he hath chosen Solomon my Son to sit upon the Throne of the Kingdom of the Lord over Israel 1 Chron. 17.11 12. c. 22.9 And this very thing Adonijah himself afterwards acknowledges That the Kingdom was Solomon's from the Lord. 1 Kings 2.15 Could Adonijah have been King after David's decease 't is probable he would not have molested him in his Life time but when Solomon was to succeed when he had a right from the Lord before him this grated his Spirits and set him upon Projects Conspiracies and Associations to gain that by Fraud or Force which he could not have by any Right Law or Justice He had a mind to the Kingdom and because God would not give it him he would indeavour to get it himself We do not read indeed of a Black Box to justifie his false pretences to make a legitimate Title of a spurious But in every thing else the Parallel is too natural 4. The Persons associating with him and those are expressed at the 7th Verse And he conferr'd with Joab the Son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the Priest and they following Adonijah helped him And here I should do a great deal of injustice to Joab and especially to Abiathar if I should compare with them those two Persons that assisted that late unhappy Gentleman in the Rebellion they agree only in this that the one was a Great Man and the other a Priest but in malignity and mischief ours especially the Priest far exceed them Joab indeed was a man of Blood and Treachery he had basely kill'd Abner and Amasa and now help'd Adonijah in his Rebellion but before he had stood by King David and served him against Ishbosheth and the Rebellion of Absalom and Sheba and he had led forth his Armies and return'd victorious from several of his Enemies But what Service hath the late Peer ever done to the Government If to promote a Faction to incense the Mobile to mis-lead the King's Subjects to be a Conspirator against his Life and Government and to be actually in Arms against him if these be services then this guilty man may have been serviceable to his King and Country And I conceive no other instance but such as these appears of good done by him to the Kingdom except his being taken and that indeed is instrumental to the publick good but that was sorely against his will And then for Abiathar the Priest it will be matter of the highest Injury Defamation and Indignity to his memory to parallel with him in any Instance except this Rebellion That perfidious and Rebellious Priest Contriver Manager and Assistant in the late Rebellion Abiathar heretofore had been a Good and Loyal man true to the Interest of David And Solomon himself gives him this Character 2 Kings 2.26 Thou barest the Ark of the Lord God before David my Father and hast been afflicted in all wherein my Father was afflicted And for that Reason he pardon'd him his Life tho' for his Rebellion he turn'd him out from being Priest of the Lord. But now where is the man that can tell any one Instance of Loyalty Peaceableness or Goodness that ever came from the Mouth or Behaviour of this Man Good Parts they say he has and so had Achitophel and so has the Devil but surely no Man ever reckon'd them the better for their Cunning Dexterity of Understanding Quickness of Mind and Policy in Affairs are good or bad according as the Uses are they are put to If they tend to the Honour of God the Good of the Church the Peace of the Kingdom or the Benefit of Mankind they are truly Honourable and Worthy and deservedly admir'd and esteem'd but if they serve to unhinge the Government to breed Factions to disquiet the People to stir up Sedition and Rebellion they are Infamous and Reproachful The better they are the worse they are and greater Instruments of Mischief and if an Ability to do harm if a Power and Art to seduce be matter of Character or Dignity the great Destroyer and Tempter may put in for the greatest share and first Station And I pray to what use hath this man put his Parts But to the carrying on the most Infamous and Vile Purposes By a Poisonous and Seditious Cunning to raise Divisions and Schisms in the Church Uproars and Mutinies in the Kingdom to contrive and assist in the most Villanous and Hellish Conspiracy that ever yet appeared in the World and to Design and Abett an open and avowed Invasion and Rebellion These are the Fruits of this man's Parts the Effects of his Skill And be it for ever confess'd that he is a Man of Parts that is an Artist in his Way a Man expert in all the Methods of Treason And to do him right He hath refin'd Villany and improv'd the Science of Assassination