The Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods Saints, Part 1 · Corollary
A Corollary to the 5. precedent Chapters.
I Should now proceed to the 3. remaining Chapters, wherein I ſhall evidence by manifold notable punctual Teſtimonies, Preſidents, and Records, not Vulgarly known. 1. The conſtant practice of the Chriſtians, and Churches of this our Iſland of Great Britain, from Lucius the firſt Chriſtian King thereof, till Jan. 30. 1648. the day of King Charles his bloody death, in making ſupplications, prayers, interceſſions and thankſgivings unto God, for their Kings, Queens, and their royal poſterity, both in publick and private devotions, and in their Epiſtles & addreſſes to them, whether good or bad, pious or impious, orthodox or heterodox, gracious or tyrannical. 2. The univerſal practice of all the primitive Chriſtians, Churches, Fathers, Councils under the Roman Emperors, and Kings after they turned Chriſtians, and of their ſucceſſors in …cceding ages to this preſent, in doing the like. 3. … uſual ſpecial forms of prayers, collects, ſupplications and thankſgivings, at the ſolemn Inaugurations a … Coronations of their Emperors, Kings and Princes. But theſe being ſomewhat long, and requiring more time to digeſt and publiſh them, than I am yet maſter of, I ſhall reſerve them (God willing) for a Second part, if this find acceptation, as no doubt it will with all pious real Subjects, truly *1 Pet. 2. 17.fearing God, and honoring their lawfull King. I ſhall therefore cloze up this part, with a few brief Corollaries and Concluſions, deduced from, and warranted by the premiſed Chapters.
1. That it is not a meer arbitrary and voluntary, but the very bounden, commanded, indiſpenſible duty of every Chriſtian and Subject whatſoever, but more eſpecially of Miniſters and Clergy-men, by the Law of God, Nature, Nations, to make daily, hearty, fervent, conſtant ſupplications, prayers, interceſſions and thankſgivings, unto God for their lawfull Emperors, Kings, Princes, and their royal Poſterity where hereditary; whether their Emperors or Kings be Infidels, Idolaters, Papiſts, Hereticks, Perſecutors, Tyrants, or Orthodox Chriſtians, Proteſtants, Juſt, Righteous, Pious, Mercifull, and Fathers to their people. And that it is not only a great ſin and impiety againſt God, but a high contempt, Indignity, Diſloyalty and Treaſon to their Soveraigns, to neglect and give over theſe duties, or coldly or rarely to perform them.
2. That theſe duties are more frequently, fervently and conſtantly to be practiſed by Miniſters and all other Subj…cts and Chriſtians, in the times of their Emperors, Kings and Princes greateſt Dangers, Troubles, Trials, Distreſſes, Exiles, Neceſſities, Sickn…ſſ…s, Sufferings, Afflictions, Temptations, becauſe then they need them most; as well as private Chriſtians, Churches, Nations, as the aPſ. 132. 1. Pſ. 119. 153. Pſ. 9. 13. Pſ. 20. 1. Pſ. 22. 11. Pſ. 39 10. Pſ. 46. 1. Pſ. 60. 11. Pſ. 63. 17. Pſ. 81. 7. Pſ. 102. 2. Pſ. 106. 6, 13, 19. 28 Pſ. 143. 11. Iſa. 26. 16. Jer. 3. 27. c. 12. 14. c. 14. 8. John 27. 9. c. 30. 15. 2 Chron 20. 9. c. 33. 12. Jer. 30. 15. Lam 1. 9. c 3. 19. Jam. 5. 13, 14. Acts 12. 5. 2. Cor. 1. 12. Phil. 1. 19. 1 Theſ. 3. 10. Heb. 5. 7. Iſa. 37. 15, &c. c. 38. 2.marginal Scriptures will abundantly evidence
