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the_o state_n with_o danger_n or_o dissolution_n how_o much_o more_o dangerous_a shall_v we_o esteem_v this_o popularity_n of_o absalon_n spring_v from_o a_o rot_a and_o corrupt_a heart_n manage_v by_o wicked_a mean_n and_o direct_v to_o a_o treacherous_a conspiracy_n three_o especial_a stratagem_n be_v here_o put_v in_o practice_n which_o may_v well_o seem_v fashion_v in_o achitophel_n forge_n for_o the_o send_n of_o absalon_n for_o achitophel_n to_o hebron_n exclude_v not_o a_o former_a consultation_n neither_o be_v it_o probable_a he_o will_v so_o far_o have_v trust_v he_o with_o his_o secret_a counsel_n have_v he_o not_o first_o find_v he_o incline_v to_o his_o faction_n the_o first_o engine_n of_o his_o seditious_a purpose_n be_v his_o gloze_a and_o fine_a compliment_n both_o in_o word_n and_o gesture_n whereby_o he_o be_v say_v to_o steal_v away_o the_o heart_n of_o the_o people_n from_o his_o father_n david_n he_o usual_o stand_v in_o the_o palace_n gate_n he_o observe_v the_o 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together_o and_o where_o the_o master_n begin_v once_o to_o droop_v the_o servant_n prove_v either_o careless_o negligent_a or_o lawless_o insolent_a these_o inconvenience_n perhaps_o admit_v by_o david_n officer_n and_o observe_v by_o absalon_n render_v he_o obvious_a to_o exception_n great_a place_n be_v common_o subject_a to_o the_o great_a censure_n but_o when_o almighty_a god_n be_v never_o want_v to_o david_n i_o can_v imagine_v david_n to_o be_v much_o want_v unto_o his_o people_n and_o although_o strength_n and_o valour_n the_o darling_n of_o his_o youth_n begin_v in_o he_o to_o faint_v yet_o wisdom_n and_o experience_n the_o child_n of_o his_o ripe_a age_n step_v in_o to_o undertake_v his_o quarrel_n no_o otherwise_o then_o can_v we_o interpret_v this_o exception_n of_o absalon_n against_o his_o father_n than_o a_o malicious_a slander_n devise_v for_o no_o other_o end_n than_o to_o make_v he_o odious_a and_o himself_o acceptable_a which_o he_o by_o so_o much_o the_o more_o
advancement_n he_o think_v it_o ill_o side_v with_o a_o doubtful_a rebel_n or_o inconstant_a friend_n absalon_n howsoever_o profess_o he_o have_v engage_v himself_o to_o treason_n may_v deceive_v his_o opinion_n or_o fail_v his_o expectation_n his_o pretend_a discontent_n towards_o his_o father_n may_v for_o aught_o he_o know_v be_v only_o personate_v to_o make_v trial_n of_o their_o allegiance_n or_o his_o resolution_n inconstant_a to_o forfeit_v they_o to_o danger_n absalon_n though_o a_o traitor_n be_v yet_o a_o son_n david_n though_o provoke_v be_v yet_o a_o father_n no_o gordian_a knot_n be_v ever_o so_o cunning_o knit_v by_o policy_n which_o nature_n can_v cut_v or_o time_n dissolve_v the_o privilege_n of_o youth_n or_o prerogative_n of_o a_o son_n may_v make_v this_o action_n seem_v rather_o a_o escape_n than_o a_o sin_n his_o fault_n how_o great_a soever_o will_v seem_v rather_o achitophel_n than_o his_o own_o and_o that_o which_o justice_n in_o other_o will_v term_v treason_n indulgence_n in_o he_o will_v interpret_v weakness_n david_n may_v remit_v and_o absalon_n reconcile_v what_o the_o one_o suffer_v and_o the_o other_o act_v and_o then_o must_v achitophel_n and_o his_o associate_n either_o stand_n at_o stake_n to_o maintain_v their_o master_n action_n or_o hazard_v their_o life_n on_o the_o brittle_a confidence_n of_o the_o king_n mercy_n the_o breach_n of_o a_o son_n disloyalty_n may_v perchance_o be_v peece_v up_o with_o filial_a submission_n but_o achitophel_n revolt_n seem_v to_o expect_v no_o issue_n but_o death_n or_o