horror of Conscience the snares of death and the pit of hell So then is our soul still hamperd and entangled in the snares of our sins and can we say our soul is escaped Sin it self is a snare and all snares come by sin The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands saith David the Father and In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare saith Solomon the Son If then we would escape the snares of evil men such as was that of this day take we heed of the snares of the Devil which St. Paul speaks of in his Epistles to Timothy those two especially which he there makes one of them at least the root of all evil Pride and Covetousness these are indeed the cause of all other snares both in Church and State Ambition and Avarice for the most part the fountains and inlets of all Heresie and Schism Rebellion and Treason yea of all sin and wickedness mischief and misery whatsoever these are they that set our Romish Fowlers a work this day though zeal for Religion and the Catholic cause was pretended Wherefore to conclude Flee youthful lusts saith the Apostle Let us flee sinful lusts to be sure especially these two leading grand cardinal lusts Pride and Covetousness and then we shall the sooner and easier flee schism and faction atheism and prophaness which if we do not we have no part nor portion in this days solemnity nor can we cordially close with the Church in the celebration of it but let us to the purity of our Reformed Religion add the purity and reformedness of our lives let us walk in the ways of peace and holiness humility and charity and then we may with joyful and chearful and thankful hearts acknowledg and commemorate the great deliverance of this day and say with the Psalmist in the words of the Text Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers the snare is broken and we are delivered FINIS Non poena sed causa facit Martyrem S. Aug. Epist. 61. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nyss. Tom. 3. Orat. in S. Steph. Matth. 23. 37. Gen. 9. 6. Psal. 116. 15 V. 57. 58. Grot. De Satisfact cap. 10. De Albanis hoc specialiter proditum solere ab ipsis immolari eum quem crederent Sanctimoniâ maximè pollere Joh. 19. 6. Talis cùm sis utinam noster esses Nunt. à Mort. Nemo demtâ haerâ—seos labe aut justior aut sanctior c. p. 7. Joh. 19. 14. Joh. 19. 5. Dan. 9. 26. 2. Gen. 4. 7. Joh. 8. 44. Rom. 6. 23. 3. Vâ— etiam laudabili vitae hominum Aug. Conf. l. 1. c 22. Si quoties peccant homines sua fulmina mittat 4. Exod. 34. 7. Jam. 5. 16. 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Heb. 9. 22. Matth. 23. 35 1 Tim. 2. 5. Jam. 5. 15. Act. 8. 24. Jer. 7. 16. Aug. Cons. 1. 3. c. 12. Matth. 3. 9. S. Aug. Serm. 1 De Sanctis 5. Matth. 5. 44. Luk. 23. 34. 1 Cor. 13. 6. Joh. 16. 13. Hom. Il. 1. 1 Cor. 13. Matt 27. 24. Eccles. 12. 13. Rom. 13. 5. Rom. 13. 1. Luk. 18. 2. Psal. 36. 1. Prov. 25. 5. Psal. 73. 9. Prov. 24. 21. 1 Kings 18. 12. Jer. 39. 18. Rom. 13. 7. Pareus in locum Jer. 17. 9. 1 Joh. 3. 20. 1 Joh. 3. 21. Joh. 16. 2. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Eccles. 8. 2. Prov. 3. 5. Prov. 3. 9. 1 Tim. 5. 3. Matth. 22. 21. Theodorus eâ—m subâ—de appellavit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sueton. Tiber. Sueton. Claud. 2 Pet. 2. 10. Prov. 1. 17. Psal. 18. 5. Gen. 49. v. 7. v. 5. v. 6. Virg. Aen. 5. Psal. 118. 23. Prov. 16. 10. Bellarm. sub nomine Matth. Torti pag. 94. Bellarm. sub nomine Sculken contra Widdrington Less Apolog. pro Potest S. Pontif. Part 2. Sect. 3. Santarel de Haeresi Schism Creswel Philopat Num. 156. Davenant Determ Qu. 17. Less de Just. Jur. l. 2. c. 9. Membris Eccles. Bellarm. de Membris Eccles lib. 3. qui est deLaicis Bellarm. in Recog lib. suprà dict Bellarm. de Concil l. 2. Bellarm. de Potest S. Pontif. adv G. Barcl cap. 31. Heb. 10. 23. Psal. 144. 15. Joh. 5. 14. Jer. 48. 432. Psal. 9. 16. Prov. 29. 6. 1 Tim. 3. 7. 2 Tim. 2. 26. 1 Tim. 6. 10. 2 Tim. 2. 22.
