OBEDIENCE Perpetually due to KINGS, Because the KINGLY POWER Is Inseparable from the ONE King's Person. Delivered in a SERMON to Mr. PETER GVNNING'S Congregation in Exeter Chapel, near the Savoy, On the appointed Thanksgiving-day, June 28. 1660. By WILLIAM TOWERS, Bachelor in Divinity, and Curate at Vpton near Northampton. LONDON, Printed by R. D. for Thomas Rooks, and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Holy Lamb at the East end of S. Paul's. 1660. TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. Most dreadly loved Sovereign, I Am still upon the part of a Divine Adventurer, when I thought I should have been secured at the Insuring Office by the Advantage of Leisure: In this I have only told the Subjects of their Duty, and had not Time to inform them of the success and Blessedness of that Loyalty, which would have bribed them into an obedience to your Sacred Majesty, and a thankfulness (at least a pardon) for these Allegiant Instructions. I have therefore only told them of the former, because in the pursuit of Business, and flight of Time, I was so suddenly engaged upon the Vocal delivery of this, immediately after the forming of it by a Night-pen, that nothing but the zealous Vocalnesse could have held my eyes waking; Engaged upon it by the irresistible Importunity of a Second Hammond, Mr. T. Pierce. so I call him for his Early and eminently- Learned Love and Truth to God's King and Church; for both of which, and for one Reason more, he is the Desire of our eyes, because His Ripeness having, long since, anticipated His Years, He, in some measure, resembles that King, whom, during all His Exile, he hath so Industriously honoured, (so wisely and beneficially to the King's Liege People, to the very making of them Liege People to the King) as if present amongst us; since that Heathen Compliment, Caesaribus virtus contigit ante Diem, hath been a Christian sober Character more of your Royal Father, and of his Royal Son, than of all the Princes in Europe before you. Most Royal Sir, Though most of your Pulpit-Subjects are abler, yet, every one of them (my very Fathers too) must pardon me, that I am not able to yield to any, in a zeal and Duty to my King, to the very laying down of my life at His Feet, and for His Service; no, not to those to whom, under my King, I vehemently desire to swear a Canonical Obedience; because than I must take two Oaths more, those of Allegiance and Supremacy. Adeo & tenuis Animas ferit aemula Virtus. Your Majesty's most bounden Subject by all the Ties of Religion, William Towers. Psal. 21. v. 1. former part. The King shall joy in thy strength, O Lord. 'TIs a Day of joy; of joy in the Lord; in the Lord for the King; we have It and Them in the Text: 'Tis an Hebrew Text; and, as in such Books, we must begin at the end; at O Lord, before we come to The King; 'tis He that hath helped us to Him: Without God it were above the strength of Man to obtain, the wisdom of Man to execute an office of such difficulty, such opposition; Nihil difficilius, quàm imp●rare: when Hell and enmity trample down a Throne, 'tis hard to get up upon it, quàm bene Imperare, hard to rule well, though there be a most towardly, tractable, and loyal people; a persecuted David, (though strong enough to bend a bow of steel, Psal. 18.34.) will not yet trust in his bow, neither shall his Sword save him, Psal. 44.6. Both his own hands are two feeble, the Sword in his Right, and the Bow in his Left, too weak; both God's hands are not too strong; to them, to both of them he flies; Thou, O God, hast a mighty arm, strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand, Psal. 89.13. not only the Hand and the Arm of God, (Immortalia mortaliser Lucr. moan notantes,) but, both my hands (in the Chaldee) shall be ready for his help; such a humane impassibility to recover, did we lie and groan under, that we are driven to find out such a Mighty Text, such a powerful two-handed God to save us so well, and gratefully on David's part (and on ours too) might that very God, who was his strength, be also his song, Psal. 118.14. so joyful a song, and so like the ever-beginning, because endless eternity, that this very day, we do but continue to begin it. What shall we do? the place we are in requires Method, that subject we handle does almost preclude it; and yet, are there not Pulpit as well as street-Raptures? is there not, sometimes, a commendable immethodical stile, as well as, always, a lawful immethodical ecstasy? and yet as we have a long little time (for, pleasant days are short as December, even then whilst they are long as June) joyed at all adventure, without the leisure of strict consultation, without the discression of confining order (for, there is nothing which Philosophy treats of more unbounded and irregular, more dilated and unphilosophicall than excess of joy) rather than quite fail make we some pretence to the usefulness of division and parts: such a division as this, such parts as these. Be the division this, O Lord the King, the first General; shall joy in thy strength, the second. Be the parts, these. In the first General, humbly compare we in one word, the late