They withstood him before, (said the other) but yet their last fact confirms my proposition so evidently, that such as will oppose themselves unto it, must needs oppose themselves unto God; for my assertion is, That Kings have no privilege more then hath the people to offend Gods Majesty, and if so they do, they are no more exempted from the punishment of the Law, then is any other subject; yea, and that subjects may not only lawfully oppose themselves to their Kings, whensoever they do any thing that expressly oppugns Gods Commandment, but also that they may execute judgement upon them, according to Gods Law; so that if the King be a Murderer, Adulterer, or an Idolater, he should suffer ⟨p. 393⟩according to Gods Law, not as a King, but as an offender: And that the people may put Gods Law in execution, this History clearly proveth; for how soon that the Leprosy appeared in his forehead, he was not only compelled to depart out of the Sanctuary, but also he was removed from all public society and administration of the Kingdom, and was compelled to dwell in a house apart, even as the Law commanded; and gat no greater privilege in that case, then any other of the people should have done: And this was executed by the people; for it was no doubt but more were witnesses of his Leprosy then the Priests alone; but we find none oppose themselves to the sentence of God pronounced in his Law against the Leprosy: And therefore yet again I say, That the people ought to execute Gods Law, even against their Princes, when that their open crimes by Gods Laws deserve punishment; but especially, when they are such as may infect the rest of the multitude. And now, my Lords, (said he) I will reason no longer, for I have spoken longer then I intended.
They withstood him before, (said the other) but yet their last fact confirms my proposition so evidently, that such as will oppose themselves unto it, must needs oppose themselves unto God; for my assertion is, That Kings have no priviledge more then hath the people to offend Gods Majestie, and if so they do, they are no more exempted from the punishment of the Law, then is any other subject; yea, and that subjects may not onely lawfully oppose themselves to their Kings, whensoever they do any thing that expresly oppugnes Gods Commandment, but also that they may execute judgement upon them, according to Gods Law; so that if the King be a Murtherer, Adulterer, or an Idolater, he should suffer ⟨p. 393⟩according to Gods Law, not as a King, but as an offender: And that the people may put Gods Law in execution, this History cleerly proveth; for how soon that the Leprosie appeared in his forehead, he was not onely compelled to depart out of the Sanctuary, but also he was removed from all publike society and administration of the Kingdom, and was compelled to dwell in a house apart, even as the Law commanded; and gat no greater priviledge in that case, then any other of the people should have done: And this was executed by the people; for it was no doubt but more were witnesses of his Leprosie then the Priests alone; but we finde none oppose themselves to the sentence of God pronounced in his Law against the Leprosie: And therefore yet again I say, That the people ought to execute Gods Law, even against their Princes, when that their open crimes by Gods Laws deserve punishment; but especially, when they are such as may infect the rest of the multitude. And now, my Lords, (said he) I will reason no longer, for I have spoken longer then I intended.
