when it is said his good counsell the meaning is not that it was so morally but respectively it was wise counsell and conduced to his ends and Absaloms and it had been good for Absalom to have followed that counsell When he saith evill he meaneth destructive evill in the Greek they read {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} all evils and so much briefly for the sense of the words for the present From the connexion of these words with the former wee may learne that there is nothing in man independent neither his judgement nor his affections but there is a secret divine operative power that overruleth all sorts of men and turneth their minds this way and that way as God seeth good to turne them in mercy or in judgement to themselves or others Here are two Counsellors the one against the other and at the first Ahithophels counsell was liked and after Hushai had spoken it was disliked and rejected and Hushai's counsell was preferd before for the Lord c. A place parallel to this wee have 1 King 12. 15. there are two sorts of Counsellors one old and the other young and Rehoboam hearkned not to the old men but to the young and by that meanes lost ten parts of his Kingdome and the Lord said it was of him The way of man is not in himself saith the Prophet Jeremy neither is it in man to walk and to direct his steps not the way of his feete as theirs that say they will goe to such a Citie and get gain and never ask God leave he teacheth them to say if the Lord will c. nor the way of his tongue the preparation of the heart is in man but the answer of the tongue is of the Lord Which may be seene in Balaam who intended to curse the Lords people but being over-ruled blest them nor the way of his heart which may be seene in Ezra and Artaxerxes God put it into his heart to beautifie the house of the Lord The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water he turneth it whither soever he will the reason is because as God alone made all the world so he will be absolute Master over all and so rule and overrule that it shall not be in the power of men or Devils to crosse him in any thing but his will shall be done and not theirs and his counsell shall stand at all times maugre all their presumption But here a question will be about sin and error whether this do not make God the author of that I answer no he is not the Author but the Ordinator or he that ordereth sin and that alwayes in a righteous way he constraineth none to doe evill but restraineth many he withheld Ahimelech that he should not sin against him and he keepeth back his servants from presumptuous sins he restrain'd Josephs brethren when they would have kild him and restrain'd Satan when he would have kild Job and having suffered evill to be done he draweth good out of evill and often turneth even the sins of men to his own glory and to the good of his Church and children it is said that Josephs brethren sold him but that God sent him into Aegypt they thought evill against him he meant it for good to save them and much people alive Here was a gracious ordinating of an ungracious act When the Sabaeans and Chaldaeans plundred Job he attributeth it to God and saith The Lord hath taken away now they did it with a felonious intent and the Devill in malice against Job set them on work but God with no ill meaning to him but to prove the integritie of his servant when it was questioned by Satan and to exercise his patience for a time and to do him good at his latter end and therefore as he said so may and ought we to say in such a case Blessed be the Name of the Lord When Absalom went in to his Fathers Concubines that was done which God said to David he would doe and as it was the punishment of sin it was just with God to doe that which he did David was right serv'd when he was punished in the same kinde wherein he had trespassed against another as it had rationem peccati the nature of sin it was Absaloms for he knew the Commandements the fifth and the sixth and the seventh and he had no countermand therefore he did wickedly and the worse because he did it with a wicked mind to make himself abhorred of his Father and past reconciliation the Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works even in the way of punishing one sin with another as he is magnus in minimo great in the least work so he is bonus in possimo good in the worst act that is done in judgement upon the sons of men For the use of this point first it serveth for the confutation of some errors I will name but two first of those that deny the divine providence as if God minded not the things below these erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power and wisdome of God they abundantly declare that there is nothing so high that is above it nor any thing so low that is beneath it that great Creator thinketh it not below his divine Majesty to move all things as he doth and it is a vaine thing to thinke that it is any trouble to him as it would be to men as he created all things without any servile labour or any labour onely by his Word so he upholdeth all things by the word of his power and being an universall Spirit