THE DEVILISH CONSPIRACY HELLISH TREASON HEATHENISH CONDEMNATION AND DAMNABLE MURDER Committed and Executed by the IEWES against the Anointed of the LORD CHRIST their KING And the just Judgment of God severely executed upon those TTAYTORS and MURDERERS As it was delivered in a SERMON on the 4 Feb. 1648. being the Quinquages Sunday Out of some part of the Gospel appointed by the Church of England to be read on that Day LAM 1.12 Is it nothing to you all ye that passe by behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger LAM 5.16 The Crown is fallen from our head woe unto us that we have sinned LAM 3.64 Render unto them a recompence O Lord according to the worke of their hands Vers 65. Give them sorrow of heart thy curse unto them HORAT virtutem Sublatam ex oculis quaerimus invidi London Printed in the Yeare M. DC.XL.VIII LUKE 18. v. 31 The Son of man v. 32. shall be delivered unto the Gentiles and shall be mocked and spitefully entreated and spit on v. 33. And they shall put him to death THe Words contain a Propheticall History of that most lawlesse cruell and hellish murder of Gods Anointed Christ the King of the Jewes and are as Prophetically appointed by our Church to be read on the Quinquagesima Sunday which in this year 1648. fell out to be the 4 of February Now although in these words there are but 3 tragicall Acts 1. Traditio the Treason or Conspiracy 2. Illusio the mocking or spitefull using 3. Occisio the execution or murder of their King Yet to make it a compleat Tragedy two other Acts may be justly added out of other Gospels viz First a precedent Act expressing the double cause of this execrable fact which was partly pretended partly reall And the last subsequent Act as the fruit and effect of all the foregoing treason conspiracy triall condemnation and murder The Sonne of man c. To execute so much vilany and outrage as this and other Texts speake of had it been onely against the bare Sonne of man had been an act to be detested and abominated by all the Sonnes of Men even Heathens to whom he was betrayed but this Sonne of Man is more to these Jewes then the bare Sonne of Man for he was their King not onely prophesied so to be Isa 62.11 Zach. 9.9 but the Wisemen Matth. 2. comming to worship him they enquire after him by this Title Where is he that is King of the Jewes yea and he is so proclaimed Luke 19.38 Blessed be the King that commeth and Pilat not onely knew and confest him so to be by his question Iohn 19.15 Shall I crucifie your King but confirmed and wrote it to be commended to all posterity by that superscription on the Crosse in three Languages JESUS OF NAZARETH KING OF THE JEWES adding What I have written I have written and therefore not to be repealed Yea heare truth it selfe speake though of himselfe Iohn 18.37 when Pilat asked him Art thou a King he plainly and affirmatively answers To this end was I born and for this cause came I into this world to be a King and though not de hinc not from hence as Saint August on the words yet hîc here on earth to be a King And this Sonne of Man the King their King is the man whom ye shall find so betrayed despitefully used and murdered by his owne Subjects the bloudy barbarous and inhumane Jewes The originall in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is generally rendred in Latine tradetur and Traditor both in Ecclesiasticall and Civil acts and writings signifies in our English a Traytour and this word here used by the Evangelist and Penman of the holy Ghost none except ignorant or Jewes will deny to be the most proper significant word to express the illegal demeanour of Subjects against their King And so onely proper to them that I appeale to all the learned or to the Searchers of the Scriptures whether this or any other the like word was ever affixed or applied to any King for any act whatever of his against his Subjects This Text besides that Luke 6.16 Acts 7.52 proves the Actors against their King to be Traytours wherein Iudas the other Conspirators and the whole People of the Jewes are expresly so called Traytours but not one Text in all the Holy Bible ever called the Prince or King a Traytour for any act were it never so false so foule so bloudy that was committed by the Prince against his Subjects and in this the Laws of our Land follow and accord with that of Gods and for that they may be justly called as they are holy Lawes Now although this Text barely saith He shall be betrayed but saith not by whom and although the Traytours would not willingly be discovered and made knowne to the world for feare of an after-reckoning they knowing that the People loved him yet because other Gospels have both pointed them out and named them by their severall qualifications offices and sects I shall therefore here range and set them downe in some order beginning with the Arch-traytour who by the Psal 41.9 prophetically is thus deciphered Mine owne familiar friend in whom I trusted which did eate of my bread and Psalm 55.12 it was not a professed Enemy then I could have borne it neither he that hated me then I would have hid my selfe and not have imparted my secrets unto him but v. 13. it was thou my guide and mine acquaintance yea more v. 14. thou wert of my secret counsels we tooke counsell together it were lost labour to tell you whom the Prophet means in all this since in one Chap. Mat. 26. Judas is no lesse then twelve times proclaimed to everlasting memory and infamy the Traytour Yet though he were the