Englands satisfaction in eight queries;: concerning the true place, office, and power of a king, according to Gods word.

5. Quest. Now what difference is there betwixt the power of the Kings of Israel, under the Morall and Ceremoniall Law, and the power of the Kings of England, under the Morall Law, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Subjects of both?

Answ. The Kingdome and Crowne of Israel, was the Gods of Israel, who in Judgement to the people for their sinnes, gave the same to Saul, and confirmed it upon David and to his seede, 1 King. 8. 25. There shall not faile thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel: So that the inheritance of the Crowne of Israel was established upon David; for Bathsheba said, 1 King. 1. 20. My Lord, O King, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldst tell them who shall sit on the throne of my Lord the King after him: saith Da∣vid ver. 34. let Zadock the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, anoynt Solomon King over Israel, and blow with the Trumpet, and say, GOD save King Solomon. The Lord never gave any Kingdome, nor Crowne, neither did the Lord appoint or anoynt any Kings, save onely of Israel and Judah.

The Kings of England were not at their beginning appointed nor anoynted, as were the Kings of Israel, but were by the Nati∣on ordeined as Kings over this Nation, according to the custome of this Nation, which is, before they will admit the Crowne to him they doe intend, he must by Covenant and Oath imposed upon him, yeeld them their rights and priviledges, and that he will rule them according to the Customes and Lawes of the Land; and then they graunt unto him the Crowne for his owne life: so that power that hath power to impose an Oath before a Graunt, hath power to deteine the thing to be graunted, if the Oath be re∣fused by him to whom the Graunt is intended, and every Grauntee is subject to the Grauntor, according to the Covenant of the Graunt, there can be no fee-simple estate in the Grauntee of the thing graunted, but the fee-simple estate of the thing graunted is in the grauntor: The Kingdome or Common-wealth of Eng∣land is the grauntor, the King of England is the grauntee; the Crowne of England is the thing graunted; so that the fee-simple estate of the Crowne of England, is the Common-wealths of Eng∣land to dispose of, according to the Custome and Lawes of the Land, which is by Covenant and Graunt to the Prince in being, and after whose decease by custome, but not by right of inheri∣tance, to the next in or of bloud; and so from one generation to another in like manner. So that this regall power in the 1 Sam. 8. doth not at all belong to a King of England, therefore if the Lord was wrath, and did exceedingly punish the Kings of Israel for

exercising this regall power, before the light of the Gospel, where∣in is revealed a greater light of libertie unto the members of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 2. 7. 9. 10. Ʋnto you therefore which beleeve in Christ Jesus, he is precious, for by him yee are a chosen generation, a royall Priest∣hood, an holy Nation, a peculiar people, that yee should shew forth the praises of him, who hath called you out of darkenesse into his marveilous light. Revel. 5▪ 9, 10. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the Booke and to open the Seales thereof; for thou wast slaine, and hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud, and hast made us unto our God, Kings and Priests: How much more then shall Kings un∣der the knowledge and light of the Gospel, incurre the wrath of God, if they be found guiltie of oppression and tyranny against the beleeving members of the Lord Christ? themselves professing the same faith, and acknowledging the same knowledge: the Lord is no respecter of persons, but the soule that sinneth shall dye.

A King of England may not by this regall power demand and command of and from the people, as the Kings of Israel, neither by the Lawes of God, nor by the Lawes of the Land, neither are the people of England bound to that slavish obedience, as the peo∣ple of Israel were; but the people of England, both by the Lawes of God, and by the Lawes of the Land, are freed from such a sla∣vish obedience; and therefore both according to the Lawes of God, and the Land, may lawfully deny, and refuse to submit, because it is an unlawfull imposition; and where the demand and command is unlawfull, the deniall or refusall is lawfull.