CHRISTUS DEI, OR, A theological DISCOURSE, WHEREIN Is Proved, that regal or monarchical Power is not of human, but of Divine Right, and that GOD is the sole Efficient Cause thereof, and not the People.  
Also, That every Monarch is above the whole commonwealth, and is not only Major Singulis, but Major Universis.  
Written In Answer to a late Printed Pamphlet entitled, Observations upon some of His majesty's late Answers and Expresses.  
1 Pet. 2. 13. Subjecti estote omni humanae creaturae propter Dominum, sive Regi quasi Praecellenti. Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the King as Supreme.  
OXFORD, Printed by H. Hall. An. Dom. M. DC. XLII.   

CHRISTUS DEI, OR, A theological Discourse, wherein is proved, that regal Power is not of human, but of Divine Right, and that GOD only is the Efficient cause thereof, and not the People.  

Preface.  
THere is a book come forth of late, barely entitled, Observations upon some of His majesty's late Answers and Expresses, without any name of the Author or place where it was Printed. Wherein the Observer (So I must call him not knowing him by any other name) aims chiefly and directly to prove; that the hereditary, regal, and monarchical Power of our now present dread sovereign King Charles, is inferior and subject to the Power of the now present Parliament.  
Which to evince he undertakes to lay down the original foundation of all regal Power whatsoever, according to the efficient and final causes thereof. And having made the final cause to be the safety of the people, together with their civil or political happiness; he also makes the efficient cause to be, not God, but only the people, and the instrumental cause of conveying and deriving this regal Power to be, not any divine law, nor nothing else (amongst Christians) but the mere human pactions and Agreements of the politic Body of the people. And then arguing by a rule in nature; that quicquid efficit tale est magts tale, he issueth out this just inference (as he calleth it) that though the King be singulis major, yet he is universis minor, and therefore inferior and subject in Power to the Parliament.  
Having perused this discourse, and finding it to be most injurious to regal Power or monarchy, contrary to the true Principles of State and divinity, or Orthodox Christian Doctrine: I thought I might do my King and Country good service, to confute these desperate and more than dangerous Positions, by declaring and proving the true original foundation, according to the final and efficient causes of regal or monarchical Power: which (with God's good help) I hope to do perspicuously in the few ensuing Paragraphes.   

§. 1 Of the Primary final cause; as also of the Efficient cause of all civil Societies or republics.  
Because whatsoever is done, is done for some end or purpose, without which it should not have been done, nor had a being: therefore it is the constant Doctrine of all Philosophers, that the End is the chief and principal of all causes: and therefore, for methods sake I will begin with it. now to find out the primary end of all civil Societies or commonwealths, we, that are Christians, must reflect attentively upon those words of the Holy Ghost. Prov. 16: 4. universa propter semetipsum operatus est Dominus. By which we are ascertaind, that God Almighty created not only all other Creatures, but all mankind also, as for their primary end, for himself, and his own Praise and glory.  
And as for man in particular, God created him to his own image and likeness, endowing him with an understanding and a will, that he might know how to honour and love his Creator, and by such love and honour might finally become happy in the fruition of his eternal, unspeakable and inestimable Glory in Heaven: for means whereto, first God dictated certain divine Precepts and Principles unto man, and imprinted them with his very Creation upon his natural reason (for which cause they are called divine natural laws written in every man's heart, saith Saint Paul Rom. 2. 15.) That every man might be equally Capable to know them, and equally obliged to obey them. Secondly God infused into him Faith, Hope, and Charity, and other supernatural Virtues, all tending to this Conducement, that man following them as his guides, might, through his obedience to God, attain to his own Salvation. Thirdly to bind man more strongly to his Subjection, and to make it appear more illustriously unto him, that therein principally consisted his Welfare, as the very End and centre, for and to which he was created, He gave him an express divine Law, not to eat of the tree in the midst of Paradise upon pain of death. Fourthly, by Revelation he instructed him in many particular sacred forms and Rites of exterior divine worship, as sacrifice and others; for though we read not anywhere in holy Writ, that Adam offered Sacrifice, no more than we do of Isaac; yet we read there that Cain and Abel did, and that Abraham and Jacob did. But it cannot be imagined that Cain and Abel were the first Inventors of this most, religious and divine worship, (No more than that Isaac did neglect it) but that by paternal Tradition and example they received it from Adam.  
