Captivity or Bondage and this Man was really Vir sui nominis one that answered his Name to a Title for had Israel adher'd to his Advice they had as certainly been made Slaves to the Philistines as we to the French if we had all as some did lately deserted King William Thirdly He is describ'd by his Family or Tribe he was Son of Bichri a Benjamite i. e one that could not brook to see the Crown settled in the Tribe of of Judah Considering the many Provocations of the Jews it was a Mercy that God would permit them a King of their own Blood and Nation whereas in Justice he might have given way that such as hated them should have held them in Subjection yet instead of a grateful Acknowledgment of God's Loving Kindness we meet with a murmuring against his Providence and so dissatisfy'd are these Benjamites that if they may not have a King of their own Tribe they care for no King of like mind are the Papists and their wicked Complices if they cannot have a King of their own Persuasion and Temper no other shall live in Safety or Peace I pass from the Person to his Action 2. His Action He blew a Trumpet Some whisper Treason and are well satisfied in dark holes to plot bloody Mischiefs hoping no eye shall see them but here we have a Traitor in Grain that matters not who hears him nay takes care to be heard for lest he should not have Auditors enough he summons them with a Trumpet When Rebellion War and Blood was the Banquet a Trumpet was a fit Instrument to congregate the Guests Treason is bad enough when conceal'd and solitary when it is promoted in Cabals and transmitted by Cabalistical Letters but it is come to its heighth when it dare appear bare-fac'd when Sheba with his Trumpet and Tongue shall loudly and openly impudently and publickly proclaim himself a Traitor and invite others into the Conspiracy Too many among us have sounded such Trumpets nay they that ought to have known better and taught better have from their Pulpits trumpeted We have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse Thirdly Let us observe though never believe his Speech We have no part in David nor inheritance in in the son of Jesse To your tents O Israel Here is a Speech made up of Lye Slander and Treason 1. The Lye in these Words We have no part in David Solomon's Observation is Prov. 10.18 Fools seek to hide their hatred with lying lips so that Sheba hath at once proclaim'd himself Lyar and Fool What no part in David Can he be a good Subject and have no Interest in a good King Out of thy own Mouth we will judge this wicked Wretch Did not he with the rest of the Tribes 2 Sam. 19.9 acknowledge their Interest in David Did they not prove it when they confess'd that he did deliver them out of the hands of their Enemies and out of the hand of the Philistines Had not David been heartily concern'd in your Safety and Welfare had you not had a near place in his Royal Heart would he for your sakes have courted Dangers have carried his life in his hand and have thrust himself amongst bloody and perfidious Enemies But how notorious will this Lye appear when we look upon the 43d Verse of this Chapter where it is said by these very Men We have ten parts in the King and have also more Right in David than you Some may be desirous to know what might be the Design of this loud Lye for few raise Lyes against their Sovereigns barely for lying sake but they have some farther wicked end to serve Sheba's Design was this He saw that he and his Tribe had put a bar in the way of their Preferment both by Rebelling against David and also in being tardy to bring the King back after that Rebellion was so happily appeased and thence he concluded it was vain for him or them to hope for any great Favours for if David had none of their hands it was unreasonable to expect they should have any of his Countenance Princes do not use to be so indifferent in the distribution of their Rewards as to heap Honours upon those that sought to prevent their just Rights or that impair their just Titles though in this Age this Rule hath been broke for the sake of some Being thus conscious of his own Demerits Sheba sought to embroil the Nation persuading to a general Defection instead of a National Association The next thing unseemly and worthy Reproof in this short Speech is the Slander and Contempt in these Words the Son of Jesse He upbraided David with his Descent and Family calling him the Son of Jesse whom he ought to have honoured with the Title of King This was done in scorn and thus some of our saucy irreverent Sheba's call him only Prince of Orange whom they ought to acknowledge as rightful King of England Scotland and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. St. Jude calls those that speak contemptuously of Dignities filthy Dreamers Persons whose Words declare that their Wits and Senses have been asleep while God hath brought about this Revolution Such another Son of Balial was Nabal but how shall Sheba or Nabal excuse themselves if ever it enters into their hearts to consider that he whom they speak thus