3. That it is not only unnatural, unchriſtian, and inhuman, but antichriſtian, tyrannical, treaſonable, if not diabolical and atheiſtical, for any uſurped … Innovators whatſoever, not only to enforce Subjects againſt their Loyalty, Conſciences, the Preſidents of all Chriſtians, Pagans, and the Precepts of God himſel… not only by unrighteous, flagitious Edicts and Engagements to command and injoyn both Miniſters, & all other Subjects, to bSee my Concordia Diſcors.abjure their former hereditary Kings, their Heirs & lawful Succeſſors, againſt all Scripture preſidents, Laws, their former Oaths of Fealty, Homage, Allegiance, Supremacy, Proteſtation, Vow, Leagues & Solemn Covenant, to be true, loyal, faithful and obedient Subjects to them, their Heirs and Succeſſors, and to maintain and defend their Perſons, Rights, Juriſdictions and Crowns, with their lives and eſtates, againſt all attempts, conſpiracies, and machinations whatſoever; but to inhibit under ſevere penalties, all publick and private Prayers, Interceſſions, and Thankſgivings unto God in their behalfs, even in their greateſt extremities, when they ſtand moſt in need of them. And to commit, impriſon, ſequeſter, and caſt any Subjects into a Lions den… for obeying God herein, rather than men, (as the cAct. 4. 18, 19, 20, 21. c. 5. 16, 27, 28, 29, 40, 41.High-Prieſts heretofore committed and impriſone… the Apoſtles, and thedDan. 6. 4, to 25. Babylonian Princes, and King, the Prophet Daniel) the extremity of Tyranny, Impiety, andeJam. 3. 14, 15, 16. Rev. 2. 10. deviliſh perſecution, which God will moſt ſeverely revenge, and recompence in due ſeaſon
4. That for any profeſſing themſelves the chiefeſt of all Saints, and men truly fearing God, to obliterate, deface, & remove out of all our Churches, Chapels, Courts, publick Halls & places, the Arms of their lawful Kings, to erect only a bloody Croſſe, and Iriſh Harp in their ſteads, and to deleate in ſome places theſe ſacred Texts of Prov. 24. 21. My Son fear thou the Lord and the King, &c. 1 Pet. 2. 17. Fear God, honour the King; and in other places, HONOUR the King, (permitting Fear God, to ſtand alone) on the Church walls, and other places where they were painted or carved near the Kings Arms, and to make ſuch a ſtrange divorce between theſe 2. ſentences which God himſelf hath united and ſo ſtrictly conjoyned both in the Old Teſtament and New: That ſo the Miniſters and people might be thereby deterred, not only from honoring & praying for their Kings, as God enjoyns them, but induced to caſt off the very fear & publick worſhip of God himſelf; & provoked at laſt, to ſay with the deſpairing Idolatrous revolting 10. tribes of Iſrael, Hoſ. 10. 3. We have no King becauſe we feared not the Lord, what then ſhould a King do to us? (a crime whereof ſome ſwaying Grandees have been deeply guilty in our 3. Kingdoms) is in truth the higheſt ſtrain of Apoſtacy, Irreligion, profeſſed Atheiſm and contempt of God, that ever men profeſſing themſelves Saints or Chriſtians were guilty of, in any age ſince the Creation. And for others of them to ſay in the very Church, and preſence of God himſelf, with much paſſion (as*Tho. Liſter. one of the ſitting Juncto did very lately) that the word KING doth ſo ſtick in our Ministers mouths and teeth, that it will never be well, till it be thruſt and forced down their throats (by force and armed Tyranny;) only becauſe Mr. Caſe, in his prayer after Sermon, at St. Martins Church, on the Lords day, prayed; That God gIſa. 49. 23.according to his promiſe, and in his own ſenſe and meaning, would be graciouſly pleaſed, to make Kings to become Nurſing-Fathers, and Queens to be Nurſing-Mothers to his Church; is ſuch a tranſcendent ſtrain of Atheistical impiety, Antimonarchical malice, brutiſh Tyranny and Barbarity, as ſhould make our very hearts and loins to quake, and will certainly draw down the extremity of Gods vengeance on thoſe who are guilty thereof, if not on our whole now miſerably diſtracted, oppreſſed and almoſt ruined Kingdoms, if not timely repented of.
