THough it be true that the Iudge of all the world muſt needs do rightGen. 18.25., and that hee who is of infinite maieſtie, power, and iuſtice, can do no leſſe then auenge himſelfe of ſinne and ſinfull men; yet ſuch is his patience and longanimitie, that now and then, as the wiſe man ſaith, diſſimulat peccata hominum Wiſd. 7., he diſſembleth and ſeemeth not to ſee the ſinnes of men. And as S. Auſtin obſerueth, there is not alwaies apertio oculorum, when as this God ſeeth with the open eie, and takes apparant notice of the miſchieuous practiſes of euill doers; but ſometime opertio, when he conſidereth (as I may ſo ſay) with the eie-lid, and appeares vnto the wicked as one that ſleepes, and winkes at their impieties.

Inſomuch that the crie of Sodome Gen. 18.25. came vp to the very gates of heauen ere he came downe to them: the wickedneſſe of the Amorites 13.16. was rotten ripe ere he began to launce; and the day of trouble and time Iſai. 22.15. prefixt expired, ere he proceeded in iudgment with the Princes of Iuda. And Shebna in my text by his many impieties and wicked machinations euen turned his patience into fury ere he ſent our Prophet vnto him to threaten his ruine. Till at length the ſinnes of Shebna began to crie, and the meaſure of his iniquitie waxed full, and the day of his trouble came; and then when hee thought himſelfe moſt ſtrong, and flouriſhed like the bay treePſal., when he dwelt in the cliffes of the rockeIer. 49.16., and kept the height of the hilles, and was (to vſe our Prophets words in the fiue and twentieth verſeIſai. 22.25. of this Chapter) as a naile faſtned in a ſure place, loe, euen then comes a fearfull meſage and moſt direfull prediction of his vtter ruine and deſtruction, Goe get thee vnto this Treaſurer, euen vnto Shebna which is ouer the houſe and ſay.

Which parcell of holy Writ may very well be intituled, The Downefull of Shebna. Occidit vna domus, ſed enim domus illa perire Digna fuit. For the better vnfolding wherof conſider with mee I beſeech you theſe three propoſals.

As touching the firſt, what this Shebna was; goe wee no further then to the title heere giuen him, and the bare ſignification of the name it ſelfe, wee ſhall finde, that as was his name, ſo was hee: for the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which our Engliſh renders Treaſurer, Muſculus. as Muſculus very well obſerueth, is not ſo much a name of office, as parentage: and he was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Socuite, from the Citie wherein hee was borne. Now the Verbe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 either ſignifieth to impoueriſh; ſo that Shebna as it ſhould ſeeme, was one that was giuen to wrong and hurt others, and ſet light hy all ſuch as had not relation to him, and fauoured his proceedings: and therefore among his other vices, which doubtleſſe were many and great (as you ſhall heare anon) the holy GhoſtIſa. 22.21. in the one and twentieth verſe of this Chapter, plalnly ſpecifieth the malice and ſpleene which hee bare vnto good Eliachim; and to regret and gall him the more, it is recorded as a parcell of his puniſhment, that whereas hee laboured to ſupplant Eliachim, and bring him into diſgrace with the Prince and State, Eliachim ſhould be aduanced, and that in Shebna roome: For with thy garments will I cloath him, and with thy girdle will I ſtrengthen him: thy power alſo will I commit into his hand, and he ſhall be a father of the Inhabitants of Ieruſalem, Iſai. 22.21. and of the houſe of Iudah.

Or elſe it ſignifies to entertaine, to warme and cheriſh. In which ſenſe it is vſed the firſt of Kings, the firſt Chapter, and ſecond verſe,1 Reg. 1.2. where it is ſaid that the ſeruants of Dauid perceiuing a decay of nature, and that his vitall heat was well-nigh ſpent, they brought a young Virgin vnto him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & ſit ei proficiens, foueat cum, let her cheriſh him. Which ſignification of the word if we will follow in this title, then wee may conceiue Shebna was a great feaſter, and by his reuelling and banquetting and royall entertainment and other his more ſecret practiſes indeered the loues and affections of the Aſſyrians and Aegyptians, but eſpecially of the falſe and hollow-hearted people and naturall ſubiects of Ezechia vnto him, in ſuch ſort, as that all men ſtood in awe of him.

