A DESCRIPTION Of a PREROGATIVE ROYAL.  
SHOWING How far a SOVEREIGN may according to the Word of God require service of his Subjects by his PREROGATIVE.  
Also How far a Subject is to give true obedience unto his SOVEREIGN.  
By M. B. wishing happy prosperity unto the King, Parliament and Kingdom.  Acts 2 17. 
And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons, and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old man shall dream dreams.  Psal 119.46. 
I will speak of thy testimonies also even before Kings: and will not be ashamed.  
London, Printed for T. B. 1642.   

The description of a PREROGATIVE ROYAL.  
WHereas it hath been and is a great question about a Prerogative Royal, and the liberties thereof by Papists, Atheists, Newters, or men of no religion, that seek after preferment and authority by cogging flattering and lying and not by christian upright dealing, and thereby do abuse the King our Sovereign, pulling and stretching out his prerogative until it be rejected of all true subjects, and do not only abuse the King under pretence of his Prerogative Royal, but do thereby falsify the truth of it, for they do describe the King's Prerogative in this manner saying:  
That his Majesty may by his Prerogative, command the goods, the Chattels, and the lives of any his subjects inhabiting within his kingdom and dominions, and that is false which you shall see anon.  
Now seeing that Antichrist his brood can make bold to describe a Prerogative Royal in a false manner to set the king and his subjects at variance, I do think it not only necessary but also of necessity for a christian subject to describe the truth of a Prerogative Royal, thereby to set peace between the king and his subjects, so fare forth as it shall please God to give his blessing thereunto.  
And now to the matter what the King's Prerogative is, as namely that the King is subject to none but to God.  
So that he may have command of the subjects whatsoever things necessary and necessity doth require, so fare forth as the truth of his Prerogative doth extend.  
Object. Then the King may command or require whatsoever the malignant party aforesaid hath spoken of before.  
Answ. No, for as the King is subject to none but to God, so he is subject only to God alone, and for to give an account unto God for all his works whether good or evil, so that the office of a King as it is the greatest dignity and honour in all the world, so it is a heavy burden being well considered and flatterers, enchanters or spiritual witches, will make it more heavy, if God in his mercy do not defend him from those wicked fiends.  
But the truth is a Prerogative Royal doth stand upon three points, or architects: that is to say foundation, supportation, and obligation, even so doth the Prerogative Royal stand upon the foundation of truth, supportation of judgement, obligation or bond of righteousness: now if any of these three points be wanting, in architect the building cannot stand.  
Even so likewise in a Prerogative Royal it stands as aforesaid, upon these three points, but after a mystical manner, as first, the foundation of truth, secondly the suportation of judgement, and thirdly the bond of righteousness.  
And these three points hath God commanded the King's Prerogative to stand upon, as first in the book of Deuteronomie, the 17. chap. the 18.19. and 20. verses: Giving us to understand that Kings must be godly, and religious, whose affections must be still to obey the truth, the will, and the word of God, whereby he may be a discerner of truth from falsehood; and and not to be carried away with every wind of false doctrine, as many Kings are.  
The second point that the Prerogative is upholden by, is judgement, for if a man have never so good foundation in the truth, yet if he have no judgement to support the truth aright, whereby doth proceed matter of true faith, as good not know the truth, for without truth it is impossible to please God: even so the King's prerogative must have judgement to uphold the truth, for he that hath not true judgement is subject to many errors and falls into heresies and is always apt and ready to be deluded, and miserably detained.  
The third point upon which a good building doth consist, is Peace, Obligation, and a sound Band; for in Architect the foundation, the supportation, being never so firm to show, yet if it have not good Band to hold it outward together, it will soon fall, and be ruinated.  
Even so stands the case of a Prerogative Royal if it have not truth, and having truth, hath not judgement, and having judgement, have not the bond of Righteousness, it can be no Prerogative Royal, for God hath commanded in the 22. of Jeremy, the 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. verses.  
