A Hind Let Loose, Part 3 · Head 2 (5 of 5)

A Hind Let Loose · Part 3 · Head 2 (5 of 5)

p. 4292. The Royal Prophet, or whoever was the Penman of that Appeal for Justice against Tyranny Psal. 94. 20. does tacitely Assert the same truth, in that Expostulation, shall the Throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, that frameth mischief by a Law? which is as much as if he had said, the Throne of iniquity shall not, no cannot have fellowship with God; that is, it cannot be the Throne of God that He hath any Interest in, or Concern with, by way of approbation: He hath nothing to do with it, except it be to suffer it a while, till He take vengeance on it in the end. And shall we have fellowship with that Throne, that God hath no fellowship with, and that is not His Throne but p. 430the Devils, as it must be, if God doth not oune it? Much may be argued from hence, but in a word: A Throne which is not of God nor ordained of God, but rather of the Devil, cannot be ouned (for that is the reason of our subjection to any power, because it is of God and ordained of God Rom. 13. 1. And that is the great dignity of Magistracy, that its Throne is the Throne of God 1 Chron. 29. 23.) But a Throne of Tyrannie & usurpation is a Throne which is not of God, nor ordained of God, but rather of the Devil: Ergo—the Minor is proved: A Throne of iniquity &c. is a Throne which is not of God, nor ordained of God, but rather of the Devil: But a Throne of Tyranny & usurpation is a Throne of iniquity: Ergo it is not of God & so not to be ouned.

3. The Lord charges it upon Israel as a transgression of His Covenant, & trespass against His Law, that they had set up Kings & not by Him and had made Princes and He knew it not Hos. 8. 4. and then taxes them with Idolatry, which ordinarly is the Consequent of it, as we have reason to fear will be in our case. He shewes there the Apostasie of that people, in changing both the Ordinances of the Magistracy and of the Ministry, both of the Kingdom & of the priest-hood, in which two the safety of that people was founded: So they overturned all the order of God, and openly declared they would not be governed by the hand of God, as Calvin upon the place expounds it. Whereas the Lord had commanded, if they would set up Kings they should set none up but whom He choosed Deut. 17. 15. yet they had no regard to this, nor consulted Him in their admission of Kings, but set them up and never let Him to wit of it, without His knowledge, that is, without consulting Him, and without His approbation, for it can have no other sense. I know it is alledged by several Interpreters, that here is meant the tribes secession from the house of David, and their setting up Ieroboam. I shall confess that the ten tribes did sin in that erection of Ieroboam, without respect to the Counsel or Command of God, without waiting on the vocation of God, as to the time & manner, and without Covenanting with him for security for their Religion & Liberty: But that their secession from p. 431Davids line, which by no precept or promise of God they were astricted to, but only conditionally, if his Children should walk in the wayes of God, Or that their erecting of Ieroboam was materially their sin, I must deny; and assert, that if Ieroboam had not turned Tyrant & Apostate from God (for which they should have rejected him afterwards and returned to the good Kings of Davids line) he would have been as Lawful a King as any in Iudah, for he got the Kingdom from the Lord the same way, and upon the same terms that David did, as may be seen expressly in 1 King. 11. 38. It must be therefore meant, either generally of all Tyrants whom they would set up without the Lords mind, as at first they would have Kings on any terms, though they should prove Tyrants, as we have seen in Sauls case. Or particularly Omri whom they set up, but not by the Lord 1 King. 16. 16. And Abab his Son, And Shallum, Menahem, Pekah &c. who were all set up by blood & treacherie, the same way that our Popish Duke is now set up, but not by the Lord, that is by His approbation. Hence I argue, those Kings that are not ouned of God, nor set up by Him, must not be ouned by us (for we can oune none for Kings but those that reign by Him Prov. 8. 15. and are ordained of Him Rom. 13. 1.) But Tyrants & Usurpers are not ouned of God as Kings, nor are set up by Him: Ergo—Again if it be a sin to set up Kings and not by God, then it is a sin to oune them when set up: for, that is a partaking of & continuing in the sin of that erection, and hath as much affinity with it, as resetting hath with thieft; for if they be the thieves, they are the ressetters who receive them & oune them.

4. The Prophet Habakkuk, in his Complaint to God of the Chaldean Tyranny, Asserts that God hath made the righteous, as the Fishes of the Sea, as the Creeping things, that have no Ruler over them, Habak. 1. 14. Now how were they said to be without a Ruler, when the Chaldean actually commanded & absolutely ruled over them? yea how can the Fishes & Reptiles have no Ruler over them? If Domineering be ruling, they want not that; when the weaker are over-mastered by the stronger, and by them made p. 432either to be subject: ar to become their prey. But the meaning is, these Creatures have no Ruler over them by order of nature: And the Iewes had then no Ruler over them by order of Law, or ordination from God, or any that was properly their Magistrate by Divine Institution, or humane orderly constitution. We see then it is one thing for a people to have an arbitrary or enthra…ing Tyranny, another to have true Magistracy or Authority to be ouned over them, without which Kingdoms are but as Mountains of prey, and Seas of Confusion. Hence I argue, If the Iewes, having the Chaldean Monarch tyrannising over them, had really no Ruler over them, then is a Tyrant & Usurper not to be ouned for a Ruler: But the former is true: therefore also the Latter.

5, Our Saviour Christ delivers this as a Commonly received & a true Maxime, Iohn. 8. 54. He that honoureth himself his honour is nothing. The Iewes had objected that He had only made himself Messias, vers. 53. To whom He answers by way of concession, if it were so indeed then His Claims were void, If I honour my self my honour is nothing: And then claims an indubitable title to His dignity, It is my Father that honoureth me. Here is a two fold honour distinguished, the one real the other suppositious & null, the one renounced the other ouned by Christ, Self-honour & honour which is from God. Hence I argue, A self created dignity is not to be ouned: the Authority of Tyrants & Usurpers is a self created dignity: Ergo—this was confirmed above.

Thirdly I shall offer some other considerations confirming this truth, from those Scriptures which I class among precepts. And these I find of diverse sorts touching this subject.

