King and Nursing Father ought to be unfainedly lamented by all that name the name of Jesus Christ As the Husbandmen slew not only the servants Math. 21. but the Son of the Lord of the vineyard and the Jews not only the Apostles and Prophets but also the father of the Prophets Jesus Christ himself So our English Cannibals drank not only the blood of the Nobles and Peeres of the Realm the Divines and Ministers of the Church but also the Royal blood of their sacted Sovereign 4. The Authors and Actors of this cruell Massacre and bloody Tragedy were subjects sworn subjects that had taken the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacie Professed Christians yea Protestants It had been enough for Forreigners Heathens Popish Inquisitors Recusants Jesuites A Ravilliack a Faux to have attempted such a devilish wickedness But for persons obliged by the laws of Nature of Nations of Humanity and Christianity by their own Oathes Protestations Covenants to defend the authority and life of their Sovereign yet unnaturally inhumanely barbarously impiously perfidiously to take away his life What a volume of wickednesse was it 5. Consider the Malignant influences and effects hereof in reference to the Royal Family England our Neighbour Nations and Religion First The Death-day of our present dread Sovereignes Royal Father was the birth-day of Woe and misery to himself and all the Royall Family Even as when the Root is digged out of the Earth all the branches wither So barbarous a butchery of so glorious a Father could not but work excessive sorrow in all their royal brests by reason of natural Sympathy and filial-affection How were they exiled from the inheritance of their Father their native soil and the imbraces of their loving subjects to wander about like David in the Wildernesse Quis talia fando temperet a lachrimis Secondly Englands happinesse being imbarked and bound up in the life of its King as Jacobs in the life of his Son Joseph it was shipwrackt together with him The Eclipse of our Royall Sun benighted the Kingdom with all its glories as Phineas his wife named her child Ichabod saying the glory is departed front Israel because the Ark of God was taken So might we have wrote Ichabod on all our injoyments saying the glory is departed from England because the Anointed of the Lord was taken from us which like the opening of flood-gates caused a Deluge and inundation of calamities to flow upon Church and State Thirdly What an evil example did this English Regicide yeild to neighbour Nations to incourage them to rise up and cut the throats of their Princes yoa the memory of such a villany is enough to infect posterity and to poyson the generations to come with King-killing principles Sins the more contagious they are the more hainous as the Plague is the worst of all diseases because most infectious Thus Memucan aggravateth the disobedience of Queen Vasthi to her husband because she had done wrong not only to the Kings Person but also to all the Princes and people of the Provinces of King Ahasuerus Esth 1.16 17 18. by giving an evil example unto all the Ladies and Women of Media and Persia to despise and disobey their husbands Fourthly What scandal hath been brought unto the Protestant Religion as if the principles thereof did justifie the murder of kings It hath groaned and travelled in pain until now under that reproach which hath been cast upon it by reason of that pre onded zeal for God which was made use of to colour cloake maske and disguise the murder of the King who therefore might have said as Henry the 7th Emperor of Germany did when he was poysoned in the Eucharist and felt the operation thereof Calix vitae Calix mortis the cup of life is made the cup of death to me Absaloms Rebellion against his Father 2 Sam. 15.7 10. 1 Kin. 21. under pretence of a vow to be paid at Hebron Jezebles proclaiming a fast for the more plausible murder of Naboth And Jehu's extirpation of Ahabs posterity his competitors for the Kingdom and Baals priests their Abettors pretendedly out of zeal for God but intentionally for his own establishment on the Throne seem to be the originall and Prototype from whence those blasphemous and Hypocriticall transactions in order to the murder of K. Charles were transcribed for this likewise was hatched under the warme wings and swadled up in the mantle of abused Religion yea never did a child more resemble his Father then the actions of English Absalom's Jehu's Jezebels do the actions of those Jewish hypocrites They answer one another as face answereth face in a glasse Uladislaus King of Hungary having agreed on a cessation of Arâ—e with the Turks did notwithstanding upon an advantagious opportunity assault them The Turks perceiving the battle to goe against them cryed out O Jesus Jesus wilt thou permit such perjured persons to call themselves Christians Whereupon the battle turned and the Christians were vanquished Likewise an Indian rejected Christiani y and vilified Heaven because he heard the Spaniards did goe thâ— her whose cruelty rendred both their persons and Religion abhorred What offence do even Turks and Infidels take at the abominable practises of professed Christians and how great a wound is given to religion hereby As the sight of Asahels Dead body stopt the march of Joabs souldiers so the grosse failings of professors of Religion cause some to stagger at and others to retreat back from the prfe ssion it self Wherefore take up weeping and wailing ye inhabitants of England for that the holy and reverent name of God pure and undefiled Religion hath been so much blasphemed abused and prostituted to and made a Stalking-horse for the vile lusts and bloody designes of ambitious men especially in that God dishonouring Gospel-disgracing Religion-reproaching sin of regicide that was committed amongst us I have read a dreadful story concerning a company of Stage-players whilst some of them were personating and acting the part of the Devil the real Devil came in amongst them and drove them all away If the Devil disdaineth to be brought upon the stage in a mockery much more doth the Jealous God There are two obstructions which if not removed may possibly abate the edge of your sorrow for the murther of King Charles to wit the long distance of time since which it was committed And your perswasion of your innocency and freedom from the guilt thereof For the first The old Age of this murder should be so far from antiquating the sense thereof or blunting the edge of your humility that it should rather accelerate and increase it for the time past is enough yea too much for the nation to have retained the guilt of that Royal blood Now it is high time to awake out of sleep and by a National repentance to testifie an abhorrence of the Treason least that judgement which hath been hitherto suspended should now be executed God may reprieve when he doth not pardon
