another in their wickedness God confounded them and disappointed their Plots for when they thought to shoot suddenly at him God shot at them and wounded them As David acknowledged in his Psalm of Thanksgiving 1 Sam. 22.14,15 The Lord thundred from heaven the most High uttered his voice he sent out arrows and scattered them lightning and discomfited them And a more discomfortable fire never happened to Davids enemies than that which hapned at Newmarket which frighted the King out of those snares which were laid for him and like our ancient custom of firing our Beacons was a Signal of an approaching danger and a means to escape it Yea God hath made their own tongues to fall upon them v. 8. so that one of them discovered the rest and as many as were apprehended confessed enough for their own condemnation and with Haman suffered in the like manner as they had intended against others The rest are scattered in Jacob and divided in Israel and the portion of foxes Psal 63.10 is their reward to be hunted up and down through all Countries as Beasts of Prey When their Bows were bent and their Arrows made ready on the string and level taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Bows were broken and flew back in their own faces When the Knife was even at Isaac's throat God laid hold on it and discovered the Ram that was hid in the bush and made it the Sacrifice And thus the Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth the wicked are insnared in the work of their own hands Psal 9.16 God shot one arrow of Infatuation among them so that the Counsel of Achitophel which if it had been followed might probably have succeeded was rejected by Absolon and all his people 2 Sam. 17.14 An Arrow of dread and remorse of Conscience the villany of the Crime flew in their faces and one above the rest reflecting on the execution of Colledge had no rest till he discovered his Confederates An Arrow of Despair which wrought the same effect with one as with Judas who having betrayed his Master hanged himself An Arrow of Vengeance which seized another who with Sheba had his head out off And though Absolon escaped for a while yet God who employs every creature to preserve his Servants and saved our David in an Oak caused another Oak to take hold of Absolon and become both his Gibbet and Executioner And now Absolon hath built him a Pillar but such as may perpetuate his Infamy to the worlds end for every passenger that goes by his Grave in the Kings dale casts a stone on it saying Cursed be the Parricide Absolon and cursed be every unjust persecutor of his Father And doubtless the curses of the Fatherless and Widows of those who perished with him which were above 40000 sell on him who led them to their ruine wherein the greater part died as Absolon did more were devoured by the Wood than by the Sword So let all the Kings enemies perish and become as the dung of the earth Now as we see the judgement of God so we must declare it to be his work and say This hath God done In Davids deliverance there was some appearance of an Arm of flesh Hussai was got into their Consults and by a subtile and seasonable opposition overthrew Achitophel's design Zadock and Abiathar tarried at Jerusalem to send intelligence to David and David gathered a considerable Army who gave the Rebels battle and overthrew them the Victory was with confused noise and garments rouled in bloud But this defeat was made not by fraud nor force but by the Spirit of the Lord who brought to light the hidden things of darkness and by the light of his countenance blasted them in a moment It is he that is the preserver of Kings that keeps them as the Apple of his eye and saveth them in fortitudinibus dextrae suae with the saving strength of his right hand Dii non servassent nisi sibi servassent and because the King trusted not in his Sword or his Bow but in the protection of God therefore God delivered him and delighted to do him good And therefore we ought in the last place wisely to consider of his doing The Psalmist speaking of the wonderful providence of God Psal 107.43 saith Whoso is wise will observe those things and they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. Our first consideration therefore shall be of the special Care and Providence of God over Kings and Governours For if we grant that God hath any respect to the Welfare of Mankind we must acknowledge it especially in his protection and ordaining of Rulers and Governours without which no Society of men can subsist Now of all Governments that which comes nearest to the Soveraignty and Dominion of God hath most of his inspection and that is Monarchy which he owns for his Institution By me Kings reign and the Apostle calls it his Ordinance Rom. 13. and therefore he must be worse than a Heathen who denies a Special providence over Kings when it reacheth every man yea every sparrow that falls to the ground Hence God owns them as standing in a nearer relation to himself They are his Ministers his Shepherds to protect and feed his flock his Vicegerents to bear the Sword for the punishment of evil doers and protection of them that do well They have more of the Image of God in Authority and Power to dispense Favours and Rewards even to Life or Death God calls them by his own Name sets them in his Throne and over his Kingdom 2 Chron. 