KING DAVID's Danger and Deliverance OR THE CONSPIRACY OF Absolon and Achitophel defeated IN A SERMON Preached in the Cathedral Church of EXON On the Ninth of September 1683. Being the day of Thanksgiving Appointed for the Discovery of the Late Fanatical Plot. By Thomas Long B. D. one of the Prebendaries Psal 129.1,2 Many a time have they fought against me from my youth up yea many a time have they vexed me from my youth up but they have not prevailed against me Qui haec non videt Caecus Qui videt nec laudat Ingratus Qui Laudanti reluctatur Insanus est August de Civit. Dei l. 1. c. 7. LONDON Printed by J. C. and Freeman Collins for Fincham Gardiner at the White-horse in Ludgate-street To be sold by Walter Davies in Amen-corner 1683. To his Grace CHRISTOPHER Lord Duke of Albemarl c. Lord Lieutenant of the County of DEVON and the City of EXON Chancellor of the University of Cambridge Gentleman of his Majesties Bed-Chamber One of his Majesties most Honourable Privy-Council And Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter c. The AUTHOR Humbly devoteth Himself And this Thanksgiving-SERMON BOOKS lately published by the same AUTHOR THe Unreasonableness of Separation the Second Part. Or a further Impartial Account of the History Nature and Pleas of the present Separation from the Communion of the Church of England Begun by Edw. Stillingfleet D. D. Dean of St. Pauls Continued from 1640. to 1681. With special Remarks on the Life and Actions of Mr. Richard Baxter No Protestant but the Dissenters Plot Discovered and Defeated Being an Answer to the late Writings of several Eminent Dissenters Wherein their Designes against the Established Church of England and the unreasonableness of Separation are more fully manifested Both printed by J. C. and Freeman Collins for Dan. Brown at the Black Swan and Bible without Temple bar A Vindication of the Primitive Christians in point of Obedience to their Prince against the Calumnies of a Book intituled The Life of Julian written by Ecebolius the Sophist As also the Doctrine of Passive Obedience cleared in defence of Dr. Hicks Together with an Appendix being a more full and distinct Answer to Mr. Tho. Hunt's Preface and Postscript Unto all which is added the Life of Julian enlarg'd Printed by J. C. and Freeman Collins and sold by Robert Kettlewell at the Hand and Scepter over against St. Dunstan's Church PSAL. 64. v. 9. And all men shall fear and shall declare the work of God for they shall wisely consider of his doing In the Bishops Translation it is thus All men that see it shall say This hath God done for they shall perceive that it is his doing ST Athanasius says that the Psalms are so composed as to represent the case and condition of every man And though I thought it impossible to find in sacred or prophane History a fit Parallel for this horrid Conspiracy yet by a few meditations on this Psalm our present Case appeared to be so fully described as if the Royal Prophet had penned a Prophecie of our times rather than a History of his own there being scarce a considerable circumstance in the rise growth discovery or defeating of the one which hath not a parallel line in the other whether we consider Gods many miraculous deliverances of the King the Kings excessive Clemency to an unworthy People or that Peoples deplorable ingratitude both to God and the King Nor was there more of the Malice of the Devil and unreasonable men in contriving nor of the Mercy of God in defeating the Conspiracy against King David than in this against King Charles which by that time the Parallel is drawn will so appear that all that see it shall say This hath God done c. The Title doth not declare the occasion of the Psalm which consists of Prayer and Praise and is directed to the chief Musician to be set as a holy Anthem to perpetuate the memory of a gracious deliverance from a formidable Enemy that sought after his life It is not agreed who this Enemy was Dr. Hammond with some others think it to be Saul but the whole contexture of the Psalm expresseth the Rebellion of Absolon and Achitophel so fully that there is not a thread wanting or misplaced It is a Rule with Expositors that where the Title of the Psalm is defective it ought to be referred to the preceding Psalm wherein v. 11. the Prophet gives himself the Title of King which he never did while Saul was alive and therefore some very learned Expositors conclude that it was written contra Achitophelem Collegas ejus against Achitophel and his Confederates Instead of a Comment on the Text I shall onely joyn the two authentick Translations together and there will need no other Exposition for thus it runs All men shall see it i. e. the Iniquity of the Conspiracy and the righteous Judgments of God on the Conspirators and fear and shall declare the work of God saying This hath God done for they shall perceive that it is his work and shall wisely consider of his doing The Parallel runs in five or six lines The first shews the Person against whom the