THE Text presents you with a Theft of the highest nature, aggravated by the horridest circumstances. Under the Law, Exod. 22 v. 1, 4. Prov. 6.31. common Theft was punished with restitu­tion of double; in some cases, of fourfold, fivefold, sevenfold, according to the various circumstances of the fact: But he that stole a man, was to die without mercy: He shall surely be put to death, Exod. 21. vers. 16. Hence [...] Men-stealers are reckoned amongst the vilest of sinners, 1 Tim. 1.10. What punishment doth he deserve then, that steals the best and noblest part of man, the heart?

• 1.
  Psal. 82.6. I have said, Ye are Gods.
  From so sacred a person as a King (a God upon earth) that robs him of the love and loyalty of his Sub­jects.
• [Page 2]2. For so vile a purpose, as Rebellion, Murther, &c.
• 3. By such wicked means as falshood, flattery, lying, hypocrisie, prophanation of the name of God, &c. prostituting Religion it self to the basest designes, by making it a Veil to cover the in­famy of the most enormous actions.
• 4. And for so mischievous an end, as to dethrone the Lords Anointed, and ad­vance an infamous Rebel to his Seat.

But let us examine the circumstances a­part, and enquire,

I. First, What the Theft was, or who stole?

Absalom, an unnatural Wretch, an un­grateful Viper, a Subject, a Son, bound to his Father by many obligations and extra­ordinary favours; one that had so deep an interest in his heart, that the barbarous murther of his own Brother Amnon, could not alienate his affection from him; but his heart was still towards him, 2 Sam. 14.1. (when indeed the hand of his Justice should have been against him). Nay, he so vehemently doted on this ungracious [Page 3]wretch, that his soul not onely longed to go forth unto him, 2 Sam. 13.39. but also In the margent, Was con­sumed. The Se­ptuagint renders it [...], i.e. Valdè laboravit, or us (que) ad fatigatio­nem. languished in the desire of enjoying him; so that he was no longer able to bear his exile or absence. Nay, so doating and blind was his Fathers affection, that he could not, or would not see the Plot that was hatching against him, though visible e­nough, by his Darlings dayly courting the people, and slily insinuating himself into their affections: which could not chuse but come to his ears by some one or other of his attendants, (it being so frequent, so publick, beside the way of the gate, 2 Sam. 15.2. the place of publick concourse, and his dayly practice) had not his monstrous fondness either silenced the tongues of those that were about him, or stopt his own ears against all informations, or charm'd him into such a confidence of his Son's Loyalty, as that he was resolved to believe no Re­ports against his ungrateful Fondling.

Here were obligations enough to have kept him within the bounds of his duty, and all loyal obedience, and to have silen­ced and suppressed all risings of rebellious thoughts within him; being so strongly, [Page 4]bound by Nature, Scripture, Allegiance, Gratitude, &c. But what unnatural Vil­lanies will not Pride and Ambition put re­bellious spirits upon!

II. Secondly, What did this Absalom steal? The hearts of the men of Israel; id est, their Affections, Love, Loyalty, Obe­dience; alienating them from their lawful Soveraign, and wretchedly perverting them to the advancement of his own rebellious designe, and the destruction of his Father, whose right they properly were.

Now that this was a manifest Theft, will appear by a double consideration.

First, Furtum est occulta ac­ceptio rei alienae, Aquin. or ablatio fraudulenta rei alienae, invito domino, lu­cri causa. The Septua­gint renders it, [...], &c. fecit cór virorum Israel suum. Because the hearts of the men of Israel were not Ab­salom's, but his Father's right; their Affection, Loyalty, and Obedience were due to their Soveraign: and it was theft in Absalom (a private person) to alienate them from his Prince, who had the onely just and legal Title to them: a theft (as might be shewed) that was aggrava­ted by many circumstances; as, the high value of the thing stoln, the great injury that was done to the Owner, and the sad [Page 5]consequences of it, even to those that were accessary to it. For to steal the hearts of the people, was to steal a Crown from a King, to convert it to the damage and destruction of the legal Possessor, whose Crown and Head were doomed to fall both together.

The peoples hearts then were David's by right; he had as good a Title to them as he had to his Crown, and that was as good as God himself could confer upon him. But the Rebel had none but an u­surped power; and it's certain that the clamours of the Rout, Absalom reigneth in Hebron, could devolve no right upon him.