low state of our King, with that of his Lord. In a second, consider we that the Kingly Power, is preferable to every other species of Domination. In a third, that a King's power is inseparable from his Person. In a fourth, the reason of the former, because a King is invested with Power from God. In a fifth, the use of all, that it is therefore, sin to oppose the Kingly power; all this hinted to us out of the conjunction of these words, O Lord the King. In the second General, take we notice of the miseries we escape, of the blessings we obtain by having a King, the King, the true King, God's King, the Anointed of the Lord over us, the material cause of our joy and Thanksgiving. And then, posita causa sequitur effectus, the cause preceding, the effect must follow, joy in the second. The King shall joy, etc. O Lord the King. I have elsewhere told others, that's the Grammar of the text. A Jove principium, says a Heathen; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Father; we must begin and end with God, the text does both; the Lord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the end in the position of the words, and the beginning in the construction. The first part is, that the King hath power in all lowliness, in that very lowness of the King conferring his with that of God, O Lord the King. It's a question which St. Austin would not determine, L. 12. De Civit. 15. but doubt of, whether God were Dominus ab aeterno; Tertullian against Hermogenes affirms, that God did then begin to be a Lord, and to have servants when his creatures began to be, for saith he before the creation 'tis said, God said, and God saw, and God created, nor is he styled Lord throughout that whole first chap. of Genesis; but in the second chap. after the creation in every verse almost he hath this addition of title, the Lord God, which opinion of his, as very probable, the School follows, and concludes true. I list not doubt with St. Austin, nor affirm with Tertullian nor conclude with the School. The contrary, to their conclusion may safely be held upon this ground, because all creatures before they had a being were subject to God's command as their Lord; even before they were, he bade them be; he spoke, and it was done, Psal. 33.9. Rom. 4.17. and he calleth those things which be not as though they were. To determine the question in one word, God is a Lord from everlasting, having had power to create from, and before all eternity; God hath been a Lord in time, in regard of the actual obedience of his creatures. The King's late case aright; he had a just power to command us all, even then, when too many revolted from him; even then when he received no other tribute but that of prayers; even then when he was a Foreigner amongst subjects none of his, I have said ye are God's, even in this also, whilst your Subjects are as it were unmade; Gods without them, and Lords with them, & over them; be this the King's comfort, when he reflects upon his past affliction, that God himself was once, as well as the King, without Subjects, a creatureless God, as God had then power to make, so the King had then, even then, power to Rule. Which Kingly power, (how much soever rejected by some, and most cast off by them that did affect it most) is more desirable than all other kinds of Governments. 'Tis so 1. By instinct. 2. By reason. 3. By the word of God. Orat. 5. De Providentia. By instinct first. Theodoret sends the unskilled Commonwealthsman's to ask better counsel of the Bees, (and since very Bruits, the lowest order of them, insectiles, Solomon's Ant, and Theodoret's Bee, may be his good Counsellors, let him for ever cease to quarrel at men, at wise men, as evil Counsellors, to the King,) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, these sedulous creatures (so small ones that they are scarce creatures) wisely abhor the Government of many, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, They have one Ruler over them: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 'Tis their aim, their delight, (that's the Conscience they have, that's to them instead of Religion loyally to obey that one. Why love they one, and loathe many? 'tis (if we credit those who have diligently observed and faithfully reported the nature of that dutiful and imitable Subject) because by obeying the orders that one issues out to them, they live and thrive, gather honey for themselves and us; and at his death they first honourably inter him, (their hum are his bells and their wings his Scutcheons, they sadly mourn over him and then (for want of a Governor to protect them in their stations and to encourage them in the works of their callings) they allegeantly by themselves. Exemplumque hominis quaeque est in imagine parva. Thus may we flourish under a King, who these twelve years at least have died without him; he, whilst he stays, is the breath of our nostrils, when he was gone thou tookest away our breath, O Lord, and we perished. It would be too tedious to show you, out of Authors, some footsteps and glimpses of Monarchy in every creature under the Sun; yea, in the sun himself, which one great light was made to Rule the day. Gen. 1.16. 