victory_n the_o middle_a way_n in_o policy_n be_v always_o reject_v as_o dangerous_a and_o the_o extreme_a require_v the_o most_o desperate_a and_o extreme_a attempt_n achitophel_n be_v not_o here_o want_v to_o himself_o absalon_n must_v yet_o be_v engage_v to_o a_o more_o notorious_a action_n uncapable_a of_o forgiveness_n where_o in_o all_o israel_n may_v read_v his_o absolute_a revolt_n and_o his_o father_n great_a indignation_n absalon_n must_v be_v know_v neither_o to_o regard_v or_o hope_v for_o his_o father_n reconcilement_n david_n anger_n must_v be_v think_v inexorable_a as_o that_o which_o justice_n require_v and_o the_o honour_n of_o a_o king_n command_v if_o absalon_n hope_v to_o wed_v the_o throne_n of_o israel_n he_o must_v first_o violate_v his_o father_n bed_n and_o to_o this_o his_o notorious_a act_n of_o treason_n let_v he_o further_o add_v the_o sin_n of_o incest_n petty_a crime_n be_v the_o effect_n of_o inferior_a offender_n absalon_n must_v be_v think_v as_o great_a as_o himself_o as_o one_o who_o will_v play_v the_o king_n as_o well_o in_o his_o sin_n as_o his_o ambition_n neither_o can_v this_o wickedness_n be_v safe_a or_o shameful_a enough_o if_o secret_a secrecy_n which_o in_o other_o matter_n common_o prove_v the_o mother_n of_o security_n be_v here_o repute_v the_o nurse_n of_o danger_n and_o gild_n which_o usual_o shun_v the_o light_n be_v here_o desirous_a of_o discovery_n to_o sin_v close_o argue_v either_o fear_n or_o modesty_n neither_o of_o which_o can_v protect_v a_o rebel_n or_o beseem_v a_o king_n set_v up_o a_o tent_n quoth_v achitophel_n on_o the_o house_n top_n that_o all_o israel_n may_v witness_v thy_o sin_n and_o thy_o father_n shame_n and_o make_v the_o world_n at_o once_o both_o blush_n and_o wonder_n let_v thy_o brother_n ammon_n sin_n in_o a_o corner_n to_o decline_v censure_n sin_n thou_o in_o public_a to_o strike_v censure_n speechless_a and_o outface_v the_o severe_a frown_n of_o justice._n let_v ammon_n commit_v incest_n with_o his_o sister_n go_v thou_o in_o unto_o thy_o father_n concubine_n what_o be_v the_o weakness_n of_o lust_n in_o he_o aught_o to_o be_v the_o strength_n of_o thy_o aspire_a greatness_n thy_o great_a safety_n consist_v in_o thy_o great_a villainy_n and_o the_o least_o blush_n seem_v to_o betray_v thy_o cause_n to_o dissidence_n and_o danger_n let_v reuben_n trespass_n with_o one_o of_o his_o father_n wife_n go_v thou_o in_o unto_o ten_o of_o thy_o father_n concubine_n that_o this_o thy_o fact_n at_o once_o may_v surmount_v both_o example_n and_o imitation_n then_o the_o hand_n of_o all_o that_o be_v with_o thou_o shall_v be_v strong_a they_o shall_v speed_v no_o worse_o than_o absalon_n and_o therefore_o ought_v to_o fear_n no_o more_o to_o fall_v with_o our_o captain_n seem_v the_o least_o duty_n to_o rise_v with_o he_o the_o great_a honour_n and_o who_o but_o a_o coward_n will_v fear_v to_o hazard_v the_o life_n of_o a_o subject_n to_o make_v a_o king_n great_a danger_n and_o great_a honour_n begin_v and_o end_v in_o the_o same_o circle_n neither_o be_v the_o path_n strew_v with_o violet_n and_o rose_n but_o death_n and_o slaughter_n which_o lead_v to_o the_o tent_n of_o victory_n this_o be_v achitophel_n first_o counsel_n as_o dangerous_a to_o decline_v as_o desperate_a to_o execute_v but_o desperate_a and_o extreme_a purpose_n be_v engage_v to_o the_o like_a mean_n and_o sincere_a honesty_n in_o the_o course_n of_o policy_n where_o she_o find_v not_o herself_o admit_v as_o the_o chief_a mistress_n will_v seldom_o prove_v a_o trusty_a servant_n 7_o out_o of_o this_o counsel_n of_o achitophel_n not_o only_o plot_v by_o himself_o but_o