THE KINGDOMS GRAND QVERE.  
What warrant there is for such Proceeds about the KING.  
Resolved by a Presbyterian MINISTER.  
ALSO A Quere taken from the REPRESENTATION of the judgement of the Ministers in the Province of LONDON. Delivered to the General, Jan. 18. 1648.  
WITH Resolutions to them both for better satisfaction of tender Consciences, that scruple the late Proceeds of the Parl. and of the Army with the KING.  
Numb. 35.1.30, 31. And the Lord said, who so killeth any, the murderer shall be put to death. Ye shall take no satisfaction, but he shall surely be put to death: So ye shall not pollute the land, for blood defiles the land. And there can be no expiation for the bloodshed, but by the blood of him that shed it.  
1 Kings 2.31. Fall upon him, that thou mayst take away the innocent blood that be shed, from us, and from the Land.  
LONDON, Printed by M.S. for H. Cripps, in Popes-head Ally, 1648.   

The Kingdom's Grand Quere about proceeds with their KING.  
SIR,  
YOU were pleased to ask me if Malignants had feed me, when I pleaded so for the King. Take it as you please, I'll make bold to ask you, hath not your Benefice seeed you, that formerly you were for the King, and suffered under it, and could plead as all other Ministers did.  
1. That we must obey the King as Supreme, actively or passively.  
2. That he that resists powers resists the Ordinance of God; For the powers that are, are of God.  
3. That the best weapons of Christians are Prayers and Tears, and that they are called to suffer, not to rebel.  
But now when you see the King as low, as David was, when his Soldiers were ready to stone him: and that the Parliament hath greater power, now you are for the Parliament, yea and for the Army too, that now have their turn to do what they list. O Tempora! O mores! Tempora mutantur, et nos mutamur in illis. This may as truly be said of our English Clergy, as ever of any; There were never greater Turncoats then Black coats. In King Henry the eight's time, they were all general first for the Pope's supremacy, then for the Kings. 2. With King Edward the sixth, they changed their Religion, and were Protestants. 3. With Queen Mary, they were Papists again. And 4. with Queen Elizabeth, they turn Cat in pa●, and of above 9400. Ecclesiastical promotions, not one hundred of the Parsons stood firm, all the rest turned their Religion, before they would be turned out of their Live, as Cambden shows, in the year 1559. the 2. of Queen Elizabeth.  
And now you, that were for Episcopacy, are all generally for Presbytery, on the like ground: I wis, you say your conscience now is better informed: but let me put some Queries to you.  
1. What conscience have you to plead for the Rights of the Parliament, and of the Subjects, and yet to deny or cut off the Rights of the King and his Successors?  
2. If the King be guilty of blood, as you say, so was David, so was Manasses of very much blood: But what authority hath man to depose the Lords Anointed now, more than they had to depose David, or Manasses? will not God judge Kings?  
3. And if you wrong the Lords Anointed, will you not bring God's curse upon you, and upon the Kingdom?  
4. Are not other Nations like to come against us to ruin us and our Posterity?  
5. Will you depose our King, before you have set up another King, or agreed about one, to set all the Land together by the ears, and the longest sword take all?  
6. And lastly, shall not all our cries and miseries that you bring upon us pierce the Heavens? and will not God hear, and curse you and your Posterity for it?  
I have done: you must bear with expressions from a heart full of bitterness: And disdain not to show me, if you have aught to answer: Which if you do not, I shall have cause to judge, it is because you cannot, and that you are condemned of your own conscience.  
January 25. 1648. Yours to serve you if you were for God and the King, etc.   

Answer to the former letter.  
SIR,  
THough my time be short and precious, through urgent occasions, yet I must not omit to return you an Answer, though but in brief, that have spoke your heart and the heart of many; and that would count my silence disdain, disability, or selfe-condemnation.  
