tears for David weeps and Israel weeps and weeps again as it is vers 34. that as a man falleth before wicked men so Abner shall fall And the King said unto his Servants Know ye not that there is a Prince and a great man this day fallen in Israel No man as yet no not the Son of God himself as man be he never so potent and mighty was privileged from death or from tasting of Deaths cup Psal 89. 48. for the decree is past the doom is irrecoverable decretum est omnibus mori there is an appointed time for all men to dye Heb. 9. 27. But to fall immaturely like Fruit before it be ripe but to be cropped like the Rose in the bud but to be nipped in the Spring like the flower of the field but to be chased up and down like a Fox fleeing to the Mountains but to be wearied and worried to death Acteon-like by his own Hounds and greedy Currs thirsting to fill themselves full with the flesh and blood of their loving Master but to be cheated and gull'd of his life and that after many Protestations Vows and lifting up of hands to the Almighty but to be betrayed with a Kisse as Judas served his Lord but to be stubbed up root and branch in time of peace and that under colour of a fair treaty and parley as Joab did Abner vers 26 27. Hinc illae lachryme Niobe herself will weep at this This cannot but cause the most stony heart to melt this cannot but cause all Israel to hang down their heads like Bull-rushes and to wring their hands and to water their couches with tears Psal 6. 6. and this cannot but move Israel to curse with David the Author and Authors of Israels woe vers 29. that Abner a Prince a great man should fall and thus fall and in Israel too where was the Law and the Prophets where the word was taught and preached and where a reformation a goodly reformation a general reformation is pretended But although horret meminisse David is ashamed is startled and trembles at so horrid so cruel so unnatural a Fact that he would not have it published in Gath nor proclamed in Askalon lest the Heathen the uncircumcised the Philistines the Papists the Jesuites tryumph and rejoyce in Israels wonderfull inspeakable invaluable losse wherein the light of Israel is quenched as it is 2 Sam. 22. 17. Yet he declareth and broacheth this sad news and heavy tidings to his Servants that they might take notice what a rich Jewel was fallen from the Crown saying Know ye not that a Prince and a great man is this day fallen in Israel There is no innocent blood spilt and shed upon the ground but hath a tongue to cry unto Heaven for vengeance So saith God to Cain Gen. 4. 10. The voice of tby brothers blood crieth to me from the Earth and therefore that the Land might be found guiltlesse of so foul crime for Clamitat in Coelum vox sanguinis Sodomorum Vox oppressorum merces retenta laborum and so acquitted of the imminent and eminent judgements following it from the great Tribunal above the Law requires the Coroner to sit and make enquiry after the death of the meanest Peasant for saith the Statute in that case provided the King hath lost a Subject and must have an account thereof How much more then when an Abner a Prince a great man falles ought whole Israel by the same bond of love to stand uâ— as one man and require satisfaction for his death that as it is ver 28. The Kingdom may be guiltlesse before the Lord for ever concerning the blood of Abner David fore-sees a black storm comming and therfore labours to make his peace with God and Men laying open unto them the manner nature of Abners fall in these words ver 33. Died Abner as a fool dieth and prayeth unto the Lord to reward the evil doer according to his wickednesse ver 39. and digito monstrat hominem points out with his finger to the eyes of all the mourners in Israel Joabs evil and wickednesse like Cains brand-mark on his forehead to be the shedding of bloud innocent bloud Princes bloud for saith the King to his servants Know ye not that there is a Prince and a great man this day fallen in Israel Scelus aliquis tutum nullus securum tulit saith Seneca a man may commit theft rape murther c. so secretly that neither the Sun oculus mundi the worlds great eye nor mans eye seeth it not But all things are naked and open unto his eyes with whom we have to do Heb. 4. 13. but that Erynnis conscientiae the Worm of conscience will be alwaies checking and gnawing and griping of him for them with pangs as bitter as Hell Let Richard the third deny this if he could speak but once again was not his hand still upon his Dagger being afraid that every one met and found him would slay him did not the bloud of the harmlesse infants he caused to be slain that they might be a foot-stool to mount him into their throne so trouble him so disquiet him that either sleep departed from his eyes as it did from Ahasuerus Esth. 1. or he was so frighted in his sleep with dreadfull apparitions of ugly Devils haling and tearing of him into pieces that his life was burthensome unto him Let Joab speak what one comfortable day or night he enjoyed after the slaughter of a good Prince I had almost said the best of Princes In the day time trepidat ad arundinis umbram he is afraid of his own shadow in the night the cracking of a few Chest-nuts in the fire terrifie him So that herein is the Prophecie fulfilled Isa 57. 21. non est pax impiis there is no peace unto the wicked saith my God or otherwise perhaps Joab may vaunt it for some few years or daies over his prey in great Gallantry outward Pomp magnificence and statelinesse but so sure as the Lord lives his end shall not be peace neither shall he go to the grave in a full age as a rick of Corn commeth in due season into the barn Job 5. 26. and to this effect speaks David Psal 37. 35 36. I have seen the wicked strong and spreading himself like a green Bay-tree Yet be passed away and to be was gone and I sought him but could not find him and no wonder for evil shall hunt the cruel man to destruction Psal 140. 11. and such is the justice of the Almighty that commonly that as he made a pit and digged it so he should fall into the pit that he made Psal 7. 15. and Neque enim Lex justior ulla est Quam necis artifices arte perire sua then evil watch evil catch As Tomyris said unto Cyrus who had formerly slain hir son cutting off his head and casting it into a Tub of bloud sanguinem sitisti sanguinem habes bloud thou thirstedst drink thy fill and
our father our nursing father It is observed that the love of Parents descends and flows with a greater stream to their children than childrens love ascends upwards to their Parents and this God shews Isaiah 49. 15. Can a father forget his child or a woman not have compassion on the son of her womb but he saith not Can a child forget his father as if that were too frequent too common and lay at every mans door but spero meliora de vobis I hope better things of you and that ye have learned better things and your duty better than to set light by your father Deut. 67. 16. We take much notice of those whose consciences are so seared and hearts hardened that have not a tear at their fathers grave and God and angels will take notice of us for stupidity and blockishnesse if we will not weep for our Abner our Prince and great man that is fallen 3ly If prayers and Supplications ought to be made for all men but especially for Kings and all that are in authority 1 Tim. 2. 1. then consequently it must follow that their deaths ought to be lamented more than other mens and if so then Vse 2. Is for reproof 1. If those that rejoice and glory in their shame Phil. 3. 19. whose end without great Repentance will be their damnation One boasteth that he subscribed to the lions death another that he tried the lion another that he sentenced the lions damme another that he slew the lion another that he shared of the lions skin but if there be a wo unto them that speak good of evil and evil of good which put darkness for light and light for darkness that put bitter for sweet and sweet for sowre Isa 5. 20. then as Jacob said of Simeon and Levi Brethren in iniquity Gen. 49. 6. Let not my soul enter into their secret and my glory be not joyned with their Assembly for an horrible curse and wo like the sin of Cain lieth at their door 2ly Of those that had the least hand in or approved of Abners fall Certes many men with Pilate will seem to wash their hands clean from his blood because they were no principal actors in it but qui non vetat peccare quum potest iubet saith Seneca He that is not with me saith Christ is against me or he that hinders not a foul fact but approves of it is as guilty as the principal in it Abner is fallen by whom and whose means the scruple is resolved verse 30. of this Chapter so Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner Abishai being privy to the murther and not preventing it is counted by the Spirit of God as deep in blood as the bloody executioner of the Treason Joab himself David killed not Vriah but the men of Rabbab yet because he plotted and conspired against his life and was well pleased with his death Nathan tells him point-blank and in plain terms 2 Sam. 12 9. Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house Ahab was not accessary unto Naboth's stoning but his wife Jezabel who made use of his Seal unto the Elders and Nobles that were in his City that they might deprive him of life and Vineyard yet he approving of what was done and rejoycing in his spoil and prey that he had taken Elijah the Tishbite meets him and upbraids him of cruelty covetousnesse and blood 1 Kings 21. 19. Hast thon killed and also taken possession therefore in the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs even lick thy blood also And in this sence Saul bewailed his sad condition and acknowledged his unworthinesse and unfitnesse to be a Minister of the Gospel to the Gentiles because he persecuted the Church of God and had a hand in Stevens death not as one that murthered him as a cut-throat but allowed and applauded them that acted that villany as his own words best speak it Acts 22. 20. Lord when the blood of thy Martyr Steven was shed I also stood by and consented to his death and kept the clothes of them that slew him Now the Marginal Note saith this is properly spoken for Steven was murthered of a sort of rude rakehels not by order of Justice but by open force and he liking of what was done and lulling and spurring them forward unto it accounts himself a chief instrument in the conspiracy of robbing God of a Saint the Church of a pillar and the world of a bright shining light which would have enlightened them that fit in darkness to the true light Iohn 1. 9. and so to the light of heaven As the intruders into other mens Rectories plead for themselves that they thrust them not out when they are contented to inherit their possessions and eat up the bread that should feed the right owners and their children approving of the Sequestration even so there be that plead not guilty of Abners fall when in their hearts they cryed Câ—ucifige let him die and stroked the contrivers of his ruine but how one or the other can answer their juggle before God who judgeth righteously taketh the affection and will for the deed I am ignorant unlesse it be with speechlesness like to him that came to the wedding feast without a wedding garment Matth. 22. 1â— and so partake of his portion and bitter potion 3ly Those that reviled Abner living and detract from him much more being fallen their greatest religion is ill byassed which is to speak evil of their Prince He that is most foul mouthed like Shimei is held fitest to be a States-man and have a hand in reformation When Paul had called Ananias whited wall and the standers by check'd him for reviling Gods high Priest he acknowledged his errour saying I knew not that he was the High Priest for it is written thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people Acts 23. 5. from whence may be inferred that to calumniate him is sin 4ly This highly reproves those Servants of this Prince this great man that helped to pull him down Gravior inimicus qui latet sub pectore a bosome enemie is of all the worst When Caesar was stabbed in the Senate house and seeing Brutus acting his part amongst the Conspirators it cut him to the heart using these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what and thou too my son Brutus then fall Caesar even so for a Prince to bring up birds to pick out his own eyes and breed vipers to sting him to death it cannot but much adde to the bitternesse of his fall and this made David to complain so sadly Psal 41. 9. That his friend his familiar friend whom he trusted which did eat of his bread lifted up his heel against him that is like a wild horse to kick at him and trample him under his seet Of all injuries there are none stick