2. By reason next. What the solid Historian hath told us, Q. Curt. l. 10. that Recorders of the accidents of these late times will tell posterity, quod Imperium sub uno stare potuisset, dum a pluribus sustinetur, ruit, That Empire which might stand upon its own legs, supported by one Ruler, whilst many pretend to govern it, falls to ruin. To prevent which ruin 'twas well said by another Heathen a mere Rationalist. Vnum omnium votum est salus Principis; Plin. ad Trajan. all the people have but one wish, the safeguard of the Prince, because in this one (both wish and Prince) they vote all happiness to themselves; for, though the Scholar especially, (since a good King and Learning will go up and fall down together) yet every other man, in his several occupation may inscribe that Motto over his Stall, his Countinghouse, his Cottage, his Manor, and whatever else is his. Et spes, & ratio studiorum in Caesare tantum. No hopes for any of us to thrive, unless the King of us all does prosper. 3. And therefore, lastly, 'twas the most politic saying of him in Scripture, which he ever said, whether is it better that threescore and ten, or that one reign over you? for the discretion of which he is put upon record by the Holy Ghost. Judges 9.2. Have the people but a competent measure of honesty, or, as they have self love enough, but prudence enough in that, it is a question most easy to be answered, so little need there is of a head-piece, and judgement to decide it, should that question be asked again, (and not o'er gladii, by another mouth than that devouring one of the sword, a Poet's verse would be soon replied to a chapters verse. Vnus homo nobis restituit rem; one man, the King, restores our rights unto us, when many would be our spoilers; and Vnus cunctando, One man, the General, more by his skilful delay, than by his cruel sword, does do it, in restoring our King unto us, both of which another many Scabberderds' sword strove to deprive us of. Which rights yet we can never obtain by the most rightful King, unless we evince the inseperability of his power from his person; by both of which together he will, by neither of which alone he can be enabled to help us; the third and most considerable point to treat of. 3. Without this the name of his murdered Father; of all his Ancestors; of William the Conqueror; of himself, may as beneficially protect us as the name, the Magni nominis umbra of Charles the second. Lucan. Either power is perpetually in his Person, or the authority of a King is devolvable upon some other, one or more persons; if upon one, than there may be a King and no King upon the Throne, as well as upon the Stage; there may be a King upon earth, which, upon the same spot of earth, hath a King above him, and who would not hisse at the man that should say so? that should, either of these ways, change England into a Theatre, or, by joining the other two Kingdoms into a like mockage, change all 3 of them into more than an Amphitheatri; if upon many, then there may be a Kingdom which is not a Kingdom, but the States; there may be a reconciliation (though it were once again preached impossible at another Uxbridge) betwixt those two opposite members, the, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. In a Greek Poet, and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Bellua multorum capitum, in a Latin, which yet I am not sagacious enough to apprehend how it will quit itself from that equal so lecism, of calling the States of Holland one Monarchy, or the Republic of Venice another Kingdom. Yet as to the laws of the Land (which I would either wholly decline, or no otherwise touch upon than to submit unto them; though, perhaps, as they are founded upon reason, every logical man may, so far be a fundamental Lawyer, as to have leave to speak) if there may be a case (which I know not of) where privy Counsellors, or any else, in a King's absence have the virtual Authority of a King in themselves, I humbly conceive that virtual Authority, in some unexpected emergencies, is, therefore, in them; because, upon such occasions, were the King with them, the law presumes he would say, and do, as they Vote and Act; which very presumption is taken off (and that legally) and with that, all the virtual Authority, if the King declare his descent. In a King's minority, when a King is not of age to speak as a King (though in his infancy, he be rocked by, or in his boyage, he stands by) and, in a King's absence, when a King is so far distant that he cannot communicate his will and pleasure and commands, in the former case a Kingdom fatally must, in the latter possibly it may be governed by others. But, as when the nonage of a King is expired, and a King is legally ripe to speak for himself, the government of others in the King's name does expire with that; so the distance of a King, which empowers others with his rule, does void the rule of others, when a King is no farther off by that distance, than to be enabled by pen and Seal and message to communicate his own sense and mind; the absence, if it be so remote as to impede these communications may be compared to a