# King James I - On the Divine Right of Kings



## AV1611 (Jun 9, 2007)

The state of monarchy is the supremest thing upon earth; for kings are not only God's lieutenants upon earth, and sit upon God's throne, but even by God himself are called gods. There be three principal similitudes that illustrate the state of monarchy: one taken out of the word of God; and the two other out of the grounds of policy and philosophy. In the Scriptures kings are called gods, and so their power after a certain relation compared to the divine power. Kings are also compared to fathers of families: for a king is truly Parens patriae, the politique father of his people. And lastly, kings are compared to the head of this microcosm of the body of man.

Kings are justly called gods, for that they exercise a manner or resemblance of divine power upon earth: for if you will consider the attributes to God, you shall see how they agree in the person of a king. God hath power to create or destrov make or unmake at his pleasure, to give life or send death, to judge all and to be judged nor accountable to none; to raise low things and to make high things low at his pleasure, and to God are both souls and body due. And the like power have kings: they make and unmake their subjects, thev have power of raising and casting down, of life and of death, judges over all their subjects and in all causes and yet accountable to none but God only. . . . 

I conclude then this point touching the power of kings with this axiom of divinity, That as to dispute what God may do is blasphemy....so is it sedition in subjects to dispute what a king may do in the height of his power. But just kings will ever be willing to declare what they will do, if they will not incur the curse of God. I will not be content that my power be disputed upon; but I shall ever be willing to make the reason appear of all my doings, and rule my actions according to my laws. . . I would wish you to be careful to avoid three things in the matter of grievances:

First, that you do not meddle with the main points of government; that is my craft . . . to meddle with that were to lesson me . . . I must not be taught my office.

Secondly, I would not have you meddle with such ancient rights of mine as I have received from my predecessors . . . . All novelties are dangerous as well in a politic as in a natural body. and therefore I would be loath to be quarreled in my ancient rights and possessions, for that were to judge me unworthy of that which my predecessors had and left me.

And lastly, I pray you beware to exhibit for grievance anything that is established by a settled law, and whereunto . . . you know I will never give a plausible answer; for it is an undutiful part in subjects to press their king, wherein they know beforehand he will refuse them.

From King James I, Works, (1609).


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## Ravens (Jun 9, 2007)

I'm pretty sure Joe Morecraft is a huge fan of King James I.


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## RamistThomist (Jun 9, 2007)

I thought about giving the title of Morecraft's lecture on James I, but it would have been too offensive.


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## Blueridge Believer (Jun 10, 2007)

When did the divine right doctrine begin?


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## RamistThomist (Jun 10, 2007)

Blueridge reformer said:


> When did the divine right doctrine begin?



The Roman emperors held to a *form* of it. Since they were god, or the closest thing to it, to resist them was to resist the gods. What James I is advocating, to be fair, is different from what the Roman emperors claimed, but not different enough. Louis XIV also held to it--with bloody consequences for the future.


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## AV1611 (Jun 10, 2007)

Blueridge reformer said:


> When did the divine right doctrine begin?



I would argue that it was never questioned and then when it began to be it was needful that it be defended. The pattern that the English have is based upon the kings of Israel. If one takes the time to read King James' writings one sees a very spiritual and holy man.





http://amazon.com/o/ASIN/0521447291...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=265623401&pf_rd_i=507846


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## JonathanHunt (Jun 10, 2007)

AV1611 said:


> I would argue that it was never questioned and then when it began to be it was needful that it be defended. The pattern that the English have is based upon the kings of Israel. If one takes the time to read King James' writings one sees a very spiritual and holy man.



Hmm. Make a study of his life and you will see him to be a very intellectual man, trained in the very best traditions of protestantism, who was nonetheless a vile sexual pervert. I have no indication whatsoever that he was born again.

A very good book on the subject, although probably out of print, is "James 1: The Fool as King", by Otto J Scott, ISBN 0884051234.

In his review of the book, Dr Rushdoony noted the following: _"Scott makes clear what many scholars, misled by James' sorry appearance and pomposity, have missed: 'There had never been anything wrong with James' intelligence; it was his character that was deficient.' James was a key figure in the shift of the climate of Europe from Christian man to politico-economic man, a shift that undermined the work of both the Reformation and the Counter Reformationand gave us the modern era"_

The flyleaf reads _"This second edition of a widely hailed biography contains a new introduction that, for the first time, penetrates the disguises of a monarch who was disgustingly degraded, but was also so clever that he successfully misled not only his contemporaries, but some historians to this day"_

Available in various places as detailed here:

http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl&st=sl&qi=qx,o9un.mIXRyjzRXve4a1YYOXM_8662506423_1:2:5


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## RamistThomist (Jun 10, 2007)

JonathanHunt said:


> Hmm. Make a study of his life and you will see him to be a very intellectual man, trained in the very best traditions of protestantism, who was nonetheless a vile sexual pervert. I have no indication whatsoever that he was born again.
> 
> A very good book on the subject, although probably out of print, is "James 1: The Fool as King", by Otto J Scott, ISBN 0884051234.
> 
> ...



Ditto, I have that book.


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