merits and mediation Indeed 't is the free Grace and Mercy of God that is the prime and principal proegumenous cause whereby God is inwardly mov'd and enclin'd to give a discharge and release to Sinners and to grant pardon and forgiveness o' Sin and 't is the all-sufficient merit and mediation of Christ that is the prime and principal procatarctic cause the only impulsive meritorious cause whereby God is mov'd and induced to show pity to poor Sinners 'T is Christ alone that is our Advocate with the Father and he is the propitiation for our sins says St. John though if Socinus say true the blood of Martyrs may avail almost as much for the expiation and pardon of Sins as the blood o' Christ yet the same Apostle tells us that not the blood of Martyrs but only the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth us from all sin Without shedding o' blood his blood no remission o' Sin not of the Sin of Blood-shed and Murder this Sin to be sure 't is his blood alone can wash out this blood the guilt and stain of this Crimson and Scarlet Sin especially the stain of innocent and Royal blood the Sin of this day 'T is not the blood of all the Martyrs and Holy men that ever were slain since the beginning o' the world not all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of our righteous King Charles the First that can make an atonement or propitiation for any one Sin The blood of Saints and Martyrs may cry aloud to Heaven for vengeance but it can never cry for mercy no that 's proper and peculiar to the blood of Christ alone No other propitiatory nor deletory of Sin but only the blood of that immaculate Lamb. Nor have we any other Advocates in Heaven that we know on nor Mediators of intercession no more than of Redemption but only that one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus I say no other Advocates nor Mediators in Heaven yet we have a sort of inferiour Advocates and Intercessors on earth viz. our fellow Christians that may and do make intercession for us and are daily Orators in our behalf at the throne of Grace praying to God for us that he wu'd not impute our Sins unto us Some on earth then we have that intercede and pray for us but none in Heaven but our Saviour Christ I mean none that pray for us in particular though in the general the Church Triumphant in Heaven may pray for the Church Militant here on earth yet I scy no Saints departed pray for us in partkcular for ought we know and Viventes pro viventibus ergo Defuncti is no good consequence by the Cardinal 's leav for they that live and converse with us here on earth may see and know our wants or we may impart our thoughts and desires our needs and necessities to 'um but that the Saints in Heaven either know my wants or hear my Prayers I ha' no ground to believ because no warrant at all in Scripture therefore I cannot in Faith call upon 'um nor pray unto 'um to pray and intercede for oe and though St. Stephen's Prayer might prevail for his Persecutors while he was upon earth yet it cannot prevail with me to say Sancte Stephane or a me now he 's in Heaven However this benefit and advantage we have by that Article of our Creed the Communion of Saints that we who are members of the Catholic Church here on earth reap the fruit of one anothers Prayers Nor is this sweet perfume of the Prayers of the Saints confin'd within the verge and pale o' the Christian Church but extends it self to the benefit even of Jews Turks Infidels and Heretics so that when this alabaster box is broken and these Prayers pour'd forth the whole world is fill'd with the odour of the Oyntment Though then the mediation and intercession of Christ in Heaven be the sole meritorious cause of a nè imputes of not laying sin to the sinner's charge yet by the vertue of his merit and mediation the Prayers and Intercessions of Holy men upon earth are very prevalent and impetratorious in their kind as motives and inducements to God to give a discharge not as meriting but procuring causes or rather not causes but occasions of the remission of Sins and not only of their own but even of other mens Sins Yet is not this done per saltum neither but by degrees I mean by some previous qualifications and conditions requisite to be perform'd by the Sinner himself to render him capable of so great a favour as this non-imputation such as godly sorrow and hearty repentance and an unfeigned purpose of amendment o'life therefore Qui vult finem vult media he that prays for another that God wu'd not lay his sins to his charge is presum'd to pray withal that God wu'd give him Grace to repent of his Sins this latter being the way and means to procure and obtain the former for as without shedding o' blood the blood o' Christ so without shedding o' tears the tears of a Sinner i. e. without godly sorrow and repentance there is no remission So then the Prayers of the faithful are a powerful and prevalent means whereby God is mov'd and enclin'd to give repentance to Sinners and consequently remission of Sins Let the Elders pray over the sick person says St. James and the Prayer of faith shall save the sick and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him therefore saith Simon Magus to Simon Peter here i' the next Chapter Pray to the Lord for me meaning