seeing he is the Anointed of the Lord. JUlius Caesar being brutishly murthered in the Senate house Marcus Antonius brought forth his bloody Coat to the people of Rome saying behold the bloody Coate of your Emperour who at the sight hereof so Condoled his death that they fell into a furious rage against the murderers so King Charles the first being inhumanely murdered at the Gate of his Palace I am this day to revive the memory and Represent the barbarousnesse of this doleful Tragedy and as it were to hang forth his bloody Robes before your eyes that all your hearts may be stirred up to Godly humiliation for this horrid murther of our sacred Sovereign the breath of our Nostrils the Anointed of the Lord and therein the beheading of three Kingdomes For the Wish of Nero which was That all the Citizens of Rome had but one Neck that so he might kill them all at one blow was fulfilled to and executed by our English Neroes who at once severed the Royal Head of King Charles from his own Body natural and our body Politick leaving England Scotland and Ireland in a bleeding dying condition on that fatall birth-day of Englands misery Jan. 30. 1648. This dreadful dooms-day if I may so call it among all the daies since the creation next to that wherein Christ was crucified were it not vain to curse a day irrevocably past Gen. 1.3 4 5 31. Job 3.3 to 10. and sinfull to curse a day that God hath made doth chiefly deserve to have such Anathema's thundred out against it as Job pronounced upon the day of his Nativity We may affix such a motto unto it as David unto the day of Abners murder Know ye not that a Prince and a great man is faln this day in our Israel 2 Sam. 3.38 Wherefore Pious and Christian is our turning it into an Anniversary Fast that the Nation by solemn and sorrowful lamentation may discharge it self from the guilt and avert the punishment of this Royal blood which was shed in the midst of it That I may contribute something thereunto I have chosen this Text to be the foundation of my ensuing discourse which being so suitabe to the season and occasion may challenge the honour that Solomon gives to a word fitly spoken Prov. 25.11 namely to be like Apples of Gold in pictures of silver These Golden Apples require little paring by explication my chief work will be in the doctrinal and Applicatory parts to cut and quarter them forth unto you for your edification in Loyalty The words are Historical being a part of the Chronicle and Narrative of the persecution of David by Saul the sum whereof is briefly this Heroical David having out of zeal for the weal of his country through his Wisdom prowess the blessing of God crowning his enterprises with successe performed many glorious exploits particularly that famous victory over Goliah the great gyant of Gath Who defied the armies of Israel and of the living God with many more honourable atchievements against the Philistines was Admired and Renouned among the people Inthroned in their affections and applauded with Superlative acclamations yea through the indiscretion of the vulgar 1 Sam. 18.7 above the King himself Saul hath slain his Thousands and David his ten thousands Saul seeing his own glory thus extenuated and eclipsed while Davids shined forth so brightly envieth Davida praise fearâ—ch his person is jealous of his fidelity least by reason of his popularity he should carry on some ambitious designe for his own accession to the Kingdome and therefore pursueth after his life knowing that mortui non mordent thereby to prevent the peoples revolt and Davids heading them So dangerous is honour that it often proves the snare and ruine of the persons dignified therewith Though this act of Saul may seem a necessary piece of state-policy to a Machivilian eye yet certainly to the eye of a Christian it will appear a grosse violation of Piety For David had given many demonstrations of his unfeigned loyalty but never any ground of suspicion of intended Rebellion by abusing his interest in the affections of the Israelites The imitation of Davids integrity by our late popular Absoloms would have been Englands happinesses as their deviation from his footsteps was our misery The persecuted having escaped many ambushes laid for his life at length findeth his perseoutor at a great advantage in a Cave at Engedy but spareth his life cutting off only the Skirt of his garment Thus having taken a survey of the Suburbs of the Text I am now arrived at the words themselves which contain First Davids Cordial contrition for cutting off the Royal Robe of King Saul ver 5. where consider 1. The great degree of his sorrow His heart smote him 2. The slight nature of the Act considered materially for which he mourned It was his cutting off the Robe not the Head of Saul Secondly Davids Loyal Detestation of outting off the Royal head of the Lords Anointed manifested in a succinct and excellent Oration ver 6. wherein may be considered First The occasion thereof which was twofold I. The fit oportunity he had to slay Saul being in a Cave II. The great Importunity wherewith his Souldiers perswaded him thereunto Secondly The Orator He i. e. David said unto his men 1. David a Subject 2. David a General of an Army 3. The Auditours he said unto his men i. e. his Souldiers 4. The Oration it self which may be Analyzed into 4. parts I. A vehement detestation The Lord forbid II. The Act detested That I should do this thing to stretch forth my hand against my Master III. The person detesting this Act that I i. e. David should do this thing IIII. The reasons of his Detestation which are deduced from Sauls Relation First To himself My Master Secondly To God the Lords Anointed 1. I shall begin with Davids Cordial Contrition for cutting off the Royal Robe of Saul And from the greatnesse of his sorrow and the slightnesse of the Act which was the ground thereof compared together Observ Observe That the least disloyal action the smallest injury and slightest indignity committed against and offered unto a King ought by Godly sorrow and true Repentance greatly to be lamented Davids heart smote him because his hand smote Sauls garment Though David being himself surprised with his sudden and unexpected surprisal of Saul in such a place of advantage did through incogitancy and inadvertency not thinking there had been any evil in spoiling the garment seeing he spared the life of Saul And likewise out of zeal for the vindication of his innocency adventure on an Act unbeseeming the Majesty of a King and the Duty of a Subject yet as soon as he recollected his thoughts and considered that not only the persons but the Robes of Princes which are the Ensignes and Badges of authority ought to remain untouched and found his action criminal and himself culpable his heart smote him As
