BRethren it is not unknown unto you , how Abraham ( the Father of all the faithful , Gen. 14.18 , 19 , 20. Heb. 7.4 . honoured Melchisedec King of Salem , doing him homage and giving him tythes . ) And how God in the conclusion of his promises to Abraham and Jacob , and having changed their names , Gen 17.6 . Gen. 35.11 . at last tells them that Kings should come out of their Loins , imitating that to be the chief and greatest of all his blessings to them .

And if we consider the History of the Children of Israel , and look upon their different condition , when they had no King , and when they had a King , we shall find it so indeed : for Moses who under God , brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt , is called a King , Deut. 33.5 . to shew us that such a great work as that was , could not be done without a King ; and under a single Person they Conquered the Land of Canaan ; Read the book of Ioshua : but soon after Ioshua died , Israel will be a free State , ( without King or Single Person ) to do what is right in their own eyes , ( they cast off God & his Law ) they will have a pure liberty of Conscience to do what they list ; and to serve what God they please , Iudg. 2.13 , 14 , 15. and some serves one false God , and some another : yea they were divided and devoted to serve seven Gods at once , Iudg. 10.6 . yet the true God came not into their minds , until they are forced to cry unto him being sore oppressed ( for want of a King of their own ) by all the Kings round about them whose Gods they served ; but the Lord hearing their cry , now and then giveth them a Deliverer to save them , Iudg. 2.17 . yet after they obey him not , to serve the Lord .

And when their Judge our Deliverer is dead , Iudg. 2.19 . they return unto their folly free state again ( not regarding God nor his Law ) that they might do what is right in their own eyes : so that the true worship of God is not mentioned to have been in all the time of the book of Iudges : and all the reason given to shew us , why ? ( the Children of Israel were so ungodly , unrighteous , and in such misery during that time ) is because they had no King , Iudg. 17.6 , 7. as you see , Micah sets up an Idol , Iudg. 18. the Danites rob him of it , the men of Gebeah like the Sodomites use the Levit and his Wife , Iudg 19. and this was their doings when they had no King , Iudg. 2.14 . the stronger destroys the weaker , and the Kings of the Nations round about them , Iudg. 6.2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6. destroy them , oppresse them , Iudg. 5.6 , 7 , 8. drive them into holes , 1 Sam. 13.19 , 20. takes all their Arms from them suffers them to have no Smiths among them , 1 Sam. 14.11 , 22. so that when God is pleased to raise them a Deliverer or Judge to bring them into a little better condition , he having no other weapon , sometimes must overcome their enemies with an oxe Goad , or the jaw bone of an Ass ; and in such misery they continued ( until the time of Samuel ) four hundred and fifty years , Iudg. 3 31. Iudg. 15.16 . Act. 14.20 . and when they had a King , Saul by name , & though as bad as some count him , yet he delivered Israel from all their enemies : and did for the Children of Israel , ( put all their actions together ) more then all their Judges in 400. years had done , 1 Sam. 14.47 , 48.

We need not compare that time , to our present time , every one can apply it ; and see that as the Israelites were delivered from Egypt , so we were delivered from Popery ; and as they had a Law made for them to worship God , so we had a Law made for us to worship God ; & as they cast off the true service of God , to serve Baal & Ashtaroth and all the Gods of the Nations , and were spoiled by them ; so we cast off the true service of God , to serve Independents , Anabaptists , Levellers , Renters Quakers , with many more Sects , and were spoiled by them ; we may see our own condition , by theirs , as a man seeth his face in a looking Glass : and we may conclude also with them , that all this is come upon us , because we have no King ; and desire the Lord to give us a King .

Doubtlesse the Gods of these Nations had as delightful , pleasing , deluding power to draw the corrupt nature of man to their service , as that power we see now hath to draw men to the Sectaries of our times : so that it was hard for Israel to live among them , and not to be deluded by them , and drawn away from the true God ; therefore they were commanded to destroy their Altars , and utterly to consume both them and their worshippers , Deut. 7.1 , 2 , 5. Deut. 12.2 , 3. Iudg. 2.2 , 3.