nonage; if it be so near, that others may send Petitions and Counsels to him, and he replies to them, this may be likened to his entrance upon age; as his presence with them having not been of years. But, this, if it seems rather spoke like a Minister of State, than of the Gospel, and may give offence as from one of my Calling, at worst it is but error amoris, a zeal to the good of my Country under the rule of her King, and may with any candid breasts, incur no other blame than that mild reprehension of the 2. Seneca's Peccas honesta ment, in the Tragedian, Erras sed bono animo, in the Philosopher; so that I may well hope I cannot be so obnoxius for my indiscretion, as loved by some and cxcused by all, for my honour to the King and good will to the people, so much hath the Kingdom smarted under this fallacy, that all my desire is, the King may have more of honour, and the Kingdom smart no more. But to proceed like a Preacher, by scripture; and in the mode too, by reason suitable with that. Where we often meet with the King, and without the Person, God save the King; and O King live for ever, yet this is so far from a dark saying, from opening the mouth in parables as that they that said God save the King, did so plainly and intelligibly mean Joash the son of Ahaziah, 2 King. 11.21. The King's son. v. 12. As that all those that heard them say it, understood that they meant the son of Ahaziah, the King's son; nor did the Queen any more mean her husband Belshazar. Dan. 5.10. Then the astonished Lords knew that she meant him v. 9 And yet in both these cases, lest the mistake of man, for want of of the name of the person, might mis-judge the King to be torn from the King, that the Authority was one thing, and the Person another, Joash one thing, and Belshazar one thing, and the King another thing from them both, how wary is the Holy Ghost in adjoining the Person to the Authority, in both these prayers, for a King loved by God, and for a Heathen King too! in the begening of a King's reign, God save King Solomon. 1 King. 1.34. And in the continuance of a King's reign too! King Darius live for ever. Dan. 6.6. And what shall I say? or what shall I say first? not only his own Heathen Lords, but the Prophet of God, Daniel (that he might not be mistaken to have took others for the King) prays to his very face the same prayer. v. 21. not only the man of God, but the very Heathen pray for their King, to instruct us Christians after them, that if we would be godly, if we would not be Infidels and worse, we must pray for our King, and (what he, who prayeth not with feigned lips, will do with a zealous heart) do all the good service and honour we can do for him, will God believe we pray in earnest for the King, when ourselves are backward to do that which we pray God to do, to save him from dangers, to support him with a Princely livelihood. But to go on. Jehu is King in one place, 2 Kings 9.13. Dan. 4.31. and O King Nebuchadnezar in another; and King David in many more: it were endless to sum up the Person and Authority joined together by God; and what God hath joined let not man put asunder, and King is wherever David is; and when David is dead, the King is wherever Solomon is; the Kingly power always in the King's Person. To signify which inseparability St Paul promiscuously useth these words, the Power and the Rulers. Rom 13.1. intending the Authority should be understood when the Person is named, and the man when his Power; the King never dismantled of his Negality, even when all his other Robes are laid off, and himself laid down to sleep; yet even then his Personal Authority slumbereth not, as neither doth their damnation (in the Judgement of St. Paul, in the same chap. and in the Judgement of God upon them) who resist it; wilt thou then not be afraid of the Power? Verse 2. do that which is good, and then shalt thou have praise of the same v. 3. For he (the same, the Power) is the Minister of God v. 4. The Power of the King is, in Scripture-stile the very same with the King, his Authority and his Person but one, one and the same, so little can his authority be virtually (or any otherwise then viciously) be evangelically pretended against the commands of his Person. Of all which I say not one word (that God, in whose Rule and Governance are the hearts of Kings, and who is the searcher of all hearts is my witness) with any the most secret design to exasperate my King (in whom, as in my God, I most of all love the Prerogative of mercy, the Kinglynesse and eminency of that over and above all his other works and Titles) against any of my dear Countrymen, but to undeceive all of these, that (in the words of our Royal Sovereign) not such mistakes and misunderstandings (misunderstandings even of Scripture itself) may, at any time hereafter produce and contribute to such miserable inconveniencies which were not intended heretofore, that there may not any more be pilaminantia pilis, the very same pila to the very same pilis, my purpose of inoffensiveness and charity makes me the less to dread the preparing of any of them to a litigious way against me, to whom I speak of peace, and for peace upon whom. But