Conspiracy was aimed The second a Character of the persons joyned in the Conspiracy The third the Matters of Fact or overt Actions The fourth the Methods and Arts used to bring it to effect The fifth Gods Goodness and Wisdom in the discovery and defeating of it And sixthly if our Gratitude may run parallel with that of David God may have the Glory and we may enjoy the Comfort and Continuance of this signal Mercy First of the Person against whom the Conspiracy was intended King David a King who was the greatest Favourite of Heaven who had been exercised with as many Troubles delivered and established on his Throne by as many Miracles as ever the People of Israel were till they were setled in Canaan And 't is no less a wonder that after so good a King had been so long in the Throne which was well-nigh forty years and God had done so great things for him and he for God his Church and the true Religion against all Opposition when for Plenty and Peace Laws and Liberties Religion and all necessary helps to Devotion and true Piety when for so long a time there had been no decay no leading into captivity but their Sons did grow up as young Plants and their Daughters were as the polished corners of the Temple that there should be any complaining in their streets Much more that the People should grow weary of such a King as was the Fountain of such Blessings and like Lucifer not content with the beatifick Vision and the pleasures at Gods right hand confederating with evil Angels to divide the Glory and Power of that Kingdom among themselves be deservedly condemned to chains of darkness and reserved to the judgment of the great day King David v. 4. is called a perfect man
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
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
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
people Circa personas publicas Specialis habitat providentia Wherefore as God calls them to a more operose and dangerous work so he gives them proportionable helps and assistances for which he covenanted with David when he gave him the Kingdom I have found David my servant with my holy oyl have I anointed him with whom my hand shall be established and my arm shall strengthen him the enemy shall not exact upon him nor the son of wickedness afflict him I will beat down his foes before his face and plague them that hate him Psal 89.20,21,22,23 And these were the sure mercies of David which God that cannot lie did always perform unto him And when he doth the like to other good Kings he fulfils his own Covenant and pleads his own Cause Thus as the Heathen fancied every King of the Nations had a God to be his Guardian Mulciber in Trojam pro Trojâ stabat Apollo so certainly every Prince especially such as defend the true Faith have God for their Protector and as Phidias's portraicture was so engraven in the Statue of Minerva that the Image of the Goddess was violated with that of her Workman so the honour of God is reflected on by any injury offered to the King Therefore God hath enjoyned first of all that prayers supplications and thanksgivings be made for kings and all that are in authority 1 Tim. 2. So in the Old Testament Prayers shall be made for him and daily shall he be praised Psal 72.15 not cursed and reproached Therefore God hath given such strict Rules and Commands concerning them Not to speak evil of dignities for that is a kind of Blasphemy Thou shalt not speak evil of the rulers of the people Acts 23.5 Nor to hearken to any murmurings or discontent for such murmurings are not against them so much as against the Lord who chose them to that Office Not to scatter false reports and create fears and jealousies whereby the affections of the Subjects may be alienated from their Prince Excordem reddidit amentem populum for that were as Absolon to steal the hearts of the people which is not onely to take the Crown from his head but in effect as we have seen his Head from his Shoulders and to leave the Body of the people as a Carkas fit onely to be devoured by Birds and Beasts of prey And as the Laws are strict so the Sanctions to enforce those Laws are so severe that no wit of men though all the Kings of the earth should consult together can either prescribe better Laws or oblige their Subjects to obedience under such penalties for 't is not the King onely that executes Wrath and Vengeance on the Disobedient and as Solomon Prov. 17.11 sends a cruel messenger to them that contrive Rebellion but God hath threatned that they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13. which is certainly to be understood of eternal Damnation as due to this as to any other sin this being one of the first magnitude and the cause of an infinite number of other sins and no less a penalty in the judgment of all Divines would be effectual to affright men from any beloved Lust And therefore I present this as another wise consideration to such as are tempted to this Impiety And now I may infallibly conclude from these