not that he was exempted from humane infirmties but as to the main he was a Prince chosen by God out of all the Tribes and Families of Israel endowed with all Royal vertues of Fortitude Wisdom and Clemency that might qualifie him for Government a man after Gods own heart who minded the building of Gods house more than his own for in the midst of all his troubles when he was driven to shift for himself from one place and Kingdom to another he gave the Priests a special charge to secure the Ark of God 2 Sam. 15.25 And it was his good will to Sion that created him so much ill will from his and Gods Enemies they were for Conventicles at Hebron he for the Vniformity of Gods Worship at Hierusalem hinc illae Lacrimae Those Dissenters knew they could not destroy Gods Vine but by a blow at the root of that Royal Oak that supported it No Prince ruled more strictly by the Laws of God and the Statutes of Israel than David Psal 78.73 He fed them with a faithful and true heart and ruled them prudently with all his power The greatest imperfection in David's government was his too great indulgence to such as Absolon and Shimei who abused it to an attempt of his overthrow for he granted to some who had been his professed Enemies more Favours Priviledges and Dignities than other munificent Princes have done to their approved Friends This good King is said v. 4. to be thus persecuted while he thought himself secure Nil tale metuentem His Innocence was his chief Guard which caused him to expose himself in all places among all sorts of persons having deserved well of all he suspected none Whatever Clamours were noised against him he was not conscious of any guilt of Arbitrary government or Oppression or any deviation from the established Worship of God to Idolatry though in the time of his banishment among idolatrous Nations he met with such Temptations as none but a true Israelite in whose spirit there is no guile could resist Yet wanted there not some that slandered the footsteps of Gods anointed The best men are least suspicious it is Impiety and Guilt that multiplieth Fears and Jealousies and makes men froward and impatient Malefactors are always Enemies to those that have the power to punish them knowing they cannot be safe but by diverting their Governours from the execution of the Laws The best Princes like the best men have usually the most Enemies as will appear in The second Parallel the persons joyned in the Conspiracy Wherein Achitophel was the first Mover and the great Wheel that gave motion to all the rest A treacherous false Brother as his name signifies Frater defectus vel ruinae That person to whom David had respect Psal 41.9 My own familiar friend in whom I trusted which did eat of my bread hath lift up his heel against me Wherein he was a type of Judas that betrayed his Lord and Master He was as Tacitus says of Sejanus facinorum omnium repertor the spirit and life of that wicked Association which from its first conception was impregnated with an Assassination He had been a long time David's Counsellor as he is call'd by way of Eminency the chief Minister of State He was preferred 1 Chron. 27.33 before Hushai though he is stiled the kings friend and companion before Jehoiada and Abiathar and Joab the Kings General He had been intrusted with the Arcana Imperii A man of great Experience and no less Subtilty he knew the Intrigues of all the Factions in Israel and of all the neighbouring Princes and by his compliance had insinuated into the affections of them all so that he drew them all into an Association with him Gebal and Ammon and Amalek the Philistins and them that dwell at Tyre He had the art of uniting them to himself who never could agree with one another With all these the Counsel of Achitophel was as if they had enquired at the Oracle of God and no wonder for it was so with David and Absolon also He had seen divers Revolutions of the Government Quorum pars magna fuit from Saul to his Son Ishboseth from Ishboseth's short Reign to David and now he sets up for Absolon and who would not confederate with the Kings Son having the Kings great Counsellor on his side We cannot find any cause given by David for Achitophel's Revolt who had been obliged by all the Favours that a potent and prosperous Prince could heap on a well-deserving Subject and therefore must impute it to his own ambitious and restless spirit for a right Gilonite he was a Revolter and Renegade from Party to Party as his interest and ungovernable spirit led him Perhaps the prudent Prince had rejected some of his rash Counsels his assuming and ingrossing the sole power of making War and Peace his violating well-established Leagues his Delenda Carthago his courting the Affections of the People alienating them from their Prince sowing Seeds of Discontent and Sedition among them For impatient he was of any Discontent or Corrival in the Kings favour he never did nor could in all the Revolutions