Sermon Preached 30 January 1694, Sermon
Mr. HARTCLIFFE's SERMON Before the Houſe of Commons, January 30. 1694/5.
Jovis 31. die Januarii, 1694. Ordered,
THat the Thanks of this Houſe be given to Mr. HARTCLIFFE for the SERMON by him Preached yeſterday, at St. Margaret, VVeſtminſter; And that he be deſired to Print the ſame, and that Mr. Hunt, and Mr. Hungerford do acquaint him therewith.
Paul Jodrell, Cler. Dom. Com.
A SERMON Preached before the Honourable Houſe of Commons, AT St. MARGARET WESTMINSTER, ON The Thirtieth of January, 1694/5.
By John Hartcliffe, B. D. CANON of Windſor.
LONDON: Printed for Charles Harper, at the Flower-de-luce over-againſt S. Dunſtan's Church in Fleetſtreet. 1695.
A SERMON ON PSALM 90. Verſe XV.
Make us glad, according to the days, wherein thou haſt afflicted us, and the years, wherein we have ſeen evil.
THIS Pſalm is made up of a complaint for the afflictions, as well as the ſhortneſs of human Life, together with an earneſt prayer to God for a ſpeedy return of his Mercy: it doth particularly reflect on thoſe times, in which Moſes lived, when the Children of Iſrael ſuffered great hardſhips in the Wilderneſs, and numbers of them were cut off for their provocations.
So that the Author hereof doth in the moſt paſſionate manner cry out, our Troubles have been very heavy, and have laſted very long; let us have, O Lord! ſome proportion of Joy to ſo large a ſhare of Sorrow; and make us glad, according to the days, wherein thou haſt afflicted us, and the years, wherein we have ſeen evil.
By the Words we are directed; Firſt, To conſider what we have ſeen of Evil in paſſed years, chiefly that which this day reminds us of.
Secondly, To flie to the God of all conſolation for comfort and joy; that he would make us glad, according to the days, wherein he hath afflicted us.
To look back upon days of adverſity and trouble is an unpleaſant and melancholly ſight; however ſome good uſe may be made of it; for thereby we ſhall ſee, that a long Sun-ſhine of God's Mercy hath ripen'd the Sins of a Nation, ſo that it ſhall be ready for the ſtrokes of his Juſtice. Thereby alſo we ſhall perceive, with what ſubtlety the Seeds of Sedition have been ſown, and how miſchievouſly they have been ſpread abroad in Libels. To what a degree of heat and madneſs, the luſt and ambition of ſome Men hath been raiſed; ſo that nothing could allay them, till they had ſull ſcope to take their revenge, and wreak … their malice, both upon Church and State.
In order to this End, we our ſelves have ſeen, and our Fathers have told us, what ſtrange and monſtrous Things have been done; it being very much ſo, for Subjects to Murder their King without ſhame, and in the face of the Sun; for the feet, thus unnaturally, to trample upon and throw off their Head. The meaneſt indeed of the People muſt be the moſt proper and fit Inſtruments for ſuch a work, becauſe low Deſcent and poor Education do, by a natural Power, incline the thoughts to an imperious Humour, to cruelty and diſobedience.
Now the more effectually to recommend this black Deſign, and to give it a fair Face, it was nam'd the Cauſe of God; and the principal Actors therein were ſtiled God's own Iſrael. Whereupon every Street was filled with their Cryes, that all People would come out of Egypt, and they had indeed provided them a Red-Sea of Blood for their paſſage. So that in this day of our affliction, all the Evil was acted under the vizard of Religion; which did much aggravate the guilt of the chief Agents, whoſe hearts were engag'd in the contrivance of the moſt unwarrantable Deed, when their hands and eyes were offering up prayers and tears to Gods Throne; nay they ſeemed to labour under ſtrong Impulſes of Spirit, till they had brought forth the evil thing, they had conceived; which they could not have done ſo eaſily, had they not united Men of different Intereſts by a Covenant. What a Device was this to help forward the birth of the moſt amazing Wickedneſs, by ſuch an engagement as was never heard of in antient Times, any otherwiſe than as at the making of their Leagues they were wont to kill Beaſts and divide them; ſo this alſo was ſolemniz'd with diviſion and ſlaughter.
