Rom. 13.2 in the books of some who term themselves true Protestants than in all those which are written by such as they justly condemn for Idolatrous and Traiterous Papists Let any of them read over all Coleman's Letters as printed by Authority and extract the most dangerous Positions for Rebellion in them and I dare parallel all of them in one Book of a Leading Dissenter which he yet stiles his Holy Commonwealth With what face can these men pretend any longer that they cannot through Scruples of Conscience come up to the Church of England in the practice of an innocent Ceremony who have outgone the Church of Rome as well in the practices as in the principles of Rebellion and Bloudshed The second Conspirator was Sheba the Son of Bichri of whom David was the more afraid because he came Sobrius ad evertendam Rempub. 2 Sam. 20.6 Now shall Sheba do us more harm than did Absolon But notwithstanding his professed Sobriety the Text calls him a man of Belial and as it is said when one mad Dog bites another and that a third they all run mad so the Venom of Achitophel's tongue infected all that conversed with him with perfect madness for who but a mad man would kick at the Crown of David and think to make a Foot-ball of it to be tossed by every Clown Yet this the vertuous and noble Sheba attempted He blew the trumpet against the Succession 2 Sam. 20.1 We have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse every man to his tents O Israel And mighty numbers of the men of Israel withdrew from David to follow Sheba except the men of Judah who clave unto their King So great a Party had he formed in the City Abel that it was like to have perished with him but by good advice his head was cut off and so that Mischief prevented 2 Sum. 20.22 Yet this great man thought to do as Sampson to pull down the Pillars of the State and to slay more at his death than he had done in his life-time and as if it had not been enough to draw others into the same Perdition with himself in his life-time heacted so as to make Israel to sin after his death For what man that pretends to be a true Protestant would think it more eligible and thank God that he died by the Ax being condemn'd as a Traytor than to go to Heaven in flames of fire for the true Religion if it had pleased God to call him to a fiery trial The next person among David's Enemies was that Churl Nabal who was of the house of Caleb that Caleb I suppose of whom it is written Numb 14.24 that he was a man of another spirit who obeyed God and served his servant Moses fully And by the blessing of God and the Kings bounty he became a very great man and had large possessions all which were preserved to him by David 1 Sam. 25.21 I have kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness so that nothing was missing of all that pertained to him Now David being in distress he sent ten young men to greet him in his name Peace be to thee and peace be to thy house and peace be to all that thou hast we come in a good day a day when Nabal kept a feast like the feast of a king and his request is very mean Give I pray thee to David and his servants whatever cometh to thy hand This was extremely modest where all was owing to intreat so small a pittance and there was extreme folly as well as ingratitude in denying a little portion to him that could have commanded all Yet hear the Answer of this Churl 1 Sam. 25.10 Who is David and who is the son of Jesse shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh and give it to men that I know not whence they be At which Answer David was greatly provoked being thus rewarded evil for good v. 21. and railed on v. 14. by him who had been a will unto him both by night and day that none did hurt him v. 16. for which he was sentenced to death But probably he might have obtained pardon from David if he could have pardoned himself but at the very hearing of the Sentence his heart died within him v. 37. and he became as a stone and within ten days after he was found dead The next Character of the Conspirators is that of Ziba who was a servant of the house of Saul as his Father had been in the first War against David a wealthy man he was too but a great part of his wealth was raked together by false Informations subtile Insinuations and Sequestrations As he never loved the King himself so he hated all those that did love him Mephiboseth the Son of Jonathan David's old and faithful friend gave order to Ziba to prepare his Asses that he might wait on the King in his distress but as he complains 2 Sam. 19.26 Ziba deceived him and yet he had the confidence to accuse his Master in a high degree ch 16.3 as if he tarried at Hierusalem with a purpose to make a Party for himself against David and had said To day shall the house of Israel restore me the Kingdom of my Father By such slanderous suggestions many of David's most loyal Subjects were rendred suspected of the People as Pensioners