Hadadrimmon Sive Threnodia Anglicana ob Regicidium A SERMON ON DAVIDS HUMILIATION For Cutting off the ROYAL ROBE AND DETESTATION of Cutting off the ROYAL HEAD Of the LORDS ANOINTED Preached Jan. 30 1660. Being a Solemn Fast for the Horrid Murther of KING CHARLES I. Of Glorious Memory At WESTBVRY in the County of WILTS By JOHN PARADISE Preacher of the Word there London Printed by J. H. for Nathanael Webb at the Sign of the Kings Head in St. Pauls Church-yard 1661. TO THE Right Reverend Father in God HUMPHREY By the Providence of God LORD BISHOP of SARVM Right Reverend Father in God MEmorable if not Miraculous is the Story concerning the Dumb Son of Croesus how that seeing an Assassine about to kill his Father though he never spoke before yet then cried out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So our Political Father Cor Sol Anima Regni the Heart Sun and Soul of the Kingdom being translated from us in a Fiery Chariot Who can but cry out with Elisha My Father My Father the Chariot of Israel and the Horsemen thereof Should Subjects neglect to sing the Obsequies of their Murdered King the Wals of the Royal Palace would be monuments of their shame even as the Stones would have supplied the defect of the Childrens Hosanna's to the Son of God the dust of the ground where the bloudy Tragedy was acted would testifie against them as the dust of the Apostles Feet against the unbelieving Jews Seeing Rebels have been so industrious in forming Cyclopical Weapons in anvelling out Diabolical Machinations against Monarchy and have published so many bitter Invectives and Satyrical Libels against the Sacred Persons of Kings to enchant and intoxicate the English Nation and to seduce us from our Allegiance God forbid that we should omit the Confection of Antidotes and Counter-medicines against this Poyson Wherefore I have attempted to vindicate the Royal Prerogative of Kingâ— wherewith they are invested by a Divine Charter and which is a Jewel fixed in their Crownes by the King of Kings to wit Their exemption from the violence of Subjects and likewise though indeed the Acts and Monuments of our Royal Martyr deserve rather to be registred by the Golden Pen of some Able Martyrologer another Fox to commemorate that Fatal Blow which caused an Earth-quake of Desolation in England and as it were unhinged the Earth from its Center The Lord grant that it may now produce an heart-quake of Lamentation and prove d Lymbeck to distil our hearts into tears to extract the Quintessence of our spirits and to sublimate our Affections and Faculties into the height of Sorrow Now my Lord the Beams of your Favour accented and enamelled with manifold Amplifications have so influent â—â—ally shined on me that they cannot but work indelible Impressions of Gratitude in my heart unless it were petrefied and most strenuous endeavours after testification thereof Wherefore I present unto your Lordship this ensuing Book of Lamentations as a Pepper-corn by way of acknowledgment of my great Obligations unto you Humbly imploring your candid Acceptance and Patronage of this unpolished piece in imitation of the Divine Majesty who accepted of Badgers Skins Goats hair a Cup of cold water and the Widows Mite as well as more magnificent Oblations As I am conscious of many Imperfections which your judicious eye will discern herein so I am confident of your Indulgence I have endeavoured more to manifest the Affection of my heart then the Affectation of Art Sackcloath and Ashes is a fitter Garb for Mourners then Gorgeous Attire Who can be eloquent on such a doleful Theam as the Murder of a Christian Protestant King which like Opium is enough to stupifie the the Faculties of all that study on it and at the Tidings whereof as David wished for Absalom O my Son Absalom my Son my Son Absalom Would God I had died for thee O Absalom my Son my Son Your Lordship with many more English Hero's could I believe have cried out O my King Charles my King my King Charles Would God I had died for thee O Charles my King my King I think it Honour enough to be vouchsafed to bring but one Pin to the decking of Christs Spouse while others adorn her with more costly Jewels and rich Medals said a Reverend Bishop So I account my self superabundantly honoured if this Threnodia may be accepted by my Dread Sovereign through your Lordships Intercession as the smallest Testimony of my Cordial Lamentation for the barbarous Decollation of his Royal Father though but like the casting a Branch of Rosemary into a Grave while others erect more Glorious Tombes and Statues and as a pledge of my great exultation for his own Happy Restauration and Coronation My Lord it is my Intention to write an Eucharistical not a Panegyrical Epistle because I know that Flattery as it is abhorred by my self so it would be nauseated by your Modesty However without contracting any such guilt or censure I may record it for your perpetual Renown That while so many have proved Erratick Stars somtimes Prograde somtimes Retrograde never Stationary