Theſe were the years, in which peaceable and upright Walking before God, and Obedience to lawful Authority, were exchang'd for an unuſual Mode of Speech only, and a formality of Looks. The worſt actions Men could be guilty of, were attributed to the dictates of God's Holy Spirit; and they were more buſied in finding out ſome marks of Converſion, than about the practiſe of real Godlineſs; till at length the whole State was overthrown by fictions and lying Words: For by theſe they did blacken and miſrepreſent the King himſelf, that he might the more plauſibly be Sacrificed to the will of his Enemies.
The horridneſs of which Fact may be here briefly conſidered in the fatal Conſequences of it; for as one abſurdity begets many,, ſo did this Evil ſpread itſelf into many pernicious Evils; which may be reduced to theſe two ſorts:
1. Such as were of Civil,
2. Such as were of a Religious Concern.
We have felt the Death of the King to be a ſore Judgment, by the terrible Effects of it, which did ſpead themſelves over the Face, and thrô the Veins, and into the Bowels of the three Kingdoms: Many Noble and Antient Families were not only undone, but there immediately followed a Change of that Government, whoſe Praiſe had been proclaimed on the Earth for many Centuries: For as ſoon as the King was gone, our Fellow-Subjects took upon them to be our Princes, and to govern us at their pleaſure, in order to ſatisfie their Avarice, or their Ambition: and firſt they called themſelves a Council of State; but after that, and the Nobility was excluded, came in the Rule of the Common People by their Repreſentatives only; this increaſed the Number of our Rulers, conſequently the Burden of our Slavery, by being forced to ſerve ſo many Maſters: After theſe were deprived of the Power they had uſurp'd and abuſed, began the Dominion of the Sword; then we had as many Princes as there were Major-Generals; who perhaps, if they had out liv'd their Captain, would have canton'd the Kingdom into ſo many ſeveral Principalities; as when it was ſhred into Democracy, the Streams of Government ran thin and ſhallow, being cut into many Channels. Thus it was when their Leader, after the Pattern of Jeroboam, who made Prieſts of the baſeſt of the People, ſet up his Creatures too in the Houſe of Lords, and would have all the Tribes come up, and worſhip them. After this manner, when the King was gone, a kind of Giddineſs ſeized thoſe who would be uppermoſt and uſurp his Place; inſomuch that the ſtate of things was continually toſs'd from hand to hand, rolling like a Ship in the midſt of a tempeſtuous Sea, with all her Rigging, Maſts, and Rudder-Bands broken down, and without a Pilot, to ſtee her into a ſafe Harbour.
The Second ſort of ill Conſequences were of a Religious Concern; for upon the King's Murther, a boundleſs Licence, in Matters of Religion, broke in upon the Nation; all ways of Worſhipping God being allowed, but that which ought to be, and was his moſt reaſonable Service; all Perſons being admitted to the ſacred Function, but thoſe, who were lawfully called, and duly qualified by their Knowledg and Virtue: The Bank being in this manner broke down, the whole Body of the People began to crumble into Sects, and every Sect had its Head, and every one that was Head of a Sect, was Prince of that Party: and how many poor Souls have miſcarried by following theſe falſe Lights, who have led them into the groſſeſt and moſt abominable Trangſgreſſions; as it muſt needs be, when the very Inſtruments of their Salvation, Preaching, Praying, Faſting, Vowing, were made uſe of to colour over the vileſt Actions; inſomuch that nothing at laſt was accounted ſo bad, or ſo unworthy their notice, as Obedience to Superiours; nothing ſo ridiculous as Reſtitution of what was unjuſtly gotten: So that the very Saviour of the World, who taught Patience and Humility, Juſtice and Mercy thrô his whole Life, is now again moſt notoriouſly mock'd with Soldiers, and vouch'd the Patron of all that hideous Bloodſhed, which he hath plainly condemn'd in his Word, and will hereafter as ſeverely ſentence in his own Perſon.
Theſe were ſad and mournful days indeed, when our diſtreſſed Countrey felt ſuch violent Convulſions within her own Bowels; ſuch deadly Blows from her own diſobedient Children: When both its Civil and Religious Concerns were almoſt deſtroyed; for that Men made uſe of both the Name, Word, and Ordinances of God, to palliate the moſt unrighteous Purpoſes.
