King without wit and honesty without wit that make Kings more than men and in a manner deifie them as if they had absolute power over their Subjects to coÌ„mand what they will without any limitation by any laws of God or man Whereas Princes and Rulers have received power and dominion of God to rule under him not over him and to command for him not against him and to be obey'd after him and not before him Without honesty as Doeg that incensed Saul against David and fell upon the Priests of the Lord when honester men refused to doe it he was for the King and so are many that are given to plundring serve the King as the Hawke serveth the Fawkner that being let loose flieth at the Fowle not with any intent to serve his Master but to get a prey for himselfe by meanes whereof many goe now in scarlet that before the warre could not be trusted for a frieze coat It is further said that he is a good King but may not a good King be led to do unwisely good King Asa is charged with that and in broader termes than I speak And may not a good King love his enemies and hate his friends Good King David was charged with that And may not a good King help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord Good King Jehoshaphat was charged with that by a Prophet of the Lord And may not a good King be led to shed much innocent bloud The good Emperour Theodosius did so and was zealously reproved for it by Ambrose and kept from receiving of the Sacrament for that fact and Theodosius liked him never the worse for it but professed he liked arguentem magis quam adulantem him that reproved him better than him that flatter'd him as did David Beloved wee are all for the King or else we dissemble with God and the world for we pray for him for the preservation of his body and for the salvation of his soule He is prayd for constantly in our Churches and families and in both Houses of Parliament Yea we pray for him and his children and some of them are with us and educated like Kings children and like Gods children And hath not the Parliament bound all the Kings subjects by a solemne Covenant to preserve the Kings Person and to testifie that they have no thought or intention to diminish his Majesties just power and greatnesse And how often have they sought peace and his Returne But it is objected that they have taken Armes and this is aggravated as if it were piaculum in any case though it be se desendendo But what did David when he was a subject and Saul sought his life though a godly man and a Prophet and Sauls son-in-law to which he had preferd him who before was but a Shepheard he took armes for his necessary defence and was never reproved for it of God but blest and prosperd and worthy men sided with him It is said the Spirit came upon Anasa who was chief of the Captains and he said Thine are we David and on thy side thou son of Jesse Peace peace be unto thee and peace be unto thine helpers for thy God helpeth thee A divine motion put him on to expresse himselfe in such a manner that his words took impression in David and caused him firmely to beleeve that he and those that were with him were reall to him and not to question their fidelitie The Priests of the Lord were for him eighty-five of them sufferd for him Abimelech received him and his company and gave them hallowed bread and Goliahs sword and Abiathar escaping from the slaughter fled to David for refuge he undertook to protect him Jonathan the Kings Son was for him a vertuous Prince next heire to the Crowne had it gone according to the course of nature he was for him and spake for him to his Father and loved him exceedingly and gave intelligence from the Court when danger was towards him utterly disliking the Kings proceedings against him nay what say you to Saul himself when he was himself he Justified him upon triall of his loyaltie and integritie saying Thou art more righteous than I for thou hast rewarded me good whereas I have rewarded thee evill And was it lawfull for David when he was a subject and but one man to take armes to save his life and is it unlawfull for the Parliament of England to take that course to save theirs those whom they ought to protect May not the State and such a State that hath such power in their hands doe more than one man of what rank so ever And what if they send forth to suppresse insurrections and to pursue Delinquents that fly the justice of that high Court Doth it not pertain to them to do it even ex Officio And what if the great Councell of the Kingdome seek to remove wicked Counsellers from the King that usurpe their Office to themselves He was a King and the wisest of Kings and upon a ponderous reason much concerning the good and honour of every King that saith Take away the wicked from before the King and his throne shall be established in righteousnesse Must the State and those that hold with them learne of Delinquents that have deserved death how to be for the King or of perfidious Covenant-breakers to whom an oath of God is no more than a collar to a Monkey that he can slip at pleasure or of rapacious Courtiers and their Publicâ—n-Officers that would exact upon the subject and have no Parliament that they might never be question'd for any thing they doe Must they learne of damme-swearers that familiarly sweare themselves into hell or of Papists who are pleased so long as the King serveth their turne but would blow him up with powder if they could if he should execute the lawes against them or of the wild Irish other Irish murtherers that first kill a hundred thousand of the Kings Protestant-subjects in Ireland and then come and offer their service to him in England with a desire to do as much here if they can All these would teach tutor their betters in this matter but those that are wise will learne rather of David and Salomon and other Prophets and good men what to do the judgement and way of such is much to be esteemed and better it is to suffer adversitie with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Generally the ungodliest of the Clergie ran to Oxford when the warre began the best of the Ministry out of all Counties throughout the Kingdome came to the Parliaments quarters for protection if any of better note went the other way it was small for their credit or comfort and it is supposed they repent it That unparalleld Saint of the Church of England lately deceased full of dayes died an Orthodoxe Presbyter and Presbyterian constant