It's granted, that they might love and honour him as the King's Son; but not in competition with, or opposition to their lawful Soveraign; not so as to be perswa­ded, by his pious disguises and plausible pre­tences of Reformation, to give up their hearts to the disposal of an Usurper, and combine to set the Crown upon a Rebels head.

Secondly, Because he did it secretly, closely, treacherously, like a thief-in the dark, Job 24.14. and like a cunning insi­nuating [Page 6]Hypocrite, inveigled all the peo­ple with his gentile Deportment and Com­plements, his specious Pretences and Al­lurements; and this so subtily, that neither David himself, nor the people, could dis­cover his Plot, till it was ripe for action, and past all possibility of prevention.

The common guise of all Rebels, to walk at first in the dark, and like cunning Pioneers, to work under ground until they have brought their Mine to perfection, and then they blow up the foundations of all ancient and regular Government in an in­stant: such exact imitators are they of that Prince of Darkness, the first Rebel in the World, the grand Inciter to, and Author of all Rebellions against God and his Vicege­rents. Had Absalom attempted this by plain and open force, probably he had ne­ver prevailed so far; therefore he lays the foundation of his Plot in secret fraud, and makes use of the Foxes case, to prepare a way for his after-appearance in the Lions skin.

III. Thirdly, Let us enquire whose hearts Absalom stole? The hearts of the men of Israel; who were,

1. The peculiar people of God, solemn­ly dedicated to him and his service, in co­venant with him, and highly prized by him. Now to draw them into so foul an Apostacy, so fatal a Conspiracy against the Lord and his Anointed, was a great aggra­vation of his damned Impiety.

2. But this is not all. The men whose hearts he stole, were David's Subjects, tyed not onely by the Bonds of natural Al­legiance to their Prince, but with the most sacred Tyes of Religion; a Solemn League and Covenant made before the Lord in He­bron, 2 Sam. 5.3. So that he drew them not onely into Rebellion, but Perjury; such near affinity there is between sins of this nature.

3. Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel, not barely from their King, but a King of Gods own immediate choice and appointment, Psal. 89.20. I have exalted one chosen out of the people, I have found David my servant, (as it were by diligent search and enquiry after some excellent and heroick person) with my holy oyl have I a­nointed him: And 2 Chron. 6.6. I have chosen Jerusalem, that my Name might be [Page 8]there: and have chosen David to rule over my people Israel, that under his government they might enjoy the greater felicity.

4. He stole their hearts from a King, whom they received with the greatest ex­pressions of joy, 1 Chron. 12.40. and not without cause, if you consider how well he deserved of them, by their own ac­knowledgment, 2 Sam. 5.2. Also in time past, when Saul was King over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel, &c. 2 Sam. 19.9. The King saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and delivered us out of the hand of the Philistins, &c. In a word, one that had conquered their ene­mies, enlarged their Territories, (but a­bove all) reformed their Religion accor­ding to the purity of Gods Law. And yet these are the men whose hearts were stoln from their confessedly-deserving Sove­raign, by the crafty insinuations of com­plemental Absalom. So mutable are the opinions and affections of the giddy Mul­titude!

IV. Fourthly, This will appear more clearly, if we consider the next circum­stance; from whom the hearts of the men [Page 9]of Israel were stoln: from no common person, but a King; from no foreign King, but their own; no unworthy dastardly Prince, but an heroical, magnanimous, and renowned one, for his Valour, Wisdom, Piety, &c. chosen of God to be the Ruler of his people, as you heard before: A man after Gods own heart, 1 Sam. 13.14. one that did judgment and justice to all his peo­ple, 2 Sam. 8.15. (whatsoever the Rebel suggested to the contrary) ruled them prudently with all his power, fed them ac­cording to the integrity of his heart, and gui­ded them by the skilfulness of his hands, Psal. 78.72.

This is the King whose Subjects hearts were stoln by an ungrateful Son and infa­mous Rebel. So blind is Ambition in the Plotters, and a brutish Itch after novelty in the Abettors of rebellious projects and pra­ctices against the best of Princes.