Now a juſt Reflection on theſe paſſed Times of Adverſity ſhould arm us, that we may eſcape the like Troubles,
1ſt. With a reſolution never to meddle with thoſe that are given to change.
2ly. Never to entertain any Principles of Sedition.
For to be involv'd in Factions againſt the Government, is a fooliſh and a dangerous thing; it is fooliſh, becauſe a Man that engages therein, doth at the ſame time expoſe himſelf to all the Deluſions imaginable, and to the Cheats of every plotting Knave. Beſides, what an unaccountable thing is it, for every pert and ignorant Fellow to ſit in Judgment on his Governours, and arraign their Adminiſtration of Affairs. Then in Matters of Religion, we ſhall hear every thing to be branded for Popery; and in Matters of State, every thing to be called Tyranny, which doth not exactly agree with their Model. It is alſo dangerous to be in with Factions, becauſe they make Men ſo bold and raſh, that at one time or other they will ſplit themſelves to pieces againſt the Law; for their Lives and Fortunes are at pawn in the hands of their Confederates, who in all probability will betray them; or if they do not, their moſt clandeſtine Councils may be overheard, or their own guilty Looks and unavoidable Suſpicions may diſcover all, and ſo hang up their mighty Hopes upon a Gibbet.
Now theſe Factions are generally laid at firſt, as they were in the late Times, in ſome little Diſputes about Matters of Religion; and when once the People are whetted by this kind of Zeal to diſturb the eſtabliſh'd Religion, the next thing they do is to muſter againſt the eſtabliſh'd Government. Thus they grow nice about an indifferent Rite of Worſhip, and can take in treaſonable Principles without remorſe.
Poor deluded People! who are Tools only in the hands of the more crafty, and are led by exteriour Appearances, without penetrating into the Cauſe and Nature of things; they liſt themſelves in Parties and ſee where they begin, but God knows where they will end; they commence the Quarrel for ſome Loan, and are trained on from one Evil to another, into the Spilling of Royal Blood; for when they are entred into illegal Actions, ſoon deſpairing of a ſafe Retreat, they think to ſhelter themſelves from the Puniſhment of one Crime by committing a worſe; for I make no doubt that many of thoſe wretched Men, who murdered King CHARLES the First, would have trembled at the imagination of it, when firſt they were concerned in the Attempt, but being once drawn in, they had no other way to eſcape, but by Rebellion, and being Rebels, they had no other Sanctuary, but Regicide.
Wherefore it behoves us, as we regard our own or the publick Safety, to ſhun all Correſpondence with ſuch, as would readvance the old Methods of Sedition; let us look back a while on the paſſed Years of our Calamity, and we muſt be aſtoniſhed at the Misfortunes that have been brought about by the feigned Alarms ſometimes of Superſtition, and ſometimes of Arbitrary Power, according as either the one or the other might beſt ſerve the Turns of ill-minded Men: When therefore we find any among us labouring and concerned to raiſe theſe Jealouſies again, be ſure they aim at ſinking the whole Frame of things into Confuſion; and whenever we diſcover any ſort of Men ſtrugling for Reformation in a tumultuous manner; we muſt have nothing to do with them; for they will aſſuredly be found Deceivers, who make a ſhew of Religion to undermine the State; and whenever ſome undutiful Perſons ſpeak ill of their Rulers in common Converſe, and whiſper Stories to magnifie their Faults, be ſure they do this to ſtir up the Paſſions and Arms of the People againſt them.
Whereas if we would maintain the Character of good Chriſtians and good Subjects, and deſire to walk uprightly in a ſafe Courſe of Life, we muſt follow the honest and peaceable Rules of living through all Events whatſoever; ſo ſhall we live conſiſtently with our ſelves, be always the ſame, immoveably confirmed in our Obedience both to God and the King.
