n

SERMON

Preached before the

Home of LORDS J

I N T H E

Abbey-Church at Wejiminflerr

UPON

Monday, yanuary 31, 1731.

Being the Day appointed to be kept as the Day of

the Martyrdom of

King CHARLES the Firft.

By FRANCIS Lord Bifliop of Chichefter.

The Third Edition.

j ■ ■

L O N T> O N : Printed by S. Buckley in Amen-Corner. MDCCXXXL

C Price Six-Pence. ]

SA3U.A3H37 '731 b

%

Die Martis, i° Februariiy 1731.

IT is Ordered by the Lords Spiritual and Tem- poral in Parliament aflembled, That the Thanks of this Houfe, be, and are hereby given to the Lord Bifhop of Chichefter, for the Ser- mon by him preached before this Houfe Yefter- day in the Abbey-Church, Weftminfter ; and he is hereby defired to caufe the fame to be forth- with printed and published.

Wm. Camper y Cler: Parliamentor:

b

Prov. XXIV. ii.

My Sony fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to Change.

S the Ufe of Hiftory in general is to direct us in the Conduct of our Lives, and point out to us the Things we fhould follow or avoid, JL JL to promote either our own Happinels, or the publick Welfare, in which our own is neceffarily included \ lb the folemn annual Commemora- tions of fome Tranfactions are in a more particular Manner ufeful to the lame good Purpofes. But of all the Facts recorded in the Englifi Hiftory, as no one is more execrable and impious than that we are this Day aflembled in the Houfe of God to exprefs our humble and fincere Abhorrence of, fo is none fuller of good and ufeful Leffons for our future Conduct, if duly and lerioufly attended to ; none can more ftrongly recommend to us the excellent Advice given in the Text, to fear the LORD and the King, and not to med- dle with them that are given to Change. Had our Forefathers followed this Advice, the horrid Fact we this Day lament had not been committed ; nor can the like ever happen again, if their Pofterity will have the Wifdom to take Warning from their Example.

To fear the LORD, is to ferve him, and keep his Commandments, deli- vered in his holy Word ; and, to us Chriftians, it means in a more efpecial Manner to do the Will of God, as declared in the New fa /lament ; and, in Confequence of this, to profels and heartily embrace the Religion of Chrift, and to be living Members of his Church ; and to believe and practife the Doctrines and Duties taught by him in the Scriptures, or by his Minifters agreeably thereto. This is to fear the Lord, fuitably to the Advice given in the Text, as we are Chriilians. For as it is addrefled to Jews, it is an Exhortation to them to be religious Jews, to be iincere in their Obedience and Worfhip of the God oflfrael, as directed in the Law given to the Jews. For it is in the Text, Fear the LORD, that is Jehovah, the God ot Ifrael, in oppolition to the gods of the Nations, the Worfhip of which was the great Sin which above all others they were warned againit. But the Lord, the God of the Jews, is the God whom we Chriftians worfhip -, and there- fore thefe Words, by Parity of Reafon, when addrefled to Chriftians, mult mean to obey God as is directed in the Religion inftituted by Chrift, that is, in Spirit and in Truth, and to become living Members of Chrift's my- ftical Body the Church y which we can never be, but by living in Obedience to his Commands.

6 The BiJJjop of ChichefferY Sermon

Now, as to fear the LORD is to obey God, and to obey God is to ob- ferve and pra&ifc the Religion taught us in his Word ; fo to fear the Kngr is to obey the King, and obferve his Commands ; and that in a limited and legal Go\ eminent is to obferve the Laws, and pay the King the Obedience required by them : fo that we have a certain Rule to direct us in our Obe- dience both toGod and the King; which leaves all Men without Excufe,who pretend Ignorance of their Duty to either. All Men have been taught their Dut\ to God from their Infancy,, and have continually Teachers and Inftruc- tors in Rightcoufneis ; and, that they may fee what is commanded with their own Eyes, all have the Scriptures in their Hands. The fame indeed can't be laid of the Laws of the Land ; but yet the Want of fufneient Knowledge was never, I believe, made a Pretence for Difobcdience in any flagrant In- fiances. Befides, that the Knowledge all have of the Duties commanded in the Gofpel, in great Meafure fupplies the Defeci of their Knowledge in the Laws, fo tar as concerns their Duty to the King; iince no body is fo igno- rant as not to know that Obedience to the higher Powers is in a very diilin- guifhing Manner required in feveral Places in the New tfeflament. They therefore that fin in not obeying God and the King, iin againft Knowledge, and fo far are without Excufe.

Thus much may fuffice to mew what is meant by fearing God and the King ; it is to be true to the holy Religion we profefs, and to be goodSubje&s to the Government we live under, andpay the legal Obedience due to it. And the belt Way to fecure our Fidelity and Conitancy in both thefe Duties, is not to to meddle with them that are given to change', to change, with refpeft either to God or the King, with rcfpecl to their Religion or the Government. Thefe wc arc exhorted not to meddle with, not to mix or familiarly convcrfe with,, lelt wc be feduccd by them from cither of thofe Duties, either into Idolatry or Enthuliafm, Infidelity, or Atheifm, in Oppolition to God's written Word ;

r into Faction and Sedition, into Difloyalty or Rebellion againft the Laws of the Land, and the Word of God both.