How much then doth it concern Princes to carry a jealous eye over that beast with many heads? to suspect the fickle and un­constant disposition of the Multitude (e­specially if poysoned with principles of Re­bellion, under pretences of Religion); who [Page 10]are apt enough of themselves to grow weary of the present Government, if at least it be charged (true or false, they ne­ver examine) by their graceless Ringlea­ders with any irregularities or defects, (though such as probably cannot be avoi­ded in the best of Governments, or by the best of Governours): but Absalom fura­tus est cor, &c. i. e. (as one descans upon the Text) excordem reddidit, & amen­tem populum: he made the people stark mad by his intoxicating Allurements and Inchantments.

V. Fifthly, By what means he stole the hearts of the men of Israel? By the most vile and sordid that Hell it self could sug­gest, (and yet such as are usually practised by Rebels in their method of undermining Kingdoms) as Fraud, Flattery, Lying, Hy­pocrisie, palpable and malicious slandering his Fathers Person and Government.

This obsequious Gallant puts forth his hand, embraces and kisses every one that comes to him to do him obeisance, 2 Sam. 15.5. Et omnia serviliter pro dominatione, as Taci­tus said of Otho. He kissed them, not out of love, but designe, as Judas did our blessed [Page 11]Lord and Saviour, Mat. 26.48. not to sa­lute, but betray him. We read, John 12.4, and 5. how sollicitous the Hypocrite seemed to be for the good of the poor; not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief. So this Traytor puts on the Cloak of feigned Humility and Humanity, Holiness and Charity; not that he regar­ded any of those, or minded the happiness of the people; but because he was a Thief, and aimed at the Crown.

For what probability was there, that he who was so prodigal of the bloud of his own Brother Amnon, should be tender of the lives of his Subjects? or that he should make conscience of preserving the Rights and Priviledges of his People, who endea­voured to deprive his Prince and Father of his Regal Prerogatives? or that he should consult the Peace of the Nation, that wil­fully involved it in an unnatural and bloudy War, onely to satisfie his own ambitious Lust?

And yet how passionately doth the Hy­pocrite breath out, O that I were made a judge in the land, that every man that hath suit on cause, might come unto me, and I would [Page 12]do him justice! How zealous would the good man be for the Peoples Welfare Occultum & insidio­sum malum est perfidia cujus efficasissimae vires sunt mentiri & fallere. Val. Max. Prov. 10.18. He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.! for says he, thy matters are good and right, but there is no man deputed of the King to hear thee. As if he should have said, Neither the King, nor a­ny of his Officers, have any re­gard to Justice or the Publick Good; (a brazen-fac'd lye, and shameless slander, of a graceless wretch): Yet with this Art he woes and wins the hearts of the men of Israel. But the grand Engine to advance his hellish designe, was the Traytors hypocrisie, and pretence of Religion, (the painted Vizard that the vi­lest Rebels use to hide the deformity of their mischievous Plots with). Religion must be a Cloak for his Rebellion; a Vow must be paid in Hebron, the place where his Father was first crowned King, and, as 'tis probable, where himself was born and bred, amongst his Relations and Acquain­tance; and at some distance from the Court, that he might act his part with the less sus­pition. 'Tis granted, that as a prologue to the Plot, he prepared him chariots and [Page 13]horse-men, and fifty men to run before him; that he might appear splendid before the People, and dazle the eyes of the Vulgar, who are much taken with Novelties, and apt to admire such a royal Attendance, and outward appearance of Grandeur.

Besides, he invited two hundred men out of Jerusalem, to grace the action, who went in their simplicity, and knew not any thing: Yet, I say, Religion (the pretence of it) was the main and most effectual Artifice to win the Peoples affections, and under the vizard of Piety, to cheat them into a most impious Rebellion and Apostacy. A Vow must be paid in Hebron, 2 Sam. 15.7. Sacrifices must be offered there, v. 12. And would so religious a Prince attempt any thing that was unlawful or unjust? But see the damned hypocrisie of this flagitious Wretch! these Sacrifices were offered in Designe, not in Devotion.

First, Either quod conjuratio validior esset foedere Sancita, that the Conspiracy might be the stronger, being ratified by a Solemn League and Covenant.