and omnipotent it is as easie to him to rule all the world as one man and to dispose of all things as it was to create them and by the same wisdome that he did the one he doth the other The other error touching free will tendeth to lift up nature and the vain heart of man as if it were in the power of men to repent and beleeve and speake and doe as they see good pro libero arbitrie whereas Paul may plant and Apollo water but it is God that giveth the increase this is the work of God saith Christ that yee beleeve the thought is the least part of the worke and yet the Apostle saith that wee are not sufficient of our selves to think and God giveth both the well and the deed Therefore in the next place this maketh for our humiliation to keep us from pride of any thing in us and from presuming of any power in our selves to doe any thing wee know not what to pray nor what to think nor what to judge but are apt to mistake and mis-Judge and to be misled Simon Magus was willing to be accounted some great man but a better man said I am nothing he that thinketh he
King without wit and honesty without wit that make Kings more than men and in a manner deifie them as if they had absolute power over their Subjects to coÌ„mand what they will without any limitation by any laws of God or man Whereas Princes and Rulers have received power and dominion of God to rule under him not over him and to command for him not against him and to be obey'd after him and not before him Without honesty as Doeg that incensed Saul against David and fell upon the Priests of the Lord when honester men refused to doe it he was for the King and so are many that are given to plundring serve the King as the Hawke serveth the Fawkner that being let loose flieth at the Fowle not with any intent to serve his Master but to get a prey for himselfe by meanes whereof many goe now in scarlet that before the warre could not be trusted for a frieze coat It is further said that he is a good King but may not a good King be led to do unwisely good King Asa is charged with that and in broader termes than I speak And may not a good King love his enemies and hate his friends Good King David was charged with that And may not a good King help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord Good King Jehoshaphat was charged with that by a Prophet of the Lord And may not a good King be led to shed much innocent bloud The good Emperour Theodosius did so and was zealously reproved for it by Ambrose and kept from receiving of the Sacrament for that fact and Theodosius liked him never the worse for it but professed he liked arguentem magis quam adulantem him that reproved him better than him that flatter'd him as did David Beloved wee are all for the King or else we dissemble with God and the world for we pray for him for the preservation of his body and for the salvation of his soule He is prayd for constantly in our Churches and families and in both Houses of Parliament Yea we pray for him and his children and some of them are with us and educated like Kings children and like Gods children And hath not the Parliament bound all the Kings subjects by a solemne Covenant to preserve the Kings Person and to testifie that they have no thought or intention to diminish his Majesties just power and greatnesse And how often have they sought peace and his Returne But it is objected that they have taken Armes and this is aggravated as if it were piaculum in any case though it be se desendendo But what did David when he was a subject and Saul sought his life though a godly man and a Prophet and Sauls son-in-law to which he had preferd him who before was but a Shepheard he took armes for his necessary defence and was never reproved for it of God but blest and prosperd and worthy men sided with him It is said the Spirit came upon Anasa who was chief of the Captains and he said Thine are we David and on thy side thou son of Jesse Peace peace be unto thee and peace be unto thine helpers for thy God helpeth thee A divine motion put him on to expresse himselfe in such a manner that his words took impression in David and caused him firmely to beleeve that he and those that were with him were reall to him and not to question their fidelitie The Priests of the Lord were for him eighty-five of them sufferd for him Abimelech received him and his company and gave them hallowed bread and Goliahs sword and Abiathar escaping from the slaughter fled to David for refuge he undertook to protect him Jonathan the Kings Son was for him a vertuous Prince next heire to the Crowne had it gone according to the course of nature he was for him and spake for him to his Father and loved him exceedingly and gave intelligence from the Court when danger was towards him utterly disliking the Kings proceedings against him nay what say you to Saul himself when he was himself he Justified him upon triall of his loyaltie and integritie saying Thou art more righteous than I for thou hast rewarded me good whereas I have rewarded thee evill And was it lawfull for David when he was a subject and but one man to take armes to save his life and is it unlawfull for