One of the belt Prcfervativcs in general againft Vices of all kinds, is care- fully to avoid bad Company, there being a ft range Contagion in ill Example, and afpecious and tempting Outfdc in every Vice, which Hatters our Senfcs,, and is but too agreeable to one or other of our Paliions : So that HI Company, when they apply toourfenfual Appetites and Paflions, perfuade almoft as foon as heard. Every Vice has its Party, "who make it their iiufmefs to fed uce young People, bydrcfling it up in the molt fpecious and attracting Colours, and re-- preienting its oppolitc Virtue to the greateft Di {advantage, and under allpof-1 lible Difcouragemcnts* Vict, in their Account of it, is focrablc and good- oatur1 1, 'tis Manlinefs and good Breeding, 'tisPlcafure and true Liberty. And in !s lie fo open to thefe Temptations, that they become an cafy Prey,. I greedily run into the Snares laid for them. Nothing but dear-boughs Experience will convince them, that all Rcprcfentations in Favour of Vice are;

nicer

rreached before the Houfe of L O R D S.

meer Dclufion ; that the Pleafures they were flattered with, were falfe Plea- fures, fweet indeed to the Mouth, but all Bitternefs within; and that no two Things are at a wider Diflancethan Liberty and Vice. Then they find, that the virtuous Man is the only happy Man, that to be a Servant to Righteouf- nefs is the moll perfect Freedom, and that thofe who feduced them from their Virtue, while they promi fed them Liberty, were themfelves the Slaves of Sin, the Servants of Corruption.

Bnt as every other Vice has its Advocates, to fed uce unliable Minds, in which' th^y are but too fuccefsful, thro' the Agreeablenefs of fomething there is in Vice to our corrupt Pallions, and the Severity and Selfdenial there feems to be in the firll Practice of moll Virtues; fo it is with Oppolitions to Religion and Government. They in all Times have their Parties, and are zealoufly efpou- fed, and induftrioufly propagated, and among young People never want Pro- felytes. There are in every Nation, and at all Junctures, Men given to change, not only from Motives of Avarice or Ambition, from Dilappoint- ment or Revenge, or to mend a bad Fortune ; but from Vanity and Scli- conceit, from a Levity and Ficklenefs of Temper, from a fcheming Head, and a Love of innovating in Religion and Government for Innovating-fake ; for fome Men are againft every thing that is uppermofl, and feem to diflike what is eltablilhed, merely becaufe it isfo. Such Men are ever bufy in ma- king Converts, and as their own Heads are turned, fo they eafily turn ther young Heads that liften to them, by the plauilble and fpecious Things they have to offer, which can never be wanting in Things of lb complicated a Na- ture as Religion and Government. For what Religion, I mean what Ella- blilhment of Religion, what Church in any Country is fo perfect, as not to leave room for finding Fault ? What Forms of Worlhip fo complete and un- exceptionable, what Difcipline fo well framed or fo well executed, what Sy- ftem of Faith and Doctrines ib wifely drawn up, where is there a national Clergy fo well qualified by Virtue and Learning for their Bufinefs, fo pious,, lb prudent, fo diligent in the Difcharge of their Offices, as to leave no Place for Exceptions, for Objections, for Scruples, for Cenfure, for Reproach ? Men given to change cannot only find Faults where there are any,but where there are none; they will aggravate the fmallell Failures, and magnify very little Defects or Imperfections into elfential and capital Offences. Much lefs can we expect Candor and Fairnefs, Equity or-Charity from fuch Men, or that they mould connive at any real Faults or Imperfections ; which yet in the Nature of Things it is abfoluely nccelfary we Ihould, unlefs Men would be eternally out of Humour. For nothing can be contrived fo perfect, that it will not carry in it the Marks of human Frailty. But if our Conftitution- with refpect to Religion, were in all Parts fo well formed, as to have no- thing in it that could fairly be excepted to, that will not fatisfy thefe Men ; 'tis Objection enough againlt the Religion of their Country, either that they can fancy fomething more perfect, or that it does not leave them e- nough at Liberty ; and that is a fufficient Reafon for them to endeavour the Extirpation of it.

8 The Bijhop of ChichefterV Sermon

Men, who have in them a Tincture of Enthufiafm, are very apt to be deduced with Pretences to a more perfect Way of Worfhip; and when once {educed) are always rcftleis and impatient } they ynll run any Lengths to carry tiheir Point, to advance what they arc iopaflionatcly fond of : 'Tis, they think, the Caufc of God, which allows no Delays, admits of no Re- straints ; limes and Places, and Perfons and Things, muft all give Way to what the Enthulialt calls the Work of God, and thinks to be the Dic- tate of his Spirit. Thus, to ferve God, they trample upon all the Laws both of God and Man, which are but a dead Letter when they Hand in their Way, and were not intended, they think, to be a Rule to the Saints. 'Tis vervfurprizing, as well as afflicting, to fee, what a Frenzy of Enthufiafm poor ignorant Men have been work'd up to by fpecious Pretences to a purer Religion, or a more exalted Devotion, and thro' a blind Zeal to advance what they call the Kingdom ofCbrifi. And what makes this more afflicting is, that they arc work'd up to thisMadnefs by Men who don't believe them- felvcs a Word of what they Cayy by Men who are themfelves the vilefl Hy- pocrites, void of all true Virtue and Religion.