you have been a fixed Star in the Firmament of the Church of England And while others have courted their Sovereign with Parasitical Friendship for saking him in Adversity as Rats and Mice do a Barn when the Corn is spent your Soul hath cleaved like Jonathan Ittai Barzillai and Zadok to distressed David to an afflicted Prince that you have reverenced the Setting Sun of Martyâ—ed Majesty King Charles the First and the clouded Sun of exiled Majesty King Charles the Second I have read concerning Agrippa that being imprisoned for wishing the Empire unto Caius he was afterwards gratified by Caius with a Chain of Gold as heavy as that of Iron wherewith he was loaded in Prison So that your Lordship who have magnanimously endured the Malignant Influences of Blazing Comets during the dismal Eclipse of the Proper Light may as a Blessing unto the Church of God long sit under the vivifical and salutiferous Beams of our Royal Sun now Triumphant in his Noon-day Glory is the Prayer of Your Lordships most Humble Servant JOHN PARADISE Errata Pag. 2. Line 37. read Renowned p. 3. l. 18. r. Engedi p. 3. l. 14. r. Absaloms p. â— l. 29. r. ingenuous p. 6. l. 3. r. connivence p. 6. l. 13. r. worn p. 8. l. 22 r. Bloud of Charles ib. l. ult r. Isaac p. 12. l. 32. r. edge of your humiliation p. 15. l. 33. r. Martial p. 20 l. 31. r. There can be no Adulterer without an Adulteress p. 23. l. 21. dele of after Glory THRENODIA Anglicana ob Regicidium OR THE LAMENTATION Of Loyall Subjects for the DECOLLATION of their Royall Sovereign 2 Sam. 24.5 6. And it came to passe afterward Davids heart smote him because he cut off Sauls Skirt And he said unto his men The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my Master the Lords Anointed to stretch forth my hand against him
Ephraims repentance is set forth by his smiting on the thigh Jer. 31.19 Luke 18.13 Mat. 26.57 Act. 2.37 The Publicans by smiting on the Brest Peters by weeping bitterly The sorrow of the converted Jews for their crucifying Christ by being pricked at the heart So Davids Remorse for wounding the robe of his Sovereign is expressed by his Hearts smiting him Compunction of spirit for the least disloyal actions should alwaies follow the commission of them A Loyal subject being overcome by a violent temptation may be induced to Act some things Derogatory to his Kings Honour and his own Loyalty yet when by deliberate reflection thereon he discerneth his crime he will expiate the guilt by true repentance Even as water though it be hot whilst set over the fire yet when removed from thence returns to its pristine coldnesse and as an heâ—â—ie Body violently detained from its center Remoto prohibâ—nte naturally and immediately descends thereunto Loyalty may be sullied but cannot be obliterated smothered for a time but never totally exstinguished It may be wounded but cannot be Killed fall asleep but will awake again and like the Sun breaking forth out of a Cloud appears in its brightnesse and glory-David being conscious of his clemency towards the life of Saul might have excused his cruelty towards his garment but so pure and Christalline was his Loyalty that he seems to forget his imparallel compensation of good for evil and wholly Dwels on this Punctillio Thus S. Austine in his confessions saith that he was troubled in conscience for stealing Apples in his youth Moderation in disloyal actions is no sufficient Apology for them Had David urged this plea he might have rather justified himself for doing no more then accused himself for acting so little He might have expected to have been Commended rather then Condemned saying Saul hath no reason to be offended with me for cutting off his garment but much reason to reward me for not cutting off his Head Should a Thief finding a Thousand pounds in Gold in a travellers purse take away only six pence leaving all the rest untouched yea and afterward be troubled in his minde for those six pence it would argue eminent honesty This is the nearest Embleme and resemblance of Davids Heroical innocency which yet did surmount this instance The Law alloweth no Accessaries in the case of treason all are principals The Law of God adjudgeth them guilty whose hands were only inch-deep as well as those whose hands were Elbow-deep in the blood of King Charles Men viewing their failings in the Crack't glasse of selfe-love and through the false Spectacles of self-justifying pride account little Sins no sins and great sins little sins David was of a more ingenious and impartiall Spirit choosing rather to aggravate then extenuate to magnifie then to mince the violation of his Allegiance A Thief if he leave mony enough in the traveller purse to carry him to his journies end thinks himself to deserve praise rather then dispraise but an honest mans conscience wil smite him should he wrong a man in the smallest matter though he did it ignorantly David knew that Disloyalty is of an incroaching nature that little sins are gradual approaches toward greater that if he could have dispenced with wounding the Royal Robe he might at length have adventured to wound the Royal heart of his Sovereign Though Treason appear but as a sparke of fire at first yet if not quenched with the tears of repentance it will soone flams forth into open Rebellâ—â—s and spread over the whole body Politick as the Gangren creeps from joint to joint over the whole body naturall Should indulgence connivance and Impunity be afforded to an indignity though never so diminutive against a King it would animate imbolden men to Act superlative enormisies Petty-larceny is a preparative to felony it is felony in its infancy He that can without remorse smite a King with the sword of his tongue will when opportunity serveth smite him with a sword of steel As smal brush-wood is first laid on the fire to kindle the great Blocks afterwards laid upon it and as the lesser wedges make way for