5ly. That Kings and Monarchy, are the very beſt, moſt deſirable, happyeſt, peaceableſt, honorableſt, ſafeſt Governors and Governments of all others in the world becauſe in the firſt place, we are commanded, obliged by God himſelf, to make ſupplications, interceſſions, prayers and thanksgivings unto him for them, that under them we may live a peaceable and quiet life, in all godlineſſe and honeſty (but never for a Commonwealth by name) and all Chriſtians, Nations in all ages, have accordingly practiced it, as the premiſes and ſecond part, will abundantly demonſtrate.
6ly. That ever ſince we neglected, diſuſed and gave over this publick Chriſtian duty for our juſt hereditary Kings, their heirs, ſucceſſors, and royal poſterity, and have abandoned, abjured, engaged againſt them and Kingſhip, we have never had, nor enjoyed a quiet and peaceable life, in Church or State, and have generally abandoned all real godlineſſe and honeſty, which are hardly to be found in any of our 3. Kingdoms, eſpecially amongſt our Grandees, Army-Officers, and thoſe refined, ſublimated Saints of the laſt edition, who moſt pretend unto them; and have done, acted, voted, ſetled nothing, that is good or acceptable in the ſight of God the Father, or tending towards the Temporal or eternal ſalvation of all men, and reducing them to the knowledge, much leſſe the practice of the truth; but we have been ſtill diſquieted, vexed, oppreſſed, tormented with endleſs wars, tumults, revolutions of Governors and Governments, intollerable taxes, exciſes, loſſes, decay of trade by Land and Sea, errors, ſchiſmes, ſects, hereſies, blaſphemies of all ſorts, and an inundation of all vices, ſins, hypocriſies, perjuries, treacheries and wickedneſſes, which may haſten our total and final diſſolution, without any hopes of mercy, reſtauration or future ſettlement, or hearts or wiſdom to lay hold of thoſe manifold opportunities which Gods wonder-working providence hath put into our hands, to preſerve and reſtore us, if timely laid hold on and improved by us for that end.
7. That the only ready, hopefull, chriſtian, divine and moſt effectual means now left, and preſcribed by God to every private Miniſter, Chriſtian Family, Church, and our three ruined, lacerated, diſtracted Kingdoms, to recover and reſtore their long expected, and vainly endeavoured priſtine peace, quietneſs ſettlement, trade, godlineſs, honeſty, honor, proſperity, the ſaving knowledg, power, ſincere profeſſion and truth of the Goſpel, with all other bleſſings of this and a better life; and to put a period to all future wars, revolutions, tumults, oppreſſions, tyrannies, taxes, hereſies, blaſphemies, and Jeſuitical deſigns, now threatning ruine both to our Churche…, Kingdoms, Families and Poſterities, is for all and every of them, publickly and privately to revive and practiſe theſe duties with conſtancy, frequency, zeal, fervency, reſolution for our undoubted hereditary King, and the royal poſterity in their and our greateſt diſtreſſes, according to the premiſed Commands and Preſidents, recorded in Scripture by God himſelf, and the Preſidents of all Gods Saints and people in former Ages, maugre all oppoſitions, or inhibitions of poor deſpicable Mortals; the long neglect and diſcontinuance of this ſacred duty and moſt effectual remedy, being (as I fear) the principal cauſe of the long continuance and encreaſe of their and our miſeries, afflictions, preſſures, and ſad confuſions. If then the ſerious conſideration of Gods own reiterated Injunctions, the preſidents of Fathers, Chriſtians, Saints, Martyrs, Subjects inall ages, yea of the very Pagans themſelves, and the many Oaths, Vows, Covenants, Proteſtations, Declarations, Remonſtrances, we have formerly made, with our own and our Anceſtors conſtant practice of theſe Dutyes for many hundreds of years, will not perſwade us hereunto; yet let the conſideration of our perſonal and national preſervation, eſtabliſhment, peace, ſettlement, proſperity both as men and Chriſtians; and the cheapneſs, eaſineſs of this homage and duty to God, our King, Country, & our ſelves (which all*Ezra 10, 1, &c Jonah. 2. 7, 8. ſexes, ages though mean, poor in Purſe, or feeble in Body, unable to aſſiſt and ayd their Soveraign or Country in either, are as able to perform, as well as the nobleſt Peers, the richeſt Subjects the valianteſt Souldiers, or the wiſeſt States men,) now at laſt excite and engage them unanimouſly, conſcienciouſly and ſervently to perfom them both in publick and private. To induce them more chearfully thereunto, I ſhall recommend unto them this memorable obſervation, and ſeaſonable paſſage of St. Baſil the Great, famous in his generation, and in the Church of Chriſt.