1. I shew before that the greatest of men, even Kings, are not exempted from punishment and Capital punishment, if guilty of Capital Crimes: for where the Law distinguisheth not, we ought not to distinguish. There is one special & very peremptory Law, given before the Law for regulating Kings, which by that posterior Law was neither abrogated nor limited even as to Kings, Deut. 13. 6-9. p. 433If thy Brother (and a King must be a Brother Deut. 17. 15.)—entice the secretly saying let us go & serve other Gods—Thow shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him neither shall thine eye pity him. How famous Mr Knox improved this Argument, is shewed in the third Period. That which I take notice of here is only, that Kings are not excepted from this Law, but if they be open Intycers to Idolatry, by force or fraud, Persecution or Tolleration, as this Idolater now reigning is palpably doing, they are obnoxious to a legal animadversion. As it cannot be supposed, that Secret Intycers should be lyable to punishment, and not open Avouchers of a desire & design to pervert all the Nation to Idolatry: that a private perverter of one man, though never so nearly & dearly related, should be pursued & brought to condign punishment, and a publick Subverter of whole Nations, and Introducer of a false & blasphemous Idolatrous Religion, should escape Scot-free. Let the punishment inflicted be in a Judicial way, and of what measures it pleases the Judge to determine, I shall not controvert here; Only I plead, that Idolatrous Tyrants are not excepted from this Law: and infer, that if they ought to be punished they ought to be deposed; And if they ought to be deposed, they cannot be ouned, when undenyably, guilty of this Capital Crime, as was urged above. To this I may adde that part of that Prophetical Kings Testament; who being about to leave the world, under some Challenges of Mal-administration in his oun Government (for which he took himself to the well ordered everlasting Covenant, for pardon & encouragment) after he had shown what Rulers should be, he threatens, by Antithesis, Tyrannical…pretenders, in these severe words, which do also imply a precept, and a direction how to deal with them 2 Sam 23. 6, 7. But they of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands, but the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron & the staff of a spear, and they shall be utterly burnt with fire in the same place. Let these words be understood as a threatening against all the wicked in general, who ars to bequenched p. 434as the fire of thorns; or particularly of the Promoters of Antichrists Kingdom, in opposition to Christs, as some Interpreters judge; it will not weaken but confirm my Argument, if Kings who are ringleaders of that gang be not excepted. I know some do understand this of Rebells against righteous Rulers: which though indeed it be a truth, that they that are such should be so served, and roughly handled with iron and the staff of a spear; yet it is not so consonant to the scope & connexion of this place, shewing the Characters of righteous Rulers and of usurping Tyrants, making an opposition between Rulers that are just ruling in the fear of God, and those that are Rulers of Belial, promising blessings upon the Government of the one & contempt & Rejection to the other, and shewing how both should be carried towards: Neither does it aggree with the words themselves, where the supplement in our translation is redundant; for it is not in the Hebrw, the sons of Belial, only They of Belial, clearly relative to the Rulers of whom he was speaking before. And indeed the word Belial, in its Etymology is not more applicable to any than to Tyrants; for it comes from beli, non, and Hhall supra, because they will have none above them, or from beli non and Hhol jugum, because they cannot suffer a yoke, but cast away the yoke of Laws and the yoke of Christ, saying, let us burst His bands &c. Nor is it alwayes aggreeable to truth, to understand it only of Rebells against righteous Rulers, that they can never be taken with hands: For as very rarely righteous Rulers have any Rebells, to be the objects of their rigour & rage; So when there are any, discreet & wise Rulers will find many wayes to take & touch them, and quash or quiet them. But it is alwise true of Tyrants, for they can never be taken with hands, neither in a friendly manner, taken by the hand and transacted with in any bargain as other men, for they that would do so will find them like pricking & jagging bryers, which a man cannot handle without hurt to himself; Nor can they be any other way repressed or restrained or touched, but by hands fenced with iron, that is, with the sword of necessity, or ax of Justice. And this is insinuated as duty, so to endeavour to exstirpate & eradicate p. 435such thorns, as pester the Common-wealth: but if it cannot be done, it must be duty & wisdom both not to medle with them, nor oune them, no more than Iotham, who would not subject himself nor come under the shaddow of the bastard bramble. I confess it is commonly taken as a threatening of the Lords Judgement against these Sons of Belial: And so it is. But it teacheth also what men are called to, when they have to do with such, to wit, to take the same course with them as they would to clear the ground of thorns & bryars. And that it is restricted to the Lords immediate way of taking them off, is not credible: For, it can have no tollerable sense to say, they shall be thrust away because they cannot be taken with the Lords hands: Neither is there need, that He should be fenced with iron &c. And let iron &c. be taken tropically for the Lords sword of vengeance; yet how can it be understood, that He must be fenced there with? or that He will trust them away, as a man must be fenced against thorns? What defence needs the Lord against Tyrants? It is only then intelligible, that the Lord in His righteous Judgement will make use of men & legal means, and of those who cannot take them with hands, in His Judicial procedure against them. Hence I argue, If Tyrants are to be dealt with as thorns, that cannot be taken with hands, but to be thrust away by violence, Then, when we are not in case to thrust them away, we must let them alone, and not medle nor make with them, and so must not oune them, for we cannot oune them withount medling, and without being pricked to our hurt: But the former is true: Ergo—Of this same nature, another threatening confuting the pretence of Princes impunity, may be subjoined out of Psal. 82. 6, 7. I have said ye are Gods, and all of yow are Children of the most High, but ye shall die like men & fall as one of the Princes. From which words, the learned Author of the History of the Douglasses, Mr David Hume of Gods craft, in his discourse upon Mr Craigs Sermon upon the words, doth strongly prove, that the Scope is to beat off all Kings, Princes, & Rulers, from the conceit of impunity for their Tyrannical Dominations; that they must not think to Domineer and p. 436do what they list, and overturn the foundations or fundamental Laws of Kingdoms, because they are gods; as if they were thereby incontrolable, and above all Law & punishment: no, they must know, that if they be guilty of the same transgressions of the Law, as other Capital offenders, they shall die like other men, & fall as Princes who have been formerly punished. It is not to be restricted to a threatening of Mortality; for that is unavoidable, whether they Judge justly or unjustly, and the fear thereof usually hath litle efficacy to deter men from Crimes punishable by Law: Neither can it be understood only of the Lords immediate hand taking them away, exclusive of mens legal punishment; for expresly they are threatened to die like Common men, and to be lyable to the like punishment with them: Now common men are not only lyabl to the Lords immediate Judgement, but also to mens punishment. Hence, if Tyrants and overturners of the foundations of the earth, must be punished as other men, then when they are such they cannot be looked upon as righteous Rulers, for righteous Rulers must not be punished: But the former is true: Ergo—According to these Scriptures, which either express or imply a precept to have no respect to Princes in Judgement when turning Criminalls, we find examples of the peoples punishing Amazia &c. which is recorded without a challenge, and likewise Athalia.

2. There is a Precept given to a humbled people, that have groaned long under the yoke of Tyranny & oppression, enjoining them, as a proof of their sincerity in humiliation, to bestir themselves in shaking off those evils they had procured by their sin. Isai. 58. 6. Is not this the fast that I have ch…sen, to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? which are all good works of Justice & Mercy, and more acceptable to God than high flown pretences of humiliation, under a stupid submission; and hanging doun the head as a bulrush. We see it then a duty to relieve the oppressed, and to repress Tyranny, and break its yoke. If it be Objected (1) That these are Spiritual bonds & yokes, p. 437that are here commanded to be loosed & broken; or if any external be meant, they are only the yokes of their exactions & usuries. For Ans. I grant, that it is the great duty of a people humbling themselves before the Lord, to break off their sins by righteousness and their iniquity by shewing mercy to the poor Dan. 4. 27. but that this is the only duty I deny; or that this is the genuine & only sense of this place, cannot be proved, or approved by the Scope; which is, to press them to those duties they omitted, whereby the poor oppressed people of God might be freed from the yokes of them that made them to houl, and to bring them to the conviction of those sins for which the Lord was contending with them, whereof this was one, that they exacted all their Labours, or things wherewith others were grieved (as the Margent reads) or suffered the poor to be oppressed. (2) If it be alledged, that this is the duty proper to Rulers to relieve the oppressed &c. I Answer, It is so; but not peculiar to them: yet most commonly they are the oppressors themselves, and cast out the poor, which others must take in to their houses. But the duty here is pressed upon all the people, whose sins are here cryed out against (vers. 1.) upon all who professed the service of God, & asked the ordinances of Justice (vers. 2) upon all who were fasting & humbling themselves, and complained they had no success (vers. 3.) the reasons whereof the Lord discovers (vers. 4. 5.) whereof this was one, that they did not loose those bands, nor breake these yokes, nor relieved the oppessed; And those works of Justice (vers. 6.) are pressed upon the same grounds, that the works of mercy are pressed upon (vers. 7.) sure these are not all nor only Rulers. Hence I argue, If it be a duty to break every yoke of oppression & Tyranny, then it is a duty to come out from under their subjection: But the former is true: therefore aso the latter.

3. In answer to that grand objection of the Iewes subjection to Nebuchadnezzar, I shew what litle weight or force there is in it. And here I shall take an Argument from that same Passage. The Lord commands His people there, to desert & disoune zedekiah who was the possessor p. 438of the Government at present, and sayes, it was the way of life to fall to the Chaldeans Ier. 21. 8, 9. which was a falling away from the present King. Either this commanded subjection to the Chaldeans is an universal precept; or it is only particular at that time. If it be universal, obliging people to subject themselves to every Conqueror, then it is also universal obliging people to renounce & disoune every Covenant-breaking tyrant, as here they were to fall away from Zedekiah: If it be only particular, then the ouners of of Tyranny have no advantage from this passage. And I have advantage, so far as the ground of the precept is as moral, as the reason of that punishment of zedekias, which was his perfidie & perjurie. Hence, if the Lord hath commanded to disoune a King breaking Covenant, then at least it is not insolent or unprecedented to do so: But here the Lord hath commanded to disoune a King: Ergo—

Fourthly we may have many Confirmations of this truth, from Scripture practices approven.

1. I was but hinting before, how that after the death of that brave Captain & Judge Gideon, when Abimelech the son of his whore, did first aspire into a Monarchy, which he perswaded the silly Schechemites to consent to, by the same Argument which Royalists make so much of, for asserting the necessity of an Hereditary Monarchy [whether is it better for yow either that all the sons of Jerubbaa…—reign over yow or that one reign over yow.] & by bloody cruelty did usurp a Monarchical or rather Tyrannical Throne of Domination, founded upon the blood of his seventy brethren (as we know, whose Throne is founded upon the blood of all the brethren he had) Jotham, who escaped, s…rned to put his trust under the shadow of such a bramble, and they that did submit, …ound his parable verified, a mu…al fire reciprocally consuming both the usurping King and his traiterous subjects: Neither did all the Godly in Israel submit to him. See Pool Synops. Critic. on the place Iud. 9. Here is one express example of disouning a Tyrant & Usurper.

2. I shew before, how after the Period of that Theocracy, which the Lord had maintained & managed for some time in great mercy & Majesty in & over His people, they, p. 439itching after novelties and affecting to be neighbour-like, rejected the Lord in desiring a King; And the Lord permiting it, gave them a King in His wrath (the true Original & only Sanction of Tyrannical Monarchy) when the Characters of his Tyranny, presaged by Samuel, were verified in his aspiring into a great deal of absoluteness, especially in his cruel persecuting of David; not only the 600 men that were Davids followers stood out in open opposition to him, but in the end, being weary of his Government, many brave & valiant men, whom the Spirit of God commends & describes very honourably, fell off from Saul, even while he was actually Tyrannising, before he was dead 1 Chron. 12. 1. &c. They came to David to Ziklag while he yet kept himself closs because of Saul the son of Kish (N. B. now he is not honoured with the name of King) they were armed with bows and could use both the right hand & the left. And of the Gadites, there separated themselves unto David men of might fit for the battel, that could handle shield & buckler, whose …aces were as the faces of lyons vers. 8. And the Spirit came upon Amasai chief of the Captains, saying, Thine are we David & on thy side thow son of Iesse. Here was a formed Revolt from Saul unto David before he was King, for after this he was made King in Hebron, and there could not be two Kings at once. Hence I argue, if people may separate themselves from and take part with the Resister, against a Tyrant; then they may disoune him (for if they oune him still to be the Minister of God, they must not resist him Rom. 13. 2.) But here is an example that many people did separate themselves from Saul and took part with the Resister David: Ergo—Here two of the first Monarchs of Israel were disouned, Abimelech & Saul.