greater so little sins are but shooing-horns to draw on greater and Dwarf-like crimes but stirrups and footstoolls whereby to mount up on Gigantick ones Garments when the Hems are wore off will soon unravel Despising of Kings will grow to Deposing of them and contemning of them to condemning of them if not checked betimes either by the Magistrates sword or the Offenders own conscience even as the Cockatrices egg will grow to a Serpent if not crashed in the Shell For contempt of a Prince is Regicide in the Bud in the shell and actuall Regicide is but Contempt full-blown and hatched Wherefore laudable was Davids relenting for so small an injury offered to his Prince But let me correct my self why do I speak of small injuries offered to Kings when the slightest indignities in themselves yet when committed against such sacred persons become hainous flagitious and inexpiable The transcendent and incomprehensible greatnesse of God causeth the least offence against his infinite Majesty to be of an infinite guilt so that dignity which the supream Jehovah hath conferred on his deputed subordinate Deittes doth cause the most inconsiderable offences against them to swel up into high Treason There can be no little sin because there is no little God to sin against So there can be no Diminutive Treason because the object thereof is the sacred and honourable Person of a King An Act receives its specification Denomination and aggravation from the nature of its Object Use This Doctrine doth conclude a fortiâ—ri for our lamentation this day for that fatal and mortal blow that was given to our Royall Sovereign If the wounding of King Sauls Robe the smiting of his skirt cast David into such pangs of sorrow much more should the cutting off King Charles his head the 〈◊〉 of his heart cause England to mourn â—n Sackclotheand Ashes How should the memory of this murder bedew English checkes with teares fill our hearts with sorrow and over-shadow us with mourning as the Departing Sun doth the night with Darknesse and the Declining Sun the Winter with Cold and Frost In Ramah there was a voice heard weeping and mourning and great lamentation Rachel weeping for her Children and would not be comforted because they were not Mat. 2.18 And all by reason of the cruel infaticide acted by Herod So in England was there a voice heard weeping and Mourning and great Lamentation Subjects weeping for their King and would not be comforted because he was not and all by reason of the bloody Regicide committed by cruel Herods We find in sacred History that subjects have bewailed all disasters bef illing their Kings especially their violent death 2 Chron. 35.4 5. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah And all the singing men and singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations
unto this day and made them an ordinance in Israel Zac. 12.10 compared with Acts. 2.36 37. Yea so great was their sorrow that the holy Ghost accounts it a fit pattern and resemblance of that grief which should possesse the hearts of the converted Jews for their crucifying the Lord of glory They shal mourn over him whom they have pierced as a Father mourneth for his only Son And in that day there shall be mourning as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon which was the place where Josiah was slain If the Israsites thus lamented the death of Josiah 2 Chron. 35.22 notwithstanding he was slain in battle by enemies in open hostility against him which might have mitigated their grief How inexcusable would the neglect of a sorrowful resentment of murder of our English Josiah be seeing he was not slain in the heat of War which would have excused a tanto though not a toto but butchered in cold Blood in time of peace by his own Subjects or at least those that ought to have been such It was the saying of our Martyred Sovereign himself That it is more honourable for a King to be invaded almost destroyed by Forreigners then to be dispised at home Psal 55.12 13 14. Had it been an enemy I could have borne But it was thou O Man my friend and mine acquaintance The Dagger of Brutus peirced Caesars heart more then any of the rest which he intimated to him in his last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Scipio was wont to say that he had rather Hannibal should ear his Heart with salt then Lelius his friend offer him the least unkindnesse How did David weep over the Hearse of Abner being perfidiously murthered by Joab He commanded the people to rent their cloathes 2 Sam. 3.31.32 33 35. and gird them with sackcloth and mourn before Abner And King David himself followed the Bier and lift up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner saying Died Abner as a fool Dieth and all the people wept again over him And David would not tast bread or ought else till the Sun was down whereby all Israel understood that day that it was not of the King to slay Abner the Son of Ner. Did David a King so much lament the murder of Abner his subject How much more should we Subjects lament the murder of our Sovereign that all the world may know that it was not of us to slay Charles King of England That funeral oration and mournful Elegy which David pronounced for the death of Saul with a little variation will serve for our occasion 2 Sa. 1.17 to the end England laments with this lamentation over King Charles the first ver 17. The beauty of England is slain upon thy high places how is the mighty faln ver 19 Tell it not in Gath publish it not in Askelon least the daughters of the Philistines rejoice least the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph ver 20. How was the crown yea blood of the mighty vilely cast away the blood Charles of as if he had not been the Anointed of the Lord ver 21. Ye daughters of England weep for Charles who cloathed you with Scarlet with other delights who put on ornaments of Gold upon your apparel