the world, but no man to be a King over them; only King jesus to be Lord and Sovereign; Consider well Hos. 1. 11. Then shall the children of judah & 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 jezerel▪ That head is meant jesus Christ, the head of his Church, 1 Eph. 22. and Hosea. 13. 9 10. 11. Oh Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, 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 judges of whom thou saidst, give me a King and Princes. I gave thee a king in mine anger and took him away in my wrath: no king but jesus, And Esay, the 1. holds it out fully what Government they shall have when they have repent, Not Monarchy; but by good judges and Councillors, ver. 12. how is the faithful City become an harlot? it was full of judgement; righteousness lodged in it, but now murderers; so long as they had their good samuel's, justice was like a mighty stream▪ but when they would have a king like the Heathens than men were made offenders for a word, & if any man stand in the way of the king's domination the king's judges for money would condemn him, as in the case of Naboth for his vineyard, ver. 23 thy Princes are Rebellious, and companions of thiefs; therefore ver. 25. when the jews shall be converted, says the Lord, I will take away the tin (of Monarchy) and I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy Councillors as at the beginning; afterwards thou shalt be called the City of righteousness, the faithful City, there are hopes now that England, Ireland and Scotland may be faithful Cities, the dross and Tin of Monarchy being happily purged away, the Lord tells them again of their sin, in choosing kingly Government in the days 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 think, that God makes the sin of Monarchy equal to Idolatry; as there he does? but let any Royalist (if he can) show me one word of approveing, or commending, kingly office, or Regal Government 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 government: nor yet Nehemiah who was the King's cupbearer, 1 Nehe. 11. a most active and zealous instrument for God's 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 himself King, and appointed Prophets to preach him up King at jerusalem, but Nehemiah sent word that there was no such thing, but it was feigned by craft and policy to hinder the work of God, and ver. 13. says Nehemiah, they would have made me afraid and to have sinned that they might have matter for an evil 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 work, but blessed be God, that hath maintained a spirit of Christian fortitude in our good Nehemiahs, ver. 11. shall such men as we, do good works by the halves? God forbid, the Lord think upon his servants, both in Parliament and Army for good, according to all that they have done and suffered: And so Haggai 2. 22. prophecies of overthrowing the throne of kingdoms, and the strength of the kingdoms of the heathens, and the chariots, and those that ride in them, but not a tittle in any of the Prophets; whereby the lawfulness of Monarchy may be gathered or maintained, if the government were lawful, why should the Lord destroy it? and if it must be destroyed from amongst the heathen people (that are ignorant of God, and rational rather in habit then in act:) certainly God is exceeding angry with his own people for suffering Monarches to Lord it over them, when they have a power in their hands to subdue them.  
Object. But was not jesus Christ borne in the days of Augustus Caesar who had so great a power, that all the world was taxed in his days, Luk 2. 1. and did not joseph and Mary of their own accord go up from Galilee into judea to be taxed? and is not subjection commanded to the Roman Emperors (that were some of them monsters of men? and that even for conscience sake Rom. 13. 5. nay did not jesus jesus Christ himself work a miracle to pay tribute for himself and Peter, for Caesar's service?  