13.8 and they that resist resist the kingdom of God and fight against him God calls them to a difficult and invidious work such as Jethro said was too heavy for Moses himself Exod. 18.18 and Solomon starts at it with a Quis sufficit Who is able to judge this so great people 1 King 3.9 They have as many enemies as there are sins and vices in the Nation and the best Kings that are most diligent to restrain evil doers have the most adversaries If there be any national Judgements any Invasion from abroad any Tumults or Factions at home if Fire or Famine the Pestilence or the Sword afflict the Nation if there be any Injustice or Oppression in the inferiour Magistrates any Ambition or Emulation among the Nobles and Gentry any decay of Trade among the Commonalty the burthen of all lieth on the King and the people are ready to cry out against their Governours as the Heathen did against the Christians Imperatores ad Leones Of this burthen David complains Psal 75.3 The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved I bear up the pillars thereof By reason of these disorders God is said to have established the Kingdoms of the world on the flouds and waves which though they often roar horribly and lift up their voice yet he hath set bounds to them and stilleth the raging of the waters and the madness of the
execution those were visible and avoidable Engines but the Instruments of Death in this case were Blunderbusses and Carbines that by force of Fire and Brimstone a hellish invention could cast invisible and infallible Messengers of Death Barbarous and ever-to-be-abhorred was that detestable Parricide of the Royal Martyr yet if I may so say they gave him fair warning of that foul Enterprize he had time to fortiâ—ie himself against the terrours of Death and to anticipate the joys of Heaven to himself amidst those devilish tormentors by divine Contemplations of which we may have a happy taste from his incomparable Meditations So that he died as Moses on Mount Nebo within sight of the Promised Land and as the Rabbins say with a Kiss of Gods Mouth that drew up his Spirit But for such Varlets to assassinate a Prince in an instant coming from his Recreation not fearing any such thing having deserved well of all men this was like the Italian malice that designed to slay his Enemy Body and Soul Certainly King James spake as a Prophet when he told his Son I protest before the great God and as I am now on my last Will and Testament you shall never find with any Highland or Border-thieves greater ingratitude more lies and vile perjuries than with these Fanatick spirits and suffer not the principles of them to brook your land if you like to sit at rest except you would keep them for trying your patience as Socrates did an evil wife Basilicon doron p. 41,42 So much of the Oculta conventicula The second part of the Plot is the insurrection of evil doers for the King was not to perish alone they meant him a more noble attendance in his death than they would afford him in his life even a glorious Army of Martyrs It was Achitophel's advice the man whom thou seekest is instar omnium When the Head is cut off all the Members must perish with it Ch. 17.3 So that it was not some Small Stirs as they minc'd the matter in a Scotish Dialect but a general Insurrection The great City where Absolon had seated himself was to be cantonized in twenty parts an hundred of Sauls old Captains were ready to marshal the Rabble A great Assembly of ill-assected Nobles and Gentry were invited thither the City wanted not men nor Magazines of Arms the men wanted not Courage nor Malice They expected onely the Signal and then all the City had been once more in a flame and filled with the shout of God save King Absolon Nor was the Country much behind the City in preparation for the Insurrection Absolon had made frequent excursions into every part and had setled Spies and Correspondents in all the Tribes of Israel 2 Sam. 15.10 where-ever he came he was received with acclamations of joy and worshipped as the rising Sun the redeemer of Israel from Tyranny and Idolatry King David himself nor Solomon in all his glory was more splendid yet our Absolon exceeded him he had but 50 men of all that great City to run before him ours had 1500 in this little City and how many of the Gentry waited on him and caressed him is not yet to be spoken Insomuch that David had even done what our King was advised to do to leave the Government as he loved his life David himself called him