But then 2ly. We muſt never entertain any Principles of Sedition; for if we do, we ſhall always be prepar'd to break the publick Peace, and to turn the World upſide down: We have heard indeed from ill-principled Politicians, that to be a zealous and ſthrô-paced Chriſtian, is to be dangerous to the State: Whereas our Saviour's Goſpel contains nothing in it prejudicial to the Power of juſt and lawful Magiſtrates; but on the other ſide, hath ſtated the Rights of Civil Government upon the firmeſt Principles, hath ſecured them by the moſt powerful Obligations, and hath urged them upon us by the moſt effectual Motives of Rewards and Puniſhments.
Now if at any time the Profeſſors of our Religion have acted contrary to the Spirit of Chriſt, who was a gentle Lord, and a Peace-maker, they muſt be eſteemed his Enemies, and not his Diſciples; if in the Rule of our Faith there can be found any Warrant to juſtifie their privy Conſpiracies, or open Rebellion; then may Kings ceaſe to be our nurſing Fathers, and Queens to be our nurſing Mothers; then our preaching is vain, and your Faith is vain. But the truth of the Caſe is quite otherwiſe; the Foundation of Government is deeply rooted in the Foundation of our Religion: Inſomuch that what human Laws could never effect, that the Chriſtian, in the true Spirit of it, performs to the utmoſt degree: For our Saviour carried himſelf with Submiſſion to the Powers, that then were, even to the Sanhedrim and their Delegates; and in his Doctrine he hath commanded us, to render unto Ceſar the things, that are Ceſars; and the Apoſtles likewiſe preſs earneſtly for Obedience to them, who have the rule over us; that we may doe all things without murmuring, and pray for all that are in authority.
But if any object to this, that both Chriſt and his Followers too ſubmitted, becauſe they had not Strength nor Force enough to reſiſt; we may reply, that he could only have ſpoke the Word, and his Father would have ſent him Twelve Legions of Angels for his Relief; but to this Objection the Behaviour of the Primitive Chriſtians will give a full Anſwer; for Tertullian tells the Emperour in his Apology, that his Cities, Iſlands, Caſtles, and Armies; his Palace, Senate, and Courts of Judicature, were fill'd with Chriſtians, who would make no Stirs, thô they were oppreſs'd by the ſevereſt Edicts: And it is very remarkable, that our Saviour did never look into the original Power of the Sanhedrim, or what was left them by the Romans, but becauſe they ſat in Moſes his Chair, whatſoever they bid you do, be charges them to do it; and in the Writings of his Apoſtles not a Word occurs of any enquiry into the Titles or Rights of the Roman Governours, but their Pains are ſpent in fixing all things that relate to the juſt Meaſures of Obedience: For it had been a very weak Argument for Rulers to become Chriſtians, if by yielding to our Faith, they muſt thereby be expoſed to the ſhakings of War, upon every breaking out of Religious Melancholy; whoſe untoward Influences were in the late Times of trouble ſo very powerful, as to perſuade ſome overzealous Perſons, that they were exempt from the Laws of Men, when they were confident enough to call themſelves the only Friends of the Kingdom of Chriſt.
How far this falſe Opinion did prevail, and how near it came to the digging the Grave of this Kingdom, we cannot remember without Consternation; but this beneficial Truth we have learnt by it, that there is no Cruelty ſo great, as Laxeneſs of Government, nor Tyranny, like the Rage of Subjects let looſe and unreſtrained: Hence proceeded ſuch a Deed, as was hardly ever ſeen or heard of before, and that will cauſe the Ears of all future Ages to tingle, when the King fell by the Rage of his own miſtaken People.
However it may be, God ſuffered this barbarous Wickedneſs to ſucceed, that he might ſhew forth his Wonders in our days, and comfort us under the preſent Reign for all the afflictions that we have ſmarted under: It may be, this was done, that we might ſay, the Lord liveth, who hath delivered us from the Teeth of unnatural Zealots, blood thirſty and deceitful Men.
Surely all theſe things have been permitted, that the Faith and Patience of good Men might be made bright and ſhining, by the flames they have undergone of Perſecution; and that in the day when God ſhall have given the King either the hearts, or the necks of his Enemies, it may not repent him of the deliverance he hath wrought, under God, for the State, out of the ſnares of wicked Men, or of raiſing up the afflicted Head of the Church out of the duſt; of whoſe Faith his Grandfather lived the moſt pious Defender, and for which he died a Glorious Martyr.