endure a Superiour for when he endeavoured to assume the Command of Absolon's Forces to himself as we read 2 Sam. 17.1,2 I will chuse out 12000 men and will up and follow David i. e. he would have headed the Rebellion and left Absolon to shift for himself his designe being frustrated by the seasonable advice of Hushai it so grated on his Spirit that he could find no rest but in his Grave Evident it is that his grand designe was to have broken the Chain of Succession to the Crown of Israel and though he pretended to set up Absolon yet it is apparent that his aim was to assume the Government to himself for when he perceived that Absolon was perswaded to command his own Forces in person and in open Field and not cowardly to assassinate his King being unarmed which one of his most daring Captains refused to do he quite deserted young Absolon I know that some Divines tell us that Achitophel was incensed against David by a revengeful spirit for the sake of Bathsheba who was the Daughter of Eliam 2 Sam. 11.4 and Eliam Achitophel's Son chap. 23.34 But here lies a Mystery Chileab old David's second Son was yet alive though some would have him dead he was to be excluded from the Succession for Absolon's sake as is pretended but that Chain being broken though but in one link the whole would be laid aside as useless and burthensom and then notwithstanding Absolon's pretence the Crown might have descended to his own little Solomon But what if David were guilty in the matter of Bathsheba our Achitophel of all men living was unfit to revenge that sin on his Soveraign of which he was so notoriously guilty himself who as an old Fornicator having consumed his own strength on strange Women having incestuously abused the Mother and Daughter as
from such sins than a bigotted Separatist One tells the People that they are the Original of Civil Authority and if Magistrates act not by the Laws quas vulgus eligerit they forfeit their Authority Others That it is lawful for them to enter into Leagues and Covenants for defence of themselves and their Religion without and against the Magistrates command That it is not against Scripture or the practice of Primitive Christians violently to resist the Higher Powers when they persecute them for Religion or when the Prince commands against the Laws of the Country That Success justifieth a Cause and to pursue it is to comply with the Will of God and the Conduct of Providence That King Charles the First was lawfully put to death and his Murtherers were the blessed Instruments of Gods Glory in their Generation That he first made War on the Parliament and therefore might not onely be resisted but ceased to be a King and many that died in the War against him are glorious Saints in Heaven That the Presbyterian Government is that Scepter of Christ to which all the Kings of the Earth must bow or he will break them in pieces like a Potters Vessel That the Removal of our Ceremonies was sufficient to countervail for all the Bloud and Treasure spent and spilt in the late Wars In an Epist to the Lord Hallifax Tune inter se concordant quam in perniciem justi conspirant non quia se invicem amant sed quia cum qui amandus erat simul oderant They are told that all the true Protestants are united Presbyterian Independent and Anabaptist sound Protestants all Materials for a new Establishment are prepared there wants onely the perfecting skill of some Master-builder such as his Lordship was and then hands to work That the Wheel was turning and that part which was under would shortly be uppermost And out comes the Celeusma a barbarous Outcry not unknown to Marriners by their Ho-up calling all Hands or One and all to hoist up the Sails for a new Commonwealth Under such Doctrines as these the Presses have sweat the Church hath groaned the Peoples Souls led Captive in Chains of Darkness and under these this Horrid Conspiracy hath been hatched The Devil himself when he appeared in the Mantle of Samuel never did nor could teach Saul more pernicious Doctrines than these Yet these are the Religious Godly Soul-saving Teachers of the Time though by their Fruits we may know them and as well expect Grapes from Thorns and Figs from Thistles as any good Effects from such ill Causes Ferguson Casteers and Lob three Conventicle-Preachers are discovered to have been in the Plot. Philostratus in the life of Apollonius contends that the murder of Domitian was more owing to the Doctrine of Apollonius than to the hands of Stephanus and Parthenius who slew him And as the death of Charles the First was imputable to such Preachers so might the death of Charles the Second had not our gracious God prevented it by the death of these Conspirators to which their false Prophets have betrayed them If you look for a Character of their Godliness you have it in a Character in Text-hand Without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof 2 Tim. 3.3 4. But the Objection says that