All which duly considered; it will appear evidently, that the primary end for which all men are created, is to serve, honour, love, obey, & worship God. From whence it follows; that this being man's highest and principallest Concern, it ought also to be his highest and principallest care to attend to it. But most certain it is, that men, living divided and scattered over the face of the world without the instruction and assistance one of another, cannot possibly perform this for every particular man's behoof, as is requisite. And therefore from this final cause arose primarily a necessity amongst men to unite and combine themselves into civil Societies and commonwealths. This end could not be prefixed by men; but men were created for this end by God. And therefore this is the Primary, spiritual, supernatural, and divine final cause of all republics, to which every other end must be but secondary, subordinate, and subservient.  
And from hence it followeth further, that since on the one side no natural agent can by its natural power compass the attaining of a supernatural end; and on the other side civil Societies ought not to be instituted in vain: we mustneeds conclude, that the Primary efficient Cause of all commonwealths is only God.   

§. 2. Of the Secondary final Cause, and also the only Efficient Cause of all civil Societies and republics.  
Every Creature in the World strives to preserve its own kind. We see what pains and Care Beasts and Birds take to rear their Younglings. Trees and Plants bear fruits and seeds to produce the like when they are perished. Yea, the inanimate Creatures (according to their predominant Element and mixture) strive every one to obtain and enjoy their centre. And all this not only for their own particular, but also for the harmonious Accommodation and preservation of the universe, the great and most excellent work of nature, wherein she doth nothing in vain. But in vain had man been, if he also had not been provided of necessary means towards the Preservation of his kind. For which cause God said it was not good for man to be alone: and therefore gave him a Woman to be his Helper, that so by means of generation he might propagate his offspring to the world's end.  
This Preservation then of mankind is the main natural and secondary end of man. And to this end God gave him his blessing to increase and multiply from whence ariseth, that of necessity there must be at least private families. But man and Woman finding (by woeful experience) most true what God said to Adam and Eve; that he should eat his bread in the sweat of his brows, that she should bring forth her children in pain, found also presently, that every private family is not sufficient of itself to maintain this work of Preservation, without the help of one another. For first, to say nothing of womens' deliveries in childbirth, which cannot possibly always and everywhere be performed requisitely by themselves and their families, without the help of some other, or others: and yet even upon this the Preservation of mankind holds a most necessary and principal dependence. I will only speak of man's part, who with the sweat of his brows, with extreme toil and labour must provide food and clothing, and all other necessary supports and sustentations for his family. But to do this, he must of necessity (I speak not of barbarous inhuman people) have some certain place of abode; and in this he must have some peculiar right, some propriety of possession, by virtue whereof he may reap the fruits of the earth, and maintain his cattle. And how shall every private family be able to do this with security? will not every one strive for the best possession? will not the shepherds of Abraham and Lot, and of Isaac and Gerara fall to contention for water & pastures, and such like other necessary elbow room? And in these uncivil and unsociable quarrels, must not all private families be made like to the fishes of the sea. Hab. 11, 13. 14. where the stronger must devour the weaker.  
Secondly God endowed man in his Creation with an understanding and a will. This understanding is of that infinite capacity, that it hath for its adequate Object omne ens as it is verum. And man therefore is in perpetual and restless search of knowledge, to perfect his understanding by experience and learning. The will also hath for her adequate Object omne ens as it is bonum? And man therefore is in perpetual pursuit of reciprocal love to perfect his will by friendship and Justice. Over and above these God gave to man the faculty of speech, to be the reciprocal conveyance of learning and friendship. So as for this very reason Arisiotle said excellently well, that man is by nature a sociable Creature, for neither learning, nor friendship, nor justice (in which consists essentially man's civil or political happiness) nor safety or security (which is the only preservative of man's very being) can possibly be acquired and maintained in the division of men in their private families. And therefore for this very end it was naturally necessary for men to unite and associate themselves into civil Societies and Communities, that so they might preserve their Kind.  
From the learning, Experience and industry of the understanding proceed all Arts, Tillage, Manufactures, Trade and traffic, which bring in gain, and that brings plenty from the friendship and justice of the will proceed Peace and security: in which secure peace and plenty consisteth Perfect salus populi. now since this cannot be had in divided private Families, and without this there can be no preservation of mankind, it follows, that civil Societies or commonwealths are naturally necessary. Whose natural final cause is truly and only (in the manner as I have explicated) Salus Populi.  
