I. Let us enquire what are those wicked works which bring Judgment on the Acters of them. And here we may possibly find something that matcheth our present case.

1. The subverting and ruining Religion was one: A Crime so evidently practised, that not the All-seeing God only, but all the World might behold it. God at the Institution of Monarchy, took care to secure Religion, and therefore enjoins, That the Deut. 17 18, 19. King should write himself a Copy of the Law, and meditate therein, that he might remember to fear the Lord his God. It being imposible to imagine, that God should delegate a power to any Man against himself, or give leave that those who were his chief Tru­stees in the World should contemn him and his Insti­tutions: But we find that all this went for nothing in those days, but as for Religion, it was either neglected, or prophaned, or almost ruined. Neg­lected it was sufficiently, when neither King, [Page 4] Courtiers, nor People so much as enquired at the Ark, 1 Chron. 13. 3. during that Reign, nor minded so much as to bring it to the Tabernacle at Shiloh, but it must remain in the House of Abinadab, for them to enquire at that 1 Sam. 7. 1. had a mind to it: None sacrificed now before it, nor any waited on the Worship of him whom it represented, and whose Name it bore; and here­in Religion was much abated. But had this been all, it had been but little, but worse follows, Re­ligion is also Prophaned, and that in an high an enormous manner: As we hear nothing of sacri­ficing on the Altar before the Ark, so we find an Invasion of the Priests Office, and a Sacrifice offer­ed by one of another Tribe; and this without any Commission, or (for ought appears) any Altar; No, not so much as one of whole stone, which was allowable in necessity; for Saul him­self will take that Office upon him, To offer a burnt-offering; 1 Sam. 13. 9. and as great a Prophanation as it was, he can justifie it too, that He was forced to it. But Ver. 12. as one sin hardens a Man to the Commission of ano­ther, so we find in his rage he will venture far­ther. Samuel had begun to settle the Priests in their 1 Chro. 9. 22. set Office, which David after confirmed: Now the Priests being by Divine Direction and Appoint­ment fixed in their Office, they might not de­scend to inferiour Services, though about the Ta­bernacle. The Gibeonites having forfeited their Li­berty [Page 5] by their fraud, were given to the Priests, To be hewers of wood, and drawers of water, for the use of the Tabernacle, that the Sacrifices might be washed and offered, and that the Priests might wash them­selves and offer: But Saul will make a blow at Religion, and slay the Gibeonites, and so necessitate 2 Sam. 21. 1, 2. the Priests and Levites to break the Order that God had newly placed them in, and do that Drudgery themselves, or else the Worship of God must stand neglected. But still there is worse be­hind, a most desperate Act he will commit, and murder a whole City of Priests at once, upon the single Evidence of a Godless Informer: Doeg's Word must be taken, being Evidence for the King, 1 Sam. 22. 17, 18, 19. against all the City of Nob, and the honest and just defence of the accused must stand for nothing; yea, and rather then fail, he will empower a wretch­ed Edomite to butcher them; this was highly wic­ked; but when it was done, Nob and its Suburbs might serve for a seminary of others, fitter for his turn. Now when all this was done against Reli­gion, and so fatal a blow given it, what wonder if God's Jealousie waxed hot against him.

