REASON'S WHY THIS KINGDOM, AS ALL OTHERS: AND THE PARLIAMENTS And People of this KINGDOM, As all Others, Whether CHRISTIAN OR HEATHEN: And especially such as hold Predestination ought to Adhere to their Kings, Whether Good or Bad. Printed at York by Stephen Bulkley, 1642. With Licence. Reasons why this Kingdom as all others, and the Parliaments and People of this Kingdom, as all others, etc. aught to adhere to their Kings whether good or bad. FIrst because Kings are Elected and called of God in Christ before the Foundation of the World, to the Office, Dignity, and Vocation of Kings, to govern his Church, Kingdom and People, while the World endureth. Nor can the wisdom or Power of Men make, prevent, or alter Kings or Times, as appeareth by the Scriptures ensuing. Thou shalt make him King over thee whom the Lord thy God shall choose, Deut. 17.15. I will send thee a Man out of the Land of Benjamen, him shalt thou Anoint, 1 Sam. 7.16. See, this is the Man of whom I spoke to thee, he shall rule my People, vers. 17. I will Rend out of the hands of Solomon, and will give ten Tribes to thee, 1 King. 7.31. And Kings shall be thy nurcing Fathers, and queens thy Narces. Thou shalt know I am the Lord thy God, Esay 49.23. It was the Ordinance of the Lord that he might perform his saying which he had spoken to Ahijah the Shunomite, 1 King. 12.15. The name of God be Praised for ever and ever, for wisdom and strength is his, and he changeth the times and seasons he taketh away Kings, he setteth up Kings, Dan, 2.20. Hear ye, O Isles, harken ye People from far, the Lord hath called me from the Womb, and made mention of my name from my Mother's belly, Esay 49.1. He hath chosen me before Saul. According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, 1 Pet. 1.2. He hath chosen us in Christ before the Foundation of the World, Ephes. 1.4. That the purpose of God might remain according to Election, Rom. 9.11. Secondly, Because this Kingdom, as all others, and the power and glory thereof, is the Right and Inheritance of God in chief, as appeareth by the conclusion of the Lords Prayer. And he only giveth the deputation thereof to those whom he hath Elected, and called thereunto, and endued with gifts and graces suitable to that calling, to rule and govern the same; by which gifts they are made and known to be other Men, than any other of any inferior calling, and such as to whom only God hath imparted and communicated, not only the Titles and Attributes of his own Prerogative, as those of Kingdom, Power, Might, Majesty, Honour, glory, etc. which he forbiddeth to be given to any other Creature, and which holy Men and Angels have refused to accept or to give to any but Kings, as examples to us to do the like without fear or suspicion of Blasphemy or Idolatry; but also the divine efficacy of His own Spirit, Majesty, and Presence, That as the Devil is forced to fear and tremble, at the voice and frowns of God; so are proud and rebellious men, though fair and ambitious as Absalon, or wise and politic as Achitophel, often astonished and confounded with the Speeches and Countenances of Kings. Let the observer thereof, that findeth his Reason already captivated, consider the Scriptures ensuing. The Kingdoms of the World are our Lords and his Christ's, and he shall reign for evermore, Revel. 11.15. He is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, vers. 16. Your God is a God of Gods, and King of Kings, Dan. 2.47. The most High beareth Rule over the Kingdom of Men, he giveth it to whom he will, Dan. 4.22. Hath not the Lord Anointed thee to be Governor of His Inheritance, 1 Sam. 10.1. Then the Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee, and thou shalt Prophecy with them and be turned to another Man, 1 Sam. 10.11. Then the spirit of God came upon Saul, and they that knew him wondered, saying, What is come to the Son of Kish● 1 Sam. 11.6. & 1 Sam, 10.15. And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul, 1 Sam. 18.12. Then Saul saw and understood that the Lord was with David, vers. 28. I have said ye are gods, and ye all are Children of the most High, Psal. 82.6. O King, thou art a King of Kings, for the God of Heaven hath given thee a Kingdom, power, strength, and Glory, Dan. 2.37. The most high God gave thy Father a Kingdom, and Majesty, and Honour, and Glory. And for the Majesty that he gave him, all People, Nations, and Languages trembled, and feared before him; he put to death whom he would, whom he would he set up, and whom he would he put down, Dan. 5 27. I Counsel thee, keep the King's command, and that in respect of the Oath of God, Eccles. 