to a forraign power Promoters of an Arbitrary Government and evil Counsellors And so subtile and importune were the Informers in their Accusations that David was inclined to believe them rather than Mephiboseth who had been a great sufferer and hearty sorrower for him ch 19.24 He had neither dressed his feet being lame in them both nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace and ready he was to part with all that he had though to Ziba himself for the preservation of the publick peace yea let him take all for as much as my Lord the King is come to his house in peace This Ziba was a fellow-servant in the house of Saul with Doeg the Edomite that Doeg who at the command of Saul fell on Abimelech and the rest of the Priests of the Lord and slew in one day fourscore and five persons that wore the linen Ephod and their wives and their children and sucklings and all their cattle he slew with the edge of the sword 1 Sam. 22.18 And wherefore slew he them but onely for their fidelity to David because they gave him victuals and assisted him with a sword and prayed to God for him v. 10. when he was persecuted by Saul A cruelty which none of Saul's Footmen would execute v 17. but these children of Edom in the day of the distress of Hierusalem and Sion cryed out Raze it raze it even to the foundations thereof Psal 137.7 Ziba was a principal Persecutor of the Church of God next to Doeg he countenanced
execution those were visible and avoidable Engines but the Instruments of Death in this case were Blunderbusses and Carbines that by force of Fire and Brimstone a hellish invention could cast invisible and infallible Messengers of Death Barbarous and ever-to-be-abhorred was that detestable Parricide of the Royal Martyr yet if I may so say they gave him fair warning of that foul Enterprize he had time to fortiâ—ie himself against the terrours of Death and to anticipate the joys of Heaven to himself amidst those devilish tormentors by divine Contemplations of which we may have a happy taste from his incomparable Meditations So that he died as Moses on Mount Nebo within sight of the Promised Land and as the Rabbins say with a Kiss of Gods Mouth that drew up his Spirit But for such Varlets to assassinate a Prince in an instant coming from his Recreation not fearing any such thing having deserved well of all men this was like the Italian malice that designed to slay his Enemy Body and Soul Certainly King James spake as a Prophet when he told his Son I protest before the great God and as I am now on my last Will and Testament you shall never find with any Highland or Border-thieves greater ingratitude more lies and vile perjuries than with these Fanatick spirits and suffer not the principles of them to brook your land if you like to sit at rest except you would keep them for trying your patience as Socrates did an evil wife Basilicon doron p. 41,42 So much of the Oculta conventicula The second part of the Plot is the insurrection of evil doers for the King was not to perish alone they meant him a more noble attendance in his death than they would afford him in his life even a glorious Army of Martyrs It was Achitophel's advice the man whom thou seekest is instar omnium When the Head is cut off all the Members must perish with it Ch. 17.3 So that it was not some Small Stirs as they minc'd the matter in a Scotish Dialect but a general Insurrection The great City where Absolon had seated himself was to be cantonized in twenty parts an hundred of Sauls old Captains were ready to marshal the Rabble A great Assembly of ill-assected Nobles and Gentry were invited thither the City wanted not men nor Magazines of Arms the men wanted not Courage nor Malice They expected onely the Signal and then all the City had been once more in a flame and filled with the shout of God save King Absolon Nor was the Country much behind the City in preparation for the Insurrection Absolon had made frequent excursions into every part and had setled Spies and Correspondents in all the Tribes of Israel 2 Sam. 15.10 where-ever he came he was received with acclamations of joy and worshipped as the rising Sun the redeemer of Israel from Tyranny and Idolatry King David himself nor Solomon in all his glory was more splendid yet our Absolon exceeded him he had but 50 men of all that great City to run before him ours had 1500 in this little City and how many of the Gentry waited on him and caressed him is not yet to be spoken Insomuch that David had even done what our King was advised to do to leave the Government as he loved his life David himself called him King Ch. 16.16 and Hushai Davids friend cries more than once God save the King God save the King And no wonder then if so many of the people did adore him And with so great concern were Elections canvased through the Nation as if a Prize were to be plaid for the Imperial Crown against the black Box and as if the success