disloyal clamours of his Souldiers even as Dagon fell down before the Ark and as the Mists and Vapours in the Air are chased away by the glorious beams of the arising Sun Now possibly some who have rased out all Principles of Religion and Reason out of their minds may arraign David for a person of an abject and ignoble spirit and condemn him for Folly and pusillanimity because he made not Ambition and self-advancement his Card and Compass whereby to steer his course but neglected so fair an opportunity to acquire a Kingdom This Enditement will appear to be no Billa vera but a Forgery and Davids Loyalty to be no Impeachment either of his Prudence or Magnanimity if we review the precedent History wherein are recorded most undoubted proofs of both Let that Subjects Valour be accounted Diabolical fury and his wisdom diabolical Subtilty that clasheth and interfereth with his Allegiance and is inverted against his Soveraign Thus much in reference to the Occasion of Davids Oration 2. Now followeth the Orator He i. e. David said unto his men 1. David a Subject 2. David a Captain of Souldiers 1. David a Subject From whence note That Subjects ought not to be contented with personal Loyalty Observ but should endeavour to Loyalize others As Light so Loyalty is not to be hid under a Bushel Mat. 5.15 Loyalty is of a diffusive nature it will not be engrossed and monopolized it will not be put into a Napkin or locked up in private breasts David would not imprison his Loyalty in his own breast but causeth it-to flame forth in a Loyal Oration that it might kindle the like Sacred fire in the breasts of others Piety toward God and Loyalty toward our King should be of a like nature It is the property of Grace to be commuicative John 1. Andrew having found the Messiah calleth Simon and Philip Nathanael Moses could even wish his Name were blotted out of the Book of Life and Paul himself accursed from Christ for the sake of the Israelites So Loyalty is of a spreading and assimilating nature like fire that converts the Fuel into its own substance like Leaven that leaveneth the whole Lump and like the Philosophers stone that turneth what it toucheth into Gold With what Marks of Infamy do such deserve to be branded who have run counter hereunto not only by personal disloyalty but also by indefatigable industry to poyson others with Principles of Sedition The Holy Ghost stigmatizeth those who incited the Jews to rebel against the King of Babylon with the Names of Diviners Enchanters and Sorcerers Jer. 29.9 O that all who have endeavoured to propagate Treason in England by seditious Pamphlets would deal with their Libels as the Sorcerers did with their conjuring Books Acts 19.19 they brought them together and burned them before all men and counted the Price and found it fifty thousand Pieces of silver 2. 1 Sam. 22.2 Consider David in a military capacity as Captain of Souldiers 400 people gathered themselves to him and he became Captain over them Generals of Armies should perswade their Souldiers not only to be valiant against their Enemies but also faithful to their King The great dignity conferred on them the great trust reposed in them their Authority over and Interest in their Souldiers do all require this duty from them Besides Souldiers are usually very respectful to the Persons obsequious to the Commands observant of the directions and apt to imitate the Examples of their Leaders It was said of Naaman the Syrian 2 Kin. 5.1 that he was a great man and honourable but a Leper To praise a man with a but is but to dispraise him It is a wound and dishonour never to be wiped off from the Names of some Generals that they were Famous and Valiant Warriours but they inverted their Arms against their Soveraigns A Commendation with this Discretive but is a diminutive Commendation It gives an Accent to the Renown of Joab 2. Sam. 12. that he would not build up his own Glory out of the Ruines of his Kings After he had almost taken Rabbah he sent Mesengers to David saying Gome and encamp against it lest I take the City and it be called by my Name The memory of our late Military Officers will stink in the Nostrils of all Loyal Subjects because they debauched the minds of their Souldiers with seditious Principles instigated them unto Rebellion and by subtil Insinuations inthroned themselves in their Affections in order to the dethroning of their Soveraign But let it be recorded for the perpetual Renown of our Famous and Heroical English General that he trode in the Footsteps of David that he took up the Cudgels against our rampant Enemies who were so drunk with Success that they defied all Antagonists as Goliah did David and that he employed his Arms for effecting the happy Restauration of our Dread Soveraign King Charles the Second to his Throne and Kingdom Wherefore let his Name be precious unto the English as the Names of Gideon Barak Samson Jepthah and the rest of those Worthies of Israel were unto that Nation for being Instruments of their deliverance out of the hands of Midianites Moabites Ammonites and Philistines Unto this Magnanimous Hero's tutelar Sword next unto His Royal Majesties tutelar Scepter the principal efficiency and the Glory of being reserved for and ascribed unto the Great God England is indebted for all its Happiness 3. The Third Member observed in the dissection of this Verse is Davids Auditors He said to his men i. e. Souldiers being a pâ—ck of hungry and bankrupt persons 1 Sam. 22.2 Every one that was in distress in debt and discontented gathered themselves to him These mens wants might provoke them to offer violence to Saul