Now furthermore, seeing that a Commonwealth is not the design of Art and Invention of particular men, nor of any positive law of theirs, but proceeds from the Common necessity of all mankind, intimated unto them by the law of nature, of which God is the sole cause and Author; it followeth, that the officient cause of all republics is only God.   

§. 3 Of the final and Efficient cause of civil Power in a Common wealth.  
As for the final cause there is little or no difficulty; for seeing that the final cause of every thing must needs be that, which that thing necessarily refers unto, as to its end for which it is done or hath its being: it is manifest, that since civil societies have for their natural and secondary final cause Salus Populi; the power also which must not be ad destructionem, but ad adisicationem, to maintain those civil Societies, can have no other final cause, but that whereunto they direct and are directed, which is Salus Populi.  
The material cause in which this power original, resides and inheres; as the form to make up a complete Body of a commonwealth, is the People. And so the Observer saith very well in this kind of cause; power is originally inhaerent in the People, most certain than it is; that even at the very first uniting themselves into a civil society, there is an inhaerent power in the People to govern themselves, and by such government to preserve themselves in safety. For this is the only necessary natural end for which they met (as I have shown before) that they might be able and powerful to secure themselves, and preserve their kind. But this meeting would have been in vain, and this preservation wholly made frustrate, if there were not this Power inhaerent in them.  
If in the natural Body of man there were not an interior Directive Governing Power to guide every particular member in the operative use of its function, and to contrive those operations to the mutual good of one another, and the conservation of the whole man; that Body could not possibly but suddenly perish. For if the teeth will not chew, nor the throat swallow, nor the hands reach, nor the feet stir, nor the eyes look out, when nature requires her necessary food, she and they & all must starve. So in a political Body; if all members should do but what they list, and should not be compelled by some absolute Power to contribute their strengths and endeavours to the preservation of one another, and the whole community, it would be but Regnum in se divisum, that of necessity must fall to desolation, as the Holy Ghost confirms also elsewhere, saying, Proverb. 11. 14. Ubi non est Gubernator dissipabitur Populus.  
The main difficulty is: who is the efficient cause of this Power. Wherein, not to be tedious to my Reader, but to yield him the satisfaction of his expectation in a brief and Resolute answer, I present unto him this decretory Assertion. This Power is not a human but a divine Right; and God only is the Immediate efficient cause thereof. This I prove by five Arguments.  
Arg. 1. There is a rule in nature (to use the observers own words) Quod dat esse dat consequentia ad esse. But the esse of a republic cannot have a simpliciter esse without the esse of this power. Therefore he that is the Efficient cause of the republic, is also the Efficient cause of this power. But (as I have proved before§. 2. n. 5.) God is the sole efficient cause of all republics, therefore he is also the sole efficient cause of this power.  
Arg. 2. The primary final cause of civil Societies (as I have proved§. 1.) is divine worship; which man could not prefix to himself as his end, but he was created by God for and to that end, and only God prefixed that end to man. Therefore this is a divine end which cannot be atcheived without a divine Power (as I have also proved in the same.§. n. 4.) only God then is the immediate Efficient cause of this Power.  
And from thence it proceeds, that Kings, acknowledging themselves to have received this divine Power Principally for this Primary end, their oaths at their Coronation are (as the Observer very grutchingly granteth) more precise in the care of canonical privileges, and of Bishops and clergymen, then of the Commonalty▪ and not from the reason which he gives. viz. because they were penned by Popish Bishops. For whether the Bishops were Popish or Protestant, surely they are not to be blamed ex hoc capite, but most highly to be reverenced, that according to their profession & duty they put Kings in mind, in the first place, of divine Worship, and their own and their people's eternal salvation depending thereupon. And I cannot understand why the Observer should give that reason, but only to seduce the vulgar into a base and profane misconceiving and vilifying of the royal Power of Kings, and their sacred oaths. For, Popish, without all doubt in his Dictionary signifieth superstitious at least, if not Idolatrous. But, if it be superstition for a man to be more precise in the care of divine worship, and his souls everlasting salvation, then of any other his remporall end or affair (see§. 1. n. 3.) in vain then have all Christians hitherto believed that they were in a true Religion. Let the Observer consider what censure he deserves for thus finding fault with King's oaths, and whether he gives not just cause of suspicion, that he is rather an atheist than a Christian. It is well known to all Christians, that Quaerite primùm Regnum Dei & justitiam ejus is no invention of Popish Bishops, but our Blessed Saviours own Doctrine and Rule, not only to Bishops, but to all Kings and People whatsoever, as the! Principal, to which as an Accessorium follows, & haecomnia adjicientur vobis: Mat. 6. 33.  