premises that as surely as Achitophel's Counsel and Absolon's Rebellion was from Satan so was the contrivance and practice of our Late Conspirators from the same evil Spirit and the Kings Deliverance from God as sure as Davids was Qui facit mirabilia magna solus who onely doth great and marvelous works and doth them in such a manner that they ought to be had in everlasting remembrance A second consideration may be this Gods hand is most evidently seen in those Actions that make most for his Glory and for those ends for which he hath established Rule and Government in the World i. e. that under it we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty And as these ends are generally attained under Religious Princes so if they should perish untimely and violently nothing but Disorder and Confusion would follow as it was with Israel of old and with us in later days when There was no king in Israel every one did what seemed right in his own eyes If this prodigious Designe had succeeded God should have been entituled the Author of it and be mock'd with a Thanksgiving-day for the success the Actors had been honoured as Patriots and Saints the Protestant Religion had by these true Protestants received another indelible Blot and the true Protestant been rendred more odious than the most treacherous Papists or those Hungarians that fight under the Great Turk against Christianity Heresie Hypocrisie and Regicide been made the publick Profession and Religion of the Nation But God is not the Author of such Confusions He hath by this Discovery vindicated his own Glory and the established Religion and Government among us and if our sinful Ingratitude do not separate between God and us he will do it to the end of the World These things ought wisely to be laid to heart by every serious Christian therefore thus saith the Lord I do not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for my holy Names sake which ye have prophaned among the heathen and that the heathen may know that I am the Lord when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes Ezek. 36.22 And God grant that what follows in that Prophet may be found among us That God may put his Spirit within us and cause us to walk in his Statutes and keep his Judgments and do them that we may dwell in the Land that he gave unto our Fathers and we may be his people and he our God Ezek. 11.23 And then though as Isay saith our enemies associate themselves they shall be broken in pieces though they gird themselves to battel they shall be broken in pieces though they take counsel together it shall come to nought for God is with us Isai 8.9,10 Thirdly Again let us consider wisely that in this wonderful Deliverance there appeared no other Agent or Instrument but Gods immediate and out-stretched Arm working Deliverance for us not by means but without and against means by contrary means even by the same that would have destroyed us Not by force nor by might but by my Spirit saith the Lord it was not our Sword nor our Bow but it was God that saved us from our Enemies and put them to confusion that hated us By this we may know that it is God alone and beside him there is no Saviour When he commands and creates Deliverances and we are saved so as by fire by the very means that would have destroyed us he must be blind that cannot see it and may he be dumb that will not say This hath God done And Qui solus in Opere sit solus in
Laude Fourthly Let us wisely consider that God saved us in the very instant of Danger pluckt us out of the very Jaws of Death and as fire-brands fit indeed to be consumed out of the fire when Horae momento Cita Mors when we were brought to the brink of a Sea of Bloud and Pharoah and his Host pursuing us and crying Victoria that then God should divide the waters and make a safe passage for us and overwhelm our Enemies and the Cita Mors was made a Victoria laeta this was Deo vindice Nodus the Lords doing and is marvellous in our eyes Fifthly When such strange and unexpected Deliverances are often repeated and God appears to us not once or twice as he did to Solomon but as often as he did to David saving him from the Lion and the Bear and the uncircumcised Philistins and from the Sword of Saul and the Counsel of Achitophel and the Rebellion of Absolon and from the hands of all his Enemies may not David conclude By this I know that thou favourest me because mine enemies do not triumph over me Psal 41.11 Raro futilibus micat ignibus aether And when God shall usher in a Prince into the World by the unusual appearance of a Star at Noon and lead him through a tedious Wilderness by a Pillar of a Cloud to hide him from his Enemies and guide him by a Pillar of Fire out of their Snares when he not onely keeps his heart upright amidst almost invincible temptations to Idolatry and Superstition but covers his head in the day of battel and at last with a non obstante sets him to reign as a king upon his holy hill of Sion to defend his true Religion and to execute