Thus the Guisian party in France strengthened their side by their holy League; [Page 14]and the perfidious party of the Scots, in i­mitation of them, (and 'tis probable by the French advice) play'd their Pranks un­der the same Vizard; You may read their pal­pable Hypocri­sie and Jugling, in the King's large Declara­tion. by which they in­tended, especially the Ringleaders of the Faction (whatever they pretended) to strengthen the hands of their Party, and by the strictest tyes of Religion, to engage in­cautelous Souls in one of the most villanous Rebellions that ever was hatched in Hell, or acted on Earth: And yet all this while (see the villany of it!) many of the Con­trivers had a secret reserve and resolution to keep it no further or longer than it should be subservient to their own ambitious and covetous ends. Witness their base, bar­barous, and treacherous delivery up of the King's person (whom they were bound by the Law of Nature, Nations, and common Humanity, to have protected) into the hands of his cruel and bloud-thirsty Ene­mies.

And this too, directly contrary to the tenour of their own Covenant; wherein they had solemnly, with hands lifted up to the most high God, sworn to preserve and defend the Kings Majesty's Person and Au­thority, [Page 15]in the preservation and defence of the true Religion, and Liberties of the Kingdom; that the World may bear witness with our Consciences of our Loyalty Psal. 55.21. The words of his mouth were smoother than but­ter, but war in his heart: his words were sof­ter than oyl, yet were they drawn swords. A Psalm penned, as 'tis proba­ble, upon the occasion of Absalom's Conspiracy and Achitophel's Trea­chery. Mel in ore, fel in corde. and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Majesty's just Power and Greatness. And yet it is manifest that they basely sold him (as Judas did his Master) for a sum of money, to the eternal Infamy (if not of the Nation, yet) of those Hucksters a­mongst them that were employed to drive the Bargain.

Or else, secondly, that he might impi­ously crave the Blessing of God upon his cursed Rebellion. Thus Jezebel, when she thirsted after Naboth's Vineyard and life, proclaimed a fast, 1 Kin. 21.9. that the masque of Religion might cover the villa­ny of so barbarous an action, as the cruel Murther of so innocent a person. In imi­tation of whom, these men or Monsters a­mongst us, who were the occasion of this days Solemnity, had learnt to fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wic­kedness, [Page 16]Isai. 58.4. For when they had any mischievous designe on foot, they used to prepare their way by proclaiming a So­lemn Fast, as a pious Cheat to inveagle the credulous Multitude into an high opinion of their extraordinary Sanctity.

VI. Lastly, For what end Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. Not to relieve the Oppressed, or reform the State, (though these were pretended); but to satisfie his ambition and avarice, by making the dead Carcase of his own Father a step to the Crown; and then, like a Tyrant, to own no Law to rule by, but his own Lust. A perfect Pattern of our late Rebels! as will after appear.

And the Issue was every way correspon­dent to the Action; a mischievous designe, attended with a miserable destruction of the Arch-rebel himself, and twenty thousand of his poor seduced Party, 2 Sam. 18.7. And let such a fate attend all such infa­mous Rebels!

But was not the hand of Achitophel in all this? 'Tis probable that it was; though the subtle Fox did not appear openly, till Absalom's Party was grown so strong and [Page 17]formidable as to take the Field, and bear down (as he thought) all opposition that could be made against it. Peter Martyr thinks that he was Autor vel faltem magnus adjutor Conjurationis: I am perswaded that he was both, and that in compliance with Absalom's discontented, ambitious, and (it may be) revengeful humour, the whole Plot was projected, the Scenes divided, and the Actors assigned their several parts, by this subtle Polititian, before there was any apparent entrance upon the execution. And this appears to me probable, by his readiness to attend upon Absalom's motion, 2 Sam. 15.12. the desperate counsel that he gave him to make the breach irreconci­lable, 2 Sam. 16.21. and the offer of his own personal service to pursue weary and weak-handed David, before he could re­cover counsel or courage to make any con­siderable resistance, 2 Sam. 17.1, &c. Which latter (if it had not been defeated by the over-ruling providence of God) had cer­tainly proved destructive to his forsaken Soveraign.

