The Covenants And The Covenanters / Covenants, Sermons, and Documents of the Covenanted Reformation

by Unknown

2. A family reformation. The king should reform his family, after the example of godly kings. Asa, when he entered in covenant, spared not his mother's idolatry. The house of our king hath been much defiled by idolatry. The king is now in covenant, and to renew the covenant, let the royal family be reformed; and, that it may be a religious family, wherein God will have pleasure, let it be purged, not only of idolatry, but of profanity and looseness, which hath abounded in it. Much hath been spoken of this matter; but little hath been done in it. Let the king and others, who have charge in that family, think it lieth upon them, as a duty, to purge it. And if ye would have a family well purged, and constitute, take David for a pattern, in the purgation and constitution of his, "The froward heart, wicked persons, and slanderers, he will have far from him: but his eyes are upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with him." If there be a man better than another in the land, he should be for the king, and his family: ye may extend his reformation to the court. A profane court is dangerous for a king. It hath been observed as a provoking sin in England, which hath drawn down judgment upon king and court, as appeareth this day. It is to be wished that such were in the court, as David speaketh of in that psalm. Let the king see to it, and resolve with David, "That he who worketh deceit, shall not dwell within his house: and he who telleth lies, shall not tarry in his sight."

3. Reformation in judicatories. It should be carefully seen to, that judicatories be reformed; and that men, fearing God and hating covetousness, may be placed in them. A king in covenant, should do as Jehoshaphat did. "He set judges in the land, and said, take heed what ye do; ye judge not for men, but for the Lord, who is with you in judgment: wherefore now, let the fear of the Lord be before you."

4. The reformation of the whole land, the king's eye should be upon it. "Jehoshaphat went out through the people, from Beersheba to mount Ephraim; and brought them back to the Lord God of their fathers." Our land hath great need of reformation; for there is a part of it that hath scarce ever yet found the benefit of reformation, they are lying without the gospel. It will be a good work for a covenanted king, to have a care that the gospel may be preached through the whole land. Care also should be taken, that they who have the gospel may live suitably thereto. If a king would be a thorough reformer, he must be reformed himself, otherwise he will never lay reformation to heart. To make a king a good reformer, I wish him these qualifications, according to the truth and in sincerity, wherewith they report Trajan the emperor to have been endued; he was, 1. Devout at home. 2 Courageous in war. 3. Just in his judicatures. 4. Prudent in all his affairs. True piety, fortitude, justice and prudence, are notable qualifications in a prince who would reform a kingdom, and reform well.

I come now to the fifth and last particular; and that is the covenant made between the king and the people: when a king is crowned and received by the people, there is a covenant or mutual contract between him and them, containing conditions, mutually to be observed: time will not suffer to insist upon many particulars. I shall only lay before you these three particulars. 1. It is clear from this covenant, that a king hath not absolute power to do what he pleaseth: he is tied to conditions by virtue of a covenant. 2. It is clear from this covenant, that a people are bound to obey their king in the Lord. 3. I shall present the king with some directions for the right government of the people who are bound to obey.

1. It is clear, that the king's power is not absolute, as kings and flattering courtiers apprehend; a king's power is a limited power by this covenant; and there is a threefold limitation of the king's power. 1. In regard of subordination. There is power above his, even God's power, whom he is obliged to obey; and to whom he must give an account of his administration, (and yesterday ye heard that text, "by Me kings reign.") Kings have not only their crowns from God, but they must reign according to His will. He is called the "Minister of God;" he is but God's servant. I need not stay upon this; kings and all others will acknowledge this limitation. 2. In regard of laws, a king is sworn at his coronation, to rule according to the standing received laws of the kingdom. The laws he is sworn to, limit him that he cannot do against them, without a sinful breach of this covenant between the king and the people. 3. In regard of government, the total government is not upon a king. He hath counsellors as a parliament or estates in the land, who share in the burden of government. No king should have the sole government: it was never the mind of those who received a king to rule them, to lay all government upon him, to do what he pleaseth, without controlment. There is no man able alone to govern all. The kingdom should not lay that upon one man, who may easily miscarry. The estates of the land are bound in this contract to bear the burden with him.

These men who have flattered kings to take unto themselves an absolute power, to do what they please, have wronged kings and kingdoms. It had been good that kings, of late, had carried themselves so, as this question of the king's power might never have come in debate; for they have been great losers thereby. Kings are very desirous to have things spoken and written, to hold up their arbitrary and unlimited power; but that way doth exceedingly wrong them. There is one, a learned man, I confess, who hath written a book for the maintenance of the absolute power of kings, called Defensio Regis, whereby he hath wronged himself in his reputation, and the king in his government. As for the fact, in taking away the life of the late king, (whatever was God's justice in it) I do agree with him to condemn it, as a most unjust and horrid act, upon their part who did it: but when he cometh to speak of the power of kings, in giving unto them an absolute and unlimited power, urging the damnable maxim, quod libet licet, he will have a king to do what he pleaseth, impune, and without controlment. In this, I cannot but dissent from him.

In regard of subordination some say, that a king is accountable to none but God. Do what he will, let God take order with it; this leadeth kings to atheism, let them do what they please, and to take God in their own hand: in regard of laws, they teach nothing to kings but tyranny: and in regard of government, they teach a king to take an arbitrary power to himself, to do what he pleaseth without controlment. How dangerous this hath been to kings, is clear by sad experience. Abuse of power and arbitrary government, hath been one of God's great controversies with our king's predecessors. God in His justice, because power hath been abused, hath thrown it out of their hands: and I may confidently say that God's controversy with the kings of the earth is for their arbitrary and tyrannical government.

It is good for our king to learn to be wise in time, and know that he receiveth this day a power to govern, but a power limited by contract; and these conditions he is bound by oath to stand to. Kings are deceived who think that the people are ordained for the king; and not the king for the people; the Scripture sheweth the contrary. The king is the "minister of God for the people's good." God will not have a king, in an arbitrary way, to encroach upon the possessions of subjects, "A portion is appointed for the prince." And it is said, "My princes shall no more oppress My people; and the rest of the land, shall they give unto the house of Israel, according to their tribes." The king hath his distinct possessions and revenues from the people; he must not oppress and do what he pleaseth, there must be no tyranny upon the throne.

I desire not to speak much upon this subject. Men have been very tender in meddling with the power of kings; yet, seeing these days have brought forth debates concerning the power of kings, it will be necessary to be clear in this matter. Extremities would be shunned. A king should keep within the bounds of the covenant made with the people, in the exercise of his power; and subjects should keep within the bounds of this covenant, in regulating that power. Concerning the last, I shall propound these three to your consideration.

1. A king, abusing his power to the overthrow of religion, laws and liberties, which are the very fundamentals of this contract and covenant, may be controlled and opposed; and if he set himself to overthrow all these by arms, then they who have power, as the estates of a land, may and ought to resist by arms: because he doth, by that opposition, break the very bonds, and overthroweth all the essentials of this contract and covenant. This may serve to justify the proceedings of this kingdom against the late king, who, in an hostile way, set himself to overthrow religion, parliaments, laws and liberties.