ver 24. O Charles thou wast slain at the Gate of thy Palace ver 25. we are distressed for thee Oh King Charles very pleasant hast thou been unto us thy love to us was wonderful passing the love of Women ver 26. How did the mighty Prince fall and the Royal Crown perish That the horrid nature of this cruel Regicide may be more fully represented unto you as an argument for humiliation Consider First the Act it self Secondly the manner of its commission Thirdly The Object thereof Fourthly the Authors Fifthly The effects and consequents 1. Consider the nature of the act it self It was not only contempt imprisonment but murther The Superlative love of Abraham unto God was amplified in that he was willing not only to chastise Disinherit or banish his Son Isaack but also to kill him by cutting his throat ripping open his bowels and burning his quarters on the Altaâ— so it is on the contrary the high aggravation of the high Treason for which we mourn this day that it was not terminated in some smal affronts but proceeded to the effusion of the Royal blood of his Sacred Majesty 2. Murder Purposed though not perpetrated is of an infinite guilt Sin conceived in the heart is damnable though it never come to the birth or be brought forth Was it not a cursed and Diabolical design in Faux and the rest of the Gunpouder-Traytors at one blow to blow up King Prince and Nobles notwithstanding it proved Abortive how villanous then were those bloody consultations and resolutions which came to Maturity and ripened unto the execution of the Lords Anointed 3. It was a voluminous and bigbellied sin a sin in folio which containeth a great litter of other sins in the belly of it Ingratitude envy malice covetousnesse ambition rebellion perjury Treason blasphemy were the bitter ingredients whereof this confection of porson was compounded 4. It was a sin that admitted of no reparation An imprisoned Prince might have been set at liberty a dethroned Prince inthroned againe but a murdered Prince cannot be revived Secondly Consider the manner how the Death of our Royal Sovereign was effected It was no casual or involuntary act no chance-medly nor man-slaughter but wilful murther How studiously and Deliberately was it acted with what Impudence and malice with what boasting and triumph with what impenitency and Remorslesnesse and with what a fixed resolution against all admonitions and supplications was it committed Murders of Kings in former ages being done privately were modestly acted in comparison of this It was the aggravation as of Absaloms incest 2 Sa. 16.22 that he spread a tent on the house top and went into his Fathers Concubines in the sight of all Israel So of our King-slayers treason that they built a Scaffold before the Royal Palace and adventured on the Decollation of the father of the Nation in the face of the Sun before thousands of spectators in the most populous City of London Thirdly Consider the object of this cruelty or the subject whereon it was acted Not a private person but a King whose person is sacred by the Law of God of Nature and of Nations yea not only a King but a Christian a Protestant King Jesus Christ his Apostles acknowledged subjection unto the primitive Christians prayed for heathen Emâ—â—rors The Jews were commanded to seek the peace of the King of Babylon to whom they were captives Mordicai discovered the treason plotted against the life of Ahasuerus by his two Chamberlaines Esth 3.21 22 23. If the lives of Pagan Emperors and bloedy Butchers of the Church were precious in the eyes of the primitive Christians then certainly the murder of a Gracious
a Nation forbearance is no acquirtance The Lord avenged the slaughter of the Gibeonites by Saul many years after the commission thereof 2 Sam. 21.1 2. 2 Chron. 35.25 even in the Reign of David with three years famine on Israel Those words They spake of Josiah in their lamentations unto this day do denote the continuation of their sorrow for him a long time after his death Secondly notwithstanding this sin was contrived and actually committed but by few and detested by the majority of the Nation yet I fear mosst of the people of England have contracted the guilt thereof upon these two grounds 1. Because they did not rise up as one man with an unanimous resolution to rescue their captived Sovereign out of the hands of those roaring Lyons and destroying Bears which devoured him even as all Israel did to rescue their beloved Jonathan who cried out shall Jonathan Dy God forbid as the Lord liveth there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground This should have been Englands voice resolution and indeavour in behalf of their King Causae non impedientes are numbered by Phylosophers among moral efficient causes Qui non prohibet quod potest jubet 2. For defect of sufficient humiliation General insensiblenesse renders a sin national as well as common practice I doubt Eng. sorrow hath not been proportionable to the degree of Englands sin Sins that have been buried a long time in the grave of oblivion may revive in their punishment It was a pious desire of a Reverend Divine that a National fast might be solemnly observed for the innocent blood of Holy Martyrs shed in Queen Maryes Reign Achan only took of the accursed thing and yet it is said Josh 7. ve 6. 