And now to the History again ; Samuel had setled his Sons to be Judges in Israel , and they took bribes and perverted Judgment , 1 Sam. 8.5 , 6 , 7 , 8. and because of that , all the Elders of Israel came to Samuel , and said unto him , behold , thou art old and thy Sons , walk not in thy ways : now make us a King to Judge us , like all the Nations , but the thing displeased Samuel : when they said give us a King to Judge us ; and Samuel prayed unto the Lord , and the Lord said unto Samuel , hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee ; for they have not rejected thee , but they have rejected me that I should not Reign over them : according to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of the Land of Egypt even unto this day , wherewith they have forsaken me , and served other Gods , so they do also unto thee 1 Sam. 10 18 , 19. thus the Lord answered Samuels prayer : and he took it in this sence , that the people in rejecting him , rejected the Lord ; and Samuel all along holds it forth , so making the people to be great sinners in ●●●ing a King ; but the Elders of Israel took it in this sence , that as the people did formerly reject the Lord to be their God , and served other Gods , so now they doe reject Samuel , and would have a King ; for so the word of the Lord holds it forth , saying , they have forsaken me & served other Gods ▪ so doth they also unto thee , 1 Sam. 8.8 . and the Elders would not at all cross the good old man in his saying ( who was now displeased , ) but lets him have it , yet notwithstanding Samuels words they will have a King , and will stand firme for him , for all Samuels perswasion to the contrary ; for Samuel tels them what the Lords answer to his Prayer was , 1 Sam. 8.10 . and they see the mind of the Lord , and that Samuel being a little carried aside by self interest did not construe it right . And it is the nature of good men to confine God to their own assemblies , yea Governours have high conceits of themselves , as if God were no where but with them , witness that proud Motto upon our States Coine ; God with us , the Commonwealth of England : it is true , Samuel was a mighty Prophet , but not without sin ; his fault was Ely's fault , he loved his sons too much , so that he would not heare of their evil doings .

The whole booke of Judges is a story of Israels misery , for want of a King , Judg. 21.25 . and it ends with a lamentation , thus , In those daies there was no King in Israel , every man did what was right in his own eyes . These things were written for our example and learning ; and truly we may very well say Amen to it ; for we know it to be true by woefull experience , we had a King , and then were the happiest people in the world , and now we have no King , we are in a woefull condition at home , and in scorn and derision throughout the world ; and could not our great Scripturians see this before now ? No sure , the Kings Lands , and Bishops Lands , with Deanes and Chapters Lands stood in their eyes and made them blind , so that they could not see the truth , but now let Christ open your eyes .

I know you would not be counted the sons of Belial , ( or sons of the Devil , that is the meaning of it , ) therefore see of what sort the sons of Belial are , 1 They are wicked Sodomites , Judg. 19.22 . 2. They know not the Lord , 1 Sam. 2.21 . 3 They are against Kingship . 1 Sam. 10.26.27 . 4 They are very unruly , 2 Sam. 23.6.7 . 5 They have neither bounty nor charity or Justice , but they would have all to themselves though they spue it up again , 1 Sam. 1.14.15.16 . 1 Sam. 30.22.23.24.25 . 6 They have no concord with Christ , 2 Cor. 6.15 . 7 Of such Belials ( that pretend holy things , but intend earthly things , ) doth the Apostle speake . Rom. 16.17.18 . Phil. 3.18.19 . I say by these marks you may know whether ye are the sons of Belial or no , and if ye be and continue to be the sons of Belial , how ye are to expect sudden destruction . Phil. 3.18.19 . 1 Thes. 5.3 . & to confirm it with something that speaks to us in particular , I will shew you a Welch Prophecy , spoken above a thousand years agoe by Taliesin , & Printed above two years agoe , ●hen none could tell what it meant ; but now every one may see it fulfilled , ye have it page 82. ( of Mr. Pughe's book , called Brittish and outlandish Prophesies ) Thus as followeth

1 That is the Scots Irish highlanders . 2 That is those who are against Kingship . 3 That is General Monck . 4 That is Sir Arthur Hasilrig. 5 That is Lambert now under foot . 6 That is the Nine Colonels Controles Sir Arthur Hesilrig .

The Welchman is the Prince of Wales , who without doubt will come in suddenly : make your peace with him quickly , lest Lambert and those gallant old Colonels and Commanders laid aside by you , beat up your quarters for him : I promise you they want neither wisdome nor valour , and they will not want weapons , and Ox Goad or the jaw bone of an Asse in their hands will do more execution , then all your weapons ; they are experienced Souldiers , and much beloved among your Souldiers , and by many in City and Countrey ; therefore beware lest by your delay in Proclaming the King , you bring it to another War and loose all .