that they might be inriched with his Spoiles and have his Kingdom for a Prey Therefore David darteth forth this Loyal Oration that as cold water cast into a Pot stayeth the boyling thereof it might allay the violent Aestuations of their Passions Souldiers of all men have most need of Loyal Instruction that it may be an Antidote against the Poyson of the Temptations arising from a military Employment All is fish that cometh to net with Sword-men they are apt to put no difference between the Princes Robes and the Peasants Russet they are so accustomed to Instruments and Acts of Cruelty that immanity becomes natural to and habituated in them Inter Arma silent Leges The sounding Trumpet the roaring Cannon and the ratling Spear like the noise of the Aegyptian Cataracts which as it is reported maketh the adjacent inhabitants almost deaf hindereth the voice of the Law from being heard and the Sword will be made use of for the decision of Controversies 1 Kings 3.24 25. as it was by Solomon in another manner As Fire in the Chimney is necessary and profitable but on the House-top dangerous and pernicious so though a Militia be sometimes necessary for the defence
Princes to the Church in protecting the Ministry from the fury of grossely prophane and giddy Fanatick people to whom it is an eye-sore in supplying the Church with maintenance in order to the carrying on the Worship of God in providing Universities and Colledges to be Seminaries of Learning in backing the Laws of God with their secular Authority doth lay strong Obligations on Ministers to make their Churches Schools as of Piety toward God so of Loyalty toward their King What horrid ingratitude would Ministers be guilty of by proving fire-brands of Sedition Trumpeters of Rebellion and by making their Sermons an Alarm unto war It would be to rip up the bowels of their Nursing Fathers and to cut off the Breasts of their Nursing Mothers Furthermore as Simeon and Levi made the Name of their Father Jacob to stink Gen. 34.30 Num. 13.32 by their perfidious Murder of the Shechemites as the Spies brought an evil report on the Land of Canaan and as Judas delivered his Master unto the Scoffes of his enemies so disloyalty in Ecclesiastical persons scandalizeth Religion The sins of Elies Sons caused the Sacrifices of the Lord to be abhorred 1 Sam. 2.17 The Prophet Davids Adultery with Bathsheba and Murder of Uriah Rom. 2.17 to 25. gave great occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme For Ministers to prostitute their Sacred Function unto Ambition and Rebellion is a great provocation unto Magistrates to root them out of their Kingdoms yea to put them to death as Saul did Ahimelech and the Priests of the Lord of whom he slew fourscore and five persons upon Doegs false and malicious information that they conspired with David 1 Sa. 22.18 Let Sermons be Exclamations against sins not against Kings against the Prince of the power of the Air not against the Princes of the earth The Lord teach the Clergy of England not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may neither procure the accusation of disloyalty to themselves nor derive any scandal unto Religion Let no man be lifted up with pride by reason of the dignity of his Office Judas cast Devils out of others Luke 22.3 but could not keep the Devil out of himself Then Satan entred into Judas and so as Luther saith there was one Devil in another As water cleanseth other things and then is crst into the sink as many who laboured in building Noahs Ark were drowned in the Floud so a Minister may teach others and yet be himself a cast-away without true Piety which is inconsistent with disloyalty The Scripture hath linked them both together My Son fear thou God and the King It was the honour of Zadok and Abiathar Prov. 24. that they turned not aside unto Absalom but faithfully cleaved unto David their rightful Soveraign 2. David was anointed to the Office of a King The Lord said unto Samuel how long wilt thou mourn for Saul 1 Sam. 16.1 seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel Fill thine Horn with Oyl and go I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite for I have provided me a King among his Sons 1. David by vertue of this Unction had a plausible Argument to have justified the Murder of Saul being rejected by God and himself elected in his room and to have represented such an act as the execution of Justice as Jehu did the destruction of Ahabt posterity But David abhorred this obvious plece of Policy 2 Kin. 10.10 because it would have been a breach of Piety Forasmuch as Comminations are no Commissions Gen. 4.15 Whosoever shall slay accursed Cain vengeince shall be taken on him seven fold So the bloud of rejected Saul would have brought down vengeance on the head of David if he had shed it The crucifying of Christ was an Act of Glorious Mercy in God but of barbarous Cruelty in the Jews Joseph tels his Brethren that it was not they but God that sent him into Egypt and yet they were guilty of the most unbrotherly act next to actual Fratricide that ever was committed Gen. 45.8 One and the same action may be righteous as it proceedeth from the first cause and unrighteous in respect of the Second Gods bidding Shimei to curse David 2 Sam. 12.11 12. and permission of Absalom to ravish his Fathers Concubines were acts of Justice in God but acts of Treason and Incest in Shimel and Absalom Wherefore let such be accounted Instruments of the Devil Ch. 16.10 who dare offer violence to Kings under pretence of being Instruments to execute divine Justice 2. David by vertue of his Unction might have produced a specious Title unto the Kingdom of Israel if he had been of an ambitious spirit but he knew that he was anointed only to the reversion of the Kingdom and that as a last Will and Testament is of no force until the death of the Testator So his Unction was of no force until the death of Saul A Loyal Subject will wave obvious Pleas for his Right unto a Kingdom 3. David being anointed to the reversion of the Kingdom by the death of Saul might have took Livery and Seisin of it But as Moses cast the Kingdom of Egypt with all the Honours and Treasures thereof at his heels chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Heb. 11. So