as I have done saith Adonibezek Judg. 1. 7. so God hath rewarded me Even so us our Abnor our great man in the Text falls by the hâ—nd of Joab so Joab must look to have his fall too although it be many years after by Benaiah 1 Kings 2. 31 32 33 34. and the curse of Jehoiakim King of Judah shall follow him to his grave Jer. 22. 18. There shall be none to lament him saying Ah my Brother or ah Lord or ah his glory And let all true hearted Israelites speak as Cushi did to David of Absolom 2 Sam. 18. 32. So let all the Enemies of the Lord their King perish and be as Joab is The Text is a vindication of Davids innocencie in and a lively description of Abners death wherein let us consider these five particulars 1. His qualities and so he was no mean man sprung from the dunghil or Ale-tap no broken Citizen or bankerout Gentleman no Mechanick or Artificer none of the base condition of Davids followers when he fled from Saul 1 Sam. 22. 2. but he was Ishbosheths staff the supporter of Sauls house and the glory of that Diadem and so the Pen-man sets him out two waies 1. As a Prince 2. As a great man 1. As a Prince unto which the Latine word hath a near relation Princeps the which signifies a chief head or ruler secretly inssinuating that as of a head he ought to be defended and made much of because life consists so well in the head as in the heart then as a Ruler he ought to be obeyed and feared according to Saint Paul's rule Rom. 13. 1. Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers but Joab had learned instead of Obsta principiis Obsta Principibus withstand the beginnings of sin stifling the first conception of murther in his heart to promote it and give life unto it by the fall of a Prince and so hath received to himself condemnation ver 2. 2ly The Hebrews use many words signifying a Prince but I shall make use but of one and that is Naghidh carrying this sence Dux Princeps a Captain and chief Commander ordering disposing and giving rules to Souldiers to go out and come in to draw and to sheath their swords and such a Prince was Abner and a valiant Prince but whom Ajax cannot conquer Vlysses will undermine by treason For know ye not that a Prince and a great man is fallen And so I passe to the second Branch 2. As a great man As when Ephraim spake there was trembling Hos 13. 1. As when the Lion roars who will not be afraid Amos 3. 8. even so when this great man speaks not onely the inferiour beasts of the Forest but even the Lion himself coucheth as is clear in the 11 verse before the Text and if a bare hand upon the wall did so starcle Belshazzar in his cups when men are most Pot-valiant and in the Guard of his Princes and making metry with his wives and concubines that his countenance changed the joints of his loins were loosed and his knees smote one against another Dan. 5. 6. How will Joab look How will Joab stand How will he shift when the great God shall make inquisition for this great mans blood Psal 9. 12. Davids heart smote him for cutting off but the Lap of Saul's garment 1 Sam. 24. 5 6. How then deeply may they be touched that had a hand in cutting off the head of the Lords anointed for the greater the person the greater is the sin in them that conspire his death Kings and Princes and great man in authority are termed gods by Gods own mouth Psal 82. 6 and to act Treason against such is to be treacherous to God himself for which cause God spared not the Angels that had finned but cast them down into hell and delivered them into chains of darknesse to be kept unto damnation 2 Pet. 2. 4. What Christ spake in another kind holds true in this Matth. 25. 40. In as much as ye have done it unto them ye have done it unto me Another particular is the manner of this great Princes death so he is not threatned a fall as God told Adam that if he should eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil in that day he should die the death Gen. 2. 17. for then he would have looked about him either to prevent his fall or to make a good preparation for his soul against his fall as the wise Steward did for his body Duke 26. 4. but in the present tense occidit is fallen noting the suddennesse of his death and his unprovidenesse for his grave Joab not onely labouring to kill his body but so far as he could his soul too like as the Italian I read of endevoured to serve his enemy overcome in duel wherein we may observe 1. Prov. 12. 10. The mercies of the wicked are truel 2ly The uncertainty of our death we have one way into the world but many out Ferro peste fame vinclis algore calore Mille modis miseros mors rapit una viros as sometimes by fire famine plague water sword like Abner and Joab And this consideration should move us to look for that in every place which every where looks for us Pharaoh tasted of deaths Cup in the deep Sea Herod upon his throne Eglon sunning himself in his Summer Parlour Amnon when his heart was merry with wine Ahab in the battel Zenecharib in the house of his God And who amongst us can coast of to morrow for we know not what a day may bring forth Prov. 27. 1. Let it be our wisedom then 1. So to live as if we were alwaies dying and giving up our accounts to the great judge of Heaven and Earth of our several stewardships 2ly With Joseph in the time of famine with Solomons Pismire in the harvest time and with the wise Virgins in the acceptable time to provide oyl for our Lamps that we may be found a people ready prepared for our God when he shall knock at our door and call us 3ly To pray alwaies as the Church hath taught us From sudden death Good Lord deliver us 3ly The next particular is the time of Abners fall and that is said to be hoc die this day Know ye not that there is a Prince and a great man this day fallen in Israel This was a day of darknesse and of blacknesse a day of clouds and obscuritie Joel 2. 2. a day of heavinesse and mourning a stormy and watery day and in a word such a sad day to David and all Israel as if as one man they had combined to revive their Abner with their tears as Christ did Lazarus John 11. or if they could not do that for him yet they would witnesse to the world their love to him and how wonderfully they lamented his losse To love a rich man and a great man living is no news the living dog being better than the dead Lion Eccles 9.
exceeding sore lamentation for him that when the Canaanites which dwelt in the land saw the mourning in Gored Aâ—ad They said among them selves Surely this is a great mourning unto the Egyptians Gen. 50. 10 11. Our Abner our Josiah our Prince our great man is fallen and why should not we do likewise as Christ told the Lawyer Luke 10 37. 1. Because Princes are nursing Fathers to their people Thus saith the Lord Isa 49. 23. Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and Queens thy nursing Mothers Now with what a tender love with what strong affections and with what vigilant care do Fathers mothers bear their sons in their arms and carrie them on their shoulders as is the Prophets phrase Christs commandement to the Disciples of the Pharisees with the Herodians was reddere Caesari quae sunt Caesaris to give to Cesar those things which are Cesars Mat. 22. 22. and if we must do this to Cesar a Paynim Emperour then much more are we bound to give to Christian Kings their due and what those things are Saint Paul tells us Rom. 13. 7. 1. Tribute 2. Obedience 3. Honour First Tribute for their care over us and great charge in providing for us at home and abroad Secondly Obedience as our Superiours Thirdly Honour as our tender Fathers Exod. 20. 12. so that I may invert Gods own words Mal. 1. 6. A son honoureth his father and a servant his Master If they be your fathers where is their Honour Surely they are bastards and not sons that will not honour their fathers I and such carefull fathers who wake whiles we sleep soundly and watch like Epaminondas whilst we sport our selves and take care for us when we little dream of their care The Chronicles speak of Henry the 4th who being sick and in a trance that his son and heir Henry the 5th took his Crown from his beds head and tried how it would fit his own but his father recovering himself and awaking and missing of it and understanding the matter told him Ah son didst thou but know how full of cares the Crown is thou wouldst not be so greedy of it And it is written of Eutrapiles that his custome was to prefer those to honour and riches whom he most hated thereby to fill their hearts and heads with continuall cares and vexations there being more gall than hony in them so that as one spake worthily of a Bishop Episcopatus nomen est laboris non honoris the name of a Bishop sounds more of labour than honour unto which alludes that of the Apostle 1 Tim. 3. 1. This is a true saying if any man desire the Office of a Bishop he desireth a worthy work Even so the Office of a King or Prince speaks not so much his sublimity or glory as his activity for the common good and if this were well weighed in wisdomes ballance Can any Children be so unnatural as not to lament the losse of such a father Certes He that hath not a tear nay many tears for his fall discovers his foul disposition and that he hath sucked unnatural milk like Rhemus and Romulus of whom History makes mention that they were nourished up by a she-Wolf Know ye not that a Prince agreat man Pater Patriae a father of our Countrey a Martyr for his Countrey is fallen and do not the Lamentations of Jeremy better become us than the Canticles of Solomon Do not Heraclitus his tears suis better huic diei to this day than Democritus his laughter Laugh that will thinks David But I will weep till I can weep no more 2ly Because Princes are the Ministers of God for our wealth Rom. 13. 4. They are as Shepherds over the flock of Christ Num. 27. 17. They are as Bucklers and shields unto the people Psal 47. 9. Vnder whose shadowing boughs our nests are built Ezech. 31. 3 6. They are as watchmen over a City as the foundation to an house as the walls to a Vineyard as Pilots to a ship and as the Chariots and horsemen of Israel Now if the Watchman sleepeth the foundation decayeth the walls be broken down the Pilot dieth and the Chariots and horsemen be snatched and taken away hath not the City the house the ship and all Israel that is in it great cause to screek and scream and roar and blubber their cheeks with tears for such a losse 3ly Because if the Title of father which is an amiable Title or Minister which is a serviceable Title cannot draw water out of the hard rock in Horeb and your stony hearts then lo they are called angels 2 Sam. 24. 17. and the sons of God which are Titles of honour indeed Psalm 82. 6. to be the son of God is the noblest Pedigree in the world to be as the Angels of God is the highest promotion in heaven and of them it is said Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be heirs of salvation I read of divers properties of Angels which may allude to good Kings 1. Dirigere gradientes To guide and direct men in the right way Prov. 23. 20. Behold I send mine Angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee to the place which I have appointed 2ly Confortare deficientes To comfort the broken hearted and to relieve those that are in want Gen. 21. 17 19. The Angel of God called unto Hagar in distresse and shewed her a well of water whereby she and her child were preserved from death and 1 Kings 29. 5 6. The Angel of God brought bread and water to nourish Elijaâ— in his distresse 3ly Flagellare praevaricantes To scourge those that do amisse thus the Angel of the Lord smote in the Camp of the Assyrians one hundred fourscore and five thousand in one night 2 Kings 19. 35. and 2 Mach. 3. 26. We find how Heliodorus was beaten with sore stripes for robbing the Temple that at his return he certified his Master that if he had an enemy traytor he should send him to Hierusalem and from thence he should receive him well scourged if he escaped with his life Cautiores exemplo vos If one Angel of God could do such execution upon malefactors how should ye be afraid to do any thing to grieve him when he hath mo than twelve legions of Angels to fight his battels against offendors Matth. 26. 53. 4ly Gratificare orantes To offer up the prayers of the Saâ—nts Rev. 8. 3. 5ly Juvare certantes To give aid to the servants of the living God against their enemies and so when the Aramites compassed Samaria with a great host and the Prophets servant was at his wits end not knowing what to do or whither to turn him presently at Elisha's prayer his eyes were opened and he looked and beheld the mountain was full of horses and Chariots round about Elisha 2 Kings 6. 17. Here ye have heard of the office of Angels for the good of man especially
so near to a man or go so near to his heart as bene facere male audire to do well and to be rewarded ill by a Servant or any other ingratefull wretches The Oxe knoweth his owner Isay 1. 3. and for a man not to know his master and maker is worse than brutish and deserves nigro carbone notari to be branded for a vile man indeed A houshold enemie is noted by Christ for a sharp plague Mat. 10. 36. and yet such is our Abners condition to fall by such Joab had Zimri peace that slew his Master 2 Kin. 9. 31. then look for no peace living or dying Obs Occidit is fallen from whence may be observed that death is no deâ—th to them that die in the Lord. It is but as a sleep from which they shall be awakened at the sound of the last Trumpet And in this sence saith Christ to his disciples John 11. 11. Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but I go to wake him up It is but as a falling to the earth from whence we through Gods might recover our selves and rise again It is but as Requietorium a Bed of rest as Isay shews 57. 2 They shall rest in their Beds every one that walketh before him and men go not to bed to lie there for ever but some short time It was said by a Jester unto a great man If I fall I can rise again but if thou fallest thou wilt never rise more but this holds true of the faithfull in general Dan. 12. 2. they shall rise to everlasting life thus David tells not his servants A Prince or a great man is dead but is fallen being assured that he should rise again like Antheus with greater strength and courage and honour and glory than ever he enjoyed before like Damascens wise yet deposed King as we read of in M. Bunnyes resolutions Vse Here is comfort for Abners friends that although his body is sown in corrupion yet it shall be raised in incorruption If it be sown in dishonour yet it shall be raised in glory 1 Cor. 15. 42 43. that although he was conquered by Treason yet he is Conquerour over all his enemies and greatest Traytors death sin and Satan that although he be fallen yet he is mounted up aloft upon the wings of Cherubims and glorious angels like Lazarus into the bosome of his father that although he be losse to them yet their losse is his gain for instead of war he finds peace instead of sorrow joy unspeakable instead of vexation of spirit The things which eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither have entred into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2. 9. instead of a corruptible Crown an incorruptible Chap. 9. 25. Instead of a Crown of thorns a Crown of ease instead of an earthly Kingdome a Kingdome which endureth for ever even the Kingdom of God and of Christ instead of earthly treasures heavenly instead of buffetings reproaches spittings in the face kisses with sweet embracings Instead of Apage Euge be gone We will not have this man reign longer over us welcome and well done good and faithfull servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Matth. 25. 