Ans. First, concerning that of Rom. 13. I marvel, that any man that hath but a dram of ingenuity will object it, for it is as clear as crystal, 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 evil; for the Law is not made for the righteous man, 1 Tim. 1. 9 He that punishes a man for doing good is no more to be obeyed by any command from God then Satan is; If God should suffer any people to be spiritually possessed or obsessed by the Devil, the Scripture says, that in such cases only spiritual reasons are to be used, this kind of burning, drowning, and persecution goeth not out, but by prayer and fasting, Matth. 17. 15. 21. but when rulers are possessed with a spirit of cruelty, hunting and thirsting after the blood, liberties, and estates of honest people; they are not to crouch under such burdens with an asinine patience, but to quit themselves like men, and purchase their freedom at any rate, for no remedy can be so bad as such a disease; If it should be intended of Religion, than Nero might have compelled Christians to worship the Sun, and the Apostles had find in Acts 5. and if it should be construed of a submission in Civil matters, that is to arm sin by a Commission against the law but the question is whether Monarchical 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 plain and direct prohibition against it; my people shall not have a King, says the Lord, but we will have a King, say they; 'tis your great sin and wickedness to ask a King, says the Lord, but let us have one at our own perils, say they; as the poor jews said in another cause, his blood be upon us and our children; let us have a King, though we smart never so much, and pay never so dear for it, the people are made sensible of their sin in ask a 
Habetis confitentes reos▪  King, and crave pardon for their rejecting God, and a rational Government; against which express inhibition and charter, in that 1. Sam▪ 8. Some interences are made of the lawfulness of Monarchy in general, which yet if it were lawful (as it can never be evinced being against reason) amongst the Heathens, yet it is no argument that it is lawful amongst God's people, because of that Divine injunction that they shall not imitate the government, nor manners of unbelievers; but that which Paul by inspiration wrote to the Saints at Rome, was to satisfy them in any doubt that might arise by their living under Imperial Government; to tell them that until God did find out a way to free them from hard Taskmasters, they must submit for conscience sake, if Nero would send to them for half their goods, it was better for them to part quietly with them, then to resist, and so to lose their lives; for what could two or three hundred Christians do to oppose the Emperor's power; however, he was none of their Lord; they set him not up, but they came in by blood and conspiracies, or else the Romans elected them; the Christians were merely passive in the Government, and in conscience ought to pay tribute to them, not as if the Government was approved by God, but because it was Gods will that Christians should with as much peace and quietness as the world would afford them, pass the time of their sojorning here in fear, wherein the Saints looked at the performance of the promises of God, and the will and mind of their heavenly Father, which they found in Scripture to be, that as the people of God had suffered under the Egyptian power those Pharaoh's and hard taskmasters, and so under the Babylonish power in the captivity, and had suffered and were trampled upon by the Assyrian, Persian, and Grecian Monarches; 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 four Beasts is represented the four Monarch's men of bestial spirits that create a property by force, as amongst the beasts possession is the only right, but says Daniel, it must not be so always, for ver. 18. and 26, 27. But the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom, and possess the Kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever, but the judgement shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it unto the end, and the Kingdom and dominion, and the greatness 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 do the Heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? the Kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take council together against the Lord, and against his Anointed, saying, Let us break 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 speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure, ver. 6. Yet I will (says the Lord) set King jesus upon his holy hill of Zion; The Monarches of the world think to entail their Crowns so fast upon their posterity, and make Laws like the Medes and Persians to be unchangeable, and men may think to establish Royal Statutes, and make firm Decrees that Monarchy shall stand, but the Lord will blow upon them; It is admirable to consider that Scripture of jer. 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 he be that dasheth thy little ones against the stones; and yet for the 70. years the people of God must be patient and pray for the peace of that City where they were captives; do but read that excellent place jer. 29. from the 4. to the 7. 10. If the Parliament had complied with the late King, and set him upon the throne, it had been putting a golden Sceptre into the hand of Antichrist, and a reed into the hand of Christ, to have called Christ master but to have Crowned him with thorns; and a mortal man with Gold; it had been but mocking and scoffing at the promises of justice, Holiness, Purity, Peace, Plenty; and freedom from oppression, which the people of God are to enjoy upon the earth; for do but consider how ridiculous it is, to call those Defendors of the Faith, that are offenders of the faithful; that make the Saints offenders for a word; that hate the Saints, as men naturally hate poison; from whence it follows, that the darkness and dissatisfaction which hath been upon the spirits of many Christians concerning the justice 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 jesus Christ, in a patient suffering, Rom. 8. 