David preserred the prolongation of his undeserved persecution before the unjust acceleration of the day of his Inauguration unto the Office of a King he esteemed a Turfe in the wilderness with a clear Conscience a better seat than a Throne in a Palace with a Conscience laden with Royal Blood-guiltiness he accounted it a greater honour to be a Loyal Subject than an unlawful King Crowns Scepters and Kingdoms are cogent Temptations Caesar said If Justice may be broken in any case it is regnandi causa Mat. 21.38 The Husbandmen cry out This is the Heir come let us kill him and the Inheritance will be ours But David abhorred to swim unto a Throne through the Blood of his Master having taken the resolution of Ferdinand the first Emperor of Germany Fiat Justitia pereat mundus Let Right be done and come what will of it The gain of a Kingdom will not countervail the loss of a good Conscience What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own Soul Or what will be given in exchange for the Soul There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the words What will it profit i. e. What an hard bargain will it be What infinite Damage and Detriment shall a man sustain thereby For put the whole world into one ballance and the Soul into another and this little spark of Divinity will out-weigh the whole Globe of the Earth the vast Fabrick of the Creation It is far better to be upbraided as Balaam was by Balak The Lord hath kept thee
back from Honour Num. 24.11 than to be told at the day of Judgment That Honour hath kept us back from the Lord from Heaven and everlasting Happiness A Crown is not worth the taking up on sordid much less on sinful terms It is enough for a bloudy Phocas to slay his Master Mauritius that he might obtain the Succession in the Empire For Pagan Emperors and Antichristian Popes to poyson one another as Hildebrand poysoned 7 Popes to get into the Papal Chair for their own advancement Godly David valued his Conscience and the glory of God at a greater price than to wound them for any temporal Emolument Even as Jonathan did before him who being Heir apparent to the Kingdom of Israel and knowing that David was appointed to set him besides the Throne as appeareth by his Fathers Information 1 Sa. 20.30 31. Thou hast chosen the Son of Jesse to thy own Confusion for as long as he liveth thou shalt not be established nor thy Kingdom And by his own Confession 1 Sam. 23.17 Yet would not conspire with Saul against Davids Life but contracteth close friendship with him loveth him as his own Soul giveth him intelligence of his Fathers designes pleadeth his cause vindicateth his Innocency proclaimeth his Merits and saveth his life 1 Sa. 20.33 by the hazard of his own and by the loss of his Kingdom O bravely acted Noble Jonathan How doth thy Heroical Self-denial condemn all those who lay wait for bloud and lurk privily for the Innocent without a cause and swallow them up alive as the grave and whole as those that go down into the pir that they may find all precious substance and fill their Houses with Treasure Especially Pr. 1.11 12 13. those bloudy and ambitious men who cut off the head of their Soveraign for the sake of his Royal Crown upon it even as a man breaketh a Branch from a Tree for the sake of the Fruit which groweth thereon Oh the cursed Idolatry of Jeroboam who to establish his own Throne set up another for the Devil by erecting Calves at Dan and Bethel Oh the barbarous cruelty of Herod and of Pharaoh Mat. 2. Exod. 1. who for their own Security massacred so many innocent Infants that knew not their right hand from their left Oh England How barren hast thou been of Self-denying Jonathans and Davids these late years And how hast thou exceeded Affrica in the ingendring of Monsters Monsters like unto Ahab and Jezebel who for an Acre or two of ground shed the Blood of Naboth 1 Kings 21. And like unto Judas who for Thirty Pieces of Silver sold our Saviours Body and his own Soul Yea such Monsters whose Actions would almost make us believe that they had compacted with the Devil for the Kingdoms of the world upon those terms which he proposed to Jesus Christ And whose Rage Mat. 4. Ambition and Cruelty did speak aloud that to gain a Kingdom they regarded not though the Streets did run with Bloud in stead of the Conduits with Wine at the Coronation 4. The Fourth General Head observed in the Analysis of Davids Oration containeth the Reasons of his detestation of cutting off the Royal Head of King Saul which are drawn from Sauls Relation 1. To himself My Master This word denotes that chief power which men have over their Servants Observe Observ That Kings are invested with Supreme Power and Soveraign Authority over their Subjects They are called gods to shew their preheminence over their Subjects who ought to account of them as pleni-potentiary Ambassadots of the Supream Jehovah 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether unto the King as Suprems Where the word of a King is Eccles 8.4 there is power and who may say unto him what dost thou This power of Kings is both Legislative and Executive 1. Legislative or Nomothetical The Laws of Kings oblige the Consciences of Subjects Rom. 13.5 Ye must be subject not only for wrath but for Conscience-sake And be ye subject to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake 1 Pet. 2.13 2. Executive As Swords are worn both for Ornament and defence So the execution of Laws is both the priviledge and the duty of Princes Good Laws not duly executed are to no more purpose than a rusty Sword that cannot be drawn out of the Scabbard Now this Legislative and executive Authority of Kings extendeth not only to Civil Matters as the decision of Controversies arising between man and man and criminal as the punishment of Malefactors even with Capital punishment but also to Ecclesiastical Affairs Thus the Regal Authority of David Asa Jehosaphat Hezekiah and Josiah was exerted in the extirpation of Idolatry establishment of the true Worship of God compulsion of the Priests and People to discharge their mutual duties and in the Convocation of Synods with other Acts of Jurisdiction A King without Supreme Power is but magni nominis umbra and his Office but a Titular dignity but the Feathers