to a greater Height than any that were before Him Cursed and Cruel Natures there have been that have put off Humanity and thirsted for Blood yet few ever arrived to the pitch of this Man You may think upon Cain and Zimri upon the Servants of Jehoash and Amaziah who conspir'd against and slew the Kings their Masters you may Reflect upon Cassel Parry Garnet the Murderers of King Charles the First and all the Traytors Conspirators and King-killers that have yet appeared in the World and amongst them all you will hardly find his Equal 'T is his Peculiar Talent to have rais'd Treason and Assassination to a Degree above all Men and let him have the Glory of his Parts to have set out such a piece of Mischief as no Wickedness can parallel no Cruelty exceed And as the Scriptures speak to set forth the Excellency of a Mans Vertue or Wisdome so may it be said of such Eminency in Villany Before him there have been none like him neither after him shall be any such The Spirits of James Clement and Ravillac were doubled on this Man Each of Them Assassinated one King but This was for the Murdering a Royal Family This was the Man that was for the Compendious Way that is for the Murdering any how at once the Late and the Present King This was the Man that was so greedy of the Royal Blood that he had raised 600 l. to buy Arms for their quick Destruction This was the Man that in Murderous Perswasions and Actions far out did all the rest of the Villains and This was the Man that propos'd the killing five or six of the Richest Citizens to give away their Estates to stop the Mouths of the multitude when the first news of the Kings Murder should reach them And now are not these admirable Endowments for a Man that calls himself a Minister of the Gospel These are the Doctrines and Exhortations of Abaddon Such Salvage and Murderous Principles will fit out a Chaplin to a Troup of Banditti or a Company of Arabian Thieves and Robbers whose Business and Imployment is to Steal and Murder or which is the same thing to
IMPRIMATUR Ex Aedibus Lamb. Aug. 1. 1685. Jo. Battely RR. P Dom. Guil. Archiep. Cantuar. a Sacris Domesticis A SERMON Preached on the 26th day of July 1685. Being the Day of THANKS-GIVING Appointed for His Majesty's Victory Over the REBELS In the United Parishes of St. Margaret Pattons and St. Gabriell Fenchurch London By THO. WAGSTAFFE Chancellor of the Cathedral Church of Litchfield and Rector of the said Parishes LONDON Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishops-head in St. Paul's Church-yard 1685. 1 Kings I. 5. Adonijah the Son of Haggith exalted himself saying I will be King and he prepared him Chariots and Horsemen and fifty Men to run before Him THE Throne of David was set up and establish'd by God himself who at that time reserved to himself the particular appointment of the Kings of Israel and Judah He first caus'd Saul and then David to be anointed King And yet notwithstanding God's own appointment there were several Mutinies Seditions and Rebellions of his Subjects which is a sure Evidence that no Right of Government can be so Just no Title to the Crown so Unquestionable and firm which shall not be liable to the Pretences Claims and Disturbances of wicked and Ambitious men Certainly no man could question Gods Right and Power of Nomination or that David was the Person nam'd by him for their King These were evident and undoubted And yet not only Ishbosheth the Son of Saul and Sheba the Son of Bichri but even two of his own Sons lay Claim to the Soveraignty and rise up in Rebellion against him A plain Proof that where the Conscience is large enough for Rebellion it will easily slip thro' all other tyes of Nature and Gratitude These that could quit themselves of their Allegiance easily discharged their Filial Duties He that can be a Traytor to the Father of his Countrey will not scruple the breach of Fidelity to his Natural Parents He that can be a Rebel to his King will soon make nothing of being undutiful to his Father We have a double instance of this in David who was an Excellent King and a most Indulgent Father and yet first his Son Absalom and here his Son Adonijah said I will be King and he prepared him Chariots and Horsemen and fifty Men to run before Him He prepared Him Chariots and Horsemen and fifty men to run before him Whether these Preparations were matters of State and Magnificence suitable to that place of Dignity and Honour he aspir'd unto or whether they were Preparations of Men Arms and Ammunition necessary to maintain his Rebellion The same words are expressed