A Looking-Glasse FOR REBELLS. Or the true grounds of sovereignty, PROVING The KINGS Authority to be from GOD only: And the Subjects Obedience from Gods special Command. ROM. 13.1. Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers: for there is no power but of God. The powers that be, are ordained of God. OXFORD, Printed for William Web. 1643. A Looking-glasse for Rebells. CHAP. I. There are two grounds of true sovereignty in our gracious Lord King CHARLES, 1. He receiving His Authority from GOD, hath no superior to punish him, but GOD alone. 2. The Bond of his Subjects in Obedience to His majesty, is inviolable, and not to be dissolved. GOD denouncing his judgements against wicked Kings, as Saul and Rehoboam, threatens with Renting their Kingdoms from them, and making their houses desolate. The deposing of a King, and the disposing of his Dominions, belong only to God. Obedience, Or the duty God enjoineth all men is, To eschew evil, and do good, which is diffused into the particular duties of 1. A Servant to his Master. 2. A Son to his Father. 3. A Subject to his Prince. In the Allegiance of a Subject to his sovereign, the evil he is to esc●ew, is evil in action, For he is not to touch him with any hurtful touch, or stretch out his hand against his Sacred Person, Psal. 105. 1 Sam. 15. Or any way to affright or disgrace him, by cutting off the lap of his garment. evil in words, For he is not to curse his Ruler, Exod. 22. evil in cogitations, For he is not to curse the King in his thought. Eccles. 10. The good which he is to do out o● Obedience to his majesty, is in dead, by Paying Tribute. Rom. 13 By fighting his ba●tells with Joab, adventuring his life with David, to vanquish his enemies. In speech, By revealing with Religious Mordecai, the treasonable designments of B●gan and Teresh, Host. 2. By pouring out Prayers for his welfare. 1 Tim. 2. In thought By esteeming and dou●●●ing him from the Heart, out of conscience, as the Anointed of the Lord, Gods holy Ordinance, and Minister, and as a God upon earth; for this is to obey him for the Lords sake, to fear God, and honor the King; When we fear God, by whom the King reigneth, and his throne is established. 1. Pet. 2. Prov. 8. By this we plainly discern how impious and irreligious the practices of those are, who have not only actually offered violence to his Sacred majesty( witness Edge-hill) but have been favourers of those who have any ways vilified, nay, belched out most horrid treasons against Gods Anointed, as one Pym, who said, He would wash his hands in the Kings blood, and many more in the like nature, too tedious, or odious for me to recite. CHAP. II. How these two Pillars,( viz. sovereignty, and the Bond of Obedience) are supported, and upon what foundations they are built. 1 I Shall discover unto you the foundation of the first prop or Pillar, Our sovereign Lord King CHARLES receive ng his Authority only from God, hath no Superior to chastise and punish him, but God alone. The Ancient practise of this Kingdom is clear for this truth. Bracton, Chief Justice under Hen. 3. in his customs of England 1 cent. rubrica. 35. saith, There are under the King Freemen and Servants, and both subject unto his Power, as also whatsoever is under him and he himself is subject unto no man, but God only. Et ipse sub nullo nisi tantum sub Deo. And again, If there be any offence committed by him, forasmuch as there is no Breeve to enforce, or constrain him, There may be supplication made, that he would correct and amend his fault, which if he shall not do, it is abundantly sufficient punishment, that he is to expect God a revenger, for no man may presume( disquirere) judicially to examine his doings, much less to oppose them by force or violence. And this is no other Kingly sovereignty then God himself hath given unto majesty. I couns ll thee( saith God by the mouth of Solomon) to keep the Kings commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God b● not hasty to go out of his sight, stand not in an evil thing, for and doth whatsoever pleaseth him. Where the word of a King is, t●ere is Power, and who may say unto him, Wha● dost thou? Eccles. 