contemptously off and set at naught is no less than the Lords Anointed He is a Traitor to his Prince who slanders and reviles him though not so great a Traitor as he that conspires against his Life Crown and Dignity The next Particular is the Treason Every man to his Tents O Israel The Consequence of which Words was to perswade the greatest part of the Kingdom to Sedition and Rebellion which once effected he hoped that the Tribe of Judah for fear or shame would have come over to them and then peradventure he himself might get into the Throne as being of Saul's Family or otherwise a Commonwealth might follow thereupon wherein it was more easie for him to put in for a share in the Government For this you may observe that there are but few Plotters or Conspirators but what are Necessitous or Ambitious This was a Speech indeed and very ill becoming the mouth of a Jew yet I could match it and out do it with one spoken by a reputed Christian who may well hide his Head as he now doth had he nothing more than a Black-mouth to answer for But blessed be God the Lot is fallen to us very pleasantly and we have a goodly Inheritance in our David a large Inheritance of Piety Wisdom Justice Goodness and Valour God give us the grace unanimously to defend this our Inheritance This Speech thus taken in peices expos'd and confuted I will now shew you how unreasonable this Benjamite was in this Invective against David and that he really had no cause to quarrel with that Revolution which Providence had made in
SHEBA's CONSPIRACY AND AMASA's CONFEDERACY OR A Modest VINDICATION OF THE National Association Entred into by the Honorable House of Commons Feb. 25th 1695. BEING A SERMON Preach'd in the Parish-Church of St. James Clarkenwell March 29th By D. PEAD Chaplain to his Grace John Duke of New-Castle LONDON Printed for T. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside MDCXCVI To his Most Sacred Majesty William the III. OF England Scotland and Ireland by the Grace of God Rightful and Lawful King Defender of the Faith c. Most Gracious Sovereign VAlens the Emperor having incautelously entertain'd the pernicious Errors of Arius in a short time great part of Christendom became infected with the same Principles In those Days Aphrates the Monk leaving his Cell appeared in Publick striving by his Art and Wit to oppose that raging Torrent and to such as thought him too forward he offered no other Apology than that the Necessity of the Times forced him from his Retirement Our implacable Enemies of Rome who have for many Years laboured the Destruction of our Church and Nation finding their own Hands too feeble to effect their Enterprize have at last by a subtle Stratagem brought over too many of Ours to their Assistance for having cunningly inveigled with some to press the Doctrine of Passive Obedience in a time unseasonable and in a Cause not requiring Men's Affections became much alienate from the Truth they fear'd would expose 'em and having prevailed on others to invalidate your Majesty's Just and Legal Title to the Crown by introducing an uncouth Notion of a King de Facto by which Doctrine they have brought some to believe that Rebellion against a Prince no better qualified was necessary just and acceptable as well to God as Man in which Opinion some have already persisted unto Death At such a time to be silent is to be insensible not to reprove is to encourage and not to oppose such irreligious Principles and Practises is to want not only Loyalty but Religion The chief Designs of this Discourse now humbly laid at your Majesty's Feet are to confirm such as have hitherto kept themselves uncorrupted in Loyalty and Obedience to your Majesty to reclaim if possible some of the fallen as for the more froward and obstinate they must be left to your Majesty's Justice which I hope that God who hath so miraculously preserved and defended you will direct and enable you so to execute that it may be seen to the Comfort of the Loyal and the Terror of the Rebellious that your Majesty bears not the Sword in vain The Lord grant your Majesty a long Life that you may at last behold and rejoice in the Travel of your Soul the Preservation Reformation and Prosperity of your Kingdoms And let all the People say Amen Which is the Constant Prayer of Your MAJESTY's most Loyal Most Obedient and Most Humble Subject Deuel Pead A VINDICATION OF THE National Association 2 Sam. XX. 1. And there hap'ned to be there a man of Belial whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri a Benjamite and he blew a trumpet and said we have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse every man to his tents O Israel GOD whose only Prerogative it is ever hath been and shall be to dispose of Kingdoms was pleased to Appoint and Anoint David the Son of Jesse to wear Israel's Crown not that he delighted in Changes and Innovation but his Wisdom and Justice could not bear that such as reigned only by his Comimssion should dispute or refuse his Commands Wherefore Saul forgetting his Duty both to God and his