King Ch. 16.16 and Hushai Davids friend cries more than once God save the King God save the King And no wonder then if so many of the people did adore him And with so great concern were Elections canvased through the Nation as if a Prize were to be plaid for the Imperial Crown against the black Box and as if the success depended on the suffrages of the Mobile The Cabals are kept up for Consultation in every County and Factions formed in every Corporation the Loyal Party are braved by Disloyal Clubs and Treason made the familiar Discourse of Coffee-houses and Taverns And he that pleaded for the Established Worship or Government was threatned as the Apostles that preached Christ to be brought before the Sanedrim and Elders of Israel Amasa their General had listed his Army Gilead was the place for pitching his Tents the signal was given for appearing in Arms. Ch. 15.10 As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet then ye shall say Absolon reigneth in Hebron And so confident they were of success that when they were putting on the Harness they boasted as if they were putting it off And now let the World judge whether there were a Fanatick Plot or no whether David's life and the life of his Subjects were in danger or whether those that brought his life to the Pits brink were Rebels or not Let such as are of a contrary mind read over all the Histories Sacred or Prophane let them contract the Rebellion of Corah and Jehu of Jeroboam and Judas and adde those of Catiline and Sejanus of the men of Munster and Rome And I dare find a Parallel to every circumstance in all those Plots in this One. Here was Corah's Spirit of Contradiction Jehu's pretence of Zeal Jeroboam's Calves and Judas his Kiss Here was in a word the Compendium of all Treasons An Armado was provided to seize the Kings Ships the Gunpowder-Treason in a Blunderbuss the Irish Massacre in the Insurrection the Scotish Rebellion in Argile and the Votes and Ordinances of Forty One c. in the Bill of Exclusion And now I suppose the Parallel is so well drawn that he that runs may read how far the Counsel of Achitophel and the Practice of Absolon is outdone by our Modern Polititians But it will be objected against what hath been said That it was not the Body of Dissenters that were engaged in thâ—… Horrid Conspiracy but onely a few Malecontents or men of desperate fortunes and some of them lived in the Communion of the Church of England and were religious and godly men To which I answer 1. The same Objection was made by the Papists concerning the Powder-Treason that they were men of broken Fortunes and were not permitted the Exercise of their Religion which they valued beyond their Lives yet it is well known that Digby and others of them were men of Estates that the execution of the Penal Laws against them was generally suspended and they enjoyed equal priviledges and favours with other Subjects and though all of that Perwsasion were not privy to it yet it is evident they would have approved of it and rejoyced in it if it had succeeded because though it were defeated the Designe was approved at Rome and a Priest of that Church who was proved guilty of the Conspiracy and suffered for it was honoured as a Martyr Now if the Principles allowed of in any Community of men do countenance the resisting deposing and murthering of Princes be it on pretence of Heresie or Tyranny or for the good of the Kirk reforming Abuses or redressing Grievances though there be but a few Actors yet all are Criminals and
not that he was exempted from humane infirmties but as to the main he was a Prince chosen by God out of all the Tribes and Families of Israel endowed with all Royal vertues of Fortitude Wisdom and Clemency that might qualifie him for Government a man after Gods own heart who minded the building of Gods house more than his own for in the midst of all his troubles when he was driven to shift for himself from one place and Kingdom to another he gave the Priests a special charge to secure the Ark of God 2 Sam. 15.25 And it was his good will to Sion that created him so much ill will from his and Gods Enemies they were for Conventicles at Hebron he for the Vniformity of Gods Worship at Hierusalem hinc illae Lacrimae Those Dissenters knew they could not destroy Gods Vine but by a blow at the root of that Royal Oak that supported it No Prince ruled more strictly by the Laws of God and the Statutes of Israel than David Psal 78.73 He fed them with a faithful and true heart and ruled them prudently with all his power The greatest imperfection in David's government was his too great indulgence to such as Absolon and Shimei who abused it to an attempt of his overthrow for he granted to some who had been his professed Enemies more Favours Priviledges and Dignities than other munificent Princes have done to their approved Friends This good King is said v. 4. to be thus persecuted while he thought