8. An evident testimony. That Kings are subject unto God, and have no mortal man their superior, who may require of them an account of their doings, and punish them by any judicial sentence. This Divine truth is taught both by David and his Son Solomon, Against thee, ●gainst thee only have I sinned. Against thee only, for he was a King( saith Ambrose) not bound unto Law, because Kings are free from the bond of crimes, and are not called unto punishment by any Law, being safe by the Power of Command: therefore David sinned not against man, unto whom he was not obnoxious, in regard of punishment, but of admonition only, and reproof uttered in the Name, and by the Authority of God himself. Hereupon the prophet Nathan, having used this Preface, Thus saith the Lord, admonisheth King David, that he should expiate his sin by repentance, but he gave no Sentence against him, whereby according to the Law, he should be adjudged unto death; for if Nathan had given any such sentence against David, he should have had power to deprive him of his life, and so of the which he enjoyed by his life, his regal authority, which God only can take away from Princes, because he alone bestoweth it upon him. From whence have they received their sovereignty, to be here upon earth as gods over men? God himself answereth, Psal. 82. I have said, Ye are Gods, and by my Word the world was made; so are ye appointed by the same word to Rule the world. Who hath given unto them their kingdoms? The Most High, he ruleth in the Kingdoms of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, Dan. 4. What power hath seated them in their Thrones? The Power of the Almighty. Job 3●. Reges( as the vulgar Translation renders it) col●cat in solio▪ He pla●eth Kings in the throne. And by whom do they sway their sceptres, and govern their Kingdoms, By Gods special Authority, By me do Kings Reign, and Princes decree Justice. Prov. 8. by his immediate Power, who is both Lord ●nd King of all the earth. Psal. 47. Doth not God by the mouth of the Prophet N●than, tell David, I anointed the King over Israel. 2. Sam. 12. Doth not Solomon aclowledge, That the Lord hath established him, and set him on the Throne of his father David. And the Prophet Ahija in the Person of God, unto Jeroboam, I w●ll give the Kingdom unto thee. Neither the Kingdom only, and the Power of Princes, but all things else proper unto them are after a peculiar manner Gods. Their Crown, their Anointing, their sceptre, and Throne are Gods, and their Persons adorned with all these, are so divine and Sacred, That they themselves are the Angels of God, and the sons of the Most High. 2. Sam. 14. Psal. 82. Object. Are not Kings made by the people, and receive their regal power by them and their election? Is is not said of Saul, That all the people went to Gilgal, and there made him King before the Lord? Of David, The men of Judah anointed David King of Judah: The Elders of Israel anointed David King over Israel. Answ. Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet anointed Salomon King, and the Lord also anointed him, otherwise he had not been the Lords Anointed, but the anointed of Zad●k and Nathan. The Lord anointed Salomon as Master of the substance, and gave unto him regal power; Zadok and Nathan anointed Salomon as Master of the Ceremonies, and declared that God had given unto him this power: for outward unction doth not confer upon Kings their authority( when without it Cyrus, Esay 45. and before the use thereof, some of the Patriarks over their families, were the anointed of the Lord) but it is a sign only of sovereignty; because if wee power oil into the same vessel with any other liquor, it will still be uppermost. The Elders of Judah& Israel anointing David King, 2 Sam. 2. did manifest him to be their King; but did not give unto him the right unto his kingdom, this was only from the Lords appointing. So the people then made Saul King, not by giving him the right of his kingdom▪ but by putting him in possession of his kingdom, to reign over them: for the Jews by Gods special commandement, being to make such an one King, whom their Lord God had chosen, unto whom their Lord God had given regal authority; from their Lord God, and not from themselves, from Heaven, and not from Earth, was the sovereignty of their Princes. For as in spiritual graces, which God mercifully bestoweth upon the faithful, neither the outward ministry of Paul in planting, nor of Apollos in watering, is any thing; but God giveth the increase, 1 Cor. 3. So in the civill power, which God vouchsafeth to Princes, the people are not any thing in giving this authority, but God only is the free Donor thereof. CHAP. III. The bond of his Subjects in obedience to his majesty is inviolable, and cannot be diss●lved. THe principal means whereby the seditious sons of Belial do pretend, that this sacred band may be dissolved, are either supposed crimes in the Persons of Princes, as Tyranny in governing, Infidelity, heresy, apostasy. First for Tyranny, Was not Saul a Tyrant in hunting after the soul, and seeking after the life of David, who was most faithful unto him amongst all his servants, whom he himself confessed to have rendered good for evil? Was he not a bloody oppressor in commanding Doeg, without any just cause of offence, violently to run upon the Priests, and slay fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen Ephod, 2 Sam. 22.18, 19. To smite Nob, the city of the Priests, both man and woman, both child and suckling, both ox and ass, and sheep, with the edge of the sword? The blood of many Innocents