A treatise of civil policy

Ans. 1. The Prelate cannot restrict this to Kings only, it extendeth to Parliaments also. Solomon addeth [Greek or Hebrew] and Consules, [Greek or Hebrew] all the Sirs, and Princes [Greek or Hebrew] and Magnificents, and Nobles, and more [Greek or Hebrew] and all the Judges of the earth, they reign, rule, and decree justice by Christ. Here then Majors, Sheriffs, Provosts, Constables, are by the Prelate extolled as persons, sacred, irresistible: Then, 1. the Judges of England rule not by the King of ⟨p. 23⟩Britain, as their Author, efficient, constituent, but by Jesus Christ immediately, nor doth the Commissary rule by the Prelate. 2. All these, and their power, and persons, rule independently, and immediately by Jesus Christ. 3. All inferior Judges are [Greek or Hebrew], the Ordinances of God not revocable. Ergo, The King cannot deprive any Judge under him; he cannot declare the Parliament no Parliament; once a Judge and always, and irrevocably a judge. This Prelates poor pleading for Kings deserves no wages. Lavater intelligit superiors & inferiores Magistratus, non est potestas nisi a deo, Vatablus confiliarios. 2. If the people had absolute right, to choose Kings by the Law of Israel, they might have chosen another, then either Adonijah, or Solomon, but the Lord expressly, Deut. 17. 14. put an express Law on them, that they should make no King, but him whom the Lord should choose: Now the Lord did either by his immediately inspired Prophet, anoint the man, as he anointed David, Saul, Jehu, &c. or then he restricted, by a revealed promise, the Royal power to a family, and to the eldest by birth: and therefore the Lord first chose the man, and then the people made him King: birth was not their rule, as is clear, in that they made Solomon their King, not Adonijah the elder; and this proveth, that God did both ordain Kingly Government to the Kingdom of Israel, and chose the man, either in his person, or tied it to the first born of the Line. Now we have no Scripture, nor Law of God, to tie Royal dignity to one man, or to one family; produce a warrant for it in the Word, for that must be a privilege of the Jews, for which we have no Word of God, but we have no immediately inspired Samuels, to say, Make David, or this man King; and no Word of God to say, Let the first born of this family, rather then another family sit upon the throne;

Ans. 1. The Prelate cannot restrict this to Kings only, it extendeth to Parliaments also. Solomon addeth and Consules, all the Sirs, and Princes and Magnificents, and Nobles, and more and all the Iudges of the earth, they reign, rule, and decree justice by Christ. Here then Majors, Sheriffs, Provosts, Constables, are by the Prelate extolled as persons, sacred, irresistible: Then, 1. the Iudges of England rule not by the King of