the Parliament of England to take that course to save theirs those whom they ought to protect May not the State and such a State that hath such power in their hands doe more than one man of what rank so ever And what if they send forth to suppresse insurrections and to pursue Delinquents that fly the justice of that high Court Doth it not pertain to them to do it even ex Officio And what if the great Councell of the Kingdome seek to remove wicked Counsellers from the King that usurpe their Office to themselves He was a King and the wisest of Kings and upon a ponderous reason much concerning the good and honour of every King that saith Take away the wicked from before the King and his throne shall be established in righteousnesse Must the State and those that hold with them learne of Delinquents that have deserved death how to be for the King or of perfidious Covenant-breakers to whom an oath of God is no more than a collar to a Monkey that he can slip at pleasure or of rapacious Courtiers and their Publicâ—n-Officers that would exact upon the subject and have no Parliament that they might never be question'd for any thing they doe Must they learne of damme-swearers that familiarly sweare themselves into hell or of Papists who are pleased so long as the King serveth their turne but would blow him up with powder if they could if he should execute the lawes against them or of the wild Irish other Irish murtherers that first kill a hundred thousand of the Kings Protestant-subjects in Ireland and then come and offer their service to him in England with a desire to do as much here if they can All these would teach tutor their betters in this matter but those that are wise will learne rather of David and Salomon and other Prophets and good men what to do the judgement and way of such is much to be esteemed and better it is to suffer adversitie with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Generally the ungodliest of the Clergie ran to Oxford when the warre began the best of the Ministry out of all Counties throughout the Kingdome came to the Parliaments quarters for protection if any of better note went the other way it was small for their credit or comfort and it is supposed they repent it That unparalleld Saint of the Church of England lately deceased full of dayes died an Orthodoxe Presbyter and Presbyterian constant
that have been active against the righteous in a hostile way be warned by the examples in this Text and Story Behold the man that made not the Lord his strength but trusted to his own wisdome and the arme of flesh his counsell being defeated he went home and hanged himself Behold the man that was proud of his hair and beauty and favour and friends and exalted himself and caused an unjust war without any respect of his person he was cast in and buried in a pit Behold the men that took part with the ungodly against the righteous and sought to shed innocent bloud they were beaten and perished by the sword even so let all the enemies of the King and Parliament be as that young man Absalom and that old Fox Ahithophel and those infatuated Israelites that followed them but let those that are found faithfull to God and their Countrey be as the Sun when he goeth forth in his might Now it is observable that that which God did to Ahithophel and so consequently to Absalom was the effect of Davids prayer and request to God David said O Lord I pray thee turne the counsell of Ahithophel into foolishnesse and according to his desire he defeated his counsell The point hence is this That prayer with the use of the means is prevalent against those that rise up against the righteous David us'd the meanes and neglected it not He sent out a tripartite Army under three Captains and that speedily that was Alexanders way and by that meanes he was victorious and won much by making no delay but pursuing his conquests but withall David pray'd and thereby prevailed mightily as we see and obtain'd of God a great matter Three circumstances illustrate the work of God mention'd in the Text First That he defeated Ahithophel famous Ahithophel that was so renowned for his policy Secondly That he defeated the good counsell of Ahithophel his wise counsell Thirdly That he did it by his Word onely commanded and it was done Moses crying to the Lord the Israelites saw the salvation of God and lifting up his hands and praying the Israelites prevail'd against Amalek When a thousand thousand came against Asa and his people he cryed to the Lord and the Lord smote the Aethiopians before Asa and before Judah and the Aethiopians fled When multitudes came against Jehoshaphat he feared and set himself to seeke the Lord and proclaim'd a fast As a man he feared as a godly man he sought the Lord as a godly King he proclaim'd a fast and his enemies were miraculously overthrowne When the mightie Hoste of Senacherib came against Jerusalem in Hezekiahs time he sent to the Prophet Isaijah To lift up a prayer and he prayed and made his supplication to the Lord and in the morning fourescore and five thousand were all dead corpses being smitten by an Angel of the Lord Thus the righteous have prevailed