The Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods Saints, Part 1
The Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods true Saints and Pious Chriſtians towards their KINGS, in all ages, &c.
WHat was once the falſe malicious Calumny, caſt by*Tertulliani Apologeticus, c. 30. to 38. Athenagoras Apologia pro Chriſtianis. Pagan Idolaters upon the Primitive Profeſſors of Chriſtianity, living under perſecuting Heathen Emperors, to exaſperate their fury againſt them, as the worſt of Traytors, and publike Enemies, unworthy to live within their Dominions; That they did neither pray, nor offer ſacrifices publikely to the Gods for their health and ſafety, nor celebrate their ſolemnities with that outward pomp and oftentation as others did; is of late years become the juſt Accuſation, and Treaſonable Impeachment of many degenerate Saints, and Apoſtate Chriſtians within our Realms: who have not only totally diſcontinued, but finally abandoned, prohibited under pain of High Treaſon, all publike (if not private) Solemn Prayers, Supplications, Interceſſions and Thanksgivings, not for perſecuting, Pagan, or Popiſh Emperors, Princes, but even for their own undoubted Hereditarie Proteſtant Kings and their Royal Poſterity, in direct contradiction to Gods own Evangelical precepts, 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2, 3. Rom. 13. 1, to 9. Mat. 22. 21. Mar. 12. 17. And not only falſified that excellent large Apology which Tertullian made for the tranſcendent Loyalty of the Chriſtians in his age towards their perſecuting Pagan Emperors, by their publike and private Zealous Prayers and Petitions to God on their behalfs, and freedom from the least Conſpiracies, rebellions, attempts againſt their Perſons, Crowns or Dignities, of which none but thoſe who were not Chriſtians, & gave Christians the name of publike Enemies were then guilty; but quite inverted this elegant paſſage of his, and tranſlated it both from the Pagan and antichriſtian Romans, on thoſe who pretend themſelves the moſt tranſcendent Chriſtians.*See Beatus Rhenanus, & la Cerda on the place. Unde Caſcii, & Nigri & Albini? Unde qui inter duos lauros obſident Caeſarem? Unde qui faucibus ejus exprimendis paleſtricam exercent? Unde qui armati palatium irrumpunt omnibus Stephanis atque Partheniis audaciores? de Romanis ni fallor, id eſt de non Chriſtianis. Atque adeo omnes illi ſub ipſa uſque impietatis eruptione et ſacra faciebant pro ſalute Imperatoris, et genium ejus dejerabant, alii foris, alii intus. Et utique publicorum hoſtium nomen Chriſtianis dabant. Sed et qui nunc ſceleſtarum partium ſocii aut plauſores quotidie revelantur, poſt vindemiam parricidarum racematio ſuperſtes, quam recentiſſimis et ramoſiſſimis laureis poſtes praeſtruebant? Quam elatiſſimis, & clariſſimis lucernis veſtibula enubilabant? quam cultiſſimis et ſuperbiſſimis thoris forum ſibi dividebant, non ut gaudia publica celebrarent, ſed ut vota propria fam ediſcerent, et in aliena ſolennitate exemplum atque imaginem ſpei ſuae inaugurarent, nomen Principis in corde imitantes, &c. And that which is moſt deteſtable, the generality both of our people and Miniſters under our Republican Tyrants, have not only wholly laid aſide all publike and private Prayers for their own and other Chriſtian Proteſtant Kings, againſt Gods poſitive precepts, and the practice of Chriſtians, Saints in all former ages, Churches; but ſome Miniſters in their very Sermons themſelves have (out of baſe carnal fear of men, and unchriſtian compliance with our late Uſurpers) not dared to read or mention the word King, or Kings in the very Texts of Scripture which they have quoted, but skipped over it as dangerous or ſuperfluous, for fear of incurring the guilt of high treaſon, or diſpleaſure of ſome formidable new Grandees: Whereof I ſhall relate one memorable inſtance in perpetuam rei infamiam, the principal occaſion of theſe Collections.
When I was removed by John Bradſhaw's and his Whitehall Aſſociates Order from my cloſe impriſonment at Taunton to Pendennis Caſtle in Cornwal, without any cauſe, examination, hearing, and conducted thitherwards by ſeveral Troops, on the firſt Lords day in July 1651. reſting at Lanceſton in Cornwall, I repaired to the Church there (with 6. Troopers of Major Blackmores troop who conducted me) in the morning; where the Miniſter of the Town, *A great Republican at firſt; afterward a greater Protectorian, chriſtning one of his Sons by the name of Cromwel Hull.Mr. Hull, an antient man (formerly in New England) preaching upon the 1 Pet. 2. 8. A ſtone of ſtumbling and a rock of offence; handled the Common place of Scandals, raiſing this Propoſition from the words: That it is the duty of all Chriſtians to be very carefull to avoyd ſcandals. In the proſecution whereof he preſcribed certain rules, how Christians might avoyd and prevent ſcandals: the firſt whereof was, chearfully to ſubmit to all Lawful Powers and Governours under whom they lived: Particularly preſcribed by the Apoſtle Peter in the 12, 13, 14 verſes, which he read thus. Have your converſation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they ſpeak againſt you as evil doers, they may by your good works which they ſhall behold, glorifie God in the day of viſitation: Submit your ſelves (therefore) to every ordinance of man for the Lords ſake; unto Governours, as unto them that are ſent by him for the puniſhment of evil doers, and for the praiſe of them that do well; for ſo is the will of God; that with well doing ye may put to ſilence the ignorance of fooliſh men, &c. Omitting the very firſt and principal clauſe in the Text, which he durſt or would not read: Whether it be to the king, as Supreme; and the disjunctive Or, (unto Governours:) which not only mangled, but marred the words and ſence of the place. After which he immediately added, that the ſelfſame rule was preſcribed by the