A Looking Glass for Princes and Peoples Delivered, Book 1 · Preface
The Preface.
REIOYCE in the LORD, yee righteous Psal. 33. 1.(saith the Prophet) for praise is comelie for the vpright.
I presume so farre of your Christian affection (Dearly beloued in the Lord) that I need not exhort you to joy: The cheerefulnesse of your Countenance testifies the great joy of your heart; so that it shall onelyonly be necessar to direct you in the vse, and expressing of so just and great a ioy.
The Lord hath blessed vsus in great merciemercy with the birth The Birth of ye Prince: May 29. An. 1630.of a Prince on Saturnday last, and refreshed vsus yesternight with these good tydings: That blessing hath manie blessings in it: A Child, a Male Child, and a first borne Male Child that came to perfection: A Sonne to a FatherPolydor hist. lib 5. Azor. in…st▪ tom. 2. lib▪ 10. cap 1. Ecbertus tot… … insula Monarcha. & Edmundus. La…francus totius Insula Britaniae Primas. Concilium. Angl. Anno. 1085. Binius. tom. 3▪ part. 1. pag. 395. that hath no Brother, the apparent Heire of all these three Kingdomes, and (I may say) The first borre Heire that euer They had. Some Histories wrongouslie affirme, that some Kings were Monarchs of this whole Yle, and that same errour did creepe in the Councels, speaking of Primats: But the first spake as they affected, and the other followed that errour in simplicitie: They borrowed that style of (a Monarch of the whole Yle) from Severus time, and tooke the march of it from his wall. Some hauehave beene borne Heires of seuerall Kingdomes in it, but till now wee finde none borne Heires of them altogether, and that to a King, standing in the iust title and peaceable possession of them all.
These are Gods great mercies to vsus; and the greater if wee consider what our sinnes deserue: They cry for judgement and our Conscience tells that wee deserue it more than other Nations that are scourged beyond Sea; but behold when hee might showre downe deserued plagues, Hee sendeth vsus vndeserued Blessings.
Gods worship hath two odde solemnities, of Fasting, Fasting and thankesgiuing two od solemnities.and Thankesgiuing; but it is more pleasant to hauehave the occasion of solemne thankes for Blessing receiued, than of mourning for plagues imminent or incumbent: And better to heare now our Drummes in the streete, and Canons in the Castle, by their sound calling vsus to these joyfull meetings, than to heare them in the feates of Warre.
There is no Affection so pleasant to the heart, asThankesgiving is more pleasan…. Ioy; it was created in vsus as a power to make vse of good: When the heart hath desired and hoped for good, it cannot but rejoyce at the obtaining of it; and in all these actions about good, it abydeth most gladly in it selfe: Wee brought euill in the World by sinne, and so a necessitie of sorrow: In griefe the heart is closed within it selfe, and hath a selfe-consumption for its owne folie. No temporall good entreth into our heart, but the joy for it filleth it, and then it delyts to dwell in that Ioy as the owne Element, and dilateth it selfe to vtter that joy conceiued: As the Eare is opened wyde to heare good, and the Eye to see it, so the Heart to enjoy it, and the Mouth to expresse that Ioy. And what better expressing, than to powre out our heartes on GOD by thankesgiuing? That as Hee is the Author of our joy, so it may returne to Him againe. A well expressed Ioy maketh a sweete Sacrifice to GOD, and bringeth downe a new blessing, but excesse of joy e…anishing in fleshlie insolencies, and not reflecting on GOD, prouokes him whom we should please: Such was the rejoycing of Pagans in their solemnities, but Gods WordSicci…e exprimitur publicum gaudium per publicum dedec…. Tertul. Apolog. 35. directeth vsus better. Wee ought therefore to praise Him for the Blessing receiued; and pray for a blessing to that Blessing, that his MercieMercy there in may eueryevery way appeare. And because of our selues, wee cannot doe this as wee ought; let vsus call on the Author of the Blessing, and craue such direction from his Word, that in this solemne and publicke Ioy, wee may approue our selues to Him.
The Text. Psal. 72.
1. GiueGive the King thy judgements, O GOD, and thy righteousnesse vntounto the Kings Sonne.
2. Hee shall judge thy people with righteousnesse, and thy poore with judgement.
3. The Mountaines shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousnesse.
The first part: K. DAVID a Suter.
LOOKE not (Beloued in the Lord) for a ful explication of eueryevery part of this Text,The summe and order of the words. with their doctrines and vses, as wee doe in Sermons, but onelyonly for such points as this occasion craueth: In summe it containeth a prayer of King Dauid for his Sonne Solomon, and offereth three things to our consideration. The Suter who prayeth is King Dauid: Next, for whom hee prayeth, it is for Solomon: And thirdlie the thinges that hee suteth, which are three: First, the Gift of Kinglie wisedome; verse 1. 2. The vse of that Gift in righteous Iudgement: verse 2. And thirdlie the fruite of that Gift so vsed, Peace and Tranquillitie: verse 3.