of Absalom when he first began to set up for a Rebel 2 Sam. 15.1 And it came to pass that Absalom prepared him Chariots and Horsemen and fifty Men to run before him Whether therefore these are Instances and Marks of Majesty the Royal Attendance and Equipage like the Kings Life-guard and because they claim'd to be King's they would be Royally and like Soveraign Princes attended and waited on or whether they were the joyning of other Rebels a getting together of Men and Arms to Invade the King and his Subjects and the preparations of Chariots and Horsemen were the forming a Rebellious Army Which of these two is meant by these words is not so very certain But it is certain that not onely Absalom but Adonijah also however these words are meant did make such preparations did invite and procure many of the Kings Subjects who were inclinable to Faction and Rebellion to abet their Cause to appear in their behalf against their Father and Lawful Soveraign In discoursing of these words I shall indeavour 1. To consider some Circumstances relating to Adonijah's Rebellion parallel to our own Case to the late Rebellion 2. To represent the Iniquity of such and all Rebellious Attempts and Practices 3. To Apply the whole 1. Reflect on some Circumstances relating to Adonijah's Rebellion parallel to the late Rebellion as The Person The Time of His Rebellion The Occasion of it The Persons associating and assisting The Defeat 1. The Person Adonijah the Son of Haggith Who this Haggith was whether David's Wife or his Concubine is not express'd but it is probable she was some obscure woman And the Reason of this Conjecture is that when there is mention made of David's Sons and of whom born the Mothers are exprest who they were in Lineage and Descent except Haggith and one more So we read 2 Sam. 3. and 1 Chron. 3. The first-born was Amnon of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess the second Chileab of Abigail the Wife of Nabal the Carmelite the third Absalom the Son of Maacha the Daughter of Talmai King of Geshur the sixth Ithream by Eglah David ' s Wife but when it speaks of Adonijah and Shephatiah it says only that the one was the Son of Haggith the other of Abital without any intimation from whence or whose Daughters they were Which to me seems that they were probably his Concubines or however of some mean Lineage and low Extraction otherwise there can hardly be a Reason assign'd why the Country Tribe or Parentage of these should not be mention'd as well as the other 2. The time of Adonijah ' s Rebellion and that was some time before the Death of his Father that Father that had been so extreamly kind to him that to enhance the foulness of his Rebellion 't is said immediately after the Text And his Father had not displeased him at any time in saying why hast thou done so Nothing of displeasure but the highest kindness the greatest expressions of tenderness and affection had always been manifested from his Father And herein we shall not need to make the Parallel It only differs That the Rebellion we are delivered from did not break out in the time of the late King of ever blessed memory but it comes thus near it was hatched then and in all probability would have then appear'd in its own colours Rebellion and Treason mixed with the highest ingratitude and ill nature had it not been providentially discovered and seasonably prevented 'T was then laid and contriv'd and just ripe for action but the Providence of God and the Wisdom and Vigilance of the King stifled it and hindered its further appearance 'T was the same then in Intention and would have been the same and probably worse in Execution but that the Discovery brought some of the Conspirators to punishment and dispersed the rest who since associated themselves again and upon the Kings Mercy and Indulgence and the Ruines of the Plot have built up and fram'd this ungrateful and unnatural Rebellion 3. The occasion of this Rebellion and that seems to be that another had a better claim to the Government There was another from God after David declared the rightful Successor of the Crown God had established it in Solomon as David himself openly declares to the People 1 Chron. 6.5 And of all my Sons for the Lord hath given me many Sons