2. Prophaneness and Irreligion was countenanced to the uttermost: It doth not appear that there were any who took care of maintaining true Re­ligion, but whoso would might do in that as he listed. As for Prophaneness, what it was, and [Page 6] how great, may be collected by this, that the best were least esteemed, and the worst most set by: Therefore if Honest and Religious Jonathan shall but open his Mouth in the behalf of innocent Da­vid, presently he must bear reviling Language for it, and have a javelin let fly at him, to kill him. As for 1 Sam. 20. 30, 33. consulting any of God's own Prophets, little care was taken to consult them, that he might be di­rected by them from the Mouth of God. If one come to him on a Message from God, to send him on a Journey against his Enemies, His voice must 1 Sam. 15. 18, 19. not be obeyed: But if an Informing Company set him agog against his best Subjects, He blesseth them for it. And thus God stands neglected, his Ene­mies Ch. 23. 19, 20. 21. spared, his Servants hunted from post to pil­lar, and feretted out of all lurking Places, in order to their utter ruine: No Crime is so great as theirs, who get Esteem for their Fidelity to their God and Country, in vexing, routing and slaying the Phi­listines; for though the Land fare the better for it, and the People are secured, and Property more quietly enjoyed; yea, God's Honour advanced in the destruction of Idolaters; yea, it vexeth Saul at the heart, that all this should be done by the hands of ho­nest Men, and thereby a Value for the honest Patri­ots of their Countrey encreased: Doubtless the suc­cess against the Lords Enemies, by the hands of those whose Hearts were right towards God, would in [Page 7] time beget an high value for Religion, and set it above the Disadvantages that the Neglect of it and Debauchery had brought it under. This enrages Hell it self, and sets Satan to work to tempt Saul to suppress them, least his Interest thereby do de­cline, and he be a Loser: To secure therefore his Interest, he sets him on to neglect the Prophets of God, and also to enquire at his Familiars, and so directly to adore and consult him, and he succeeds 1 Sam. 28. 14. accordingly. And this, added to the rest of his wic­ked and irreligious Life and Practice, is so hainously provoking, that he dyeth for it. 1 Chron 10. 13.

3. The destroying of all just Property was another great and hainous sin that was committed: The very Notion of Tribute implieth Property, or else it could not be paid; for those that pay it must have something to call their own, or else they could not pay it, nor be supposed capable of pay­ing it. Certainly in the first peopling of the World, God gave the Earth and its Products to the Children of Men: And however peaceable the first Planters were in making the Division, and however contented they were with a competent portion, yet even then the first possession created a Title, and it was gross Injury to any to be an Incroacher upon his Neighbour. But in the pos­session of Canaan, the Divisiion was made by Di­vine Direction, and the Lot determining the pos­session [Page 8] of each Tribe, and the several Families must be supposed to come by their portions and shares the same way: Therefore when God in­stituted Monarchy, he set bounds to it, that The King should not greatly multiply silver and gold to him­self, Deut. 17. 17. as his own peculiar part, by taking it arbi­trarily from the people; and so every Man's own was secured to him, the King having his Due of Tribute and Custom, and the People theirs. But in Saul's Reign this was invaded, and what the People had he would make his own at Will and Pleasure, Taking the best of their fields, and of their Vineyards, &c. 1 Sam. 8. 14, 15. and this was by him so ordinarily practiced, that he useth this as an Argument to perswade his Fol­lowers to stedfastness, because if they should cleave to David, his Reign would be so just, As that he would not give them other Mens fields and vineyards, and 1 Sam. 22. 7. make them Commanders as he did. It seems, it was not enough for him to take what he would to him­self, but to give away what was anothers to his Flatterers and Informers, that were over obsequi­ous to his boundless Inclinations: But how much this profitted him, appears by this, that he whose illimited, insatiate appetite, gaped for all, was quick­ly rejected, and lost all.

4. The enslaving of Men was another provoking sin: God that challenged the Israelites to be his Ser­vants, and therefore rescued them from being Pha­raoh's [Page 9] Slaves, was not willing to have them after­ward Bond-men to any: So that if an Hebrew, or an Hebrewess, had sold themselves to any, (through Po­verty) they were to serve but to the Sabbatical Year, and then to be set at liberty, and to be libe­rally furnished also with all necessaries, that they might Deut. 15. 14. set up for themselves upon a probable Fund, the product of which might maintain them, so as not again to be Slaves. And for this reason, when the Jews had made their Servants free, but compelled them again to be Servants, after they were manu­mitted, God takes it so hainously, that he punisheth their Masters, By proclaiming liberty to them, to the Jer. 34. 17. sword, to the famine, and to the pestilence, and to be slain by all the Nations of the Earth. And so tender a point was this, that even Solomon when he build­ed the Temple, would make none of the Israelites do any part of the drudgery about it as Captives; but they 1 Kings 9. 22. were employed in the more generous and liberal part of that work: So that liberty, and a right to Life, Limb and Freedom, was not to be infringed by any arbitrary pretence whatsoever. All this Saul was far from, and he would take whom he pleased to be his Slaves and Drudges in his Busi­ness; even their Young Men to ear his Ground, and dress his vineyards, and their Daughters to be Cooks and Con­fectionaries, 1 Sam. 8. 11, 12, 13. &c. and this it seems was familiar with him: But what this cost him, is evident, he had [Page 10] made others slaves to him, and he makes himself a slave to his own Passions; and when all failed, would even pay Homage to the Infernal Spirit, for a little dreadful News of the Event of the Battle he was to fight, and in which he was slain. This was the Reward of Tyranny.