I must not forget to attempt Scriptural reasons too, for the individuality of the Rule from the Ruler, of the regal Power from the King. What else is there that essentiates a King into the very being of a King, but Power to protect innocence, to chastise offences? without which power he is no longer a King, but reduced into a private Person, so that of necessity a King must have this power whilst he is a King, that is, so long as he lives. Besides this. As in hereditary Kingdoms, nothing can possibly pretend to a regal Power without a King, unless (perhaps with some calvinistical, some fortasse-colour.) the Inferior Magistrates or (most certainly, with no colour at all, unless a bloody one) the longest and sharpest Sword, to void that best appearance of Title (so far as it belongs to a Clergy-cognizance, by the word of God. And miserable were it for us, 1 Cor. 9.16. if as there is a woe upon us, if we do not Preach the Gospel, a woe from God, so there shall be a woe from man upon us, if we do preach this part of the Gospel; if, when God shall say to any of us Churchmen, when I say to the wicked, thou shalt surely die, (as he hath said unto us. Rom. 13. The wicked resister shall die and die again, die the second death, die and be damned; 'tis a fearful saying, but 'tis God's own) and thou givest him not warning to save his life, he shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy hands. Ezek. 3.18. If God hath not enough furnishr us in his word to know what that wickedness is which kills a wicked man, what that resistance is which damns a resister, since, in his word he commands us to warn them of it, and threatens to require their blood of us, if notwithstanding all this, man shall forbid us to warn him, and threaten to require our own blood at our hands at our necks, at least the blood of our livelihood, for having warned him, I must say it again, we churchmen are in this life, of all men most miserable) I say to void that fairest colour, that best pretence, that likest unlike face to the Kings, I would argue thus, I would assign the greatest honour imaginable to the rise and origination of the just Authority of those inferior Magistrates; I would own their power, transmitted to them, not only from their King, but from his King too, I would obey, and preach obedience to their lawful commands, not only in the King's name, but in God's name too; I would give them Scripture for all I say, that of the Holy Ghost by S. Peter 1.2.13. submit yourselves to every Ordinance of man, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for the Lords sake, I would presume every Christian subordinate Governor would put up his claim so high, and wave any inferior privilege which man's law can ascribe unto him in compare with so Heavenly a title, since by the other his authority will only reach to those two things which came out of the earth, body and estate, thin dust, and thick clay, but the Soul will escape all his Jurisdicttion; by this, he confines the mind, he ties, he binds up, he obliges the very Conscience, and is not this a much nobler Domination over Immortals, than that which (like the brutish sovereignty of the Lion over beasts, and the Eagle over birds, and the Dolphin over fishes) is only conversant about a rheumatic body, a heap crowded together of skin and flesh and blood and bones? When he hath thus viewed how glorious his sway is, and taken pleasure in the Heavenlynesse of his Title, I would next, request him to search through, to the bottom of that verse, and to the first half of the next, submit yourselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake; whether it be to King as Supreme, or unto Governors as unto them that are sent by him. I would now ask, if it can be presumed in reason, that any one would send and Authorise another to do prejudice and unkindness to himself? I would crave leave to ask on, whether any Governor is, in the Scripture sense, presumed to be sent by the King to such a purpose, when, the Governor indeed says I, and the King himself says not? O let us not, nodum in scirpo, enigmatize the simplicity of the Gospel, make plain and evident Scripture difficult to be understood. I would lastly, beseech him not to change that safest Title to his Authority which God gives for a Humane one, because God's Title places him beneath a King, and considers him in that Formality, as below him; nor to exceed that Title by a humane one; nor to be angry at these instructions, drawn out of Holy writ, and set before him, out of my tender regard to the undamnation, to the safety of his Soul, that he would not endanger my body, because I take care (what lies in my slender skill and large affection) not to hazard his Soul, liberare animam, liherare animas, to free both his Soul and mine; conscionably to free my own soul, and both Religiously and Respectfully his; that he, and all of them, would be (what they are) in the highest of their delegated Authority, highly loyal to that Supremacy which is higher than they: that they would do (what they have promised) increase the honour and greatness of that Supremacy, moved thereunto, because (which is the next