For the first, the Suter is King Dauid, a Father forKing Dauid a Supplicant. his Childe, a King for his succeeding Sonne, and a Prophet for one that GOD was to blesse. Nature might moue him as a Father to seeke the good of his Sonne; and Civilitie as a King, a greater Father of a Kingdome, to seeke the good of his Successour: But as a Prophet hee is moued diuinly to sute that which GOD had showne him hee was purposed to doe: In the first two respects, hee had an ordinary grace as a Father, and a King to seeke this Blessing. In the thrid: hee had an extraordinarie gift to augment the former two, beeing priuie to Gods mind in this particular. Therefore it is not onelie a Prayer, but a Blessing: The one suting a Gift, the other conferring the sought Gift, or rather declaring that it was to bee conferred on Solomon.
Parents hauehave a Fatherly authority ouer their Children to blesse them, and are obliged to seeke their good (becausePrius peremptores quam parentes Bern. hom. 2 super missus est. like Adam and Eue, they are first their murtherers ere they bee their Parents) And Kings as Fathers ouer their Subjects; but Prophets are aboue them both in this point: what the former hauehave by nature, andParentes sensimus peremp tores, &c. Cypr. de lapsis Sect. 7. Gods power committed to them, that and more had Dauid, a Prophet, as being priuie to Gods purpose. So that this Prayer is not so much a Prayer for obtaining, as a prophecie that hee shall obtaine. That extraordinar Gift is now ceased in the Church, yet eueryevery oneAmos cap 3 5 should take heede how hee prayes: That as the matter hee seekes is good in it selfe, needfull for vsus, and promised,Cū ipse Pater qui largitur ista suggerat peti, &c. Cypr de ascens. cap. 4. Rom. 11. 34. so it be sought with confidence and liberty. If the Lord so open our hearts to seeke it, hee will also satisfie our hearts in granting. None knowes his minde, nor hath giuen him counsell, but when Prouidence is performing his promises, hee will giuegive some notice of his purpose to his owne in these particulars.
GOD had purposed this blessing to Solomon, and now hee moueth Dauid to pray for it as a meanes both to giuegive his purposed Gift to Solomon, and to oblige Dauid the more for obtaining of it by prayer: The Blessing hee hath ordained for vsus, hee giues an heart to seeke it, and in the very time of so free and affectuous seeking, worketh in vsus an hope of receiuing: For wee know not what Rom 8. 27wee shall pray for as wee ought: But the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vsus, with groanings which cannot bee vttered. And hee that searcheth the hearts, knowes what▪ is the minde of the Spirit, because hee maketh intercession for the Saintes according to the will of God. Gods Spirit will not assist vsus with a spirituall libertie and confidence, in seeking that, that God is not purposed to giuegive; for GOD is euer like Himselfe.Grace compleats all the parts and degrees of our happinesse.
Prayer is on our part a Condition required, and a meane to obtaine; and on Gods part, a sort of beginning and obligeing to giuegive vsus that blessing that he hath made vsus to seeke. These are both temporary effects of Gods eternall purpose, and meanes to performe it: This is the couenant of grace, to turne the Condition in a promise, and then to performe it in vsus, that as GOD presenteth Saluation vnderunder condition of Faith and other workes of grace, so hee promiseth these conditions, and worketh them in vsus. Hee promised that they should beleeue, who said, And they shall not teach eueryevery man his neighbour, Credituros promisit, qui dixit, & non docebit …nusquisq, proximum suum. Reconciliandos promisit qui dixit propitius ero inquit atibus eorum. &c. Prosper de Vocat. Gent. lib 1. cap. 9. Ephes. 2. Psal. 10. 17 2. Sam. 7. 27. 1 Chr. 17. 25.Know the Lord. Hee promised that they should bee pardoned, who said, I will bee mercifull to their iniquities. Hee promised that they should obey, who said, I will put a new heart in them. Hee promised that they should perseuere, who said, I will put my feare in their heart, so that they shall not depart from mee. So then, Grace purposeth, Grace promiseth, Grace maketh vsus to pray; and Grace performeth the promise in answering our prayers, that it may bee seene Wee are saued by Grace. This wonderfull disposition of Gods Grace in prayer, is summed vp in one verse. Lord, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble, thou wilt prepare their heart; Thou wilt cause thine Eare to heare: And Dauid on this same purpose: Thou hast said, That thou wilt builde mee an house: Therefore hauehave I found in mine heart to pray this Prayer to Thee.
To the KING. The second part: Of a Monarchie.
THis much for the Person that prayeth, To wit King Dauid, the next is, for whom hee prayeth, and that is the King, euen his Sonne Solomon, and that for three causes: The first is common to Kings, whom GOD resp…ctsSolomon prayed for. as his Deputies among men: The next is particular to Solomon, as beeing designed in Gods promise to be a successour to Dauid: The third is typicall, because hee was the type of Christ, the King of his Church; and so had a right to competent giftes for his place, for the better typifying of such a truth.Gods great respect of Kings.