*Aſcetica, pro…emium de Judicio Dei.Being by the goodnes and benignity of my moſt good God, through the grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, according to the operation of the holy Ghoſt, delivered from the error of the Gentiles traditions, and long ago, even from the beginning educated by Chriſtian parents, I verily learned the holy Scriptures from them, from my childhood, which brought me into the knowledge of the truth: but when I became a man, and had very frequently uſed peregrinations, and had fallen into the conſideration of many things, as was meet; I verily found in other Arts & Sciences much concord amongſt thoſe, who exactly exerciſe ſingular Arts: but in the Church of God, only and for which Chriſt dyed, and into which he hath abundantly and richly powred forth his holy Spirit, I obſerved the greateſt diſcord, and vehement diſſentions of many, both between themſelves, and alſo againſt the divine Scripture: and that which is moſt horrid, the very Preſidents of the Church conſtituted in ſo great a Diſſention both of mind, and opinions between themſelves, and fighting againſt the commands of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, with ſo great contrariety, as even cruelly to diſſipate the Church of Chriſt, and to diſturb his redeemed Flock, without any commiſeration; that even on theſe now, if ever when wicked men went out and flouriſhed, that of the Apoſtles may be fulfilledbActs 20. 29, 30. Out of your ſelves ſhall ariſe men, ſpeaking perverſe things, that they may draw diſciples after them. When I diſcerned theſe things and the like, and doubted what, and whence the ſourſe of ſo great an evil might be, at firſt I was as it were in ſome thick darkneſſe, and as if ſet in a ballance, I did turn my ſelf now on this ſide, now on that ſide; one ſcale drawing me to it ſelf, by reaſon of the long cuſtom of men, but the other pulling me back for the truth acknowledged in the holy Scripture. Now when as this had for ſome ſpace, and very often hapned, whiles I was ſearching out the cauſe of this evil, as I have related, that of the Book relating the Hiſtory of the Judges, came into my mind, where it is written, cJudges 17. 6. c. 18. 1. c. 21. 25.that every one then did what ſeemed right in his eyes, and the cauſe thereof is declared together with it, in that which is premiſed; That in thoſe daies, there was no King in Iſrael. Therefore remembring theſe things, I did think even of theſe preſent diſſentions, that which truly is terrible to be ſpoken, and perchance a paradox; but if it ſhall be conſidered and weighed, is moſt true, that peradventure even now, for the contempt of one great, true and only King of all, there is ſo great Diſſention and Fighting among thoſe who are in the Church of Chriſt, whiles every one hath revolted from the Doctrine of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and challengeth to himſelf by his *As our Army Councils, Junctoes and Grandees have done, and do.own Authority, his own cogitations and definitions; and would rather reign againſt the Lord, than be ſubject to the Lord, and be governed by him. When I ſearched this with my ſelf, and ſtood amazed at this monſtrous impiety, & did yet further ſearch it out, I was farther perſwaded, that the foreſaid cauſe was true, by nothing more then from the things of this life. For I ſaw every ſtate of a multitude, well compounded, and to obtain agreement and conſiſt together, ſo long only as their obedience was kept towards *See Caelius Rhodiginus Antiquarum Lectionum, l. 24. c. 29, 30.