3. The first Hereditary Successor was likewise disouned, as was hinted above likewise. The ten tribes offer to Covenant with Rehoboam, in terms securing their Rights & Liberties. They desired nothing on the matter, but that he would engage to rule over them according to the Law of God; To which when he answered most Tyrannically, and avowed he would Tyrannise over them, and oppress p. 440them more than any of his Predicessors, they fell away from him, and erected themselves into a new Common-wealth 1 King. 12. 16. So when Israel saw that the King hearkened not unto them, they answered, what portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Iesse, to your tents O Israel, now see to thine oun house David 2 Chron. 10. 16. Now, however the event of this declared Revolt proved sorrowful, when they and their new King made defection unto Idolatry, yet if they had stated & managed it right, the Cause was good, justifyable, & commendable. For (1) We find nothing in all the Text condemning this (2) On the Contrary its expressly said, the Cause was from the Lord, that He might perform His saying which He spake by Ahijah 1 King. 12. 15. 2 Chron. 10. 15. And (3) When Rehoboam was preparing to pursue his pretended right, he was reproved & discharged by Shemajah, ye shall not go up nor fight against your brethren, for this thing is from me 1 King. 12. 24. 2 Chron. 11. 4. (4) Whereas it is alledged by some, that this was of God only by His providence, and not by His Ordinance; the contrary will appear, if we consider, how formally & Covenant-wise the Lord gave ten tribes to Ieroboam 1 King. 11. 35, 37, 38. I will take the Kingdom out of his sons hand, and I will give it unto thee, even ten tribes; And I will take thee, and thow shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shall be King over Israel; And it shall be, if thow wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and will walk in my wayes and do that which is right in my sight, to keep my statutes & my commandments, as David my servant did, that I will be with thee & build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee. Where we see, the Kingdom was given unto him on the same Terms & conditions, that it was given to David. He may indeed give Kingdoms to whom He wi…, by Providential grant, as unto Nebuchadnezzar and others; but He never gave them a Kingdom upon these Conditions, and by way of Covenant, that does alwayes imply & import His Word, Warrant, & ordinance (5) If we consider the p. 441Cause of the Revolt, we will find it very just: for after the decease of the former King, they enter upon terms of a Compact with the successor, upon a suspensive condition, to engage into fealty & Allegiance to him as subjects, if he would give them security for their Liberties & Priviledges. A very Lawful, Laudable & necessary transaction, founded upon Moral equity, & upon the fundamental Constitutions of that Government, and suitable to the constant practice of their Predicessors in their Covenanting with Saul & David. As for that Word 1 King. 12. 19. So Israel Rebelled against the house of David: It is no more then in the margent, they fell away or revolted; And no more to be condemned, then Hezekiahs Rebellion 2 King. 18. 7. The Lord was with him, and he Rebelled against the King of Assyria. That was a good Rebellion. Hence, If it be Lawful for a part of the people to shake off the King, refuse subjection to him, and set up a new King of their oun, when he resolveth to play the Tyrant, and rule them after his oun absolute power; then it is a duty, when he actually playes the Tyrant, and by his absolute power overturns Laws & Religion, and claims by Law such a prerogative: But the former is true: Ergo—See Ius Pepuli vindic. chap. 3. Pag 52.

4. This same Ieroboam, when he turned Tyrant & Idolater, was revolted from and deserted by the Priests & the Levites, and after them out of all the tribes of Israel, by all such as set their heart to seek the Lord God of Israel; because that King, degenerating into Tyranny & Idolatry, had put them from the exercise of their office & Religion (as our Charles did, and ordained him Priests for the Devils & for the Calves: So they returned to Rehoboam, being induced by his administration of the Government, which for a time was better then he promised, for three years he walked in the wayes of David & Salomon 2 Chron. 11. 13-17. Hence I argue, If Idolatrous Tyrants may be deserted, then they may be disouned; for when they desert them, they disoune them abroad, in coming under another Government; and if they may be disouned abroad, it is the same duty at home, though may be not the same Policy or Prudence.

p. 4425. Another example of the like nature we have in the reign of Baasha, who succeeded to Nadab Ieroboams son, whom he slew & reigned in his stead (the same way that the Duke came to the Throne) For he could not keep his subjects within his Kingdom, but behoved to build Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa. King of Iudah, a good Prince, 1 King 15. 17. yet that could not hinder them, but many strangers out of Ephraim & Manasseh & Simeon fell to him in abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him 2 Chron. 15. 9. Hence, If people may chuse another King, when they see the Lord is with him, then they may disoune their Country King, when they see the Devil is with him.

6. When Jehoram the son of Ahab reigned over Israel, we have an express example of Elisha's disouning him 2 King. 3. 14. 15. And Elisha said unto the King of Israel, what have I to do with thee?—As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the King of Judah, I would not look toward thee nor see thee, Here he declares so much contempt of him, and so litle regard, that he disdains him a look. And if he would not regard him, nor give him honour, then he did not oune him as King; for all Kings are to be honoured, that are ouned to be Kings really. It may be alledged by some: that Elisha was an extraordinary man, and this was an extraordinary action, and therefore not imitable. I shall grant it so far extraordinary, that it is not Usual to carry so to persons of that figure, and that indeed there are few Elisha's now, not only for his Prophetick Spirit which now is ceased, but even in respect of his Gracious Spirit of zeal, which in a great measure is now extinguished: He was indeed an extraordinary man, and this Action did demonstrate much of the Spirit of Elias, to have been abiding with him. But that this was unimitable, these reasons induce me to deny. (1) Prophets were subject to Kings as well as others, as Nathan was to David (1 King. 1. 32, 33.) every soul must be subject to the higher powers that are of God (2) All the Actions of Prophets were not extraordinary, nor did they every thing by extraordinary p. 443inspiration; that was peculiar to Christ, that He could Prophecy & do extraordinary acts when He pleased, because He received the Spirit not by measure, and it rested upon Him. (3) this particular Action & carriage was before he called for the Minstrel, and before the hand of the Lord came upon him vers. 15. Ergo this was not by inspiration. (4) The ground of this was Moral & Ordinary, for hereby he only shewed himself to be a person fit to abide in the Lords Tabernacle, and an upright walker in whose eyes a vile person is contemned, Psal. 15. 4. and a just man, to whom the unjust is an abomination Prov. 29. 27. What further can be aledged against this instance, I see not. And I need draw no Argument by Consequence, it is so plain.

7. This same Jehoram, after many signal demonstrations of the power of God exerted in the Ministry of His Servant Elisha, which sometimes did extort his acknowledgment and made him call the Prophet his father, 2 King. 6. 21. yet when in the strait siege of Samaria he was plagued with famine for his Idolatry, in so much that the pitiful Mothers were made to eat their oun tender Children; became so insolent a Tyrant, that being incensed into a madness of outragious malice against the Prophet Elisah, that he sware, God do so to him & more also if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat should stand on him that day, accordingly he sent a messenger to execute it. But the Prophet, from a Principle of Nature & Reason & Law, as well as Grace, and by the Spirit of a man as well as of a Prophet, stood upon his defence, and encouraged those that were with him to keep out the house against him, saying, See ye how this son of a Murderer (a proper style for such a Monster of a King) hath sent to take away mine head ... 2 King. 6. 32. This is a strong Argument for self defence, but I improve it thus: If Tyrants may be opposed as sons of Murderers, & Murderers themselves, and no otherwise to be accounted then under such a vile Character, then can they not be ouned as Kings: But here is an example for the first: Ergo—

8. This mans brother in Law, of the same name, Iehoram the son of Iehoshaphat, who had the Daughter of Ahab to wife, and therefore walked in the way of the p. 444house of Ahab, gives us another instance. He turned Apostate & Tyrant, and Abimelech-like (or if yow will Yorklike) slew his brethren, and diverse also of the Princes of Israel; Moreover he made high places in the Mountains of Iudah, and caused the Inhabitants of Ierusalem to commit …ornication, and compelled Iudah thereto: For which Cause of his intollerable insolency in wickedness, Libnah one of the Cities of Priests in Iudah, Revolted from him 2 King. 8. 22. because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers 2 Chron. 21. 10. which was the motive & impulsive Cause of their disouning him, and is not to be detorted to that restricted Cavil of Royalists, understanding it only as the Meritorous or procuring Cause of his punishment & loss sustained thereby; for it is not so said of the Edomites who revolted at the same time, as it is mentioned in another Paragraph; Neither of the Philistims & Arabians & Ethiopians, whose spirit the Lord stirred up against him; These were also a punishment to him: Nor would it found very suitably to be said, that they opposed him because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers: for that would insinuate some influence that his Apostasie had on them, as certainly it could not but have on the Lords Priests that dwelt in Libnah, who understood by the Law of God, what was their duty to do with Intycers or Drawers or Drivers to Idolatry: And when they were not in capacity to execute the Judgement of the Lord, this was the least they could do, to Revolt. Here then is an example of a Peoples Revolt from a Prince, and disouning Allegiance to him because of Apostasie & Tyranny.