Howſoeuer, certaine it is,Tacitus hist. 1. ſect. 13. he was a man of ſpeciall regard and eminencie in the common wealth: For though hee were an Aegyptian borne and a meere ſtranger to the Iewiſh nation, and a man who was beſides thoſe diſaduantages of birth and life: the one, being meane, baſe and obſcure, the other, lewd, wicked and vngodly, no way likely to riſe in ſo good and well ordered an eſtate, as this of Iudah.

Yet had he by ſome ſuch vertues, as Tacitus mentioneth in Tigellinus, Luxurie and Crueltie, and ſuch other their inſeparable companions, ſo humored the wicked King Ahaz, and by his fauour wrought himſelfe into ſuch place and generall imployment in the common wealth, as that Ezechiah, though hee were a good and a pious Prince, and without all queſtion made choiſe of his ſeruants thereafter, yet hee not onely continued Shebna in that preſent greatneſſe, whereunto Ahaz had aduanced him: But ſeconded what Ahaz had begun, and followed Shebna with many an addition and freſh ſupply of future fauour and preferment. For whereas there are but two courſes, which Princes generally take with ſuch as hold not correſpondence with them, either to diſgrace and caſheir them quite, or elſe to winne them by conferring fauors and honors vpon them: you haue many imbrace the former, and Dauid himſelfe though abuſed by a falſe and ſlandering fugitiue could hardly brooke Mephiboſheth: 2 Sam. 19.25. wherefore wenteſt not thou with me Mephiboſheth? Yet this good King tooke the faireſt and moſt charitable courſe, and heaped coales of fire vpon this wicked Shebna his head. And this will euidently appeare, if you will be pleaſed to take a view of the place which Shebna now held vnder Ezechiah, and of the great accompt which this good King made of him and of his ſeruice. For, to omit all buſie diſcourſe touching his office, whether he were Steward of the houſe, as ſome Writers reade: or as Iunius renders it, praefectus praetorio, one that had the ordering of the men of warre and marſhall affaires: or whether he were Scriba honorarius, principall Secretary, as the ſtorie hath it, the 2 of Kings at the 18. or,2 Kings 18. whether he were keeper of the Rolles, or, Maſter of Requeſts, as elſe-where our Prophet ſeemes to imply,Iſay 36.3. Iſaiah 36.3. wee may boldly reſt on this, that he was a prime man in that ſtate, and indeed raiſed to that height of honor, or at leaſt continued at that height of honor (vntill he deſerued the contrary) as that higher hee could not goe,Junius. euen ſo high quantum potuit eſſe viri ſaith one, as poſſibly a ſubiect could be capable of. He was ſecundus à Rege, the Kings right hand, and as it ſhould ſeeme by the deſcription of Eliachims power and authoritie, who ſucceeded Shebna both in place and greatneſſe,Iſay 22.22. he had the very key of Dauid, and bare ſuch ſway, as that all men ſought vnto him, all, euen from him that ſate vpon the throne, to him that grinded at the mill, relied on him: The King for aduice, the people for dependance, and there was no one thing done, either in Church or Common wealth, either at home or abroad, that Shebna was not priuy too: nay, ſuch accompt made Ezechiah of this one Shebna, and ſuch truſt and confidence he repoſed in him, as that when Zenacherib threatned the ruine and deſtruction both of Ezechiah and Ieruſalem, why, Shebna was a man, and a chiefe man ſent from Ezechiah to appeaſe Zenacherib and diuert him from his bloudy deſigne. In a word: when I conſider either the place that Shebna bare in the common wealth, or the good opinion ſhall I ſay? nay, the ſtrong confidence, truſt and repoſe, which Ezechiah had in him; mee thinks I heare Ezechiah ſpeake vnto Shebna as Pharaoh vnto Ioſeph, Gen. 41.40. Thou ſhalt be ouer mine houſe and of thy word ſhall all my people be armed, onely in the Kings throne will I be aboue thee. Gen. 41.40. Mee thinkes hee no leſſe reſpected him,Eſter 6.8. then Aſſuerus did Mordecay in the ſixt of Eſter at the 8 verſe: or Balthaſar him that could interpret the dreame Dan: 5.7. For,Dan: 5.7. Ecce (as Iunius hath it) Iehouah contegit to in tegumento, & amiciendo amicit te bellè. and what poſſibly can you name ſhould be done to the man whom the King would honor, that was not done to Shebna. Hee had honor, wealth, power, command, and which is equall, nay aboue all the reſt, hee had the fauor and good opinion of his Soueraigne, and what could the large and vaſte heart of any reaſonable ſubiect deſire more?

