James I (a Presbyterian, r. in Scotland, 1567 as James VI; in England 1603 – 1625) lectures Parliament on the Divine Right of Kings to declare and wage war, negotiate treaties, and otherwise rule outside the limitations of the Magna Carta:

       The state of the monarchy is the supremest [sic] thing upon the earth.  For kings are not only God’s lieutenants upon earth, and sit upon God’s throne, but even by God himself they are called gods. …

       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 has power to create, or destroy, 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 soul and body due.  And the like power have kings: they make and unmake their subjects; they have the power of raising and casting down, of life and of death; judges over all their subjects, and in all cases, and yet accountable to none but God only.  They have the power to exalt low things and abase high things, and make of their subjects like men at chess: a pawn to take a bishop or a knight, and to cry up or down any of their subjects, as they do their money. …

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       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, but quid vult deus [Latin for “what God wants”], that divines may lawfully, and do ordinarily, dispute and discuss, for to dispute a posse ad esse [Latin for “from possibility to actuality”] is both against logic and divinity, 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.

       [restored 9/21/2024]