8.2. Submit, etc. to the King as Supreme, etc. Fear God, Honour the King, 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Not only for wrath, but also for Conscience sake. Rom. 13, 5, Thirdly, Because it is a damnable sin, proper to this later and most erring age to think, much more to speak, and much more than that to write, and persuade others to speak and write evil of Kings, or which is worse, to slander them, and worst of all to rebel, or, but to take defensive Arms against them, though upon apparent force much more upon suggested fears and presumptions. Wherefore let him that is so full of Reasons that he thinks it reasonable, that if he should suspect his Wife when she deserveth not, he may provoke her to sin when she would not; consider what it is to distrust the King's Justice, or rather Gods providence and to provoke both or either to anger. The Scriptures ensuing will partly tell him. If thou hast thought evil of the King, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, Prov. 30.32. Thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy People, Acts 23.5. Where the word of a King is there is power, and who may say unto him, what dost thou? Eccles. 8.4. Who therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the Ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. Rom. 13.1.2. But there shall be false teachers among you, which privily shall bring in damnable Heresies and bring upon themselves swift damnation, and many shall follow their destructions, etc. 2 Pet. 1.2. These filthy Dreamers despise Dominion and speak evil of Dignities, Judas 8. They shall perish in the gainsaying of Core, vers. 11. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption, 2 Pet. 2.10.12. My Son hear no more the Instructions that causeth to err from the words of knowledge, Prov. 19.27. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil, neither agree in a controversy to decline after many to overthrow the truth, Exod. 23.2. The fear of a King is like the roaring of a Lyon. he that provoketh him to anger, sinneth against his own soul, Prov. 20.2. My Son, fear the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them that are seditious, Prov. 24.21. As a Coal maketh burning Coals, and wood a fire, so the contentious man is apt to kindle strife, Prov. 26.21. When the wicked are increased, transgression increaseth, but the Righteous shall see their fall, Prov. 29.16. Fourthly, Because the observers Reasons too weak to Jobs, and the Parliaments wisdom too short of solomon's, and all humane inventions put together, will never serve to circumscribe Kings or to reform them, otherwise than God shall be pleased by his own providence and our Prayers to direct his Anointed, of whom he is never careless; nor is it but arrogancy and folly in men (especially Subjects and Servants) to assume such wisdom or power, as to attempt such designs, as partly may appear by the Scriptures ensuing. The Lord is the strength, he is the saving strength of his Anointed, Psal. 28.8. He is the tower of Salvation for his King, and sheweth mercy to his Anointed, 2 Sam. 24 51. I will beat down his foes before his Face, and plague them that hate him; his enemies will I with shame, but upon himself shall his Crown flourish, Psal. 89.23. & 132.18. There is no man upon the Earth that can declare the King's matter, Dan. 2.10. The Heaven's height, and the Earth in deepness, and the King's heart can no man search out, Prov. 25.3. The King's heart is in the Hands of the Lord as the Rivers of Waters, he turneth is whithersoever it pleaseth him, Prov. 21. The secret which the King hath demanded can neither the wise, etc. declare to the King, but there is a God in Heaven that revealeth secrets and showeth the King Nabuchadnezzar what shall be in the later days, Dan. ●. 27.28. As for me this secret is not showed me for my wisdom that I have more than any other living, but only to show the King the Interpretation, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thine Heart, vers. 30. Hath not God made the wisdom of this World foolishness, 1 Cor. 1.20. I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will cast away the understanding of the prudent, vers. 29. I am counsel and wisdom, I am understanding and I have strength, by me Kings Reign, and Princes decree Justice; by me Prince's Kule, and all the Nobles, and all the Judges of the Earth, Prov. 8.14.15.16. The unthrifty man and the wicked man walketh with a froward mouth, he maketh a sign with his eyes, he signifieth with his feet, he instructeth with his fingers. Lewd things are in his heart, he imagineth evil at all time, and raiseth up contentions, Prov. 6.12.13. But my Lord the King is as an Angel of God, 2 Sam. 19.27. Fifthly, Because to Rebel against the King or to desert him in things good or indifferent, is to renounce God and his Ordinance, Christ his Commandments and examples, and the Apostles and Martyrs whose conquest were sufferings, even the most ignominious and cruel deaths, and to become the son of belial, that is, the Devil, God's first Rebel, with whom Saint Paul asketh what agreement hath Christ, etc. and to perish with such as did so. Such were they that said of Saul. How shall he save us? 1 Sam. 10.26. Such was She●… the son of B●chri, that first said, Every man to his Tent O Israel, 2. Sam. 20.1. Such