But O ignominia domus Domini! you would wonder to ſee how ſoone this baſe fellow and earthly meteor, but now drawne aloft by the beames of the Princes fauour, vaniſht; and how quickly his good ſeruice (as Lewis the XI. King of France was wont to ſay) vtterly vndid him (ſo that,Phil. de Com. lib. 3. quem vidit veniens dies ſuperbum, Hunc vidit fugiens dies iacentem.

For, Shebna looking vpon theſe bleſſings of God and fauors of his Prince, as Swine vpon maſte, neuer lifting vp his heart or entertayning ſo much as a thankfull thought from whence they fell, ſo exaſperated God the author and doner of them, that he ſeemeth here, as ſometime hee did vpon a ſerious view and conſideration of the old world, euen to repent that euer he made Shebna a man, or at leaſt ſo great a man; and therefore he ſends our Prophet here, and giues him in charge without any the leaſt delay or preadmonition whatſoeuer, to lay the axe vnto the roote of the tree and ſmite home.

But of Gods round and peremptorie dealing with Shebna, I ſhall haue occaſion to ſpeake, when I come to the puniſhment of his offence: I am yet come no further, then the qualitie of his perſon, what he was, a man, who kept all other in awe, a man, of royall entertainment: a man, of prime note and eminencie, a pillar of the ſtate, a patrone of the people, a fauorite of the King.

The vſe whereof may be that in the Pſalmiſt, Man being in honor hath no vnderſtanding, Pſal: 49.13. hee is like to beaſts that periſh. Pſal. 49.13. eſpecially that man that riſeth from a low and meane eſtate, none more inſolent, none more ingratefull, none greater deſpiſers of others, magnifiers of themſelues.

And it may ſerue to admoniſh ſuch as riſe from meane parentage, birth and eſtate, to looke vnto the rocke from whence they were hewen, and in all humilitie and hearty acknowledgment of Gods goodnes towards them, to carry themſelues fairely and reſpectiuely to others. Whereas ſuch is the impotencie and weakneſſe of many, that obſerue it when you will, you ſhall ſeldome ſee men baſe by birth, baſe by deſcent, baſe by education, but if once they get into the ſtirrup and climbe to any place of honour, preferment, meanes, command, why, preſently they begin to play the Shebna, and as the Poet ſaith of drunken men, and what greater drunkenneſſe then this of the minde? Tum veniunt riſus, tum pauper cornua ſumit. And this ſhall ſuffice to haue been ſpoken of the qualitie of his perſon, what he was. I come now by your good fauour, to the nature of his offence, what he did. Go get thee vnto this Treaſurer euen vnto Shebna which is ouer the houſe, & ſay. What was his offence. As touching the offence of Shebna, it will aske ſome time to finde it out, but being found out it will appeare to be a maruellous great one, no leſſe then Treaſon, a tranſcendent Treaſon, and euery way deſeruing the ſeuereſt puniſhment.

There are that haue taken great paines to finde out the ſinne of Shebna, and they ſticke not to charge him with arrogancie, vaine-glory, ſecuritie, contempt of God and his Prophets, exaction, extortion, oppreſſion, ſcandall, and bad example, with which, as one ſaith, hee did more hurt, then with all the reſt.

Cyrill deſcribeth him to be, elato animo, ſupercilioſum admodum ac ſaenum in eos à quibus erat offenſus, rapinis exultantem, ſordido quoeſtui mancipatum, oſtentabundum, & honores ab alijs ſemper venantem.