And first to the first, That Kings should be obeyed actively or passively. I still do grant it generally in an ordinary way: & I must add that the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Melek, King, from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rule; is He, or They that rule in a Kingdom as Chief: as the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basileus (as it were the Basis or foundation of the people's right or welfare) of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reign. I say this title King is given in the Scriptures to all, and to any that reigned; whether it be one King, or one Judge, as Moses is called King, Deut. 33.5. and the Judges are so called, each of them, Judg. 17.6. Or secondly, if two had the chief rule, as two Consuls in Rome; or three Tribuni Plebis; or Ten, called Decemviri; or if one called Dictator or one called Caesar, or Emperor; or if one called Papa, in a general Church-power, and then with such a Civil power. All these, I say, in Scripture are called Kings: See Notes on Revel. 17.8. So all those in Rome that succeeded Kings, are there called Kings. And the Ten Horns which are called Ten Kings; The States of Holland are reckoned one, and the States of Scotland another; (not excluding the late time of 1638. 39 when they cast off Bishops and Ceremonies) Revel. 17. What Ruler or Rulers God and the People set up to be Chief over them, during that time; these are to be obeyed in such manner as is aforesaid, 2 Sam. 16.18. Whether it be King, (as in Rome, Tarquin was King till they deposed him, and banished him for his villainy to Lucretia) or two Consuls, which Rome put in stead of the King, or Caesar, who got the Rule by the Army, etc. This not hindering, but that all people, except the Jews (as in the answer to the second Quere) might alter their own Government, so often as they had cause and power in their hands.  
To your second, He that resists authority or power, sins. It's true, be it higher, or a petty Constable: but I may resist his force, if forcibly he would rob me, or ravish or wrong me; 'tis no sin, if I can, to right myself.  
To your third, Though Christians are to suffer as Christians, as the Apostle Paul did; yet as freeborn, they may and should, as cause is, stand upon that freedom, as the Apostle did, Act. 16. ult.  
And to your fourth, It's to be lamented, that the most Ministers have still changed with the times; but you know, many go the broad way, (witness the first Century of scandalous Ministers, justly cast out by this Parliament) and few the narrow way to life: and that, as Rome and Babel was not built in a day, so what's of Babel is known by degrees more and more, and so we are to change for the better still. If any change to Presbytery not out of conscience, but for by-ends, such God will judge. I confess I have formerly eyed preferment here: but now through God's mercy I do more eye better and enduring preferment. And now to your Queries.  
To your first, It's granted, that Rights that are Divine, or Natural, no man ought to deny or cut off: but positive rights may and sometimes aught to be cut off: As Pope's power in England, Abbots, Abbasses, Priors, etc. When such are found inconvenient or hurtful; that power which gave them, and put them up, whether Sword or Choice, the same power may, and should put them down again.  
To your second, David and Manasses were not Kings only by positive, but by divine express laws. First, David, 1 Sam. 16.11. Then David's Successors, whereof Manasses was one for ever, 1 Chron. 17.11, 12.14. 2 Sam. 17.16. Psalm 18.50. 2 Kings 8.19. 2 Chron. 21.7. etc. So in the Sanhedrin were some of David's house, till Christ came, who is King for ever, Gen. 49.10. with Luke 1.32, 33.27.63. with Numb. 36.8, 9 For otherwise the express repentance of David and Manasses, could not satisfy the express law (without respect of persons.) That the murderer must surely die, and no satisfaction must be taken.— For blood pollutes the Land, and defiles it, and there can be no expiation for the Land for blood, but by the blood of him that's guilty, Numb. 35.31, 32, 33, 34. Gen. 9.6. Rev. 13.10. Deut. 16.19. Now in our Land, either is the Parliament chief guilty of the blood of many thousands, who sent to attach the King's Councillors, and then the King raised an Army near York: or else is the King thereby chief guilty. The chief guilty of blood ought to die by the law of God, and of nature, though sometimes the guilty, are too hard for others to punish, and escape for a time, as Joab did: Yet when such are subdued, they must die: as in 2 Sam. 3.29, 30. 1 Kings 2.5, 6.29.32.  