was Naball the rich fool, of whom his servants said, Evil will surely come upon our Master, 1 Sam. 17.25. Such were they that followed Jeroboam, whom I believe the observer calleth his Israel, and his Robbini, whom he will not have called Roundheads; but such David called Thorns, that should be thrust away, 2 Sam. 24.6. And so they proved Thorns to prick one another, every sucessor King for the most part thrusting his Predicessor from his Throne by treason and rebellion, until God at last thrust them and their People under the Assyrian captivity, whence they never returned; For God said I will no more have pity upon the House of Israel, but I will utterly take them away, Hosea 1.6. Hereupon I wish such observing Israelites as put us so much and so often in mind with the deposition of King Richard the second, to observe and remember also, that though Samaria went under the name of Israel, after their defection from Roboam, until their destruction in name and liberty under the Assyrians. It was but a nest of Hydra's and a stage of Rebellions, treasons, wars, famines, and all kinds of calamities all that while. And so, though England was Governed under the name of Plantagenett, after the declension from King Richard the second, till the redemption under King Henry the seventh; it was but a Labyrinth of Divisions between the Families of York and Lancaster all that while, from the like of which miseries, O Lord save thy People and bless thine Inheritance. Sixthly and lastly, Because this Kingdom ever did adhere to Kings; And no Parliament (as the observer saith truly in that point) did ever desert them, but did confide in them and hold themselves so bound by God's Commandments and the Fundamental Laws of England, as appeareth by the few collections ensuing. The King is a mixed Person, because he hath both Ecclesiastical and Temporal Jurisdiction, Sir Edward Cook. lib. de Jure Regis Ecclesiastico, fol. 28. relating to 10. H. 7. 18. By an Act of Parliament made 24. H. 8. It is declared, That whereas by divers old and authentic Histories and Chronicles, It was manifestly declared and expressed, that the Realm of England is an Empire and so hath been accepted in the World, Governed by one supreme head and King, having the dignity and Royal estate of the Imperial Crown of the same; unto whom a body politic, compact of all sorts and degrees of People, divided in terms and by names of Spirituality and Temporality, been bound and aught to bear next to God a natural and humble obedience; he being also institute and furnished by the goodness and furtherance of Almighty God with plenary, whole, and entire power, pre-eminence, authority, prerogative and Jurisdiction, to render and yield Justice and final determination to all manner of folks resiant within this Realm, in all causes, matters, debates, and contentions. See the Statute at large. The King who is the Vicar of the highest King, is ordained to this end, that he should govern and rule the Kingdom and People of the Land, and above all things, the holy Church, and defend the same from wrong-doers, and root out workers of mischief. See King Edward the Confessor his Laws before the Conquest, c. 19 The persuading or withdrawing the Subjects obedience from the King, is Treason by Common-Law without controversy, saith Sir Edward Cook in his said Book, de Jur. Reg. Ecclesiastico. fol. 38. a. It appears by the ancient Common-Laws of this Realm, by the resolution and Judgement of the Judges and Sages of the Laws of England as by authority of many Acts of Parliaments ancient, and of later times, that the King is the only supreme governor, as well over Ecclesiastical Persons and in Ecclesiastical causes as Temporal within this Realm To the keeping of which Laws both the King and the Subjects are sworn. Sir Edward Cook in the same Book, fol. 40. b. The queen's power within her Realms and Dominions, is the highest power under God, to whom all men in the same Realm and Dominions own most Loyalty and Obedience afore and above all Potentates in Earth. See queen Elizabeth's Injunctions to her Clergy and Laiety Land Statute made the first of her Reign to that effect. If any man imagine the death of the King Prince, Princess or any hear apparent to the Crown, or kill the King's Messenger in his Message or any one that rideth with men to aid the King or if any man affirm by writing, or other Act, that the King is not supreme head of the Church of England, or if any imagine to deprive the King of his estate Royal or of the Titles of his Realm. It is high Treason. Robert Brook Sergeant at Law and Recorder of London, in his Reading upon Magna Charta. c. 17. see his Book in Print, fol. 1. If any keep War against the King in his Realm, is high Treason by Statude, 25. Edw, 2. Let us hear the end of all, Fear God, for this is the whole duty of man. Eccl. 12.13. Collected by I.I. a faithful Subject to his King and wellwisher to his Parliament, to the use of all true Protestants. FINIS.