9. In this Kingdom of Iudah, after long experience of a Succession of Hereditary Tyranny in many wicked Kings, the people after they had long smarted for their lazie Loyaltie in their stupid abandoning, forgetting, & foregoing this Priviledge of disouning Tyrants, and keeping them in order, began at length to bestir themselves in their endeavours to recover their lost Liberties, and repress Tyrants Insolencies on several occasions. Wherein, though sometimes there were extravagances, when Circumstances did mar the Justice of the Action, and some did go beyond p. 445their sphere in tumultuary precipitations; yet upon the matter it was Justice, and in conformity to a Moral Command. One impregnable witness of this we have, in the pious Plot of Iehojada the Priest, who being but a Subject, as all Priests were (as the deposition of Abiathar by King Solomon 1 King. 2. 27. proveth) entered into an Association with the inferior Rulers, to choose & make a new King; and notwithstanding that the Idolatress & She-Tyrant Athaliab, who had the Possession of the Government, cried Treason, Treason at the fact, they had her forth without the ranges, & slew her 2 King. 11. 14-16. This was according to the Law Deut. 13. And approven by all Interpreters, even Mr Pool in his Synopsis Critic. though alias Superlatively Loyal, yet approves of this, and sayes, she was an incurable Idolatress, and therefore deserved to be deposed by the Nobles of the Kingdom: And quotes Grotius in Loc. saying [she reigned by meer force & no right, and therefore justly repressed by force, for the Hebrewes were to have Brethren for their Kings but not Sisters, Deut. 17. 15.] Hence if Tyrants may be forcibly repressed, then may they peaceably be disouned: But this example comfirms that: Ergo—

10. The Sacred History proceeds in the Relation, how this same Joash, the Son of Ahaziah, after he degenerated into Murdering Tyranny, was slain by Jozachar & Jehozabad 2 King. 12. 20, 21. But that was by his oun Servants in private Assassination; therefore they are called Murderers by Amaziah his Son 2 King. 14. 5, 6. but upon the matter it was the Justice of God, which he deserved (if it had been duely execute) for the blood of the Sone of Jehojada the Priest 2 Chron. 24. 25. So Amon the Son of Manasseh, for his walking in the way of his Father in Idolatry & Tyranny, and forsaking the Lord God of his Fathers, was slain in his oun house by his Servants, who conspired against him; But though this was Justice also upon the matter, and consonant to the Command for punishing Idolaters & Murderers, yet because defective in the manner, and done by them that tooke too much upon them, in a perfidious way of private Assassination & Conspiracy, therefore the People of the Land punished them for it 2 King. 21. 23. 24. But the p. 446repressing & punishing of Amaziah is a more unexceptionable instance. The people made a Conspiracy against him in Ierusalem, and he fled to Lachish, but they sent after him to Lachish and slew him there 2 King. 14. 19. after the time that he turned away from following the Lord 2 Chron. 25. 27. Which was according to the Command Deut. 13. which hath no exception of Kings in it. This Action was not questioned either by the people, or his Successor, as the formentioned Conspiracies were. His son Uzziah succeeding, who did right & consulted the Lord (2 Chron. 26. 4, 5.) did not resent nor revenge his Fathers death; which certainly he would have done, by advice of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions of God, if it had been a transgression. The famous & faithful Mr Knox doth clear this passage beyond Contradiction in his conference with Lithingtoun Hence I take an Argument a fortiori. If people may conspire & concur in executing Judgement upon their King turning Idolater & Tyrant; Then much more may they Revolt from him: But this example clears the Antecedent, Ergo.

11. The same power & priviledge of peoples punishing their Princes, was exemplified in the Successor of him last mentioned, to wit, in Uzziah the son of Amaziah, called Azariah 2 King. 15. when he degenerated into the ambition of arrogating a Supremacy, in causes Ecclesiastick & Sacred as well as Civil, his heart was lifted up to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the Temple of the Lord to burn Incense. In which Usurpation he was resisted by Azariah the Priest, and with him fourscore Priests of the Lord that were valiant men, who withstood him, and told him it did not appertain to him to take upon him so much, and bade him go out of the Sanctuary, or else it should not be for his honour. Which indeed he stomacked at as an affront, to be controled & resisted; but in thinking to resent it he was plagued of the Lord with leprosie; which the Priests looking upon, they thrust him out from thence: And thereafter sequestred him from all Supremacy, both that which he had before in things Civil, and that which he was affecting p. 447in matters Sacred; for he was made to dwell in a Several house, being a leper, (the Law including (& here execute upon) the King as well as the beggar) and to resign the Government into his son Jothams hands 2 Chron. 26. 16-21. Where it appears he was not only excommunicated by a Ceremonial punishment, but also deposed Judicially. Whether he voluntarly dimited or not, it is to no purpose to contend: its evident, that by the Law of God, the actual exercise of his power was removed, whether with his will or against it, it is all one; And that he was punished both by God and by men is undeniable. Yea in this, his punishment was very gentle, and far short of the Severity of the Law; for by the Law he should have been put to death, for intermedling with these holy things, interdicted to all but to the Priests under pain of death Numb. 3. 10. Numb. 18. 7. The stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death: All were strangers that were not Priests. Whence I argue, If a Prince, for his Usurpation beyond his line in things Sacred, may by the Priests be excommunicated, and by the people deposed; then may a Prince, not only Usurping a Supremacy (as Charles did) but an absolute power of overturning all things Sacred & Civil (as James doeth) & oppressing his subjects in all their Liberties, be disouned, a fortiori, for that is less than deposing or dethroning: But this Example clears the Antecedent: Ergo—See Knox discourse to Lethingtoun: Lex Rex Quest. 44. §. 15. pag. 461. Ius popul. chap. 3. pag. 56.

12. What if I should adduce the Example of a Kings Rebellion against, and Revolt from a Superior King, to whom he & his Fathers both acknowledged themselves subject? Surely our Royalists and Loyalists would not condemn this; and yet in justifying it, they should condemn their beloved principle of uncontroled subjection to uncontrolable Soveraigns possessing the Government. Ahaz became Servant to the Assyrian Monarch 2 King. 16. 7. yet Hezekiah his son, when the Lord was with him, and he prospered—Rebelled against the King of Assyria and he served him not 2 King. 18. 7. Hezekiah was indeed a King: but he was not Sennacheribs King; he acknowledges himself his vassal, and that he offended in disouning him vers. 14. p. 448which certainly was his sin against the Lord, to make such an acknowledgment: for if his Fathers transaction with the Assyrian was sin, then it was duty to break the yoke; if the Lord was with him in that rebellion, then it was his sin to acknowledge it to be his offence; And to make good this ackowledgment, it was certainly his sin to commit Sacriledge in robbing the House of God, to satisfie that Tyrant. By way of Supplement, I shall adde that instance of repressing a mad & furious Tyrant, which all will acknowledge to be Lawful. Nebuchadnezzar was both stricken of God with madness, and for that was depelled from the Kingdom, according to the heavenly Oracle, The Kingdom is departed from thee and they shall drive thee from men, Dan. 4. 31-33. Calvin sayes upon the place, he was ejected as usually is done to Tyrants, by the Combination of the nobles & people, Pool Synopsis Critic. in Locum. Thus he was unkinged for a time, both by the just Judgement of God, and by the intermediation of the just Judgement of men; and could not be ouned to be King at that time, when his nails were like birds Clawes, and he could not tell his oun fingers: They could not oune him to be the Governour then of so many Kingdoms, when he could not Govern himself. Hence, though this is an instance of Heathens, yet because they acted upon a rational ground, it may be argued: If Kings, because of Natural madness when they cannot govern themselves, may not be ouned; Then also because of Moral madness, when they will not govern but to the destruction of Kingdoms, may not be ouned: But the former is true: Therefore also the Latter. The same reason against the Government of Asses, will also militate against the Government of Tygers, the first is more eligible then the last.

Fifthly, This may be confirmed from Several promises in Scripture.