To your third Quere: If you wrong the Lords Anointed, will not God curse, &c▪  
Answ. No Kings are by Scripture warrant called the Lords Anointed, but only such as were Kings by God's express rule, or expressly before named and appointed by him; not any other Kings that were by positive law only.  
Secondly, It's no wrong to do justice impartially: but it is for a blessing to a Kingdom, and a curse to neglect it, 1 Kings 2.32, 33. Num. 35.33, 34. jer. 5.1.5, 6.  
To the fourth; Other Nations will come and ruin us. If God give quietness, who then can trouble, job 34.29. when judgement was done on Israel's enemies, than God gave them rest round about, 2 Chron 20.29, 30.  
To the fifth; Will you depose our King, before you have another King? What necessity hath England more than Holland of a King? do all go by the ears there? What approved Author blames them, or their Government, more than such as have Kings. Or who blames Rome, that changed their Kings into two Consuls yearly chosen, banishing their wicked King Tarquin for his base adultery: and them into ten chief Governors, and when they began to tyrannize, deposing them, and setting up two Consuls, and then one Dictator, etc. and who blames them for it? The Senator's wisdom prevented broils.  
To your last, The time is near when all Tyranny, Oppression, Law-vexations, Ware shall all cease. Several Nations are casting off cruel yokes. See Isa. 40.14. Dan. 2.34, 35.45. Dan. 7.26. And who knoweth whether our Army & Senators may begin to make up the breaches of many Generations whereby both we and our Posterity may bless the Lord for them, Isa. 58.12. However, Fiat justitia, et nobiscum erit Dominus. Your bitterness in some expressions I pass over, and shall remain,  
Jan. 26. 1649. current. Yours, if you are Gods and the Kingdoms,   

A SECOND QUERE from the Representations of the judgement of 47. Ministers in the Province of London, in their Letter to the General; delivered Jan. 18. 1648.  
WHat warrant hath the Army, who in reference to the power of Magistracy, are but private persons, to usurp an Authority over the King and Parliament, contrary to our Oaths, our Vow and Covenant, to preserve the rights of Parliament, and the King's Majesty's Person and Authority, in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdom?  
For answer hereunto: As when the chief Priests, & Scribes and Presbyters, or Elders, put this Question to Jesus, By what authority dost thou these things? and who gave thee authority to do these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things, Mar. 11.27. So say I herein, I will ask you one or two Questions: what authority had the high Priest Jehoiada to join in a Conspiracy with Captains of Hundreds, and to gather Levites together, and to order a third part here and there, and to make laws for the Kingdom, when he and they in reference to the power of Magistracy, were but private persons; that yet they order things, as if they were chief Magistrates of the Kingdom? And by what law or precedent in all Israel do they take upon them to oppose and depose, and put to death; the person that swayed the Sceptre (who originally came in by force) what ever Oaths of Allegiance, or Vows they had made to keep Allegiance: and though they had been obedient to that power for several years. The Lord had said of the house of David, that his sons should reign for ever: But where hath he said so of the house of Stuarts, more than of the house of King Harold, whom William the Conqueror by force deposed, and more than the Brutans (now called Welch) whom the Saxons drove from their rights here. If any have such rights to the Kingdom, it is in some of those Brutans, if reigning, more than Priests office must be by succession.  
Secondly, The REPRESENTATION of the general Assembly of the Kirke of Scotland (printed for Richard Bostocke, July 5. 1645.) in the Name of the whole Nationall Kirk, expressly charged the K. with the guilt of the shedding of the blood of many thousands (to use their words) of your Majesty's best Subjests, and permitting Mass and other Idolatry in your own Family, etc. And you know the Scripture saith, ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a Murderer which is guilty of death, but he shall be surely put to death, Numb. 35.31. The Land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. Now when Jehoiada, and those private persons, with respect to the power of Magistracy, had caused the murderer that swayed the Sceptre to be put to death; then the Lord shown his approbation in giving the City rest and quiet thereupon, 2 Chron. 23.1.15.21.  