mightily against their enemies by prayer to God The reason is the Lord is their God and they are deare unto him and he hath undertaken their protection and to be an enemy unto their enemies and he hath set them this course to call upon him and to seek his face in their trouble and it is a commandement with promise and he hath said He will not fail them nor forsake them and he the rather heareth them because they heare him and will glorifie him for that he doth for them being sensible of his mercy and of their own unworthinesse This sheweth the happie priviledge that the righteous have above others The prayer of the righteous availeth much if it be fervent yea the prayer of the upright is his delight It is not so with the wicked when they pray and cry to God the Lord is far from the wicked Davids enemies cryed but there was none to save them even to the Lord but he answer'd them not they are in no such esteeme with God they have no such interest in him they will not heare him therefore he abhorreth their prayers and will not heare them no when they fast he will not heare their cry Therefore godly men have this way a great advantage of their enemies though their outward strength be much short of theirs When David went out against Goliah it was thought a bold adventure considering the disparitie between those two for bulk of body but calling on the name of the Lord and trusting in him he soone laid the gyant along When Saul pursued him he prayd unto the Lord and made him his refuge and his enemy had no power to do him hurt when he was neere unto him and ready to surprize him he was taken off through the providence of God by newes that the Philistims invaded the Land and returned from pursuing after David When Absalom prepared a great Army against him he prayed and prevailed Ahithophel looked upon Davids company as a weak company and undertaketh with twelve thousand to vanquish him but the man that was so confident because of the strength of the enemy and the weaknesse of David never thought what power David had with God by prayer but behold though his Army was weak his prayer was strong and God hearing his prayer wrought for him and defeated his enemy And it is said of Theodosius that being in the field having the worst he lighted off his horse and kneeled downe and said Where is the God of Theodosius And after that his enemy fell before him his prayer was short but fervent and faithfull This maketh much for the comfort and incouragement of all the Lords servants that in these times follow Davids way it is a way very prevalent for defence and offence There is the more comfort in the present example because he prayd sped thus after he had cōmitted an atrocious sin in the matter of Vriah the fact was soule and the aggravation of it may be taken from the Parable of Nathan and the sentence that proceeded out of the mouth of David himself against himself little thinking then that he had been the man that had done so wickedly against so honest a servant as Vriah was When I think of his killing that man it putteth into my mind Alexanders killing of Calisthenes and of his words to one that magnified his Conquests He slew saith he many thousands of the Persians and Calisthenes saith the opponent and saying further He killed Darius that had a great Kingdome and Calisthenes said he that answered him And again saying He conquered all from the Ocean and exceedingly inlarged his Empire the opponent still answereth but he kild Calisthenes So if one would magnifie David for his piety and zeale for the house of God and for his valour and exploits some may answer as that opponent did and object his killing Vriah He slew Goliah that Monster that was such a
terror to the Army of Israel and Vriah may an opponent say He kill'd many Philistims that they sung Saul his thousand and David his ten thousand and Vriah may he say and if other of his victories he alledged tending to his honour this might still be opposed yea but he kill'd his servant Vriah the Hittite yet notwithstanding the atrocity of the fact and all the anger about it and all the threatning of him and his houshold in his adversitie he cryed to God when his enemies rose up against him and his prayer was heard At his latter end he could say that the Lord had redeemed his soule out of all adversitie This much illustrateth the grace of God and may strengthen our consolation in these times Surely there is hope for England and Scotland wee have had and have so many praying dayes and have so many praying men praying Commanders praying Souldiers praying Parliament men a praying Assembly and other praying Ministers and praying people and we have had comfortable experience of the good effects events of our prayers specially after our extraordinary Fasts After that which was kept before the battell at Naseby when the Armies were to be ingaged and the Gospel lay at stake and wee were in distresse and feare wee sought the Lord and he heard us and wee had a great deliverance and a glorious victory and a little after when our Army marched towards Taunton then strongly besieged and were to ingage againe wee prayed and the Lord gave