Die Mercurii 24. Septemb. 1645. ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament That Sir Symonds d' Eves and Mr Hollis doe from this House give Thanks to Mr Gibson and Dr Temple for the great paines they took in the Sermons they preached this day at the intreatie of this House at St Margarets Westminster it being the day of Publique Humiliation and to desire them to print their Sermons And it is Ordered that none shall presume to print them without being authorized under their hand writing Henry Elsynge Cler. Parl. De Com I appoint John Hancock to print my Sermon SAMUEL GIBSON THE RUINE OF THE AUTHORS AND FOMENTORS OF CIVILL VVARRES As it was deliver'd in a Sermon before the Honourable House of Commons in Margarets-Church Westminster Sept. 24. being the Monethly Fast day set apart for publick Humiliation By SAM: GIBSON Pastor of Burleigh in Rutland now Minister of Gods Word at Margarets Westminster Pro tempore and one of the Assembly of Divines DEUT. 32. 35. To me belongeth vengeance and recompence I will repay their foote shall slide in due time for the day of their calamity is at hand the things that shall come upon them make haste LONDON Printed by M. S. for John Hancock and are to be sold at his Shop in Popes-head Alley 1645. TO THE HONORABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT HONORABLE SENATORS WHen formerly I have been moved by friends to preach before you at the Monthly Fast I have alwayes declined it and earnestly intreated them not to make the motion being ready to say as Ausonius to Caesar in another case Non habeo ingenium I have not parts for such a service in such a Presence or as Moses answered the Lord Non sum facundus I am not eloquent for I never thought my Oratory worthy such an Auditory but when a learned Member of your House came to me in your name and signified your will to have it so I could not say as that Poet did Caesar sed jussit habebo as if he had wit at command but the Senate sending I resolved I must obey do as well as I can with Gods assistance Now having in obedience to your Order both preached and printed this plain Sermon I beseech you take it with all faults and connive This I may say to my comfort it was preached in a good day and we that then made our Supplications for you and with you found not our prayers and yours fruitless for the Lord wrought a great Victory that day a good incouragement to you to continue your dayes of Humiliation of which you find so good effects Often may you heare such Newes from your Forces that we may enjoy the benefit of your Ordinances in peace Worthy Patriots it was joyfull tidings to us in all parts of the Kingdome when we heard for certain that there should be a Parliament and that Writs were out for choosing Knights of the Shire and it was an augmentation of our joy when we heard of a Triennial Parliament that I thought would be fraenum or flagrum to all corrupt men but when wee understood that there was an Act for the continuation of this Parliament we had greater cause of rejoycing because by this meanes yee have opportunity to perfect those things which other Parliaments could but propound begin being sundry times broken up before they could do any considerable service for their Countrey God forbid that that high Court which is now established by a law should ever be dissolved by the sword Peace peace be unto you and to your Helpers your God helpeth you He grant that yee may prosper and triumph in his Name and praise untill yee have finished the worke which he hath given you to doe which is and shall be the prayer of Westminster Octob. 30. 1645. The unworthiest of your spirituall Servants S A GIBSON ERRATA PAge 4. line 11. leave out Ezra and p. 10. l. 19. leave out as p. 13. l. 13. for though read enough line 14. read God shall be glorified A SERMON PREACHED before the Honourable House of COMMONS at the monethly publick Fast Septemb. 24. 1645. 2 SAM. 17. 14. For the Lord determined to defeat the good Counsell of Ahithophel that he might bring evill upon Absalom AS Kings have their Counsellors to assist them in the Government of their Kingdoms in peace and war so Absalom making himself a King had his Councell of War to help him to manage his Rebellion and to advance his wicked designe against his Father First he sent for Ahithophel who perfidiously deserted his Master the Lords Anointed and cleaved to his rebellious Sonne After Hushai Dâ—vids friend by Davids advice came in to him who did better service for him when he was amongst his enemies than he could have done if he had continued with him Ahithophel began first and delivered his opinion of David and his company that they were weak and weary and he offers to goe against him with twelve thousand men and to surprize him and take away his life and this his counsell was well liked at the first but after Ahithophel had spoken Absalom desired to heare Haâ—cats opinion and advice also who rejecteth Ahithophels counsell yet modestly with respect to his place and parts and delivereth his opinion contrary that Davids men were not so weak as he thought but mighty and in wrath which is the whetstone of fortitude as a beare c. and for military skill he was no novice now to learne that but an old experienced Souldier and therfore would not so easily be found and that there might be great danger if some of Absaloms men were slain others would faint and fly and therefore his counsell was that they should goe stronger not with twelve thousand but rather gather all Israel from Dan to Beersheba and that Absalom should goe himself in person to countenance the war and animate the Souldiers and then which way soever David took for his safetie they should be able to finde him and overcome him and all his company and not leave a man of them alive When Absalom and his party heard this they generally approved it as the better way and preferd Hushai's counsell before Ahithophels Absalom and all Israel c. And in the words which I have read the reason is rendred of this their unanimous approbation of it For the Lord determined to defeat the good counsell of Ahithophel that he might bring evill upon Absalom And thus yee see the occasion and coherence and summe of the words They hold forth unto us two things specially First Gods action Secondly Gods intention His act was the defeating of Ahithophels counsell his intention was to bring evill upon Absalom the one made way for the other and after the intention soone followed execution he did bring evill upon him and his partakers That which is translated determined is in the Originall commanded and so in the Greek