some of the Conspirators were of the Communion of the Church of England Answ This is as great a truth as that Fiction of Mr. Baxter that the first War was begun by Episcopal men such as sided with Archbishop Laud when it is well known that that learned Loyal Prelate was one of the first that was struck at and in him the whole Church of England Root and Branch And this is the first time since the Reformation that any of the Church of England were accused of Rebellion against their Princes There may be a Judas or two that have partaken of that Tessera of our Communion the body and bloud of Christ but I think that having first resolved to betray their Master the Devil entred into their hearts and filled them with all iniquity and at last brought them to destruction The Church of England was that thorny Hedge of which Mr. Baxter says he made it the most serious action of his life to pull it down and he would still endeavour it though by going on both sides the hedge i. e. I suppose complying with all Parties and though he were well scratched for his pains And he hath been as big as his word not onely endeavouring it himself but encouraging all his Disciples by his Moral Prognostications of which see The second part of the History of Separation where the Piety of such men is made transparent Saepe deprehensi obstinate agunt And now as from the Principles of Popery I do believe that there was is and will be a Popish Plot against the Established Government and Religion so from the like Principles of Dissenters and their correspondent practices I do verily believe that there hath been is and will be several Attempts for the Confusion both of Church and State as now established Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth may Israel now say yet have they not prevailed against me Psal 129.1 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us But blessed be God who hath not given us up as a prey unto their teeth the snare is broken and we are escaped Our help is in the Name of the Lord Psal 124.1 All men shall see it and fear and declare the work of the Lord saying This hath God done and shall wisely consider of his doing Having seen David's danger in the first part of the Parallel we now proceed to consider his Deliverance in the next part As God is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe so among Believers in a most peculiar manner he hath in all ages of the World shewed forth his power and Mercy in the miraculous and gracious Deliverances of his Church and protection of Righteous and Religious States professing his holy and eternal truth This David often experimented God sometime preventing him with his Blessing and when he foresaw to what distress his Enemies had reduced him he heard the cry even before he called The very misery of Gods People often moves him to pity At other times God delivered him from the violent man and covered his head in the day of battle and gave victory to his King over all his Enemies so that when they dealt most proudly God was above them and brought them down When their Plots were laid so secret that they boasted none should see it God tells them all men shall see it while they encouraged one
the Meetings at Hebron and was a Patron to those mock-Priests which sacrificed there in opposition to the established service of God at Hierusalem Baxter's Dedications to Hambden and in requital as his Father was registred among the Saints in Everlasting Rest so hath he many Memorials dedicated to him by those who incessantly sought the ruine of Jerusalem as their great Patriot and no doubt if he suffer though never so justly for his Conspiracy against David yet shall he be reputed a Martyr for the Good Old Cause The last of the Consult was Amasa whom Absolon made Captain of his Host a person of a turbulent and ambitious spirit who could not be obliged by any favour though infinitly beyond his deserts his design was to have supplanted Joab and to have been made David's General and David had made him a promise ch 19.13 but was willing first to have some proof of his fidelity and ch 20.4 he gave him command to assemble the men of Judah and to pursue Sheba at a set time but he delayed the business and disappointed David yet still he intruded himself and would fain lead the Forces raised by Abishai so that his ambition became so intolerable to Joab that he smote him in the fifth rib and shed out his bowels v. 10. Having seen the Characters of the men We are now in the third Parallel to consider their Communication the matter of Fact the Means and Methods of carrying on the Conspiracy which in v. 2. is described to consist of two parts 1. The secret counsel of the wicked And 2. The insurrection of evil doers The Prophet prays God in the first place Adversus occulta conventicula nocentium hominum as Rudinger interprets it The Assassination of the King which as you have heard was designed by Achitophel but prevented by his