depended on the suffrages of the Mobile The Cabals are kept up for Consultation in every County and Factions formed in every Corporation the Loyal Party are braved by Disloyal Clubs and Treason made the familiar Discourse of Coffee-houses and Taverns And he that pleaded for the Established Worship or Government was threatned as the Apostles that preached Christ to be brought before the Sanedrim and Elders of Israel Amasa their General had listed his Army Gilead was the place for pitching his Tents the signal was given for appearing in Arms. Ch. 15.10 As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet then ye shall say Absolon reigneth in Hebron And so confident they were of success that when they were putting on the Harness they boasted as if they were putting it off And now let the World judge whether there were a Fanatick Plot or no whether David's life and the life of his Subjects were in danger or whether those that brought his life to the Pits brink were Rebels or not Let such as are of a contrary mind read over all the Histories Sacred or Prophane let them contract the Rebellion of Corah and Jehu of Jeroboam and Judas and adde those of Catiline and Sejanus of the men of Munster and Rome And I dare find a Parallel to every circumstance in all those Plots in this One. Here was Corah's Spirit of Contradiction Jehu's pretence of Zeal Jeroboam's Calves and Judas his Kiss Here was in a word the Compendium of all Treasons An Armado was provided to seize the Kings Ships the Gunpowder-Treason in a Blunderbuss the Irish Massacre in the Insurrection the Scotish Rebellion in Argile and the Votes and Ordinances of Forty One c. in the Bill of Exclusion And now I suppose the Parallel is so well drawn that he that runs may read how far the Counsel of Achitophel and the Practice of Absolon is outdone by our Modern Polititians But it will be objected against what hath been said That it was not the Body of Dissenters that were engaged in thâ—… Horrid Conspiracy but onely a few Malecontents or men of desperate fortunes and some of them lived in the Communion of the Church of England and were religious and godly men To which I answer 1. The same Objection was made by the Papists concerning the Powder-Treason that they were men of broken Fortunes and were not permitted the Exercise of their Religion which they valued beyond their Lives yet it is well known that Digby and others of them were men of Estates that the execution of the Penal Laws against them was generally suspended and they enjoyed equal priviledges and favours with other Subjects and though all of that Perwsasion were not privy to it yet it is evident they would have approved of it and rejoyced in it if it had succeeded because though it were defeated the Designe was approved at Rome and a Priest of that Church who was proved guilty of the Conspiracy and suffered for it was honoured as a Martyr Now if the Principles allowed of in any Community of men do countenance the resisting deposing and murthering of Princes be it on pretence of Heresie or Tyranny or for the good of the Kirk reforming Abuses or redressing Grievances though there be but a few Actors yet all are Criminals and
he was restored again to savour being so passionately beloved of him that the heart of David longed to go out to him in his Exile 2 Sam. 13.39 And ch 14. v. 33. in token of perfect reconciliation his Father kissed him But Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft from which few or none are thorowly reclaimed no Merit Mercy nor Miracles can reduce them to a stedfast Loyalty for though Absolon was pardoned for some almost-unpardonable crimes yet even from hence he takes encouragement to conspire against his Father Scelera dum non resecantur crescunt in argumentum facinorum adhibetur quoties secura impunitate peccatur David's too great Indulgence to Absolon was the occasion of his and had like to have been so of his own ruine Because judgment is not speedily executed against an evil work therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil Eccles 8.11 For though by an Act of Oblivion and many Indulgences the Coals of Discontent and Sedition seemed to be raked up yet by a factious Party that Achitophel left behind him they were so blown up and scattered through the whose Kingdom of Israel that nothing but the wisdom and power of God could prevent a general Conflagration For the flame that seemed to be extinguished by Absolon's Reconciliation and Achitophel's Death was but confined and breaks forth with greater violence than ever Absolon constitutes a Council of Six persons who had been privy to Achitophel's Conspiracy such were Shimei and Sheba Doeg and Nabal and Ziba and Amasa his General These consult in secret and act severally according to their several capacities First Shimei comes forth as another Balaam to curse the King to his face 2 Sam. 16.5 He is noted to have been a man of the