23. instead of the society of beasts such as Paul fought withall at Ephesus the fellowship of glorified Saints and Angels Iacob in his dream saw a Ladder the foot thereof stood upon earth but the top reached up to heaven Gen. 28 12. and by this Ladder our Abner our Prince like an Angel of God is ascended up thither Question not this O man whosoever thou art for he was living a living pattern of vertue and godlinesse to all 1 For sobriety for who could detect him of drunkennesse 2ly of chastity for who could blemish him of uncleanesse Posse nolle nobile What Castle by promotion or bribes or command cannot a great man scale and not to subdue it to his power and lust is Prince-like indeed 3ly Of Piety Religion being diligent in Prayer sincere in his devotions and admirably attentive in hearing of Sermons and that sometimes in my eye 4ly Of knowledge and learning witness his Book entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which few Bishops with all their learning and reading could outrun and witness his Disputation with the Scotch Minister who shall be nameless and whom he so foiled by arguments that whereas before he was his bitter enemy in Pulpit and out of it he set forth unto the world his own recantation and his Princes vindication to undeceive his people 5ly Of bounty and liberality to his followers I and to some ingratefull and undeserving followers 6ly Of patience for after the example of Christ 1 Pet. 2. 23. Being reviled he reviled not a-again when he suffered he threatned not but committed it to him that judgeth righteously 7ly Of magnanimity being as daring as a lion as some of his own Captains can speak and would have proved it in red letters if he might have been suffered wrote with a pen of iron 8ly Of compassion lamenting the losse of his enemies as if their blood had been drawn from his own heart Iulian honoured those Souldiers that died in his war and service but he those that died in the war against him 9ly Of affection to his wife so that as Solomon speaks of the good woman I may truly aver of him Prov. 31. 29. Many husbands have done vertuously but thou surmountest them all 1. For fidelity to her bed a rare thing to be found in great men 2. For affability and kindness to her â—â—ving her as his own soul 3 For indulgencie over his and her children Now laying all these together as so many steps or stairs or stakes of the Ladder doubtlesse his works follow him Rev. 14. 13 and he is passed and gone to your father and his father to his God and your God Wherefore comfort ye one another with these words 1 Thes 4 18. And as Christ said to the daughters of Ierusalem Luke 23. 28 Weep not for him but for your selves left as a prey to the wolf hurrying and worrying Christs flock Vse 2. Abner is fallen As the Widow of Zarephath spake to Elijah 1 Kings 17. 18. O thou man of God art thou come to call my sins to remembrance and to slay my son Even so Abners fall should put Israel in mind of their sins which have pulled him down from his Throne and of a sudden Repentance lest they follow him to the grave If old Eli was punished for the iniquity of his sons 1 Sam. 3. 12 13 14. then by the same rule a Father of his Countrey may suffer for the wickedness of his children and people Obs 3. Hoc die This day from whence I observe that all men have their falling day The Sun that now shines will set the Moon that now is at Full will wain the see that now flows will ebbe After a Spring will follow an Autumn after a Summer comes a hard Winter and after the green blade comes a
his integrity and best meaning misconstrued and misinterpreted 24 25. ver Even so our Prince our great man was calumniated and reproched in the Army by rude Souldiers In the City by ignorant Ephesians Factious Schismaticks and many pratling Diotrephe's In the Countrey by Copper-Smith Alexanders and giddy-brained Athenians stil longing to hear and tell news sucking in all poison and then spewing it out to the disgrace of their Prince This was Christs lot and portion Isa 53. 3. to verse 12. and certainly how ever the world deem of it that servant is highly honoured that is admitted to drink of his Masters cup. If they have done these things to the green tree what may they not will they not do to the dry Luke 23. 31. 4ly Abners fall was lamented by all Israel unlesse it were by cursed Joab and his wicked brood verse 32. Even so our great mans subversion did afford much lamentation in our Rhama where among the more godly and constant godly ones there was weeping and mourning and howling for thâ—ir Abner for their Prince because he was not Matth. 2. 18. Perhaps there might be some greedy of prey might rejoice in his fall that they might rise and step into his seat but as Christ prayed for his malefactors so pray I Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luke 23. 34. That Crown must needs be dear bought which is purchased with blood and an ill conscience and the losse of a soul as Alexander the sixth sold his soul to the Devil to advance him to be Pope The Romans were wont to begin their Epicedies after the death of their Worthies with Augustus mortuus est the King is dead the tidings of Augustus death made a Land flood over all Rome And why should not Abijahs sad tidings of Princeps occidit our Prince is fallen turn our Israel into Bochim a valley of tears Unlesse we have eyes and will not see and hearts that will not understand the which was one of Pharaoh's plagues We never had more cause to pour out water before the Lord than this day 1 Sam. 7. 6. 5ly Abner falling Ish-bosheth presently fell with those adherents to them both 2 Sam. 4. 7. Even so our Prince and great man falling how many hundred Families that are bread at his Table and were cherished by our good Abner were utterly ruined The Peers lost the honour of their birthright and some of them their lives The Bishops Deans Arch-Deacons with the learned Clergy lost their Livings and Liberties The Gentry their Estates and have not all cause to cry out as Elisha did after Elijah when he was taken up into heaven 2 Kings 2. 12. My father my father What shall we do as the servant of the man of God said Chap. 6. 15. 6ly Abner signifies the fathers Candle and what he was by name our Prince was by nature a bright shining light and Candle as it was said of John Baptist John 5. 35. and this Candle being put out we must needs walk in Egyptian darknesse and darknesse is none of the least plagues 7ly Abner was gulled of his life under a colour of kindnes v. 27. Joab pretended love but intended murther Mol in ore verba lactis fel in corde fraus in factis he had honey in his mouth but gall in his heart he spake to him peaceably but struck him to the heart Even so our Prince was fed with golden promises and Naphthalies goodly words that they would make him the greatest Prince in Christendom if he would null Bishops Confirm the Parliament during their own pleasure Resign the Militia into their hands which having obtained and all they could ask at last cut off his head with his own sword as David served Goliah 1 Sam. 17. 51. And so let us pray From the Crafty Counsel of Abithophel From Rabshakeh's railing Shimei's cursing From Iudas's kisse and Joab's bloody hands Good Lord deliver us From all false Doctrine and Heresie From hardnesse of heart and privy conspiracy From sudden death and Jesuitical cruelty Good Lord deliver us Absaloms unnatural rebellion against his father SERM. II. 2 Sam. 18. 33. And the King was moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept and as he went thus he said O my son Absalom my son my son Absolom I would God that I had died for thee Absolom my sonne my sonne DIC mihi Musa virnm Tell me of any man but the son of man that ever was so soaked in sorrows and soused in tears as David was his whole life seemed nothing else from the Cradle to the Grave but a map of miserie the ground on which he stood a red sea of blood or a wild wilderness full of sharp briars and thorns that pricked and peirced him which way soever he moved his diet like Micaiahs 1 Kings 22. 27. Bread of affliction and water of affliction so that he said truly of himself Psal 102. 6. I am like a Pellican in the wilderness whose nature is to trickle down tears on her bill continually and in this sence saith Job Chap. 57. Man is born to sore travell and trouble as sparks flie upward and this ye shall find in the survey of his life 1. He was a shepherd and he that follows that calling duram servit servitutem serves an hard Apprentiship as Jacob speaks and shews Gen. 31. 40. I was in the day consumed with heat and with frost in the night and my sleep departed from mine eyes 2ly He was despised by Eliab his eldest brother 1 Sam. 17. 28. 3ly He was defied by Goliah the Philistim v. 42. 4ly He was assaulted by a lion and a Bear v 34. 5ly He was persecuted by Saul 6ly Despised by Michal his own wife 7ly He was betrayed by the Ziphims chap. 23. 19. 8ly He was envied by Philistims 9ly And in a word to fill up the measure of his griefs his own son his bosome son his Isaac son his darling son seeks his life and Crown a once and yet for this bird that would have picked out his eyes this cuckoe that would have devoured his damme that bred and fed and cockered him he good man weeps and in the midst of his inundation thus he said O my son Absalom my son my son Absalom I would God that I had died for thee Absalom my son my son From whence we learn after his example Obs 1. To love our enemies to blesse them that curse us to do good to them that hate us and to pray for them which hurt us and persecute us Matth. 5. 44. for saith Christ v. 46 47. If we love them which love us what reward shall we have Do not the Publicans even the same Or if we be friendly to our brethren onely what singular thing do we Do not even sinners likewise but to be perfect even as our heavenly father is perfect but with Steven to render good for evil Acts 7. 60. but with David to mourn and grieve
The bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their dayes And so as Cushi said ver 32. Let all the enemies of the Lord my King and all that rise up against him be as that young man Absalom is Obs 2. The sin of Patricide even in the very heart is a monstrous abominable and detestable sin to God and man for the will stands for the deed with God Fecit quod potuit as Christ of Mary Magdelen goes for current execution A Roman being asked why amongst all their good Laws there was none against killling of Parents answered that there was no true Roman so unnatural but in Israel there was an unnatural child sprung from a good stock that seeks his fathers life He that said Ecles 10. 20. Curse not the King no not in thy thought surely commands Absalom and every one not to imagine the least evil against his King father We say of some ungracious sons they are sick of their father and Absalom was troubled with the same disease but fell short of his expectation the gallows giving him his full reward and for this David wept c. In David let us consider these two general parts 1. His Passion And the King was moved and went up to the Chamber over the gate and wept and as he went thus be said O my son Absalom my son my son Absolom 2ly His compassion Would God I had died for thee O Absalom my son my son In his Passion consider with me these particulars 1. The force and violence of his passion the which struck him like a dart to the very heart that he remained for the present senseless and speechless like him that came to the Wedding-Feast without a Wedding garment Matth. 2◠12. And the King was moved Yea the Original speaks it much moved Leves loquuntur curae ingentes stupent saith Seneca where the waters are shallow there they are rough and murmure when the deeps are smooth and silent the tidings and like Ahijahs heavy tidings to the wife of Ieroboam 1 Kings 14. 6. of his white boys Absaloms death overwhelmed his spirit and amased his soul as he speaks Ps 143. 4. that as if he had been smitten dumb like Zacharias he held his peace like Aaron when Nadab and Abiha his sonnes were devoured with fire from the Lord. And the King was much moved 2ly His breathing and reviving after his grievous passion as if like Lazarus he had been awakened out of his grave And he went up to the chamber over the gate and wept wherein let us observe 1. His motion And went c. 2ly His action and wept In the first consider 1. Terminum à quo v. 24. 2ly Terminum ad quem as here 1. Whither he went he went up to the chamber not to frolick it not to revel it not to commit adultery as he had done before for how should he then make mirth as it is Ezek. 21. 10. but to fast and to weep and to mourn which was Gods call to him in that day as it is Isa 22. 12. 2ly The place where the chamber was over the gate The Kings first seat was below between the two gates v. 24. a place very suitable to the condition he was in and the news he received from Cushi but then when he heard what God had done to him he mounts upward 1. Either to make his peace with God that had thus tried his heart and reins and searched him to the quick in cutting off his darling Absalom as he had cut off Vriah the beloved husband of Bathsheba or 2ly That as he was a King so he might not discover so much weakness in himself that he who could govern a great people could not guide and govern his own passions Thus as one said Difficilius est bene regnare quam vincere It is a harder matter for a man to reign well than to win all Even so seipsum vincere for a man to overcome himself and his unbrideled affections is no easie task although commendable but how ever if David cannot subdue them yet he is unwilling the world should take notice of his imbecillity and therefore went up to the Chamber over the gate or 3ly He was a man of war and was well acquainted with the bloody event of war and so as Nehemiah spake chap. 6. 11. Should such a man as I flee even so for such an one as he to be seen to melt for an outside scar or wound would have much blemished and stained his honour and therefore he weeps in secret for his Absolom as Jeremiah did for the pride and captivitie of the people 13. 17. or 4ly That the world should not take notice of his too too carnal affection towards his dear Son It is true he was his joy the apple of his eye and he thought him of all the birds of the nest the fairest and the pretiest Yet in regard of his profession of godlinesse he was unwilling that any should observe his Carnality as in the best grain there lurks some chaff and therefore he takes his Chamber to roar out to himself alone his sad grievance O Absolom my Son my Son Absolom 2. As we have looked upon his motion and went c. so let us cast an eye upon his action and wept If he had wept for the afflictions of Zion or for his sins or that God did hide his face from him Psal 30. 7. this had not been blamable but for to weep for the losse of such a Son such a Rebel and Traytor and such an unparalleld Caitiff this is unexcusable From whence we learn Obs 1. The best have their failings for saith Solomon 1 Kin. 8. 46. There is no man that sineth not and the just man falleth seven times in a day And so we ought to pity support and comfort one another Knowing whereof we are made remembring that we are but dust as God hath compassion on us Psal 103. 13 14. Obs That the best meat may be our poyson if not well Cooked weeping is good in its own nature but adulterous weeping springing from carnalitie is stark naught There are four-fold sorts of tears according to the ground on which the seed was sowen 1. Lacrymae doloris grief tears 2ly Lacrymae compassionis fellow-feeling tears 3ly Lacrymae paenitentiae repenting tears 4ly Lacrymae murmurationis grumbling or murmuring tears And so of these in order 1. Grief tears are those which we shed every one in his private and particular cross and affliction when any evil befalls us as we are never unfurnished of occasions from the Cradle to the Grave Low grounds are commonly moist and waterie Man that is born of a woman is full of trouble and miserie saith Job 14. 1. He comes into the world weeping He goes forth weeping He sows in tears Psal 126. 5 6. and his Exitus end is crying like the Shunamites child Moses in Cunabilis in his swadling Clouts wept Exo. 2. 6. Ishmael in Infantia in his