The second Quere is therefore: How is it, if ye be Ambassadors of Christ, as you say, that you lift up your voices against the Army, that would not have the guilt of blood to lie upon this Kingdom; and have done in some respect like jehoiada, upon an urgent occasion, though these seem to have more authority, being clothed with the authority of the Kingdom, from the high Court, then more pure, to fight for the Privileges of Parliament and liberty of the people against all Opposers in the Kingdom, and the King's person no further, which he hath violated, as the Scottish Kirk charge him, and you know (and there were opposers thereof in those so betrusted in Parliament, which was the most unsufferable of all.) And yet that you lift not up your voice against the Parliament, when they were like by corrupt ones swayings) there to conclude a Treaty, without satisfying justice for the blood of many thousands that one person is guilty of, and not exempt by God's word from justice? Would you have the Land defiled with blood, and God's wrath upon the Land, rather than to have justice done upon that one person? Are you not partial in justice? Is it for no private interest? Is it not because some of you fear the loss of your Tithes, that some of you have drawn on some others to subscribe? And did the Ambassadors of Christ ever exact, or take Tithe, as you read of? Were any ordinary Ministers to receive Tithe, but only the legal Ministers, that were also bound to pay a Tithe thereof for a heave-offering to the high Priest, and the people must eat of the Tithe before the Lord, Numb. 18.26.28. Deut. 14.22, 23. What God hath joined, why do you sever? or what God hath equally annulled, why will you uphold any part thereof more than other, any of you? And why is not your contest as much against this course, all of you, but only for private interests?  
Have you not read what David did warrantably in case of private extremity, and those that were with him, which was not lawful for him or them in an ordinary case to have done, Mat. 12.3, 4. And doth not Jesus Christ rehearse this, and is it not written for our instruction? what warrantably may be done in case of private, much more public extremity, by persons impowered for public good, may be done warrantably I say for that end, what ordinarily would be unlawful.  
By what authority did many persons high and low in Scotland raise Arms against the authority of their late Parliament, 1648. or against those Forces that were raised by the authority of that Parliament, that had broke their Covenant, in invading England, and did seek the ruin of all that opposed their proceed? what precedent or law had they to take up arms against them? Or to make laws of themselves before a lawful Parliament, and contrary to the last Parliament, and to the declared privileges and liberties of the Subjects, That none should be chosen to be of the next Parliament, nor be Electors of them, but that were so and so qualified? was salve populi suprema lex, the safety of the people, the supreme law, a warrant for them alone, and for no others? do you blame others for the like course, and condemn them? Are you not then partial, and walk as men, not as Christians?  
Whether is it not to be lamented, that many persons that have been in high esteem, when they preached the Gospel of Faith and love, should come to have a beam in their own eye, and yet be insensible thereof, and then be lifting up the voice, and crying aloud against their Brethren, because a mote (if so much as that) is in their brethren's eye. In the fear of God consider whether it be not thus with any of you? Have none of you blasphemed and railed against those that were in the highest Court of the Kingdom? Have none of you been partakers of the late Scottish invasion against the authority and good of the Kingdom? Have not some of you of the Assembly acted there directly contrary to the Commission by which you sat there, viz. Requiring that you should act nothing there but according to their appointment? Have not some of you publicly contested against the Parliament, of whom you desired to have great power in the Kingdom, because they yielded not to the giving of you an unlimited power in almost ten thousand Courts of Judicature in the Kingdom, as that forced the Parliament to complain, April 17. 1646. before you would yield to set upon the Church-governments Reformation, that you had power to do? And this your contest (if not contempt) you published to the world; and all this, it's feared, out of self-love, or selfe-ends, seeing and corrupting your judgements.  
And now before you have publicly recanted for this, but the root of it abiding in you, to hear you crying out against others for wronging authority, because in such an extremity, and for such good ends, they have done something like the act of Jehoiada (that famous excellent act) in the behalf of the Kingdom. Consider what is said, and the Lord give both to you and to us more understanding in all things, Amen.   
FINIS.