5. Lastly, The laying snares for the Life of the In­nocent, and shedding blood without remorse or pitty, is another very hainous sin that will bring on Judgment: No man but hath a right to life and limb, unless upon the breach of some Law he for­feit them; therefore to mutilate, or execute with Death any man unconvicted of the breach of the Law, is Cruelty and Tyranny. But this was Saul's practice, David must be slain in an humour, when his melancholy Devil instigates him, who in a lucid Interval is owned to have done nothing worthy of Death, but in his Humours he must be Assassi­nated 1 Sam. 19. 11. by Ruffians, without Trial or Conviction; Nay, even Jonathan, as near as he was to him, and as upright and innocent as he was, must in a rage be slain for speaking the truth, and sheltering an Innocent, whose Blood was hunted after: No matter for a fair Tryal, but give Sentence without proof or conviction, execute first, and then try after­wards. It must needs be a doleful case in any state, when the best and honestest must hold their Lives at the Courtesie of greedy Informers, who can [Page 11] swear thorough stitch, and are sure to be heard; but if any for the accused produce any good Evidence to invalidate their Testimony, they shall presently be secured for Subornation. Thus Saul could destroy a whole Township upon a Forreign Slave's Testimo­ny, who doubtless would have severely handled any that should have attempted to invalidate his Testimony. Thus of the sin that brought the Judgments.

II. Let us now enquire what might be the Pre­tences that were used, and under colour of which they were drawn to proceed in their Wicked­ness.

1. A Claim to Arbitrary Power and absolute Pre­rogative, was one main pretence to support this wickedness: There was this plausible Apology for their notorious Crimes, that the People had chosen a King without Limitation, and that there was no other tye, but that he come in, and go out before them, and fight their battles: On these terms they pre­sume to do what they list, and tho' for a while Saul give a deference to Samuel, yet at last he shakes him off, and rules at his own pleasure. Being thus broke loose from all Restraints and Limita­tions on the Peoples part, and having no one who having been a Judge, and neither dead nor deposed by God, might still arbitrate betwixt him and the [Page 12] People, he runs a full career into all Excesses, and Innocency was now the weakest shelter that might be. Indeed Flatterers of Princes, and Men of De­bauched and Irreligious, or Superstitious Consci­ences, will ring in their Ears the Power they are invested with, to spur them on to be Tools to their Profit or Revenge, that when Innocents fall they may gain by it.

2. Another pretence was, That the People were so tyed to subjection and obedience, as that on no pretence whatsoever they might withdraw it, or deliberate about what was enjoined; but with all readiness submit to what was enjoined, and obey all Pre­cepts whatsoever, without reserve: And for this un­natural Maxim there was this Colour, that at the first erecting of the Monarchy there was an abso­lute surrender of all to Will and Pleasure. How­ever this pretence carried it, both Prince and Peo­ple should so mind God's Institution, and have re­membred, that when he instituted Monarchy, he reserved Liberty as well as Religion and Property, and would not have the King so lifted up in heart Deut. 17. 20. by his Power, as to forget that the people were his brethren. And however Saul and the Israelites might over-look this, yet when Liberty and Property were surrendered, and no care taken for Religion by the People, God refuseth to stand to that Agree­ment, because, saith he, They have rejected me, that I 1 Sam. 8. 7. [Page 13] should not reign over them. Certainly there was a stipulation intended by God for the security of these things, and if the People blindly gave them away, or the Prince ambitiously and arbitarily as­sumed them, the People gave, and the Prince took more than was by God allowed to either. God never so far gave away his right to rule, as that Life, Liberty, Estate and Religion, should be held at the Pleasure and Courtesie of any Monarch: Nay, rather his Aim was at Publick Good and Safety, that the Prince should with all tender ju­stice carry them as a Nursing Father doth his sucking Numb. 11. 12. Child in his bosom: But this being wholly neglect­ed, God takes notice of it, and rewards it. Thus of the false Pretences, which drew on their wic­ked Works, and under colour of which they acted them.