When fuch Men cant ruin the Eflabliihed Religion this Way, then they fet up for zealous Affcrtcrs of the Rights of Subjects in Religious Matters, and declare loudly for an abfolute Exemption from all Authority whatever, as an Invalion of their Liberty • fault is found firfl with the Teachers of Re- ligion, then with what is taught; the Law of Nature is cry'd up in Oppo- iition to the Chriflian Revelation, and all Reftraint upon Licentioufnefs is Prieft-craft. And there is fomething fo fpecious in Liberty, particularly in what relates to Faith and Conference, that Delulions of this Kind eafily pafs upon the Multitude, efpccially upon the raw and unexperienced Part of them. By theplauiible Pretences and artful Iniinuations of fuch Men, great Num- bers are made Enemies firft to the Eltablifhed Religion, and, from a Difal- fection to that, arc by Degrees brought to a Diflikeof all Religion, and in the End become mere Infidels.

So dangerous is it to mix with Men given to cbaiigey\v\th regard to Religion; and what makes the Evils of this kind greater, Men who arc of a rcftlcfs, tur- bulent, factious Temper with refpect to Government, are always ready to join in their Complaints againft the Religion Eftablifhcd, and in their En- deavours to fed ucc Men from it. The Eftablifhcd Religion and the Efta- blifhcd Government are in their Conftitutions and Interests fo interwoven and linked together, that they who would fubvert the Government, have no furer Way to compafs their wicked Ends, than by endeavouring to ruin the Church firft. The grcatcfl Strength of the Government ever did and ever will lye in the Fidelity and Affection of the Members of the Eltablifhed Church: As the Government knows this to be true, fo do its Enemies, who therefore are as ready by all Artifices and Attempts to weaken it, as our Governors can be to favour and protect it.

Which

^^^^jPreacM^efore the Houfe of L O R iVS^^^^

Which leads me to confider the Oppoiition of Men given to Change , with refpect to the Government, and the Mifchief of the Poifon they infufe where they are hearkened to. There is no Queftion on which Men can argue more plauiibly on any Side, than this of Government • a great deal may be f kid for and againft every Form that the Wit o£ Man has or can invent, as ail know who are at all converfant on this Subject. But beiides the Difference in the feveral ForrnSj whether iimple or mixt, coniidered abftractedly and in Theory, one Form of Government is more proper than another for this or that Nation j and in this Queftion many Things mull be coniidered, the Genius of the People, the Extent of their Dominions, the Situation and Dif- poiitions of the feveral Nations bordering upon therm This makes it a very complicated Queftion, and exceeding difficult many Times to forma true Judgment, what Species of Government, all Things coniider'd, is certainly the beft for a People, if they had it in their Choice: And the Men who are given to change^ can never want Arguments for difliking that they live un- der, and giving the Preference to fome other, tho* they are morally fure it can't take Place without throwing Things into great Confuilon • for that Changes of Government are almoit unavoidably attended with ; fo that wife and good Men would rather acquiefce in any Form, than attempt a Change at fo great Hazard, for one that would be better j but what would certainly be fo, that, as I have obferved, is often hard to fay.

But if every Form of Government were in itfelf equally good, or it were allowed that no one is better, for us at leaft, than that we find ourfelves un- der, (which I think can never be difproved,) yet Men given to change can always find Matter for Complaints, and to reprefent it in a difadvantageous Light. For fince every Form is imperfect, and has its Inconveniences, fuch Men will coniider it on that Side only, while the Advantages of fome other Form fhall be greatly magnified, and its Imperfections denied or ftudioufly concealed. And if young Men will hearken to fuch Seducers, many will be captivated, from an Inability to compare Things of fo intricate a Nature impartially together, which they are not knowing enough to do, and often times not willing enough. For they feel the Inconveniences of the Govern- ment they are under; their Senfestell them that, and their Reafon is not a Balance for their Senfes \ they are not able to fee how much they areimpofed on, the Form recommended to them being in Theory all Perfection. But all Men of Senfe know the Difference there is between Theory and Practice: Experience tells them, that many Things which made a fine Appearance, while in Speculation only, and as yet untried, prove quite other Things when reduced to Practice, and an Experiment is made of them ; then they are fometimes found to be chimerical and impracticable, and always attended with Difficulties and Imperfections which were not forefeen. , But beiides the Imperfections that neceffarily attend all Forms of Govern- ment, and which are felt by thofe only who are the Subjects of them, all Governments are found to be imperfect more or lefs, from the Imperfections

C of

i o 7/je Bifiop of Chichelter $ Sermon

of thole by whom they are adminiftred, and the many Difficulties all Ad- miniftrations are attended with ; fo that there hardly ever was a Time when Men riifpofed to find Fault, could not furnifh out a Catalogue of Grievances, Men of this Complexion have fhewn themfeives fo dextrous, that they can at any Time take cither Side of any Queftion,from which they are never re- ft rained by any Regard to Modeity or Truth, and harangue plaulibly enough to inflame an unthinking Multitude. We have fecn tor Years together lo much oi this ill Spirit, by which contrary Meafuresr fo long as they were oppolitc to thofc taken by the Government, have been warmly efpoufed and plaulibly recommended to the People, that I need not fay more to" explain the Artifices of Men given to change, and tofhew how ealy it is to find Fault, andto draw the Multitude by fpecious Arguments into a Diflike of any thing. The Men of this Turn are the Pelts of all Governments, and the Misfortune is, that they fwarm moil in the belt, in thofe that in the Conftitution of them arc the milder!, and the molt indulgent to the Subject ; that is, where they can take thefe Liberties with leafl Hazard to themfeives.