Ring-leader and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Traytour for that he being a Servant a meniall Servant a Counsellour of the secret Counsell under colour of friendship betrayed him yet because in Scripture sense not onely they are accounted Traytours who are primarily immediate Actors in the condemnation or the execution such as were this ever to be branded Judas nor they who Soldier-like went out with Swords to take hold of and lay him fast nor the Court of Justice or Councell as it is called but who ever joyned in the first second or any other conspiracy plotting counselling assisting consenting against this King were no lesse then Traytours for so Marke 15.1 The Elders Priests Scribes and the whole Councell are involved and named to have delivered him up therefore I shall take the leave and liberty to discover some of these close Traytours who having washed their hands as they thinke from the last execution would therefore perswade the world that they are innocent and free from this loud-crying Treason And of these we shal find in the Gospels specified
to my selfe in righteousnesse and when the Prophet Joel 2.28 hath it Your Sonnes and your Daughters shall prophesie your Old men shall dreame and your Young men shall see visions and when the Prophet Mal. 4.2 3. To you shall arise the Sun of righteousnesse and ye shall tread downe the wicked as ashes under your feet All these and many more the like they expound and apply as Prophecies spoken of and to themselves alone And that they shall be Independent and free from all Government but their owne they have if you will believe their interpretation a plaine undeniable Text Hos 3.4 where it is said The Children of Israel that is the Faithfull which they say they are shall remaine without King and without Prince many daies and I feare the lying Spirit which put this Exposition in their heads set them the more earnestly on worke to betray and kill Christ their King that they might remaine independent without King or Prince many daies though I am not ignorant that by daies sometime they will understand according to some other Prophesies yeares And they have another Text that gives them the reason from that Prophesie of Hosea Isa 39.14 where it is said Judgment justice and truth and equity are departed that is say they from all but our selves who are all for judgement and justice against all but our selves And if you aske them what then shall become of all their Adversaries and Malignants why for that they have a cleare light from the Prophet Obadiah 3.9 where it is expresly said They shall be cut off by slaughter and this is their usuall justice But if any aske them does God approve such severity yes say they and they give the reason for it Isa 60.12 who will not serve you shall perish and be utterly wasted But then I pray when all your Enemies are thus wasted and destroyed who shall reape and divide the spoile why that say they the Spirit hath revealed Isaiah 61.6 Ye shall eate the riches of the Gentiles and in their glory ye shall boast your selves that is all the honour and wealth shall be taken from all others and shall by you be conferred wholly on your selves And such Saints such Scripturists and such Expounders of Scriptures were these Scribes who are sent by the Councell Mat. 15.1 and these with some Herodians Courtiers so called intangle and draw Christ the King into their net Mat. 22.16 This Sermon would swell to an unnecessary bulke if I should present the severall Traytours Actors in this damnable designe I shall therefore contract my selfe and but point at them as first The People upon whose score all must be layed for as the pretence in all was salus populi that is as the Jewes said ne gens pereat that the Nation the People perish not be not destroyed so these People must be ever ready at hand out of all parts of the Countries as well as of the City Jerusalem to serve turnes but their imployments or services were especially seen in three things 1. That when Christ the King is to be forcibly taken and seised on they must be pressed and sent out with Swords and Weapons to apprehend him and bring him to the Great Councell Marke 14. 2. Another service they were usually imployed in and that was to petition for some base unjust or wicked thing as that Barabbas a Thiefe and a Murderer might be released Mat. 27. 3. They are as occasion serves and the scene is layed they are to come to the Judgment Hall or place of Judicature and there with foule mouthes and loud voices they must crie and bawle for justice and execution Mat. 27.23 25. And these People as commending the times past which they never knew and disallowing the present though it be farre the better are easily up upon any the least Venite or Alarum they love to be doing though it be not good and when they are up they aske not so much quid fecit what he hath done against whom they rise as quid facimus why stand we still let us act and be doing somewhat it is no matter what and yet all this they were to doe and did onely as they were taught and hired not by their owne wills and motions but as Cur-dogs set on by their Masters Elders and Rulers of the People But enough of these People unlesse they were better and yet there were worse then these Actors and they were as before I touched the Authours their Rulers which were either the Heads or Chiefe of the severall Tribes or Families or such as in their severall Countries Cities or Burroughs by their wealth policy or