2. 9 under Tyrants, 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 God's people, Revel. 21. 24. the Churches of Christ shall not any longer as sucking Lambs be in fear of wolves, or as tender kids in the paws of Bears, nor as a prey to the mouths of Lions, but those that oppress the Lords people shall be fed with their own flesh, and drunk 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 jacob, Esay 49. 26. as it is God's prerogative to bind the Devil in chains, so the Saints shall bind Kings on earth, let Malignants mock and jeer at the Saints and servants of the most high God, mind what the Scripture says Psal. 149. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9 ver. praise the Lord; sing unto the Lord, a new song, and his praise in the congregation of Saints; let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the Children of Zion be joyful 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 bind their Kings with chains, and their Nobles with fetters of iron, to execute upon them the judgement written: this honour have all his Saints, praise ye 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 drunk 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 soul) shall rejoice, Rev. 18. 20. and it is a special 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 war, Revel. 19 11. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war: for unless justice be advanced in the front of all military designs, God will not protect the rear; It is an error in any to hold that the power of Antichrist must not be destroyed by the material sword and maintained by such only as turn all Scriptures into Allegories; I do not count it any superstition for the Gentry of Poland to stand up, and draws their swords at the rehearsal of the Creed, signifying, that they will fight for their Religion against all opposers: And they that are called, are faithful, chosen, and true, jer. 51. 20. Thou art my battle Axe and weapon of war for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy Kingdoms, men of God's designation and appointment. He is the Lord of Hosts that hath taught the hands of his servants to war and their fingers to fight, Psal. 144. 1. For not only that knowledge which is divine is from God, but skill in arms and expertness in wars, which though it may in a great measure be acquired by natural valour and understanding, voluntary industry, and long experiences, yet considering how many veteran Commanders of noble extraction and education, famous in feats of Chivalry; have been foiled, broken in pieces, and beaten at their own weapons by a few gentlemen (in comparison) and invenile mecanicks and honest tradesmen, whose hearts the Lord hath drawn forth and engaged to fight his battles; we must needs acknowledge, that their valour, prowess and dexterity hath either been infused by God, or improved by him to a miraculous proficiency.  
The Scripture is very clear, that God's 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 virtually present by repre sensation 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 appear and stand up for the rest, and more expressly 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, judges that weigh men's causes, Governors of Forts and Garrisons, and chief men for wisdom, principal officers, for age and prudence, and by Kings, and Princes in several texts of Scriptures are only meant eminent nursing fathers to God's people; but accountable to their brethren for any Maladministration; but Kings make themselves so sacred that they may not be touched, they say, the Laws are their own Creatures, to which they can no more be subject then the Romans could be subject to their own slaves; the civilians at Paris not long since resolved, that the King could not be plaintiff in any Action, for he was not tied 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 own dominions and greatness, 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 Wars between Henry the third and the Barons, most of the Citizens of London took 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 yield, though he was brought to a morsel of bread; the people in that midnight of Popery took oaths and protestations from him, for the maintenance of their lives and estates, and set him at liberty, and in special he took a solemn oath not to question the Londoners for any former matter, wishing damnation, and the lowest chamber in hell for himself and his posterity, if he did not punctually keep and observe them, and took the Sacrament upon it, which he believed to be the very Body and Blood of Christ; and the people counted him a Heretic that made the least doubt of his non-performance; what not believe the King upon such solemn Oaths and imprecations? this was ratified by Act of Parliament, but what followed? he had no sooner got the Milicia into his own 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 poor creatures more miserably afflicted and tormented; and what promises did Queen Mary make to the Suffolk men at Franingham Castle, that they should enjoy their Religion established by Edw. 6. but when she had got power in her hand she began to persecute and burn them for Heretics, the poor Suffolks' men besought her to make good her promise, what said she, keep promise with Heretics? 