So here, we vulgar sort of people may see upon what ground the King's Prerogative doth stand, as namely, upon Truth, Judgement, and Righteousness, so as Truth and Judgement do teach matter of Faith, so Judgements and Righteousness do teach manners of life and conversation.  
So that here we may learn and observe, that as it is the duty of all Kings from God to reign, to rule, to govern and command (in their several Kingdoms, and Dominions) all the subjects according to the Prerogative afore mentioned.  
So it is the duty of every subject from God faithfully to obey his Sovereign Lord the King, according to the same Prerogative, as in Truth, Judgement, and Righteousness, and this in the performance of this duty, will make a good accommodation and reconciliation between King and People, Sovereign and Subject.  
As in Joshua the first Chapter 16. and 17. verses, And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou hast commanded us will we do, and whithersover thou sendest us will we go, as we obeyed Moses in all things, so will we obey thee, only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses: Whosoever shall rebel against thy Commandments, and will not obey thy words, in all that thou commandest him, let him be put to death, only be strong and of a good courage.  
Object. Then the King may command what he please.  
Answer. As Moses and Joshua did receive God's will by immediate means; so the King and his People must receive the will of God by immediate means, as namely, from the written word of God.  
This being so, it is a maxim inviolable, the use that we are to make is this, that it do not only reprove, but also condemn those that do abuse and falsify the King's Prerogative, saying, and holding that the King may command by his Prerogative the lives, lands and goods and chattels of any subject or subjects, when or wheresoever he pleaseth, and so consequently do make of a good King a witty tyrant, not only in matters of faith, but also in manners of life, wherein do consist the mark of true Christianity.  
And those miserable wretches being crossed in their wicked designs, have laboured by all means possible to make variance between the King and his Parliament, and so by this consequence they raise a breach between the King and this Kingdom, by their enchanting spiritual witchery, flattering and dissembling, and so seducing the King under pretence of honesty and plain dealing, when there is no such matter, but only mere deceit, and all for their own ends.  
But be they what they will be, so long as they continue in those wicked courses and practices, that make themselves instruments and slaves to their master the Devil, and he will one day pay them their wages to their utter shame and confusion of soul and body for evermore, except God in his mercy do give them grace to repent.  
The second Use is to advise them to pray unto God that he will be merciful unto them, to open the eyes of their understanding, and to give them a clear sight and feeling of their sins, that they may not be blinded in them through delight or custom, as reprobates are: But that they may be weary of them, much grieved for them, if the Lord of his mercy touch their hearts with true repentance, that they be inwardly sorry for all sins, not to take any delight or pleasure in any ●in, but that they turn to the Lord with all their heart, and seek him while he may be found, and call upon him when he is near, and whiles he offereth grace and mercy unto them before it be too late.  
Furthermore, seeing the King is subject to none but to God; then here is a duty for all Christian Subjects to entreat the Lord by daily prayer so to sanctify and direct our King's heart, that he may reign, rule, and govern us according to his blessed and sacred will revealed in his word, that is to say, in Truth, judgement, and Righteousness, and that God would vouchsafe to enrich his royal heart with the manifold graces of his holy Spirit, that he may be an advancement to his glory and comfort to his Church, and a terror to his enemies, keeping from treason and treacheriet at home and abroad, and especially from the conspiracy of Romanists, and from seducing deluding flatterers, giving him to see what belongs to his peace, and give him a heart earnestly bend to set up the practice of the same; give him all grace necessary for his place, and necessary for his own salvation, continue his government peaceably and prosperously amongst us, and as thou hast made him the breath of our nostrils, and a gracious instrument for the saving of many thousand souls: So O Lord, let his own soul be saved in the day that thy Son Jesus Christ shall appear, and grant dear Father that we his subjects may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty; and now O Lord, we beseech the strengthen his Majesty, and sanctify his royal affection, that he may imitate thy good servant King David in the reformation of his house, from the nearest to the furthest, the highest to the lowest: fix his eyes O Lord, upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with him, Psal. 101. and to have respect to those that walk in the perfect way to serve him, and give him O Lord, a settled resolution, that no deceitful person dwell within his house, and he that flattereth and telleth lies may not remain in his sight. Amen, so be it.  