People God saw it high time to remove him and made room for the Succession of a Prince who should prove more willing and obedient yet though this was apparently the Lord's Doings all were not then no more than they are now satisfy'd therewith Some turbulent Spirits lay upon the Catch watching the Opportunity of a Revolution these resolved that seeing God had translated the Diadem from the Tribe of Benjamin to that of Judah they would either bring it back or else convert the Monarchy into a Commonwealth of which number was Sheba who took Pett at the Honour the Tribe of Judah had done themselves in being so zealous after the Defeat of Absalom to conduct David from Mahanaim to Jerusalem for if you consult the 41 Verse of the preceding Chapter you will find the Ten Tribes sharply contesting with the Men of Judah and blaming them for their so great haste in transporting the King and his Houshold without calling them to the Consult that they also might have shared in the Honour of such a Loyal Action who hearing this would not have concluded David exceeding happy in the Affection of his Subjects But All is not Gold that glisters All are not therefore loyal because at this Juncture of Time upon the Discovery of so horrid a Plot they have set their Hands to an Association for even those Men who were so hot in the Contention pretending so much Loyalty of a sudden in the Rebellion of Absalom deserted David's Standard and within a few Minutes you will find them closing with Sheba's Traiterous Counsel And as saith the Verse following the Text they forsook David and I fear some who are now very forward in these Demonstrations of Loyalty had the Enemy landed would have held it their best Policy to have met him in an obsequious manner thereby to save their Estates It is pity such have any to save Sheba being among these discontented Persons and perceiving them in a Ferment closed with the Opportunity and to blow them up into a Flame he blew a Trumpet and said We have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse every man to his tents O Israel I shall consider these Words after this Method I. I shall treat of the Person Sheba the son of Bichri a Benjamite and which we must not forget a Man of Belial II. His Action He blew a Trumpet III. His Speech And said we have no part in David neither have we Inheritance in the Son of Jesse every Man to his Tents O Israel These Things dispatch'd I shall conclude with better Counsel 1. The Person Of whom I shall not speak much and that for two Reasons the one because I find no Good to relate of him the other because the less we have to do with such Persons the better First By his Behaviour A Man of Belial i. e. a yokeless lawless Person a pestilent Fellow a Mover of Sedition a meer Salamander that would expire were it not for the Fire of Contention a very Child of the Devil One would think no wise Persons would come at such a ones Call or find leisure to hear his Speeches yet some have such itching Ears that they will listen to any Villain that knows how to speak Treason enough Secondly He is described by his Name Sheba which being interpreted implies
the Throne of Israel and this I will do first by making some remarks on the Person remov'd and next considering some things extraordinary in the Person placed in his room 1. That which might have quieted Sheba and his Tribe was The Person Abdicated viz. Saul was removed for his Disobedience against the positive Commands of God The Scriptures are silent as concerning Saul's behaviour while a private person and if we may suppose him them tractable and obedient his new Honour made a wonderful Alteration but some have got so much King-craft that they can disguise their natural Tempers and dissemble better till such time as they judge they may disclose their own without controul For 1 Sam. 10.1 he was anointed V. 8. he receives command by the same hand that anointed him to go down to Gilgal and there stay seven days where Samuel would come down and offer Burnt-offerings Sacrifice and Sacrifices of Peace-offerings and shew him what he shall do notwithstanding this Order and Promise Saul fearing the Approach of the Philistines presumes upon an Office to which he was not call'd he will stay no longer but turn Priest and offer Sacrifice observe as light a matter as he counted it Samuel tells him 1 Sam. 13.13 that it was a foolish Act and he had thereby broken the Commandment of the Lord His fear of the Philistines could not justifie his distrust of God's help nor would the Devotion of his Sacrifice atone for the breach of God's Command He should have been as zealous to obey as willing to be Anointed It is great fondness to believe that God who requires Obedience from those of low degree should hold such excused whom he hath placed in the most eminent Stations God's Rule of Exspectance bears proportion to to the measure of his Liberality and consequently every Act of Disobedience in such Personages appears the more heinous even from the greatness of that Honour to which they are exalted