Whether Shebna were guilty of any one or all theſe, I will not ſay, but ſure I am when wee ſhall lay all theſe together, they will not make vp the full meaſure of Shebna his impiety, they will not amount to the offence of Shebna, ſomwhat elſe there was in all likely hood, which did exaſperate God ſo greatly againſt him.

If you pleaſe to goe no further then our Prophets commiſſion here, to the very words of my text, it will appeare without any the leaſt ſtrayning, euen from the bare letter thereof, that there was another notorious ſinne in Shebna, beſides all thoſe which now were named, and that is his ſin of Hypocriſie, in that God ſaith here, Go get thee vnto this, this Treaſurer. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 where the particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is put for contempt ſaith Caluin. As if it had been ſaid. Goe get thee to this Cercops (as they called Iulian) to this ſubtle and wilie fox, to this Amphiſbaena, this two headed and double-hearted ſerpent Shebna. So that did we goe no farther then his hypocriſie, why here you ſee is fewell enough for Gods fierce and vnquenchable wrath to worke vpon. For we are but of yeſterday, and are ignorant. Inquire therefore I pray you of the former age, and call to minde ancient experiments, and they will tell you the guerdon and reward of an Hypocrite at the hands of Gods, did you euer ſee a ruſh grow without mire? or can the graſſe grow without water, though it were in greene, and not cut downe, yet it ſhall wither before any other hearbe: So are the paths of all that forget God, and the hypocrites hope ſhall periſh. His confidence alſo ſhall be cut off and his truſt ſhall be as the houſe of a ſpider. Iob 8. ver: 11.12.13.14.15. Hee ſhall leane vpon his houſe but it ſhall not ſtand: he ſhall hold him fast by it, yet ſhall it not indure. Loe here the reward of an hypocrite, and Shebna was an hypocrite: but yet this was not the ſinne of Shebna. Adde vnto his hypocriſie,Eſay 22.16. what we finde in the 16 verſe, to wit, his notorious ambition. In that Shebna being homo nouus, ignobilis, a meere ſtranger, and which is more an Aegyptian ſtranger, with whom neither Ezechiah himſelfe, nor any of his ſubiects ought to haue had the leaſt commerce, or entercourſe, and who by the law was excluded from all title of honour, or place of gouernment in that common wealth; yet notwithſtanding this ſtranger, this Aegyptian, this Shebna, preſumed to ranke himſelfe with the bloud royall, the nobles and princes of Iudah, and omitted no one point of pompe and magnificence, whereby he might ſupport himſelfe in the eyes of the world during his naturall life, and that once ended aeternize his name among them for euer. And therfore our Prophet begins with him as Achilles with that brauing and cracking 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,Homer: Iliad • . after a round and rough manner, by way of high indignation and great diſdaine, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ? quis vnde hominum es? What hast thou to doe heere? And whom haſt thou heere? that heere of all other coaſts and countries, where thou haſt leaſt intereſt, and canſt not intitle thy ſelfe to any the leaſt clod of earth, that heere I ſay, thou ſhouldeſt prepare and erect ſo rich and ſo ſumptuous a tombe in ſo high and eminent a place aboue others.

Adde vnto his Ambition, verſ. 18. his Ingratitude in the 18 verſe, where our Prophet calls ignominia domus Domini, the ſhame and ſcandall and diſhonour of his Lord and Maſter: now, ingratum dixeris, omnia dixeris, there is no fault, no vice whatſoeuer, but you ſhall finde it more or leſſe in an vngratefull perſon, and Shebna was ingratefull, but yet this was not now the ſinne of Shebna.