Authority had gained the power in swaying them to chuse and refuse to commend or condemne what they liked or disliked these you may find in the Jewes first notorious Rebellion against the Prince and the Church Numb 16. where the famous men in the Congregation were as those Heads or Rulers of the People and although the Scribes Pharisees Elders bring some fewell and combustible matter yet these Rulers set it all on fire Now if any in favour or praise of their Nobility should tell me that in this Treason there is no mention at all of any Lords to this I must desire such to know that if the Jewes had any other Nobility then such as before I mentioned yet at this time the Jewes were as in our daies under the power of a conquering Army and so were over-awed by Pilat the Governour who ruled and judged all 2. If those Rulers or Princes of the People were as our Lords then they must know that these men were deep in the first plotting carrying on this Treason and were as chief instrumentall meanes in bringing Ch the King to his end though towards the end or last act of the Tragedy his condemnation and execution for feare or policy they appeared not or drew their necks as we say out of the coller or for that they were in this case and at this time declared uselesse and dangerous But besides these Actors and Authours Followers and Leaders all Principalls in Treason there were Elders and if they were Lay-ones then they who would please themselves in the antiquity of their descent may derive themselves from this stocke for these in the Gospel are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which rightly and properly sounds Presbyters though in our English called Elders There is frequent mention of Priests in this Treason and we know of late who are called Priests even the Clergy or preaching Elders Jewish Elders and Romish Priests like Sampson's Foxes though their faces are averse yet they are tied by the tailes and agree 1. That Kings are subject to them at least in Scriptures 2. That Councels may be called without them 3. They have potestatem Juris the King facti 4. They may Excommunicate him And then 5. who kils him merits These both are Anti-Kings and Counter-tenors to Monarchy and if you will not believe or
to dale not suffering him to rest and not leaving him a safe hold wherein to lay his head for so Ch the King complaines that they had cast him into a condition worse then that of Birds or four footed Beasts when he saith Matth. 8.20 The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the aire have nests but the Sonne of man hath not where to lay his head 3. And was it not a spightfull usage of a King to be led into the common judgment Hall by a Band of rude Soldiers who not long before had been attended by the Best crying as he went Hosanna blessed be or God save the King 4. And was it not a spightfull usage of a King when he was in this common Hall to countenance set on and to hire the scumme of the People or rascallity of the Soldiers to call out for Justice and Execution when they cried Crucifie crucifie him Luke 23.31 5. Was it not a spightfull usage of a King when as he the King speaks to them in mild and civill language as to Judas Mat. 26.50 Friend or Sir but they to him as Mat. 26.61 this Fellow the Prisoner 6. Was it not a spightfull usage of a King to carry him out to Golgotha there to suffer in an open place which was more fit for the baiting of Beasts than the decolling of a King 7. Lastly was it not a spightfull usage of a King not to afford him a Sepulcher or place of Buriall but he must be beholding even for this to another man and yet thus spightfully was Ch the King used My heart bleeds to thinke of their mockings and spightfull usage of their most blessed King and will leave them to be inlarged by our owne Meditations and for a brief close of this scene shall onely say that as a King may so this King was killed by these Jewes before he was slain or put to death and K. David shewes how when be saith Psal 55.21 Psal 59.7 their tongues are swords Psal 140.3 they are poyson of Serpents Killers all these so that calumny slander if it be not the first degree it is a step I am sure to kill a King and here with these weapons they first set upon Ch the King calling him Samaritan John 4. Perverter of the Lawes Deceiver c. And spit on A man may be said figuratively to be spit on when by Declarations Remonstrances Pamphlets or scurrilous terms he is reproachfully and uncivilly entertained and so Ch the King was shamefully most unjustly spit upon when they proclaimed him a Deceiver of a trust John 19.29 a Traytour by perverting the People and drawing them to destruction and in this sense they might truly be said to spit upon Ch the King But not onely this they did which was too much and more dangerous then what was after done by the Soldiers who did vomit out their excrementitious froth upon him of whom I may repeat a passionate expostulation or holy indignation once used by a Preacher on this occasion What rheumatick Raskals said he were these Soldiers for had they or could they find no place to disgorge the scumme of their ulcerous lungs but on the Anointed of the Lord All that I can say for these is they were not onely Soldiers but barbarous Heathens that did this and yet if report be true there hath not wanted even among such as professe themselves Christians such a Soldier who hath done the like to his King and if any such were let him repent in time lest God in justice