himself secure Nil tale metuentem His Innocence was his chief Guard which caused him to expose himself in all places among all sorts of persons having deserved well of all he suspected none Whatever Clamours were noised against him he was not conscious of any guilt of Arbitrary government or Oppression or any deviation from the established Worship of God to Idolatry though in the time of his banishment among idolatrous Nations he met with such Temptations as none but a true Israelite in whose spirit there is no guile could resist Yet wanted there not some that slandered the footsteps of Gods anointed The best men are least suspicious it is Impiety and Guilt that multiplieth Fears and Jealousies and makes men froward and impatient Malefactors are always Enemies to those that have the power to punish them knowing they cannot be safe but by diverting their Governours from the execution of the Laws The best Princes like the best men have usually the most Enemies as will appear in The second Parallel the persons joyned in the Conspiracy Wherein Achitophel was the first Mover and the great Wheel that gave motion to all the rest A treacherous false Brother as his name signifies Frater defectus vel ruinae That person to whom David had respect Psal 41.9 My own familiar friend in whom I trusted which did eat of my bread hath lift up his heel against me Wherein he was a type of Judas that betrayed his Lord and Master He was as Tacitus says of Sejanus facinorum omnium repertor the spirit and life of that wicked Association which from its first conception was impregnated with an Assassination He had been a long time David's Counsellor as he is call'd by way of Eminency the chief Minister of State He was preferred 1 Chron. 27.33 before Hushai though he is stiled the kings friend and companion before Jehoiada and Abiathar and Joab the Kings General He had been intrusted with the Arcana Imperii A man of great Experience and no less Subtilty he knew the Intrigues of all the Factions in Israel and of all the neighbouring Princes and by his compliance had insinuated into the affections of them all so that he drew them all into an Association with him Gebal and Ammon and Amalek the Philistins and them that dwell at Tyre He had the art of uniting them to himself who never could agree with one another With all these the Counsel of Achitophel was as if they had enquired at the Oracle of God and no wonder for it was so with David and Absolon also He had seen divers Revolutions of the Government Quorum pars magna fuit from Saul to his Son Ishboseth from Ishboseth's short Reign to David and now he sets up for Absolon and who would not confederate with the Kings Son having the Kings great Counsellor on his side We cannot find any cause given by David for Achitophel's Revolt who had been obliged by all the Favours that a potent and prosperous Prince could heap on a well-deserving Subject and therefore must impute it to his own ambitious and restless spirit for a right Gilonite he was a Revolter and Renegade from Party to Party as his interest and ungovernable spirit led him Perhaps the prudent Prince had rejected some of his rash Counsels his assuming and ingrossing the sole power of making War and Peace his violating well-established Leagues his Delenda Carthago his courting the Affections of the People alienating them from their Prince sowing Seeds of Discontent and Sedition among them For impatient he was of any Discontent or Corrival in the Kings favour he never did nor could in all the Revolutions endure a Superiour for when he endeavoured to assume the Command of Absolon's Forces to himself as we read 2 Sam. 17.1,2 I will chuse out 12000 men and will up and follow David i. e. he would have headed the Rebellion and left Absolon to shift for himself his designe being frustrated by the seasonable advice of Hushai it so grated on his Spirit that he could find no rest but in his Grave Evident it is that his grand designe was to have broken the Chain of Succession to the Crown of Israel and though he pretended to set up Absolon yet it is apparent that his aim was to assume the Government to himself for when he perceived that Absolon was perswaded to command his own Forces in person and in open Field and not cowardly to assassinate his King being unarmed which one of his most daring Captains refused to do he quite deserted young Absolon I know that some Divines tell us that Achitophel was incensed against David by a revengeful spirit for the sake of Bathsheba who was the Daughter of Eliam 2 Sam. 11.4 and Eliam Achitophel's Son chap. 23.34 But here lies a Mystery Chileab old David's second Son was yet alive though some would have him dead he was to be excluded from the Succession for Absolon's sake as is pretended but that Chain being broken though but in one link the whole would be laid aside as useless and burthensom and then notwithstanding Absolon's pretence the Crown might have descended to his own little Solomon But what if David were guilty in the matter of Bathsheba our Achitophel of all men living was unfit to revenge that sin on his Soveraign of which he was so notoriously guilty himself who as an old Fornicator having consumed his own strength on strange Women having incestuously abused the Mother and Daughter as