in sheeps clothing but inwardly were greedy wolves His garment was made of Linsey-woolsey which was forbidden in the old Law Deut. 22. 11. by woollen is signified simplicity by linnen subtilty and under this weed he had almost couzened his father of his life and Kingdome as Jacob did Esau of the blessing From whence we learn Obs All is not gold that glisters as all are not Israel which are of Israel Rom. 9. 10. All is not current coin that hath the Parliament stamp nor all good men that look demurely and speak fairly and religiously able to deceive if it were possible the very elect as Christ speaks Mark 13. 22. and therefore our Saviours counsell is John 7. 24. Not to judge according to the outward appearance What a Saint was Absalom in shew yet what a devil in practice and this age is full of these Absaloms 3ly His Life and thus his fair face was daubed and soiled with many a black spot His whole life was tainted with innumerable blemishes one drawing on another As to instance in some 1. He was a murtherer and this aggravates it self by these circumstances 1. A murtherer of his brother Amnon 2 Sam. 13. 29. who the nearer he was the dearer he ought to have been For no man hateth his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it Eph. 5. 29. We say that it is an ill bird defiles his own nest but we may conclude that is the worst bird in the nest that picketh out his brothers eyes and sucks his blood 2ly In that he masked his foul intention with the veil of love and kindeness Absalom had a sheep-shearing vers 24. and a great feast towards and he could not would not eat his meat alone and therefore he invites all his brethren to the banquet but as the children spake to their mother 2 Kings 4. 40 there was Mors in olla death in the pot and Amnon must pay the reckoning with his life 3ly That he murthered him when his heart was merry with wine not only labouring to kill his body but his soul too and how doth this cursed act hang like a leprosie upon the skirts of his garments to make him odious to all ages 2ly He was ambitious 1. Of popular applause 2 Sam. 15. 4. O that I were made judge in the land that every man that hath any controversie might come to me that I might do him justice O brave Mountebank that sets forth golden wares and promiseth mountaines but hides the poison as the Fisherman doth his deadly hook under a fair bait which he intended to give them when he had accomplished his design 2ly He not only gives the people bona verba good words to delude them but courteous deeds vers 5. And when any came near him and did him obeisance he puts forth his hand and took him and kissed him And by this means he stole the hearts of the men of Israel vers 6. and so makes way 2ly By his ambition to reach the Crown v. 10. he acts the Devils part to beguile to seduce and to drive on his self-ends for he transporteth himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. and this must needs help to make up the measure of his wickednesse and so bring upon himself a corresponding punishment His sin is the greater because by his example he hath taught others to look up to heaven to smite upon their breasts to pray long prayers to preach to use Scripture-Sentences when they are acting the most devilish mischief or aspiring to the Throne 3ly He was a grand hypocrite and Simulata sanctitas duplex iniquitas counterfeit godlinesse is double wickednesse The beast tells his Father a fair Tale v. 8. Thy servant vowed a vow when I remained exile in Geshur in Aram saying If the Lord shall bring me again indeed to Hierusalem I will serve the Lord. Oh brave what a religious wretch and Caitiffe What to make godlinesse a Cloak for his Villanie What to make Piety serve for a shooing horn to draw on his interest to the Kingdome What to make the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to be evil spoken of through him and his juggling Surely It were better a miâ—stone were banged about his neck and he were cast into the bottome of the sea Matth. 18. 6. but from hence we learn Obs In nomine Domini incipit omne malum Religion is made a stalking horse to palliate all evil If Ahab cannot get Naboths vineyard by fair play he will have it by foul he will proclaim a Fast 1 Kings 21. 9. and two sons of Belial shall be hired to bear false witnesse against him and he shall be stoned and then he will be merry and take possession v 16. If Absalom can no other way supplant his Father he insooth hath a Vow to pay unto the Lord in Hebron and there he will take advantage of the place to mutinie and rebell and raise Forces to drive his Father out of house and home 2 Sam. 15. 16. And this ever was is and will be the practice of ambitious spirits to strain their consciences and to make use of Religion to stirrop them into the Saddle but my prayer for them shall be that their end may be like Absaloms and as Cushi said in the context So let all the enemies of the Lord my King perish 4ly He was a traytor 1. To his brother in taking away his life but here he seemed to be a pettie traitor because he fell alone 2ly To the people of Israel for he decoyed Israel into a net get they out as well as they could Fall back fall edge So it is said 2 Sam. 15. 11. And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem and followed him in their simplicity knowing nothing like many of our Zelots who were at first blindly led but when they had wel smarted for their folly cried peccavimus with the Prodigal they were misinformed and gulled and cheated of their expectation by the Grandees who sought themselves and not the Lord Jesus Christ and as the Apostle speaks in one kind so it may be said on the contrary They sought yours not you 2 Cor. 12. 14. Ours not us 3ly He was a traitor in Folio to his own Father seeking vi armis to depose him I and to quench his thirst with his blood But hold Absalom for he is thy father Hold Absalom he is thy fond and most indulgent Father Hold Absalem he is thy old Father full of gray hairs the which are blossomes of the grave Hold Absalom and give a check-mate to thy ambition for a while and then ride on and do thy will Look upon thy brethren and sisters his Wives and Concubines thy companions with him Look upon the Virgins in Jerusalem the Priests of God the hazard of War the sad effects of the sword as Rapine Famine Blood Desolation c. and if thou hast not sold thy self to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord like Ahab or
Parents and yet as bad as he was David the King wept for him saying O Absalom my son my son Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my sonne my son Athaliah's detestable Treason SERMON III. 2 Kings 11. 14. Then Athaliah rent her cloathes and cried Treason treason VErbum diei in die suo was the Apostles charge to Timothy 2 Tim. 4. 2. and therefore it shall be my practice for saith Solomon Prov. 25. 11. A word spoken in season is like apples of gold with pictures of silver How well then doth this Text match the occasion of this our meeting together at this time which is to give thanks unto God for the discovery of Sundercombs desperate Treason against Oliver Lord Protector Then Athaliah rent her cloaths and cried Treason treason Herein let us consider these two general branches 1. Athaliahs action Then Athaliah rent her cloaths 2ly Athaliahs passiion And cried Treason treason In the first let us consider these two particulars 1. The subject of her action her cloaths she rent her cloaths Ah Athaliah this was a more suitable occasion for thee to follow the Prophets instruction Joel 2. 13. in rending thy heart and not thy garments But she that had no heart to spare infants like Herod had no heart to repent and so runs on still in revenge And if she can make man the subject of her wrath no longer her cloaths shall feel it and speak her minde She rent her cloaths 2ly The time of her rageing and mad wilde action implyed in the first word then Then she rent her cloaths Then when she saw another sun risen up in Judah to eclipse her pride her glory and her hautiness Then when she found she could no longer stand or keep the saddle or wear the Crown She rent her clothes In the second consider with me these two particulars likewise 1. The manner how she vents her passion She cried Her dead and seared conscience now revives and whispers in her ears that she had committed crying sins and so considering how near her door the punishment of them was come as a woman amazed frighted and startled at it she cried out for help when she was past cure she cried 2ly The cause of her passion and of her heavy exclamation in these words Treason Treason She had committed Treason against heaven and the King of heaven and that never troubled her which is the greatest Treason of all She had committed Treason in murthering the Kings Seed and that lieth not nigh her heart but when she seeth her full sea ebbing her sun setting her bright day drawn to an end and shutting in her hour-glasse run out and her doom of death passed upon her Then she rent her clothes and cryed Treason Treason Herein let us for the better discovery and opening the Text consider these four particulars 1. What Athaliah signifies 2ly Who Athaliah was 3ly What her Treason was and that which she complained of 4ly What her end was and of these in order 1. Athaliah signifies time for the Lord. When the ungodly destroy Gods Law and bring it into utter contempt then saith David in this sense Psal 119. 126. It is time for thee Lord to work that is to send help either by converting or confounding the enemies thereof as God converted Saul but confounded Herod When the wickednesse of the Amorites is full Gen. 15. 16. and the corn ripe for the harvest then it is time for the Lord to thrust in his sickle When Ahaliahs feathers of pride are full grown then it is time for the Lord to deplume her and send her as naked out of the world as ever she came into it When she was joined to Idols it was time for the Lord to make her know that an Idol was as vain a thing as a horse to save her from tumbling and ruine and destruction Psal 33 17. And this time is come and is made good to a tittle upon her all crying out with one voice as they did against Paul Acts 22. 22. Away with such a woman from the earl for it is not meet that she should live 2ly Who Athaliah was from the beginning And so she was descended from high Parentage for she was daughter unto Omri King of Israel 2 Kings 8. 22. and mother to Ahaziah King of Judah and wife to Jâ—horam his father As she came from a high Stock so she soared high and nothing could satisfie her ambition but the Scepter and sway of the Kingdom and the Crown and have it she will per fas per nefas be it right be it wrong rather than she will misse of so goodly a bait From whence we may learn Obs That ambitious Spirits will climb over the head of all wickednesse and make it their foot-stool to raise them to honour When Eteocles and Polynices his brother were contending for their Fathers kingdom with naked swords in their hands ready to sheath in each others bowels then Jocasta their Mother stepped in between them mediating for peace and accommodation upon her bended knees using these or the like words What my sons the sons of my womb the sons of my desires as Bath-sheba the Mother of Solomon said to him Prov. 31. 1. rather than let my eyes be spectators of your selves weltring in your bloud in me convertite ferrum put up your weapons into the womb that did conceive and bear you But saith Eteocles to her Pro regno velim patriam penates conjugem flammis dare Imperia precio quolibet constant bene To gain a kingdom I would set Country Houshold-gods wife and all on fire like Troy for Kingdoms and Crowns cannot be purchased at too dear a rate Absalom to step into his Fathers throne quid non audet what will he not what dares he not to do And it was the speech of one in later times who having by perjury dissimulation and treachery mounted himself aloft That if he fell all the Commonwealth should fall with him farr preferring his private interest before the publique And Athaliah was cast into the same mould for neither the frown of God the curse of the people the tears of Innocents could give a supersedeas to her wicked design she had in hand but a kingdom she will have although she buyes it with the losse of her soul Obs 2. As it was said of Corax and Lysias mali â—orvi malum ovum a curst Crow hath hatched a shrewd egge a crafty Master hath bâ—ed as crafty a scholar Even so as Isay speaks 24. 2. Like father like daughter a wicked father 1 King 16. 25 26. and as vile a child Of all the Kings of Israel there was not one good and of all their children there was not one thoroughly righteous It s true there was found some goodnesse in Abijah towards the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam 1 Kings 14. 13. but it was but some and that God takes notice of and that goeth not unrewarded but of all