So that if all faithful subjects that are Householders, will take this for a precedent, to receive and entertain good and faithful servants, and to turn out all wicked and profane wretches, that have no fear of God before their eyes, so that when these people shall see themselves cast out of the favour of God, good men, and their services, and pious families, by reason of their wicked behaviour; by this means they may be brought to see their own misery and gross sins they have committed; and considering what vile wretched persons they have been, like to the prodigal son spoken of in the Gospel, Luke 15. thereby grace may work upon them, as to turn their ways from evil to goodness, and change their minds from vice to virtue, and to pray to God to give them true and hearty repentance; that whereas they were before prophaners of the Lords day, they may be sanctifiers of the Lords day; of blasphemers and foul mouthed swearers, to become reverend speakers, of proud, to be humble, of damnable idolaters to be true worshippers of God according to his Word; of railers and spiteful haters of the true preachers and professors of God's Word, to be true hearted lovers of the Preachers and professors of God's Word; of ignorants of God, to learn to be well acquainted with God and his word; of hurtful, harmless; of filthy whore-mongers and wantoness, to become chaste livers; of beastly drunkards, to become sober people; of cheaters and thiefs, to hate and detest all sin as the very hangman or cutthroat of our souls.  
These are some of the fruits of true repentance, so that they may be regenerated faithful and religious people to the glory of God, and salvation of our own souls in Jesus Christ our only Saviour and Redeemer.  
But now to answer to an objection that may be made by Papists, Atheists, Newters, and Protestants at large.  
Object. This which you have before spoken, is too much preciseness, we are not to live so precisely, and none are so precise but Puritans.  
Answ. First, preciseness in matters of Religion is not only necessary, but also of necessity, because St. Paul doth confirm it.  
In the time, or after the way which you call heresy, so worship I the God of my Fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets, Acts 24.14.  
Secondly, preciseness in Religion is of necessity, else we should be ignorant of the knowledge of God, and then mark what judgements of God will follow. Saint Paul saith in the Romans, chap. 1. vers. 28. For as they regard not to know God, even so God delivereth them up unto a reprobate mind, to do the things that are not convenient.  
Again in 2 Thess. 1.8.9. And unto you that are troubled, resteth us, when the Lord Jesus shall show himself with his mighty Angels in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, which shall be punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.  
Thirdly, I would willingly know what opinion Puritan (as you tear me them) do hold contrary to that as every one hath promised to God in his baptism, and is bound upon pain of damnation to perform it.  
If you can prove any thing contrary to that covenant made unto God, then make it appear, and spare not. But if you cannot prove any thing contrary to that we have promised and vowed in our Baptism (as indeed you cannot) then take heed how you do hate and deride the Preachers and Professors of the Gospel, giving them nicknames and scoffing terms: for Christ his words will prove true, that hath threatened against those railing, despiteful, and envious wretches, that it shall be easier for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement, then for such, Matth. 10.15. Then being so, it were good for those people that are given over to such a habit of deriding and despising Gods ordinances, that they take into consideration the great danger they do pull upon their own souls and bodies, which are judgements in this life, and eternal torment in the world to come. First judgements in this life, as ignorants of God, thereby comes blindness of mind, Esa. 6.9.10. and 59.8.9 10. Hardness of heart, infidelity and unbelief, Matth. 3.5. Exo. 9 34.35.  
Secondly, eternal torments, as to be separated from a good and merciful gracious God, and to burn in the lake of fire and brimstone for evermore, which is the second death, Rev. 21.8. Consider what is said, and the Lord be with your understanding in all things, 1 Tim. 2.7.  
FINIS.