IX. Dan. 2.21, 22. He changeth the times and the seasons; He removeth Kings, and setteth up Kings; He giveth Wisdom to the Wise, and Knowledge to them that know understanding; He revealed deep and secret things; He knoweth what is in the dark, and the light dwelleth with him.
THAT which is principally intended by the Prophet here (as the Context evidently shewes) is to celebrate the praise of God, as the only Authour of setting up in Succes∣sion the several Monarchies of the World: And to make it evident, that to do this, belongs to none but God, he compares it with these other Prerogatives of his, which are apparently belonging so to him, as that no other can have any thing to do in them: For who can have any thing to do in changing the times and the seasons which God hath put in his own power*? Who but God alone can be the Giver of Wisdom and Knowledge? Who can reveal Secrets, that are absolutely such (such as the knowledge of the future Monarchies, and the meaning of a forgotten dream concerning them) but God alone? Who besides him, or with him, can tell what is in the dark? Who then (if Daniels parallel here made be true) can have the right or the power to remove Kings, and to set up Kings, but God alone? His meaning must necessarily be, that men can have no more to do in this, than in those other special Prerogatives of God, in any of which they can be (at most) but instrumental; which signi∣fies nothing to the purpose, save that it infers a necessity of Gods im∣mediate Essiciency, as of the principal Cause, without whose imme∣diate Concurrence, the Instrumental operates nothing at all.
And if the people cannot be principal, or other than meerly in∣strumental in the Fact, they can have no pretence of interest in the Page 23Right. The Right therefore, that is, the lawful Power and just Au∣thority of removing Kings, and setting up Kings, can in no wise belong unto them, but precisely and incommunicably to God alone.
- No proper Right, and special Prerogative of God is at all belonging to men: But,
- The just power to remove Kings, and set up Kings, is the proper Right, and special Prerogative of God. Ergo.
The Major is evident in it self; the Minor is clearly evin∣ced by the Text alledged; the Conclusion then is certain and infal∣lible; viz. The just power to remove Kings, and set up Kings, is not at all belonging to men.
From whence it followes, That if a whole people, and much more, if a prevailing Party (against the will, and to the extream regret of the whole) shall (de facto) not only remove, but murder their lawful King (all the aggravations of that Monster∣sin duly weighed) they can be no less wicked, than the worst wickedness can make them, except that of desperation, and fi∣nal impenitency: For in that wilful, deliberate and affected A∣nomy, wherein all Law, Divine and Humane, is knowingly transgressed (beside the greatest wrong done to the Best of men) they boldly assault Heaven, and invade the proper Right and spe∣cial Prerogative of God: From hence the justness of the seve∣rest punishment of those horrid Offendors, is most evident to all understandings, and even to their own consciences (if they have, or ever had any.)