whom no Conscience can hold no Principles of Religion can contain in their Duty 3. Apply the Whole 1. Let us dispose our Hearts and Souls to give unfeigned Thanks and Praise to the most Gracious God for Influencing and prospering His Majesties Forces and Defeating our Enemies For this purpose we are now met together and to this the Nature of the Thing and the foregoing Discourse engages us For if Rebellion be as you have heard and as in realitty it is the worst of Evils the most Pernicious to all Governments and Societies Then let the Sense of our Deliverance from it Influence our Hearts with sutable Affections and Devotion to our Deliverer 'T is true Rebellion and unjust Claims do very seldom prevail God who is the Patron of Right usually Protects the just Cause exerts his Providence in the behalf of the Innocent and will not suffer Right to be oppress'd by an Vsurper and wrongful Invader And we of this Nation have had several Instances of God's Power and Goodness who hath often miraculously appear'd in behalf of the Rightful Title to the Crown But this should not diminish but advance our Gratitude And the more Experience we have had of Almighty Mercy the more should we inlarge our selves towards Him in expressions of Duty We owe much indeed to the King's Wisdome and Care to the Parliaments Pious and Loyal Indeavours to the Valour and Conduct of the King 's Military Officers to the Resolution and Courage of the Souldiers To all which respectively in their differing Spheres and Stations is our praise and thanks proportionably due But let God have his Honour also Men are but Instruments God is the Supream Actor and all Successes how wisely soever things are managed depend upon His Providence The Wretches themselves that contriv'd the Horrid and Black Rye-Assassination when they were disappointed by a Wonderful Providence Fire at New-Market could say that Gods Hand was in it And let us sure who reap the Benefit of that and this present Deliverance be as forward to see and also to acknowledge the Divine Clemency which rescu'd our King and our selves from the Hands and Outrages of Ravenous and Bloody Men. Bs 121.1 Let us look unto the Hills from whence cometh our help our help cometh from the Lord the Lord strong and mighty in Battel Let us adore that Goodness and open our Souls to our Mighty Deliverer the God of our Salvation The King shall rejoyce in the Lord Ps 63.11 and let us all come before his Presence with joy and thanksgiving For the Lord hath done Marvellous Things his Right Hand and his Holy Arm hath gotten him the Victory Blessed be God that hath subdued our Adversaries and given Peace to his Kingdom Blessed be God that hath Blasted the Conspiracies and Attempts against our Lawful Soveraign and his Government and Blessed be God that hath preserv'd us and all that is dear to us from becoming a Prey to Unjust Cruel and Merciless Men. O Lord Ps 36.6 7. thou preservest Man and Beast How excellent is thy Loving-kindness O God! therefore the Children of Men put their trust under the shadow of thy Wings 2. Let us follow our Thanksgiving home let us pursue it into our Consciences that it may become a principle of Life and Action They are but cold and empty Words sent into the Air which do not beat back upon our Hearts and affect us with Piety and Duty We then pray right when our Practises are of the same Temper with our Prayers Let our Thanksgiving therefore and our Lives agree let us exemplifie it in the Loyalty of our Behaviour 'T is a Fictitious Thanksgiving that does not Influence our Hearts Let us therefore answer our Praises to God with an utter Abhorrence and Detestation of all Sedition and Rebellion Let not a Mutinous and Vngovernable Thought be found among us Let Rebellion be for ever Scattered with the Rebels and let no Stubbornness and Faction no Associating nor Conspiring against Authority be any more heard in our Streets This is to Cooporate with God in his Mercies He hath preserv'd the King and the Government Let us do our Parts and be Conscienciously Subject This our Present Thanksgiving This our True Interest and This our best Religion obliges us to There cannot be a more Loyal Man in the whole World than a Protestant of the Church of England as 't is Established by Law And he that is really so cannot have the least Tendency the least Inclination to Resistance Let us therefore do what our God our King and our Religion would have us Let us keep the Feast not with the Old Leaven of Faction and Sedition but with Sincerity and Truth With Devotions answerable to the Mercies we Celebrate with Hearts inflam'd with Holy Gratitude to God and Loyal Zeal to the King and his Government Prov. 24.21 My Son fear God and the King and meddle not with them that are given to Change Which Improvement that we may all make of it God of his Mercy grant through Jesus Christ our Lord. To whom c. FINIS