4. and moreover every mans affection almost extending more propter sua than propter se for his private profit or preferment than for any parts or goodnesse he finds in him like drones which haunt the Hive for the honny sake but to love him dead when he can do him neither good nor harm is rara avis nigroque similima cygno a rare quality hardly to be found among the sons of men and yet this was Davids case Israels case for Abner and ought to be our case for our Prince and great man that is this day fallen in our Israel And so this leads me to the next particular 4ly The place where he fell and that is said to be Israel he fell not amongst the barbarous Gothes and Vandals amongst the Turks and Cannibals amongst the inhuman Switzers in the Conquest of the Thuricences in battel Anno Dom. 1443. or amongst the Numantines who vowed not to break their fast but with the flesh of a Roman nor drink till they had tasted of the blood of an Enemie or amongst the heathen and uncircumcised but in Israel where God was known in her Palaces Psal 48. 3. but in Israel where his wonderfull acts were manifested but in Israel a peculiar people chosen to himself but in Israel where his Prophets taught and his name was called upon Quis talia fando temperet à lacrimis who can restrain tears that where there was such gracious means there should be such gracelesse practices by a brotherhood like Simeon and Levi brethren in evil Gen. 49. 5. If this had been done at Rome where degrading of Princes murthering of heretical Princes with their whole families is a warrantable and meritorious tenet the world would not have trembled at it nor wondered or admired it but to be practiced in Israel the wonder of the world for as it is Deut. 47 8. What Nation is so great unto whom the Gods come so near unto them in all that they call unto the Lord for And what Nation is so great that hath ordinances and Laws so righteous Surely this makes Israels condition equivalent to Chorozins and Bethsaidaes Mat. 11. 21. Wo to thee Corazin wo to thee Bethsaida for if the great works which were done in you had been done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented long agone in Sackeloth and Ashes Wherefore it shall be easier for Tyrus and Sidon at the day of judgement than for you than for Israel Joab and Abishai his brother were men of War and so the lesse marvell they neither respected the person nor place where they shed blood but the hunters of our Prince and great man to death were not only Sword-men but Gown-men even wolves in sheeps clothing and if God spared not the old world nor Sodom nor Gomorrah 2 Pet. 2. 5 6. how shall they escape the judgement of God to come and the judgement of God is according to truth against them that commit such things Rom. 2. 2. Wherefore as Daniel counselled King Nebuchadnezzar 4. 27. Break off thysins by righteousness and thine iniquities by mercy towards the poor that there be a healing of thine errour even so my counsel to all Israel that have had a hand in the Princes death and great mans fall is according to that we read of Amos 4. 12. Prepare to meet thy God O Israel For repentance may heal where thy sin hath wounded 5ly Davids Proclamation throughout all Israel and Judah to take notice of his losse and their losse his and their losse as if they had with him lost the brightest star in the Firmament or had lost their right eyes right hands or their right feet or as the Church complained Lam. 4 20. The breath of our Nostrils the Anointed of the Lord is taken from us of whom we said Vnder his shadow we shall be preserved alive among the Heathen How hath the Lord darkened the Daughter of Zion in his wrath and hath cast down from Heaven unto earth the beauty of Israel draw near behold and see what a Prince what a great man is this day fallen Know ye not that there is a Prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel 1. The causes moving David to publish this Proclamation were v. 37. his Innocency to clear him in the face of all the people that he had no hand in spilling this innocent blood finding no fault in the man of those things whereof others accused him as Pilate said of Christ although with a better mind Lu. 23. 14. 2ly To make Joab the more odious to the people for executing such a rash and malicious and unnatural fact As Jeroboam is stigmatized with this brand-mark lying in his Grave Jeroboam the Son of Nebat who made Israel to sin and as Judas the Traytor with this Judas Iscariot who betrayed his Master So Joab hath this spot and blot upon his Coat of Arms to be seen read of all ages Joab that in the time of peace slew Abner in the Gate v. 27. And for this David and let all Israel curse him in the words verse 29. Let the blood of Abner fall on the head of Joab and on all his Fathers House that the House of Joab be never without some that have running Issues or Leper or that leaneth on a staff or that doth fall on the sword or that lacketh bread 3ly That Joab by the sight of the publick mourning and vent which the King and People gave to their full hearts might be convinced of his sin and so brought to repentance Know ye not and thou Joab too that there is a Prince and a great man this day fallen in Israel The Observations from what hath been said are Observ 1. That great mens death and Princes fall ought to be lamented by all This David confirms both by Precept and Example and it is said Praecepta ducunt Exempla trahunt Precepts do sweetly allure but examples do violently draw men to obedience So that if the one or the other be of force to work upon our hearts and eyes to weep with Jeremiah day and night for our Abner then look upon David Lissen to his charge to all the people that were with him vers 31 32. Rent your clothes and put on Sackcloth and mourn before Abner and King David himself followed the Beer And the King lift up his voice and wept besides the Sepulchre of Abner and all the people wept and vers 33 34. The King lamented over Abner and all the people wept again for him As if such a mans death can never be over-lamented Know ye not saith David as if no man should be ignorant of this his duty to his Prince to his Country When Josiah was buried there was so great mone made for him 2 Chron. 35. 22. that it grew into a Proverb Zech. 12. 11. Like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon Yea when Jacob but a mean man although father to a Prince was buried they made so great such an
harvest Death thrusts in his sickle and the fairest corn falls to the ground Wise men die and also the ignorant and foolish perish together Psal 49. 10. I said ye are gods but ye shall die like men and fall like others 82. ver 7. All flesh is grasse and all the glory of man like the flower of the field the grasse withereth the flower fadeth away because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it Surely all flesh is grasse omnis Caro all flesh the flesh of Princes and great men so well as of the Peasant and begger Paul saith Heb. 9. 27. Decretum est omnibus mori There is an appointed time for all men to die All the seed of Adam have had their day Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob Solemon Sampson with our Abner Know ye not that there is a Prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel Ob. If God bounds mans life to an appointed time to a day then Ioab seems to fulfill the good pleasure of God in giving a full period to Abners life he was but as the Atropos to cut the threed of his mortality asunder and so how could this be said to be sin in him Ans Cain might plead the same Argument in murthering of his brother Abel but how displeasing it was to the most high let his punishment let his yellings and roarings witnesse to the world 2ly Although mans appointed time be known to God yet it is unknown to man so he is called Palmoni which signifies a secret number because he knoweth the number of our dayes which is secret and hidden to us for as Christ spake of the end of the world Mat. 24. 36. so may I speak in this kind Of that day and hour knoweth no man And so it must needs follow that Ioab's wickednesse was Monstrum horrendum most hainous and detestable Vse 1. All men have their falling day Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth serve the Lord in fear Feriunt ceisos fulmina montes the higher ye are the more ticklish ye stand and the more ready ye are to fall ye stand upon slippery places and are suddenly cast down consumed and perished Psal 73. 18 19. Quem dies videt veniens superbum hunc dies fugiens videt jacentem Whom the morning behold swelling and strutting like the proud Peacock the Evening beheld wallowing in his own blood and gore Know ye not that a Prince is fallen this day The day of great men is no longer than the poor mans day and therefore it will be their greatest honour and wisdome to work out their salvation whilst it is day Phil. 2. 12. Heb. 3. 13. For the night cometh when no man can work John 9. 4. Vse 2. Here is instruction for inferiours to pray with Moses Psal 90. 12. Lord teach us so to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdome and there is no wisdom like to that of looking well to the better part with Mary and gaining of heaven It is written of Alexander the great that a little pit held him after his death whom the whole world could scarcely contain living and so he was still crowding for more elbow room according to that of the Poet. Vnus Pellaeo juveni vix sufficit orbis And of Franciscus Borgia seeing a little Tomb and Coffin to contain all the Princely glory power and magnificence of that great Empresse Augusta that he departed from her Funeral saying Mortem Augustae sibi vitam attulisse that her death should give him life Even so let the consideration of the mortality of our bodies quicken us and put life into us to labour for the immortality of our souls in blisse Let the meditation of sic transit gloria mundi all earthly glory vanisheth immediately like flax that is set on fire as the Master of the Ceremonies was wont to speak to the Pope the first day of his inauguration mind us to seek after the things above Col. 3. 1. which fade not nor fail not Luke 22. 33. It was the saying of Augustine nescis qua hora veniet vigila ut quod nescis quando veniet paratum te inveniat quum venerit ad hoc forte nescis quando veniet ut semper paratus sis the which I may interpret by our Saviours own words Matth. 25. 13. Ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man will come watch therefore that when he cometh he may find you well-doing And for this cause of that day and hour knoweth no man that every man should watch and be found a people ready prepared for the Lord Luke 1. 17. and so enter into the Kingdome prepared for them from the beginning of the wotld Matth. 25. 34. When Pharaoh Abimelech Sisera Herod Abner least dreamed of their fall then their day was at an end Let then Abolibah learn to be wise by the punishment laid upon her sister Abolah for what is spoke of Abner here will be verified of all in the same sence although not words Know ye not that a Prince and a great man is this day fallen in Israel Obs 4. In Israel Gods Church is not free from spots In Paradise there was a deadly stinging Serpent in Christs bosome a Judaâ— In the fairest garden Later anguis sub herba will be some venemous creature Israel was a nursery of Religion and Prophets It was the Lords peculiar treasure Exod. 19. 5. and Vine and yet lo this treasure hath a canker this Vine a deadly Viper couching under her branches to sting Abner unto death Know ye not that a Prince and a great man is fallen this day How By Treason Where In Israel whom By Joab I might enlarge my self farther but I will conclude all in a few words The Allusion 1. Abner died when he least thought of death even so our Prince and great man is pulled down to his grave in the flower and strength of his years when he least thought of the turning of the Sun â—â— Cesar being asked what death he would choose answered no lingring but a sudden death and this our Prince enjoyes being alive and dead in a moment the breath of man can scarce pronounce so fast Est but the Eccho answereth as fast Non est he is fallen 2ly Abner died a violent death even so our Prince by unmercifull hands on every side is bereaved of his life Gebal Ammon and Amalech Edom and Ishmael Moab and the Agarims Jesuites and Zamzummims Deut. 2. â—0 that is a people who called themselves Rephaims preservers or Physicians to heal and reform vices but played the Devils to open a gap to let in all heresie and abomination and wickedness and profanesse and covetousness which is idolatry These all of them have taken crafty counsel against him Psal 83. 3. and worried him and dethroned him and like Cannihals have devoured him 3ly Abner was evil spoken of by Joab and his innocency tainted and spotted by him and