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 foreign Princes in this kind, but it is but to show the Sun with a candle; Monarches have no other principles but self preservation, though they should intend to perform when they promise (which I doubt very few of them do) it is but as the I esuits teach, to keep until they have power to break and forgive an injury, as the Italian says, till he can revenge it, they have such strong temptations to draw their hearts, from what they have engaged their selves unto; if it cross them in point of domination; which is so sweet a morsel unto them, that no prudent people will ever trust them for matter of their liberties: Richlieus principle and Council to his Master was, keep your Subjects low Sir, that having time little enough to get bread they may never think of any liberties: I do 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 Scholar; Let me entreat your honourable patience but to read a little of Machiavelli (which Kings study more than Scripture) his words are these in his Prince; A King▪ says 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 keep his faith given when the observance thereof turns 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 mischief and would not make it good to the Prince, neither is he tied to keep it with them, nor shall a Prince ever find lawful occasion to give colour to this breach, very many modern examples might be alleged wherein might be showed 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 feign and dissemble thoroughly, and many are so simple and yield so much to the present necessities that he who hath a mind to deceive shall always find some or other that will be deceived; Alexander the sixth never did any thing else but deceive men, and never meant otherwise, and always found some to work upon, yet never was there any man that would protest more effectually, nor aver any thing with more solemn oaths and observe them less than he did; nevertheless his cozenages thrive all with him; and further says he, a Prince will be forced for the maintenance of his State to do contrary to his Faith, Charity, Humanity, and Religion, therefore it behoves him to have a mind so disposed as to turn and take the advantage of all winds and fortunes; and a little further, let the Prince seem to him that sees and hears him, to be all pity, all faith, all integrity, all humanity, all Religion, nor is there any thing more necessary for him to seem to have then this last quality, for men in general 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 men's actions, especially those of Princes, where there is no judgement to appeal unto, men forbear to give their reasons till the events and ends of things; let a Prince therefore take the surest courses to maintain his life and estate, the means shall always be thought honourable 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 he kept his promises he had lost his state long ago, so far Machiavelli: And another principle amongst Monarches is, that if any subject begin to have a conceit of his own merits, or to deserve well from the public, he must in reason of state be discourted, if not executed; for sear of factions and Rebellion; when David came to jerusalem with the head of the Giant the women met him singing, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands, 1 Sam. 18. 7. thereby ascribing more honour to David then Saul, for which Saul was wroth against him, and from that hour you may observe that he never looked upon him with a pleasant countenance, oh this David he stands in the way of my applause; he is counted a better soldier, more just, merciful, or Religious than myself, banish him at the least, if not, utterly destroy him; Monarchy and wholesome Laws can no more cohabit, than the Ark and Dagon; take but one divine instance; what wicked laws and statutes of Omri were practised and put in execution, even by Monarches that professed to govern and rule as for the Lord and over his people in that 59 of Esay v. 3. the land is defiled 
Exeat aula qui vult esse pins.  with blood, the King shall have power by Law to pardon murders under the name of manslaughters, ver. 4. none calleth for justice; nor any pleadeth for truth ver. 5. they hatch Cokatrice eggs and wove the Spider's web, ver. 8. there is no judgement in their goings, they have made them crooked paths, ver. 9 therefore is judgement far from us, neither doth justice overtake us, ver. 14. 15. and judgement is turned away back, and justice standeth a far off for Truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter, and the Lord was displeased that there was no judgement; the meaning whereof can be no other than this; That Evangelicall Prophet, or Prophetical Evangelist Isaiah foretelling the judgement that should befall his own Nation by the Assyrians and the Chaldeans, telleth judah and Israel, that principally for corruption in their Courts of justice; they shall be severely punished, his prophecy rising no higher than to the reign of Vzziah King of judah and jeroboam the second King of Israel, he tells them that their Laws are like Spider's webs, they entangle poor clients as the Spider's web doth the flies, to their destruction, and undoeing, their Laws are spun with so fine a thread that none but Eagle eyed practisers can discern them; the plaintiff hatches Cockatrice eggs, the issue of many tedious suits, is poisonful and pernicious, if he recover, considering his costs and pains he may put his gains in his eyes and see never the wrose, and if he mistake his Action, or do not hit the bird in the eye, he must pay the defendant his costs (who yet is in conscience indebted unto him) to his utter undoeing; but the Spirit of God prophesying against such wicked Councillors that contend for Monarches saith ver. 6. their webs shall not become garments, when