point) the King is invested with that Supremacy by God. The King's Power is from God. All power is so, Rom. 13.1, 4. (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) all lawful Power, not all, not any instrusion into the chair of State, Usurpation of the Princely Throne; he that lays violent hands upon a Sceptre, that with a stiff neck thrusts his proud head undera Diadem, that girds his own side with his Royal master's Sword, though he hath much strength he hath no power; or if a power of force, none at all of Authority) and if all lawful, though inferior Power is from God, the Regal much more; inferior Power is subordinate to the King's, it comes from God and from man; Kingly Power is derived from God only; how will it mis-beseem any people's mouth (when they have the largest commission in their hand, and the Richest Purple upon their back, when their Authority is as high and as full as they are capable to hold it, that if it be Higher it will stretch and disjoint them, if it be fuller it will swell and burst them) to dare to say, by us Kings reign, to unking the King even whilst they King him, and to Deify themselves whilst they King and unking the King, O 'tis too Heavenly a style to be ever spoke by man, so that he must let that saying alone for ever. Therefore hath the King his Authority from God, from God only, and not at all from man, because whoever confers ●uthority must be Superior to him whom he thus Dignifies: the King as Supreme over all (the collective all too) may indulge a lawful subordinate power to whom he please. None of the People can do this back to the King, because the King is Supreme, and to be Supreme, is to have none above him, none equal to him, none upon earth, none but that God which gave him all the Authority he hath: that the King is Supreme (what ever the Sword of man writes in letters of blood against it) take his word for it who made him so, even Gods 1 Pet. 2.13. whatever you can name, the biggest Authority in the land besides, still the King is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Above it, be it what it will, unless there can be such an Authority over Kings found out, which is an Authority over Scripture too, and may have leave to blot out the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in St. Peter, to pull that Jewel out of the King's Crown which sets up the King above all, the people can neither make nor unmake a King; neither impose upon him whilst he sits on the Throne, nor depose him from off it; both these are God's Prerogative; 'tis he that taketh down one, and setteth up another: 'tis he, and not the People, which sets up a King. From these and the like frequent claims of God, of his singular Sovereignty over Princes, that their having of Dominions is as much his Gift as their being Men, their having flesh and blood is his workmanship; from these it is that the Greek and Latin Fathers derive from one Fountain the Prince's Power and Manhood. Take that famous passage in Tertullian known by all, and lately cited by an Honourable because Loyal Member, Ind Imperator est, unde est Homo: and that of Theodoret, (which deserves to be equally famous, but that it was writ 200 years after) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'tis the same rich sense in the like scarcity of words; De Provide. Orat. 1. that God, which gave him his being, made a Man of him at his birth, gave him his Crown, made a King of him at the last King's death; and so much power does God exert in making Kings the Rulers of the Earth, as he did in creating a World for Man; God spoke, and it came to pass, the World was made, Gen. 1. Dixi, I have said it, and ye are Gods, Psal. 82. When one Rules whom God judges an unfit King; when many take this power to themselves; or, when the King whom God hath chose is removed out of sight, gone a far off; in the two former cases, God will prepare him a King; in the last, God will find him out a King, fetch him home, and set him upon the Throne. See all these shadowed out to us by Scripture! For the first, when the Tyrant Saul had incurred the displeasure of the universal King, the Lord said unto Samuel, I have provided me a King, 1 Sam. 16.1. Eliab was set before him, vers. 6. but the Lord refused him, vers. 7. Abinadab next, neither hath the Lord chosen this, ver. 8. Shammah after him; neither hath the Lord chosen this, vers. 9 What if I call these three by three other names? the rejected Oliver, the pulled down Richard, and the diasppointed John? For the second, a kind of Committee, a Juncto of them, at least, seven together, are set before Samuel; but the Lord hath not chosen these, vers. 10. What if I should resemble on, and tell you, that as the Juncto took upon them to Govern the Kingdom, so about seven of them undertook ('twas underhand-dealing all of it) to Rule the Juncto? David was not there when there were so many Candidates for the Crown; he was toiling abroad, as misdeemed fit for drudgery than the Throne: and therefore for the last. Send and fetch him home, says Samuel, for we will not sit down (no ease, no rest to be hoped for by us) till he come hither, verse. 