Heere is the great respect that God hath to Kinges, he causeth pray for them, marke their businesse, and write portions of Scripture for them: So Solomons designing to the Crowne gaue vsus this Psalme▪ and his Mariage the 45. Psalme, and their Acts hath giuen vsus manie Histories in Scripture, that his Prouidence about them may bee more manifest, and his care of them, may witnesse his care of all mankind. God hath set them vp to bee respected as the Heades of humane Societies, and though there bee innumerable people in the World different in Lawes, Manners, Languages, &c. Yet hee hath summed them vp in seuerall Societies vnderunder Princes, and prouided not onelyonly Order but also degrees whereof Kings are the Heads. Therefore the holy Apostle calleth them,Rom. 13. 1 supereminent Powers: and the primitiue Church expounded that clearly. Wee honour the Emperour next to God, Colimus imperatore…, &c.and lesse than God alone.
This leads vsus to consider in principalitie the Authour, Tert. ad Scapul. cap. 2.the Necessitie, the Excellencie, and Limitation. The Author of Principalitie, is GOD, the King of Kings; 1 The Author of Principality is God.either immediatelie designing them, as hee did Dauid and Solomon, &c. or mediately mouing the heartes of people to choose them. Hee hath made man a sociallCum res sit praestātissima ordo politicus, &c. creature delighting in Society: and Necessitie, and Profit, hath confirmed that sociablenes, and drawne them together in Societies and Incorporations: they knowCalvin▪ in hunc locum by the light of Nature, that Societie is better than Solitarines, and that a multitude with equalitie hath confusion, and Order without Authoritie is an Anarchie with Oppression. Therefore, as GOD wisely ordained, so they willingly admit these graduall respectes of higher and lower degrees, and take on that beautifull Order which hee established: Hee appointes an outward Gouernement to mankind, and giues the influence of it not indifferentlie to all, but to Kings and Princes as the most eminent parts of mankind.
If wee looke to man simplie as hee is reasonable it2. The necessitie of principality. is not vnpossible for him to liue without publicke Gouernement, but if wee consider him as hee is now with corrupt reason it, is altogether impossible: Hee could not liue alone without Societie, and in Societies hee was worse than alone, because of injuries: the wealthie oppressed the poore, and the stronger the weake, so that by time Societies agreed vponupon a common Gouernement, and set vp some one who excelled the rest to gouerne all, and that common consent gaue him power to rule, and disposed the rest for more heartie obedience. So GOD by his Law written in their hearts, led them to Gouernement, to deuolue their power in the hand of one, for eschewing of injuries, and procuring both publicke and the priuate good: Societie remeeded Solitarinesse, and Principalitie remeeded the iniuries of Societies.Chessan. Catal. part. 5. cons. 1.
Some hauehave drawne Principalitie simplie from the Ambition of men, because Cain, Nimrod, and such like were vsurpers. But they should distinguish betwixt mans Ambition and Gods institution: Man had his owne ends of vaine glorie, Auarice, Reuenge, &c. But as GOD was therein punishing sinne, so also prouyding Order among men, and therefore hee taketh with …rincipalitie as his owne ordinance. By mee Kings reigne and Princes decree Iustice. There bee sundrie wayes to comeProver. 8. 8 to a Kingdome: The suffrages of people in Election: Victories in Conquest: Birth in Succession: But GOD is the Authour of Magistracie who giues Kingdomes, and transferres them at his pleasure. That Kings are, itDan. 2. 11. is the diuine Law written in the hearts of men: But that such or such a man is a King, is by diuine …rouidence. They are the most e…inent and conspicuous Thinges in the World: Their beginning, course and end see…es to some to be of Fortune: And such as contemne that blind idole, ascriue them to Fate, an imaginary necessitie beside the will of GOD and Man, but diuine Providence disposeth all humane Kingdomes.Divina providentiâ regna constitu…ntur humana.
Man by sinne hath drawne on manie Necessities, but GOD hath appointed lawfull Callings as their Remeede and Supplie: and if wee compare him to a Body, they goeMans necessitie, & Gods supplie by Callings. in foure sorts: The first is of Callings, absolutlie necessar for our Beeing, as Husbandrie and Pasturage, the two Legges whereon the great body of man standeth. Wee are of the earth, wee walke on it, and liue by it, and these two Callings draw the substance out of it, in Fruites and Fleshes for our necessitie. The profit of the Earth is for all: The King himselfe is serued by the Field. The second isEccles. 5 9. of such Callings as beside Necessitie hauehave great Profit for our well beeing; as Crafts and Merchants: these are busie about the fruites of the former Callings; the first perfecting them by Arte, the other changing these fruits of Nature and Arte; these are as the two Hands, in this great Bodie. The third is of such Callings, as beside Necessitie and Profite hauehave also Ornament for our better Being. These are as the Heart of this Bodie in liberall Sciences and Professions, &c. They frame and fashion the Soule which is the Man, and make him a Man properlie. The fourth is of such Callings as beside Necessitie, Profite and Ornament, are for human Perfection for our best Beeing in this life, & that is Principality & Gouernement; as the Head in the ciuill Body perfecting it with humane excellencie. But the Pastorall calling answereth all these respects spirituallie.