a gracious returne to our supplications the good people in those parts were relieved by our men and a formidable Army of the enemy was routed Wee have sundry times seene the salvation of God when there have been failings on our part and great advantages on the other side and when we have been in a low condition and the enemies in the height of their strength and confidence the Lord of Hosts hath appeared for us the God of our salvatioÌ„ hath favour'd our righteous cause and brought out adversaries to confusion After the extraordinary Fast kept for Scotland wee soone had intelligence of a great overthrow given to Montrosse God did great things for our brethren of that Nation whereof we have cause to rejoyce they are our brethren and confederates of the same faith with us and have deserved our prayers and good endeavours for them by their prayers for us in our trouble and the great service they have done to this Kingdome and to the Church of God amongst us they shewed zeale and courage and quicken'd us when wee in a manner had lost our selves and there was little life in us they have been instruments to promote the Reformation which wee have that Church was famous in the Reformed Churches for doctrine worship government and discipline when ours was in an ill name for corruptioÌ„s that Church had the honour to be in the Antitype to Philadelphia the best of those Churches of Asia when ours was made the Antitype to Laodicâ—a the worst of the seven and they have had the happinesse to keep their Church without heresie or sectaries for above fifty yeares and greater love than this hath no man than to lay downe his life for his friend and that they have done for us and many thousands in and about the Citie that now sit warme might have sit cold had it not been for them and had they been overthrown their fall would have been our fall therefore wee have cause to pray for them and to rejoyce that God of his 〈◊〉 hath heard their prayers and ours It will be said by our adversaries that they pray too and why may not they be heard as well as wee It is true they pray some of them to our Lord and some to our Lady as they call her some say Our Father some Pater noster and Ave Maria and some make use of their Beads and Crucifixes when they pray and many revile and curse the godly party yea they curse them bitterly that have come out to help the Lord against the mightie the generalitie of them read somewhat in a book but how many of them pray in the Spirit Certainly there is great difference between their praying and the praying on this side and there is great difference between the men that performe prayer on both sides and those they pray for and were their praying in some respect better than it is their cause is nought and their Armies are too like the Absalomian Army to prosper they are risen up against the righteous and help the ungodly to destroy godly men and are bloudy-minded as they were and being like them in other vices they will be like Absalom to a hair as I may say affecting long hair as he did not regarding what St Paul saith that it is a shame for a man to weare long hair making it a shame rather not to weare it long In some respects many of them are worse than the Absalomians namely for superstition and damme-swearing therefore God will not heare them no when they fast he will not heare their cry To us there is more ground of hope for good because there is more of David in our Commanders and many of our Officers and Souldiers and in those that have sent them forth for the defence of our Religion and Lawes and Liberties and of those that stand for them and wee have seene that God hath heard our prayers and prosperd our Armies in all parts of the Kingdome Wee have had great incouragement from heaven and what if we have not obtained yet a cessation of the warre no more did David in the war between the house of Saul and him though he prayd at first and constantly yet there was long warre between the house of Saul and the house of David but he obtained that he grew stronger and stronger and the house of Saul weaker and weaker and the like wee have obtained to our comfort through Gods great mercy notwithstanding our sinnes One circumstance more we are to take notice of and that is that as David prevailed so with the Lord by his prayer after that he had sinned against him so it was after his repentance humble confession of it unto God after that he was in statu quo with him upon as good termes as ever and had mercy upon mercy to his dying day Beloved Repentance obtaineth audience and pardon that maketh every sin veniall that saveth the soule and that saveth a Nation from ruine and destruction Repentance causeth God to repent maketh him better than his word when he threatneth evill as both the Israelites and Ninivites found him therefore to conclude repent and pray and waite and yee shall still see the salvation of God FINIS Exod 4. 10. Obsequium 〈◊〉 esse 〈◊〉 Id though not sine subduâ—â—ione sudore Lips Ep 2 Sam. 23. 10. By Westchesier 2 Chro. 12. 18. Ira cos Fortitudinis Jer. 10. 23. James 4. 13. Prov. 16. 1. Numb. 21. Ezra 7. 27. Prov. 21. 1. Gen. 20. 6. Gen 45. 5. 