Rom. 13.2 in the books of some who term themselves true Protestants than in all those which are written by such as they justly condemn for Idolatrous and Traiterous Papists Let any of them read over all Coleman's Letters as printed by Authority and extract the most dangerous Positions for Rebellion in them and I dare parallel all of them in one Book of a Leading Dissenter which he yet stiles his Holy Commonwealth With what face can these men pretend any longer that they cannot through Scruples of Conscience come up to the Church of England in the practice of an innocent Ceremony who have outgone the Church of Rome as well in the practices as in the principles of Rebellion and Bloudshed The second Conspirator was Sheba the Son of Bichri of whom David was the more afraid because he came Sobrius ad evertendam Rempub. 2 Sam. 20.6 Now shall Sheba do us more harm than did Absolon But notwithstanding his professed Sobriety the Text calls him a man of Belial and as it is said when one mad Dog bites another and that a third they all run mad so the Venom of Achitophel's tongue infected all that conversed with him with perfect madness for who but a mad man would kick at the Crown of David and think to make a Foot-ball of it to be tossed by every Clown Yet this the vertuous and noble Sheba attempted He blew the trumpet against the Succession 2 Sam. 20.1 We have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse every man to his tents O Israel And mighty numbers of the men of Israel withdrew from David to follow Sheba except the men of Judah who clave unto their King So great a Party had he formed in the City Abel that it was like to have perished with him but by good advice his head was cut off and so that Mischief prevented 2 Sum. 20.22 Yet this great man thought to do as Sampson to pull down the Pillars of the State and to slay more at his death than he had done in his life-time and as if it had not been enough to draw others into the same Perdition with himself in his life-time heacted so as to make Israel to sin after his death For what man that pretends to be a true Protestant would think it more eligible and thank God that he died by the Ax being condemn'd as a Traytor than to go to Heaven in flames of fire for the true Religion if it had pleased God to call him to a fiery trial The next person among David's Enemies was that Churl Nabal who was of the house of Caleb that Caleb I suppose of whom it is written Numb 14.24 that he was a man of another spirit who obeyed God and served his servant Moses fully And by the blessing of God and the Kings bounty he became a very great man and had large possessions all which were preserved to him by David 1 Sam. 25.21 I have kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness so that nothing was missing of all that pertained to him Now David being in distress he sent ten young men to greet him in his name Peace be to thee and peace be to thy house and peace be to all that thou hast we come in a good day a day when Nabal kept a feast like the feast of a king and his request is very mean Give I pray thee to David and his servants whatever cometh to thy hand This was extremely modest where all was owing to intreat so small a pittance and there was extreme folly as well as ingratitude in denying a little portion to him that could have commanded all Yet hear the Answer of this Churl 1 Sam. 25.10 Who is David and who is the son of Jesse shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh and give it to men that I know not whence they be At which Answer David was greatly provoked being thus rewarded evil for good v. 21. and railed on v. 14. by him who had been a will unto him both by night and day that none did hurt him v. 16. for which he was sentenced to death But probably he might have obtained pardon from David if he could have pardoned himself but at the very hearing of the Sentence his heart died within him v. 37. and he became as a stone and within ten days after he was found dead The next Character of the Conspirators is that of Ziba who was a servant of the house of Saul as his Father had been in the first War against David a wealthy man he was too but a great part of his wealth was raked together by false Informations subtile Insinuations and Sequestrations As he never loved the King himself so he hated all those that did love him Mephiboseth the Son of Jonathan David's old and faithful friend gave order to Ziba to prepare his Asses that he might wait on the King in his distress but as he complains 2 Sam. 