1. There are many Gracious & precious promises of Reformation of the Magistracy, and Restitution of good Rulers, as a great blessing from God to Mankind and to the Church Isai, 1. 26. I will restore thy Iudges as at the first, and thy Counsellors as at the begining, afterwrrd tho… shalt he called p. 449the City of righteousness. If Judges must first be restored before the City can be a City of righteousness, then they must be restored before we can oune the Government thereof: for that Government under which it cannot be a City of Righteousness, cannot be ouned: since it is no Government but a Rebellion & Combination of Thieves, see vers. 23. I do not here restrict the promise, as it is a Prophecy, to its exact fulfillment, as if no Government were to be ouned but what answers this promise, of the restitution of the primitive order of Magistrats; but I plead, that when the Princes are rebellious & Companions of Thieves, the Government is not to be ouned, till Judges be so far restored, as to reduce righteousness in some measure, which cannot be under Tyranny. And in the general I may plead, that none is to be ouned as a Magistrate but who some way is found in a promise; for there is no Ordinance of God, no duty, no blessing, no good thing, either to be done or enjoyed, but what is in a promise: but Tyranny, or ouning of Tyrants, or subjection to Usurpers, is not nor cannot be in a promise. We have many other promises about Magistrates, as that the Lord will be for a Spirit of Iudgement to him that sitteth in Iudgement, Isai. 28. 6. A Tyrant cannot be capable of this happiness, nor we under Tyranny, nor any while they oune them. Kings shall be the Churches nursing Fathers and their Queens her nursing Mothers Isai. 49. 23. Kings are not alwayes so, but all Kings to be ouned are such as can be so, at least they are never to be ouned when they turn destroyers of what they should nourish: But Tyrants can never be Nourishers. It is promised to the Lords people, if they will hearken diligently unto the Lord, and keep the Sabbath, then shall there enter into their gates Kings & Princes Ier. 17. 24, 25. And if they will execute Judgement & righteousness, and deliver the spoyled out of the hand of the oppressor &c. they shall obtain the same blessing Ier. 23. 3, 4. But it is never promised, neither doth it ever come to pass in Providence, that these duties procured Tyrants. There are many other promises to the same purpose, from whence may be concluded, the Lord will not alwayes leave His people to houl under ineluctable p. 450Tyranny, but will accomplish their deliverance in His oun time & way, though we are not to look to Miracles. Whence I argue. 1. Since all the Ordinances of God, & Rulers in a special manner, are appointed & promised as blessings, these cannot be ouned for His Ordinance, which are not Blessings but Curses. 2. That which would vacate & evacuate all the promises of Magistracy, cannot be a Doctrine of God: But this that obliges to oune Tyrants & Usurpers, as long as they are up, would vacate & evacuate all these promises of Magistracy: For except the Lord work Miracles (which are not in the promise) and do all without means, they cannot be accomplished. For if any means be used, they must be such as will infer disouning of Tyrants; for Magistrates cannot be restored except Tyrants be removed, and whatever way they be removed without Miracles, by others or their oun Subjects, they must still be disouned, and that before they be removed; for if they be to be ouned before, their removal, if they exist, cannot make them to be disouned: dispossession cannot take away their right, if they have it before.

2. There are many promises of breaking the yoke of Tyrants Isai. 10. 27. His burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder and his yoke from off thy neck. And in that promise of the Churches deliverance & enlargment, wherein they are Prophetically urged & stirred up to some activity in cooperating with the providence, Isai. 52. 1, 2. they are called to awake & put on strength & their beautiful garments—and to shake themselves from the dust—and to rise and loose themselves from the bands of their neck, that were captives. Here is not only a promise of deliverance, or a ground of encouragment what the Church may expect, but a promise of & direction for their being active in delivering themselves, as men, from the encroachments that were made on their humane Liberties, that they should loose themselves from these bands; Whose bands? from their bands that ruled over them, and made them to houl, and the Lords Name to be blasphemed (vers. 5.) Here's a promise of breaking the bands of Rulers, by them who houled under their subjection. And it also includes a precept, that people should p. 451not stay any longer under these yokes, than they can shake them off or slip from under them. Hence we see we are not to lie stupidly sleeping, or sinking in the Ditch, expecting the accomplishment of the promise of Deliverance, but are to endeavour actively, in dependence upon the Lords Assistance, to deliver our selves. Hence we may argue. 1. A promise by way of Command, that a people under bands of oppressing Rulers shall rouse themselves up to loose themselves from them, implies & infers a promise & a duty of disouning those Rulers (for otherwise they cannot be loosed from their subjection.) But here is a promise by way of Command, that a people under bands of oppressing Rulers shall rouse themselves up to loose themselves from them: Ergo—2. If the removal of Tyranny & Usurpation be promised as a blessing, then those can never be ouned to be the Ordinance of God; for the removal of that can never be a blessing: But in these promises we see, the removal of those is promised as a blessing: Therefore they can never be ouned.

Sixthly, To the same purpose we may cite some Threatenings, that will confirm the same Truth.

1. There are many Threatenings against Tyrants themselves. There are two mentioned Ier. 22. that seem patly to quadrate, and near of a piece, with our Misrulers; both because of the demerit of the Threatening, and the likeness of the Judgement Threatened. The ground of it was building their house by unrighteousness and their chambers by wrong vers. 13. And severally they are Threatened: Iehojakim with the burial of an Ass unlamented vers. 18, 19. Coniah with a life without prosperity, and a death without issue to succeed vers. 30. The first of these is verified in the Elder of our Royal Brothers, the last is like to be of both. But that which I take notice of is, first, the demerit, building their house by unrighteousness, on which Whitehall is built with a witness: and particularly it is noted of Iehojakim, as his Crimson sin (to which his Son Iehojakim or Coniah served himself heir) that he burnt Ieremia… Roll, or Causes of wrath; So did our Dominators burn the Causes of wrath (a book written by the Commission of the General Assembly) and p. 452the Covenants. Then I note these words vers. 15. Shalt thow reign because thow closest thy self in Cedar &c. It is certainly not fit for us to say, he shall reign, of whom the Lord sayes, he shall not reign: but when we oune the Authority of those whom the Lord threatens they shall not reign, we say, they shall reign: for we say, they have a rig…t to reign, and oune our selves obliged to do all that is required in our Capacity, to perpetuate their reign. There is a terrible Threatening against Zedekiah Ezek. 20. 25-27. Thow profane (or as some translate it; Thow worthy to be killed, Pool. Synops. Critic. in Locum.) wicked Prince of Israel—Thus saith the Lord God, Remove the Diadem, take off the Crown, this shall not be the same, exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high, I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, and it shall be no more untill he come whose right it is, and I will give it him. Than which nothing can be more applicable to our Princes, who are profane, and the patterns & patrons of it, whose Diadem the Lord will remove; and if He threaten it, …wo to them that contribute to hold it on. We see here, a profane & wicked Prince threatened to be overturned must not be ouned, because he hath no right: But our Excommunicate Tyrant, is a profane & wicked Prince threatened to be overturned: Ergo—There is another dreadful Threatening against Tyrants Am…s 4. 1, 2. Hear this word ye Kine of Bashan, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy—The Lord God hath sworn by His Holiness, that lo the dayes shall come upon you…, that He will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fish hooks. Shall we oune these, against whom the Lord hath engaged His Holiness by Oath so solemnly, that He will fish them with hooks? We may fear if there be such a tye as Allegiance between them and us, that that same hook which fishes them may also catch us; as it is said of Pharaoh and his subjects, when he is hooked, then his fish stick unto his scales, and he & they are left in the wilderness Ezek. 29. 4, 5. that is as Grotius expounds it, whoever are of his Community shall be consorts in his Calamity, Pool Critic. in Locum. If we p. 453then oune them we must be of their Community, and so partake of their Judgements.

2. There are many Threatenings against illimited Loyaltie, and those who had more of that than Religion: for this Ephraim was broken in Judgment, because he willingly walked after the Commandment Hos. 5. 11. And because the Statutes of Omri were kept, and the works of the house of Ahab, therefore the Lord threatens to make them a desolation Mic. 6. ult. And among other Threatenings against the men of such universal Loyaltie, that is notable Hos. 10. 3. Now ye shall say, we have no King, because we feared not the Lord, what then should a King do to us? It is the just punishment of wicked Loyalty, that prefers the fear & favour of Kings to the fear & favour of God, that at length they are brought to that pass, that either they have no Kings at all to look to, or else they have such of whom it may be said, they are no Kings in effect, for they cannot act the part of Kings to them that trust in them. Hence. 1. If to have really no Kings be a punishment, then such Kings as are a punishment cannot be ouned to be Kings; for to have them cannot be a punishment, if the want of them be a punishment. 2. If those that have the name of Kings, that can do no good, be no Kings; Then Tyrants that can do no good but a great deal of hurt, must be reckoned no Kings also: But here its threatened, people that had Kings, that had the name but could do no good, should reckon they had no Kings: Therefore much more may Tyrants be reckoned to be no Kings, who can do no good but a great deal of hurt.

Seventhly, This Truth is confirmed from Scripture Prayers: Whereof there are many against Tyrants, none for them. Hence we argue, If we are not to pray for Tyrants then we are not to oune them; for we are to pray for all that are in Authority 1 Tim 2. 2, But we are not to pray for Tyrants: Ergo we are not to oune them. The Minor now must be proved. And this leads me to another subordinate Question, which hath also been a head of suffering to some serious Seekers of God in our Land of late.