Childhood wept Gen. 21. 17. Esau in juventute in his youth wept Gen. 27. 38. Jacob in Senectute wept 37. 35. that we are little or no time free from mourning All this shews that as the Sea is alwaies boyling and moving so sorrow upon sorrow follows as close at the heels as one wave pursueth another and as Jobs sad Messengers traced the other So that in this respect we may say with David Psal 8. 4. Quid est homo what a miserable creature is man 2ly There are fellow-feeling tears which is a sympathizing in our Brethrens calamities As Christ our head suffers when the Members of his body suffer and as it is in the natural body If one Member suffer all suffer with it 1 Cor. 12. 26. As in a throng of people one treads upon anothers foot the which causeth him to cry out Cur me calâ—as why dost thou tread upon me The foot was hurt and not the tongue and yet the tongue complaineth by reason of that amiable sympathie and friend ship that is between the Members Now as it is in the mystical body and natural body even so should it be in the spiritual body weeping for Josephs afflictions so well as our own St. Paul Vas electionis the chosen Vessel did not only by precept but by pattern teach us our duty in this 2 Cor. 11. 29. Is any weak and I am not weak who is offended and I burn not Brethren be ye followers of him and look on them which walk so as ye have them for an ensample Phil. 3. 17. Christ Jesus did the like for he appropriated all the mischief done to the Church as done to himself Acts 9. 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me So that if ye will not be followers of Paul nor of the Saints Yet be followers of God as dear Children 3ly There are repenting tears which are poured forth for our sins and for our own and other mens punishments and chastisements by reason of them for man suffers for his sins Lam. 3. 39. If sin breaks our head tears lend us a plaister to heal where sin hath wounded and the more tears the sooner the cure is wrought Mary Magdalen Peccatrix a sinner was so prodigal of them that she washed Christs feet with her tears her sins were many and her tears did correspond to her sins and therefore her Lord did forgive her all her sins Luke 7. 47. What a sweet voice was it sounded in the Palsie mans ears Mat. 9. 2. Be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven thee And that I might hear the like I speak from my soul let Ziba take all and let me tell you the readiest course we can take to obtain remission and forgivenesse is to swim to God in a flood of tears as the Ark was carried to mount Ararat upon the waters where it rested peaceably Gen. 8. 4. This was the means which Peter used to make his atonement with his master after his lying and denying and forswearing of him Mat. 26. 75. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He wept bitterly and this course the Israelites took when the Text tells us that they poured out water before the Lord that is they wept abundantly for their sins they were as free of their tears as of water their heads were full of water and their eyes as a fountain of tears they humbled themselves very low that God might receive them into favour again And this was Davids practise Psal 6. 6. I cause my bed every night to swim I water my Couch with my tears And then follows vers 8. Away from me ye workers of Iniquitie for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping It was a sweet saying of one Never any came to Gods door weeping that ever went away sorrowing The Ninevites were a sinful people and there was wrath proclamed against them and the execution thereof denounced within 40. daies yet upon their repenting tears and crying mightily unto God and turning from their evil waies God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them and he did it not Jon. 3. 8 10. And to this effect speaks Hierome Oratio deum lenit sed lacryma angit haec ungit sed illa pungit Prayer is of great force and power with God for what cannot a fervent praying man do Jam. 5. 16. but when tears accompany and are joyned with prayer then what can be denyed to such a melting soul The Canaanitish woman Mat. 15. 22. and the Father of him that was possessed with a dumb Devil Mark 9. 24. did both by crying and tears and crying tears obtain their long wished for desires and drew pity and compassion and a compassionate pity from Christ In which respect Austin said Vincunt invisibilem ligant omnipotentem they conquer him that is unconquerable and bind the almighty power of God to yield to our requests as we see in Jacob Gen. 32. 28. And so sweetly was it uttered by a sweet Divine Repenting eyes are Cellars of Angels and penitent tears their choicest wine which the Savour of life perfumes the tast of grace sweetneth and the purest colours of returning innocencie highly beautifieth And I would God as David speaks that our hearts were such a Limbeck evermore distilling so pure a Quintessence drawn out from the weeds of our offences by the fire of Contrition that Heaven might mourn at the absence of so precious a water and earth lament the loss of such fruitfull showers We have all sinned and our sins are many and great and a great many and so we ought with Christ Heb. 5. 7. to powr out strong cries and tears unto him that is able to save us from death Every one of us when we come to die would gladly go to Heaven but if we so intend in good earnest lacrymae paenitentiae repenting tears must be our guide thither as the star was to the wise men to bring them to Christ Mat. 2. 9. 4ly There are grumbling murmuring and muttering tears the which are shed in discontent that God should lay this or that evil upon them or rob them of their Izaak Joseph Absolom joy or delight of their heart or pleasure of their eyes and of these the Sonnes and daughters of men are more free than the rest but saith the Prophet Isay 45. 9. Wo to him that striveth with his Maker shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it what makest thou or shall man say to God what dost thou O peace peace O murmuring soul be whist be silent and murmur not as some of them murmured lest thou be destroyed of the destroyer 1 Cor. 10. 10. peace O murmuring soul be dumb because it is the Lord hath done it Psal 39. 9. David had tears of all sorts 1. He had grief tears for the losse of his darling Absolom 2ly He had fellow-feeling tears in his misery as knowing that so bad a life he lived could have no good end or death and therefore he wisheth that he
father can come near the love of our heavenly Father for how doth his heart mourn how do his mercies over-look our iniquities how are his bowels troubled how are his repentingsrouled together how doth he in the midst of wrath remember mercy how doth he aâ—ter all his menacings and threatnings recall our frailties and his own blessed glorious and ever renowned attribute the mercifull God And so spare us heu quam bonus est deus quam vilis homo O How good is God to Israel and how unworthy and unthankfull and disobedient is Israel to this good God and that we may the better blush and be ashamed of our selves and sinfull courses let us look upon some branches of his Love As 1. When we were deadly sick and nothing could recover us but the blood of his beloved and onely begotten Son then he spared not his own Son but gave him for us all to death that we might live Rom. 8. 32. 2ly The eminency of his Love shines the more clear if we consider the persons upon whom he cast and bestowed his Love and that was upon grievous sinners as the Apostle shews Rom. 5. 6. for Christ when we were yet of no strength died for the ungodly 3ly The unworthiness of the persons is aggravated by their loathsome condition being à capite ad calcem from the crown of the head to the soal of the foot full of nothing but wounds and sores and swellings full of putrified corruption Isa 1. 6. Job in that condition was loathed by his own wife and friends and for the King of Kings to be enamoured on such wretched Lazarusses Quantus amor how great was his Love The blind and the halt and the lame the soul of David hated and who but God would but have done the like and therefore the stronger tie and bond to bind us to love him Who hath so loved us as it is 1 Joh. 4. 11. 4ly If our condition had been loathsome by divine Providence it had not been much to be wondered at that he should love deformed creatures of his own making but when it came by our making and marring by sin what he had made beautifull this speaks his goodnesse indeed 5ly Or for a good man one may die Rom. 5. 7. but for an open and professed enemy who but David would die Yet when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Rom. 5. 10. We conspired and crucified and killed the Lord of Life Acts 3. 15. and the Lord of Life layes down his life to give us life and is not this unheard-of love 6ly His love is most apparent by the rich purchase and price he paid for us For we were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb undefiled and without spot 1 Pet. 1. 18. All the blood of Bulls and Goats in the world could not help us but it must be the blood of the Lamb of God must purifie our consciences from dead works Heb. 9. 14. and when this Lamb must be slain to save us sinners who can deny his love to be very great The uses hereof are these Vse 1. The bountifulness and loving-kindeness of our heavenly Father towards us should lead us all unto repentance Rom. 2. 4. What could he have done for his vineyard that he hath not done unto it Isa 5. 4. he hath planted it with the best plants he hath watered it and dungde it and pruned it and hath bestowed much labour and cost about it and love upon it as the Dresser did upon the barren fig-tree Luk. 13. 7 8. He feeds us he clothes us and in a word blesseth us with the blessings of his right hand and of his left Prov. 3. 16. And now O man what doth the Lord thy God require of thee Surely nothing but to do justly and to love mercy and to humble thy self and to turn from thy evil wayes and to walk with thy God Mic. 6. 8. So that as the servants of Naaman spake unto him 2 Kingâ— 5. 13. If the Prophet had commanded thee some great matter would'st thou not have done it how much rather then when he saith to thee wash and be clean I speak unto you if God had required of you your lands treasures wives husbands yea your Absaloms ye must have parted with them but he soares not so high but contents himself with little and that little is to be grieved with our selves for grieving him to return unto the Lord that he may return unto us Zach. 1. 3. and to repent us of all our wickedness He that will grudge God this deserves not to be owned for his childe It was the saying of the man of God to the good Shunamite 2 King 4. 13. Behold thou hast had all this care for us what shall we do now for thee and of David Psal 116. 12. Quid retribuam domino What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits even so let it be our meditation what we shall do for God that hath done such great things for us For where much is given much is looked for saith Christ Luk. 12. 48. Let us then with the Samaritan leper chap. 17. 15. return and praise God and that not only in tongue or word but in our deeds and lives and conversations Mark the Apostles argument 1 Cor. 6. 20. yeare bought with a price there is our Heavenly Fathers love Now the sequel tells us what lieth on our part to perform Glorifie God therefore in your bodies and in your spirits A son honoreth his father and a servant his master If he be then our Father let us honour him If our master let us fear him Mal. 1. 6. Vse 2. Here is comfort and Balm of Gilead to heal all that are wounded with their sinnes for if David could forget and forgive as we use to say all the unkindeness and wrongs done to him by his unnatural son Absalom and wish to die for him who had as willingly die as see him live then out of all question God hath more yerning melting and tender bowels towards them that lie grovling on the earth for their failings Can David soal a pardon to his son that stands up in defiance of him abuseth his wives and concubines rebels and takes armes to pull him out of his Throne by head and ears and wil not our heavenly Father receive us to mercy when we shall submit lament and bewail our errours and transgressions weep and howl and beg and crave forgiveness shall David look a squint and a to side upon the faults of his childe and only eye him as the fruit of his loins and will not God cast all our sinnes into the bottom of the Sea Mic. 7. 19. and not look upon us in our selves but in his Christ in whom he is well pleased Mat. 3. 17. and with us in him Wherefore let us comfort one another in these words 1 Thes
go to heaven that had all his time served the Devil on earth and therefore of the two he thought his own case best and that he was most fit to die and so if God had so pleased chose to die I would God I had died for thee From whence we learn Obs That death which to the ungodly is the King of terrors Job 18. 14. to the righteous is a welcom guest at all times Absalom may be afraid to die because the wages of his wickedness are alwayes ready to be paid him which is eternal death of body and soul for ever Rom. 6. 23. When good David shall willingly resign up his soul into the hands of his Creator for he knows his end will be peace Psal 37. 37. Oecolampadius being ready to depart as old Simeons Phrase is comforted his friends that stood howling about him with these words Non mori timeo quia bonum habeo Dominum I am not afraid to die because I have served a good God He that fears God shall never need to fear death for Christ hath pulled out the sting thereof that he may tryumphantly singwith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin but thanks be unto God which hath given me victory through our Lord Jesus Christ The Reasons why death is welcome to the godly at all times are Reas 1. Because it is an end of their sorrows and the beginning and entrance into the joy of their Lord Matth. 25. 23. It is the Exodus of their miseries and Genesis of their comforts It is as a Bridge over which they must passe into life as the Israelites must go thorow the red Sea before they can get into Canaan a Land flowing with milk and hony and all good things wherefore they rejoice to see that day as old Simeon did when he embraced Christ in his arms Luke 2. â—8 Reas 2. Because they are a people ready prepared for the Lord Luk. 1. 17. they are not fool-hardy like others who put far away from them the evil dayes that they may boldly approach unto the seat of iniquity Amos 6. 3. but they are still thinking of death and looking for death and providing for death that whensoever it comes early or late at the Cock crowing at midnight or the dawning of the day they may enter into the rest remaines for the people of God Heb. 4. 9. Reas 3 Because they have Jachin and Boaz faith and a good conscience to support them from sinking under the pains of death And this made the thief on the Crosse to die joyfully believing Christs words that he should that day be with him in Paradise Luk. 23. 43. this made St. Steven to laugh in death beholding the heavens opened and Christ standing at the right hand of the Father ready to receive his spirit Acts 7. 55 56. and this made David so willing to die for Absalom because he believed that his sinnes were covered Psal 32. 1. Obj. Did David well to wish for death or to die for his sonne Answ 1. Mortem optare malum formidare pejus It is not good to wish for death but worse to fear it It is an argument of great weakness to dispute with God much more to quarrel with God and most of all to seem to be wiser than God We pray and David prayed Thy will O Father be done and yet here he seems to prefer his own will before Gods Would God I had died for thee Absalom So that as the Apostle speaks James 3. 