But if all Governments in their very Forms, and in the ordinary Adminiftra* tion of them, are liable to the Infults and Clamours oi fuch Men, and unavoid- ably furnilh Matter for them, what Mifchief may not be apprehended from them in diitcmper'd Times, when the People are prepared to their Hand to receive the worlt Impreflions, in an Agitation and Ferment from whatever Caufe, and ready to take Fire upon the firlt Occaiion ? Then ierious and good Men have the greater! Reafon to be upon their Guard, and to preferve both thcmfelvesand others, as far as they can, from the Contagion oi Men who are watching for a Change, and lie in wait to deceive, andto leducc the People from the Obedience which both Reafon and Religion have taught them is due to the Higher Powers, and by the ltrongelt Ties have bound on them : Since there is no knowing where to Hop, or what Extravagancies they may not be gradually work'd up to, in following the Seductions of fuch Guides, who will never be quiet till they have carried Things to Extremity, and fubvertcd the Conftitution, which at firit perhaps they pretended to be zealous Friends to, and wanted only to rectify what was a Deviation from it, and to rcltorc it to its true and original Perfection. For it may be ob- fcrved of thefe Men that arc given to change, with refpect both to Reli- gion and Government, that in their firlt Attempts to make Converts, they ufually conceal with the utmoft Caution their true Intentions, nnd pretend much Piety and Loyalty, great Concern lor the Eitablifhed Religion and Government ; and intend nothing, if you will believe them, but the true Service oi' God and the King : They find Fault only with ill Miniitcrs in Church or State, oppofe nothing but Male- Administration in them; and to prevent that is the belt Service that can be done to cither. Thus they begin, but it is not here they mean to end ; they cenfure this and that and t'other, and a fourth and fifth and fixth Thing, and fo on, till nothing at lalt is left ; the whole Conititution, with refpect both to Religion and Government, is

Preached before the Houfe of L O R D S. r r

demolifhed under Pretences of amending only and reforming Abufes crept into them.

The Truth of this is fadly verified in the Hiftory of thofe ill Time's^ which gave Occaiion to the mournful Solemnity of this Day, on which we are affembled to humble ourfelves before God for the crying Sins of our Fore- Fathers, which brought fo much Diitrefs upon this Nation, and ended in the moft flagrant Crime a Nation could be guilty of; a Crime which can't be forgot, and which yet we can't remember, tho'at the Diftance of fo many Years, without Shame and great Confufion. For if Murder in general, the Murder of a lingle private Man, is fo odious in the Sight of God, as we are fure it is, much more deteftable in his Sight is the Murder of Perfons ofpublick Character ; much more will he require the Blood of Kings of the Land where it is unjuftly fhed ; iince thefe are complicated Crimes, and their People are in fome fort murder'd in them. But much more odious ftill muft this Crime be in the Sight of God, when in Violation of all Laws, Human and Divine, it is committed under all the Forms and Solemnities of Publick Juftice, as a Service acceptable to God, and for the Prefervation or Advancement of his Honour. But fuch was the Crime we this Day lament, on which not only Innocent but Royal Blood wasfpilt by the villainous Hands of his own Subjects, with all thefolemn Forms of a legal Tryal, and under Pretence of Zeal for God, and i or preferving the Liberties and Properties of the People; but in Truth to the Destruction of all their antient and legal Rights, and to the high Difhonour of the Holy One. The whole Conftitution both of Church and State, of which the King was Head, was by the fame fatal Blow deftroy'd with him.

I fhall not enter into a Hiftory of thofe unhappy Times, or trace out the feveral Steps of thofe Tranfactions, which, after a long Rebellion, were at lafl brought to fo infamous an End. I will not fay there had been no OccaMons given on the Part of the Court for Jealouiies and Fears, or that there was notfunicientReafon for Opposition in a Parliamentary Way tothe then Mea- fures; but I think, in Juftice to the King, it may be truly faid, there was no Neceffity for fomenting thofe popular Tumults the Troubles began with, much lefs for having Recourfe to Arms, and involving the Nation in all the Calamities of a Civil War, and leaft of all for carrying Things to fuch an Extremity, as to take away the King's Life ; which muft always, and always will be looked on by all indifferent Perfons, by all the Nations round about us, as a moft infamous and execrable Action.