of Authority The Usurpation of a Tyrant who assumeth unto himself power without a Title is fatal to a Kingdom And the Government of a King who hath a Title without power to defend it is fatal to himself As Might without Right is Tyranny so Right without Might is Pageantry but the Picture of a King A King manacled and fettered if I may so speak cannot protect himself much less his Subjects His Person will be exposed to violence his Government to contempt and the Execution of Laws the Nerves and Ligaments of a Realm obstructed His Throne would be invaded by every insolent Rebel and himself deposed by every Popular Traytor For as a Scabbard without a Sword and a Gun charged with Powder without a Bullet which may give a great Report but will do no Execution Such is Royal dignity without Soveraign Authority Shall a Paterfamilias claim a despotical power over his Family and shall the great Pater patriae have his Regal Power clipt and abridged God forbid With whom can Power be more safely intrusted than with a just and prudent Prince Surely not with the Common People where it will prove as dangerous as a knife in a Childs and a Sword in a mad mans hand which will be used only to do mischief Our late Distractions have sufficiently taught us that Democratical Government is a Solecisme in Polity and that Democracy and Anarchy are equipollent terms Wherefore we conclude that a King ought to be acknowledged Supreme in all his Dominions according to the Apostle our oaths of Allegiance c. And all that have taken the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance must subscribe to this Doctrine or else contract the guilt of Perjury The Texts of Scripture alledged against this Truth are grossely perverted we may say with Solomon that as the wringing of the Nose bringeth forth blood so the wresting of Scripture bringeth forth bloudy Tenents The Lord saith
seeing he is the Anointed of the Lord. JUlius Caesar being brutishly murthered in the Senate house Marcus Antonius brought forth his bloody Coat to the people of Rome saying behold the bloody Coate of your Emperour who at the sight hereof so Condoled his death that they fell into a furious rage against the murderers so King Charles the first being inhumanely murdered at the Gate of his Palace I am this day to revive the memory and Represent the barbarousnesse of this doleful Tragedy and as it were to hang forth his bloody Robes before your eyes that all your hearts may be stirred up to Godly humiliation for this horrid murther of our sacred Sovereign the breath of our Nostrils the Anointed of the Lord and therein the beheading of three Kingdomes For the Wish of Nero which was That all the Citizens of Rome had but one Neck that so he might kill them all at one blow was fulfilled to and executed by our English Neroes who at once severed the Royal Head of King Charles from his own Body natural and our body Politick leaving England Scotland and Ireland in a bleeding dying condition on that fatall birth-day of Englands misery Jan. 30. 1648. This dreadful dooms-day if I may so call it among all the daies since the creation next to that wherein Christ was crucified were it not vain to curse a day irrevocably past Gen. 1.3 4 5 31. Job 3.3 to 10. and sinfull to curse a day that God hath made doth chiefly deserve to have such Anathema's thundred out against it as Job pronounced upon the day of his Nativity We may affix such a motto unto it as David unto the day of Abners murder Know ye not that a Prince and a great man is faln this day in our Israel 2 Sam. 3.38 Wherefore Pious and Christian is our turning it into an Anniversary Fast that the Nation by solemn and sorrowful lamentation may discharge it self from the guilt and avert the punishment of this Royal blood which was shed in the midst of it That I may contribute something thereunto I have chosen this Text to be the foundation of my ensuing discourse which being so suitabe to the season and occasion may challenge the honour that Solomon gives to a word fitly spoken Prov. 25.11 namely to be like Apples of Gold in pictures of silver These Golden Apples require little paring by explication my chief work will be in the doctrinal and Applicatory parts to cut and quarter them forth unto you for your edification in Loyalty The words are Historical being a part of the Chronicle and Narrative of the persecution of David by Saul the sum whereof is briefly this Heroical David having out of zeal for the weal of his country through his Wisdom prowess the blessing of God crowning his enterprises with successe performed many glorious exploits particularly that famous victory over Goliah the great gyant of Gath Who defied the armies of Israel and of the living God with many more honourable atchievements against the Philistines was Admired and Renouned among the people Inthroned in their affections and applauded with Superlative acclamations yea through the indiscretion of the vulgar 1 Sam. 18.7 above the King himself Saul hath slain his Thousands and David his ten thousands Saul seeing his own glory thus extenuated and eclipsed while Davids shined forth so brightly envieth Davida praise fearâ—ch his person is jealous of his fidelity least by reason of his popularity he should carry on some ambitious designe for his own accession to the Kingdome and therefore pursueth after his life knowing that mortui non mordent thereby to prevent the peoples revolt and Davids heading them So dangerous is honour that it often proves the snare and ruine of the persons dignified therewith Though this act of Saul may seem a necessary piece of state-policy to a Machivilian eye yet certainly to the eye of a Christian it will appear a grosse violation of Piety For David had given many demonstrations of his unfeigned loyalty but never any ground of suspicion of intended Rebellion by abusing his interest in the affections of the Israelites The imitation of Davids integrity by our late popular Absoloms would have been Englands happinesses as their deviation from his footsteps was our misery The persecuted having escaped many ambushes laid for his life at length findeth his perseoutor at a great advantage in a Cave at Engedy but spareth his life cutting off only the Skirt of his garment Thus