10. This thing ought not to be 2ly David did savour much more in this wish of flesh and blood than of spirit for that altogether submits with patience to suffer and bear what the good pleasure of the Lord is to bring to passe when the other grumbles and murmurs and repines at every thing contraries their humours This was Davids case and was his failing as the best want not theirs Vse Speaks the true happy state of a godly man He will not be afraid of evil tidings for his heart is fixed and he believeth in the Lord Psal 112. 7. when the wicked trepidant ad arundinis umbram tremble at the shaking of a leaf and flee when none pursueth then the righteous are as bold as a Lion Prov. 28. 1. The very thought of death strikes the ungodly as dead when they that fear the Lord like the Swan sing the sweetest song in death and the song of the Saints Rev. 22. 20. Come Lord Jesus come quickly The wicked when they are visited with sickness which is deaths Paratour to summon them into the Court for to give up their great accompt like the unjust Steward Luk. 16. 2. they roar and howl and crie like the hog which thinks he is never taken but to have his throat cut when the upright and just look up and lift up their heads with joy and comfort for their redemption draweth near Luke 21. 28. When the wicked call to the mountaines to fall upon them and to the hills to cover them and hide them from the presence of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb Rev. 6. 16. The righteous shout for joy like those that divide the spoyl and rejoyce according to joy in harvest Isa 9. 3. for they shall be gathered like wheat into the Lords Garner when the chaff shall be burned with unquenchable fire Mat. 3. 12. And as Balaam said Numb 23. 10. O that my latter end might be like his And so thus much of the first person spoken of in the text David with his passion and compassion 2ly The next person is Absalom And in him let us consider 1. His Name 2ly His Person 3ly His Life 4ly His Death Of these in order 1. His Name and that was Abishalom which signifies his fathers peace He was so sweet a Babe that his father promised himself great matters and hope in him but he proved the greatest crosse that ever he did bear So that we cannot say Vt nomen sic natura as Abigail did of Nabal As his name was so was he For he was a moth a canker a thorn in his fathers eye and the greatest disturber of his quiet and rest and ease and peace that ever he was acquainted with that he is constrained to flee and shift for his life lest he be devoured by his Sonnes sword 2 Sam. 13. 14. 2ly His person And so he was the fairest of ten thousand for from the sole of the foot to the top of his head there was no blemish in him 2 Sam. 14. 25. He had a fair body but a foul soul and heart like the Swan which hath a white feather but a black skin Or like Mausolus his tombe or the painted Sepulchres in the Gospel glorious and beautiful without but full of rottenness and stinking bones within Or like a white glove over a scabby hand Or like the Pharisees
art not given over to a reprobate sense Rom. 1. 28. then these things cannot but melt thee relent thee and dam up thy way from prosecuting thy devilish purposes any farther I but thinks Absalom that is not the way to the Kingdom and Sceptre and to reign and therefore be it never so foul I will thorow it and as Caesar said Vel inveniam vel faciam I will hack and hew it out with my sword and so having gathered together all the men of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and made him self strong for the battel he prepares to divide the spoil Oh unparalleld traytor for 1. He sought the death of the Lords anointed and that it is aggravated in these Circumstances 1. His anointed child And right dear and precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 116. 15. 2ly His Prophet who was as the apple of Gods eye very tender to him Zech. 2. 8. and concerning whom he hath given so strict a chatge Psal 105. 15 Touch not mine anointed nor do my Prophets no harm 3ly That he was anointed his King a King of Gods own pointing out 1 Sam. 16. 12. a King after Gods own heart 1 Sam. 13. 14 A typical King of Christ a King-father and a father to his people so well as to his own children a nursing father Isa 49. 23. And for Absalom to rob God and men of such a King who would not should not fight it out to the death like Zebulun and Nephtali Judg. 5. 18. to save him but Absalom and some of his Faction who love to fish in troubled waters but hence we learn Obs That one sin if not in time stifled makes way for a bigger as a little wedge doth for a greater Read backward and ye shall find that his sin grew like a snow-ball to a very great pitch and height and so I may compare it to Elijahs cloud 1 Kin. 18. 44. the which at first seemed no bigger than a mans hand but by and by it overspread the heaven or like to Ezekiels waters chap. 47. 3 4 5. which came to the ancles then up to the knees then to the loins and afterward waxed so deep that they could not be passed oveâ— or like to that fountain which became a river Ezek. 10. 6. and as our Proverb is Give the Devil an inch and he will take an ell We read Matth. 12. 43 44 45. of an unclean spirit in a man Which goeth forth and taketh seven other spirits worse than himself and they enter in and dwell there Even so if we give way to one unclean spirit one sin yea and as Lot sayd of Zoar a little sin we make way for all sin that we may say as Jacob did of Gad A Troop cometh As the Sea making the least breach be it thorow a mole-hole presently grows bigger and bigger upon it and pours in an inundation to the destruction of man and beast and as the Story goeth of Hatchet which begging a withered bough of an Ash to make it a helve instantly falls to work and cuts down the tall Cedar and strong Oke and green Elm and Ash which stood before secure and as Pompey marching with his Souldiers to take a great and rich City and finding the gates shut and the opposition strong he craves leave of the Citizens to give entertainment to some few of his wounded and sickly men and he would passe away without their least disturbance the which having obtained they in the night opened the gates to the General and the stronger men to the sacking and utter undoing of a famous City Even so if the Devil can but beg a helve for a hatchet or make a breach in mans heart to get in his little finger he will strain hard to make room for his head and if he can get in his head he will draw in his whole body or if he can procure the favour from us to give entertainment to some weakling and puling sins then he cries out with Moah now Moah to the spoil now Devil to thy prey and therefore Vse Is for our instruction to kill the Crocodile in the egge lest it grow to be a serpent and so kill us to quench the fire whilst it is but a spark lest it get head and so consume us Obsta Principiis withstand the beginnings of sin lest they grow to be so mountainous that they crush thee down to hell Venienti occurre morbo faith the Physician Prevent the disease by taking Physick in time lest it run on and destroy thee before thy time If Absolom had observed this rule he had never fallen so shamefully so suddenly like a child new born so wonderfully like Jerusalem Lam. 1. 9. 2ly Absaloms Treason is aggravated in that he sought the death of his father his father that begat him and his father that so well loved him He was troubled with a new disease at that time for he was sick of his father and nothing could cure him but his removal out of his eye that he might sit at Helm an steer the ship from whence we learn Obs That when Kings Princes Governors and Magistrates shall suffer sin to go unpunished in others God will make them so spared instruments to punish them David permitting Absalom to run on in sin out of one sin into another not executing the Law or justice upon him God makes him as the Canaanite to the Israelite Num. 33. 55. A prick in his eye and a thorn in his side We have a Proverb Save a Thief from the Gallows and he will hang thee at last if he can Amnons Murther deserved severe punishment by the Law of God but David out of foolish pity omitting it and winking at it God sets him home to him at last and raiseth up the son of his bowels and love too to hunt after his life Absalom may grieve God and yet that doth not much grieve David wherefore God takes his own quarrel in hand and causeth him to be the greatest grief that ever he encountred withall and so hear him roaring and howling forth this sad lamentation and Dittie for him O Absalom my son my son Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my son my son And so I passe to the last point 4ly Which is Absaloms death The two Generals Absalom and Joab joyned Battel to dispute the Controversie about the Crown and at last Absalom being worsted flieth and flying the Mule came under a great thick Oke And his head caught hold on the Oke and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth and Joab took three darts and thrust them thorow Absalom and so he died verse 9. 14. Died between heaven and earth as unworthy by reason of his debauchednesse to go to the one or to have a burial place in the other the which is a most terrible and fearfull example of Gods vengeance 1. Against Rebels to their King 2ly Against those that are disobedient to
was the saying of a Reverend man that he never committed that sin in his life but that the Lord met with him in the same kind for it and paid him in the same Coin Pharaoh causing the male children of the Hebrews to be drowned in a River was at last drowned with all his Host in the Red Sea Exod. 14. 28. Gideon slaying the Seventy Elders of Succoth with unreasonable and unmeasurable torments had his own seventy sons murthered by the hands of Abimelech his Bastard Judg. 9. 5. Haman prepared a Gallows to hang Mordecai thereon but his foot is taken in the same snare he laid and he suffers on it Esth 7. 10. Darius Governors that conspired Daniels death are torn into pieces by the Lions they had provided to devour him Dan. 6. 24. David lying with Vriahs wife had his own wives defloured by his own son Absalom in the sight of all Israel 2 Sam. 16. 22. Bajazet the first who resolved in the pride of his heart that if he should conquer Tamberlain to carry him in an iron Cage thorow his whole Kingdom in Triumph being overcome was served in the same kind by Tamberlain The Tyrant Maxentius was overthrown in the same Bridge which he craftily built as a snare for the destruction of Constantine and so his mischief returned upon his own head and cruelty fell upon his own pate Psal 7. 16. Alexander the sixth was poisoned at Supper with the same wine which he had prepared as a deadly draught for his familiar friend Cardinal Adrianus his servants by Divine Providence mistaking the bottle The Sodomites burning with the fire of Lust were burned with fire from heaven they finned against nature and were punished against nature fire descending upon them whose property is to ascend The dancing daughter of Herodias who preferred John Baptists head before half her fathers Kingdom going over a frozen River the Ice brake and falling into it had her head cut off without any other harm to her body as History reports So that we may conclude the generality of this point in the words of David Psal 9. 15 16. The Heathen are sunken down in the pit that they made in the net that they hid is their foot taken The Lord is known by exeecuting judgement the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Higgaion Selah that is take notice of it mark it very seriously consider this in thine heart for it is worthy to be noted The Reason hereof is to prove unto us the attributes of God as I will shew you in some particulars 1. That he is omniscient for no man can conceive the least mischief in his heart against another but the Lord knoweth it and seeth it For he that made the eye shall â—e noâ— see Psal 94 8. and in this sense saith Peter to Christ Iohn 21. 27 Lord thou knowest all things and knowing of them he can the better pâ—eâ—ent them and dispose of the issue of them 2. That he is omnipotent in catching the wise in their own craftinesse and the counsel of the wicked he makes foolish Job 5. 13 He is not onely omniscient but omnipotent in turning things upside down as he best pleaseth 3. That he is a most just God in repaying evil with evil evil in intention with evil in execution The wicked have drawn their sword and bent their bow to slay such as be of upright conversation but herein his Justiâ—e is made known that he causeth their sword to enter into their own heart and their bows to be broken Psal 37. 12 13 14 15. If men were not as blind as Bats and Owls that can see little or nothing in the clear light they might perceive Gods Justice in our latter times upon many that had a bloody hand in their Masters death Some hanging themselves some being beheaded and some dying mad and some falling to shame and in falling into the pit that they made for one far more righteous than themselves 4. That he is a most true and faithfull God and keepeth his promise and Covenant for ever Deut. 7. 9. his promise is Matth. 7. 2. With what measure men mete it shall be measured to them again and this is made good upon Saul David Athaliah and so I passe to the Uses Vse 1. May serve to convince the strongest Atheist that there is a God Thales Milesius considering plantas humiditate virescere siccitate marcescere concluded that there was an over-ruling power and providence even so the Consideration 1. Of the disapointing mens hopes and bringing them to nought 2ly Of bringing the mischief which they imagined upon their own heads is sufficient argument to declare unto us and resolve us there is a God and there is none like unto God that can do such great things so that we may sing with Moses and the Israelites Exod. 15. 11. Who is like unto thee O Lord among the gods Who is like unto thee so glorious in holinesse fearfull in prayses doing wonders Vse 2. Is according to that of Moses to the people Num. 32. 23. Be sure your sins will find you out Who would have thought that Athaliah sleeping so securely in the bed of her fornications lined and stuffed with such bloody feathers and boulstered with so much wickednesse so many years together should be awakened out of it and called to the bar of Divine Justice and then and there sentenced to death but when she sleeped the Lord watched her down-lying and uprising he compassed all her paths he seal'd up her iniquities in a bag Job 14 17. and breaks it open to her destruction Now Mutato nomine de vobis Fabula narratur what is recorded of her will be verified of you in the end and therefore search out that Achan sin and turn that Hagar out of doors lest it trouble you and find you out and turn you on t of Gods favour and bring you to shame Oh that men were wise saith Moses Deut. 32. 29. then would they consider and understand this that their sins will find them out and so the considering and understanding thereof would teach them to stand in aw and not dare to sin Psal 4. 4. I read of a Philosopher that took up a Stage in an eminent market and proclaimed se velle vendere sensum that he would sell understanding to any that stood in need of it the King of that Countrey being informed thereof sends messengers with store of gold in their hands to purchase it the Philosopher writes in a little Paper these words In omnibus quae facturus es semper respice finem cogita quid possit tibi accidere that is In all things thou goest about think alwayes what the end will be and what may befall thee in the end and so delivering of it to them advised them to carry it to their Master and to tell him that it was full worth his mony the which the King receiving caused it to be written in golden letters
