alive in love but reproved him in his fury that others which should be borne after might see the vagabond and fugitife and magnifie the Iustice of God upon him the branding feare and shame that he underwent being farre worse then death and so the first King was not unaccomptable but lost all for a murder so true it is that many a man marries a widow that would gladly be rid of her traine of children and whereas many have instanced in Davids case that he was a man of blood in the murder of Vriah and yet not put to death the answer is easy that David ought by the Law of Man to have suffered death though he was a Monarch and Nathan caused him to be his owne judge 2 Sam. 12. 5. As the Lord liveth that man that hath done this thing shall surely dye then Nathan said to David thou art the man and if he had said no more there must have been some Executioner found out to have taken away the life of David it being against the law of Nature to make any man his owne executioner but be pleased to observe how Nathan aggravated the sin verse 8. 9. as if it were a farr greater sin for David to commit a murder then for a private man because it is a double sin murder and breach of trust it is the highest treason for a King to murder his Subjects and there can be no greater honor to any people in the world then to doe Iustice upon a murderous King but vers 13. David confesseth his sin I have sinned against the Lord in killing Vriah the Hittite with the sword and slaying him with the sword of the Children of Ammon though David never toucht the weapon that shed the blood of Vriah 2 Sam. 11. 14. therefore it is an impotent argument that the late King never killed any man with his owne hands and as weake to say that there was no malice in him which formally denominates and distinguishes murder from man-slaughter but a Martiall contending for his owne right upon such probable grounds that if a plaintif in Chancery were non-suited he ought not to pay any costs for that he had a probable cause of litigation for if there was not a prepenced and precogitated malice against all publique spirited men against whom he breathed out so many threatnings wishing that they had but one head that they might be taken off at a blow as another Nero yet there was malice in Law and malice implyed to kill every man that should stand in his way of an absolute unaccountable domination which certainely is a clearer malice then a thiefe hath that kills a man that will not loose his purse the thiefe hath no desire to hurt the honest man wishes him at his owne house in safety if he would but leave his purse behind him for I appeale to every sober man whose judgement is not corrupted by preingaged affections which is more hainous murder and offence in the sight of God for a poore man to rob a rich man of ten pound and in case of resistance to kill him or for a Prince that for the maintenance of his Pretogative which himselfe sayes is to be accountable for his actions to none but God alone shall grant Commissions of Array and raise Armies to put a whole Land into a Combustion and flame to the pillaging plundering massacring and destroying many thousands of poore innocent people And Nathan said to David the Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye No man can pardon murder but God alone so that the reason why David was not put to death for that murder was not for the authority that he had as a King but out of Gods pure mercy to him there being a supersedeas to the Execution from the Court of Heaven thereby to make him and Manasses in the old Testament and Paul in the new patternes to such as should believe not only of Eternall but of Temporall salvation he that may command Abraham to sacrifice Isaac may pardon David for killing Vriah that however the good Thiefe was put to death and if a godly man commit a murder he ought as well regularly to suffer death as the most impious the Law of man bearing a correspondency with the Law of God that he that never sins till seventy if he then kill a man must then suffer death not only Temporall but Eternall if he be under the Law Galat. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 5. Let no beleever suffer as a murderer thiefe or evill doer proves that if any such be murderers they ought to suffer and the next verse holds forth to me more then what is ordinarily observed yet if any man suffer as a Christian not for his Religion only for then it should signify no more then verse 14. but if a Saint should through the strength of a temptation and malice of Satan commit a murder as the best man living may possibly commit any sin but the sin against the holy Ghost in such a case let him suffer legall punishment as a Christian let not him be terrified so much at the present death as rejoyce that he is goeing to his fathers house to Eternall happines let him be more affected and afflicted that Religion should suffer by his fault then for his owne sufferings let him take a kinde farewell of faith which shall presently be turned into vision and of repentance for that all teares shall instantly be wiped from his eyes let him feele by the spirit how all things worke together for his good even his great sin for which he suffers it being the occasion to bring him soonet to his Crowne of glory I say though this be regularly true that if a godly man commit a murder the Law will take hold of him 1 Tim. 1. 9. 10. yet if the Lord worke hearty Contrition in his soule for the offence as in the case of David I have sinned the heart be kindly touched with godly sorrow which did not appeare to be the Case of the late King it seemes to me that they which carry the sword may in some speciall cases save such a man alive where happily the Lord hath so sanctified that affliction to him that he is thereby become a new creature and is not the same man that offended and may be more serviceable and instrumentall for the Publique then his death would have been advantage to the people in point of exemplary Terror without any violation or infringement of that preceptive fundamentall law of Gen. 9. 6. the reason whereof being perpetuall so long as men are made after Gods Image it can never be abrogated though any one should extraordinarily be saved by the equity of the Law as in Davids Case who certainely were it not for some speciall reason as a King did more deserve death then for a private person to commit a murder as he that is a Scholler and knowes the Law ought in reason rather to be hanged for stealing