Whatever wrong Meafures had been taken, which might endanger the Liberties of the Subject, (tho* what was moft ofFeniive of this Kind was done by the Advice of his Council, with the Concurrence of all his Judges, judges in general of good Character and well efteem'd in their Profeliion) the King not only flievved the greater! Difpolition to give his People all polflble Satif^ faction by the moft folcmn Declarations, that he would govern by the known Laws of the Land, and maintain the jafi Rights andPrivileges of Parliaments ; but gave the greateft Proof of his being fo difpofed, by giving the Royal,

i 2 The BiJJjop of Chichefter s Sermon

Affent to Bills of the grcateit Importance to the Crown, as fait as they could be prepared for ir. He gave up entirely thole Branches of the Prerogative, which were moil: liable to be made an arbitrary Ufe of ; and denied nothing that could be asked, not only to iecure the Liberties and Rights of the Sub- ject, but to allay even the moil unreaibnable tears, could any thing have done it, Ids than giving up every thing that belonged to the Grown, which could make him a King more than in Name. In ihort, he made ib many and fuch great Conceffions, that nothing more could by Men in any Temper be thought ncceiiary to remove all Jcaloulies, and rertore a good Harmony between him and his People ; at leafl they had no Reafcn to fear, that a Prince who had yielded fuch great Points would flick at fmaller Things, or refufeany thing really wanted to give entire Satisfaction. But the Diitempers oi' the Times were fuch, Mens Paliions were fo inflamed, artful and dejigning Men had work'd up the Fears and Jealouliesof the People to that Height, that nothing would fatisiy but an ACt empowering the Parliament to iit as long as they ihould judge it neceifary : And even this for Peace fake, and to prevent the Mifchieis that were but too juitly apprehended from the Ferment the Nation was then in, the good King contented to ; by which, in Effedi, he unkinged himfelf, which it was then feared by his Friend would be the Confequencc, and thofe Fears the Event confirmed.

This was fuch a Conceffion as no King would have made, who was not molt finccrcly difpofed to do every Thing that was reafonable to quiet the publick Difcontents, and willing to hope others, after his Example, would be as linccrc on their Part, and be in fome Meafure true to the many Pro- fellions they had made of their Loyalty, and good Affection to his Pcrfon and Government. But how little Sincerity there was in thofe Profcifions, all that ibl lowed is too fid a Proof.

What gives this Gondcfccnfion of the King's all the Weight that can be, as an Argument of his Sincerity, is, that as it was in itfelf thegreateit Proof he could give, fo it was done at the Beginning of the Troubles, and before his Affairs can be faid to have put him under a Neccffity of doing it. And al- ter his Parliament had made fo ill an Ufe of this great Power, as to involve the Nation in a War, they might at any Time have put an End to it upon the moft advantageous Terms, if fome had not been too much heated to hearken to any Accommodation ; others, confeious they had offended too much to be forgiven* and laltly, others determined to be fatisflcd with nothing lefsthana total Ghangc of the ancient Gonititution, and the Introduction of a Common-wealth. For the King in the Times of his greatcit Succcfs, was always willing to put an End to the Erfufion of Blood by a Treaty, and to make fuch Conceffions as were below the Majeityof a King, and whichno- thing could juitify but the Concern he had for the publick Peace and Welfare, to which he was always ready tofacrifice his own moft valuable Rights. Nay at laft to put an End to the Confulions and Calamities the Nation had fo long groaned under, he confented to fuch Terms as the Parliament itfelf voted to be good Grounds for a fafe and lajiing Peace *, that Parliament, which

Preached before the Houfe (?/LOR D^^^^i^

by their unreasonable Demands had made all former Treaties ineffectual, and had carried Things to that Extremity, as to make it Treafon for any one ta, make any farther Application to his Majefty as King. But their Servants were then become their Mailers, and thofe who were at the Head of their Armies were refoived upon a Change of Government. This wr as the Reafon, that Treaty had not its defired Effect ; not that theKing was not imcere, or did not yield enough; but becaufe thofe who had the Sword in their Hands, had taken their Refolution, and would not, by any Confiderations of Honour or Juftice,, be diverted from it. The King mull be put to Death, that is, in their Lan- guage, have Juftice done upon him : But before they could deilroy him, they were forced to deilroy the very Parliament that gave them the Powers they acted by; they feci uded by open Violence the major Part of the Members, and left no. Shadow of a Parliament but in a Remnant of Forty Six, who had diflented from the reil in the great Vote of the King's Conceffions being good Grounds for a Peace. Without this monilrous Step they could not compafs their infamous Deiign again ft the King's Life; which he fo little thought even thofe Men capable of, notwithftanding the many Indignities put upon him, that he refufed the moil probable Methods of Efcape, which during his Con- finement had been propofed to him. Which was another plain Argument of his own Sincerity and Greatnefs of Mind both; he was refoived to keep the Word he had given, and would hope his Enemies had too much Honour to break theirs, who had given repeated AiTurances in the Face of all the World, of the Safety of his Perfon.

Lailly, To mention no other Proofs of his Sincerity and good Intentions to his People, his Trial and Death were undergone with that Chriftian Meek- nefs, Patience, Resignation and Fortitude, as are inimitable by any one who is not thoroughly convinced of the Righteoufnefs of his Caufe, and the LTp- rightnefs of his Heart; who takes not God for his Help, and puts his Confi- dence in him. Such was his Behaviour andConflancy in this lait black •Scene, that he did nothing unbecoming a good King, nothing below a great one.