III. Let us now see how God manifesteth his Ju­stice, in the Discovery and Punishment of these ne­farious Crimes. The Methods are these:

1. God leaves them to themselves: They had some general Assistance and Support, 'till Wickedness grew to that monstruous height, that Patience could bear no longer: But when once they prided it in their wretchedness, and thought forbearance to be an Approbation of their Wickedness, then he leaves them, and is pleased no more provi­dentially [Page 14] to concur with their Enterprizes. If Na­hash invade and besiege Jubesh-gilead, he shall have so much help as to gain an Honourable Victory, especially when he follows the Conduct and Ad­vice of Samuel, and Acts in conjunction with him: If the Philistines invade, and muster all their Forces in the Valley of Elah, and referr the matter to single Combatants to be decided, the Victory shall fall to him, whilst one that relieth on the God of Israel is his Champion: But when Samuel is grieved and alienated, and his Life sought for David's sake, 1 Sam. 19. 20. but preserved by extraordinary providence; and David is hunted about, and good Jonathan reviled and hated, then things prosper no longer: He hath now cast off God, and God leaves him to himself, nor will any more raise up any extraordinary Pro­phet to direct and instruct him; he may at his pe­ril try the skill of his Wizards, Genethliacks, Astro­logers, yet shall not their Schemes or Specters boad him any thing that is good, but he must fall in­to that sore Distress, as to tell the Infernal Spi­rit, That God hath forsaken him, and answereth him 1 Sam. 28. 15. no more: And this was an high expression of Divine Justice.

2. God shews his Justice in the frustration of their Purposes and Designs: Great things were design­ed to be done, David must be assassinated, or if he escape that, he shall never arrive at the Throne, [Page 15] and sit there in quiet and at rest: It must be buzzed into the Ears of all the credulous and easie vul­gar, that he is but the King's Son-in-law, and hath but a crack'd Title to the Throne, and this must be Argument good enough to engage all willing Desperadoes to attempt his ruine. And to make them the more ready to comply with this Design, a plausible Argument might have been fetched from the charge, that the reparation of Religion, and the Defence of it, would amount to. If the Ark remain­ed where it was, and the Altar and Tabernacle were left still at Shiloh, the matter would do well enough, these were the essentials of the Old Religion, and might suffice well enough to Salvation; but if a Temple must be prepared for it, it would cost many Millions, and the Land would pay dear for their New Religion: A frightful Argument this would seem to them that loved Money more than God or their Souls; but this shall not be successful. As to the Person of David, such Arguments shall not prevail, the People shall own him, and obey him, because Promotion cometh not from the east, nor Psal. 75. 6, 7. from the west, nor from the south, but God pulleth down one, and setteth up another. Nor shall it hinder the Reformation of Religion, for the People will fetch up the Ark with joy, and fix it in a lawful Ta­bernacle, till a Temple can be builded.

3. God shews his Justice in discovering their wic­kedness, [Page 16] and laying it open before the Sun, that the horror of it may convince and deter all. While sins are carried on in the dark, and disguises are found to cover them, Men sin securely, and conclude, that because the World doth not see, God will not. But when their sins are discovered, and the hain­ousness of them laid before the World, to their shame, then they find, That there is a God that judg­eth Psal. 58. 11. in the earth: They may plot against the righteous, and gnash on them with their teeth, but God shall laugh Psal. 37. 12, 13. at them, as foreseeing that their day is coming. Little thought Saul to hear of his sparing idolatrous and persecuting Amalek by a Witches Familiar, but he hath it told him with a vengeance, and Satan could tell him too, that as little as he thought of it, God would set David on the Throne, and esta­blish him in it. This was heavy Tydings, and the sense of God's being departed from him, and refusing to answer him, and the reproach of Hell it self for his former Enormities, strike him at the Heart, and he falls into a fainting swoon out of mere anguish.