having taken a survey of the Suburbs of the Text I am now arrived at the words themselves which contain First Davids Cordial contrition for cutting off the Royal Robe of King Saul ver 5. where consider 1. The great degree of his sorrow His heart smote him 2. The slight nature of the Act considered materially for which he mourned It was his cutting off the Robe not the Head of Saul Secondly Davids Loyal Detestation of outting off the Royal head of the Lords Anointed manifested in a succinct and excellent Oration ver 6. wherein may be considered First The occasion thereof which was twofold I. The fit oportunity he had to slay Saul being in a Cave II. The great Importunity wherewith his Souldiers perswaded him thereunto Secondly The Orator He i. e. David said unto his men 1. David a Subject 2. David a General of an Army 3. The Auditours he said unto his men i. e. his Souldiers 4. The Oration it self which may be Analyzed into 4. parts I. A vehement detestation The Lord forbid II. The Act detested That I should do this thing to stretch forth my hand against my Master III. The person detesting this Act that I i. e. David should do this thing IIII. The reasons of his Detestation which are deduced from Sauls Relation First To himself My Master Secondly To God the Lords Anointed 1. I shall begin with Davids Cordial Contrition for cutting off the Royal Robe of Saul And from the greatnesse of his sorrow and the slightnesse of the Act which was the ground thereof compared together Observ Observe That the least disloyal action the smallest injury and slightest indignity committed against and offered unto a King ought by Godly sorrow and true Repentance greatly to be lamented Davids heart smote him because his hand smote Sauls garment Though David being himself surprised with his sudden and unexpected surprisal of Saul in such a place of advantage did through incogitancy and inadvertency not thinking there had been any evil in spoiling the garment seeing he spared the life of Saul And likewise out of zeal for the vindication of his innocency adventure on an Act unbeseeming the Majesty of a King and the Duty of a Subject yet as soon as he recollected his thoughts and considered that not only the persons but the Robes of Princes which are the Ensignes and Badges of authority ought to remain untouched and found his action criminal and himself culpable his heart smote him As
hath given thee a Kingdom Those Nations that will not serve Jer. 27.6 8 9. and put their necks under the yoke of the King of Babylon shall be punished with the Sword and with Famine and with Pestilence until they be consumed Therefore hearken not to your Diviners nor to your Dreamers nor to your Enchanters nor to your Sorcerers which say unto you ye shall not serve the King of Babylon The holy Apostles Peter and Paul command Subjection to heathen Emperors Rom. 13.1 2 3. 1 Pet. 2.13 17. For it was about 300 years after Christ and consequently a long time after the death of the Apostles before any Magistrates became Christians The Primitive Christians were wont to pray for Pagan Princes Exoptantes ipsis vitam prolixam imperium securum domum tutam exercitus fortes Senatum fidelem populum probum orbem quietum Tertul. Apologet. Cap. 30. Eminent was the example of Mephibosheths Loyal deportment toward David notwithstanding he 〈◊〉 unjustly sequestred half his estate The King said 2 Sam. 19.29 30. why speakest thou any more of thy matters I have said thou and Ziba divide the Land And Mephibosheth saith yea let him take all forasmuch as my Lord the King is come again to his House in peace Our Saviour Jesus Christ commandeth the payment of Tribute unto Caesar Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars Mat. 22.21 And acknowledgeth that Pilate an unjust Judge had his Commission from Heaven Thou couldest have no power against me John 19.11 unless it were given thee of God The barbarous Jews themselves who crucified the Lord of Life being asked by Pilate whether they would have their King to be crucified answered we have no King but Caesar intimating that if they had believed that Christ was their King no violence should have been offered unto him Rehoboam threatned Tyranny unto Israel saying my little finger shall be thicker than my Fathers Loyns my Father chastised you with whips but I will chastise you with Scorpions yet the Revolt of the ten Tribes from him is called Rebellion 2 Chron. 13.4 5 7. and the Promoters thereof Sons of Belial Ahab and Jezebel were as great Oppressors and as bloody Persecutors of the Prophets as ever held Scepter yet God threatneth to punish Jehn for destroying them and their Posterity Hos 1.4 I will avenge the bloud of Jezreel on the House of Jehu and will cause the Kingdom to cease from the House of Israel Though the defection of the ten Tribes from the House of David was the punishment of Solomons Idolatry and the destruction of Ahab and Iezebel 1 Kin. 11.11 the Judgment of God on them for their Cruelty to Naboth Yet this did no more excuse the Treason of the ten Tribes and Jehu 1 Kings 21.19 21. who out of rebellions minds executed these Judgments than Gods predetermination of the death of Christ did justifie Judas betraying him or the Jews crucifying him So then we conclude that in case of private and personal or publick and National Injuries received from a King Subjects ought to lay aside all Malice Guile Envy Evil Speakings 1 Pet. 2.1 and all weapons of War and Instruments of death Jesus saith to one of his Disciples resisting the Officers of the Chief Priests and Elders of the Jews that were sent to apprehend him Put up thy sword into its place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword Mat. 26.52 Preces Lachrima were the only Arms that the Primitive Christians used when they were oppressed and persecuted Humiliation Refâ—â—â—â—ion and Supplication unto God who judgeth among the gods and in whose hands are the hearts of Kings Prov. 21.1 who turneth them as Rivers of water are better Expedients for the removal of Pressures from a Nation than Rebellion Samuel having in the precedent verses foretold to the Israelites the rigorous carriage of their King towards them 1 Sam. 8.18 he saith ye shall cry out in that day because of your King but the