act_v by_o absalon_n will_v arise_v two_o especial_a observation_n the_o first_o be_v the_o fulfil_n of_o god_n judgement_n and_o nathan_n prophecy_n threaten_v before_o to_o david_n for_o his_o sin_v with_o bathsheba_n and_o 〈◊〉_d murder_n behold_v say_v god_n through_o the_o mouth_n of_o nathan_n i_o will_v raise_v up_o evil_a against_o thou_o out_o of_o thy_o own_o house_n and_o will_v take_v thy_o wife_n before_o thy_o eye_n and_o will_v give_v they_o unto_o thy_o neighbour_n and_o he_o shall_v lie_v with_o thy_o wife_n in_o the_o sight_n of_o the_o sun_n for_o thou_o do_v it_o secret_o but_o i_o will_v do_v this_o thing_n before_o all_o israel_n and_o before_o the_o sun_n such_o be_v the_o wisdom_n of_o almighty_a god_n which_o can_v work_v his_o own_o good_a out_o of_o our_o wickedness_n and_o make_v ouruniust_a action_n the_o instrumental_a example_n of_o his_o own_o justice_n our_o very_a sin_n though_o false_a traitor_n to_o the_o owner_n prove_v trusty_a executioner_n of_o god_n judgement_n and_o a_o easy_a matter_n it_o be_v for_o that_o wise_a disposer_n of_o all_o worldly_a action_n to_o turn_v man_n great_a shame_n into_o his_o great_a glory_n second_o we_o may_v observe_v it_o as_o a_o maxim_n in_o worldly_a policy_n that_o a_o sin_n can_v seldom_o secure_v itself_o but_o by_o addition_n of_o great_a where_o the_o house_n be_v sweep_v and_o garnish_v and_o one_o devil_n be_v too_o little_a to_o enter_v seven_o devil_n great_a than_o himself_o be_v press_v to_o give_v a_o fresh_a assault_n for_o there_o be_v no_o way_n leave_v for_o sin_n to_o propagate_v its_o power_n but_o sin_n nor_o can_v truth_n ever_o be_v entreat_v to_o adventure_v herself_o as_o a_o pledge_n for_o falsehood_n or_o stake_v her_o credit_n for_o a_o profess_a enemy_n religious_a providence_n and_o worldly_a policy_n may_v i_o confess_v sometime_o run_v together_o but_o seldom_o shake_v hand_n the_o path_n of_o the_o one_o as_o a_o strait_a line_n we_o find_v always_o as_o one_o and_o like_o itself_o of_o the_o other_o crooked_a and_o various_a and_o engage_v to_o many_o difficulty_n if_o ever_o they_o chance_v to_o meet_v it_o be_v but_o as_o in_o a_o point_n and_o so_o soon_o part_v the_o further_a than_o we_o run_v in_o this_o maze_n of_o worldly_a policy_n the_o further_o we_o estrange_v ourselves_o from_o piety_n and_o the_o distance_n which_o at_o first_o seem_v below_o the_o seâ—…se_n will_v at_o length_n be_v find_v above_o the_o understanding_n every_o ponderous_a substance_n as_o naturalist_n observe_v the_o more_o it_o descend_v the_o fast_o the_o motion_n no_o moment_n of_o space_n or_o time_n wherein_o we_o traverse_v the_o way_n of_o wickedness_n which_o add_v not_o some_o weight_n to_o the_o massy_a burden_n of_o our_o original_a impiety_n and_o hasten_v not_o our_o passage_n to_o perdition_n one_o sin_n seek_v to_o secure_v itself_o by_o many_o and_o small_a crime_n find_v no_o safe_a protection_n but_o in_o the_o shelter_n of_o the_o great_a treason_n and_o usurpation_n can_v support_v themselves_o but_o by_o the_o sword_n of_o tyranny_n malice_n iâ—…uokes_v revenge_n to_o help_v she_o assist_v with_o her_o servant_n murder_n and_o detraction_n ingratitude_n will_v soon_o break_v into_o open_a defiance_n and_o neglect_v of_o god_n precept_n be_v common_o second_v with_o contempt_n at_o the_o least_o when_o all_o other_o withdraw_v their_o force_n impudence_n and_o hypocrisy_n be_v swear_v to_o back_o their_o quarrel_n whereof_o the_o former_a can_v outface_v the_o severe_a censure_n the_o latter_a blind_a the_o eye_n of_o the_o strict_a inquisition_n who_o can_v here_o observe_v a_o great_a distance_n