GOD made all this plaine in the beginning. First heGen. 1. 26. gaue Adam a Being, then appointed him Maintenance, Gen. 2. 16.and a Law to lead his life: And when hee fell, his first businesse was tilling of the ground by Cain, and pasturageGen. 4. 2. by Abel, as meanes to helpe the difficultie of maintenance that came by the curse layd vponupon the …arth for his sins. Thereafter came the inuention of Mechanicke Trades, Gen 4 22.to make vse of the fruites of these two simple Callings, and Gouernement came in also in the owne degrees and periods. Lastly, when men were sensible of their miserieGen. 4. spirituall & temporall, and from that sense Seth called his son Enosh (that is, Miserable or Calamitous) …hen Religion Gen. 4. 26.was solemnlie exercised by in-calling on the Name of the Lord. They found such miserie, as neither humane Inuention, Industrie, nor Gouernement could helpe; & therefore took them aboue all to the Religious worship of God, that he wold mitigate the just curse by his supervenient Blessing, and leade them to a better Paradyse than they had lost.
Three sorts of Gouernement were in Adam: The Husbandlie Governement founded in Adam.gouernement ouer Eua his wyfe: The fatherlie ouer his Children, and the Princelie ouer all mankinde so long as hee liued. The first was more, a bond of louelove with his Wife, another himselfe: The third was a sort of authoritie, as a Superiour ouer inferiours: And the second was mixed of LoueLove and Authoritie. As mankind increased, so GOD drew out the Lyne of principalitie in Families, Townes and Countries, &c. which are both seuerall partes of Principalitie and Images of it: to testifie that mankind cannot well subsist without Gouernement. Euerie man carieth the image of it in himselfe, hee hath a bodie of many parts, and euerie part hath the owne temper and forme, to bee a seate or instrument of some power in him. The Soule likwise hath diuersitie of powers, to vnderstand, remember, will, &c. And yet notwithstanding of this diuersitie, they hauehave all such a respect vntounto other, that they submit themselues to a gouernement for the good of eueryevery one seuerally, and of the whole man, in which respect wee may call Man, A little Kingdome.
Gouernement then is of absolute necessitie, without whichPrinces giuegive a civill life to a Land. neither House, nor Citie, nor Nation can stand, no not the nature of things, nor the world it selfe: For what is a multitude of people without it, but a liuelesse and confused masse? They are not set to work in their seuerall callings, neither hauehave they fruite of their labours, neither vse, nor enjoying of their fruites: But Gouernement as a vigorous life quickeneth all, giues a beautie to the bodie, and a sort of abilitie to euerie particular member. It is principallie in the head, and from thence floweth to euerie member, to enable it for its own office: I need not to inlarge this point. This Citie, & other places of this Kingdome that were sometimes quickened, and warmed civillie by the presence of Kings, are now in a languishing Widow-hood, because of the farre distance of that warming Sunne.
Principalitie maketh a great relation in mankind: It is the3. The excellencie of principality. Head, and such an Head as receiuing due respects from other Callings, imployes it selfe againe to their good: They sustaine it by their offices and labours, and it recompenceth them with a mutuall sustaining, in that it prouydeth for them both libertie to labour in their Callings, and peace to enjoy the fruite of their labours, without which the better their Lotte be, the greater crosse, if it bee pulled away by warre or oppression.
It is Gods Wisedome to rule man by Man, and to set vpThe kindlie and sweete relation betwixt Prince and people. some of Mankind aboue the rest: Thogh Kings be of the same kind by Nature, yet their degree and Spirit make them seeme to be of another kind, that the mutuall dueties of commanding & obeying, may be the more distinct: And then to make them the more pleasant, he hath bound these far distant degrees in the bond of one kind: Kings command their Inferiours, louinglie as their owne kind, & Inferiours obey Kings willinglie, as their owne kind: The communion of the kind distinguished by God in degrees keepes that Relation contentedlie: The Head, the Hands, and the Feete differ in their places & offices, yet are all one flesh in one Bodie: The Head commandeth them not rigorouslie, neither doe they obey it grudginglie, but all their Offices are done in louelove to other. The disposing of these places and degrees are absolutely in Gods hand, and hee commands eueryevery one to apply themselues to other according to their place. This is the Finger of God to make Authoritie as a vigorous life to quicken a Kingdome, and then to bind it vp in such agreement, that many thousands of different conditions doe submit themselues to one.
Princes hauehave this Excellencie of Spirit, not so much from The Character of Principality is of GOD immediatelie.their Birth or bodilie temper as from God immediatelie: Hee createth in them a reasonable Soule, to m…ke them Men, and giues them a princelie Spirit to make them Kings among Men. Dauid was of priuate breeding, but so soone as GOD tooke him from behind the Ewes and set him vponupon the Throne; hee gaue him an heroicke Spirit. Their Birth indeede giueth them great Priuiledges; but the royall Spirit is not infalliblie annexed to it: GOD reserueth it to his owne free dispensation: hee hath set them as Heads of Societies, and the Head is plenished with Vnderstanding, and with moe Senses than the Bodie, for it is the seate of all the Senses, and none but the sense of Feeling is diffused throgh the whole bodie, & that floweth from the Head. So Kings by their place should be accomplished with humane perfections aboue their Subjects. This hath with it a largenesse of heart to ouer-reach priuate spirits as farre as their place is aboue them, and that both in fore-sight to project their businesse, and Prudence to manage it. And they hauehave as large affections of ioy and griefe, and their fruits answerable in Contentment and miscontentment. Their ordinar measure in these things would bee excesses to ouer whelme priuate Spirits: Their greatest place occasioneth them greatest humane contentments, but lest they become insolent as great miscontentments are annexed. So God hath counterpossed these great things in greatest Spirits, both to keepe them from extremities, and to hold them on the Ballance of Equabilitie.