11. all Israel sinned and committed a trespasse before the Lord And all Israel suffered for the sin of Achan Beloved the murder of King Charles may be an Achan in England to bring down the curse of God upon it unlesse we acquit our selves by serious humiliation from the guilt thereof All the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of Righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias slain between the Temple and the Altar is charged by Christ on the Pharisees If the blood of Abel might justly be imputed to a people that never had finger in it 4000. years after it was shed Much more may that innocent Royal blood which was shed but 12 years since be a Moth and a Canker to England unlesse we offer up the Sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart unto the Lord. Wherefore let us hang our harps upon the Willowes and mourn when we remember King Charles the first as the Israelites sate down by the rivers of Babylon Psa 137.1 2. and wept when they remembred Zion Let us breath out our sorrow in the words of the Prophet Jeremiahs Lamentations for the captivity of Zedechiah The breath of our nostrels the anointed of the Lord was taken in their pits Lam. 4.20 of whom we said under the shadow of his wings we shall live and flourish Naturalists relate that the hard Adamant it self being bathed in the blood of a Goat will be softned and dissolved So were your hearts of a Rock-like Flint-like Adamantine nature yet methinks being bathed in the blood of a King they should be dissolved into tears of Godly sorrow O cursed Ax that at one blow cut off the head of three Kingdomes and left them as Dead carkasses O Glorious Prince with what Kisses of dissimulation did English Judasses betray thee How was thy sacred person in imitation of our blessed Saviour who was crowned with Thorns spit on scourged buffeted reviled exposed to scorn and ignomy How were thy Nobles and Peeres who were wont to attend thy royal Person Exchanged for Jaylors thy Palace for a prison thy Throne for a scaffold and a Block Did not the adversaries of King Charles cry out Execution Execution as the Jews against Christ Crucifie him Crucifie him Finally his royal head was cut off with a cruel Ax as the blessed heart of Christ was pierced with a cruel Spear Was not this the most monstrous and barbarous act the most bloody tragedy of all tragedies that ever were acted since the crucifying of the Son of God for a company of abjects not only to abuse vilifie their Sovereign with the opprobrious names of malefactor Traytor and the like but also to arraigne condemn and execute him Had they touched only his royall robes it had been a violation of their duty but they devested themselves of christianity Loyalty yea Humanity it self and cut off his royall head Hear O Heavens give Ear O Earth gather blacknesse and be astonished for a great evil hath been committed amongst us O Sun in thy race throughout the whole world even the most barbarous corners thereof didst thou ever take notice of a more inhumane murder O that we had some Jeremiah with Eyes as water and an head as a fountain of teares to lament the death and sing the obsequies of our Mattyred King yea to write a book of lamentations for him as he did for the captivity of King Zedechiah Again from Davide humiliation for and intention in smiting Sauls Robe compared together Observe That a good intention doth not justify an evil Observ and disloyal action Davids designe was to procure a testimony of his innocency that Saul beholding the skirt of his robe in Davids hand might be fully convinced that David had no design against his life then which he could never have proposed a better end to himself next to the glory of God and salvation of his soul and yet being conscious of ataxy in his action his heart smites him for it An Act for the matter and substance thereof Lawfull may for Defect of a right modification a good end be but splendidum peccatum but it is impossible that an act materially evil should be rectified by the best end aimed at therein A garment of good cloath may be marred in the making but a good garment can never be made of bad cloath The prevention of evil doth not justify the commission of evil in order thereunto Lots desire to prevent Sodomy did not authorize him to permit Adultery by prostituting his daughters to the lust of the Sodomites Herod was not to be excused when he rushed on the Rock of murther in beheading John the Baptist at the request of his Dancing minion to avoid the sands of perjury Math. 14.10 Neither doth the attainment of the greatest good change the nature of an evil action The preservation of Lots posterity did not excuse his Daughters incest nor the procurement of the blessing Rebekahs treachery and Jacobs lying The Lord smote Uzzah that he died for touching the Ark though out of an in ention to keep it from falling when the Oxen stumbled 1 Chro. 13.9.10 Joh. 16.2 Phil. 3. Christ tells his Disciples that the time
disloyal clamours of his Souldiers even as Dagon fell down before the Ark and as the Mists and Vapours in the Air are chased away by the glorious beams of the arising Sun Now possibly some who have rased out all Principles of Religion and Reason out of their minds may arraign David for a person of an abject and ignoble spirit and condemn him for Folly and pusillanimity because he made not Ambition and self-advancement his Card and Compass whereby to steer his course but neglected so fair an opportunity to acquire a Kingdom This Enditement will appear to be no Billa vera but a Forgery and Davids Loyalty to be no Impeachment either of his Prudence or Magnanimity if we review the precedent History wherein are recorded most undoubted proofs of both Let that Subjects Valour be accounted Diabolical fury and his wisdom diabolical Subtilty that clasheth and interfereth with his Allegiance and is inverted against his Soveraign Thus much in reference to the Occasion of Davids Oration 2. Now followeth the Orator He i. e. David said unto his men 1. David a Subject 2. David a Captain of Souldiers 1. David a Subject From whence note That Subjects ought not to be contented with personal Loyalty Observ but should endeavour to Loyalize others As Light so Loyalty is not to be hid under a Bushel Mat. 5.15 Loyalty is of a diffusive nature it will not be engrossed and monopolized it will not be put into a Napkin or locked up in private breasts David would not imprison his Loyalty in his own breast but causeth it-to flame