Such was the King they murder'd ; nor were his Adherents unworthy the greatefl Prince or the bell Caufe. They were not only the Attendants of his Court, or fuch as had a Dependance on him ; who either had receiv'd or ex- pected Favours from him; they were not mercenary Creatures, who could ea- iily be bribed to betray their Country, or could hope toraife themfeives upon the Ruins of it, or would give up the Constitution and the Laws to the Will and Pleafure of an abfolute Prince; they were no Friends to Popery or arbi- trary Power ; they were the Nobility and chief Gentry of the Nation : Thefe were the King's Friends, who adhered to him in all his Diftrefles ; thefe com- manded his Armies, or rather compofed them, and ferved as private Men in their Perfons, while they Supported him with their Fortunes. And many of them fealed with their Blood the Juftice of his Caufe, not only in the Field, but by fuffering fhameful and ignominious Deaths by the Sentence of mer- cilefs and cruel Men, who delighted in Blood ; the nobler it was, the fweet-

n ex

14 The Bijhop of Chichelter s Sermon "^^^^^^

er the Revenge • till at laft they embrewed their Hands in that of their King.

Ihefe werefuch Adherents, as carry with them the greateft Weight in! Proof of the Goodnefs of the Caufe they efpoufed. They could have no j Intereft feparatc from that of their Country \ they had themfelves the greateft Share of Property, and confequently the ftrongeft Inducement to keep from their Necks the heavy Yoke of arbitrary Power, to which in every Country the Nobility are the firft Sacrifice. As they had the greateft Eftates to pre- ferve to themfelves and their Pofterity, fo it may be prefumed they had the belt Education, and underftood the Conftitution, the Laws of their Country, and the Rights both of Prince and People, better than the lower Part of the Nation, much better than the Populace can be fuppofed to do, or the factious Leaders at the Head of them. The Nobility and principal -Gentry of a Nation are certainly the fitteft Judges of its true Interefts, and the beft Con- fervers of its Liberties ; and nothing but a turbulent and factious Spirit can tempt Men to raife Jealoulies and Fears againft a Government under which they are eafy, or to have Recourfe to Arms, when they don't think fuch violent Methods neceflary. The Body of the People may be fure their Re- ligion and Properties are both fafe, when thofe who are Perfonsof the great- eft Honour, and have moft to lofe, and are beft able to judge of publick Affairs, are on the Prince's Side. But this was the King's Cafe long before his Affairs were grown defperate ; from whence we may certainly conclude, he was far from deferving thofe black and odious Characters w ith which his Enemies have loaded him.

I might ill uftrate and confirm what has been faid in Vindication of the King, by giving you a View of thofe who were the moft violent againft him ; but I have no Inclination to enter intofo difagreeable a Subject; that Generation is long fince pafled ,and the great Actors in that wicked Scene are gone to anfwer for themfelves at the Tribunal of the moft high God. I fhall only fay, that befides thofe factious and feditious Spirits who took Occafion from thofcTrou- blcsto throw Things into all the Confufion they could to ferve their own vile Ends, there were many full of viiionary Schemes of a perfect Government, and poffefled with Republican Notions to a Degree of Enthufiafm. Thefe Men were refolvcd on a Change of Government at any Rate, and, in order to it, to deftroy the King. This was well known in thofe Times, and is deli- vered down to us in their own Books, which makes the Truth of it undeniable. They confefs they were not fo much againft the Monarch as the Monarchy ; 4 it was not againft Charles they had fought, but the King ; and that if they muft have a King, they might as well have kept him they had. This was the Senfe not only of many, but of the chief of them : Others indeed were far enough from fuch Principles ; they difliked nothing in kingly Power but that it was not in their own Hands, and meant nothing by putting the King and his Friends out, but to thruft themfelves in. This was the Cafe of the info- lent Ufurper, who after all his pretended Zeal for Liberty, was not content

with

rrsachea t?ejon the tiouje oj l, u k d s. xy

with the Power of a King, unlefs he had the Name too ; and never could forgive his moft intimate Ailbciates becaufe they would not come into it. But both forts of Men fhew'd fufficiently how unfit they were to oppofe a King for aiming at an arbitrary Government ; never Men practifed themfelves what they pretended to condemn in him, in fo barefaced and impudent a Manner. There was fo much Injustice, Violence, and Oppreffioti ; fo much Arbitrarinefs and Cruelty in their Proceedings, accompanied with the viieft Hypocrify and Falfhood, as is not to be paralleled in Hiftory among any Sett of Men pretending to Jufticeand Equity, and to preferve Liberty and Property, together with Piety and pure Religion. Their Inhumanity in War, their illegal Proceedings upon Tryals, their voting down the Houfe of Lords, their fecluding and turning out great Numbers of the Commons, their garbling the Army, their Breach of Faith to the King fo often given, and their infamous Proftitution of Religion to coverall thefe Iniquities, are fuch Evidences of the Spirit they acSed with, as plainly fliew it was not the Caufe of God they were engaged in, or that an ill Caufe they were againft.

I need not fay after this, that thofe who were fuch Enemies to the State were no Friends to the Church. The Church was always true to the King, and they had little Hopes of fucceeding in their Defigns againft him as long as that ftood ; and therefore their main Strength was in the firft Place level- led againft that Part of the Conftitution. And had not the King been refo- lute in the Defence of it, through a hearty Concern for the Honour of God, and the Prefervation of true Religion, as well as through a prudent Fore- fight of what was meant by the furious Zeal that appeared againfl it, he might have had a Peace, a difhonourable and infecure one when he would. Would he have facrificed his Confcience to hisprefent Interefl and Necefli- ties, and been willing his Throne fhould have Hood on the Ruins of the Church, his Murderers would have been content, for fome Time at kail, to have held their Hands, and to have deftroyed the Monarchy by flower Degrees ; but deftroyed fooner or later it would have been, had the Prin- ciples of thefe Men prevailed ; and fo it always will be. Our Government is fo conftituted, that the Ruin of one Part will moft certainly draw that of the other after it. The great Fault of the King was, that he loved the Church ; and the Church muft bq ruined becaufe it will not defert the King.