4. The Justice of God is seen, in being an Ene­my to Wicked Workers, and fighting against them: It is not to be expected that God should be an Enemy to their Enemies, and an Adversary to their Adversaries, who forsake his Commandments, and practice the contrary. Would Men have him on [Page 17] their side, they must be stedfast on his; For God is 2 Chron. 15. 2. with us whilst we are with him, but if we forsake him, he will cast us off for ever: Whilst Saul acts by Samu­el's Direction, matters go pretty well with him, but when he stands upon his own Leggs, he reels and totters, his Spirit is in an hurry, betwixt anger and fear, and he is tossed with his own misgiving Ima­ginations; no honourable Exploit adorns his Go­vernment, but all goes on quite contrary, and at last he disgracefully falls upon his own Sword out of mere Despair. Behold now the Anguish he is in! He hath no Anchor-hold, nor any Expecta­tion of the favour of God, but a sad Indication of the contrary; the sound of a shaking leaf terrifi­eth him, and tho' his Army on Gilboa are Men resolved to fight, yet Many of them deserting, and go­ing 1 Chro. 12. 20. to David; and the rest having God against them, his Heart fails him, and a detestable Ama­lekite, whose countrey he had partly spared, doth him the last desired Office, to let out his despair­ing Soul out of his dying Body. And thus God manifested himself to be a God of Justice, and that so eminently that all might see it. Perhaps some Pretenders to Religion may blind their own Eyes, and when God's hand is lifted up will not see, Isa. 26. 10. but God may so far convince them, as to make them see, and be ashamed for their envy against his people, whom he delivers by their fall, whatever others will do [Page 18] is no great matter, all good Men are bound to take Notice of his Dealings, and to adore him ac­cordingly. And this brings me to the last thing to be enquired into.

IV. Let us now see, how God by his Ju­stice on wicked Men, gives cause of Praise to his faithful Servants. Now this is manifest these Ways,

1. By God's executing Justice on wicked Men, and by the return of their Wickedness upon their own Heads, makes way for the peace and security of his people, which is matter of Admiration and Praise. Upon the fall of Saul we hear no more of the en­couraging of Informers, nor any under an hazard for their adherence to God and his Ways: There is now all possible Encouragement given to those that will cleave to God, and none have any cause to complain of Grievances for Religion's sake; on­ly they who were Idolaters, or Apostates, find small Encouragement; but as for them, if they will complain, because they are straitned in their Desires, and fail of their Wishes, of having Idolatry promo­ted, let them grumble on: If God will rescue his from the Iron Hands of Persecutors, they have cause of Praise and Thansgiving to him. When Constantinus Chlorus reigned, and gave ease to the Christians in this our Nation, who lately suffered [Page 19] the most horrid torments under Dioclesian, how do the delivered Christians rejoice, That they were not thought Criminals for Religion, and that their Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 12. Churches were not defaced, nor they themselves per­secuted: But when his Son Constantine the Great reigned, and slew both Maxentius and Licinius, then they triumphed and rejoiced greatly; and that which administred cause of Joy, was, that they were at liberty, Religion in safety, and that God had glorified his Justice on the most bloody Per­secutors.

2. It is matter of Joy, That now a way is made for the propagation of Religion, and the further spread­ing of it in the world. When David was arrived at the Throne, he had indeed many Forreign Ene­mies, and very bloody but victorious Wars, but this made many become Proselytes to the Jews, and some Forreign Potentates became his Confede­rates. And certainly those that did so, did it not out of fear of his Conquering Arms, or to pre­vent being the next Morsel to his Ambition, but to confederate with him as the Captain of God's peculiar People: And that this is highly proba­ble, Hiram's granting so much Cedar, and so ma­ny Work men to the building of the Temple, be­cause he was ever a lover of David, is a clear de­monstration. And others also were not wanting to send him great Presents, which he dedicated to­wards 2 Sam. 10. 11. [Page 20] the building of the Temple: So that Religion spread further and further, and David's Govern­ment was an Enlargement to it. When Constan­tine the Great had conquered the Pagan Emperors, then the Kingdoms of the Earth became the Kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ: Then was the Church farther propagated, and Christianity was the Re­ligion of the Empire; and though Satan by Di­visions, Ambition and Heresies, did much hinder its Purity and Progress, yet it got above all, and spread farther still, 'till it had eaten out the heart of Paganism it self. I cannot say what will be for the future, but that the fall of wicked Men, and the Peace of Protestants, may be the Con­viction of its blind Adversaries, and the occasion of re-establishing the persecuted Reformed Church­es abroad, is my hearty and earnest Prayer.