Judgment and Justice to all his People They must be more obdurate than Pharoah and more perverse than his Magicians that will not confess digitus Dei hic the hand of the Lord is in all this that God hath magnified the king in the sight of all the people as he did Joshua Josh 3.7 and made his glory great in such Salvations Psal 21.5 Sixthly We may also wisely consider that David himself made no use of any other Weapon against Achitophel but a short Prayer and his constant trust and confidence in the power and goodness of God You have his Prayer ch 15.31 O Lord I beseech thee turn the counsel of Achitophel into foolishness and the Prayer of this righteous man was more effectual than Chariots and Horsemen for there is a certain Omnipotency in Prayer Concerning the works of my hands any thing that God can do command ye me saith God Isai 45.11 and whatever we ask according to the will of God we know that he heareth us Now this being Gods express Will and Command that first of all prayers supplications intercessions and giving of thanks be made for kings and all that are in authority c. it should endear the use of Liturgy unto us and cause us in full assurance of Faith to put up our Requests to God that he would abate the Pride asswage the Malice and confound the Devices of all the Kings Enemies That he would replenish him with the Grace of his Holy Spirit that he may alway incline to Gods Will and walk in his way that he would grant him in Health and Wealth long to live that he would strengthen him that he may vanquish and overcome all his Enemies and finally after this life he may obtain everlasting Joy and Felicity That those Evils which the craft and subtilty of the Devil or man works against us may be brought to nought and by the providence of his goodness they may be dispersed that we may be hurt by no persecutions but being armed with his defence may be preserved evermore from all perils to glorifie him who is the giver of all victory through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. With such sacrifices God is well pleased this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour 1 Tim. 2.3 And blessed be God who hath not turned away his face from us nor our Prayers from him Lastly Let me perswade all those whose hearts the Counsel of Achitophel and subtile Insinuations of Absolon had stollen from their King wisely to consider what in all probability would have been the consequences of this Conspiracy if it had succeeded All wise men do propose some apparent advantages and prosperous ends to themselves I demand therefore if the fatal Blow had been given what prospect could they have but of Confusion and Misery in such ways what though David had been set on when weak and weary handed yet as Hussai said 2 Sam. 17.8 David's men were mighty men and would not have died as Cowards tamely yielding their throats to those Butchers but being chafed in their minds would have pursued the Murtherers as a Bear robbed of her Whelps and the Country was not yet secured to Absolon for which cause he rejected the Counsel of Achitophel as rash and dangerous But suppose they had massacred not onely David and his Guards but a thousand of the Loyal Nobility Gentry and Clergy some thousands also of the Rebel-Party might have perished in the Attempt and Achitophel and Absolon been cut off in the head of them then he among the Rabble that had the longest Sword would have set up for himself and they that had joyntly acted Treason against their King would have avenged his Bloud by turning their Swords one against another and executed the vengeance of God upon themselves when there was no Power or Authority of men to do it And if all things had fallen out to their expectation if they had killed and taken possession and divided the Spoil to every man a Damosel or two beside the Houses of God the Portion of the Priests and the Kings Lands they might have had as short an enjoyment of their Prey as Sisera's Captain which was but during the Dream of some silly women Judg. 5.30 or God himself would have driven a nail through their temples and bereaved them of the sense of their sin or misery that as Regicides generally have done they would have lived and died impenitently and so perished eternally And this probably had been their portion whether they were defeated or had succeeded which I wish they were so wise as seriously to consider and lay it to heart As also that having brought the Nation into so great Distraction and Confusion while they were violently contending to divide the Prey among themselves how easily they might be made a Prey to a forreign Enemy who need no other advantage to swallow us up than our being thus divided and cut in pieces by our selves Then Prince and Priest and People might have made their Enemies Swords drunk with Bloud or if they had escaped that might have wandered up and down begging their Bread in desolate places or if this had not happened a perpetual Civil War might have been intailed on the Nation