19.26 Ziba deceived him and yet he had the confidence to accuse his Master in a high degree ch 16.3 as if he tarried at Hierusalem with a purpose to make a Party for himself against David and had said To day shall the house of Israel restore me the Kingdom of my Father By such slanderous suggestions many of David's most loyal Subjects were rendred suspected of the People as Pensioners to a forraign power Promoters of an Arbitrary Government and evil Counsellors And so subtile and importune were the Informers in their Accusations that David was inclined to believe them rather than Mephiboseth who had been a great sufferer and hearty sorrower for him ch 19.24 He had neither dressed his feet being lame in them both nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace and ready he was to part with all that he had though to Ziba himself for the preservation of the publick peace yea let him take all for as much as my Lord the King is come to his house in peace This Ziba was a fellow-servant in the house of Saul with Doeg the Edomite that Doeg who at the command of Saul fell on Abimelech and the rest of the Priests of the Lord and slew in one day fourscore and five persons that wore the linen Ephod and their wives and their children and sucklings and all their cattle he slew with the edge of the sword 1 Sam. 22.18 And wherefore slew he them but onely for their fidelity to David because they gave him victuals and assisted him with a sword and prayed to God for him v. 10. when he was persecuted by Saul A cruelty which none of Saul's Footmen would execute v 17. but these children of Edom in the day of the distress of Hierusalem and Sion cryed out Raze it raze it even to the foundations thereof Psal 137.7 Ziba was a principal Persecutor of the Church of God next to Doeg he countenanced
in the sence of the Law there are no Accessories in the case of Treason But secondly a Secret of such consequence could not be intrusted with all the Faction it was enough that their Principal Guides and Leaders were engaged in it where some performed the Function of the Brain to consult others of the Eyes to search out Opportunities and Advantages others of the Ears and Tongue to listen after and scatter false Reports as so many Fire-brands others of the Hands to execute such traiterous designs the whole Body was certainly engaged and without all peradventure would at least post factum have rejoyced in it as they did of the most detestable Murther of the Royal Martyr when a Representative Body of these Dissenters layed a foundation for such an ungodly Enterprize when they had even buried the King alive and by false Insinuations stoln away the hearts of the People and deprived him of the Comforts and necessary Supports of his Crown and Dignity voting his Guards to be a Grievance and the executing the Penal Laws on Dissenters to be grievous to the Subjects an Encouragement to Popery and dangerous to the Peace of the Kingdom when he was denied to raise Money on his own Revenues and such as should assist him pronounced Enemies to the Peace of the Nation when a considerable part of his Customs were taken from him the Bill for excluding the lawful Successors was resolutely insisted on and a Vote pass'd for restoring the Duke of Monmouth to his Offices for which application was to be made to the King by such Members of Parliament as were of the Kings Privy Council when it was voted that all who should oppose the Bill of Exclusion should be dealt with as Betrayers of the King the Protestant Religion and the Kingdom of England and Pensioners of France when one pronounced it a favour that the Duke was onely excluded and another would have perswaded him to destroy himself and a third threatned that rather than not exclude him they would exclude the whole Glorious Family of the STUARTS Mr. Hunt when seditious Petitions were promoted and the Thanks of the House voted to be given to a seditious Party of the City for their manifest Loyalty to the King their Care Charge and Vigilancy for the preservation of his Majesties Person and the Protestant Religion when his Majesties Prerogative to call and dismiss his Council was questioned and while they who infused fears and groundless jealousies of the Kings ruling by an Arbitrary power did in an Arbitrary manner fine and imprison divers of his Majesties Loyal Subjects I doubt not to say that though such a petite venemous Insect as Achitophel was sate on the Axle and boasted of his moving all these great Wheels yet there were many more than a few rash and desperate persons engaged in the Commotion And what was the meaning of that Vote That in case the King should die by a violent death they would revenge it on the Papists when the chief Ministers of State the Bishops and all that were eminent for their Loyalty were condemned as being Popishly affected and the Clergy branded as Projectors for a Conjunction with the Church of