And now I have dispatched these four Enqui­ries, what remains for me to do, but to apply this to our present Occasion; which I shall do thus,

1. This requires us to give God the Glory of his Mercy to us: Of his Mercy, I say, who hath pre­served our Dear and Dread Sovereign from Im­pending Mischief; who hath preserved our Reli­gion, which was instituted by himelf, preserved [Page 21] by his miraculous handy-work, confirmed by the Blood of Martyrs, conserved by the stedfastness of its hearty followers, and beloved of all that fear God: Who hath kept us from being Slaves to the worst of Masters, and set us in a state of Liberty, under the security of our own Laws: Who hath kept us still (as for many Ages we have been) an independent Kingdom, in which we are in bon­dage to none, but may sit under our Vines and Fig­trees in safety, under the Protection of our own righteous Laws and Sovereign: Who hath pre­vented our anxious care for Posterity, and our fears, lest they should be enthralled by idolatrous and cruel Lords: In a word, who hath so far mani­fested himself to be our God, as that all the World must needs own, That underneath are the everlasting Deut. 33. 27. arms; though the Enemy hath pushed sore at us, yet hath he not prevailed; so that we may say, The Lord of Psal. 46. 7. Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our Refuge.

2. Let us give Glory to God, who hath so emi­nently discovered and brought to light the hidden things of darkness, and hath (as we hope and pray) brought the wickedness of the wicked to an end: That the Wheel is turned upon our Adversaries, and that the Mischief designed is fallen upon their own Heads. Were it barely to triumph over the [Page 22] miserable, I would forbear what I have here just cause to enlarge upon: But least they should seem innocent, because but gently handled, and least silence in this case give them occasion to think themselves in the right; and least the arti­ficial Speech of one of the Criminals (whither his own, or the composure of a Party, let the concern­ed answer) should ensnare the compassionate or weak Mind of any, I will venture beyond my first intention, to say something farther; God's Justice being essential to him, and deserving our Observation and Praise for the manifestation of it, hath most eminently shewed it self at this time, and in this affair, of which there are these visible Foot-steps.

1. In punishing The most unnatural Conspiracy that could be: Had this succeeded, we had been an Acel­dama, but by the prevention of it we enjoy all we have. It was always held the highest Act of Perfidy, to betray whole Kingdoms, and those who were Enemies to their Native Countrey were held the worst of Monsters. That Forreigners should gape for our Good Land, and wish to par­take of its abundance, is no wonder; but that Na­tives, who have been nursed and bred in it, and have been protected by its Laws, and preserved [Page 23] by its Arms and Valour, should for an Humour betray it, is abhorred of all, even the most barba­rous. God hath blest Men that would shew them­selves valiant for their Countrey; for even Joab, who was none of the best Men, yet playing the man 2 Sam. 10. 12. for his People, and the Cities of his God, was blest with an entire Victory. But so hateful a sin is theirs, who would expose their Native Country to slaugh­ter or slavery, that God always curseth it, and in his Justice exposeth such to be a publick Victim to his Anger, that the whole may be preserved.

2. Their wickedness designed against Men's Souls, is highly detested and punished: Had their Project succeeded, many Souls must have been exposed to the Danger of Damnation. For, as for the Adult, they would have been put to the Trial, whether they would have revolted to Idolatry or not; and for Infants, and tender young ones, they must have been bred up in Ignorance and Idolatry, without the true Knowledge of God: And if any had made a demurr for a time, they would quick­ly have been cudgelled out of their Lives, or into Conformity: The prophane and loose Pro­testants (who own a Religion, whose Principles are powerful enough to reform them) should have been exposed to Temptations too strong for [Page 24] their Ability to resist, and meeting with a Religion which would promise them Heaven, and a Life of Sin too, would soon have yielded; and thus a Door must have been opened to let in the Devil, to try what his Rage or Subtilty could do, and fair leave given him by these Men to take what Souls he could catch, and themselves too, rather than fail of their Project: And all this must be done on the score and pretence of Loyalty, as if Loyalty to Man (when yet there was none) su­perseeded Duty to God, and gave leave to, yea, consecrated a Devotion to Hell it self. Certainly a power to damn Souls, or to expose them to Damnation, is frightful, and yet such would these Men, on the pretence of their false Loyalty, set up, in defiance to God, and their Allegiance to him: But Justice could not bear this, and therefore pitty to the endangered hath secured them, and the wicked have drunk the Dreggs of the Cup they mingled. I add,