Power and Authoritie are inuisible in themselues, but visibleThe signes of principalitie. in their outward signes, and the more euident, the greater difference they make betwixt Kings & Subiects. Princes are men as other, yet are they farre in dignitie aboue other, as the patternes of natiue Nobility that commeth of Birth, and the Fountaine of datiue Nobilitie that flowes from Princes fauour. Though it fall out otherwise, sometimes for iust causes, yet in an abstract consideration they ought to bee, and vsuallie are the choysest Men in humane perfections.
A speciall signe is that Maiestie wherewith God stampeth1. In their coūtenance. their countenance, to tell what Spirit dwelleth in such a Bodie: Though they bee but Men, yet that Majestie in their countenance equalleth their place. This Quantus motus sit ad unā iussionem imperatoris, Aug hom 16. Prov. 19. 12.maketh their verie silence to bee awfull and imperio…s, it confoundeth sometimes the most resolute Spirits, and putteth posed wits to precipitation. His whispering in his Chamber setteth all his Kingdome on worke, and the onelie mouing of his lippes putteth all his Provinces to businesse: But if they speake in passion, it is like the roaring of the Lyon. This can be no thing else but the hand of GOD, that maketh so sensible a difference betweene ruling and ruled Spirits in one kinde of Creature.
Next, God hath giuen them foure Ensignes of a kinglie 2. In their Ornament. Aut capite Diadema, aut in manu Sceptrum. Tertul. advers. Iud. cap. 10.Power. The Throne as the ground of their Authoritie vnderunder God: The Scepter, the signe of their Law-making, or Nomoth…ticke wisedome, by its touchgiuing life to Lawes: The Sword to execute Lawes, as a token that all the Swords of their Subiects are at their command for Warre and Peace: And the Crowne, as the signe of Glorie, arising of the right vse of all the former. God bestowed on Solomon such a royall Maiestie as had not beene in any King 1 Chr 29. 25 2 Chr. …. ….of Israel before: For the Lord his God was with him, and magnified him exceedinglie.
Their Place is great indeede to bee Gods Vice-gerents on Earth, yet that greatnesse is not absolute, but hath theThe limitation of Princes. owne limitation: Their power is as well bounded as their Persons: Mortality boundeth their life, so doeth Providence their Power; & that on Gods part by Communication for the originall, and overruling for the vse, and on their part dependence on God, and subiection to a reckoning hemmeth it in. I said, Yee are Gods, and all of you the Children of the most High: But yee shall die like men. It isPsal 82. 6. 7. Sciunt quiillis dederit impertum a quo sunt secunds post quem primi, &c. Tertul. Apol cap. 30. not of themselues, but lent of God, and not for themselues but for him and his people: It carieth in it selfe an obligement to vse it to his glorie whom they represent, and a care in that vse to doe nothing that is not worthie of him: When Goodnesse and Greatnesse meete in them they are glorious Images of God, but when their greatnesse is voyde of goodnesse, they are hurtfull to mankinde, and make the Name of God to bee evill spoken of: So long as they governe aright, their governement is acceptable to God; but if they abuse their power, and follow their owne will and not Gods, then hee disclaimes their governement: They reigned, but not of mee. The excellencieHos. 8. 4. of their Calling cannot expiate these faults of their Person, but procures a double wrath:
If they looke onelyonly to their place; as comming by Birth or peoples fauour, or their owne worth, without respect to God, they cannot but swell in prid with Nebuchadnezar: But when they take them as out of Gods hand, they will reverence him, and vse them to his glorie; and that wise imployment shall proue a way to a betterEccles… 5. 9. Psal. 51. Soli Deo reus quia hominem non habet qui …ius facta d…udi cet. Cassiod. ibid. Crowne in Heauen. They are indeede aboue their Subiects▪ yet God is aboue them, the most High and higher than the highest: David knew that he both iniured Uriah and his people, & that they could not correct him for his offence, yet hee saw the punishment in Gods hand, and beeing afraied thereof, cryed out, Against thee, against thee, onelie hauehave I sinned. Hee confessed himselfe guiltie to God alone, because he had no man who might iudge his fault.
Of all that is said ariseth a confirmation for a Monarchie: 1. Monarchie is the best sort of Governement.a Refutatiō of some errors: And a Direction in some dueties. For a Monarchie this Text is plaine, because it speaketh of a King, appointed & allowed of GOD in merciemercy: Sundrie sorts of Governement hauehave beene devysed as Monarchie, Aristocracie, and Democracie▪ and these either simple or in diverse mixtures, but so that some one forme did preponderTum Resoub. id est res popul… bene ac iuste geritur sive ab una Rege▪ sive a paucis optimatibus, sive ab universo populo. August▪ de Civi…. Deilib, 2. cap 20. the rest, & gaue the name to the whole. Though all bee good in themselues, and God can serue himselfe of any of these, yet they all point at a Monarchie as the best: For supreme power is to bee found in them all, but the difference is in the number of the Persons: For that same supreme Power, which Monarchie hath in one Person, Aristocracie hath it in some few of the best, and Democracie in the multitude of the people, so that eueryevery one of them is a Monarchie indeede diversified in the number of Persons.