The profane Emissaries of this and the late Tyrant, sent p. 454out with bloody Commissions to hunt after the Lords hidden Ones, in order to murder all whom they might meet with, that made Conscience of adhering to every part of the present Testimony; among other trapping Questions to discover their prey, they used to put this to them as a discriminating Shibboleth, and Tessera of ouning the present Tyranny, will yow say, God save the King? And for refusing this, many have been cruelly murdered in the Fields; And many before their bloody Judicatories, have for this been arraigned & condemned, & executed to the death. Wherefore to this somewhat must be said. 1. By way of Concession. 2. By way of Vindication, of Scrupling it and Suffering upon it.

First, In the General, it will be necessary to premit by way of Concession. 1. It is duty to pray, supplicate, & interceed for all men 1 Tim. 2. 1. not Collectively considered, nor Distributively for every one universally without exception, but indefinitely & indiscriminately, pro generibus singulorum for all sorts & sexes, of whatsoever Nation or Religion, Iew or Gentile, Christian or Infidel, not excluding any for these distinctions: And not only so, but pro singulis generum also Conditionally, if they be among those all whom the Lord will have to be saved vers. 4. If they be among those all for whom the Mediator gave himself a ransome to be testified in due time vers. 5, 6. If they have not sinned the sin unto death, for which we are not bidden pray 1 Iohn. 5. 16. Which, because we know not particularly who are guilty of it, Charity will oblige us to take into our Prayers many that may never be the better of them; Yet it is necessary that we pray in Faith, for what, or whomsoever we pray; at least, if I may so call it, we must have a negative Faith, a belief that they have not sinned that sin unto death; which we cannot have of all, there being some whose demonstrations of desperate displayes of affronted wickedness, and hatred of Godliness, may give ground to doubt of it, as Christians had of Iulian the Apostate. 2. We are obliged to love our Enemies, to Bless them that Curse us, to do good to them that hate us, to pray for them that despitefully use & persecute us Math. 5. 44. Accordingly Our p. 455Master, who commanded this, did give us a Pattern to imitate, when He prayed, Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luk. 23. 34. And His faithful Martyr Stephen, prayed for his Murderers, Lord lay not this sin to their charge, Act. 7. ult. We are to pity them, and not to seek vengeance against them, for any injuries they can do to us. Yet, as this doth not interfere with a holy & zealous Appeal to God, for righting & resenting & requiting the wrongs done to us, that He may vindicate us & our Cause, and make them repent of their injuries done to us, to the Glory of God, and Conviction of Onlookers, and Confusion of themselves, which may well consist with Mercy to their Souls: So all we can pray for them in their opposition to us, is in order to their repentance, but never for their prosperity in that Course. And we may well imitate, even against our enemies, that prayer of Zecharia's, The Lord look upon it and require it 2 Chron. 24. 22. But we are never to pray for Christs stated Enemies, as to the bulk of them, and under that formality as His Enemies: for we must not love them that hate the Lord 2 Chron. 19. 2. but hate them, and hate them with a perfect hatred, Psâl. 139. 21, 22. We are to pray for the Elect among them, but only to the end they may escape the vengeance, which we are obliged to pray for against them. 3. We are not to exsecrate our enemies, or use imprecations against any, out of blind zeal, or the passionate or revengefull motions of our oun hearts: Our Lord rebuked His Disciples for such preposterous zeal Luk. 9. 55. Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of. But against the Stated & Declared Enemies of Christ, as such & while such, we may well take a pattern from the imprecatory Prayers of the Saints recorded in Scripture; such as do not peremptorly determine about the eternal State of particular persons: which determinations, except we be extraordinarly acted by the same Spirit, whose Dictates these are, are not to be imitated by us. We find several sorts of Imprecations in the Psalms, & other Scriptures: Some are imitable, some not: Some are Propheticall having the force of a Prophecy, as Davids Psal. 35. 4. Let them be confounded —that seek after my Soul—Let Destruction come upon him p. 456Psal. 55. 15. Let them go doun quick to hell. And Ieremiah chap. 17. 18. Let them be confounded that persecute me—destroy them with double destruction. Without this Prophetical Spirit, determining the application of these threatenings to particular persons, we may not imitate this peremptoriness. Some are Typical of Christs Mediatory devoting His Enemies to destruction; who as He interceeds for His friends, so by virtue of the same Merits (by them trampled upon) He pleads for vengeance against His enemies: Which Mediatory vengeance, is the most dreadful of all vengeances (Heb. 10. 29.) So also Psal. 40. He whose ears were opened, and who said lo I come—vers. 6. 7. that is Christ) does imprecate shame & Confusion & desolation vers. 14. 15. As also Psal. 109. the Psalmist personates Christ, complaining of & imprecating against His enemies, particularly Iudas the Traitor vers. 8. It must be dreadful to be under the dint of the Mediators Imprecations; And also dreadful to clash with Him in His Intercessions, that is, to apprecate for them against whom He imprecates, or pray for them against whom He intercedes. But some Imprecatio…s against the enemies of God, are imitable such as proceed from pure zeal for God, and the Spirit of Prayer, as that Psal. 109. ult. Put them in fear O Lord that the Nations may know themselves to be but men. Psal. 83. 16.—fill their faces with shame that they may seek thy Name. This is to be imitated in general against all the enemies of God Psal 129. 5. Let them all be confounded that hate Zion; without condescending on particular persons, except obviously & not odiously desperate, & presumptively Christs implacable Enemies. 4. Touching Magistrates it is a great duty to pray, that God would give us Magistrates, as He hath promised for the Comfort of His Church Isai. 1. 26. Isai. 49. 2. Ier. 30. 21. Promises should be motives & foments of Prayer. We ought to pray against Anarchy as a Plague, and with all earnestness beg of God, that the mercy of Magistracy may aga…n be known in Brittain, of which it hath been long deprived. 5. And when we have them, it is a necessary Duty to pray for them; for Kings and for all that are in Authority, that we may lead a quiet & peaceable life in all Godliness & honesty 1 Tim. 2. 2. p. 457Where it is specified, what sort we should pray for, and to what end. As we are not to pray for all men absolutely; for some, as they are declared to be out of the precincts of of Christs Mediation, so they must be out of our Prayers: So there may be some in actual Rule, that may be excepted out of the verge of the Christians Prayers, as was said of Iulian the Apostate. But he that is a Magistrate indeed, and in Authority, the subjects are to pray and to give thanks for him, not as a man meerly, but as a Magistrate. Yea though they be Heathen Magistrates, Ezra. 6. 10. We may pray for all in Authority, two wayes; As Men, & as Kings. As Men, we may pray for their Salvation, or Conversion, or taking them out of the way, if they be enemies to Christs Kingdom, according as they are stated; and upon Condition, if it be possible, and if they belong to the Election of Grace. Though for such as are opposites to the coming of Christs Kingdom, as it is a contradiction to the second petition of the Lords Prayer [Thy Kingdom come] So in the experience of the most eminent wrestlers, they have found less faith & less encouragement in praying for them, than for any other sort of men. It is rare that ever any could find their hands, in praying for the Conversion of our Rulers. And though we pray that the Lord would convince them, yea & confound them, in mercy to their souls; yet this must never be wanting in our Prayers for Tyrants, as men, that God would bring them doun, and cause Justice overtake them, that so God may be Glorified, and the Nation eased of such a burden. But if we pray for them as Kings, then they must be such by Gods approbation, and not meer possessory Occupants, to whom we owe no such respect nor duty. For whatever the Hobbists, and the time-serving Casuists of our day, and even many good men (though wofully laxe in this point) homolating both Doctrinally & Practically their heathenish notions, say to the contrary; I hope it be in some measure made out, that Tyrants are no more the Ordinance of God, nor to be ouned as His Ministers & Vicegerents, than the Devil the Prince of this World for the Lords Anointed, or Baals Priests for true Ministers. If we pray for them as Kings, p. 458we must pray for their peace, prosperity, & preservation, that their Government may be blessed with success, their designs not frustrated, nor their desires disappointed. This we cannot pray for Tyrants. 6. Albeit we may pray for the Peace of the Nation, and for the Government thereof, so far as it may conduce to our oun & the Churches Tranquility, that we may live a peaceable & Godly life under it; yet this cannot be extended to the peace of Tyrants, for whom the best Prayer that we can bestow is, that the Lord would bridle & restrain them, that they may not m…r the Churches peace. That Command, Ier. 29. 7. Seek the Peace of the City, whither soever I have caused yow to be carried Captives, and pray unto the Lord for it, for in the peace thereof shall yow have peace, is apparent to have been but of a temporary nature, upon occasion of their Captivity there, until the 70 years should be expired, having it also declared by God, that their oun peace was bound up in that of Babylons: For after that time they are taught the contrary carriage towards that City, to depart, and pray against it, and exult & rejoice in its ruine; O Daughter of Babylon, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thow hast served us, that dasheth thy litle ones against the Stones, Psal. 137. 8, 9. The voice of them that flee out of the Land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of His Temple Ier. 50. 28. And Ier. 51. 35. The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say, and my blood be upon Chaldea, shall Ierusalem say. Certainly this is not the season to seek the Peace of Misticall Babylon, but to pray for the destruction thereof and all its supporters: Which we cannot do, if we pray for them that improve, imploy, & apply all their power to support it, lest we pray contradictions; as many do, who pray against Babels brats and yet pray for the King: but the Comfort is this, that Nonsensical Prayers will do litle good, litle hurt, but to themselves that pray them.