Upon what provocation this Arch-rebel as well as Polititian, engaged in this Con­spiracy, [Page 18]is uncertain: But 'tis certain, that David esteemed and honoured him so far, as to make him his chief Counsellor, (it may be, Lord President of his Council) whose counsel was of that weight and authority with David, as if he had enquired at the O­racle of God, 2 Sam. 16.23. Nay, if we consult 55 Psal. v. 13, &c. (where the Psalmist curses his perfidious Villany) we shall find that he made him his equal, his companion, his bosom-friend, his guide in all his affairs and actions; one in whom he reposed the greatest confidence; therefore, 2 Sam. 15.31. it was brought (as it seems) as strange and unexpected news to David, Achitophel is amongst the Conspirators. Strange it was indeed, that a person so highly honoured and obliged by the King, should assault his Crown and Life with such bitter, bloudy, and implacable malice.

But we need not be curious in our in­quiry after his base Treachery, and ungrate­ful Apostacy from his own Master. A plodding head and mischievous heart will never want pretences for the sordidest Villanies; especially when aspiring per­sons conceive hopes of advancing their [Page 19]fortune by a compliance with, and adora­tion of the rising Sun: and that no obliga­tions from a Prince will keep such persons firm to their Loyalty, might be made evi­dent by a multitude of Instances amongst our selves.

To apply this to our present occasion.

This day fell the best of Princes, by the bloudy and barbarous hands of his own Subjects. There were many Absaloms and Achitophels, proud, ambitious, covetous, subtle, malicious wretches, that conspired to shed his innocent Bloud: and to this end, stole the hearts of his beguiled Sub­jects, and by plausible pretences, decoy'd them into a Rebellion against their lawful and gracious Soveraign, that so they might rob him both of his Crown and Life at once. Unnatural Miscreants! whom no reverence to his sacred Person, no fear of that great God (whose Vicegerent he was) no sense of their own Duty, nor shame of the World, could restrain from the open, impudent, impious, and villanous shedding his Royal and Sacred Bloud. What Mor­sters were these, that durst deal so barba­rously with a King, their own King, who [Page 20]offered them all the pledges of his Love, all possible security for their Lives, Liber­ties, Laws, Religion, or whatsoever was dear to, or might abundantly satisfie all good and loyal Subjects This the King grievou­sly com­plains of in his [...], I had for­merly de­clared to sober and moderate minds, how desirous I was to give all just content, when I agreed to so many Bills; which had been enough to secure and satisfie all, if some mens hy­dropick insatiableness had not learnt to thirst the more, by how much the more they drank. Chap. 6.! A King famous for his Parts, Piety, Patience, Devotion, and all other Christian Graces; which will make him admired to all Generations, when the name of these wicked ones shall rot, Prov. [...]0.7. and stink in the nostrils of all those that have any sparks of Ingenuity or Humanity left in them.

But what assurances could satisfie those that were resolved not to be satisfied with any thing but his Crown and Life? and therefore wretchedly staved off all offers of Accommodation for Peace Or else offered such unreasonable terms as he could neither in Honour, Reason, or Conscience, yield to. Witness the 19 Propositions, the Treaty at Ʋxbridge; which proved unsuccessful (says the King, in his [...]) by the treacherous obsti­nacy of those men, with whom it was a grand Maxime, to ask something which in reason and honour must be denied, that they might have some colour to refuse all that was in other things granted, ch. 18.. For these Miscreants had a blou­dy Tragedy to act, an execrable designe con­trived, which they [Page 21]were resolved to carry on, against all Laws of Scripture, Nature, Nations; against their own publick Declarations, against their solemn Oaths, Vows, Covenants, and (I am perswaded) the checks of their own Consciences too, unless they had as wilful­ly seared them, as they had impudently brazened their faces to act such a prodigi­ous Villany in the face of the Sun, and view of the whole World; who stood a­mazed to behold the impudence and impi­ety of those graceless wretches, who had made such publick and frequent Professions (and those confirmed by sacred and solemn Oaths) of their Loyalty to that innocent and excellent Prince, whose Bloud after­wards they so barbarously spilt.