Which brings me to the ſecond and more delightful part of my Text, to conſider the comforts we may now hope for, when God hath made us glad, according to the days, wherein we have been afflicted: And he hath made us ſo, in that we live,
First, Under a Monarchy, not under a multitude of Rulers.
Secondly, Under the Directions of the true Religion, not under erroneous Doctrine.
Thirdly, Under the Bleſſings of Peace, not under the Miſeries of Civil War.
The late Troubles were the more heavy and intolerable, in that we had many Maſters to ſerve, many Taskmaſters I mean, who did often require brick without affording ſtraw: And Solomon obſerves, Prov. 28.2. That for the tranſgreſſion of a Land many are the Princes thereof, but by a man of underſtanding ſhall the ſtate of it be prolonged; eſpecially where the King Governs his Subjects, as a Father doth his Children, by equal and juſt Laws, made with their own conſent to them: And at preſent we have a particular reaſon for a more than ordinary joy, if we reflect upon the wonderful change from what we were of late, to what we are now; as S. Paul ſaith of the calling of the Jews, it is like the Reſurrection of the dead: And we may believe, that if the Spirits of juſt men made perfect know any thing of what is done here below, that King CHARLES the Firſt, was never ſo much grieved with the Injuries that were done unto himſelf, as now he may be well pleaſed with theſe days of Happineſs to his Realms, in having a Monarch of his own Blood, endow'd with all the Heroical Virtues, which may ſhed a ſuitable influence upon his Government: For he appears to be ſent by God himſelf, to build up the Walls of our Jeruſalem, and to make up the breaches in Sion, by reſtoring whatever we want to complete our good Condition, to cure all our Jealouſies, to baniſh all our Fears, to confirm all our hopes, and to remove all our Diſtractions.
Now theſe Bleſſings can be no more expected from a Multitude of Rulers, than order can be kept up in the Univerſe by a multitude of Gods, who will be ever croſſing one another. But they may be had under a ſingle Perſon, eſpecially from one, whom we muſt own to be deſigned by Divine Providence, to be preſerved by Divine Power, to be qualified by Divine Wiſdom, to ſcatter that cloud which began to gather and look black upon Church and State; to eſtabliſh and prolong our peace, plenty, wealth, ſtrength, ſecurity, reputation, and whatſoever other Ingredients there are to render a Nation happy; which was ſo near periſhing under the Conduct of many, it ſhall by one man of knowledg and virtue, not only be recovered from its former Diſtempers, but be ſtedfaſtly ſettled, and the State thereof continued, if it be not our own fault, for the future: whereas the whole Conſtitution of the Land muſt needs ſink, if it ſhould be ever Canton'd into parts, or the Sovereignty of the whole be ſhared among many or among all, if it ſhould be divided by Sword-men, or by ſetting up two Chiefs over the ſame Subjects, one in Civil, the other in Eccleſiaſtical Matters, whether the conclave, or the conſiſtory be the cauſe of it.
For, Secondly, The Confuſions of the late Times were the more grievous for the variety of Teachers that ſprung up, and filled the Heads of their Diſciples with wrong Notions of things, particularly that they might avoid the Power of the Magiſtrate, by pleading ſometimes their Chriſtian Liberty, and ſomtimes by pretending a tenderneſs of Conſcience. Now if our Chriſtian Liberty ſhould extend ſo far, as to cancel all Bonds of Subjection to Princes, it muſt be the perpetual occaſion of Wars and Commotions; which made it neceſſary for the Apoſtles, almoſt in all their Writings, to preſs Obedience to Superiours, leaſt the Chriſtians ſhould once think themſelves free from theſe tyes; which would render Civil Government very uncertain, and the Condition of Rulers very precarious. But our moſt pure and inoffenſive Religion hath found out an admirable temper for theſe things, and doth poſitively command all Perſons, to conform alſo to every thing lawful, which Publick Authority ſhall preſcribe: The Contents of the great Charter brought in by our Lord Jeſus being theſe; that beſides the delivering us from the Dominion of Sin, and the burdenſom Rites of Judaiſm, our minds might enjoy a freedom to follow their Reaſon, and to obey any Laws of Men, that do not interfere with, or contradict the expreſs Laws of the Goſpel: From which Obedience no pretences to a tender mind can by any means excuſe us; notwithſtanding ſome Men by the ſoftneſs hereof, have endeavour'd to limit Magiſtrates, null their Laws, and to juſtifie any extravagant Action in the Perſon who pretends to it; ſo that if the King himſelf ſhall meddle with ſuch a one to ſtop the current of his zeal, he ſhall be named a fighter against God. Thus by the ſame Perſons Divine Honour hath been given to a Paſſion, and the Prince at the ſame time hath been Dethroned: Hence alſo it is probable, that dangerous Principle aroſe; That it is Lawful for any Man of what quality ſoever, to ſet up for a Reformer.