Secondly, To vindicate the Scruplers & Refusers of such Compelled & extorted Devotion, in praying for Tyrants, I shall offer these Considerations.

p. 4591. The imposed form of it (which as it is found in the Original from whence it is taken, is only Paraphrastically expounded, God save the King; and most Catechrestically applied to Tyrants, being in the native sense of the words of this signification, Let the King Live; which is a very improper Wish for men of death, of whom God sayes, they shall die, and the Law sayes, they should die, for their Murders & Capital Crimes) must be taken either as an Adulatory Complement; or a Congratulatory honour; or a precatory benediction. The first, as it is extorted most illegally, so it can be rendered neither Civilly, nor Sincerly, nor Christianly: but all ingenuus men would think it a base imposition, to be forced not only to subject themselves to their Tyrannical Oppressors, but to flatter them as if they were not such. Whatever they may force the mouth to speak dissemblingly, they can never compell the heart to think, such wishes are due to them; and so they can never be Cordial, nor consistent with Candor; and to interpose the Holy & Dreadful Name of God, in a dissembling Complement, to flatter base men, is a horrid mocking of God, and a heinous taking His Name in vain, contrary to the Third Command. If it be a Congratulation (as alwayes it is used in Scripture, and in all cases formerly; being never imposed on men by way of Compulsion, before this sett of Tyrants started up, that know they can get no deference of honest men, but by extortion) It is the more abominable; not only for the Hypocrisie that is in it, but the Blasphemie, in giving thanks for the Promoter of the Devils Interest, and the Destroyer of Christs, and the Liberties of Mankind. What have we to Congratulate him for, but for overturning our Laws & Liberties, and oppressing us in most grievous Tyranny? Besides to give the vilest of men when exalted any Congratulatory honour, is contrary to the fifth Command, as is shewed above. And it were a forsaking of the Law, thus to praise the wicked, since they that keep the Law will contend with them Prov. 28. 4. If it be a Benediction, we cannot bestow it upon one whom our Father Curses, our Mother Curses, and all our Brethren. It is no less preposterous p. 460to bless whom the Lord declaredly Curses, than to Curse whom he blesses. The Curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked Prov. 3. 33. we cannot then bless that house. Nor can we bless them that our Mother curses, and cries for vengeance against, as she did against Nebuchadnezzar Ier. 51. 34, 35. Nor them against whom the blood of our dead Brethren hath a Moral Cry, How long O Lord holy & true doest thow not Iudge & avenge our blood, Revel. 6. 10. And the vexed Spirits of our Brethren, yet houling under the same yoke, are puting up before the Throne of Grace, the same continued Cry, with incessant importunity, How long how long shall the wicked triumph how long shall they break in pieces thy people? O God to whom vengeance belongeth? Psal. 94. 1-4. Yea God hath said it, and we must not contradict it in our practice, against all Tyrants that wrest Judgement, and say unto the wicked thow art righteous, him shall the people, curse Nations shall abhor him, Prov. 2. 24. And this must stand registred as the everlasting Claise of all Zions haters, to which all her Lovers must say, Amen, that they shall be as the grass upon the house tops and never have the benefit of the Churches benediction Psal. 129. 8. Neither do they which go by say, the blessing of Lord be upon yow, we bless yow in the Name of the Lord. This one word may be a sufficient Supercedeas from blessing any of the enemies of God, or of the Church, while acting in a declared opposition to God for the destruction of His people & interest.

2. Either this—Save the King, as they mouth it, and demand the repetition of it, is a Prayer; or it is not. If not, it must be a dreadful profanation of the name of God, to be commanded to speak to Him, and yet not to pray. If it be a Prayer, we would expect another way of dealing with us, if rhey really desired the benefit of our Prayers, than a threatening us with death if we did it not. And if they did desire it as Darius did, that we might offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of Heaven, and pray for the life of the King and of his sons Ezra. 6. 10. we could not refuse to pray for him, so far as might consist with that Prayer of the same Darius, in that same decree vers. 12. that God may destroy all Kings & people, that shall put to their hand to alter and destroy p. 461the House of God. We can pray no Prayer inconsistent with this, And to pray that God would save this King, and yet destroy all Kings that put to their hand against His House, were to pray Contradictions. But they know they deserve no Prayers, and must force them if they get them. And all the world knows, that Compelled Prayers are no devotion; and if they be no devotion, they must be sin: Imposed Prayers, are not the Prayers that God will hear & accept; And if we have not the faith of acceptance in them, they must be sin, for whatever is not of faith is sin, Rom. 14. ult. All Prayers which God will hear, must proceed from the heart voluntarely and fervently, in Spirit & in Truth, with the whole heart. But imposed & compelled Prayers cannot be such; especially when they are not only by them imposed, but prescribed as to the form of them. Which sets and formes prescribed by men, and such men as usurp a Supremacy over the Church, cannot be subjected to, according to the Word of God, and the Principles of our Reformation.

3. That infallible Proposition of the Apostle, Whatsoever is not of faith is sin, must be urged yet a litle further: And that with a reference, both to the Person required to be prayed for, and to the matter of the duty more generally. First if we cannot pray for this man, neither as a Christian, nor as a King, then we cannot satisfie this imposed demand; for it will not satisfie to pray for him as a Heathen: But we cannot in faith pray for him, either as a Christian, or as a King▪ Not as a Christian; for besides that he is an excommunicate Apostate (by a sentance which we beleeve stands yet rate in Heaven, Pronounced by a faithful Servant of Christ) and a Papist, which as such can no more be prayed for than the Pope as Pope;; for whom, and all the limbs of Antichrist; the only prayer that Protestants can pray, is, that the Lord would consume him with the Spirit of His Mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming 2 Thess. 2. 8. (we cannot reconcile the prayers of some, that pray against the Pope and his supporters, and upholders of his tottering Kingdom, and yet for this his Antichristian vassal) His rage & resolution in prosecuting a war against Christ and His followers, is such, that if we may make Comparisons, p. 462our faith will have litle more ground to pray for Iames, than Christians of old could find for Iulian, the the Apostate. Nor as a King, for that we cannot do, because he is none with Gods approbation, and may not do, for a very heathen could teach us to pray, that God would destroy all Kings that put to their hand to alter & destroy the House of God, Ezra. 6. 12. And besides, in the Second place, with respect to the matter of the duty in general: That cannot be in faith which wants a warrant in the Word, either by precept, promise, or practice: But to pray for wicked Tyrants & Enemies of God, wants a Warrant in the Word, either by precept, promise, or practice. There is no precept for it, either General on particular, neither express, nor any to which this is reducible. And who dare adde without a precept in the Worship of God, either for matter, or manner, or end, what He hath not commanded? for such presumption; Nadab & Abihu were destroyed Levit. 10. 1, 2. because they did that which the Lord had not commanded. What Command can there be for praying for that, which is against the preceptive Will of God? But it is against the preceptive Will of God, that there should be Tyrants: Therefore to pray that these may be preserved in the World, cannot fall under a Command of God. There is no promise for it, which is the foment & foundation of Prayer: We can pray for nothing that we have not a promise for, either General or Particular: But we have none, nor can have any, for the preservation of a plague to us, as Tyrants are. There is no Practice for it in Scripture, to pray for Kings that put to their hand to destroy the House of God. Samuel did indeed mourn for Saul▪ but the Lord reproved him for it, How long wilt thow mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being King over Isrrel? 1 Sam. 16. 1. belike this reproof was for his praying for Sauls preservation as King, for otherwise we may mourn for wicked wretches, for their sin & Miserie both. But hence, if the Lord reprove His Servant for mourning for a King whom He disoun…d, then we may not pray for such a King whom the Lord disounes, as He disounes all Tyrants, for they are set up & not by Him! p. 463But the Antecedent is true in that example of Samuel: Therefore also the Consequent, that we may not pray for them as Kings, whom the Lord disounes.