Lord will not hear you he doth not say ye shall rise up and depose your King but ye shall cry unto the Lord for Relief A provoked Prince ought to be pacified by Submission not irritated by Revenge which is not lawful against a Private Person much less against the Head of a Nation For a Subject lying under groundless suspitions to infer from thence that it is better to be suspected for somthing than nothing is the Devils Logick and to exercise Rebellion correspondent to such a Principle is a diabolical Fact Mens submissive deportment and sedulous endeavours to remove even the causless Jealousies of their Prince is the most probable means to stir up the Embers of Ingenuity in his heart A Flint will break upon a Featherbed No heart can be so Adamantine as to withstand the force of an Argument drawn from doing good for evil This like a Sun-beam melted the spirit of Saul himself Saul said is this thy voice my Son David and he lift up his voice and wept 1 Sam. 24.16 17 18 19. And said to David thou art more righteous than I for thou hast rewarded me good whereas I have rewarded thee evil and thou hast shewed this day that thou hast dealt well with me forasmuch as when the Lord delivered me into thy hands thou killedst me not For if a man find his enemy will he let him go free 1 Sa. 26.21 Again I have sinned return my Son David for I will no more do thee harm because my soul was precious in thine eyes Behold I have played the fool and erred exceedingly Herein the words of Solomon are verified By long for bearing a Prince is best perswaded Prov. 25.15 But a revengeful retaliation of Injuries will exasperate the Spirits of Princes who being Cedars in Lebanon will disdain to receive affronts from Thistles in Lebanon Wherefore that Admonition in Eccles 10.4 is not only most pious and Christian but also most prudential If the spirit of a Ruler rise up against thee leave not thy place i. e. flee not away in rage and passion for yielding pacifieth great offences Now this Prerogative of Princes to wit their exemption from the violence of their Subjects should be a golden Bridle to restrain them from all actions exorbitant and excentrical from Justice and equity and a golden spur to quicken them to such Heroical actions for the publick good that may argue them to be of Noble and Prince-like spirits as well as of Noble and Princely Blood and Dignity But blessed be the Lord who hath set over England not a Scratching Bramble but a Royal Olive whose Fatness and Sweetness doth rejoyce and exhilerate our hearts A Prince that is as it was said of Titus the Roman Emperor Deliciae generis humani the delight of mankind in whom Clemency Wisdom and all other Royal endowments and Princely vertues are concentricated Upon this account I had almost
Permission but also by the Commission of God 2. By the sacred nature of the persons of Kings I understand their separation from the common condition of other men and their designation unto a peculiar office as Aaron and his sons and the vessels of the Sanctuary with all the utensils of the Temple were set apart from a common and consecrated unto an holy use What an horrid abomination would it have been in the Jews to have filled the Golden vessels of the Sanctuary with dirt and what a vile sin was it in Ahaz to cut them in pieces So what an hainous contempt of God is it to destroy the sacred lives or reproach the sacred names of Kings seeing they are the Lords Anointed This was the reason that caused David to detest the murder of Saul to disswade Abishai from it 2 Sam. 1.14 15 16. 2 Sam. 1.7 8 9. and to execute the Amalekite for it notwithstanding he slew him at his own request after he was mortally wounded out of compassion toward him to put an end to his anguish and misery As the Lord avenged the abuse of his Anointed Mediator Psal 2. 1 King 13.4 2 King 2.23 24. Numb 19. Dan. 5.3 4 5 Psal 72.7 8. Dan. 2.21 37. Of his Anointed Prophets Of his Anointed Priests Of the anointed Vessels of his Sanctuary So will he certainly avenge all injuries offered unto his Anointed Kings on the heads of all Traytors Now the Divine Original of the Office of Kings is written with a Sun-beam throughout the Scripture Promotion cometh not from the East nor from the West God is Judge But Rom 13.1 3 3 4. is instur omnium where the Divine institution of Magistracy is no lesse then seven times asserted in six verses Twice in the first Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers for there is no power but of God The Powers that be are ordained of God Again v. 2. Whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and shall receive to themselves damnation Thrice more in v. 4 6. The Magistrate is called the Minister of God And v. 5. we are injoyned to be subject not for wrath but for conscience sake Obedience to the Magistrates authority for conscience sake doth suppose it to be bottomed and founded on a divine grant for otherwise it could not oblige the conscience The Apostle inculcated this doctrine on the Romans because there were some turbulent spirits among them who insisted so much on their Christian liberty that they thought subjection to secular powers inconsistent therewith But these Anti-magistratical Libertines are in this Chapter fully confuted and the Authority of Heathen Emperours under whom the Romans to whom Saint Paul wrote this Epistle then lived is clearly evinced to be an emanation from the Almighty God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excellently doth Saint Augustine speak to this purpose De Civ Dei li. 5. c. 21. That God who gave the regiment of a Commonwealth to Caius Cesar a mild and gentle Prince gave it also to Marius a bloody Consul He that gave it to Augustus a mirrour of humanity gave it unto Nero a monster of cruelty He that gave it unto Vespatian gave it unto Domitiar He that gave it unto Constantine a Religious defender of Christianity gave it also unto Iulian an Author of Apostasie Jesus Christ the essential wisdom of the Father Pro. 8.15 16. is represented to speak under the name of Wisdom And what doth he speak Why this By me Kings reign and Princes decree justice By me Princes rule even Nobles and all the Iudges of the earth By me i.e. by my Approbation by my Commission by my Protection and