did cry unto God for vengeance, and by his special commandement, Gen. 9.6. Wh●so sheddeth mans blood, by man his blood shall be shed) deserved death: yet David, not an ordinary or private man, but by Gods own appointment designed unto the kingdom, a chief Captain and Leader in the Kings battels, the Kings son in law, when he had Saul delivered into his hand, and was encouraged by his servants to destroy him, said unto them, 1 Sam. 24 6. The Lord keep me from doing that thing unto my Master, the Lords anointed, to lay my hand upon him; for he is the Lords anointed. And after unto Saul himself, vers. 14. wickedness proceedeth from the wicked, but mine hand be not upon thee. And again unto Abishai, when the Lord another time had closed Saul into his hands,( 1 Sam. 26.9.) Destroy him not; for who can lay hands upon the Lords anointed, and be guiltless? Which pious and religious acts of David towards Saul, amongst the Israelites, Optatus hath elegantly described, the more effectually to comm●nd them unto Christians: David( saith Optatus) had the occasion of victory in his hands, he might have cut the throat of his unwary and secure adversary, without any labour; he might without shedding of blood, without any conflict, have changed a public war into a private slaughter, and his men the victory, occasion and opportunity encouraged him: he began to draw his sword, his armed hand was moved towards the throat of his enemy; but the perfect remembrance of Gods Commandements stayed him: he withstanding his men, and the occasions enciting him, in effect thus speaketh unto them: O victory, thou dost in vain provoke, and invite me with thy triumphs, I would willingly conquer mine enemy, but I must rather keep Gods Commandements, I will not( saith he) lay mine hands upon the Lords anointed. And so he repressed his hand together with his sword; and whiles he feared the oil, saved his enemy. Tertullian teacheth, to wish evil, to do evil, to think evil, is indifferently forbidden us towards all men; thence infereth, if wee are not to offer the least of these injuries to any man, much less to him that is so highly advanced by our God, speaking of the Emperour Severus, who was an unbelieving Tyrant, an infidel, that did grievously persecute the Christians, whom he did afflict with the fifth famous persecution. St. Peter writ his first Epistle in the time of Claudius the Emperour, and did direct it to his country men the Jews, throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Bythima, regions then subject unto the Roman Emperour. And because some seducers( with whom this latter age is much burdened) had persuaded the Jews, under a pretext of maintaining their liberty, that tribute was not to be paid to Caesar, neither any mortal man was to be accounted as a Prince or Lord over them, but God only: St. Peter exhorteth them to be free, as not using their liberty for a cloak of malicious●esse, but as the servants of God,( 1 Pet. 2.16, and 18.) and to fear God, but yet to honour the King also. And although Magistrates be men, and so their Ordinance, in regard of their persons in whom it doth reside, but human; yet to submit themselves unto them, for the Lords sake, from whom they received their authority. And if we are commanded to submit ourselves, and to be subje ● to a profane infidel and merciless Tyrant, as Claudius was, who would have tortures in examinations, punishments for Patricides exec●●●d in his own presence: he had most cruel Searchers of all t●●● came but to salute him, sparing not ●●y sex or age; he delighted to see the faces of Fencers( whose throats he had caused to be cut for stumbling by chance in their sword fights) as they lay gasping, and yielding up their breath: and being excessively given to the wanton love of women, he was so enthralled to his wives and free-men, that as it was commodious unto them, or stood with their affection, he granted honourable dignities, conferred the conducts of Armies, and decreed impunities or punishments; yet unto such an unbelieving and bloody Oppressor, St. Peter earnestly exhorteth the believing Jews to yield obedience. If Subjects are obliged in duty, and out of conscience cheerfully to obey tyrannous, unbelieving, heretical, apostatical Princes, as Powers ordained of God: with what alacr●●y th●● should we be in all things obsequious unto our gracious and truly religious sovereign? Gracious, as being like unto God, whose Vice-Gerent he is in this, that his clemency and mercy is over all his works: Religious, in that he is a zealous Propugner of the ancient and catholic Faith, not only by his Kingly power and authority, but hath confirmed the same by many sacred vows and protestations, to the glory of God, to the rejoicing of Angels, and to the great comfort of all his true-hearted Subjects, so to the terror and confusion of all his seditiou● enemies. FINIS.