Arg. 3. When private families first joined themselves into a Common Body of society, before any Condictum, Paction, or Agreement amongst themselves, to enact positive laws for their government, there was an inherent power in them to enact: such laws. For who can make a Law without a power? But this power, not being the effect, but the most necessary cause of all human pactions or positive laws, cannot have its origin from man, but only from God. Ergo God is the sole Efficient cause of this power.  
Arg. 4. When men first associated themselves into a Commonwealth, they were all of equal Right and Power, so that none (I speak of several families still as before) could challenge superiority the one over the other. For, this divine natural power, viz. Se defendere, et vim vi repellere, was inherent in every one of them, and obliging them. The power than which accrued to the aggregation of the whole society, was not made but brought, as being no other than what was in all and every particular Member of that society before. But that is a divine power and the immediate effect of God. Ergo. And indeed in the due managing or excercising of this divine natural law of se defendendo, and vim vi repellendo consists totally the security and Salus Populi, and the power of the Commonwealth to maintain it.  
Arg. 5. God Almighty is so solely the Legislator and Author of his own laws, without the concurrence or consent of any other counsel, (quis enim consiliarius ejus fuit, aut quis prior dedit ei? Rom. 11. 33.) That they have their establishment only in and by his own will. So that no power whatsoever of his Creatures, can by any contraition against him, invalid or annull those Laws. But non occides is a divine natural Law and precept expressed in the decalogue. Therefore no Pactions or agreements of men can give this power of putting a man to death, no more than Cain could kill Abel. But on, the other side it is manifest, that republics have a lawful power of putting men to death, without which they could not preserve their own safety. Therefore they have it from God. And how soon God gave this power to men I know not, nor cannot find, until after the flood; when Genes. 9 6. we read this express positive divine law and precept given to the civil magistrate. Quicunque effuderit humanum sanguinem, fundetur sanguis illius.   

§. 4. Of the Efficient cause of regal Power.  
The final Cause of regal Power must of necessity be the same that is of the Commonwealth, because the King is the administrator of the power of the Commonwealth, to the same end no doubt, for which it was first ordained: of which having spoken largely before, I have no need to say any thing here.  
The main question is, who is the Efficient Cause of regal or monarchical power? Which the Observer boldly avers to be, not God, but the people. And upon this false ground he vents all those swarms of false Inferences throughout his whole discourse.  
But before I lay down the true Resolution of this question, I must desire my Reader to mark with good heed the great difference that is between the power itself of a Commonwealth, and the Authority to administer that power: for the people may be the Efficient Cause of this second, though not of the first. As for example, the Aldermen of London may elect, nominate, and constitute such or such a man to be their Lord Major to administer the power that belongs to the Corporation of that City: and herein they may be the Efficient Cause of his Authority to administer the power of the City, but not of his power; because that is the gift of the King by his Charter, of which His Majesty therefore is the only efficient cause, and not the Aldermen, nor all the people of that Corporation whatsoever?  
I have proved all along in the precedent§. that the civil power of a Commonwealth, is not a human, but Divine power, of which, not the people, but God only is the Efficient Cause. It is true indeed, that it is in the voluntary election of the people to authorise one, or few, or more with the administration of this power. And as long as this Authority is still Elective in the people, they may by consent of the major part alter their form of Gubernation into democratical oligarchical, aristocratical, or monarchical, as they please. And herein the Observer saith truly, that God is no more the author of regal, then of aristocratical power: for whether this power be in many, or in one, it is still the same divine power of the commonwealth, though diversely administered, of which God only is the Efficient Cause. But when the people have once resigned up all their Authority into the hands of one, and his heirs for ever, so that now it is not any longer elective in them, but hereditary in Him: than not only the power, but the Authority also to administer that power is solely inherent in Him and His heirs, unalterably and irrevocably for ever.  
This then is my first Assertion. The Efficient Cause of regal or monarchical power, is not the people, but only God. I speak in this Assertion, not of conditional Princes, but only of absolute Kings, and Monarchs. My first proof than is. When the people create a King, they elect his Person, and authorise him with the administration of that absolute power which is inherent in the whole Commonwealth to govern itself: otherwise he is no absolute King, of whom only I speak, and so doth the Observer also. But this power (as I have proved) is not an human, but a Divine Power, of which God only is the Efficient Cause. Therefore God only, and not the people is the Efficient Cause of regal Power.  