shall reap the same ver 8. 9. those to whom the newes of the murder of the Innocent is as sweet as a plentifull harvest is agreable to the husbandman shall not be able to avoid the stroke of Iustice but be like high trees that are planted upon the mountaines shall be made a sport and pastime for the windes and tempests But the poore Gibeonits case before wee leave it affords us an excellent document how Gods Israelites ought to carry themselves towards Ismaelits and Canaanits that would have destroyed them viz. to be very sparing in promises and protection towards them but haveing once conditionated with them and received them into favour to be very liberall in performances towards them and not to violate faith given in a title though the conditions were obtained by craft and deception And now I humbly intreat you to observe what little esteeme David had of Sauls Royall seed to hang up seven of them for what offence does not appeare but very probable that they had given Saul bad councell to destroy the poore Gibeonites and yet David had sworne to Saul not to cut off his seed after him 1 Sam. 24. 20. 21. And now behold I know well that thou shalt surely be King and that the Kingdome of Israel shall be established in thine hand Sweare now therefore unto me by the Lord that thou wilt not cut off my seed after mee and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my fathers house and David swore unto Saul With these two arguments I doe in the name of the Lord Challenge all the Royalists in England Ireland and Scotland to answer them if they can or rest satisfied with Scripture and reason 1. That no oath of Allegiance or Supremacy can be any ground to any people not to doe Iustice upon a King for murder David a man after Gods owne heart that never offended but in the matter of Vriah therefore did not erre in delivering up Sauls seven sons to execution would not make his oath to Paul a ground not to doe Iustice for the Spirit of God in David argued thus I am by the Law of Nature as I am a creature a poore worme bound to the holy and just Law of my Creator which is unchangeable and undispensable God can no more dispense with my loving and obeying of him then hee can cease to be God by reason of his Infinite goodnes which Law is that blood requires blood Genes 9. 6. It is a fundamentall Law without which there can be no conservation of human society and I finde in the Law of God that my eye must not pittie him that sheds blood Deut. 19. 11 12 13. But if any man hate his neighbour and lye in wait for him and rise up against him and smite him mortally that he dye and fleeth into one of these Cities then the Elders of the City shall send and fetch him thence and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood that he may dye ver 5. thine eye shall not pittie him but thou shalt put away the guilt of Innocent blood from Israel that it may goe well with thee paralell whereunto is 2 Kings 14. 4. And also for the Innocent blood that he shed for hee filled Ierusalem with Innocent blood which the Lord would not pardon And therefore when I take an oath of Allegeance or Supremacy it must be saving that faith which I owe unto my Creator as in Iustice Littletons case when any man did Fealty to his Lord it was with a saving that faith and dutie which he owed unto the King and those other Lords which he held land of by Priority of Tenure which if it were not expressed it is implyed in Law 2. Thus I argue that if it were just to put Sauls sons to death for their fathers sin wherein hee was principall and they but accessaries at the most doubtlesse it had been just to have recompenced it upon the head of their father it could be no sin to put Saul to death for killing the Gibeonites where it was lawfull to execute his sons which might have made many pleas that what they did was Sauls command they had the Kings Commission of Array and warrants from Saul to raise forces to secure the Countrey and under pretence of keeping the peace to plunder and destroy whom they pleased but observe what a glorious sight it was in the eyes of heaven 1 Sam. 21. 14. when those seven sons were executed God was intreated for the Land It may be the common Law would have acquitted those seven gentlemen because regularly where the principall is dead the accessory cannot be tryed but the Law of God makes all principall in murder whether present or absent as the Law of man makes all principall in the highest offences of Treason and the lowest offences of trespasse nor did David question what shall I shed the blood of the seed Royall for the Gibeonites who were strangers and bondmen hewers of wood and drawers of water upon which Eternall Law of Righteousnes Major Ottoway and Cornet Grant were shot to death for murdering an Irish-man at the siege of VVaterford who having leave to goe into VVaterford to receive some money and to returne was at his coming backe murdered by their Orders or Command for which by the Councell of Warre they were justly condemned and the execution was a most famous peece of justice for had not zeale and love to Iustice preponderated and out-voted all private affections much might have been said for the vallor Gallantry and hopefulnes of the Major and Cornet I could not in faithfulnes but mention it as being a case so parallell to that 1 Sam. 21. That Sauls sons should be executed for murder of the Gibeonites and out of my dutifull respect to beare witnesse to the exemplary and exact discipline of the Army where vice is punisht vertue rewarded whereof I was sometimes Advocate and count it more honorable to be a member of an Army fighting for Christ then to be head of an Antichristian Empire But before we leave David let me but observe how the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel for Davids one sin of numbring the people what had the poore sheep done that 70000. men from Dan to Beersheba should dye by the Pestilence in three dayes Did not God thinke you therein reckon with them for their Kingly goverment you will have a King saith the Lord to them whether I will or no you shall now smart for your wickednes for your great wickednes for unmanning your selves making your selves lesse then men to make one man equall with God to doe what he pleases I will not endure it in my owne people Eli sinned yet the people not punisht for he governed the people according to the minde of God but you will have a King sayes the Lord as the Heathens have be it so but if he sin I le punish you not only with the famine but by a