3. Let us in Thankfulness to God unite toge­ther with Heart and Hand to serve him, and to preserve the Nation and Government, and our selves from their Attempts for the future. I am not ignorant what plausible Pretences are on foot at this day, to hinder our Union: But for you, [Page 25] (my Beloved Auditors) you know that I have not been wanting on all fit Occasions, to confirm you against those That think to withstand the King­dom of the Lord, in the hands of the Sons of David: 2 Chro 13 8. That I shall not say any thing now on that ac­count, nor do I need it: Only because our pre­sent Union and Association is of so important con­sequence, and because, if we should not unite, we give the Enemy the most desired Advantages; and because some have Doubts cast in their way to stumble them, and others are stunned with the Noise of a Victorious Monarch to terrifie them, I will here answer their Objections:

1. It is said, that the Allegiance sworn to the Late King is still Obligatory, and so we cannot lawfully Associate: To this it may be truly said, that the Design of that Oath was to assert an In­dependency in this Kingdom on any Forreign Power, Civil or Ecclesiastical, and to abjure Po­pery in its Foundation, viz. The Supremacy of the Pope, both which our Association designs and intends; and so the end of imposing that Oath at the first is answered in what we do now; and for the Person to whom it is said we made it, if the Oath be personal, we all know that he discharged it, and would not have it imposed for Popery's [Page 26] sake, and so disclaimed his own right in it: He sub­verted a Fundamental Article of our Settlement in discharging it, and we prosecute the greatest and best ends of it in what we do now. Nor can we by that Oath be obliged to admit the late King again, who refused to rule us himself, but stept over to France to fetch Fetters thence, to enslave us to the boundless Tyranny of that Monstrous Prince.

2. Others stumble at the term Revenge, used in this our Association: Upon what reason they do it, whether out of meer Scruple of Consci­ence, or else to evade the performance of what is there under our Hands stipulated, they must answer. Certainly that term here used, neither means the usurping the Magistrate's Power, nor the personal Revenge of malitious Men; but on­ly that as Subjects of the Government, and as Citizens of the Common-wealth, we will to our power do all we can, to bring to Punishment all those Malefactors that shall labour to de­stroy our present Settlement. We must expound that term from the occasion of using it, viz. The greatest of Treasons, and worst of Conspiracies that was ever plotted against this Government and Nation; and then we shall be easily able to see, that this imports no more, than that we [Page 27] will lend our Hands to the Magistrate, to sup­press Traitors and Invaders, this being the way to deterr them from attempting the like for the future; and all this the Law of God, Na­ture, and the Nation binds us to, whether we Associate or not.

I will now add something to enforce our Uni­on, and so conclude.

I say then, That none can stand bound in Conscience to any Prince, to comply with a Re­ligion contrary to the Bible; nor will any per­sonal Oath bind us to him who disclaims the very Oath it self, and by dispensing with it dis­chargeth it. None is in Conscience engaged to en­thrall his Countrey, or surrender it to Forreign, Cruel Lords; none is obliged to enslave Posterity, and deliver them up to perpetual Bondage, and for our uniting for common preservation and su­staining our present Government, 'tis no more than what at this time is highly necessary. The Exam­ple of the best Men in Scripture-times may well be followed: And we read that tho' Saul was alive, and David but his Son-in-law, yet because Saul had destroyed Religion, Liberty and Property, many thou­sands associated and went to David; some when [Page 28] he was at Ziklag, a year at least before Saul's Death; 1 Chron 12. 1. v. 8. some when he was in the strong-hold in the Wilder­ness; and some when he returned from Achish, be­fore the Battel on Gilboa, as he was going to Ziklag; v. 20. and as they fell to him, so they associated with him against all his Enemies; for thus they say, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse; peace, v. 18. peace be unto thee, and peace be to thy Helpers, for thy God helpeth thee: And if this were warrantable in them, our Circumstances will make it not only not culpable, but necessary.