If we enquire into the Means and Me­thods by which they effected this monstrous Villany, we shall find that they traced ex­actly the steps of this bloudy Absalom, in their Fraud, Hypocrisie, Calumny, false and impudent Slanders cast upon that Kings Person and Government: as appears by that Remonstrance set forth in 1641. pre­tended to be for the information of the People; but intended (by some at least) [Page 22]for their seduction, and indeed proved the source of all our ensuing Miseries, and the prologue to that woful Tragedy acted on this day. As also by their frequent and false Declarations, wherein they wrest all his Expressions and Concessions to the worst sence, charging him with the Irish Rebel­lion, and the guilt of all the Bloud that was spilt in the three Nations The tenderness and regret I find in my soul, for having had any hand (& that very unwillingly, God knows) in shedding one mans bloud unjustly, &c. may, I hope, be some evidence before God and man to all posterity, that I am far from bearing justly the vast load and guilt of all the bloud which was spilt in this unhappy War; which some men will needs charge on me, to ease their own fouls. [...], chap. 2. Of the Irish Rebellion, see chap. 12.. (Though themselves had no ground for the raising that bloudy War, but their own preten­ded and groundless fears and jealousies); and offering the highest indignities to his Royal Person and Family.

Their usual Expressions were, Blacken him, blacken him; i. e. load him with Re­proaches, defame him amongst the People, make him odious by false Accusations, ma­licious Slanders, infamous Libels, &c. Those foul and false A­spersions were se­cret En­gines at first em­ployed a­gainst the love of my People towards me, that undermining their value of me, mine Enemies, and theirs too, might at once blow up their Affections, and batter down their Loyalty. Chap. 15. And so they did. Some of them spit their hel­lish Venome upon his Name, as others (in imitation of their Forefathers the Jews, [Page 23]Mark 14.65.) did their aspish Poyson in his face, (a Barbarism unheard-of!) in token of their greatest Contempt and Ab­horrence.

But his Name, like a pretious Oyntment, will yield a sweet savour, Eccl. 7.1. when their Memorial shall perish with them: or if any thing remain of it, it shall be noted with a black mark, Nigro carbone, fit onely to be fixed upon men famous for infamy, and render them an hissing, a by-word, and an astonishment to all succeeding Ages I am well as­sured, that as my Innocency is clear before God, so my Reputation shall, like the Sun, (after Owls and Bats have had freedom in the night and darker times) rise and recover it self to such a degree of Splendour, as these feral Birds shall be grieved to behold, and unable to bear. Chap. 15..

But the grand Cheat lay in the pretence of Religion and Reformation; Popery was coming in upon us like a Floud. Popery; a terrible word, and which of late hath been made use of by some subtile Undermi­ners of Monarchy, as a Bugbear to affright silly people out of their wits. But were they really such Enemies to Popery as they pretended, who connived at least, at the [Page 24]most infamous Hereticks and Heresies that ever started out of Hell? (or else Mr. Edwards belyes them in his Gangrene). And Mr. Prynn, in his perfect Narrative, undertakes to demonstrate to them, that their new Commonwealth or Good Old Cause (they are his own words) was o­riginally projected by the Jesuits, and other Romish Emissaries, To destroy our Protestant Religion, Church, King, Kingdom, Parlia­ment, Laws, Liberties, &c. And Papists and Popish books were grown so numerous and audacious under their government, that the Stationers of London thought themselves bound in conscience to alarm them and the whole Nation with a little Tract called The Beacon fired: which was very ill resented, and bitterly answered by the Ringleaders of the Faction. But it would be endless to insist upon particulars of this nature.

It's certain, that as they were no Ene­mies to Popery, so they were no Friends to Religion; onely they had learnt Machi­vel's Principle, to own the shew, but not the substance of it: For their Solemn League and Covenant taken by themselves, rigo­rously and unconscionably prest upon o­thers, [Page 25]in the taking whereof, there were so many Solemnities used, so much seeming Zeal, Reverence, and Devotion expressed; this very Covenant, when it crost their de­signe, was laid aside like an old Almanack out of date, and a useless thing. Base Hypo­crites! thus to prophane the sacred Name of the great God, by Religious Mocke­ries.

And of this their vile Hypocrisie, their own actions were a clear demonstration, when they pluck'd off the Vizard from their faces, and were not ashamed to disco­ver the ugliness of their complexions to the whole World. For when these zealous Reformers had gotten the Power into their own hands, and when they had stoln the Peoples hearts, heads, hands and all, and engaged them in their Party, what Havock did they make, what Oppression, what Cruelty did they exercise towards their fellow-subjects? What Violence, Psal. 55.9. what Strife, what Mischief, what Wickedness, what Deceit or Guile did they omit, to support their new-erected Tyranny?