ſome one King over them all; and on the other ſide, that diſſention and diviſion of every kind, yea and moreover polyarchy did ariſe from hence, if there being no King, there was liberty obtained of doing any thing we would. I have ſeen ſometimes even a ſwarm of *See Seneca here, p. 71, 72.Bees from the Law of Nature to wage War, and in order to follow their own King; And truly I my ſelf have beheld many ſuch things, and I have alſo heard many ſuch things, and thoſe know more who are imployed about theſe things; that even from hence, that I have ſaid may be proved to be true; for it is the property and peculiar of thoſe, who look unto the command of one, and obey and uſe one King, that they are & may be well diſpoſed and at concord among themſelves; therfore all diſſention & diſcord, is both a Judgment and ſign of that contumacy, wherein the principality of one is rejected. According to the ſame reaſon, even the very diſſention which is forbidden both between the Commandements of our Father and our Lord, and alſo between our ſelves, ariſeth, either from a departure from the true King, or from the renouncing of him: which he there further proves from ſundry Texts. Therefore by his and Gods own reſolution, there is no way to heal our manifold Diſſenſions, Diſtractions, and reſtore peace, unity, order in our Church and State, but by returning to our true lawfull Spiritual and Temporal only Kings, both whom we have moſt contemptuouſly and obſtinately ſo long rejected, both in our devotions & legal tranſactions, our Church and State affairs; which I wiſh all Republicans & Antimonarchiſts moſt ſeriouſly to ponder, and our new Junctoes, and General Council of Army-Officers, ſeduced and acted by*De Monarchia Hiſp. c. 21. Campanella, Spaniſh and Romiſh Emiſſaries, to promote our ruine; who of our Servants are now become our Soveraign Lords and Legifers, changing their lunatick Votes, Reſolutions, Moddels of Government, as frequently as the Moon, to keep us in endleſs Confuſions, by trampling all Laws of God, and the Realm, and their ſpiritual as well as temporal King, and Monarchy under their feet. But this King of Kings, as he hath of late years daſhed them in pieces by his admirable ſtupendious providences, (of which they will not take notice) for this their obſtinate oppoſition of and rebellion againſt their Kings, Monarchy and Kingſhip; Prov. 24. 21, 22. ſo no doubt,aPſal 2 4, 5, 6, 9. He that ſitteth in the Heavens, if they therein ſtill proceed, will laugh at them, and their Antimonarchical Votes, the Lord ſhall have them in deriſion; yea he ſhall ſpeak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his ſore diſpleaſure, He ſhall break them with a rod of Iron, and daſh them in pieces like a Potters veſſel: maugre all their forces, votes, counſels, confederacies, and make good thoſe general promiſes, bPſal. 2. 6.Yet have I ſet my King upon my holy Hill of Sion. cPſal. 100. 2.Rule thou in the middeſt of thine enemies. dPſal. 97. 1. Pſal. 99. 1.The Lord reigneth, let the Earth rejoyce; let the multitude of the Iſles be glad thereof. Yea the Lord reigneth, be the people never ſo impatient, He ſitteth between the Cherubins, be the Earth never ſo unquiet. ePſal. 18. 50.Great deliverance giveth he unto his King, and ſheweth mercy to his Anointed, to vid, and to his Seed for evermore. And that which is moſt conſiderable, their own tranſcendent, unpreſidented, tyrannical, illegal, unrighteous, violent proceedings againſt the whole Houſe of Peers, the majority of their own ſecluded, ejected old Fellow-Members, the City of London, and their Common Council, (their former chief Supporters,) whom they have now made the ſcorn and deriſion of the World, by voting down their Common Council, and pulling down their Gates, Perculliſes and Poſts, before any hearing, or Judgement, and putting higher affronts upon them after all their former Obligations, and the late Kings large Privileges granted to them in the Iſle of Weight, than ever any Kings of England formerly did, or durſt attempt; Their diſ-obliging and diſ-carding all or moſt of thoſe Army-Officers and Souldiers who firſt created them a Parliament, without a King or Houſe of Lords, and reſtored them to their preſent power in May laſt; and engaging others of them in ſuch diſpleaſing ſervices, as do render them odious for the preſent, and infamous to poſterity; Their exaſperating the generality of the Nobility, Gentry, Miniſters, and Commons of our three Kingdoms againſt them, by their peremptory denyal to admit, and forcible ſecluſion and voting out the old ſecluded Members, (the Majority of the Houſe) to monopolize all Parliamentary power and Offices into their own hands, and