as appears by the context that his Sins might be forgiv'n him And Pray not thou for this people says God to the Prophet implying that the Prophet's praying for 'um was the ordinary means to move God to give 'um a pardon and not to lay their sins to their charge That Austin ever was St. Austin he might partly thank his Mother Monica for her Prayers and Tears Fieri non potest ut filius istarum lacrymarum pereat So powerful and prevalent are the Prayers and Tears of holy Men and Women of Saints and Martyrs to obtain repentance and salvation for others the Prayers of Martyrs especially for as Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae so Oratio justi clavis coeli As the soil of the Church is manur'd and made fat by the blood of dying Martyrs so being blown and breath'd upon by the soft gentle gales of their Prayers especially of those Prayers they make for their enemies it becomes more fruitful by a new addition o' Converts and Proselytes who by observing both the constancy and charity of these holy men at their deaths by seeing their patience in constant suffering for the truth and by hearing or rather God's hearing their charity in such servent praying for their persecutors are effectually wrought upon converted
long enough for all us Therefore let us take off our eyes a while from beholding o' them and reflect and look a little upon our selves and knock at our own doors to see whether all be well at home Though I hope we had no direct immediate hand nor heart in the Sin of this day yet shu'd we be called to account for it who of us all here present if then alive and of ripe years cu'd now plead not guilty Doubtless they were the Sins of the Nation in general and the Sins of every one of us in particular that sharpen'd the Ax and brought the King to his end It was for our many and great provocations that God did suffer his Anointed to fall this day into the hands of violent and blood-thirsty men as our Church in her Collect for this day devoutly confesses and again We humbly confess that the Sins of this Nation have been the cause which hath brought this heavy judgment upon us Many national Sins I might name which were then rife and common among us and so they are still which then provok'd God's wrath against us and so they do still for truly the world is not much mended since But because St. Stephen had so much to do with Libertines and our Royal Martyr with those that cry'd out so much for Liberty I shall therefore only take notice of that universal Libertinism looseness and licenciousness that seems to overspread the whole body o' the Kingdom Men every where taking Liberty enough whether it be giv'n 'um or no. We ha' need of more Stephens to beat down our Libertines such a general Libertinism possesses the Nation An Atheistical loosness licenciousness and prophaneness in point of Morality as to life and practice a Sceptical loosness latitude and indifferency in Religion as to matter of Opinion and Doctrine an Anarchical loosness what shall I call it remisness and slackness of the reins of rule and government in point of Order and Discipline Every one of which is of dangerous consequence and has a very sad aspect and malignant influence upon a Kingdom and Nation threatning the ruin and dissolution both of Church and State if not timely prevented especially that I last mention'd that general loosness and slackness of the reins of government in point of Discipline that universal neglect and contempt of Autority that Epidemical undutifulness irreverence and disrespect to Superiors a rust and restiveness contracted in the late lawless irregular and rebellious times and yet not rub'd off nor worn away the dregs and reliques of that old leaven not yet purg'd nor wrought out of the minds and spirits of men the seeds of Rebellion and Treason still lurking among us for all undutifulness to Superiors is a kind of petite Treason Lex est copulativa there 's a concatenation o' duties and he that breaks one link o' the chain of Subordination and Subjection to lawful autority endangers all and this is certain He that is undutiful and disobedient and disrespective to his Superior will not stick upon occasion to be disloyal to the Supreme and then beware of hoc peccatum the Sin o' the day Now as for personal Sins I must leav that to every man's Conscience in particular to call himself to account and see how the case stands between God and his own Soul Let us then do so I beseech you every one of us seriously and thorowly search and examin our selves in private for that 's the work of this day and not only to pray and hear a Sermon in public I say let us search our own hearts to find out what Sins we are most guilty of our bosom and beloved Sins for they are the Murderers and Malefactors that must be attach't arraign'd and condemn'd this day at the bar of Conscience they are the Regicides that have had so deep a hand in the Sin of this day they are the Traytors and Rebels that betray'd and murder'd the King Let then every one of us put these and the like interrogatories to our own Souls Was it not by my high-mindedness and self-conceit pride and ambition that God was provok'd to let proud aspiring Tyrants and Traitors climb so high Was it not my uncleanness my lusts which war in my