8. Job 5. 21. Chap. 16. Psal. 145. 17. Mat. 22. 29. Psal. 113. Ludibria joci naturae Scal. in exerc Heb. 1. 3. 1 Cor. 3. 6. Joh. 6. 29. 2 Cor. 3. 9. Minima pars operis Cal. Phil. 2. 13. Et ut velimus ut valeamus Fulgent Acts 8. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Cor. 12. 1. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Joh. 15. 5. Ab Jove principium Comparatio non aquiparatio Chap. 13 3. Gen. 3. 1. Exod. 1. 10. Dan. 6. Jer. 9. 23. 1 Cor. 10. 12. 1 Cor. 6. 5. Deut. 1. 13. Pro. 18. 17. 1 King 3. 22. 1 King 21. Pro. 20. 18. Eccl. 9. 16. 2 Sam. 20. 16. 22. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Luk. 12. 20. Jer. 8. 9. Psal. 119. 24. 98. Isa. 29. 14. Psal. 33. 10. 1 Cor. 2. 14. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 1 Tim. 2. 1. Rom. 13. 1. Tit. 3. 1. Heb. 13. 17. 1 Cor. 14. 37. 1 Cor. 5. Heb. 13. 17. Judg. 20. Josh. 8. 3. Diodorus Siculus l. 17. Ad fallendum hostem 1 Ne veneno aut sicarus agatur 2 Ne fides data frangatur 3 Ne jura belli violentur Psal. 109. Psal 15. 4. Psal. 13. 4. Psal. 34. 21. Psal. 105. 14. Zach. 2. 8. 1 Pet. 4. 5. Exod. 11. 7. Mal. 3. 16 17. Finis operantis and finis operis 2 Sam. 14. 25. 1 Kings 16. 1. Judg. 20. 13. c. Chap. 21. 3. 6. 2 Chro. 13. Psal. 78. 72. Psal. 146. 8. 2 Thes. 1. 6. Ezek. 14. 21. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Deut. 32. 35. Vse Phil. de Com. 2 Sam. 21. 16. Bilson of perpet Gov. 1 Sam. 22. 1â— 2 Chro. 16. 9. 2 Sam. 19. 6. 2 Chro. 19. 2. Psal. 141. 5. 1 Chro. 12. 18. Deodat 1 Sam. 21. 6. 9. Chap. 22. 20 c. 1 Sam. 24. 17. Pro 25. 5. Heb. 11. 25. Mr Jo. Dod. Job 29. 13. Hos. 6. 6. Prov. 21. 3. Acts 24. 14. Bilson perpet Gov. without Crosse and Surplesse Psal. 110. 1. Con Ahithophel Absalom Judg. 5. 31. 2 Sam. 15. 31. Chap. 18. 2. He set Hushai on worke {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Tfiuua Heb. Exod. 14. 15. Chap. 17. 11. 2 Chro. 14. 9. 11 12. 2 Chro. 20. 3. 2 King 19. 4 5 Zach. 2. 8. Exod. 23. 22. Psal. 50. 15. Heb. 13. 6. John 8. 47. Psal. 140. 6. Vse James 5. 15. Pro. 15. 8. Pro. 15. 29. Psal. 18. 41. Prov. 28. 9. Zach. 7. 11. Jer. 14. 12. 1 Sam. 17. Psal. 57. 1. 1 Sam. 23. 27 28. Vbi est Deus Theodosij 2 Sam. 12. Sen: Nat. q. l. 6. c. 23. 1 King 1. 15. Brightmâ—â—…in Apoc. cap. 3. 2 Cor. 11. Jâ—r 14. 12. 2 Sam. 3. 1. 2 Sam. 12. 13. Psal. 51. 1 Chr. 1. 29. 28 James 5. 21 Jer. 18. 7. Judg. 10. 13. c. Jonah 3. 10. That very day the salvation of God was seen wonderfully by Westchester Sept 24.
knoweth any thing knoweth nothing as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 2. And without Christ wee can doe nothing he saith not nihil magnum no great matter as Augustine observeth but nothing and therefore Honourable Senators yee do well that every morning before yee goe to the work of the day yee begin with prayer to God for his direction and assistance and blessing I hope every Member doth it with an humble heart apprehensive of his owne impotency and nothingness for certainly neither the ablest Church-men in spirituall affaires nor the wisest Statesmen in temporall can do any thing well without God and therefore it is good to follow the old rule and that is to begin with God lest errors be committed for want of his direction Secondly Observe what humane wisdome is and all great parts without the feare of God and learne we hence that Policy without piety turneth to folly and bringeth misery What Ahithophel was for wisdome and counsell and State policy appeareth by that which is written of him in the end of the former Chapter The Counsell of Ahithophel which he counselled in those dayâ—s was as if a man had inquired at the Oracle of God so was all the counsell of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom But what he was for Religion and conscience may appeare by his forsaking David and complying with Absalom his wicked Son and by giving counsell to Absalom to goe into to his Fathers Concubines and by offering his service to kill David a meer Politician a Fox wise to do evill skilfull to destroy and to doe mischiefe but not wise towards God or for his own soule his wisdome turned to folly his policy proved vanitie in the end What came of him yee may reade after being crost in his expectation and taking to heart the disgrace done unto him by their preferring Hushai's counsell before his he presently rode home in discontent and became selo de se a self-murtherer Of Jonadab it is said he was a very subtle man but his counsell that he gave to Amnon came to nought to his own shame and his friends destruction and all for want of the feare of God which he did not set before his eyes That old Serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field but his counsell brought evill upon himself And the King of Aegypt said Come on let us deale wisely with them lest they multiply but the more they afflicted them the more they multiplied and grew and that Daniels enemies plotted against him proved against themselves and for him and no marvell for the wisdome of God is infinitely beyond the wit of man and it is for his glory to defeat the counsell of the wisest of men and to establish his owne and the rather because though