As for their Practice, when moe ruled, they feared the vsurpation of some one, and vponupon that feare as they sawTheir practise is Monarchie. any excell the rest in Riches, Wisedome, or Friendship, they serued him with an Athenian Ostracisme, or a Syracusian Petalisme, and for one yeeres ruling, cast him in ten yeers banishment: But by time they saw the ill of that censure, that it made worthie men hold backe from publicke medling, and opened a doore to vnworthie ambitious men to misguide all: And the Romans who like a feverous man, changed all sorts of governement to finde out the best, as Kings, Consuls, Tribuns, &c. were forced in great danger to chuse a Dictator, and in end turned to a Monarchie, which is nothing but a perpetuall Dictatorship. And when Augustus fained politicklie to lay downe the Empyre, the Senat requeasted him to keepe it still, they had beene burnt so oft with the violence of a tribunitious governement, that they chused rather to hazard on the faults of one Monarch, than the furies of a multitude.
Everie forme of governement hath the owne Commodities, but Monarchie hath moe, and all these disputesMonarchie is the end of all. that conclude for a Monarchie, doe vnderstand such a Monarch as is furnished with these three most essentiall gifts: Perspicacitie in iudgement: Honestie in designes: and constant stabilitie. There is but one head and one heart in the Body, one Sunne for the day, and one Moone for the night: And Birds, Beastes, and Bees, hauehave but one Leader of their companie: And God set vp but one Moses, one Ioshua, and one Iudge in Israel at once. Hee reproved Israel for seeking a King, not because of the vnlawfulnesse of a Monarchie, but for loathing the governement of Iudges which hee had established, and that ruled more moderately than the Kings of the Nations:
The errors to be refuted are these which hauehave fallen either1. Errour in Princes: affectation of Divinitie. in Princes or people. Some Princes looking onelyonly to their greatnesse aboue their Subiects, hauehave forgotten that they were men, & sought to be counted & called Gods: They doated so on their prerogatiues as to be ashamed of Humanitie, and puft vp with Victories aboue men, would not bee men any longer, but set forward their Conquest to Heaven. So Alexander in his floorishing state, and Domitian and Caligula in the midst of their pleasures, and Caius was so confident of a Divinitie, that hee pittied the Iewes, who would not count him as a god: That same pitie (if wee trust the Stoickes, who banish that passion from their wise men) might tell him, that hee was but a fraile man. But they were as senselesse of the inward convictions of their errour, as they were ignorant of the Truth.
There fell never such a frensie in man, as to bee tickled with That conceate is a great frensiea desire to bee a god, or a conceate that hee is so: Sound Humanitie knowes that Divinitie is a thing transcendent, and they who are sicke of that disease, are voyde of sound iudgement and hauehave put off Humanitie it selfe. it was Sathans baite to Adam in the beginning, but he proponed it afterward in a grosser sort to such as was sicke of Ambition: And it fell not in good Princes, but in the worst, for Domitian, Caligula, and such Monsters were greedy of that honour, but Augustus, Titus and Traian were not so. They were conscious to themselves of great wickednesse, and knew that the world abhorred them, yet they would cover all with that faire colour, as to bee better than all men, while they were the pests of their time: But a good King needeth not seeke to bee counted a god, for hee is better than any of the gods of the Heathen. But all that affectation of a Godhead Ante …mnes Deos & super …mnes Deos. Tertul. Apol. Cap. 30.was grosse Atheisme; for if they had thought that there were any Gods, they would not hauehave vsurped vponupon their place or office: And it proved that these injured gods were not at all, for if they had beene, they would not hauehave suffered themselves to bee oppressed by a multitude of Monsters, who did not so much vexe them by that encroaching, as destroy their account by profanesse. That multiplication of gods destroyed their feare and respect among men.
I know not whither it was a greater trick in Sathan, orIt is Sathans policie. madnesse in them, to seeke a place among the gods: But it testified in them both, a mocking of the gods, whom they counted no better than Companions to such Monsters▪ for they were as farre dishonoured, as these men were honoured imaginarilie; but indeede all was alike heere. Though wee follow that distinction of Lares andAugust. civit. lib. 9. cap. 10 Larvae good and evill Spirits, or their Manes, whose good or ill was vncertaine, yet it is sure, that the best of their gods were but men, and the most part either cruell oppressours or filthie Atheists. Bacchus was a drunkard, Hercules a Palliard, Iupiter a Parricide, Venus a Whore, andGentium numina scelerum nomin. …. in a word, the gods of the Gentiles were but the names of Vices: But indeede Sathan had an higher intention to dishonour the true GOD, and exalt wickednesse, while hee purchased a commendation to Vices (which are too alluring of themselves) by the colour of Religion, and a Divinitie. GOD punished that frensie in Herod, for sufferingIovem non magis regno quam vitijs principem Cypr. Epist. 2 Portenta non numina, Cyp de va…t. idol. sect. 2. the people cry, The voyce of God and not of man; hee refuted their flatterie, and punished his pride, by making wormes at once to breede of him, and feede on him: He is a miserable god who is turned in the matter and foode of wormes, and in one instant is both their Mother and Nurce. God tooke that summar course with him, because hee vsurped vponupon the true God, wheras Pagans vsurped vponupon the false gods onelyonly, who were as wicked as themselves.