spew him out of his mouth as it is said Apoc. 3.16 or that he spit not poure out to the dregs the full vialls of his wrath and indignation upon him and all such as have mocked spightfully entreated and spit on Ch the King In the 20 of S. John v. 5. we read that when Pilat a Stranger an Heathen and an Idolater had seen and presented the King thus spightfully entreated he said to the bloud-thirsty-miscreant Jewes Behold the Man as if he had said See how disgracefully and wickedly you have used him already and therefore if you have any sparke of manhood left in you for humanity sake proceed no further but behold him as an object of all pity a deserted afflicted scorned spitefully-used man but the sight of this man which would have melted the eyes of a savage Tiger into water hardens them as rocks and prompts them on to the increase of his misery and their owne vilany for seeing him even then and so miserable then they say as Mat. 21. Come let us without delay not granting time or reprieve let us kill him for so it followes in the story in the Text for they shall kill him But before we enter upon this bloudy act it will be proper and pertinent to the whole to set downe the severall grounds and causes moving these Traytours thereunto which we shall clearly collect and expresse as we find them storied in the Gospels And these were either pretended such as themselves fained and held forth as causes or such as were really and truly the motives and causes of this their killing Ch the King Now the causes pretended we find to be First that which is generally used in raising the People into a Rebellion the Innovation Alteration or Destruction of Religion and with this the Jewes closely charged him Mat. 5.17 where Christ himself by way of Answer saith Thinke or say not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill and in that Chap. he instanceth and proves that they by their owne Expositions and Traditions were the Innovators and himself the keeper of the Law of Moses and of the Prophets And after this when they thought him too strict in the point of reverence in the Temple in that he drove out the Prophaners thereof Mat. 21.12 which they conceived was lawfull for them to doe No saith he for God himselfe saith of this materiall Temple or Church My house shall be called an house of prayer but You you have made it a den of Thieves or a Stable and place for theft and prophanation 2. They charge him often and with loud out-cries that in the matter of Sabbath-keeping he is too loose and a Prophaner thereof to which he Answers that themselves are in this Jewishly superititious and not he the Prophaner for saith he Marke 2.27 The Sabbath is made for man that is for the preservation of man by necessary actions and recreations conducing to his life and health on that day 3. They closely charge him with abridging them the liberty of Divorces upon any cause which they said was granted them by Moses Mat. 5. Mat. 19. No saith he it is not I but you that alter the Law in this for Mat. 5.32 Whosoever shall put away his Wife saving for the cause of Fornication causeth her to cōmit Adultery but to this whole charge he gives one general answer
People 3. There were Women and these as by Sex and as Mothers of Children the most tender-hearted so of these among his Wel-wishers were the most 4. Of all his Apostles and Disciples I find but one who John 19.26 was the Disciple whom he loved 5. This most glorious King had no Funerall Sermon at his Buriall that would not be permitted by his malitious Persecutors who held any Enlogie of him an Obloquie to them and yet one of his Apostles Acts 4. preached one to the Jewes which was after enlarged by the Evangelists and since commended to all Ages as an everlasting stain to their bloudy murder an everlasting Trophee to his never-dying name 6. I cannot omit what I may justly conceive is recorded as an extraordinary mercy of God that among all the Soldiers who in the last acts of the condemnation and execution of Ch were the chiefe Rulers and Commanders yet one even among them was Ch his Convert for one was so inlightned by the true Spirit of God that Mat. 27.54 he with others said truly this was the Son of God Which certainly was sent by inspiration and revealed from heaven to be ingraven as an everlasting Epitaph which God did sooner in his providence furnish him with then with a Tombe which now when all things else were finished was only wanting and so still might have been for these wretched covetous accursed Jewes had he not been beholden to an honourable Counsellour Mat. 27.57 who found him out one of which Sepulchre though S. Mat. ch 27.60 names the owner yet S. Marke 15.46 S. Luke 23.53 say he was laid in a Sepulchre without naming whose it was But methinks these Jewes who pretended so much to Scripture and themselves to be such holy Saints should in such a case have set before their eyes the demeanour of that Saint indeed David and his demeanour towards Saul the King which King though he were rejected by God and that David by Gods appointment was Anointed King in his stead yet when Saul was put into Davids hands and that Davids Servants perswaded him to doe justice upon him 1 Sam. 24. David stayed his Servants and would not let them rise against Saul Nay further though Saul did daily pursue David to take away his life 1 Sam. 26. and Abishai told David that God had delivered SAUL his Enemy into his hands and therefore desired that he might smite him No saith David