Selected quad for the lemma: order_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
order_n	army_n	great_a	king_n	2,826	5	3.6464	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A23712	Absalom's rebellion as it is recorded in the 2. Sam. chap. 15, 16, 17, 18, & 19, with some observations upon the severall passages thereof, too [sic] fit a patterne for the present times, whereinto we are fallen.		1645 (1645)	Wing A111; ESTC R6866	5,994	11

intelligence by their meanes Ahimaaz and Jonathan their two Sonnes being trusty Persons fit for that imployment Good intelligence is an important piece of Service in time of Warre especially and it is a principall point of wisedome to imploy fit Instruments Hushai also a Councellour to the King would have gone with him Indeed I wonder how any Councellour can absent himselfe at such a time but by the Kings owne directions as Hushai did But he was sent back of purpose that he being a sad wise man and a faithfull might undermine the crafty Councell of Ahithophel Both in times of Warre and of Peace such expedients must be used and then are not only lawfull but necessary and amongst other policies divertion is many times of great use As good Men upon such Accidents follow the King in his lowest Fortune out of Duty and Conscience so doe some wicked and false men for by-respects Ziba the Servant of Mephibosheth comes to meet the King and brings a Present with him the outside was faire to shew his duty to the King but the true Errand was to insinuate with the King and by a false Lye to betray his Master This kind of Court craft is practiced too often but a wise King sooner or latter will find those out who use it and severely punish it About this time also the King met with another miscreant of another disposition Shemei the Sonne of Gera he finding the King in these streights railed at him and cursed him to his face After-ages have also found many Shimei's who stick not to raile at God's Annointed but doubtlesse such will meet with their reward as Shimei did in the end Abishai being then present his fingers itched to take off the head of this foule-mouth'd man but David made other use of this Affliction and would not give way thereto at that time There are seasonable times for patience as well as for Justice and good Princes will discerne the seasons thereof We left Hushai a while since when he left the King to follow Absalom But you observe it was by the King's speciall direction and for his better Service Else it had been a Crime unpardonable in him had he done it of his owne head and a good intent would not have excused it This Plot of sending Hushai to Absalom prospered well for Ahithophel gave shrew Counsells indeed for one was That Absalom should goe into his Fathers Concubines and that publickly that so the breach between him and his Father might be so wide that it should be irreconcileable A desperate Counsell it was that he and his Co-adjutors being put past hope of pardon they should be put past feare of retracting And thus when the wicked Counsells of a Counsellour prosper he is cryed up for an Oracle as Ahithophel was The other was that Absalom should send him with a present strength to surprize the King and his few followers before they were provided Maturity in resolutions and celerity in execution of enterprizes of Warre are of excellent use Absalom put the first in practice presently his owne ungratiousnesse prompted him to that but about the other Hushai was consulted with and he by his wisedome did happily divert it But this was appointed by the Lord that the Counsell of Ahithophel might be defeated that the Lord might bring evill upon Absalom And when Ahithophel found that his Counsell was not followed impatient of the affront as he esteem'd it and fearfull of the Successe he went home to his house put his things in Order and hang'd himselfe Such and such let the end be of all those Counsellours or others who conspire against their Soveraigne Hushai forthwith sent intelligence to the King of these Consultations and of the result thereof whereby the danger was for the present diverted but it was not held safe to rely thereon for new Counsell might alter the case againe No greater danger then to be over secure Whil'st David and the People with him were pursued by Absalom in the Wildernesse and the defection was very generall yet some there were who came in to assist the King with their Persons others with their Purses and some brought Provisions of all sorts to relieve the King's Army amongst whom good old Barzillai was one Thus should all Loyall Subjects doe none must stand Neutralls at such a time By this time was the Kings Army well increased and now the King divides it into three Tertia's under the Command of severall Colonells or chiefe Captaines That was the course then and that 's the course still where there are formed Armies for