own death was now undertaken by a secret Cabal who narrowly watched every step that he made in his going forth and in his coming in in his business and in his recreations at home and abroad but still the wonderful Providence of God frustrated them for as Pallas hid her Aeneas Cernere ne quis eum ne quis contingere possit so did the Almighty hide his David under the shadow of his wings that no son of violence could approach to do him hurt for though they did often commune of laying snares privily v. 5. though for the space of three years together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they deliberated how where and when to surprize him though v. 6. they did search out iniquity and accomplish a diligent search 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as so many Bloud-hounds which being at a fault search every Bush and every Path and compassed Sea and Land to lay hold on an opportunity on the River in his Barge in his Royal Palace where his Father was murthered in the City at the Mayors Feast or the Bull-Feast in his great Council and in his Journey to and from Newmarket and Hampton-Court yet as in 2 Sam. 8.14 God preserved David whithersoever he went Never was a Partridge so hunted from Mountain to Mountain as David was Parties were formed in every City and County to drive him into their toils in Corporations and Conventicles by Nonconformists and Conformists too among whom some accused him of Persecution and pleaded for resistance and dealing with him as a Julian an Infidel and Apostate and omit nothing that the wit of men inspired by the malice of Devils could contrive to perfect this execrable Parricide At length the Monster was come to its birth but by the blessing of God it proved abortive For as David complains Psal 140.5 The proud have laid a snare for me and cords they have spread a net by the way side and set grins for me They were informed that the King was to return from Newmarket on the Saturday and they were ready for the execution on the Friday the way-side was spread not with Cords and Nets but Carts and armed men And now they thought him sure for who say they shall see v. 5. persecute and take him for there is none to deliver him there is no help for him in his God for v. 5. they encouraged one another in this evil matter the Devil was a lying spirit in the mouths of their Prophets though they were transformed into Angels of light perswading the Assassinates that they should do God an acceptable Service in killing his Anointed and be honoured as the deliverers of their Country and do as meritorious a work as the destroying of ravenous Beasts Now what greater encouragement can be given men pretending to Religion and Conscience than when their Guides to whom they have committed the conduct of their Souls shall Prophesie lies in the name of God and urge them to Rebellion by Scripture and Examples And whether it be not a just Judgement of God on those Regicides who for above Thirty years together have shewn no token of repentance for murthering the best of Kings to give them up to the hardness of their own hearts that they may fill up the measure of their iniquities by attempting the barbarous butchering of him that was second to none but his incomparable Father I wish they would consider Besides the Laws of the Land as well as Gods were made a nose of Wax and wrested to the acquitting of the Guilty and condemning the innocent by Ignoramus Juries and suborned Witnesses by Tumults and Riots and being thus possessed by a spirit of obstinacy they are like him in the Gospel whom no Bonds or Chains could restrain from practising the mischief they had imagined no obligations of Laws or Conscience of Fear or Favour of Oaths or Promises could hold them but they mock God himself that they may the more unsuspectedly destroy his Vicegerent Addito Juramento saith Arnobius Witness their profaning the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper which they never took for the sake of Peace and Unity but onely to secure their Worldly Interest or to beget a firmer resolution and engage them to greater secrecy for the effecting of this hellish Design Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum Yet this was David's case Ps 102.8 They that are mad upon me are sworn together against me So that probably the Executioners of Charles the Second might have been as unknown as he that executed Charles the First for all this while they are his Majesties most Loyal Subjects and experienced Friends but that experience cost the whole Nation dear yea and intend to make him as glorious as his Father And now they are ready to give another instance of their Loyalty v. 7. Suddenly do they shoot at him and fear nothing There was but a step between death and him that was the breath and life of us all in a moment of time was the beauty of Israel to be vilely cast away It was not a Bow and a Dart a Sling or Javelin that was to do this