Adde therefore I pray you one ſinne more, and then we ſhall come neere the ſinne of Shebna: and that is, the vnreconcileable hatred, deſpite, enuy, detraction, wherewith he daily and hourely hunted, and perſecuted honeſt and harmeleſſe Eliachim, ſtill whiſpering and buſſing in the eares of the King, ſome infamous ſlander or vnchriſtian ſurmiſe, whereby he might bring innocent Eliachim in diſgrace both with Prince and people, as we may gather out of the 20. verſe. O this is a ſinne of all ſinnes!verſ: 20. when a curſed Belial and ſlandering Shebna ſhall hate goodneſſe in any for no other reaſon but becauſe he will hate, when hee ſhall carry a throat as wide as an open ſepulchre, and tip his tongue with the poyſon of Aſpes, when hee ſhall bend his bow and make ready his arrowes, of detractrion, malice, ſlander, reports, ſuggeſtions, lies, and all to deuoure poyſon, and ſhoot ſecretly (Lord into their ſecret let not my ſoule come) at the ſimple and vpright of life, and that when his furie is ouer, his paſſion ſetled and he come vnto himſelfe, neither he nor the deuill that ſet him a worke is able to ſay, what hath the righteous done? O this is one and a principall one, of thoſe peccata clamantia, which as they oft-times pierce the tender hearts of Gods deare children, (the more their weakneſſe and want of true Chriſtian fortitude) ſo do they with all importunitie knocke at the gates of heauen, and crie aloud for Gods heauy and vnſupportable vengeance on the doers of them. And thus haue yee at length a liſt of Shebnaes foule ſinnes and offences. Shebna was an hypocrite, Shebna was ambitious, Shebna was ingratefull, Shebna was enuious and giuen ouer to thoſe crying ſinnes of detraction, ſupplanting, ſlandering, lying, and what not, but yet we haue not named the ſinne of Shebna, the particular capitall crime, the predominant ſinne of Shebna which awaked Gods iuſtice and prouoked him thus in all ſeueritie to proceed againſt him. For all theſe which but now I named, hypocrifie, ambition, ingratitude, enuy, why they were rather peccata hominum, peccata Iudaeorum, then any appropriated ſinnes of Shebna, they were ſinnes incident to the corrupt nature of man: familiar to the people of the Iewes and cannot by way of denomination be termed the ſinnes of Shebna. Inſita est mortalibus naturâ, ſaith he, men by nature are wholy giuen to taxe and maligne vertue and goodneſſe in others & pari dolore aliena commoda, ac proprias iniurias metiri and to take other mens benefits and bleſſings as much to heart as their owne proper iniuries. But eſpecially the Iewes, no people, no nation ſo giuen ouer to hypocriſie, ambition, ingratitude and enuy as the Iewes.

Beſides, it is worth the noting, that God proceedeth after another faſhion with the Princes of Iudah, and the reſt of the inferiour ſort of people, and puniſheth their offences in another kinde, as he that will peruſe the former part of this Chapter may eaſily perceiue, and I as eaſily ſhew you, could I now ſtay. But when he cals to minde the ſinne of Shebna, he bids our Prophet addreſſe himſelfe to Shebna in particular, as vnto a ſupereminent notorious offender aboue all the reſt: Goe get thee vnto this Treaſurer, euen vnto Shebna, which is ouer the houſe, and ſay. It was not then his hypocriſie, it was not his ambition, nor yet his ingratitude, no nor yet his enuie: it was a ſinne of a deeper die, accomcompanied I grant you with all theſe, but yet not any one of all theſe.

And that was his ſinne of Treaſon. Shebna was a Traitor, patriae proditor, which (as one ſaith) comes à prodendis conſilijs hoſtibus: ſo that Shebna (as I verily thinke) reuealed both arcana dominationis & domus, ſecrets of State, and ſecrets of Court, and moſt treacherouſly combined to betray Ezechiah and Ieruſalem into the hands of a profeſſed enemie and atheall miſcreant Zenacherib, as hoping forſooth that when once Zenacherib ſhould be veſted in the Throne of Iudah, he would thinke on Shebna, and make him King ouer his owne Countrey at the leaſt. And this I take to be the ſinne of Shebna. As for thoſe other ſinnes, I make no doubt but Shebna had of a long time nouriſhed them, and God might ſay vnto him as it is in the Pſalmiſt,Pſal. 49.21. Haec feciſti & tacui: Theſe things haſt thou done, Shebna, and I held my peace. But when once he committed the ſinne of treaſon, then was it high time for God, who as the ſonne of Siracke ſaith, patient est etiam & redditor, Wiſdome. to come downe and viſit Shebna with a rod of iron.