for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltlesse vers 10. Nay David goes further vers 11. the Lord shall smite him but God forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lords Anointed But may we not wonder that these Jewes given much to read the Scriptures would never consider what holy Job had said in ch 34.18 Is it fit to say to a King thou art wicked or that Ps 105 Touch not mine Anointed or that Eccles 8.4 Who may say unto the King what doest thou or that they should not consider what severe judgements God shewed upon those who rose up against Moses their Ruler Numb 16. or against Jehu in his posterity Hos 1.4 for destroying King Ahab and his Family and against the men 2 Kings 21. who slew Amon their King I say it may be wondred that they had not remembred or cast their eyes at some time or other upon these or the like Scriptures No God hath so blinded them that they either could not or would not see any Old light but instead of all such they are now altogether for New lights and therefore welfare that which never failed such Jewes Revelation forsooth and this shall doe the feate for all for Caiaphas their chiefe Ruler by the Spirit in an abominable measure poured out upon him sees that with a paire of Spectacles set upon his fiery shining Nose that none else could discerne viz John 18.14 Expedit it is expedient saith he that one and therefore this one Ch the King must be he who must die for the People and this expedient thus delivered to the Guild or Fraternity of Spirited Men makes them as extatically mad crie out as it were with one voice Crucifie kill and murder him And yet after this expedient thus declared I would they had listned to Pilat who though an Heathen and a corrupt Judge yet hearing them so fiercely crying out to crucifie their King astonished as it were at such an unheard-of execrable voice askes what is it possible that you would I should crucifie your King as if he had said O ye Jewes doe ye believe or acknowledge a God or nature or reason or have you any Law or Religion and will ye contrary to all these put your King to death why your God your Religion your Law your owne reason yea and all People be they never so heathenish will condemne you for this but in despight as it were of all reason Law Religion nature or God himselfe they will kill him their King And yet Pilat will not leave them so therefore as hoping to bring them to heare some reason and to be moved to some compassion he brings Ch forth unto them and bespeaks them thus Ecce homo John 19.5 behold he is a man destitute of help shamefully and unjustly used man hath bowels O ye Jewes therefore for humanity sake pity him as a man Againe when he askes Shall I crucifie your King John 19.15 he sets him now before them as a King and from hence seems to reason thus You hold in your Religion that your God ordaines Kings for Gods sake therefore behold and pity him as a King Nay yet more he is your King yours diverse waies by descent of the line of K. David yours for you and your good for he lived and dies in defence of your Lawes for your owne sake therefore if not for Gods or humanity pity him as your King but that which might have moved Devils for they rage not against their owne Prince be he never so great a Devil yet prevailes not with these who are worse then Devils and therefore by how much the more his virtue and goodnesse plead for him by so much the more they are incensed against Him so that nothing will satisfie these ravenous Beasts but his bloud and therefore they will kill him Once more give me leave to plead for him the King from his own words passes they crie out to the Judge fiercely against him Crucifie crucifie him Mat. 27. and he cries more heartily to God his Father for them Pater ignosce Father forgive them Luke 23.24 they cursed themselves with his bloud saying Sanguis ejus super nos His bloud be upon us and our posterity Mat. 27.25 he blessed them with the same bloud saying sanguis meus propter vos behold my bloud that is shed for you and all my people Luke 22.20 never King shewed more tender love and regard to Subjects yet never did Subjects returne worse respect or requitall to their
ejected and cast him forth by their Law their sin had been the lesse but first to kill him and that upon his owne ground his own Vineyard and then after that to cast him out and declare against him and his title for ever thereby to take and hold the inheritance to themselves is but to lay the foundation of their Babel in the bloud of Gods Anointed their lawfull rightfull King and so to strengthen one sin by another worse which Gods justice will not suffer long to prosper lest the wicked should thinke God altogether such an one as themselves Psal 50.21 and therefore the Prophet in the same Psalme subjoynes but I will reprove thee and in the forementioned Gospel after that they had killed and cast him forth it presently followes in the next words v. 9. God the Lord of the Vineyard will come and destroy the unjust bloudy Actors and will give the Vineyard to others And should not this move a Iew to tremble and repent it had this operation by the mercy of God on many of them as it appeares Acts 2.37 for they hearing Saint Peter to open their sin they were pricked in their hearts and said what shall we doe that is to be saved to which the Apostle applies a double counsell the first v. 38. repent and the second v. 40. save your selves from and no longer be seduced and deluded by this untoward