We would count that madnesse fabulous, if the Popes brought The Pope is taken with that frensie.it not on the Stage againe, and none but they in the Christian world; for Pagan Princes finde no Successours of their pride in the Throne of Kings, but onelyonly in Peters Chaire: And what wonder, since they professe a power by Consecration, to make stones and stockes to bee adored with a relatiue and terminatiue worship; and giuegivePontificale de Consecratione Imaginum. Minor est si tune Deus dicitur. Tertul. Apol. Maledictum est, ante Apothensim Caesarem Deum nuncupare. Tertul. Apol. 34. Nec Deus es nec bomo. power to Priestes, by mumbling of fiue words to creat their Creator: Why may not the Author of so many gods call himselfe a God? and craue adoration: The concoat of their transcendent power, hath transported them from their wits; for vnderunder other names and colours they follow the pride of Alexander and Domitian to bee counted gods, and of Diocl…tian to bee adored as a god while hee lived: And that more damnablie than they, because these Princes were ignorant of the true GOD, and the Divinitie they affected was worse than Humanitie: But Popes prosessing the true God, and vsurping his Name and Titles, are more sacrilegious than they. They will not byde so low as to bee Men, and cannot bee gods, therefore they must bee some third thing, and what that is may bee knowne by their Luciferian pryde.
The errors about principalitiie in people are two especiallie:1 Anabapenemies to Magistracie. The first of Anabaptists who think that Magistracy cannot stand with Christian Religion, as though Christ who cam to persite man by grace, destroyed good order amōg men: His Redemption looseth vsus from sin, but not from the ordinance of GOD; hee came to destroy the workes of Sathan, but not the workes of God: And Christian Religion in the Magistrate is so farre from taking away his power, that it addeth moreover an aptitude to vse his Power aright: And in Subjects it looseth not the obligement of obedience, but confirmes it aSi quis putat quoniam Christianus est, &c. Aug. propos. 72. ex Epist ad Rom.For if any man thinke because hee is a Christian that he needes not pay tribute, nor giuegive due honour to Superiours, hee falleth in a great error. bIudai non peccarunt dicendo non habemus Regem nisi Caesarē, sed quia abnegarunt Christum. Aug. Ps. 55.And the Iewes sinned not, because they said, they had not a King but Caesar, but because they denyed Christ. It is a singular worke of God to erect and maintaine a right Governement in the world: cSingulare Dei opus est rectum in mundo princi… patum erigere ac tueri. Calvin in hunc locum. Rom. 13.And the Apostle hath commanded vsus to render tribute to whom tribute is due, custome to whom custome, feare to whom feare, honour to whom honour.
The mysticall Bodie of Christ is not a multitude of one gift, one degree, & one office, but in diversity of gifts and Operations doth respect other. Preheminency in Princes, & Subiection in people stand well with grace, & the holie Spirit can direct the one in commanding, & the other in obeying without any disparagement of grace: for hee who said, By mee Kings doe reigne, sayes also, Let everie Grace and Magistracie agree, Prov. 8. Rom. 13. 1.Soule bee subiect to the higher Powers: Since grace then hath the owne order and degrees in his mysticall Body, it can well agree with the order and degrees hee hath made in the civill Body of Kingdomes. The like may bee seene in Heathen Princes, dPotes & officio …urisaictionis tuae fungi & humanitatis meminisse. Tertul ad …cap cap. 4.for their jurisdiction destroyes not their humanitie but they may keepe them both, it enableth Humanitie in them to curbe the inhumanitie of oppressors. The heavenly City of the Church is here lodged in the earthlie Citie of worldlie Kingdomes, and it were a bad requit all for that her lodging to destroy them: Therefore let that heavenlie Citie obey the Lawes of that earthlie Citie, so long as shee soio…nes in it, that since mortalitie, is common to both Cities, concord may bee keeped betweene them in things that concerne it.
These men doe sin against God; the law of Nature, & the good of humane Societies eAmbros. Hexam. lib. 5 passim.for even reasonlesse creatures hauehave a King of their own kinde, & submit themselues to him. It is but a fleshly licence that they seek vnderunder the name of a Christian liberty fSecundum istas vestras fallacissimas …anissimasq. rationes habenis laxatis. Aug. contr. epist. Gaud▪ lib. 2. cap. 1….as was said of old to the Donatists their forefathers, according to these deceitfull and vaine opinions the raines are loosed to humane licence, and all sinne left vnpunisht, that a boldnesse to hurt, and a libertie of wantonnesse may reigne without the barre, and opposition of Lawes: Yea, take away that which wholesome Doctrine commandeth wiselie by the holy Apostle for the health of the World: Let every Soule bee subiect to the higher Powers.