Order must be kept in all great Actions both in times of Peace and Warre To encourage the Souldiery the King would have gone into the Battell in Person But the People dissuaded him saying Thou art worth ten thousand of us and the King hearkned unto them For the Person of the King ought not to be hazarded but in Cases of inevitable necessity At last the Battell was set wherein God from Heaven fought for the King for Absalom the Arch-Traitor in passing through the Wood was hang'd by the head in a Tree A fearfull Example and fit for all Traytors to look back upon When this was related to Joab the Captaine of the Kings Host and he understood that Absalom was not yet dead he was not satisfied till he had taken three darts and strook him thorough the heart It is not safe to deale remissely with notorious and dangerous offenders But when this stroake was given and the Rebels dispersed themselves Joab sounded a Retreat and the Souldiers return'd from pursuing of Israel He had pitty upon the seduced multitude when they had pitty on themselves and repented them of what was amisse and were willing to returne to their obedience When the Battell was thus ended Joab sent Messengers to the King with the Tidings Observe this that without the Mission of the Generall it was not lawfull in the time of Warre to run with Newes from the Campe although it be true which is told Assoone as the King was inform'd of the Successe and withall of the death of Absalom he was passionately moved therewith Herein he discovered more the affection of an indulgent Father thou the Judgement of a prudent King the time and place rightly considered But when Joab an old Commander observed what impression this took with the Souldiery he told the King very home of this unseasonable Error Some body must deale plainly and truly with the King in such Cases of importance so it be done with discretion He told plainly to the King That it would hazard the losse of the hearts of his People if they should apprehend that he loved his Enemies and hated or neglected his Friends He therefore advised the King to rise up for he was dejected and to speake comfortably to the People and the King followed Joabs Counsell and he did so Good words and a gentle Carriage cost little and yet prevaile much with the Common People For upon this the People strove who should be first in shewing their duty to the King The King also thought it no ill piece of Policie to win over Amasa unto him by promises of preferment Such Policies must sometimes be used but it is not safe to trust overmuch to a reconciled Enemy Amongst others Shimei and Ziba of whom ye heard even now the Tide being turn'd came to congratulate with the King But he as a wise King should doe upon time-servers did set a marke upon them and Shimei had his just reward Mephibosheth also as soone as he being a lame man could come to the Kings Presence attended him to expresse his joy for the Kings Victory and in the Kings absence had neither wash'd his Feet nor drest his Beard nor wash'd his Clothes till the King return'd in Peace They who cannot fight must at such a time Pray in one way or another every one as he is able ought to expresse his Duty and Affection And old Barzillai who before in the Kings distresse did attend him and help to releeve his Army came down now to help to Conduct the King over Jordane None is so old or so weake but if he be willing will finde some way or other to expresse his love and Loyalty The King gratiously accepted Barzillai's fidelity and moved that he should goe along and live in Court with him Barzillai was for his quality a Person might have befitted it but he was very aged unfit for a Court life and he was also wise and understood his owne imperfection and unfitnesse to turne Courtier at that Age and therefore modestly and thankfully he refused that gratious offer It were to be wish'd that none were imploy'd in places for which they are not fit and that men were so modest and so wise as not to accept of such imployments when they are offered Yet Barzillai tooke the opportunity to move the King to confer that favour upon Chimham his Sonne who was a young man and fit to serve in Court And the King granted his suite and he tooke Chimham with him A gratious requitall of the King to a faithfull and well-deserving Servant This is the true Story of this Rebellion faithfully extracted out of the Holy Writ where it is Recorded scarce to be parallel'd untill these unhappy Times whence it seemes they have taken their President It needs no other Application FINIS Vers 13. Vers 24 27 28. Vers 32 33 34. Chap. 16. v. 1. Vers 5. Vers 9. Vers 16. Vers 21 22 23. Chap. 17. v. 1. Vers 7 8. Vers 14. Vers 23. Vers 5. Vers 17. Chap. 18. v. 1 2 Vers 3 4 Vers 9 Vers 10 14 c. Vers 16 Vers 20 Vers 33. Chap. 19. v. 1 Vers 6 Vers 8 Vers 9 Vers 13 Vers 16 17 Vers 24 Vers 31 Vers 33 Vers 37 Vers 40.