Shebna then was a Traitor, his offence Treaſon, nay, I added more, a tranſcendent Treaſon: For looke vpon the moſt hainous Treaſons and bloudie aſſaſſinats in the bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iudah, and other faithfull ſtories in the word of God, you ſhall finde ſomewhat that will leſſen them, and giue occaſion of extenuation. In all of them you ſhall obſerue that fleſh and bloud will haue ſome Sanctuarie to flie vnto; and an indulgent obſeruer will eaſily inuent arguments to mitigate, if not quite to purge the fouleneſſe of each offence. But Shebna his treaſon was ſo dangerous and inexcuſable, that it will admit of no extenuation.

In the ſecond of Eſter you ſhall reade of a dangerous treaſon attempted by Bigthan and Tereſh, Eſter 2. vpon the body of an annointed King, the King Aſſuerus; where, if we looke vpon the authors of the treaſon, it was very dangerous and inexcuſable: for what could not theſe miſchieuous villaines doe, that were Squires of the body, and had the life and being of the King in their owne cuſtodie? But yet if wee caſt our eie vpon the obiect of their treaſon, why ſurely it extended no farther, neither had they any other obiect, then the bare life only of Aſſuerus at the moſt.

In the third of that booke you ſhall finde recorded a barbarous maſſacre intended by Haman againſt the perſon, not of one or two, but euen of Mordecay and the people of Mordecay. Heere now if you looke narrowly vpon the latitude of the obiect, Mordecay and all the Iewes, verily the crueltie of mercileſſe Haman can no way be extenuated: but yet if you will ſearch a little farther, and enquire after the end he propoſed vnto himſelfe, we cannot ſay that the life of his liege Lord, or that the welfare of the proper inhabitants of that Countrey, or that the preſeruation of the ſtate wherein he liued, and whereof hee was a principall member, was any way put in hazard: onely Mordecay and certaine Iewes diſperſed vp and downe thorowout the Kings prouinces were aimed at.

In the ſecond of Samuel at the 15 we haue ſtoried a foule and vnnaturall treacherie of Abſolon againſt his father Dauid; 2. Sam. 15. where if we marke well the end he propoſed vnto himſelfe, to wit, the vſurpation of the Kingdome, or the meanes he vſed for the atchieuing of this his end, namely by ſtealing away the hearts of the people, ſollicitando, pollicitando, (as Simo chargeth Crito in the Comedie) feeding their fanſies with affable geſtures and faire promiſes, by getting armes and militarie forces into his hands, by quarrelling the execution of iuſtice and courſe of gouernment, by deluding his father with a pretence of performing his vow, and the more free ſeruing of God, and a world of ſuch like traiterous lies and deuices, nothing can be ſaid for it. But yet if you will weigh the iſſue and euent which in probabilitie muſt needs haue followed, you will not thinke it ſo hainous: for the worſt that can be ſaid or feared, was but the change of a Prince, of the father for the ſonne, of an old for a new: the Law ſhould haue remained the ſame, the Religion the ſame, the gouernment the ſame, and there would haue enſued little or no inuerſion, much leſſe euerſion of the ſtate. So that in all theſe, though dangerous and inexcuſable treaſons and murders in themſelues, yet ſomewhat there is that a man partially affected may picke out to alleadge, if not for defence, yet for excuſe and extenuation of them. But Shebna his treaſon heere is like a ſtrong poiſon compoſed of whatſoeuer was moſt bad in the worſt of theſe. And it was dangerous and inexcuſable, not onely in regard of the author, as that of the Eunuches; nor yet of the obiect, as that of Hamans; nor yet of the end and meanes which he vſed, as that of Abſolon: but in all theſe reſpects, both of author, obiect, end, euent, euery way.

Firſt then, it was dangerous and inexcuſable in regard of the author who committed it, Shebna.