by my Direction and benediction Kings reign God was displeased with Israel for asking a King Object 1. Sol. 1 Sam. 8.7 The Lords displeasure against Israel for their request did not arise from his improbation of Monarchical Government but from Israels contempt of Theocratical Government for from the time of Moses untill the daies of Samuel they lived under a Theocrasie God did exert his power in an extraordinary and miraculous manner in raising up Judges to deliver them out of the hands of their enemies but they being grown weak in faith and weary of this immediate dependance on God and trusting too much on an arm of flesh cry out for a King wherewith God is indeed displeased because of their audacious presumption in limiting and prescribing unto him because of the itch and pride of their hearts in desiring to be conformed unto other Nations and because of their despising of God himself â— Sam. 8.7 that he should not reign over them but not by reason of any distaste against the Office of a King which he afterward blessed for the protection of his people Israel Though the Office of Saul Object 2. it being immediatly by God himself conferred on him was Divine and his person therefore sacred yet Kings now wanting this immediate election cannot claim the like Prerogatives The Texts before quoted do sufficiently confute this Objection Sol. to wit Matth. 22.21 Dan. 2.37 Prov. 8.15 16. Rom. 13.1 2. However I shall add these three things 1. That many Kings of Israel whose persons were no lesse sacred then the others were neither extraordinarily elected nor consecrated but took possession of the Kingdom by hereditary succession For all Kings were not anointed but only those in whom the Royal line began or was broken Only the first of a Family was anointed except in the case of dissention where was required a renewed unction 2. Cyrus an Heathen King is called the Lords anointed Isa 45.1 Thus saith the Lord to his Anointed to Cyrus 3. As the Office of Ministers is sacred notwithstanding they want that immediate Call which the Prophets and Apostles had so likewise is the Office of Kings notwithstanding they want such an immediatly divine inauguration as Saul and David had The Donatists Libertines Object 3. Anabaptists and Millenaries have laid the Ax to the very root of civil Magistracy holding that though God allotted Kings and Rulers unto the Jews while the Church was in its infancy minority and nonage yet now such servile subjection doth not beseem that perfection and liberty which the Gospel hath introduced John 8.32 Gal. 5.1 You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free Whereunto shall I liken this generation Sol. They are like unto water in a Pot which boyleth over much runneth into the fire which being quenched therewith the remainder of the water boyleth not at all So these affecting greater wisdom perfection and liberty then is meet became very fools and bondslaves to their lusts Those texts Joh. 8.32 Gal. 5.1 speak of the freedom of Christians from the reign of sin power of the Law and dominion of the devil and the yoke of Jewish ceremonies not of exemption from obedience to the civil Magistrate Christian liberty and civil subjection are not inconsistent Psal 2. but sweetly meet and kisse each other The Psalmist speaking of the times of the Gospel doth not exhort Kings to pull off their Crowns and to lay down their Scepters but only to manage their Government in the fear of God and to do homage unto Christ v. 11 12. Magistracy is as necessary for the preservation of humane society as Air â—ater or any of the four elements for the sustentation of our natural lives And as the Gospel doth not abolish civil Government so neither doth it translate it from men and devolve it on Jesus Christ It was the stumbling block of the Jews that they expected a temporal Kingdom by the coming of the Messiah a manumission out of their bondage to the Romans and a restauration of the Kingdom of Israel unto that primitive glory and splendour wherein it flourished under David and Solomon Let not that Government be affixed to Christ which he himself disclaims John 18.36 My Kingdom is not of this world that is not an earthly Kingdom nor the Administrations thereof conversant about external affairs neither civil nor criminal Not Civil for when a man desired him to divide an inheritance between him and his brother he sharply rebukes him saying Man who made me a Judge or divider between you Luke 12.14 Neither would he intermeddle in criminal matters but refused to pronounce sentence on the woman taken in Adultery John 8.11 The Apostle reprehendeth the Divisions of the Church of Corinth Every one of you saith I am for Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 I am for Apollo I am for Câ—phas and I am of Christ These last sort are blamed because out of an irregular zeal to advance the honour of Christ they decried his Ministers In like manner may the State-divisions of England be reprehended One saith I am for a Commonwealth another I am for a Committee of Safety another I am for a Protector and a fourth sort I am for Christ All these deserve sharp reproof even the Fifth Monarchy assertors also notwithstanding they cry out for Christ because by reason of their rash zeal or rather wild sire they take an inordinate course to advance Christ namely by footing out the civil Magistrate who is a Minister of God for our good Rom. 13.4 How was this desperatly bloodily yea blasphemously but blessed be God successelesly attempted in England by persons that would have entitled Jesus Christ to their murders as if he that did shed his own blood for our sakes delighted in shedding our blood These under a pretence of fighting for King Jesus did indeed fight for King Beelzebub The light of Nature confuteth this Antimagistratical opinion As there is no Nation so barbarous as to acknowledge no God so neither as to acknowledge no Magistrate Many irrational creatures seem by a natural instinct to have the shadow of Government amongst them There is a Master Bee Had Adam continued in innocency superiority and inferiority among mankind would have continued with him Yea there seems to be an order among the very Angels themselves for we read of an Archangel Jude v. 9. FINIS