Is it not lamentable to consider that so much Treasure should be spent, so much [Page 26]Christian Bloud spilt, so many Subjects lives lost? (not to speak of the dangerous condition of their Souls who died in actual Rebellion against God and their King, Rom. 13.2. and were drawn in by the subtilty of those Bloud-thirsty men); and all this to mount an infamous Faction, made up mostly of the Dregs of the Na­tion, to the highest pitch of Power and Dominion. Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum?

But the great God made them know, to their smart, that he ruleth in Jacob, and to the ends of the earth, Psal. 59.13. that he is King, be the people never so impatient; that he sitteth between the cherubims, Psal. 99.1. Old Translat. be the earth never so unquiet; that he who sits in Heaven, sees and derides the bold attempts of such daring mortals, Psal. 2.4. that he to whom vengeance belongeth, will shew himself; that the Judge of all the earth, will render a reward to the proud; that the wicked shall not always triumph, nor the workers of iniquity boast themselves, nor break in pieces his people, and afflict his heritage, and slay the widow, and murther the fatherless, Psal. 94.1. Sera sed certa [Page 27]venit vindicta. At last God arose, and fcat­tered his enemies, Psal. 68.1. blew up their Plots, subverted their Councils, and turned all their mischief upon their own pates. A fire not blown, consumed them, Job 20.26. A strange and unexpected Judgment sent from Gods immediate hand, like a fire that arises of it self, no man knows how, seized upon them (when they were at the high­est of their hopes and confidences, and fan­cied, with the Psalmist, an immovable and setled prosperity, Psal. 30.6.) and cast them down into destruction, brought them into desolation, as in a moment, and utterly consumed them with terrours, Psal. 73.15, &c.

And is it not sad to consider, that not­withstanding all this, there should be some of the same Litter still lurking in the Na­tion? who, though they have seen the mighty hand of God in the destruction of their Party, and the miraculous reduction of his present Majesty, do yet long to be at it again, and still hope for the day, when they shall cry once more against Church and State, (as the Edomites did against [Page 28] Jerusalem) Psal. 137.7. Raze it, raze it, even to the foundation thereof Isai. 26.11. When thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see and be ashamed of their envy at the people..

Is War so sweet to these men, Dulce bellum inexper­tis. that they should stand on tiptoe to leap into a new Rebellion, to act over the old Part upon a new Stage, and under a new disguise, to re­vive the Good Old Cause, to the confusion of King, Church, and Kingdom? and in or­der to this, to endeavour, by a new knack of an Ignoramus, to pervert all Law and Justice, and let loose the Reins to the grea­test Villanies, to plot and act all manner of mischief impunè, even to the murther of the King himself? For what Justice can we ex­pect to be done upon those, who are to be tried by their fellow-Delinquents?

And is it not yet to be feared, that Ab­salom and Achitophel are still at work a­mongst us, and hope by their secret machi­nations and subtile insinuations of strange fears and jealousies, to prevail with the giddy Multitude, the Rabble of Towns, and Rout of Country-bumkins, to beat (not their swords into plow-shares, and their [Page 29]spears into pruning-hooks, Isai. 2.4. that is a Prophesie of Gospel-times, and that Peace and Concord which should reign amongst Christians, but) their Plow-shares into Swords, and their Pruning-hooks into Spears, as it is in Joel 3.10. to convert all into Arms and Ammunition, as men use to do in the calamitous times of War? A time most suitable to the spirits of bold, furious, fiery, and bloudy-minded men.

But God hath hitherto dash'd their de­signes; so that though they intended evil, and imagined a mischievous device against King and Kingdom, yet they are not able to perform it, Psal. 21.11. God, I say, hath hitherto prevented their Malice, and out of the ashes of that Phoenix, the best of Princes, a Non-such indeed, (but not in the sence of those Miscreants) hath raised up another, our most gracious Soveraign now reigning, (whom God long preserve) maugre all the Plots and devices, the spite and malignity of all his open and secret E­nemies.

I shall conclude with Jacob's exprobation of Simeon and Levi, (for some of both [Page 30]Tribes had a hand in the innocent bloud that was shed this day) and his Apostrophe to himself, by way of detestation of their bloudy fact, (and I hope every good Chri­stian and loyal Subject will joyn with me): Simeon and Levi are brethren, Gen. 49.5, &c. instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret: unto their as­sembly, mine honour, be thou not united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.