refuſing the convening of a free and full Parliament, without prelimitations, to ſettle our Diſtractions, according to the general Deſires and Addreſſes of moſt Counties and Cities of the Kingdom, and impriſoning ſome worthy Gentlemen & Swordmen, only for preſenting at their Counties requeſts, theſe their Deſires in Letters, directed to their Speaker, and unjuſtly refuſing to bayl them upon Habeas Corporaes, in Courts where they ſit both as Members and Judges, and Parties, which none ever did before; thereby leaving the ſubjects in greater Vaſſalage, than ever they ſuſtained under the late King, whom they*In their Declaration of March 17. 1648. branded and beheaded as the worst of all Tyrants. And yet doubling and trebling their Taxes, in their exhauſted condition, and loſſe of all Trade for thoſe very 6, Months ſpace, for which they were taxed and forced to pay in before hand by them, without their Common conſent in Parl during their Repreſentatives forcible ſecluſion, againſt their own Act Oct. 11. 1659. contrary to all their former & late Declarations, no Kings of England having been ſo extravagant, arbitrary, unjuſt & oppreſſive in their Governments and proceedings, as they have been, and that in the very midſt of their own private fears and unſettlement, and our publick dangers, after all the late vaſt expences of blood, and treaſure, to maintain our Laws, Liberties, Propertys againſt all arbitrary and tyrannical powers; nor yet daring to attempt againſt their Subjects, what they have boldly acted againſt their fellow Members, and the People, whom they once*Jan. 4. 1648. voted the Sovereign power of the Nation, & whoſe ſervants (not Lords) they pretend themſelves; which deſperate violences, oppreſſions, and extravagances, without any hopes of eaſe, peace liberty or ſettlement, will render our Kings and Kingſhip more amiable and deſirable than ever, and more promote, and accelerate their reſtitution, than all Royalliſts Counſels and endeavours whatſoever, in wiſe mens Judgements, Cum duplicantur lateres, Venit Moyſes.
1 Tim. 1. 17. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, inviſible, the only wiſe God, be Honor and Glory for ever and ever. Amen.
FINIS.
ERRATA.
P. 4. l. 24. laſt, r. middle. p. 43. l. 19. 500, r. 300. p. 68. l. 31. diſci…, r. dejicis. l. 34. r. dolori. p. 77. l. 32. dele ſi. p. 78. l. 1. r. orationis. l. 19. nuncupari. l. 34. Antoninus. Margin, p. 78. l. 9. Antoninus. l. 10. p. 10, r. 49.
THE SECOND PART OF THE Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods true Saints and pious Chriſtians towards their KINGS.
HAving lately preſented the world, with the firſt part of the Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods true Saints and Pious Chriſtians (as likewiſe of Idolatrous Pagans) towards their Kings and Emperors, both before and under the Law, and alſo under the Goſpel, whiles their Emperors and Kings were Idolaters and Ethnicks, expreſſed both by their private and publick Supplications, Prayers, Interceſſions and Thanksgivings unto God, & by their Votes, Acclamations unto themſelves & others, for their health, ſafety, long-life, temporal, ſpiritual, and eternal felicity, whether they were Good or Bad, Orthodox or Heterodox, Protectors or Perſecutors, in 5. diſtinct Chapters, I ſhall now (by Gods aſſiſtance) proceed to the conſtant practice of Chriſtians under the Goſpel, in this kind, after their Kings and Emperors became Chriſtians, profeſſing the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, whether their Kings and Emperors were gracious, and Religious, vitious or impious, Orthodox or Erronious; beginning with the Kings of our own Iſland, and preſenting you with preſidents of this kind, both in forein Prelates, and Clergy-men, as well as in their Domeſtick Chriſtian Subjects of all ſorts, our Britiſh Iſland producing the firſt Chriſtian King, Queen, and Emperor in the world, and the firſt preſidents of private and publick Supplications, Prayers, Interceſſions and thankſgivings for them, unto God, and Votes, Acclamations for their ſafety, health, life and proſperity, as they were Chriſtian.