over his Chamber door now after a little time some discontented people hired a rude lewd fellow to stab the King and going about his work with a heart full of mischief and reading this superscription his countenance changed and falls trembling and shaking as if he had an ague fit the which being perceived and he examined confessed the whole matter and what diverted him from it Even so if men would but seriously consider that with what measure they mete shall be measured to them again or that nothing surer than their sins would find them out or that the end of sin and wages of sin is death Rom 6. 23. How would this Meditation stop the current of their vile affections and divert them from sinning It was an excellent Speech of one Cave quid agis te videt Deus Beware what thou doest for God seeth thee and all things are naked and open to his eyes with whom thou hast to do saith Paul Heb. 4. 13. and Homer speaking of a Frog and a Mouse who having a sharp contestation and bitter Skirmish the party grieved tells the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God had a revenging eye to right him even so if men would but remember whatsoever they are about or doing God looked upon them and had a revenging eye to requite it in the same measure and nature it would stifle all treason against heaven and earth Vse 3. This may teach us that seeing with what measure we mete shall be measured to us again to walk circumspectly and warily not as fools but as wise Eph. 5. 115. the Law of God and nature should be our rule to square our lives and all our actions by and that is Quod tibi non vis alteri non feceris to do as we would be done unto Matth. 7. 12. and saith Paul Gal. 6. 16. To as many as walk according to this rule peace shall be upon them and mercy as upon the true Israel of God Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap Gal. 6. 7. He that soweth righteousness shall receive a good and sure reward Prov. 11. 18. But he that soweth iniquiry shall reap affliction and the rod of his anger shall fail chap. 22. 8. God hath a twofold measure 1. Either a measure of glory and that is for those that abound in the works of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. 2ly A measure of wrath and sorrow and that is for those that plough iniquity and sow wickedness Job 4. 8. and with this measure did God mete Athaliah Doct. 3. Is Qualis vita finis ita As we live so commonly we die as we speak in another kind Mali principii malns exitus an ill beginning hath an ill end even so an ungodly life is accompanied usually with a sad death Look upon Haman behold Judas cast an eye upon Julian the grand Apostate who died cursing and banning crying out in defiance of Christ Vicisti Galilaeo O thou Galilean thou hast conquered and overcome me Turn over the Chronicle of Athaliah and thou shalt find that as she sâ—ank living in the nostrils of the people for her idolatry pride usurping of anothers Crown blood-thirstinesse so in her death she was abhorred by all and had not power to cry out with Peter Lord save me or with the Publican God be mercifull to me a sinner The Husbandman can tell us that which way the tree leaneth that way it will fall if it be not prevented by art and I have often observed in visiting the sick that as the Proverb is quod in corde sobrii id in lingua ebrii what lies close hid in the heart of a sober man is revealed by his tongue when he is drunk even so as men lean and are affected living so their hearts and tongues run of it dying and what hopes can there be that they who had not God in all their thoughts Psal 10. 4. when they were in health should go to God when they are dead Vse As the tree standeth so it falleth and saith Solomon Eccl. 11. 3. As the tree doth fall so in the place that the tree falleth there it shall lie So that this doth much concern us to denie ungodlinesse and worldly lust and to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and appearing of that glory of that mighty God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2. 12 13. labouring to fall to the South of his mercy and not to the North of his Justice Death is not so fearfull and terrible in it self as is the sting of it which is sin 1 Cor. 15. 56. And therefore let it be our care to be every day weakning and puling out this serpents sting that we may with old Simeon depart in peace Luke 2. 29. And blessed shall be the dead that die in the Lord for their works follow them Rev. 14. 13. Thus ye have heard 1. what Athaliab was 2ly What her Treason and 3ly what her end was She rent her clothes and cryed Treason Treason and was slain by the way which the horses go to the Kings house FINIS A Prayer for the Morning O Thou mighty Almighty Creator and Preserver of men We thy poor Creatures protected this night from Fire Sword Sicknesse Death and those manifold evils that might have befallen us and overtaken us by reason of the multitude of our sins for man suffers for his sins cannot but ascribe all praise with the Samaritan Leper due unto thy holy name for this unspeakable mercy of thine towards us miserable sinners unworthy to tast of the least drop much lesse that Ocean of thy love daily streaming and flowing home to our doors to the great comfort of our souls For what is man that thou art mindfull of him or the Son of man that thou shouldest regard him there is nothing in man but deserves open shame and confusision of face continually Wherefore we deny our selves and all our own unrighteousness as filthy clouts and menstruous rags and flee unto thee in thy Christ that in him by him and through him both now and ever we may be acceptable in thy sight O Lord our strength and our Redeemer And as thy mercies have been great towards us this night past so we beseech thee to continue the same mercy unto us this day and so to the end of our dayes Defend us from our Ghostly and bodily enemies Shield us with thy grace that we fall not this day into any manner of evil of sin that we may never grieve thy good Spirit any more by sin and so prevent another day the evil of punishment for sin Direct us in thy mercie in our going out and coming in that whatsoever we shall take in hand it may prosper like Joseph O prosper thou our handie work upon us Instruct us in the heavenly wisdome that above all things we may be wise unto the salvation of our poor souls And teach us with the night past to cast away
all the works of darknesse and of the Devil and with the day to walk honestly as children of the light and of the day Teach us by our walking and wandring up and down from one place to another ever to remember that we are but Pilgrims and Sojourners here on earth and so to fix our hearts and eyes homeward and heaven-ward and upon that rest remains to the people of God Teach us by every thing we take in hand to do all to the glory of God by whom we live move and have our being To this end guide our eyes that they behold no more vanity Guide our ears that they let in no more folly Guide our tongues that the name of God be no more blasphemed amongst us Guide our hearts that they suggest and act such things as are pleasing to the Lord. Guide our hands that they may be more quick and lively in doing Gods businesse than our own Guide our feet that we may run in the wayes of thy commandments even unto the death Lord so guide us in our hearts bodies minds and affections that above all things we may apply our selves to glorifie thee on earth that at last we may be glorified by thee in the Kingdom of glory And seeing thou hast made man for thy glory give us of thy grace that we may serve thee to thy glory Give us instead of hearts of stone hearts of flesh and hearts of wax that they may be alwayies pliable to serve thee our Maker and Redeemer Give us a true sight and light into all our sins and a true Repentance for our sins yea even a loathing of our selves for all the evils which we have committed in all our abominations against our kind God that our sins may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power Give us a true taste of the joyes above that we may with Davids hunted hart pant after the Rivers of living water and long to be with Christ our Love our Head and Captain of our salvation Quicken us in the wayes of godlinesse that we may serve thee with alacrious and chearfull spirits Enflame our hearts with an holy zeal towards thy Law thy word and thy worship that it may be as meat and drink unto us alwaies to do thy will And as we have given up formerly our Members as weapons of unrighteousnesse unto sin so henceforward strengthen us with thy holy Spirit that we may give up our Members as weapons of righteousnesse to serve the everliving God not labouring so eagerly so earnestly so heartilie so greedilie after that bread and meat which perisheth together with us as after that bread which endures unto everlasting life For what will it profit a man to gain the whole world and at last lose his own soul Our souls they were and are dear unto thee and they cost the son of thy love thy onelie begotten son and thy best beloved son thy son in whom alone thou art well pleased the dearest price of his dearest blood how then ought they to be dear unto us and how can we better shew that they are dear and precious unto us than by seeking the good of them more ferventlie than after anie thing else whatsoever O Lord grant that we may not onlie know what is good but that we may do that which is good For they that know their Masters will do it not shall be beaten with many stripes Except the Lord saith David builds the house they labour in vain that build it Except the Lord keepeth the City the watchman waketh but in vain Paul may plant and Apollo may water but all is in vain without thy blessing let therefore thy good blessing accompany all our spiritual bodilie labors that all things may work together for thy glorie and for the best unto them that love thee and desire to fear thy name Lord be with us this day quicken us unto every good work stand by us restrain the corruptions of our own natures quench the fierie darts of that wicked one that they may not prevail against us in this world and so be never able to witnesse against us in the world to come And all this we beg of thee for the Lord Jesus Christs sake in whose name we conclude our Prayers in that absolute manner and form which he hath taught us Our Father which art in heaven c. A Prayer for Noon day IT was Davids practice Evening and Morning and at Noon to pray and that we may be followers of him having him for an ensample to walk according to his rule that we may obtain peace and mercie as the true Israel of God we thy poor servants Blessed Lord God do humblie cast our selves down at thy feet and footstool begging of thee that as thou art the shepherd of Israel which leadest thy people in and out like a flock of sheep so thou wouldest be pleased to lead us into the green pastures there to feed us with spiritual and corporal food whereby bodie and soul may be fed fullie comfortablie and with comforts everlasting O thou shepherd of Israel among the manifold chances and changes of this uncertain life defend us from Gog and Magog that neither inward nor outward enemies hurt us not but above all that sin nor Satan prevail not against us Direct us in the narrow way of repentance and amendment of life that when our day shall end we may enter in at the straight gate and so enjoy the Ancient of daies Rowz up our dull spirits that we may run in the waies of thy Commandements and so obtain that Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord our righteousnesse shall give unto those that love him and call upon his name The night is past and the bright day come Grant us therefore grace to walk as children of light holilie unblameablie unspottedlie and without fault in thy sight Grant that with the Morning we may look fresh in grace and with the Noon grow to a fulnesse of grace and with the Evening lie down in grace that the God of grace may receive us into his tuition and favour We have enjoied a comfortable morning O thrice blessed be thy name for it but we might and all that we have might have been consumed into dust and ashes hadst not thou of thy goodnesse preserved us so that who can think who can say it is in vain to serve the Lord But now who can promise himself one hour more much lesse an Evening if thou shalt hide thy face and withdraw the light of thy countenance from us and therefore we crave of thee to succour us to guard us to continue thy loving kindnesse towards us and to guide us to our rest Our enemies are many in this our vallie of tears that it is of the Lords mercie that we have not long since been consumed our strength to withstand them very weak like a reed to the