Apoſtle Paul, 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2, 3. which he thus read & maimed as he did the former text. I will therefore that firſt of all, ſupplications, prayers, interceſſions and thanksgivings be made for all men; skipping over the principal words (For kings, and) reading only the next words, All that are in Authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlineſs and honeſty, for that is good and acceptable in the ſight of God our Saviour. Which double omiſſion and preterition of theſe two chief clauſes in both theſe quotations one after another, in this very Doctrine, to avoyd ſcandals, did ſo much ſcandalize me, that I preſently ſaid to the Soldiers ſitting in the ſame ſeat with me; This old temporizing unworthy Miniſter in mangling and perverting both theſe Texts one after another in this ſtrange manner, by omitting and not reading the principal clauſes in them, in the very Pulpit and preſence of God himſelf, and directions to his Auditors, hath given me greater ſcandal and juster offence, than any Minister I ever yet heard preach in all my life, not only by imitating, but exceeding the very Devil himſelf when he tempted our Saviour: For he when he tempted Christ to caſt himſelf down from the pinacle of the Temple: Mat. 4. 6. cited only one Text to induce him to it, omitting the laſt words thereof. Pſ. 91. 11, 12. For it is written, he ſhall give his Angels charge over thee; paſſing over this material clauſe, to keep thee in all thy wayes; and reciting only the ſubſequent words; and in their hands they ſhall bear thee up, leſt at any time thou daſh thy foot againſt a ſtone. Wherein the Devil acted his own part only both as a Tempter, Lyer, Prevaricator, and that in private. But this old Miniſter (if he deſerve the Title) alleged two ſeveral Texts one after another publikely to the whole Congregation in the very Pulpit, as the Embaſſador of Chriſt himſelf, both which he mangled and prevaricated in the prime Clauſes which he omitted: wherein he neither acted the part, nor diſcharged the duty of a faithfull Miniſter, but Devil, or diabolical Prevaricator; fearing, pleaſing thoſe Anti-royalliſts in preſent power, and thoſe who could but kill the body, more than God himſelf, who could caſt his ſoul and body into hell, and had under ſeverest penalties enjoyned all men, but Miniſters more eſpecially, Deut. 4. 2. &c. 12. 32. not to diminiſh ought from the word which he hath commanded them: Not to turn from it either to the right hand or to the left, Joſh. 1. 7. For, if any man ſhall take away from the words of this Book, God ſhall take away his part out of the Book of life, and out of the holy City, and from the things that are written in this Book, Rev. 22. 19. All which texts this timorous wretched Miniſter regarded not at all, dreading the Menaces, Commands, Power of our Republican Grandees, more than the Threats, Precepts, and Omnipotency of God himſelf. Whereupon the Soldiers confeſſed to me, That it was very ill done of the Miniſter thus to mangle Scripture, and that they were as much offended with him for it as my ſelf. Upon further diſcourſe hereof after Sermon, I told the Troopers, They might now diſcern the ſad effects of aboliſhing our Kings and Kingſhip, and how formidable our new Republican Grandees who ſucceeded them, were already become, not only to the Common people, but alſo to Miniſters of the Goſpell, that ſome at ſuch a great diſtance from them as Lanceſton, dreaded them more than God himſelf, and that in the very Pulpit and Houſe of God, not daring to read the word KING, or KINGS, in the very Texts they quoted, for fear of incurring High Treaſon, againſt the new more than Kingly Governors, and Legifers at Whitehall and Weſtminſter; who to prevent this miſchief, might do well, to make an Additional Knack to thoſe Knacks they had formerly publiſhed againſt Kings, and Kingſhip, and the Ingagement againſt them, that the words KING and KINGS ſhould be expunged out of theſe two Texts of 1 Pet. 2. 13, 17. 1 Tim. 2. 2. and all other Texts of the Old and New Teſtament, in all Bibles to be henceforth printed or read within their New Commonwealth; and all old Bibles prohibited, lest Miniſters or people ſhould incur the guilt of High Treaſon, by reading, or obeying theſe Scriptures to the prejudice of their Republike: and if others were afrayd to move it, I would in my next Letters to their Preſident John Bradſhaw and his Aſſociates at Whitehall, acquaint them with this paſſage, and hint thus much to them. Which I did accordingly when I came to Pendennis Castle.
Upon this and other occaſions, I made a Collection of ſuch Scriptures and Antiquities in all ages, both before, and under the Law and Goſpel, as moſt clearly evidenced both the practice and duty of the Saints, Churches and People of God (and of Pagans too) in making publike and private prayers for the lives, healths, Proſperity of their Kings, Emperors, and their royal Poſterities, whether they were Good or Bad, Chriſtian or Pagan, Orthodox or Heterodox, Protectors or Perſecutors of Chriſtianity and the profeſſors of it. Which being a Subject not particularly treated of at large by any Writers I have ſeen or heard of, very ſeaſonable, uſefull to inform the ignorance, and reform the neglect thereof in this Apoſtate age, wherein this Chriſtian duty hath been ſo long neglected, decryed, prohibited in all our three Kingdoms; I thought it not only convenient, but neceſſary to make them publike; and communicate them to poſterity, for the glory of God, the Honor of Religion, and the benefit of all Chriſtian Kings, Emperors, Princes throughout the world.
In the Marſhalling of theſe Collections, I ſhall obſerve a meer Chronological Method, as moſt uſefull and perſpicuous, digeſting all Preſidents and Proofs pertinent to this Subject into diſtinct Chapters, beginning with thoſe that are moſt antient.