My second proof, God saith expressly, Prov. 8. 15. Per me Reges régnant, &c. Then their Dominion or Power by which they reign is immediately from God. Christ saith to Pilate, Ioh. 19, 11. Non haberes potestatem, &c. nisi tibi datum esset desuper. Then this Power is not from below from men; but from above, from God. Saint Paul saith, Rom. 13. 1. Omnu anima potestatibus sublimioribus subdita sit: non est enim potestas nisi à Deo. And, qui resistit Potestati, Dei Ordinationi resistit. And, non sine causa gladium portat. For what cause? Dei enim minister est, vindex in iram &c. Then regal Power is Divine Power and the Ordinance of God, wherein the King is not the Peoples, but God's minister, as being invested and anointed interiorly in his Person by him with a Divine Power; of which the Exterior Unction is a sacred, Ceremonious, Commonefactive and solemn testimony. And for this cause, Cyrus though a Heathen King is called by God himself. Isay. 45. 1. Christus men's, God's own anointed. The holy King Josaphat saith to those whom he had constituted Judge. 2. Paralip. 19 6. Non hominis exercetis judicium sed Domini. Then it is not a human Power, but a divine Power by which the King doth judge & rule his people.  
From hence I infer two Corollaries.  
The first. That there is a twofold trust in the King. The one of his power. The other of the Administration of his power. The first is God's trust unto him to exercise his divine judgements. The second is the peoples, to administer it Propter salutem populi. But if he swerve herein, seeing that the power is Divine & residing and inhering only in him, and not in the people, he is not liable to the people, but only to God.  
The second corollary. As God is the sole efficient cause of regal power; so the instrumental cause which conveys this power, is the Divine natural Law obliging men to unite themselves into civil societies. For God gives a power to men to govern themselves by obliging them to unite themselves. And consequently the election of the people (with all the observers pactions & agreements) is but Causa sine qua non, by way of approximation, that this divine power may reside in those few, or more, or one rather than in any other. As in my former example. ●. 3. The efficient cause of the Lord major's Power is only the King. The instrumental cause by which this power is derived unto him, is the Charter of the city, granted to them at pleasure, more strictly, or more largely by the King. And the aldermen's election of this or that particular man, is but the approximation, that the King's power may reside in him to govern the city, rather than in any other.  
My second Assertion. Every absolute King (invested and anointed with a divine power by God himself to exercise his judgements, through the election of the people to be sole administrator thereof) is in power super totam Rempublicam, superior absolutely over the whole Commonwealth. And therefore is not only Major singulis, but Major Universis, and super omnes simul. This Assertion is evident out of the former. For, the power that was inherent in the whole Commonwealth to exercise God's judgements and to govern and preserve itself, was a Divine power, not only super singulos, but super omnes simul, and therefore Major Universis. But this power is now totally and absolutely inherent in the King only. Ergo he is super totam Rempublicam: and Major Vniversis,  
In Confirmation of this Argument, I argue thus. Either the whole power of the Commonwealth is in one, or no. if no: then he is no absolute King or Monarch, contrary to our supposition. But if he be a Monarch I ask again; if there be a power in the Commonwealth, which is not in him, is it subordinate to his power, or no? if it be subordinate, than his power is above that power, and so super totam Rempublicam, and Major Vniversis. If it be not, than there are simul & semel two supreme civil powers in a Commonwealth, two supreme contrary masters at once to be obeyed, one and the same individual kingdom and Gubernation, and yet divided against itself, which are most absurd and impossible.  
From hence it is evident that His Majesty said most truly and most learnedly, that the administration of the whole power of the Commonwealth being committed in trust absolutely and irrevocably to him and his heirs for ever, it is impossible that a power above that trust should be committed to others.  
This the Observer in effect plainly confesseth. But relapsing into his wonted paroxysms of strong malice against Regal Power, he labours (by his most false erroneous Principal Rex est minor Vniversis) and tires himself in vain to answer it. And because the strength of all his long tedious and farraginous discourse depends wholly upon these two false grounds, viz. that the people is the Efficient cause of Regal power. And that Rex est minor Vniversis; and I have manifestly confuted them both, I presume I have also sufficiently confuted all the rest: and therefore conclude in those sacred words. Data est a Domino Potestas Regibus, & Virtus ab Altissimo. Power is given to Kings of the Lord, and sovereignty from the Highest. Sapient. 6. 3.   
FINIS.