the end for which the Lord defeated the counsell of Ahithophel that is that he might bring evill upon Absalom which was both the end of the worker and of the worke I might hence deliver That God will surely bring evill upon those that doe evill but then I should enter into a large field and now I have not time to expatiate so much I shall therefore keepe me to that which is punctually pertinent to the Text and to the present occasion and the point is this That God will finde a time and way to bring evill upon those that rise up against the righteous and are the authors and fomentors of an unjust war and that without respect of persons Absalom for birth was the son of a King and one of the best Kings that ever reign'd for person he was extraordinary in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for beautie from the sole of his foot even to the crowne of his head there was no blemish in him for his attendance it was Prince like he had chariots and horses and fifty men to run before him for fair carriage and winning behaviour he exceeded other Princes to ingratiate himself with the people so as he was the Favourite of Israel but aspiring to be King before his time and to drive his wicked designe raising an unjust war in Israel God determined to bring evill upon him and did it coming forth to battle against David in his own person God so ordering it that riding under an Oke his head light within a thick bough so as he could not get it out again and the beast he rode on going away he hung between heaven and earth till Davids servants came and smote him dead Behold the judgement of God upon him for his wickednesse the tree caught him the Mule left him Joab darted him the young men slew him the company earth't him and there lay Absalom the young man Absalom his Highness beautifull Absalom in a deep pit with a great heap of stones cast upon it Ahithophel was his Counsellor and fomented the war to make way for that which he intended against Absalom God defeated his counsell which Ahithophel so took to heart that thereupon he went home and hanged himself and there lay Ahithophel with a halter about his neck The Israelites that took part with Absalom were routed and slaine and there lay 20000 of them dead corpses the sword devoured them and the wood devoured more than the sword and though Amasa escaped in the battell and was after spared through Davids clemency yet he was soone cut off by the deadly hand of Joab who smote him under the fifth rib and shed out his bowels on the ground and there lay the Generall Sheba also after this being seditious and rebelling against David they soone took from him his head and cast it over the wall Saul rising up against him unjustly when he was his servant and pursuing him without cause he came to an ill end and Doeg and other of his enemies that incensed Saul against him and Sauls house after warring against him God cut them off also one after another Ishbosheth and Abner c. Not to speak of heathen Kings and Armies that warred against Israel and fell before them of which yee may read frequently in the Scripture it came thus to those that caused civill warres in Israel Adonijah exalting himself to prevent Salomon it was to his owne ruine and theirs that were his abettors The Benjamites would protect abominable Delinquents and rather take armes against all Israel than deliver those wicked men that Justice might be done upon them and evill taken away but they paid deare for it in the end it cost many thousands of them their lives and in a manner the whole Tribe was cut off through the just judgement of God upon them in so much as the Israelites bewaild the breach Jeroboam rebelling against the house of David in Abiiab his time though he had the ods by far for number of men 800000 against 400000 he was overthrowne and it is just with God that it should be so First Because of their unthankfulnesse to him when they are not content with their estate but seek to advance it by unlawfull meanes and the better their condition the greater their ingratitude Ahithophel lived well enough under David in great esteeme and could not serve a better Master Absalom lived like a Prince his Father was at first but a Shepheard that follow'd the Ewes great with young and yet he was not content but would be greater by violence And as no Son had a more indulgent Father so no people had a better King than David He fed them according to the integritie of his heart and guided them with the skilfulnesse of his hands and therefore it was execrable ingratitude in them all to rise up against him and they were worthy to suffer all they suffered and more and so others that take the sword without a just cause and calling Secondly The Lord loveth the righteous and is ingaged to them and being Judge he will favour their righteous cause and doe justice upon those that molest them Thirdly War is of all evils of this life the greatest the first of those foure judgements mention'd in Ezekiel and civill warres are worse than forein and tend to the ruine of the State and Kingdome hence called The great evill experience sheweth that in time of war houses and townes are set on fire and many persons and families impoverished and undone and Counties desolated and therefore the authors and fomentors of civill warres are of all ill members and instruments the worst and no punishment is too much for them Fourthly Their fall and destruction is furthered by the prayers of the righteous that call upon God in their trouble who will arise in due season and turne his hand against their enemies This sheweth what we may expect touching the authors and fomentors and promoters of the present wars in this Land It is written by a forein Writer that there were never civill Wars in England but the lot of mis-fortune so he expresseth it light upon the authors and fomentors of the warre and God is the same that he was and loveth righteousnesse and hateth iniquitie as much as ever he did he is the Lord of hosts and the God to whom vengeance belongeth and he will repay and render unto all men according to their workes The adversary party say they are for the King I answer If any should doe to the King as Ishbibenob did to David that would have slain him he were worthy to be commended that would do as Abishai did that succour'd him but who goeth about to take away the Kings life Secondly If any be for the King in a way for his good and the good of the Kingdome it were praise-worthy in them but many are for the