A Loud Call to Great Mourning, Title page – Dedication
A LOUD CALL TO Great Mourning: IN A SERMON PREACHED On the 30th of January 1661. BEING The ANNIVERSARY FAST for the Execrable MURTHER of our Late SOVERAIGN LORD KING CHARLES the First, of Glorious Memory. BEFORE The Honourable Knights, Citizens, & Burgesses of the Commons House of Parliament. In the Parish-Church of Saint Margarets Westminster.
By Nath. Hardy D. D. D. R. Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majesty, and Vicar of St Martins in the Fields.
LONDON: Printed by Abraham Miller for Joseph Cranford, at the Gun in Saint Pauls Church-yard, 1662.
Veneris 31 die Januarij, Anno Regni Caroli Secundi Regis 13.
ORDERED,
THat the Thankes of this House be returned to Mr. Dean Hardy; and Mr. Alsop, for the Sermons by them Preached yesterday before this House at St. Margarets Westminster; and they are desired to Print their Sermons. And Sr. Thomas Meeres is desired to return the thanks of this House to Mr. Dean Hardy, and my Lord Richardson to Mr. Alsop.
Will. Goldesbrough Cler. Dom. Com.
To the Honourable and Loyal Knights, Citizens, & Burgesses, OF THE COMMONS HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT.
THere were some dayes which were called by the Romans, Atri & infansti, Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. lib. 4. cap. 20.black and omnious dayes, dayes not to be reckoned with a white stone, but marked with a black coale. Such was, and no doubt will be for ever accounted the 30th of January 1648. by the inhabitants of England, Scotland and Ireland, as being a day wherein one King and three Kingdomes were beheaded at one blow. The King deprived of his natural, and the Kingdoms of their political Head.
Before that dismall Day came, I thought my self many wayes oblieged to be among the small number of those who did in their Pulpits earnestly deprecate, and vehemently declaim against that villanous attempt.
Since that time, at the yearly Returne, either upon or near the day,Isaiah 62. 6. I adventured to become a remembrancer, To God (be it spoken with reverence) of vengeance, To the people of penitence, for that bloudy fact, a fact indeed, which though it is not to be mentioned without abhorrency, yet cannot be forgotten without stupidity.
I have now lived to see an Yearly Fast enjoyned upon that dolefull Day, to be kept throughout all Generations; and by your favour (Worthy Senators) had the honour to be one of your servants in that solemne Work this last Anniversary.
I knew not any Subject more proper for such a Day than Mourning, and (God knoweth) my designe and desire was to make all sorry but none angry. If because of my impartial reprehension, any instead of being pricked to the heart with sorrow, Acts 2. 37. & 5. 33.were cut to the heart with anger; I am heartily sorry I was so much disappointed of my aime.
My hope is, that if they who heard with a left eare, will be pleased to read with a right eye, they will find nothing but what may very well admit of a Candid construction, However, I blesse God that my faithfull (though slender) performance met with your favourable acceptance.
In obedience chiefly to your desire, and partly for my own vindication, I have made the Discourse publick, which (without any wilfull omissions, and with very few additions) I humbly tender to your review and patronage, above all commending it to divine benediction.
I cannot passe by that remarkable passage of providence, which so directed the Preachers Discourses, that by the discord of their Notes, they made the sweeter Harmony, whilst the one excited you to great Mourning,Matth. 5. 11, 12. the other to exceeding Joy. So that I may very fitly invert the Psalmists words, Psal. 30. 5.Heaviness endured for the morning, but joy came in the evening. Nor were the Texts (upon this account) more opposite one to the other, than both apposite to the Day, on which there was cause at once both of grief for the peoples vices, and joy in the Kings vertues; sadnesse for the sinnes which brought him thither, and gladnesse that he behaved himself so well there.
And (blessed be God) that as even on that Day of Mourning, there was cause of Rejoycing in the Magnanimity of Charles the First; so that after many years of Mourning, we have at length great cause of Rejoyceing in the Prosperity of Charles the Second. Nor is it a small addition to our joy, (I speak without flattery) that under our Gracious Soveraigne, we have at this day an House of Commons made up of Gentlemen, and those both faithfull Subjects to their King, and zealous Friends to the Church: so that we assure our selves, Unde periculum inde remedium, as an House of Commons was the source of our former miscry; so an House of Commons will be the happy means of our future tranquility.
I shall only crave leave to inculcate in the close of this Epistle, what was insinuated in the close of the Sermon. That what was heretofore fondly mistaken, nay, falsely pretended, may by you be effectually endeavoured; namely, a thorough Reformation, not of our Religion, (which though I will not say it is not at all defective, yet I cannot say wherein it is corrupt nay, I dare say, is exceeding good) but of the manners and lives of people which are excessively bad. That your impartial zeal would purge the Land at once of that faction and prophanenesse which still threaten our ruine. Finally, That you would go on as you have begun, and improve your power to the utmost, for promoting the honour of God, his name, his worship, his dayes, stablishing the Kings Throne, confirming the Churches Rights, and setling the Kingdoms peace.
That in order to these excellent ends,Isaiah 11. 2. the Spirit of the Lord may rest upon you, the spirit of wisdome and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledg and the fear of the Lord to guide and direct you in all your Consultations; and that your labour of love to God, the King, the Church, the Kingdomes, may be recompensed an hundred-fold upon you and your Posterity, is, and shall be the fervent prayer of
Your humble Servant Nath. Hardy.