house of Saul who had long endeavoured to revive the Good Old Cause by the same scurvy old methods of belying and slandering the footsteps of Gods anointed He still came forth saith the Text in Person or by Proxies and Libels and cursed as he came He cast stones at David as a token that he had deserved to be stoned Sanctius and cast dirt on him and all his servants v. 6. And this he did maledictione forti according to the Polititians Rule fortiter calumniare aliquid adherebit And thus said Shimei when he cursed Come out come out thou bloudy man thou man of Belial as if he had been a dead Dog that could not be moved with those intolerable affronts and indignities the Lord hath returned on thee all the bloud of the house of Saul in whose stead thou hast reigned and the Lord hath delivered the Kingdom into the hands of Absolon thy Son and behold thou art taken in thy mischief because thou art a bloudy man The Rabbins on the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is observed by St. Hierome do conceive that Shimei under every letter in that word intended a notorious Calumny In Nun they intended Noeph an Adulterer in Mem Moabita as descended from Ruth in Resch Roseath a Murderer in Tzade Tsarvah Leprosus in Thau Tobea an abominable person What Piety and Innocency can secure a Prince when so good a King is thus blasphemed to his face or what aggravation can such Impiety admit more when the Name of God is blasphemed to give countenance to such impieties The Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absolon thy son What Cause so good as to be exempted from the reproach of men or what so bad as not to find some Abettors when David himself is represented as a bloudy man and the Crown that was fixed on his head by God's own hand with a Chain of Miracles is by no lower pretence than a Divine Right given to his rebellious Son and when such a one as Saul and those that perished with him are canonized for Saints after the modern fashion of the Church of Rome and all the bloud shed in that Irreligious War charged on the head of David It is noted by S. Peter 2 Pet. 2.10 that presumptuous sinners are not afraid to speak evil of dignities And S. Jude v. 9. notes that the Devil himself durst not do it But these men as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed speak evil of things which they understand not they bend their tongues like a bow and shoot out their arrows even bitter words against heaven it self not considering that they would at length fall on their own heads as Shimei's did and as the Psalmist says their own tongues should make them fall v. 8. But this is the language which Shimei and his Complices had learnt from the Covenanters and Conventiclers at Hebron who doubtless if David had fallen in that Rebellion would have with one consent condemned his memory as a man of Belial a bloudy man as some of those who are yet alive O Divinam Clementiam did by our David's martyred Father and though they now onely shake their heads at the miscarriage would have lift up their tongues and proclaim'd him a Tyrant and Traytor Yet how doth this Wretch crouch and fawn on the King when God had delivered him 2 Sam. 19.19 Let not my Lord impute iniquity to me neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my Lord the King went out of Jerusalem that the King should take it to his heart for thy servant doth know that I have sinned Words smoother than oyl when war was in his heart This hath ever been the practice of rebellious persons to chalk out that way with their Tongues and Pens which they intend to cut out with their Swords But if indeed any such Offenders are sorry for what they have done let them do at least as Shimei did who came the first of all the house of Joseph v. 20. to congratulate the Kings safe return and acknowledged his fault Notorious Offenders ought to signalize their repentance by some publick acts of Loyalty that may bear proportion with those of their disobedience Let them therefore come and abhor themselves and ask forgiveness for abhorring the Abhorrors of that accursed Association let them for once shew so much of Ingenuity and serious Penitence as those Sorcerers did Acts 19.19 who of a long time had bewitched the people as Simon the Conjurer who was esteemed of as the great power of God who brought their books together and burned them before all men Acts 8.9 What though the price of them be twice 50000 pieces of Silver it would make a Boonfire that would in some measure satisfie for the Conflagration of our great City and perhaps prevent a second setting of the whole Kingdom in Flames Some of the wisest and best men in the Nation have given them an excellent Example and it would be their happiness to imitate them For I dare aver that there are more Arguments for resisting of lawful powers which they cannot but know is threatned with Damnation
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