they have nothing but what they have received from him and that they have is little in comparison of that which he hath and they have not yet coÌ„monly they are proud of that little and trust to it specially if they prosper they are puffed up and assume to themselves the glory that properly belongeth to God and they seek themselves and not him and many times worke against God and his servants and people and therefore they are infatuated and confounded by the hand of Heaven Which first may serve for admonition to all that are destitute of the feare of God and yet are wise in their own eyes and superciliously disdain others Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome and let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Wisdome even civill and worldly wisdome is the gift of God which he hath given unto the sons of men and is of necessary use to end Controversies between neighbour and neighbour hence the Apostle writing to the Corinthians that went to Law one against another reproveth them and saith Is it so that there is not a wise man amongst you no not one c As if it were a shame for them if there were not for Religion doth not make men fooles It is necessary specially in publick persons hence required in the choice Take yee wise men and understanding He that is first in his cause is just saith Salomon one would thinke he were as honest a man as liveth and that he hath had a great deale of wrong then cometh his neighbour and inquireth and all that heare both finde that one tale is good till another be told Sometimes there is no witness as when the two Harlots appeared before Salomon and both claimed the living childe Sometimes there are false witnesses as in the case of Naboth and therefore there is need of a great deale of wisdome to finde out the truth and to doe Justice in warre it is necessary therefore Salomon saith By counsell make warre for wisdome is better than strength A poore man by his wisdome delivered the Citie A woman also by her wisdome But if the feare of God be wanting in those that are worldly wise they will not prove very wise in the end for themselves or for their own good or others Thou foole witless man saith the voice this night they shall fetch away thy soule c. They have rejected the Word of the Lord saith the Prophet and what wisdome is in them The Word is that which teacheth wisdome therefore David made that his Counsellor and that made him wiser than his enemies Secondly This may keepe us from feare of our adversaries in regard of their wit and policy and counsell against us The wisdome of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid The Lord bringeth the counsell of the heathen to nought he maketh the devises of the people of no effect As he did to Ahithophel so he will doe to those that are like unto him their policy shall turn to folly Thirdly Therefore such as are not to be too much esteemed or followed what ever abilities they have specially in things pertaining to God his Church and Ordinances having no power of godlinesse in them Meer Politicians are not good Interpreters of Scripture though they have read the Scriptures nor are they fit Judges in spirituall matters they savour not the things of the Spirit they cannot relish them they perceive not the things of the Spirit they have not the capacitie they are beyond them they cannot have right hearts to Christ and to his Ministers and to the pure Ordinances Give me favour for an observation or two in a way inoffensive to candid hearers The French have a Proverb that a Minister should know nothing but the Scripture Well let that be free to us to know that and to teach that in one thing as well as in another and prove all things and hold that which is good The observation is this that S. Paul was as much for the civill
against all sects and sectaries faithfull to Christ and firme to the Parliament And it is your honour and may be your comfort Honourable Senators that the hearts and prayers of such men are for you and that yee have the prayers of the best affected in Scotland also and in all Reformed Churches Such as were for David are for you such worthies as are like to Amasa when the Spirit came upon him Commanders in chief eminent for valour and piety fidelitie and humility desiring that all glory may be given unto God in our dayes of thankesgiving and that they may be forgotten pitie it is that such Noble Patriots that fight for their Countrey should want any incouragement that the Kingdome can give them Honourable Gentlemen discourage not the godly party quench not any degree of their zeale for you by suffering any Officers in Commission under you to favour Malignants and to oppresse your friends by neglect of widows that are brought to that sad condition having lost their husbands in the Parliaments service by rejecting just and lamentable complaints or by sending away sad Petitioners crying one after another The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me saith Job and I made the widowes heart to sing for joy Fasts do well but I will have mercy and not sacrifice saith the Lord And to do judgement and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice Yee all stand in need of mercy practise mercy that yee may find mercy in that day and this day and all the dayes of your lives If yee do well shall yee not be accepted if yee do evill sin lieth at the dore at the Parliament dore as well as other mens dores for ought I know To returne to our adversaries that are Protestants with what comfort can they help the ungodly and such as seek the extirpation of the Protestant Religion in all the three Kingdomes The Pope is much beholding to them they do as he would have them all the Priests and Jesuites and Papists in England are beholding to them they do as they would have them the Irish cut-throats are beholding unto them they doe as they would have them when they fight against Protestants and against the most zealous Protestants but their Countrey is little beholding to them and the Church of God hath little cause to thanke them or the Lord Jesus the Head of the Church for any service they have done to him towards the advancing of his Kingdome But many will say they stand for the Common Prayer Book and they will fight for that as long as they can stand on their legges A resolution fitter for the vulgar Welch than for understanding Englishmen for that book was never of Gods making and no wise man will venture his life and shed his bloud for any book made by man were it never so good for he can look for no reward of God for it therefore though some that be wise may talke for it yet it is folly to fight for it But it hath been often said Take away the Common Prayer Book take away our Religion Nay our Religion is in the Bible there is our God and our Christ and our faith our Creed in all points The whole Bible was St Pauls beliefe there are the Psalmes of David and his prayers and the Lords Prayer and other prayers by which wee may learne to pray we have still the Lords songs the songs of Sion sung by many with grace in their hearts making melody to the Lord though without Organs there we have all the Commandements though they be not read so often as they have been but when they were ordinarily read were they better kept Were the second the seventh the fourth better kept then in Westminster then they are now Sure I hope as some other Commandements so the Sabbath is much better kept now Our Court-Prelates made the King Lord of the Sabbath and themselves Lords of mis-rule Compelling Parents and Masters and Ministers and Magistrates to suffer their sons and daughters and servants of both sexes to play and sport and dance if they had a mind to it and to prophane a great part of the day Here was trenching upon Gods Prerogative God must stand to their courtesie how much of the day he must have had it not been for the Parliament wee had lost a Commandement They that were for the book of sports would not indure the name Sabbath As for the Sacraments yee have them still reverently perform'd without the book and that is the old way that which they call the new way is the old way for two hundred yeares after Christ they had no set forme of prayer they buried without the book and baptized and administred the Lords Supper and prayd and gave thankes without it so as the alterations are for the better and none have just cause to clamor against them much lesse to fight Though there be lesse painting there is more light though there be lesse ceremony there is more substance though there be lesse superstition there is more Religion though there be lesse piping there is more preaching though there be lesse of man there is more of God and of Christ and of the Spirit therefore be patient and content Beloved it is Davids Religion that we contend for Davids Lord even the Lord Jesus the Son of David that he may have his throne amongst us and rule by the Scepter of his Word wee are for Christ and Sion they are for Antichrist and Babylon that are against us therefore side not with them but rather help the Lord against the mightie And let those that are about his Majestie if they love him perswade him to quit the sword and to hearken to Propositions for Peace and to returne to his Parliament and sit there in royall Majestie with his Peeres as he hath done There was a good Motto written over the gates at Yorke at King James his first entrance into that Citie Suavis victoria amor populi the sweet victory is the love of the people to win that then come and welcome the sooner the better If a King will come like a King with royall attendance he will be receiv'd with all love and joy and honour will be done unto him by all sorts but if they perswade him to come like an Enemy with martiall attendance with wicked company skilfull and ready to plunder and to destroy so as good people must stand to their mercy that have no mercy other Cities will answer as one did in that case Wee will rather live Souldiers than die slaves Pray for his Majestie that his heart may be turned the right way for his own good and the Publick Let those that have mis-led him and animated him to proceed in this war beware lest evill pursue them till they perish Let the young Germane Princes beware who have rewarded evill for good unto this Nation Let all