A57975:558
Lex, Rex
Lex, rex The law and the prince : a dispute for the just prerogative of king and people : containing the reasons and causes of the most necessary defensive wars of the kingdom of Scotland and of their expedition for the aid and help of their dear brethren of England : in which their innocency is asserted and a full answer is given to a seditious pamphlet entitled Sacro-sancta regum majestas, or, The sacred and royal prerogative of Christian kings, under the name of J. A. but penned by Jo. Maxwell the excommunicate P. Prelate. : with a scriptural confutation of the ruinous grounds of W. Barclay, H. Grotius, H. Arnisœus, Ant. de Domi P. Bishop of Spalata, and of other late anti-magistratical royalists, as the author of Ossorianum, D. Fern, E. Symmons, the doctors of Aberdeen, &c. : in XLIV questions.Lex, rex The law and the prince : a dispute for the just prerogative of king and people : containing the reasons and causes of the most necessary defensive wars of the kingdom of Scotland and of their expedition for the ayd and help of their dear brethren of England : in which their innocency is asserted and a full answer is given to a seditious pamphlet intituled Sacro-sancta regum majestas, or, The sacred and royall prerogative of Christian kings, under the name of J. A. but penned by Jo. Maxwell the excommunicate P. Prelat. : with a scripturall confutation of the ruinous grounds of W. Barclay, H. Grotius, H. Arnisœus, Ant. de Domi P. Bishop of Spalata, and of other late anti-magistratical royalists, as the author of Ossorianum, D. Fern, E. Symmons, the doctors of Aberdeen, &c. : in XLIV questions.
London: printed for John Field, 1644London: printed for Iohn Field, 1644
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Obj. 6. There is no Court or Judge above the King, ergo he is absolutely supreme.
Obj. 6. There is no Court or Iudge above the King, ergo he is absolutely supreame.
Ans. The Antecedent is false. The Court that made the King of a private man, a King, is above him; and here are limitations laid on him at his Coronation. 2. The States of Parliament are above him, to censure him. 3. In case of open Tyranny, though the States had not time to convene in Parliament, if he bring on his people an host of Spaniards or foreign Rebels, his own conscience is above him, and the conscience of the people far more, called conscientia terrae, may judge him in so far, as they may rise up and defend themselves.
Ans. The Antecedent is false. The Court that made the King of a private man, a King, is above him; and here are limitations laid on him at his Coronation. 2. The States of Parliament are above him, to censure him. 3. In case of open Tyranny, though the States had not time to conveen in Parliament, if he bring on his people an hoast of Spaniards or forraine Rebells, his owne conscience is above him, and the conscience of the people farre more, called conscientia terrae, may judge him in so farre, as they may rise up and defend themselves.
Obj. 7. Here the Prelate borrowing from Grotius, Barclay, Arnisaus;1 (or its possible he be not so far travelled) for Doct. Ferne hath the same. Sovereignty weakened in Aristocracy cannot do ⟨p. 203⟩its work, and is in the next place to Anarchy and confusion. When Zedekiah was over Lorded by his Nobles, he could neither save himself, nor the people, nor the Prophet the servant of God Jeremiah; nor could David punish Joab, when he was over-awed by that power he himself had put in his hand. To weaken the head, is to distemper the whole body, if any good Prince or his Royal Antecessors be cheated of their sacred right by fraud or force, he may at his fittest opportunity, resume it. What a sin is it to rob God, or the King of their due?