I need not put you in mind of the Diſorders, ſuch as were never hammer'd out by the wit and wickedneſs of Man before, which have hereby been brought upon the Kingdom: It is our preſent comfort and ſecurity, that we live under the peaceable directions of that Religion, which is of another Spirit, and will not ſuffer us to diſhonour our Profeſſion by a falſe Notion of Liberty, or to commit any ſin under the diſguiſe of a tender Conſcience: Upon this account it is, that we may hope to live
Thirdly, Under the bleſſings of Peace; not that we are rid of Enemies, but we may maintain our ground againſt their attacks, ſo long as the wheels of Government are ſet right, and move with an entire harmony. For if we view the poſture we ſtand in in at this day, if ever any people were obliged to live in good agreement with one another, we undoubtedly are that People; eſpecially if we look back upon the days of our Calamity, and the miſeries our Country lay under from the outrages of War. And it was obſerved of old, that the Conqueſt of this Iſland by the Romans was effected with eaſe, by reaſon of the differences that were among the Inhabitants; whereas had they made a joynt Defence, they had certainly either preſerved their Liberty, or at leaſt ſold it at a dearer rate. At this inſtant we have too great cauſe to fear, that while the ſeveral Parties contend, a common Enemy ſhould ruſh in upon us, who cannot ſwallow us whole, as he may do, when we are cut into ſmall pieces: And then, as my Lord Bacon ſays well, we muſt take it to be a deſperate caſe, when thoſe, who ſeem to be in with the Proceedings of the State, are full of Diſcord, and thoſe that are againſt it, are intire and united.
However I cannot but believe, that the Providence of God hath yet continued Peace among us, for this End, that we may be the more vigilant againſt the approach of Enemies from abroad, chiefly thoſe of Rome, who cannot ſet their foot here without bringing an Inundation of Ruin upon all orders of Men: For if we ſhould be ſo good natured, as to cheriſh this Serpent in our boſoms, which now we imagine to have neither power nor will to hurt us, I queſtion not, but we ſhould feel it to reſume its former malice and poyſon, together with its warmth and ſtrength: And give me leave to tell you, that if, now the houſe is well ſwept, the old unclean Spirit ſhould come back again, he would take unto him ſeven other Spirits, worſe than himſelf, and dwell there, and ſo make our latter end worſe than our beginning.
Which muſt be ſo, without the return of Popery, unleſs we forſake every evil way; becauſe every ſin is vertually a Treaſon againſt the Government, and threatens the alteration of it: And it is too notorious, how long an angry no leſs, than a ſinful Spirit, hath reign'd among us; with what a bare fare, and brazen forehead doth he walk about the Nation! With what Traders for Hell hath the Land of late years abounded! Men who are Adverſaries to God and Virtue; and conſequently muſt be ſo to the Eſtabliſh'd Government. In their Cabals they are ſo impudent and baſe, as to revile the King, backbite his Miniſters, carry about falſe Stories, give odious Characters, and raiſe imaginary Fears; as it hath been in times paſt; ſo this is done now, to let looſe the Rabble upon their Governors, which Beggars do ever impatiently long for.