Rome and had made many steps towards it Nor were these things whispered in a corner by some Malecontents but proclaimed on the house-top they were vox votum Populi When Absolon was sacrificing at Hebron the Conspiracy was strengthened says the Text ch 15. It seems then Absolon had his Levites who set up their Altars at Hebron which signifies a Society or Association in opposition to that at Hierusalem and these were they that strengthened the Rebellion For as every Chieftain had his Levite so every Levite had some hundreds whose Purses and Consciences were at their command and instead of catechising them in the duty of Obedience they preached Satyrs against their Governours and instilled the Doctrine of Resistance Their Texts were usually such as these Ye take too much upon you Moses and Aaron all the congregation is holy every one of them and the Lord is among them Numb 16.3 Curse ye Meroz say these Angels of Light curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof because they came not to help the Lord against the mighty Judg. 5.23 Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully and cursed be he that with-holds his sword from bloud Jer. 48.10 If ye do wickedly ye shall be destroyed both you and your King 1 Sam. 12.25 The kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them but it shall not be so with you Mat. 20.25 He reproved kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm Psal 105.15 Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage Gal. 5.1 In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men Mat. 15.9 I hate them that hold lying or superstitious vanities Psal 31.6 Come out of Babylon my people that ye partake not of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Rev. 18.4 The hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him Joh. 4.23 Why as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances Touch not tast not handle not which all are to perish with the using after the commandments and doctrines of men Col. 2.20 I thank thee O Father that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Mat. 11.25 These are the Texts and it is easie to conjecture what Uses and Applications were made to the People For from these the People are instructed in their great Priviledges and Power That there is Idolatry and Superstition in the Church Oppression and Tyranny in the State That they ought to shake off those Yokes of Bondage and vindicate themselves into the glorious liberty of the sons and daughters of God That they may bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron to execute judgment upon them for this honour have all the Saints Psal 149.8 Hence every Idiot thinks he understands the Scriptures better than his Priest or Bishop And the watchmen of Israel may in vain forewarn them of the sin and misery which their false Prophets are leading them to though it be demonstrated that as naturally as the same cause doth produce the same effects so do the same seditious Principles spring up into rebellious Practices which a Prophet of their own was so sensible of that he told those men that they were nati ad bis perdendam Rempub. Anglicanam Born to destroy the English Government a second time But though an Angel from Heaven or one from the dead should perswade them contrary to what their Teachers have infused into them their Understandings are so oblinded and Consciences seared that sooner may a Jew or a Turk be converted
from such sins than a bigotted Separatist One tells the People that they are the Original of Civil Authority and if Magistrates act not by the Laws quas vulgus eligerit they forfeit their Authority Others That it is lawful for them to enter into Leagues and Covenants for defence of themselves and their Religion without and against the Magistrates command That it is not against Scripture or the practice of Primitive Christians violently to resist the Higher Powers when they persecute them for Religion or when the Prince commands against the Laws of the Country That Success justifieth a Cause and to pursue it is to comply with the Will of God and the Conduct of Providence That King Charles the First was lawfully put to death and his Murtherers were the blessed Instruments of Gods Glory in their Generation That he first made War on the Parliament and therefore might not onely be resisted but ceased to be a King and many that died in the War against him are glorious Saints in Heaven That the Presbyterian Government is that Scepter of Christ to which all the Kings of the Earth must bow or he will break them in pieces like a Potters Vessel That the Removal of our Ceremonies was sufficient to countervail for all the Bloud and Treasure spent and spilt in the late Wars In an Epist to the Lord Hallifax Tune inter se concordant quam in perniciem justi conspirant non quia se invicem amant sed quia cum qui amandus erat simul oderant They are told that all