And heere I muſt intreat you to conceiue of Shebna not as now we finde him, diſmantled and detected by our Prophet, but as then he was when he firſt hatched and conceiued this treaſon. For conſpiracies and treaſons are like ſparkes of fire, which in the darke and deepe hearts of Traitors glitter, and are lightſome, probable, and very likely to take effect: but when as they Sunne ſhines on them, and that they are diſcouered, they fall to aſhes. Euery childe can paſſe a iudgement vpon the euent and ſucceſſe of a deſigne. But we muſt not thinke Traitors ſo fooliſh as the euent, or rather God (whoſe glorie it is to raine ſnares, fire and brimſtone, Pſal. 11.6. and ſtormie tempeſt vpon the miſchieuous machinations of treacherous wretches) in the euent and concluſion makes them. He replied with great indignation, when led to the Tower a friend told him, Ah my Lord, I am ſorry you had no more wit: Tuſh (quoth he) thou knoweſt not what thou ſaieſt; When ſaweſt thou a foole come hither?

And you ſhall neuer reade of any treaſon, eſpecially ſuch a compleat treaſon as this of Shebnaes, but it was attempted by ſuch as were great promiſers vnto themſelues, confident of their wit, ſecure of the ſucceſſe, and ſuch as made no more difficultie to effect then to affect a treaſon: and ſuch a one was Shebna. Wherefore let vs take Shebna as hee was when he firſt plotted and contriued this treaſon, and then tell me if he carried not the matter dangerouſly, if hee did not as much a any man of his ſpirit and working diſpoſition could haue done for the vtter ouerthrow of Ezechiah and the whole Land of Iudah.

For firſt, he tooke the ſame courſe that all deepe Traitors euer haue and will take, whoſe manner is to pretend one thing, when in heart they intend another; and like Lapwings, to flutter moſt and crie loudeſt, when they are fartheſt from their neſt; or with bote-men, to looke one way, and row another.

Thus to omit all forraine inſtances, whereof there is no ſtorie ſo barren, but it hath ſtore and plentie, thus I ſay the Traitor Digbie pretends a match of hunting, while his heart lay among the crowes of iron, the piles of billets, and barrels of pouder in the nethermoſt vault. Thus Parry, more to prepare acceſſe and credit, then for any care had of her Maieſties perſon, the late Queene Elizabeth of euer bleſſed memorie, came to the Court, praied audience, diſcouered the coniuration, but yet (as himſelfe confeſſed) couered with all the skill he had, hee diſcloſed only ſo much as hee thought good and neceſſarie to ground in her Highneſſe a ſetled confidence towards him, whereby hee might effect his traiterous intent with better opportunitie, and his owne ſafetie.

Right ſo, Shebna tenders his ſeruice to the King his Maſter, ioines in commiſſion with Eliachim and Ioah, parlies with Rabſhakeh chiefe Coronell of Zenacheribs hoſt, laieth out an huge ſumme of money vpon a coſtly and glorious Tombe, and all to diuert the obſeruation of the ſtate, and beare them in hand he minded nothing more then to liue and die amongſt them, when notwithſtanding hee held intelligence with the enemie, and vnder theſe pretences tooke the more libertie to play the profeſſed Traitor, and recommend his loue and ſeruice to Zenacherib.

Againe, Shebna was not alone, he was not ſingular and ſelfe-conceited: it is probable a great part of the people (for the leaudeſt men, Tacit. ſaith Tacitus, miſdoubting the preſent, and fearing the change, prepare before hand friends) they alſo held it ſafeſt to doe as Shebna did, and cloſe with Zenacherib, as being perhaps animated thereunto partly by the ſubmiſſion of Ahaz, who had ſworne fealtie and homage to Tiglath Pileſer King of Aſhur, 2. Reg. 16.7. the ſecond of Kings, the ſixteenth chapter and ſeuenth verſe: and partly alſo by the diſhonourable carriage of Ezechiah himſelfe, who vpon the firſt aſſault, brake out into a moſt baſe and vnbeſeeming acknowledgement, I haue offended, depart from mee, and what thou laieſt vpon me I will beare it: the ſecond of Kings, 2. Reg. 18.14. the eighteenth.