forth in a Loyal Oration that it might kindle the like Sacred fire in the breasts of others Piety toward God and Loyalty toward our King should be of a like nature It is the property of Grace to be commuicative John 1. Andrew having found the Messiah calleth Simon and Philip Nathanael Moses could even wish his Name were blotted out of the Book of Life and Paul himself accursed from Christ for the sake of the Israelites So Loyalty is of a spreading and assimilating nature like fire that converts the Fuel into its own substance like Leaven that leaveneth the whole Lump and like the Philosophers stone that turneth what it toucheth into Gold With what Marks of Infamy do such deserve to be branded who have run counter hereunto not only by personal disloyalty but also by indefatigable industry to poyson others with Principles of Sedition The Holy Ghost stigmatizeth those who incited the Jews to rebel against the King of Babylon with the Names of Diviners Enchanters and Sorcerers Jer. 29.9 O that all who have endeavoured to propagate Treason in England by seditious Pamphlets would deal with their Libels as the Sorcerers did with their conjuring Books Acts 19.19 they brought them together and burned them before all men and counted the Price and found it fifty thousand Pieces of silver 2. 1 Sam. 22.2 Consider David in a military capacity as Captain of Souldiers 400 people gathered themselves to him and he became Captain over them Generals of Armies should perswade their Souldiers not only to be valiant against their Enemies but also faithful to their King The great dignity conferred on them the great trust reposed in them their Authority over and Interest in their Souldiers do all require this duty from them Besides Souldiers are usually very respectful to the Persons obsequious to the Commands observant of the directions and apt to imitate the Examples of their Leaders It was said of Naaman the Syrian 2 Kin. 5.1 that he was a great man and honourable but a Leper To praise a man with a but is but to dispraise him It is a wound and dishonour never to be wiped off from the Names of some Generals that they were Famous and Valiant Warriours but they inverted their Arms against their Soveraigns A Commendation with this Discretive but is a diminutive Commendation It gives an Accent to the Renown of Joab 2. Sam. 12. that he would not build up his own Glory out of the Ruines of his Kings After he had almost taken Rabbah he sent Mesengers to David saying Gome and encamp against it lest I take the City and it be called by my Name The memory of our late Military Officers will stink in the Nostrils of all Loyal Subjects because they debauched the minds of their Souldiers with seditious Principles instigated them unto Rebellion and by subtil Insinuations inthroned themselves in their Affections in order to the dethroning of their Soveraign But let it be recorded for the perpetual Renown of our Famous and Heroical English General that he trode in the Footsteps of David that he took up the Cudgels against our rampant Enemies who were so drunk with Success that they defied all Antagonists as Goliah did David and that he employed his Arms for effecting the happy Restauration of our Dread Soveraign King Charles the Second to his Throne and Kingdom Wherefore let his Name be precious unto the English as the Names of Gideon Barak Samson Jepthah and the rest of those Worthies of Israel were unto that Nation for being Instruments of their deliverance out of the hands of Midianites Moabites Ammonites and Philistines Unto this Magnanimous Hero's tutelar Sword next unto His Royal Majesties tutelar Scepter the principal efficiency and the Glory of being reserved for and ascribed unto the Great God England is indebted for all its Happiness 3. The Third Member observed in the dissection of this Verse is Davids Auditors He said to his men i. e. Souldiers being a pâ—ck of hungry and bankrupt persons 1 Sam. 22.2 Every one that was in distress in debt and discontented gathered themselves to him These mens wants might provoke them to offer violence to Saul that they might be inriched with his Spoiles and have his Kingdom for a Prey Therefore David darteth forth this Loyal Oration that as cold water cast into a Pot stayeth the boyling thereof it might allay the violent Aestuations of their Passions Souldiers of all men have most need of Loyal Instruction that it may be an Antidote against the Poyson of the Temptations arising from a military Employment All is fish that cometh to net with Sword-men they are apt to put no difference between the Princes Robes and the Peasants Russet they are so accustomed to Instruments and Acts of Cruelty that immanity becomes natural to and habituated in them Inter Arma silent Leges The sounding Trumpet the roaring Cannon and the ratling Spear like the noise of the Aegyptian Cataracts which as it is reported maketh the adjacent inhabitants almost deaf hindereth the voice of the Law from being heard and the Sword will be made use of for the decision of Controversies 1 Kings 3.24 25. as it was by Solomon in another manner As Fire in the Chimney is necessary and profitable but on the House-top dangerous and pernicious so though a Militia be sometimes necessary for the defence