Now would we be willing to ſee the Tragical Scene of Forty One acted over again, by a crew of Malecontents? Would we ſee that reſtleſs, ploting humour, which boyls and ferments in many Men's breaſts, diſplay itſelf in the diſmal Effects of War and Deſolation? Would it pleaſe us to ſee men of broken Fortunes, and the moſt profligate Lives, in Troops and Tumults beleaguering the Goverment? Would we have an Army of Iriſh Papiſts, the ſtanding Inſtruments of our perpetual Slavery? Would we rejoyce to have that ſpiteful ſaying verified, Delenda eſt Carthago, that is, would we have our Friends deſtroyed, and our greateſt Foe advanced to an Univerſal Monarchy? Would we hear the Prieſts abſolving their Congregations from the Oath of Allegiance to their Sovereign? Would we be contented to have an inſolent, overturning Army in the Bowels of the Nation, to tear every body to pieces? Would it delight us to behold the Husbandman undone, the Gentry ſtarv'd, the Nobility harraſs'd, and the Crown trampled on with the vileſt Circumſtances of Malice and Cruetly, with all good Men dying at the feet of mercileſs and blody Cut-throats?
Now if we would ſtop this Deluge of Evils from breaking in, and would prevent a Relapſe into our old Diſeaſes; if we dread theſe Furies to be let looſe again upon us; let us fear a return of our former Iniquities; if we would keep off the Axe from the Root of our Country, let us lay it to the Root of our Sins; if we would preſerve the Lives of our Poſterity, let us amend our own; for when we hear of Conſpiracies, or ſeditious Combinations, they need not ſo much move or affright us, as when we behold Treachery and Falſeneſs the predominant Principle of Mens Actions; as when we ſee the ſame or more open Profaneneſs, the ſame or more lewd Debaucheries of all kinds, calling aloud for Vengeance from Heaven: This is the Cauſe, that, if we look back but a few Years, we ſhall find God's Judgments have all along followed us, ſtill corroding into our very Bones. This would more plainly appear, if I might be ſuffer'd to rehearſe the Evils that have befaln this Nation, and might trace them backward to that great one, which was the Spring of many others, and the unhappy Cauſe of this Day's Obſervation.
Bleſſed be God, that after ſo many Afflictions, he hath cauſed Light to ſpring out of Darkneſs, and Order out of Confuſion; who hath reduced all things into that firm State, out of which they have been diſtorted; hath wrung our Religion, and our Liberties out of the very Clutches of the Roman Wolf; hath fixed the Throne and the Church upon a ſure bottom; both which are fenced about with the moſt excellent and uſeful Laws.
But then what Requital have we made to God for all theſe Benefits? How have we demeaned our ſelves under this happy Conſtitution of Affairs? What Fruits do we yield anſwerable to theſe great Advantages? One might rationally expect to ſee Religion in quite another Face among us, than is hath in other parts of the World; and having had ſufficient experience of the manifold Woes ariſing from Diſcord, there ſhould no ſuch thing as Diviſion be heard of; and living under the moſt merciful and indulgent Prince, all the Strife methinks ſhould be how to ſerve faithfully ſo good and ſo great a Maſter.
But alas! the Behaviour of many is contrary to all this; who quarrel ſtill without any Ground, and without any Meaſure; who do not yet give over to reproach and Nick-name one another: What the iſſue of theſe unreaſonable Differences may be, we know not; I pray God they do not end in our Fall, for theſe were the Sins, if it be lawful to gueſs at the reaſon of God's Judgments from outward Appearances, that brought the ſoreſt Evils upon our Forefathers.
Wherefore if theſe uneaſie and quarrelſom Perſons have not the Grace of Chriſtians, have they not the Hearts of Men? Have they no Compaſſion nor Love for the Good of their Countrey? Will they not at leaſt pity their own Progeny? Will they commit Sins, and breed up Children to inherit the Curſe? Shall the Infants now unborn have cauſe to ſay hereafter in the Bitterneſs of their Souls, our Fathers have by their Falſhood and Rebellion forfeited thoſe Liberties, and Loſt that Religion, which ſhould have been our just Inheritance!
Thanks be to God, that at preſent we are made whole; he hath by a Miracle of Goodneſs healed our Breaches, applied a proper Remedy to our Maladies, and hath poured Balſam into the Wounds of a diſtemper'd Nation: What remains then, but that we take the Counſel that was given upon a like miraculous Cure; Go, and ſin no more, leſt a worſe thing happen unto you; Go and raiſe no more inteſtine Feuds, leſt you make your ſelves weak, little, and indefenſible.