11. David is fetched home; and the Lord said, Arise (stand up before the King) anoint him, for this is he, vers. 12. Est pulchrum monstrari, à Numine Dicior hic est: 'tis the word of God (the Lord said) and 'tis the deed of the Lord to make a King; the Lord said anoint; a King whilst he lives will wear that Name The Lords Anointed. God seeks him before he is brought home; I have found David my servant, Psal. 89.20. God owns him when he is come home, this is he; and after he is established, 'twas I that took thee from following the Ewes (from being followed by Wolves) to be Ruler over my People, 2 Sam. 7.8. My People, 'twere well to mark that, God provides us a King; when we obey him God owns us; when we revolt from the King, we do so from God too, we cancel our Relation to Heaven, we make a forfeiture of being the People of God; 'tis as if God should say, whilst they are mine they will be true to thee: get thee to thy Throne, and take this comfort with thee, they will not be Traitors to their King till they rebel against their God; thy God will suffer with thee; nor canst thou be rejected by them, till they have first cast me off; whoever else of the willing unfascinated people sought thee, 'twas I that found thee; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is the voice of Joy; if we rejoice now, God himself is our pattern. We see from whom the King hath his power, from GOD; see we next the Devilish sin of them that oppose it, the Curse of God upon them that set up another, a false Authority against it. 5. The sin first. The more wicked every man is, could the Heathen say, Eo difficilius Rectorem patitur, so much the apt to rebel; and this Rebellion is the height of wickedness, the exceeding sinfulness of sin; 'tis not an Enemy alone, but a Son of Wickedness that afflicts a King; he is called by both names in the same verse, and by the wicked name, as the worst name, last, Psal. 89.22. He is the Son of wickedness, of all manner of wickedness, of sin in the Arabic, which includes all; of ungodliness in the Chaldee, of unrighteousness in the Hebrew, which specifies all: Let such a Complex sin, such a universal guilt affright the whole Land out of any thoughts of Treason, but those only which abhor it. On the other side, 'tis not only a Well-willer, a Friend, but a Holy man, a Righteous person, which relieves, succours, obeys an oppressed injured King; but his Enemy, that Opposer of Royalty, does not only perpetrate all the forenamed Accumulative wickedness, but is styled by the Holy Ghost the very Son of it, as being so egregiously sinful, vel ex ipsa Iniquitate, vel ad eam natus videatur, that himself may say to Iniquity, Thou art my Father, and that others may say of him, He was born to sin: If the being unholy will not correct a Rebel into a Subject, try we if the being unsafe will not do it. Resisting Traitors shall receive damnation, Rom. 13.2. Fly Rebellion therefore, as thou wouldst escape Hell: Alas! what is hanging and drawing and quartering! a great torment for a few hours; and yet a Torment only upon the Body, communicated no further than to the sensitive faculty of the Soul, a lasting shame too to all posterity: But the dead man will not hear what the surviving talk of him: Such poor shifts as these do surprised obstinate Traitors make use of to evade the disgrace, to assuage the pain, and to collude with both. But, indeed, if thou wouldst not be tortured and disgraced for ever, and desparately sensible of it all the while; if thou wouldst not be plunged into Isaiah's everlasting burn; if thou wouldst not burn in an immaterial fire, and a more scorching brimstone than thou yet ever sawest; such a subtle and piercing fire, such a diving and soaking brimstone as will wrap themselves round about thy immaterial Soul, and penetrate quite through the most reserved and spiritual faculty of it, and set the Soul, and all the powers of it, on fire for ever; a fire so hot, as that our very Bonfires, nay, even that which will one day set the whole World on fire are cold to it, a fire so unquenchable, as that ten thousand Seas will never be able to put it out; nay, will be both Fuel and Bellows to kindle it the more; a fire in which thou shalt for ever weep, because of the insufferable smart of it, and every tear of thine shall be a tear of Oil to increase that fire: If thou wouldst escape all these intolerable, and many more unspeakable Plagues, learn this short Lesson (so short and sweet, that it may be quickly learned, and easily said and done) Be true to thy Prince; else, without deep Repentance, all this damuation thou shalt receive. I dare not trespass upon more of your patience to attempt one word upon the second General. Observe we our Duties in the first General; be we obedient to God in our Loyalty to the King, that loyal obedience will be the best sacrifice of Praise, the most acceptable Thanksgiving to God, the occasion of the greatest joy to man immaginable. To which GOD let every Man join with me in ascribing all Kingdom, (even this also) all Power and Glory, all Praise and Thansgiving for the KING and KINGDOM and for all other his blessings, for ever and ever. Amen. FINIS.