Princes to the Church in protecting the Ministry from the fury of grossely prophane and giddy Fanatick people to whom it is an eye-sore in supplying the Church with maintenance in order to the carrying on the Worship of God in providing Universities and Colledges to be Seminaries of Learning in backing the Laws of God with their secular Authority doth lay strong Obligations on Ministers to make their Churches Schools as of Piety toward God so of Loyalty toward their King What horrid ingratitude would Ministers be guilty of by proving fire-brands of Sedition Trumpeters of Rebellion and by making their Sermons an Alarm unto war It would be to rip up the bowels of their Nursing Fathers and to cut off the Breasts of their Nursing Mothers Furthermore as Simeon and Levi made the Name of their Father Jacob to stink Gen. 34.30 Num. 13.32 by their perfidious Murder of the Shechemites as the Spies brought an evil report on the Land of Canaan and as Judas delivered his Master unto the Scoffes of his enemies so disloyalty in Ecclesiastical persons scandalizeth Religion The sins of Elies Sons caused the Sacrifices of the Lord to be abhorred 1 Sam. 2.17 The Prophet Davids Adultery with Bathsheba and Murder of Uriah Rom. 2.17 to 25. gave great occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme For Ministers to prostitute their Sacred Function unto Ambition and Rebellion is a great provocation unto Magistrates to root them out of their Kingdoms yea to put them to death as Saul did Ahimelech and the Priests of the Lord of whom he slew fourscore and five persons upon Doegs false and malicious information that they conspired with David 1 Sa. 22.18 Let Sermons be Exclamations against sins not against Kings against the Prince of the power of the Air not against the Princes of the earth The Lord teach the Clergy of England not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may neither procure the accusation of disloyalty to themselves nor derive any scandal unto Religion Let no man be lifted up with pride by reason of the dignity of his Office Judas cast Devils out of others Luke 22.3 but could not keep the Devil out of himself Then Satan entred into Judas and so as Luther saith there was one Devil in another As water cleanseth other things and then is crst into the sink as many who laboured in building Noahs Ark were drowned in the Floud so a Minister may teach others and yet be himself a cast-away without true Piety which is inconsistent with disloyalty The Scripture hath linked them both together My Son fear thou God and the King It was the honour of Zadok and Abiathar Prov. 24. that they turned not aside unto Absalom but faithfully cleaved unto David their rightful Soveraign 2. David was anointed to the Office of a King The Lord said unto Samuel how long wilt thou mourn for Saul 1 Sam. 16.1 seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel Fill thine Horn with Oyl and go I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite for I have provided me a King among his Sons 1. David by vertue of this Unction had a plausible Argument to have justified the Murder of Saul being rejected by God and himself elected in his room and to have represented such an act as the execution of Justice as Jehu did the destruction of Ahabt posterity But David abhorred this obvious plece of Policy 2 Kin. 10.10 because it would have been a breach of Piety Forasmuch as Comminations are no Commissions Gen. 4.15 Whosoever shall slay accursed Cain vengeince shall be taken on him seven fold So the bloud of rejected Saul would have brought down vengeance on the head of David if he had shed it The crucifying of Christ was an Act of Glorious Mercy in God but of barbarous Cruelty in the Jews Joseph tels his Brethren that it was not they but God that sent him into Egypt and yet they were guilty of the most unbrotherly act next to actual Fratricide that ever was committed Gen. 45.8 One and the same action may be righteous as it proceedeth from the first cause and unrighteous in respect of the Second Gods bidding Shimei to curse David 2 Sam. 12.11 12. and permission of Absalom to ravish his Fathers Concubines were acts of Justice in God but acts of Treason and Incest in Shimel and Absalom Wherefore let such be accounted Instruments of the Devil Ch. 16.10 who dare offer violence to Kings under pretence of being Instruments to execute divine Justice 2. David by vertue of his Unction might have produced a specious Title unto the Kingdom of Israel if he had been of an ambitious spirit but he knew that he was anointed only to the reversion of the Kingdom and that as a last Will and Testament is of no force until the death of the Testator So his Unction was of no force until the death of Saul A Loyal Subject will wave obvious Pleas for his Right unto a Kingdom 3. David being anointed to the reversion of the Kingdom by the death of Saul might have took Livery and Seisin of it But as Moses cast the Kingdom of Egypt with all the Honours and Treasures thereof at his heels chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Heb. 11. So David preserred the prolongation of his undeserved persecution before the unjust acceleration of the day of his Inauguration unto the Office of a King he esteemed a Turfe in the wilderness with a clear Conscience a better seat than a Throne in a Palace with a Conscience laden with Royal Blood-guiltiness he accounted it a greater honour to be a Loyal Subject than an unlawful King Crowns Scepters and Kingdoms are cogent Temptations Caesar said If Justice may be broken in any case it is regnandi causa Mat. 21.38 The Husbandmen cry out This is the Heir come let us kill him and the Inheritance will be ours But David abhorred to swim unto a Throne through the Blood of his Master having taken the resolution of Ferdinand the first Emperor of Germany Fiat Justitia pereat mundus Let Right be done and come what will of it The gain of a Kingdom will not countervail the loss of a good Conscience What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own Soul Or what will be given in exchange for the Soul There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the words What will it profit i. e. What an hard bargain will it be What infinite Damage and Detriment shall a man sustain thereby For put the whole world into one ballance and the Soul into another and this little spark of Divinity will out-weigh the whole Globe of the Earth the vast Fabrick of the Creation It is far better to be upbraided as Balaam was by Balak The Lord hath kept thee