But ſince our Sufferings have been ſo great, as none to be acknowledged worſe; ſince our Calamities have reach'd the very top; I muſt ſay, Go and ſin no more, leſt the ſame Evils befall you; if my Advice will not be receiv'd, let that in 1 Sam. 12.24, 25. prevail; Only fear the Lord, and ſerve him in truth; for conſider, how great things he hath done for you; But if ye still do wickedly, ye ſhall all periſh, both ye, and your King.
For there is no ſuch mighty difference in the Wits and Contrivances of Men; no ſuch great Advantages in Military Power and Conduct; no ſuch wonderful Diſproportion in the Courage or Wiſdom of Mankind: But when God hath been pleaſed to ſend his Locuſts or his Graſhoppers, the meaneſt and very contemptible Creatures; the moſt flouriſhing Kingdoms, the beſt diſciplin'd Armies, and the moſt fortified Cities have been overturned: But a due Regard to our moſt holy and peaceable Religion, as it will prevent private Animoſities by Juſtice and Honeſty, Truth and Plain-dealing; ſo it will keep off publick Diſturbances, by caſting out all bad Principles, which are the fatal Nurſeries of Rebellion; by teaching us Patience, a due Government of our ſelves, and Obedience, not only for Wrath, but alſo for Conſcience ſake.
Whereas a vicious Courſe of Life, all looſe and extravagant Deſires, do naturally diſpoſe Men to endeavour After-changes in hopes of bettering their Condition; and this Expectation prompts them on to unhinge the Government by Fraud, or to cut the Sinews of it by Force.
But if Men were wiſe, they would conſider in this their Day, the things which do belong to their Peace; for whoſe ſake, if they were wiſe, they would abandon their moſt beloved Sins, and for whoſe ſake, if they were wiſe, they would lay aſide their moſt beloved Scruples: For how can they anſwer it to their own Conſciences, if at ſuch a critical time, when all things valuable to us lie at Stake, they ſhall then labour to ſupport the Intereſts of diſtinct Parties, and refuſe to do thoſe things, which they may do lawfully towards a Union with the whole Nation: They would not act thus, if they had any Veneration for the Memory of King CHARLES the Firſt, or did from their Souls abhor thoſe black Counſels and accurſed Practices, which finiſhed the laſt part of his Tragedy.
May all of us therefore be moſt induſtriouſly watchful, that the ſame Spirit of Peeviſhneſs and Diviſion, which, in the Years of our trouble, inſpired ſo many ill Men, miſ-guided ſome credulous Perſons, and coſt the King ſo dear, may not once more revive and inſinuate it ſelf again, under the ſame, or craftier Diſguiſes, and find an Opportunity to attempt the like Miſchiefs.
May all diſſatisfied Perſons be brought to a better Temper, by reflecting ſeriouſly on thoſe great things, which God hath done for the ſaving their Country, and not be ſo debaſed in their Spirits, as to court Bondage and Deſtruction: May they at length ceaſe to be turbulent, or to juſtle their Brethren; when we are all ſtanding upon the brink, as it were of a ſteep Precipice; we are at preſent held up by a ſtrong hand, but as by one ſingle Thread; Can we then think our ſelves ſecure from ſo great Danger?
We are bound therefore to humble our ſelves before God; to bewail, with a broken and a contrite Heart, thoſe crying Sins, which may juſtly provoke him to puniſh us with the utmoſt Severity; earneſtly imploring his Mercy, that he would protect our Church and Nation from the Deſigns of their Enemies, and deliver us all from unreaſonable and wicked Men: That in the midſt of Judgment he would remember Mercy, and make us glad in giving Health, long Life, and Proſperity to the King, after the Time in which we have been ſo forely afflicted for the late Loſs of our moſt Gracious Queen, who was truly the Breath of our Noſtrils, the Delight of our Eyes, and the Joy of all our Hearts: Which Mercy we importunately pray, that God would grant us, for the Sake of Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, to whom be aſcribed, as is moſt due, all Honour, Praiſe, and Dominion now and for ever.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Hartcliffe, Sermon Preached 30 January 1694 (1695)