A funeral sermon on the occasion of the death of Algernon Sidney, Esq. Who was beheaded on Tower-Hill, on December the seventh 1683. for high-treason

Observation XIX.

Here ye may observe Gods severity against the Rebels and Traitours, that rose up against Moses and Aaron, Enemies to Magistracy and Ministry: The ground clave asunder that was under them, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods: they and all that apper∣tained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the Congregation. And all Israel that were round about them, fled at the cry of them; for they said lest the earth swallow us up also. And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered Incense.

God's punishments on Traitors are of three sorts, External, Internal Eternal.

1st- External, either when he doth it by ordinary means extraordinarily stirred up. The Servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the King in his own house, and the peo∣ple of the land slew all them that had conspi∣red against King Amon 2 Reg. 21, 23, 24. Or by means which man cannot use, as Miriam was smitten with Leprosie for murmuring a∣gainst Moses, Numb. 12. 1. This punishment was memorable both for the suddenness and soreness of it; wherefore it is after-said, Re∣member what the Lord thy God did to Miriam in the way after that ye came forth out of Egypt, Deut. 24. 9. Absalom was hanged by the hair alive upon an Oak and smitten by Joab, and here I have shewn you how severely God dwelt with Ko∣rah and his company.

2dly, Internal, in Conscience, such as will not obey for Conscience sake, Rom. 13. 5, nor submit for the Lords sake, and deprived of a good Conscience, which is a continual feast.

3dly. Eternal punishment, sedition is one of the works of the Flesh, a sin that keeps a man out of Heaven without Repentance, Gal. 5. 19, 20. They that resist this ordinance of God, shall receive to themselves damnation, Rom. 13. 2.

As these men are odious to God, so like∣wise are they odious to men. No man will trust a Traitor. When Viriatus his Souldiers had slain him, thinking to please Scipio, and get a reward (in that Viriatus had stirred up Spain for fourteen years together against Rome) they had nothing but this answer for cold com∣fort, Nunquam placuisset Imperatorem a suis Mili∣tibus interfici, that it never pleased the Romans to have an Emperor killed by his Souldiers. Selymus the Grand Seignior, having hired his Phisitian to poison his father Bajazet, he af∣terward cut off his head, lest he would be hi∣red

to do the like against him. Philip of Ma∣cedon made use of Traytors to bring his matters to pass, but hated them extreamly afterward. When Lasthenes that had betrayed the City of Olynthum to him, complained that the Tray∣tors were called by the Macedonians, Proditores, he answered, the Macedonians are plain rude fellows, calling every thing by its proper name, calling a Spade a Spade. The Ro∣mans having taken Rhegium, about three hun∣dred Traytors were taken alive, who present∣ly after their coming to Rome, were by the Commanders of the war brought into the Market-places, where they were whipped, and in the end their heads were struck off, after the manner of their Country.

The Emperour Charles IV. in his war against Philip of Austria, corrupted three of his Cap∣tains with promise of great reward if they would betray Philip into his hands, by making him flee through false fear, they did it, and re∣ceived the promised reward.

The Emperour had provided for them a mighty Mass of Counterfeit Money, which he gave them: they returning, afterward com∣plained that they were deceived with Coun∣terfeit Coyn; the Emperour answered, Adul∣terinum aurum, pro adulterino opere, that counter∣seit Coyn was a worthy reward for counter∣feit Knaves, false Coyn for a false Work.

John Justian of Genoa having betrayed Con∣stantinople to Mahomet, upon condition, that he should make him King thereof under him, he made him King thereof, and Crowned him most Royally, but within three days af∣ter cut off his head.

Pausanias having received five hundred Ta∣lents of Gold of Xerxes to betray Sparta, Age∣silaus, his Father, when he fled into a Tem∣ple to save himself, caused the Gates of the Temple to be walled up, and so he died of hunger, whose body his Mother caused to be cast to the Dogs, and would not bury it.

All men hate Traitors, Plutarch saith, men are affected towards Traitors, whom they are driven of necessity to use, as men that use the poyson of a Viper, &c. they willingly use the poyson, but hate the poysonful Creature. So many that willingly make use of the Trea∣son, do hate the Traitor.