cause to thinke that the Lord was highly displeased with those that would have made peace with the late King read but 1 Sam 12. from the 16. to the 22. and it is all one to say that God is the Author of Monarchy as that he is the Author of sin for the blessed spirit which cannot lye calls it a great wickednes the people call it their evill and Samuel sayes they have done all this wickednes yet feare not for the Lord will not forsake his people for his great names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people and he promises to pray for them ver 23. as if Monarchy was such a great sin that if it had not beene that the Lord will not truly destroy his owne people Psal 89. 33. Exod. 32. 12. for what would the Egyptians then have said hee would never have pardoned it for a Iust rationall Goverment is one of the things that is of the greatest concernement in the world but is it not said 1 Sam. 15. 9 10 11. that God set up Saul to be King true but no otherwayes then he set up Pharoah to oppresse his own people but Saul and the people spared Agag and the fatlings which was Sauls disobedience and observe for what Saul lost the Kingdome the people will have a King though he erre but in mercy saying it is more noble to save him whom wee may destroy then to kill him whom wee may save alive and the best of the Sheep and the Oxen spared for sacrifice unto the Lord and confessed his sinne v. 24. Saul said unto Samuel I have sinned for I have transgressed the Commandement of the Lord and thy words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice 25. Now therefore I pray thee pardon my sin turne againe with me that I may worship the Lord 26. And Samuel said unto Saul I will not returne with thee for thou hast rejected the Word of the Lord and the Lord hath rejected thee from being King over Israel 27. and as Samuel turned about to goe away hee laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle and it rent 28. and Samuel said unto him the Lord hath rent the Kingdome of Israel from thee this day and hath given it to a neighbour of thine that is better then thou 29. and also the strength of Israel will not lye nor repent for he is not a man that should repent 30. then he said I have sinned yet honour mee now I pray thee before the Elders of my people and before Israel and turne againe with mee that I may worship the Lord thy God 31. so Samuel turned againe after Saul and Saul worshipped the Lord what would not the mercifull God of Israel pardon the King of Israel an error in mercy being but too pittifull to spare a great man that happily might have repented that confest his sin prayed for pardon that he might worship the Lord that prayed againe for pardon of that particular sinne and did worship the Lord accordingly that was annointed 1 Sam. 10. 1. in token of the giftes and graces of Gods spirit and kist by Samuel for congratulation and homage 1 Kings 19. 18. Psal 2. 12. it speaks aloud to me that the Lord was very angry at Monarchicall Goverment and that Kings when they have possest themselves of such a God-like state and Immense powers Incompetible almost with humanitie not only by force and usurpation but by the peoples consent or election as Saul was the people shouted and said God save the King 1 Sam. 10. 24. and Chap. 11. 15. 't is said that the people made Saul King and Saul and all the men of Israel rejoyced greatly yet one offence and that a small matter in comparison though no sin be little that is committed against the great God makes a Monarch to forfeit all his Royalties for when people either for feare or through the vanity or pride of heart will tye themselves by Oathes or Covenant to be in subjection to any man the Scripture tells them that God is angry with them for giving away that libertie which he would have them keep and if they breake their trust never so little they may plucke them downe and choose godly and Iudicious men to rule over them in the feare of the Lord certainly Saul was a Saint in comparison of the pretenders to Monarchy in our dayes He sins in mercy not in cruelty confessed his sin never used any means to be King but hid himselfe as unwilling and unworthy to be King ventured his life most freely for the people was not guilty of Innocent Blood as we read of unles it were in the case of the Priests 1 Sam 22. 19. tooke the newes of his rejection from Samuel patiently acknowledged divine Iustice in all and would not have a man suffer that denyed his title to the Crown as in the place before alledged How unlike was Saul to Charles the last but by Solons law no evill is to be spoken of the dead least quarrells should be immortall He hath appealed to a higher Tribunall where no error will be found in the sentence pronounced against him but all that had a hand and acted in that execution from a consciencious principle to be rid of Tiranny and oppression in discharge of their duties to God and man Not for any sinister end to make themselves great but faithfully to serve their generation will have much cause of rejoycing therein at that great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed and many Iudgments given in severall Courts shall be reversed but that undoubtedly will be confirmed Object But it is strongly objected for Monarchy that God accepted David it is said of him 1 King 15. 4. 5. Nevertheles for Davids sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Ierusalem to set up his Son after him and to establish Ierusalem because David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life save onely in the matter of Vriah the Hittite Ans Gods choosing David was no approbation of the Kingly office in him more then in Saul God never said that Davids office was after his own heart unles sin and great wickednes be after Gods heart God gave Saul gifts he had a spirit of Regiment the Israelites were resolved to have a King as the Heathens had whether God would or not let them have one sayes God at their own perills when the King was good and governed them as the good Iudges did and would give an account to the people a reason of all his actions Then God had his will and the people had their wils to have the name of a King but the Nature of good magistrates and certainly I have thought many times upon the late troubles that if I durst have asked any thing in the world contrary to the minde of God