The second is a popular errour of some, who thinke that2. A popular errour that Princes get good, but giues none to their people. Magistrats receiue onelyonly benefite of Subiects, and giuegive no recompence againe: But they should remember that dueties betwixt Princes and people are mutuall, and their fruites also: The wise governing of Kings, and peace following, is as great a good as people can giuegive to them: GOD hath tyed them together by mutuall respects & the more they are keeped by both the parties, the more they increase; and there is neither possibility nor hope of safetie to either but in their agreement. The people of Rome fell in this same errour, they departed from their Senate, because they sate in ease, while the people indured labour and lose of warre: But Menenius Agrippa cured that errour by a popular comparison.
All the parts of the bodie (said hee) were angrie on a time at the Bellie, because by their care and service all things were purchased for it, which in the meane time had ease in the midst …ivius Dec…d. 1. lib. 2of the Bodie, and enioyed the fruite of their labours: Heerevpon they conspired against it, that the hands should not beare meate to the mouth, nor the mouth receiue it, nor the teeth bray it: But while by this anger, they would dantoun the Bellie, all the members of the Bodie fell in extreame consumption whereby it appeared that the service of the Bellie was not in vaine, and that it was no more nourished, than did nourish the bodie, while it sent out prepared foode to everie part: Theerfore they resolved to quyte their miscontentment, and doe their wonted offices to the Bellie. By this rude and populare Oration, the people of Rome began to heare of concord, and at once were reconciled to their Senate: The Bees giuegive the like respect to their King, hee alone among Ambros. Hex. lib. 5. cap. 21so busie labourers, is exeemed from labour, and yet is placed in the midst and largest roome of the throng Hyue.
The directions for people are to pray for Princes, & obey People should 1. pray for Princes.them in the Lord: Gods care of Kings, is both for their Place which he assigneth vntounto them, and for their worke to bee his Instruments for the good of mankind: And therefore, people are bound in the Lord, to honour them for their place, so farre aboue them: To louelove them for their worke, so profitable for them: And to commendNos pro salute imperatoris Deum in vocamus a ternum. Ter. cap. 30. 1 Tim. 2. 1. them daylie to GOD, that hee would hold their Heart in his hand, and magnifie his ordinance in their government: So Davids example in this place, and the Apostle commands vsus to make Supplications, Prayers, Intercessions for all men, for Kings, and for these that are in authoritie. Their condition also craues this, for their education is vsually in libertie without controlement; and since corruption in Subjects breaketh out in great insolencies, What may it doe in Kings? great power without great wisedome, and a speciall assistance of God is dangerous both to the possessours and those they rule. Their place layes them open to many dangers, and therefore a necessitie on our part to pray earnestly for them.
Our prayers are both for their good, and our own: thoghSuch prayers are our profite. the fruit come first on Princes, yet in the next roome it commeth to vsus: The raine that falleth on the mountaines bydeth not there, but slydeth downe to the Valleyes: So when servent prayers bring downe blessings on Kings, the people are therein blessed also. When the Apostle biddeth vsus pray for Kings, hee telleth that our fruite shall bee a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie, and1. Tim. 2. 1. when God biddeth his people pray for the peace of the Citie where they dwell in captivitie, hee promiseth that inIer. 29. 7. their peace they shall hauehave peace.
The standing and falling of Princes importeth their Subiects 1 Kings 24.greatlie: So long as David walked in his vprightnes, God blessed him & his people, but whē he waxed proud, Satan tempted him to number them, & they were punished. And when Rehoboam forsooke the Lord, hee fell not alone, but all Israel fell with him. When one of the people goes wrong, he alone perisheth, but the error of the Prince involveth many, & hurteth all that hee ruleth. gSi quis de populo deviat, solu… perit: Verum Principis error multos involvit. Bernard. Epist. 1…7.The fall of Kings is the punishment of people, for as by their vertue wee are safe, so by their errour wee are in danger. Therefore wee should pray to God that wee may hauehave a glorious and perfect King. hRegun… lapsus p…na populorum est Amb. Apo Dav…d. Quapropter utile est ut bon… diu lateq. regnent. Aug. Civ. Dei lib. 4. cap. 3.It is then most profitable that good Kings reigne long, and that profite is not so much to themselues as to these they rule: For their Pietie and goodnes (which are the Lords great gifts) suffice them to true happinesse, but the blessings of their good governement commeth downe to their Subjects.
The next duety required of Subjects, is to obey them in 2 Obey them in the Lord.the Lord, and that not of feare but of Conscien…e. If it bee of feare onelyonly, then their subjection is servitude, and themselues are Slaues, but when it is of Conscience, their obedience is Sonlie, and they themselues loyall Subiects. Then they obey for Conscience, when they reverence Gods ordinance in Princes, and hauehave reference to God, the Author of their power, and the Iudge and Rewarder of obedience. Let everie Soule bee subiect to Superiour Powers, Rom. 13. 1.for the powers that are, are ordained of God: And that not for wrath, but for Conscience.