The Pretence indeed was pure Religion and a farther Reformation ; Pre- lacy and Popery were rung in the Ears of the People without ccallng, till they were worked up to an incredible Degree of Infatuation and Enthufiafm, for which they were not a little difpofed by the Ferment that had been long working. The indifcreet Zeal of the Friends of the Church, and the Severity with which they preflcd a Compliance in Things indifferent, or of fmall Confequence, upon Perfons of different Perfuafions, wbofe Averfioh to a Compliance increafed in Proportion to the Zeal with which it was pref- fed, prepared the Fuel for that unhappy Fire which then broke out with

fo

1 6 "The Bijhop ^/"ChichefterV Sermon

lo much Fury. The warm Heads of the lower People were full of Refor- mation, they thought every Injunction in Church Matters an Infringement of Cbrifiian Liberty; they could bear nothing that had any Refemblance .it was pra&ifed in the Church of Rome ; every thing they did not like was Popery, and Popery was Antichrifi^ and that iandtified all the Vows that could be made for its Deftruclion ; it was the Caufe of God. And cunning Men knew how to make their Advantage of this Madnefs of the Populace, to cifecT: the SubverJion of an Eftabliihment, which they knew the Crown would always rind true to it, and zealous in its Defence; which made it neceffary for them to deitroy it, fince, while this Obitacle was in their Way, they could not eafily deitroy the King.

They fuccccdcdin both thefe Attempts, but loon found they had little Reafon to rejojee in their Succefs. As their Crime in putting the King to Death was without Example, ib' were the horrible Confuiions, which both in the Nature of Things, and by the juit Judgment of God followed upon it in a Courfe of many Years, till the Government and Church they had deitroyed were by a wonderful Providence both rertored. This makes it highly reafonable we mould, in the molt fblemn Manner, exprefs our De- tection and Abhorrence of fo execrable an Action, and deprecate the Di- vine Vengeance, that God would not viiit upon us this great Iniquity of oar Fore-fathers, and thofe other national Sins which provoked God to give them up to fuch rtrong Delufions.

But it wrill be faid, What is this to us ? Why fhould we obferve a Day of Falling and Humiliation for a Fact committed above Fourfcore Years ago ; and which no body now alive could poffibly be any way concerned in ? I an- fvver, That the Judgments of God for great Sins may hang over a Nation for many Generations} and therefore it may be ft ill our Concern to deprecate the Wrath of God for fo heinous a Pollution of the Land. But there are other Rcafons for fuch Commemorations ; Men may be guilty now as truly as their Fore-fathers were then ; they may confent expo ft facIoy and approve a Crime when it is done, and by that Means make themielves as guilty in the Sight of God, as if themielves had had a Hand in it, or had actually been confenting it. But further, fuch Solemnities arc of great Ufe to keep up by this Means a Scnfe of Duty to God and the King, and to excite in the People a juit Abhorrence of fuch great and flagrant Sins. And I wiih I could not fay, there is in the prefent Age but too much Caufe to think this neccflary ; for tho' the Men are gone who perpetrated this horrid Fact, the Spirit ftill re- mains. Wc fee all Places filj'd with loofc Books which tend to nothing but to deitroy all Principles, and fet Men free from all Government ; and thofe who can't write yet think their Tongues their own, and take an unbounded Liberty in (peaking Evil of thofe whom God has fet over them. Republican Principles arc as indultrioufly propagated now -as they were then, tho' per- . haps more covertly, and to the fame Ends : 'lis to introduce a Change of Government, and in order to that to weaken it, by wcakning firit the In-

Preached bejore the Houje of L O R D S. 17

fluences of Religion, and introducing Infidelity; which Attempts come chiefly from the Republican Quarter now, as they did then *.

Thefe were the Beginnings of the late Troubles, which ended in the Ruin both of Church and State ; and a juft Fear left the fame evil Seeds ihould grow up to the fame prodigious Wickednefs, and effecT: again the fame Mif- chiefs, abundantly juftifies the Condudt of our Governours in cauling this Day to be ftill duly and folemnly obferved.

'Tis not indeed fo eafy now for the difafFe&ed to play over the fame Game with the fame Succefs. The Monarchy is now fo limited and bounded by Laws, that it is not in the Power, no more than it is in the Will, of the Prince now upon the Throne, to give the fame Provocations that were given then ; by whicli the Crown, however weakened in Appearance, is in Reality more firmly eftablifhed-: And thofe who are given to change cannot have the fame Opportunities to create Jealoufies and Mifunderftandings now they had be- fore. Nor have the Enemies of our Church the fame Pretences for railing Clamours againft it, as they had in thofe unhappy Days. They have not indeed now the fame Matter to work upon ; that wild Spirit of Enthufiafm is long fince laid, and 'tis not, I am perfuaded, in the Power of Man to raife the fame again ; and confequently there is not the fame Scope for Hy- pocriiy and a pretended Zeal for a more pure Religion, to exert itfelf with the like Hopes of Succefs. But if there were, thofe Handles for Clamour are now removed; the unhappy Difputes about fome Church Matters of lit- tle Moment, which were then carried fo high on one Sideband were fo warmly oppofed on the other, difturb not the prefent Times ; and the Indulgence granted by Law to fcrupulous Confciences has taken away all vexatious Pro- secutions for Nonconformity, and no Room is left to complain of Perfecution. So that, were we to judge of the Safety of our Religion and Government from the Want of Handles given to difturb them, we ihould be in no Ap- prehenfion of Danger to either from what turbulent and fa&ious Men can do.

