James I of England and Divine Right Theory

James I had been carrying on with Parliament the debate that, in his
son's reign, would eventuate in civil war and regicide. He did not merely
assume all the power that Henry VII and Elizabeth had wielded over their
cowed or grumbling legislators; he formulated his claims as divine
imperatives. To the Parliament of 1609 he announced:

The state of monarchy is the supremest thing upon earth. For kings are
not only God's lieutenants on earth, and sit upon God's throne, but
even by God Himself are called gods....Kings are justly called gods, for
that they exercise a manner or resemblance of divine power on earth;
for if you will consider the attributes of God, you shall see how they
agree in the person of a king. God hath power to create or destroy,
make or unmake at His pleasure, to give life or send death, to judge all
and be judged nor accountable to none.... And the like power have
kings; to make and unmake their subjects, they have power of raising
and casting down, of life and death; judges over all their subjects and
in all causes, and yet accountable to none but God only. They have
power to... make of their subjects, like men at the 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.

This was quite a step backward, for medieval political theory had regularly
made the king a delegate of the sovereign people; only the popes had
professed to be the viceroys of God.

From: Will and Ariel Durant, The Story of Civilization, VII, The Age of Reason Begins, New York, Simon and
Schuster, 1961, p.138.

Letter from James I (King of England, 1603-1625) to his son Charles I

"God gives not kings the style of gods in vain,

For on the throne His sceptre do they sway;
And as their subjects ought them to obey,
So kings should fear and serve their God again.
If, then, ye would enjoy a happy reign,
Observe the statutes of our heavenly king,
And from His law make all your laws to spring.
If His lieutenant here you would remain,
Reward the just, be steadfast, true, and plain;
Repress the proud, maintaining aye the right;
Walk always so as ever in His sight,
Who guards the godly, plaguing the profane;
And so shall you in princely virtues shine,
Resembling right your mighty King divine."