And now I pray helpe me. Wherein tro you lay Ezechiahs ſtrength, or what was there in Ezechiah, or the fence and munition of Iudah, that could encourage any man of that experience and vnderſtanding that Shebna was, to ſtand out againſt Zenacherib? Lay it in the multitude of his people? Zenacherib had two for one. Lay it in their firme adherence and conſtancie? which is the chiefeſt thing a King can take comfort in in the time of w •• re, where, as Dauid ſaid, the ſword deuoureth the one as well as the other, the ſecond of Samuel, the eleuenth; and where,2. Sam. 11.25. as Hannibal in Liuie tels vs, nuſquam minus euentus ſolent reſpondere, only if the people be firme and conſtant, and carrie themſelues like loyall and louing ſubiects, ther's ſome comfort. But alas who knoweth not populi mobilem animum, & fi ſe ducem prabniſſet Zenacherib, as hee ſaith of Ʋeſpaſian, they would haue borne the ſame affection and demonſtration of loue and loyaltie to Zenacherib, which now they made ſhew of to Ezechiah: it being true of the common people in generall, that they doe nothing vpon iudgement or any true meaning, but vpon a receiued habituall kinde of timorouſneſſe to ſway with the Prince whatſoeuer hee be; eſpecially of this people, who were as timorous as Harts, and as wauering as the winde: and therefore vpon a ſlighter occaſion, and leſſe danger, the Prophet ſaith, all were ouertaken with ſuch aſtoniſhment, that none could hold a ioint ſtill, but quiuered and trembled like ſo many aſpen leaues, Iſay. 7.2. As alſo in the originall ſtorie it ſelfe,Iſay 7.2. 1. Reg. 18. and in our Prophet at the 36. chapter you ſhall finde that Ezechiahs Embaſſadors craued this as an eſpeciall fauour of Rabſhekeh, that hee would not ſpeake vnto them in the Iewes tongue in the audience of the people that were on the wall, becauſe they were naturally mutable, ſaith Caluin, and inconſtant, and ſuddenly drawne to reuolt. So that had Zenacherib ſped and got the vpper hand, there was no doubt but the common people illa ipſa diceret hora Auguſtum. Adde heereunto the greatneſſe of Shebnaes place and power to doe miſchiefe, being (as was ſaid) praefectus praetorio, or principall Secretarie, and therefore priuie to all the ſecrets of State, thoſe arcana Imperij, and might giue Zenacherib perfect intelligence. Adde his ſtrength of wit to inuent miſchiefe, and ſecure himſelfe: his knowledge of the State, how weake and vnable to reſiſt: the opportunitie he now had (being the only man of truſt, Eliachim and Ioah excepted) to deale with the enemie.

And laſtly this plauſibleneſſe with the people, being (as Iunitus cals him) fautor & magiſter impiorum, and (as in all good confirmation we may gheſſe) pullus & puppus, the minion and darling of the multitude. So that though hee entred into a deſperate peece of ſeruice, where his life and honour and all lay at ſtake, yet hee did nothing but what hee ſaw and knew they would ſecond.

And now tell me whether this were not a dangerous treaſon, if we goe no farther then the author, who you ſee had made all ſo ſure, that it was euen tempus faciendi Domino, high time for God to put his helping hand; otherwiſe the power of Zenacherib without, the inconſtancie of the leauder ſort of people within, conſidered, Shebna went as neere as the wit of a man, actuated by the deuill himſelfe, the author of all miſchieuous ſubtiltie and deepe deuices, could goe, to compaſſe the ruine and deſtruction, not of one Aſſuerus, or a Mordecay, and thoſe of his Religion; but of his liege Lord and maſter Ezechiah, and the whole Land of Iudah.

Heere now the obiect and the latitude of the obiect much aggrauates Shebna his treaſon.

For Shebna aimed not at the ruine of a priuate man, which had beene bad and inexcuſable, ſith (as one ſaith) domeſtica & familiaris Deo eſt hominis natura: and quicunque effuderit humanum ſanguinem, Gen. 9.6. per hominem fundetur ſanguis illius: Geneſis 9.6.