The people were divided in Samuels time ( as now we are ) some for the King , and some against the King : those that were for a King were so earnest , because God had touched their hearts to be so minded , as once he touched Lydias heart : but they who were against the King are called the Children of Belial , who said of Saul , how shall this man save us , and they despised him , 1 Sam. 10.26 , 27. Act. 16.14 . yet we see how under God , Saul first saved them from Nahash the Ammonite , and after that from the Israelites , who would have put them to death , because they despised King Saul , had he not stood up for them , 1 Sam. 11.11 , 12 , 13. so that these despisers were more beholding to Saul then all the rest of the people beside ; and who knoweth O ye dispisers of King Charls Stuart , whether it may not be your case , and that King Charles shall save you in like manner .

But you will say we will have no King to save us , but King Jesus ? I answer , do you think that Jesus was not the Saviour in those days , but he saveth by means , now as he did then ; Saul was the means who gave the Glory to the Lord , 1 Sam 11.13 . and before those days Jesus was the King and the Saviour , yet Moses was the means ; for he was King in Ieshurum , Deut. 33.5 . or in the room of Jesus , Moses was deputy or Steward , as King Charls Stuart ; now as for Steward it is a Prophetick Gospel word which hath the promise , Luk. 12.42 , 43. therefore have a care that you despise him not , for he is Christ Jesus high Steward or Vice-Roy at this time .

I have heard 15 years agoe , that they had a sport or a way of dispute in Bedlam , which they cal'd the hunting of the spirit ; and they hunted it alwaies until they came unto the word King , and then they could go no further ; and I find since that many in England hath been a long time hunting the spirit : and now it is come to the word King , they must hunt no further ; for the spirit now resteth on King Charls , as it rested on King Jesus 1630 years ago , Ioh. 1.23 . I know those Bedlam men were inspired with no worse spirit then them are who all a long since , and now pretended to have much of the spirit , yet they hunt the true spirit of God ; and that those Bedlams were forerunners of such Sectaries as we had since : but let them rest with the word King , as those Bedlams did , and go no further last they perish .

This came providentially to me , and I thought good to cite it as an Argument among the rest , to bring those people which indeed I love , to leave their folly ; and though it be a mean argument , yet I know those people look upon mean things to be of God , and most powerful to work great things in mens hearts , and so be it unto them .

God indeed doth not seem to approve of a people that run from one Government to another who are never satisfied ; therefore Samuel doth strongly argue , that the people of Israel who alwaies ( since they were a people ) had been Governed by Judges , did evil in asking a King to govern them ; and his main argument to convince them , was the shewing them their descent and government under which God did own them , 1 Sam. 12.7 , 8 , 9 , 12 , 13. alas , what is that to our case , they had been then but 4 or 5 hundred years under Judges , Act. 13.20 . we have been above 3000 years under Kings , in which time we received such signal signes of Gods favour that none had the like : I say what would Samuel say ( if he were present now ) to see such a people that refuse their King , and would change their so ancient a government ; truly I do believe he would be so displeased with them for it , that he would immediately call to God for Thunder and Fire from Heaven to destroy them from off the Earth , 1 Sam. 7.8 , 9 , 10. 1 Sam. 12.18 .

I never saw young King Charls but once in all my life , & then he was a Child , upon this occasion I saw him , when I came out of prison in the Lent time , 1638. I went to hear a Sermon at VVhitehal , the Text was , Luke 19.41 , 42 , 43 , 44. If thou hadst known , ( even thou , ) at least in this thy day , the things which belong to thy peace , but now they are hid from thine eyes . &c. And after the Sermon ( which was very pertinent , touching the things which came to passe in England since that time , ) a man came with Prince Charles in his Armes , and held him out over the Rales of the Gallary , for all the people to see him , to shew them that he was under God , the only means of peace to them , and so I believed then , and do believe yet , that England cannot be happy without him , and now also the people are sensible of it .

Therefore ye great ones , do not think , that the people value Parliaments so much , as their joy manifested of late , upon the news of a free Parliament , but that their hope is , they will bring in the King , otherwise they care not for Parliaments ; the late King Charls gave them too much of that already , they know Parliaments by woful experience to be hurtful to them ; so that they do not desire to have Parliaments Reign over them any longer

But now beware ye people ( that desire the King ) what men ye Chuse to Sit this next ensuing Parliament ; for if ye Chuse any of them that have bought or sold the King , Bishops , Deanes , and Chapters Lands , they will do you no good ; therefore chuse none of them nor any of their Friends , which you think will carry on their private ends and self-interest .