Monarches are destroyed; their Laws shall perish with them, they shall prove but as cobwebs to those that practise them, and shall afford them no succour against God's vengeance, their Laws are crooked like the serpent, full of turnings and windings, Maeanders and Intricaties; such as swerve from the straight and easy path of God's judicial Laws; for equity can find no admittance, or is not able to stand and bear itself up; and ver. the 11. the people roar like bears and moutne sore like doves and look many years for judgement, yet there was none; for Monarchy and good Laws are inconsistent; and what Amos saith chap. 5▪ 21, 22, 23. I hate and abhor your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies, 22. though ye offer me burned 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 hear the melody of thy viols, that is, leave off praying and singing till there be a settled course of justice between party and party to run down not by drops, but like a mighty stream of water in a firm, quick, cheap and unvariable way, and chap. 6. 8. saith the Lord. I abhor, the excellency of jacob, and hate his Palaces, what blessed Lord! abhor thy poor worm jacob and his father's pomp and best condition? sure it must be for some transcendent iniquity, behold the reason rendered Amos the 5. and 7. and 6. 12. for ye have turned judgement into Worm wood and Gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock; justice (which of itself is the most pleasing and profitable thing in the world and which being tempered with mercy cures all the distempers and diseases in a Body politic) 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 Laws 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 than 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 them in their drags, therefore they rejoice and are glad; that as in the Sea the greater fishes devour the lesser so a full pursed malicious plaintiff or defendant wearies out his poor adversary and right is conquered by might; by means of those Angles, Nets, Drags, and Cobwebs, and Rubs that hang and jye in the way and allies of justice, preferring ceremonies, forms, and shadows, before truths, realities, and substances; and Monarches ever loved such witty judges as could expound the Law, that judgement should be given as his Imperial Sacred Majesty desired, and where the plaintiffs cause was so clear that it was too gross to give judgement against him, then after judgement given for him to have such Council as should find a knot in a Bulrush, an error in the proceedings, to reverse the judgement, and so the poor creature caught like a fish in a Net, or a bird in the snare, and the more he struggles to get out the faster he 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, than he is 
Non 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 ears 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 righteousness, but behold a cry: God will at the length be cloyed (as one is cloyed with meat which he loatheth, and his stomach goeth against, Prov. 27. 7. with the prayers and devotions of any Nation in the world, that have not an expedient of quick, sure and cheap justice, and will disown and spew out such a people, though they be never so instant in prayer, and by their instancy and importunities hope to speed, Matth. 6. 7. yet his soul hateth them, he abhores it from his very heart; and take but that precious Text of jer. 22. 15, 16. did not thy father eat and drink and do judgement and justice, and then it was well with him, he judged the cause of the poor and needy, than it was well with him, was not this to know me, saith the Lord?  
Indeed a man would think that it should be easier to find 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 die, Rom. 5. 7. and if God's people had been left to any kind of government which they should think best they might happily have entrusted some good man with a plenarty of power, and have expected a blessing therein, but Monarchy is against God's institution, and blessings are only annexed to God's Ordinances; bread & wine in the Sacrament are better to work devotion then pompious toys, Images and Puppets are for carnal Gospelers, says God, when his people choose a King they reject him.  
But does not Peter & Paul call an absolute Monarchy God's Ordinance, I deny it, for the power Legislative was in the Senate, the Romans did never intrust any man by any Legal constitution to do what he list without the people's consent in the Senate, Nero's cruelties were never with the people's consent, but says Paul to the poor Saints there, you see what differences there are between the Caesars and the Senators who stand for the people's 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 than 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 mixed 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 speak properly, he is a servant, so if there should be a good King (like a black swan) the people may be less miserable for a season but it cannot hold long, for every creature seeks its own 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 do not intend to rest there, but that they may the more easily compass what remains, and for my own part, when I hear many wise men speak of making peace with the King and tyeing him up so close to his Laws, that he should not be able to hurt the people; I thought it was but a kind of dissimulation to make people beyond Sea think him to be a great King, and yet in effect to make him stand but for a cipher therefore I do much prefer the Spanish principle before the Scottish, the first wishes that he had many lives to lose for his King, and that he had rather lose his life then question the King's justice, but the Scots contend for a King of Clouts merely