A57975:948
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.
Ans. 1. This Text no more proveth that Kings should not be resisted, then it proveth that rich men, or liberal men, or other Judges in•eriour, should not be resisted, for [Greek or Hebrew] signifieth all that, and it signifieth liberal, Isa. 32.5. And ver. 8. the same word is. 2. Deodat. and Calvin say, the meaning is, Learn from the respect that is due to earthly princes, the reverence due to the Sovereign Lord, Mal. 1.8. for it is not convenient to reproach earthly Kings, and and to say to a Prince, [Greek or Hebrew] Belial, a word of reproach, signifying extreme wickedness. And you may not say to a man of place, [Greek or Hebrew] an extremely wicked man, so are the words taken, as signifying most vile and wicked men, 1 Sam. 2.12. 1 Sam. 10.27. 2 Sam. 24.6. Psal. 1.1, 6. Psal. 11.5. Psal. 12.8. Prov. 16.4. Psa. 146.9. and in infinite places. For [Greek or Hebrew] is a word of extreme reproach, coming from [Greek or Hebrew] sine, non, and [Greek or Hebrew] profuit, Jud. 19.22. a most naughty and a lewd man, or from [Greek or Hebrew] jugum, a lawless man, who hath cast off all yokes of Gods or Mans Law.1 So then the meaning is, It is unlawful to reproach earthly Princes and men of place, far more is it unlawful to reproach the Judge of the whole earth with injustice. And what then? We may not reproach the King, as Shimei cursed King David, Ergo, it is unlawful to resist the King in any tyrannous act: I shall deny the consequence. Nay, as Pineda observeth, if the Royalist press the words literally, it shall not be lawful for Prophets to reprove Kings of their sins. Christ called Herod a Fox, Elijah Ahab,