Generation which Christ Mat. 23.33 calls a Generation of Vipers which will eat out the bowels of those who give them their life And the execution ended let me put you in mind how the people were affected therwith which is exprest Luk. 23.48 where it is said and all the people beholding the things that were done smote their breasts and now oh ye people having in this sad discourse or short history beheld what hath been done to the Anointed of the Lord Ch the King the least that ye can doe and to this I must exhort you is to smite your brests and yet as Ch himselfe taught Luke 23.28 Weep not for me but weep for your selves so beat not your brests for me but beat them and repent you of your sinnes committed against Heaven and me which were the cause of my death and will be your destruction if in time you repent not And weep not beat not your brests for me for it is come to passe as in the words following the Text it was prophesied He shall rise againe 2. He shall ascend and for an earthly ignominious Crowne he shall receive an Heavenly glorions one 3. And throughout the world where the Gospel is preached and further this shall be spread which hath been done by the Jewes to Ch the King And thus the Tragicall Acts being ended on the Sufferers side the Actors there are now to be made Sufferers in another Tragedy for the Tragedy ends not in the bloud of Him in the Text Ch the King but calls for bloud more bloud the bloud of these Jews for if the bloud of Abel which living and animated could not speake yet being wickedly shed receives a voice to be heard as high as Heaven then much more this bloud of Ch the King the Text speaks it Mat. 21.41 God will miserably destroy them and will let out his Vineyard to others In this Tragedy there are but two Acts 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is set down Mat. 21.40 but in them a destruction threatned he will destroy 1. Personally them 2. Nationally their Vineyard or Church 3. Both totally not by letting the Vineyard or People out for a time but by alienating or giving utterly away them and it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to others that is Aliens or Strangers Neither was this long in acting for Judas the Arch-Traytor either before or soone after the death of his Master whom he had betrayed hanged himself and so payed himselfe his owne wages and that without all pity or regard of those Jewes for whose sake he betrayed his Lord for they said what is that to us Mat. 7.4 or what care we Go and be hang'd 2. Pilat the Judge not long after the execution of Christ whom he sentenced was put out of his place was exiled his Country and killed himselfe 3. Caiphas and Herod died through misery or violence 4. Many of the Jewes who were alive at that time of Christs suffering lived to see the great City Jerusalem destroyed 1100000. at least of their Country men slaughtered and all the rest of them either to be captivated by their Enemies or to be scattered over the face of the earth and to this day to live as Vagabonds odious to all and pitied of none And lastly so it came to passe that as severall Factions conspired together to kill Ch the King so it pleased God to blind these Jewes at the time of the Roman Siege that the one part of them were zealous for the Temple the Church another part who cared not much for the Church yet were willing to have a good peace on reasonable termes but the third part who were all for robbing spoiling killing and therefore regarding neither Church nor State put all in such a confusion and combustion that the Romans became Conquerours more by the Jewes divisions than by their owne Armes And lastly whereas these Jewes pretended three speciall causes why they would put Ch the King to death 1. Lest by his life the Romans should invade and change their Lawes 2. Lest their Nation should perish 3. Lest the People should believe and follow him All these pretended feares as leading causes to his death are by Gods righteous judgment soone after brought upon them for the conquering Romans did invade and change their Lawes 2. Did destroy City and Country 3. And the People farre and neare both of Jewes and Gentils have believed on and followed this Christ the crucified King And thus oft-times God crosseth mans policy turning the edge and point of his owne weapons upon himselfe we have found it so done to the Brethren of Joseph to Pharoh to Achitophel to Jeroboam and thousands more and here saith the Jew It is expedient that our King die lest the Nation perish and God saith the Nation shall perish because ye have wickedly murdered your King And thus we see God to be an upright Judge in the execution of his owne antient Law-given Gen. 9.6 Who so sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed 2. A strict Defender of his inherent prerogative as it is written vengeance is mine 3. A faithfull Performer of his covenanted promise I will revenge saith the Lord Rom. 12.19 we read Acts 5.11 that upon the judgement executed on Ananias and Saphira the Text saith and great feare came upon all the Church and upon as many as heard these things and I pray God the like feare may touch our hearts and worke in them a timely and hearty repentance that God in his mercy may avert all judgments which deservedly are threatned to fall upon us and this Land and this let us humbly beseech God to grant for the passion and mediation of his onely Son and our alone Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus FINIS