for the name of a King that must be whipped if he look but awry, keeping their Kings in as much awe as schoolboys; for any people to live in slavery whenthey may be free is a baseness of spirit, and for others to contend for a King and no King, I mean a titular King without power not; so much power as a High Constable hath, to commit a nightwalker; is rather worse, for God that hath punished gross profaneness in England and Ireland with rods, will punish hypocrisy in Scotland with Scorpious; But still versatill wits will be objecting, what, were all the former Emperor's Tyrants in the four Monarchies? or if so, what shall we say of the Kings of Israel & judah? where the King is sole judge, or hath a negative voice there he is unlimited, and consequently a Tyrant 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 judges, and may make war or peace without the King, than he is no King; it is no discretion to be too much in particulars; Certainly for the general, Monarches have been monsters of men; a generation of men and women borne for the scourge and punishment of man kind, whose wickedness and villainies have been of the highest Elevation and Magnitude, more forcible to provoke and irritate God's justice to punish the world than the honesty and singleheartednes of the people, to incite & procure his pardoning mercy and forgiveness; Therefore I hope all good people will agree with me, that we have great cause to rejoice in that famous piece of justice of january the 30. 1648. acted where most of their miseries had been plotted; and as josephus records (antiquit. lib. 18. cap. 6.) of one Marsias, that after the death of that Tyrant Nero or Tiberius; He made an Oration to the people to write every man upon his door The Lion is dead: and 
Tedneken o Leon▪  as after the removal 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 learn to catch the prey and devour men; I would entreat my Honoured Countrymen to be as wise in this generation as the Romans were before Christ's time; and instead (of plotting to destroy themselves by hunting after new Tyrants) 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 Lioness? she lay down among Lions, she nourished her whelps among young Lions, and she 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, she took another of her whelps and made him a young Lion, and he went up and down among the Lions, he became a young Lion & learned to catch the prey and devoured men, than 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 chains, and imprisoned him, that his voice was no more heard upon the mountains of Israel; how admittable and adorable is the fullness of Scripture, as if it had been calculated for the Meridian of England; Zedekiah was the last King of judah, the whelp was jehoahaz who was King for three months only, 2 Kings 30. ver. 31. he was taken in a pit or net, a phrase importing the manner of catching Lions, of whom jeremy Prophesied, that he should never return to see his native Country, jer. 22. 10. the other whelp was jehoiakim, who went up and down craving aid from the King of Egypt to make him King; which was the cause of his ruin, the roaring of the whelp made a great noise, by their cruel and tyrannical commands, but they were taken in strong holds, & being dead were buried with the burial of an Ass jer. 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 public judgement of the people in a national Counsel) and his Children, a Lion and his whelps: the Lord knows my heart, that I bear no more malice to any one herein mentioned or intended, than 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 me to fall into their hands, as he justly might in regard of my sins, though I trust for his mercy's sake he will not; yet I do freely pray for blessings upon them, that if it be the will of God, those Fatherless Children which are not fit to be Kings upon earth may be Heirs 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 confess their sin, and give glory to God; learn to govern themselves, and renounce all vain and sinful pretences: I should be an humble Advocate for them, that Mercy might be honourably seated on the right hand of justice; and that there might be not only a competent, but an eminent exhibition allowed them for their support; for I could heartily wish, that such as profess Christ, would die more to vain Philosophy, Col. 2. but live to moral Phylosoply, if it were but to learn this lesson, of blessing them that curse us, and doing the good of justice against the evil of injustice; because for any man to lay aside his justice is to deprive himself of reason, & to become a brute; justice being nearer of kin to every Magistrate than his child or brother, as being part of his soul, but justice without Mercy is cruelty, and Mercy without justice is mere fatuity.  
FINIS.   

Pray excuse the want of a Greek Character and the Errata, viz.  
OMitted in the title page these words, viz. With some humble petitions and observations interweaved, concerning Cheap and speedy justice; with the Author's hopes above his fears of happy days. 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 bear it. for intertolares read intercalares▪ for it is not r. Is it not. for one Act r. an Act. r. Images. r. seems. r. a just. r. as the defendant▪ r. I scarce. for flock r. stock▪ r. many families preserved which would. r. breaden. r. will not do it. r. may seem. r. as if godly. r. would sit. r. straitened. r. any time. r. meanest soldier. for begin r. begun▪ for have been called home r. may be called home. for prudency r. precedency. a line left out r. I do not know that he hath left his peer behind him. fol. 32. for head r. hard. f. 52. for direct r. dwelled. 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▪