And yet fuch Men we daily fee incefTantly at work ; they take Handles where none are given, and the Nation never was fo peiter'd with Libels againft both the Eftablifhed Religion and Eftabliflred Government, as it is at prefent ; which, where it will end, I dread to think. Whatever Good fome Men may think there is in this Licentioufnefs, fure I am there is great Evil in it ; and fo have all Governments, and the frecil States, ever thought in all Times. 'Tis what, in my Apprehenfion, no Government, be it ever fo wifely conftituted, or ever fo well adminiftred, can long fubfift under. Every Government, in a certain Number of Years, is by one Incident or

E other

* Many of the Republicans began to profefsDeifm : And almoft all of them were for ddhtyiog all. Clergy -men, and for breaking every thing that look'd like the Union of a National Chur Ji They were for pulling down the Churches, for difcharging the Tithes, and for leaving Religion free, as they called it, without cither Encouragement or Refirainr. Burnet's HijL p. 67,

1 8 The Bifiop of CliichelferY Serrtton ^^^^

other difti in its Affairs : When fuch a Juncture finds a People greatly

divided among themielvcs, and alienated in their Affedions by perpetual Li- bels from one another, and from their Governours ; what can that Govern- ment do in its ovvn Defence, or the Defence of the Nation, againft a foreign

my, much more againft a Pretender to the Crown, when its trueft

Strength is gone, the Affections of the People, and a hearty Union among

Ives ? For we can't but obferve, that under a Republican Spirit there

s one very different. The Men who are io loud for Liberty upon the the Republican Scheme, are joined by a Party of Men who mean nothing lefs an what in Appearance they are fo zealous for. They act by Direction from another Quarter, and to ferve another Caufe ; 'tis for that they endea- vour, to weaken the King at Home, and to expofehim Abroad ,; 'tis to bring . Power deftrudtive of the Religion and Liberty of their Country, that they cfpoufe {o warmly the Caufe of Liberty, and join with Men of quite different Principles : Which makes it more than ordinarily neceflary in thefe Times for the Friends of the Government to be vigilant, and take Care that they be not deluded into a Security that may prove fatal to them. I wifh thofe whom it more properly concerns would lay this to Heart, and pro- vide fome Remedy for fo great an Evil before it be too late.

In the mean time, let all wjio are well affe&ed to our Conftitution in Church and State, and who have a juft Abhorrence of the impious Murder we are this Day affembled to lament, declare openly their own Innocence, and that they no way approve the Principles or Practices that led to it. Let us have no Communication with thofe that are given to change, and would

v us off from our Duty to God and the King. Since the Irreligion of thefe Times is owing to the Hypocrify of thofe, and the fame factious Spirit is Aril alive, and not only alive, but very active, let us be verycarelul to be upon our Guard againft it. Let us ooniidcr well, before we begin to give into Mcafurcs againft the Government, where it is moil probable they will end. Let us remember the late Troubles were begun, and all along carried on by Men who had bound thcmfelves in the moil folemn Manner to defend the King's Perfon and Authority '•} that the World might bcarWitnefs with their Consciences of their Loyalty, aid that they had no ^Thoughts or Intention to

nmfh his juft Power and Great nefs.

This was the Language of the Covenant ; in which, among other things, they engaged for the Honour and Happmcfs of the King's Majefty and his Pojlerity. And at laft, when he was delivered into thcir% Hands by thofe to whofc Faith he had unhappily trufted himfelf, the ftrongeft AlTurances were given for the Safety of his Perfon. Let us remember this, and in what thefe Afiurances and Engagements ended. Let us remember, that, notwithstand- ing all our high Notions of Liberty, we are the Servants of God, and the Sub- jects of the King ; and that will teach us what Behaviour and Demeanour to- wards both beft becomes us. Let us be ferious and conftant in the Duties prefcribed by the excellent Religion wc profefs, and readily and chearfully

Day

Preached before the Houfe <?/LORDS. 19

pay that Obedience to the King, which both our Religion and our Laws / require of us. Let us preferve inviolably a due Reverence to his facred Per-^ fon, and yield a willing Submiffion to, his Government, and do every thing in our Power, to make him as happy in his Subjects, as his. Subjects are in him ; who has no Intereft feparate from that ot his People, no Views but to promote their Welfare, no Glory but in their Profperity. That he may long reign in the Hearts of an obedient People, and that the Happinefs we enjoy under his Government may be continued to our later!: Pofterity by a Succeffion of wife and virtuous Princes defcended from him, and ruling by his Example over faithful and good Subjects, GOD of His infinite Mercy grant through Jefus Chrifiy our Lord* "To whomy &c.

FINIS.

1