Saul's Charge was 1 Sam. 15.3 to destroy Amalek I confess the Tenour of the Commission might something terrifie him because it was so general for neither Age Sex Degree or Quality Man or Beast was excepted yet ought he not so long to have pondered the thing in hand as to forget his Obligation if Nature represented his Obedience as cruel and sanguine Grace should have reminded him of His uncontroulable Authority who had given him this in charge and then he had soon understood the greatest Cruelty would have been to himself in suspending the Execution However Saul wanted not other Arguments to have satisfy'd the Relentings of Nature as that they were gross Idolaters and moreover as God was pleas'd to acquaint him they had deilt very barbarously when time was with Israel and therefore he should have concluded that seeing God's time of Vengeance was come and that God had deputed him to that Office he must by no means decline it or be partial in the Execution Peradventure Covetousness might solicit in behalf of Agag propounding a plentiful Ransom However he should have consider'd it had been more happy to hear the Heathen confessing Verily there is a righteous God that judgeth in the earth than to hear his Subjects vaunting There is a rich King that reigneth in Israel It may be Hypocrisie became Advocate for the choicest of the Cattle alledging if ever the Case were examined it would be a sufficient excuse to plead they were spar'd for Sacrifice But Saul should rather have believed the Lord had not that Delight in Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices as in the obeying and performing his Commands Mercy is one of the brightest Jewels that can adorn a Prince's Crown nay it gives Beauty and Lustre to the rest but to spare Idolaters God's professed Enemies to rescue those that God hath appointed to dye deserves not so good a Name and they that presuming on their Power will adventure on such Indulgence must expect to fare no better than Saul did who for so unaccountable fondness in opposition to God's Commands forfeited both his Kingdom and his Life for therefore God rejected him as is apparent V. 26 of that Chapter Solomon's Advice is therefore as proper for Crowned Heads as for the meanest of their Subjects The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom then do Princes begin to grow wise and politick when they grow fearful of violating the least of God's Commands a Rule that all who would establish their Thrones must make Conscience of observing 2. Sheba and his Company might have been satisfied in the Providence of God's deposing Saul because they well knew Saul was false and inconstant to his most solemn Oaths and Engagements The Inhabitants of Gibeon by crafty Pretences drew Joshua into Covenant Josh 9.15 however Joshua most religiously observ'd the Articles he made with them He knew they did ill to make Lies their Refuge but yet he foresaw he should do much worse if he departed from his Promise and this Covenant though fraudulently obtain'd was for many Ages punctually maintain'd Surely then that Prince according to this Rule and President cannot be properly term'd just who maketh no Conscience of such solemn Engagements as he is led to by his Coronation-Oath and the Principles of Honour and Equity These Gibeonites liv'd safely and happily for many Years under the Protection of Joshua's and the Princes of Israel's first Covenant till such time as King Saul over exalted by Reflections on his own Power and Greatness scorn'd to pay any farther deference to that Ancient and long established Chariter but to curry favour with the People inhumanly slew Multitudes of those poor Wretches notwithstanding they were now become Members of the true Church It is ridiculous Flattery to instill into the Ears of Prince that they are superiour to the Obligations of their Vows Grants and Promises and it is as much repugnant to the Truth of Christianity to perswade them that any earthly Power can dispense with abrogate or disanull such sacred and solemn Engagements as they at any time make from their Thrones unto their People Such as pretend otherwise would acquit themselves more honourably would they tell the World that the Ceremonies of a Coronation-Oath once perform'd there remains no farther Obligation on the Crowned Person to be Just and Faithful Had such plain Dealing been used when time was the Dispute about the Succession had found many less Advocates than it did To return to the Gibeonites and from God's Abdicating Saul therewith considered we may observe that when ever they who in the honesty and simplicity of their hearts rely'd on the Honour and Faith of Solemn Promises were by their too easie credulity abused and thereupon appealed unto the unerring Justice of the Almighty they constantly found relief It was likely their Addresses were kept or thrown out of the Courts of such violent Princes yet their bitter Cries and their innocent Blood pierced the Heavens and he with whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning was very