the true Protestants are united Presbyterian Independent and Anabaptist sound Protestants all Materials for a new Establishment are prepared there wants onely the perfecting skill of some Master-builder such as his Lordship was and then hands to work That the Wheel was turning and that part which was under would shortly be uppermost And out comes the Celeusma a barbarous Outcry not unknown to Marriners by their Ho-up calling all Hands or One and all to hoist up the Sails for a new Commonwealth Under such Doctrines as these the Presses have sweat the Church hath groaned the Peoples Souls led Captive in Chains of Darkness and under these this Horrid Conspiracy hath been hatched The Devil himself when he appeared in the Mantle of Samuel never did nor could teach Saul more pernicious Doctrines than these Yet these are the Religious Godly Soul-saving Teachers of the Time though by their Fruits we may know them and as well expect Grapes from Thorns and Figs from Thistles as any good Effects from such ill Causes Ferguson Casteers and Lob three Conventicle-Preachers are discovered to have been in the Plot. Philostratus in the life of Apollonius contends that the murder of Domitian was more owing to the Doctrine of Apollonius than to the hands of Stephanus and Parthenius who slew him And as the death of Charles the First was imputable to such Preachers so might the death of Charles the Second had not our gracious God prevented it by the death of these Conspirators to which their false Prophets have betrayed them If you look for a Character of their Godliness you have it in a Character in Text-hand Without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof 2 Tim. 3.3 4. But the Objection says that some of the Conspirators were of the Communion of the Church of England Answ This is as great a truth as that Fiction of Mr. Baxter that the first War was begun by Episcopal men such as sided with Archbishop Laud when it is well known that that learned Loyal Prelate was one of the first that was struck at and in him the whole Church of England Root and Branch And this is the first time since the Reformation that any of the Church of England were accused of Rebellion against their Princes There may be a Judas or two that have partaken of that Tessera of our Communion the body and bloud of Christ but I think that having first resolved to betray their Master the Devil entred into their hearts and filled them with all iniquity and at last brought them to destruction The Church of England was that thorny Hedge of which Mr. Baxter says he made it the most serious action of his life to pull it down and he would still endeavour it though by going on both sides the hedge i. e. I suppose complying with all Parties and though he were well scratched for his pains And he hath been as big as his word not onely endeavouring it himself but encouraging all his Disciples by his Moral Prognostications of which see The second part of the History of Separation where the Piety of such men is made transparent Saepe deprehensi obstinate agunt And now as from the Principles of Popery I do believe that there was is and will be a Popish Plot against the Established Government and Religion so from the like Principles of Dissenters and their correspondent practices I do verily believe that there hath been is and will be several Attempts for the Confusion both of Church and State as now established Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth may Israel now say yet have they not prevailed against me Psal 129.1 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us But blessed be God who hath not given us up as a prey unto their teeth the snare is broken and we are escaped Our help is in the Name of the Lord Psal 124.1 All men shall see it and fear and declare the work of the Lord saying This hath God done and shall wisely consider of his doing Having seen David's danger in the first part of the Parallel we now proceed to consider his Deliverance in the next part As God is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe so among Believers in a most peculiar manner he hath in all ages of the World shewed forth his power and Mercy in the miraculous and gracious Deliverances of his Church and protection of Righteous and Religious States professing his holy and eternal truth This David often experimented God sometime preventing him with his Blessing and when he foresaw to what distress his Enemies had reduced him he heard the cry even before he called The very misery of Gods People often moves him to pity At other times God delivered him from the violent man and covered his head in the day of battle and gave victory to his King over all his Enemies so that when they dealt most proudly God was above them and brought them down When their Plots were laid so secret that they boasted none should see it God tells them all men shall see it while they encouraged one