4. Moreover to confirm this yet further: That Prayer is not of Faith, and so sin, which is contrary to the Precepts of God, and his promises, and the practices of the Saints: But praying for wicked Kings their preservation, is contrary to these precepts, promises, & practices &c. Ergo—It is contrary to some Divine precepts, both Affirmative, & Negative. There is an Affirmative precept, prescribing what Prayer should be used under the Domination of Tyrants, that they should weep and say, Spare thy people O Lord, give not they Heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them, wherefore should they say among the people where is their God Ioel. 3. 17. If it be a reproach to be under Heathen Rulers, and if we should pray that they may not Rule, but that Our God may shew Himself where He is, and who He is, in delivering His people from their Domination; Then it is contrary to this, to pray for the preservation of Tyrants, that do rule over them to their destruction & reproach: For it is contradictory to pray, that they may not Rule, and that they may be preserved in Ruling. There is a negative precept, prohibiting the salutation of Hereticks and Enemies of the Gospel, which will condemn this salutation of Heretical Kings: for in the Original God save the King is no more than a solemn salutation, or apprecatory Wish that he may prosper. 2 Epist. Iohn. vers. 10, 11. If there come any—and bring not this Doctrine—neither bid him God speed, for he that biddeth him, God speed, is partaker of his evil deeds. God speed, in the Greek, is the same with God save, in the Hebrew. If then we must not say, God save a Heretick, neither must we say God save an Hertical King, or a Popish Tyrant, a sworn enemy to the Gospel of Christ, and the coming of His Kingdom. This is also inconsistent with that Rule & Directory of our prayers, commonly called The Lords prayer, not only because it cannot be reduced to any of its petitions (which are comprehensive of all that we are warranted to p. 464pray for) but because it is contradictory to the Second which is, Thy Kingdom come. The Coming of Christs Kingdom in our Land cannot consist with the preservation of the Tyrants reign, which is Satans rule: for Antichrists … Satans Kingdom, and Christs, cannot be promoted both at once. It may be also demonstrated, that it is inconsistent with all the petitions of that perfect form of prayer. With the first, Hallowed be thy Name; for when they who rule over His people make them to houl, then His Name continually every day is Blasphemed Isai, 52. 5. yea much profaned in the frequent repeating that imposition. With the Second, Thy Kingdom come for when He takes unto Him His great power & Reigns, then is the time He, will destroy them that destroy the earth, Revel. 11. 17, 18. It is against the third, Thy will be done—for it is against His preceptive will that there should be a Throne of iniquity, it shall not have fellowship with Him; as it would have, if according to His will. And therefore Habbakkuk pleads from the Lords Holiness & Righteousness against Tyrants, Habbak. 1. 13, 14. It is against the fourth, Give us this day our daily bread, to pray for them that rob us of it, whom the Lord hath set over us for a plague, to domineer over our bodies, and all the means of life Neh. 9. 37. The Saints there make a Complaint of Kings, and pray to remove them, not to save them: The Church also prayes agains… base Rulers on this account, because under them they get their bread with the peril of their lives Lam. …. 8, 9. It is against the fifth, Forgive us our debts or sins; for if we pray for taking away the guilt of sin, we must also pray for removing the punishment; whereof this is one, to be under Tyrants: And if it be sin which brings on such a judgment, then it is sin to pray for the keeping of it on & continuing thereof: And though we should forgive their sin against us, yet we ought to complain against their sins against God, and the Church, in defiling it, & shedding the blood of the Saints Psal. 79. 1-7. It is against the sixth, Lead us not into Temptation and deliver us from evil: for their Government is a continued tract of Temptation, they being a snare on Mizpah & a net spread upon Tabor Hos. 5. 1. And if we pray to be delivered p. 465from all evil, then we must pray to be delivered from Tyranny, which is a great evil. It is against the Conclusion also for thine is the Kingdom—& Glory: Tyrants being stated in opposition to the Glory of God. Again, in the next place, it is against many promises of giving good Rulers, and of breaking the yoke of Tyrants (as I cited several above) Neiether of which can consist with the preservation of Tyrants, if such a Prayer should be answered according to the idol of the heart of the supplicants: for if God should save this man as long as we may pray for him as a King, then all the promises of a Change & Revolution are precluded. Lastly, it is contrary to the constant tenor of the Saints prayers against theé Enemies of God. Deborah prayed upon the destruction of a Tyrant, So let all thine enemies perish O Lord Iudg. 5. ult. Iotham prayed against that bastard King, let fire come out from Abimelech & devour the men of Shechem, and—let fire come out from the men of Shechem & devour Abimelech, Iudg. 9. 20. David prayes against Saul, whom he calls Cush the Benjamite in the title of Psal. 7. alluding to Kish his Father, or because he was no better than an Ethiopian a Cushite Amos 9. 7. and could no more change his manners than an Ethiopian can change his skin Ier. 13. 23. See Pool Synops. Critic. in Locum. Where it is proven that this was Saul; against him he prayes that the Lord would awake to Iudgement Psal. 7. 6. and that He would break the arm of the wicked and the evil man Psal. 10. 15. that He would not slay them (to wit suddenly or in a common way) lest the people forget, but scatter and bring them doun and consume them in wrath, that they may not be, that it may be known God ruleth in Iacob to the ends of the earth Psal. 59. 11, 13. This is a Psalm against Dogs vers. 6. what Dogs? Saul and his men watching David, See the Title. As also it is against Saul that he prayes, that the Lord would not grant his desires nor further his devices, and as for the head of them that compassed him about (which was Saul) let the mischief of their oun lips cover them Psal. 140. 8, 9. There is also a prayer that the Saints may execute vengeance & the judgement written upon Tyrants, p. 466and bind them with chains Psal. 149. 7, 8, 9. The Church is brought in praying for vengeance against the Babylonian Tyrant, Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon hath devoured me—the violence done to me and my flesh be upon Babylon shall the Inhabitant of Zion say Ier. 51. 34, 35. Paul imprecates any man that does not love the Lord Jesus, let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16. 22. and sure no Tyrant, persecuter & subverter of Christs Kingdom, can be a Lover of Christ. The Martyrs under the fifth seal slain for the Word of God, and the Testimony which they held, are brought in crying against the Tyrants that murdered them, How long! O Lord, Holy & True, dost thow not judge & aveange our blood, Revel. 6. 9, 10. Which though it be to be understood of a Moral Cry of blood, as Abels blood cried against Cain; yet ought to be a pattern of our prayers against such Bloody Enemies, imbrewing their hands in the blood of our Brethren, for which we ought to pray that the Lord would haste to make inquisition. Durham Observes from this place, that Gods people in a holy way may pray for vengeance upon persecuters.

5. Let us consider the person & matter, for whom and for what this prayer is extorted. Either it is for the personal salvation of Iames the Papist: or the Royal preservation of Iames the Tyrant. It will not satisfie to pray, that if it be possible, and if it were the Lords will, he might be taken to Heaven, that so we might be quit of him. Neither were it Lawful to pray that, except we prayed first, that he might repent of this his wickedness, if perhaps it might be forgiven him, as Peter directed Simon M…gus to pray for himself Act. 8. 22. for it is unlawful to pray for the salvation of a Papist, except upon supposition of his repentance & relinquishing Poperie. We must pray nothing but according to the Wil of God; and it is not the Wil of God, that they that have & keep & will not part with the Mark of the beast, should be saved, for he is adjudged of God to drink of the wine of His wrath Revel. 14. 9, 10. So we cannot pray for him as a Christian, which he is not; Nor as a Papist, except that he may get repentance. Nor can we pray for him as a King, which he is not; nor as a Tyrant, except p. 467that he may repent of & relinquish his Tyranny & Usurpation: for Tyrants as such cannot be saved, no more than Papists as such; for Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared—Isai. 30. 33. We cannot then pray for his salvation, except we pray for his repentance, and relinquishing all his sins, and so we must pray for his relinquishing his Kingship, and that he may cease to be King; for that is his sin, that he hath made himself King without God, and against the Laws of the Land. And now whil… he continues such, we must complain in prayer, not for his Misgovernment only, but for that he Governs, and desire to be delivered from him. See Gees Magistrates Original pag. 258. But now considering what a Man, and what a King he hath been, guilty of Murder, Adulterie, Idolatrie, under sentence of the Law both of God & Man; We can pray no otherwise for him, than for a Murderer, Adulterer, or an Idolater. We cannot pray for him as Cloathed with Authority, or that the Lord may bless his Government for that is his sin & our Miserie that he is a Governour: And his Throne is a Throne of iniquity, which we dare not pray may have fellowship with God. Can we pray that God would bless him on a Throne of iniquity? Could we pray, that the Lord would bless a Drunkard in his drunkenness, abusing his enjoyments? Or a Thief in Stealing his, though he used his purchase never so soberly? What if prevailing Robbers by Land, or pyrats by sea, preying upon all passengers, should require this as the sign of subjection to them, and only condition whereupon such as they apprehended & overcame should be suffered to live, that they should pray for preservation & prosperity to them? Would not this be wickedness thus to pray for Thieves & Robbers? And are not Tyrants the greatest of Thieves, that rob & destroy twenty for one of private Robbers? And do they not require this as such a sign on such a Condition?

6. Lastly, then the plea will be reduced to this, that it is exacted as a Badge of Loyaltie, and Sign, Tessera, & Sbibboleth of ouning the Authority. Which I have at this length endeavoured to prove, cannot be conscienciously p. 468Ouned by us, in these circumstances. And even by this Argument: That Authority which we cannot pray for we cannot oune: But we cannot pray for this Tyrannical Authority: Ergo—The Minor I trust is in some measure made manifest, by what is said above. And so I conclude this Head, with that forme of prayer, that I use for the King. O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thy self; lift up thy self thow Iudge of the Earth, render a reward to the proud. Lord how long shall the wicked? how long shall the wicked Triumph? Shall the Throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, that Frameth Mischief by a Law? The Mighty & Terrible God, destroy all Kings & people, that put to their hand to alter & destroy the House of God. Overturn, Overturn, Overturn this Throne of Tyra…ny, and let it be no more, until he come whose right it is.