members that contributed to the kindling of that unnatural war between the Head and the members Did not the heat and fire o' my lusts among others incense and provoke God to let fire come out o' the bramble and devour the Cedar of Lebanon Was it not by my envy hatred and malice and uncharitableness and hardness of heart that God was provok'd to harden the hearts of those cruel Regicides against their lawful King and permit 'um to be fill'd brim-full with hatred and malice against his Royal person Was it not my rash swearing and prophaneness my false-swearing and perfidiousness my breach of Oaths and Covenants Promises and engagements made in my Baptism that mov'd God to give up those false perfidious Traitors to a reprobate mind so as to break all those Sacred bonds and obligations and Oaths of Allegiance to their Leige Lord and Soveraign and in stead of them to enter into those two bonds of iniquity the Covenant and Engagement Lastly was it not my intemperance gluttony and drunkeness that provok'd God to suffer such a crew of savage and barbarous Rebels to glut themselves with the flesh of Nobles and to be drunk with Royal blood Thus shu'd we with sorrow of heart reflect upon our selves who were then in being and at years when this horrid Sin was committed But then what shall we say to our Postnati or Puines those of the younger sort Indeed they cannot be said to be guilty o' the Sin o'th is day or any way accessory to it seeing they were not then in rerum natura not so much as enter'd upon the Stage o' the world when this sad Tragedy was acted they were not born when the King was beheaded Yet by way of prevention of future calamities let them take heed o'those Sins which in those times were the meritorious causes of this fearful judgment and provok't God to suffer it In a word let all of us both old and young fear to commit those Sins which as they were then so they may be still the meritorious procuring causes of as heavy and dreadful a judgment upon the Land and Nation Let us I pray take heed of persisting in the perpetration of our old wickednesses and impieties and of acting over those Sins a fresh by which God was provok'd to permit cruel men Sons of Belial this day to imbrew their hands in the blood of his Anointed and thereby to deprive us of so good and gracious a King This then is the proper work o' the day every one of us to say with Pharaoh's Butler I do remember my faults this day and so to humble himself before the Lord not only in public but in secret to lay his hand upon his heart and put his
received opinion of their chief Doctors and Casuists especially the Jesuits and their Adherents who bear the great sway in the Church and Court of Rome This I could shew at large by producing the concurrent testimonies of Becanus and Bellarmine Suarez and Lessius Mariana and Santarell Bonarscius or Scribanius which ye will and Emanuel Sa and divers others I shall only quote the sayings of one or two for all Kings have no wrong done them saith Bellarmine if they are depriv'd of their Kingdoms when they prove Heretics Nec ulla eis injuria fiet si deponantur And again Hereticum est saith he 't is a point of Heresie to say that the Pope as Pope has not power Jure Divino by Divine right to depose Kings but indeed you must understand him right 't is onely in ordine ad spiritualia viz. Cùm id bonum spirituale sive ingens Ecclesiae necessitas requirit when the caus of God and the Church when the Catholic caus or if you will when the Good Caus shall require it And a little after Pontificem habere potestatem deponendi Principes est de fide the Pope's power of deposing Kings is a matter of faith and therefore to hold the contrary must needs be a point of heresie No marvel we are counted Heretics for denying this article of the Romish Creed and no marvel saith Lessius that it is De fide and we are bound to believ it as an article of faith seeing it hath been determin'd and given as an Oracle out of the Infallible Chair for Gregory the 7th alià s Hildebrand has decided it long ago in express terms in a Council held at Rome 600 years since Quòd Papae liceat Imperatores deponere and saith Santarel whose Book being Printed at Rome was burnt at Paris Ringente Papâ multùm frendentibus Jesuitis Potest Papa Reges movere mortis poenâ punire depose Kings and put 'um to death and that sine Concilâ—o Papa sine Concilio deponit Imperatorem si sit Haereticus How does he prove it Quoniam Papae Christi unum est tribunal And again Qui Religionem Catholicam Romanam deserit regnandi jus omne amittit that 's down-right so says our Countryman F. Creswell in his Philopater I shall name but one more and that is Emanuel Sa in his Aphorisms Verbo Clericus Clerici rebellio in Regem non est crimen laesae Majestatis quia Principi non est subditus Excellent Jesuitical Doctrine enough to make Kings and Princes in love with Jesuites as long as they live A Church-man cannot be guilty of treason because he is none of the Prince's Subjects and no marvel as long as he is one of the Pope's Vassals But this wu'd not serv F. Garnet's turn who was convicted and found notoriously guilty of this day's treason by his own confession and suffer'd accordingly 'T is true this Aphorism of Em. Sa's either for shame or rather for fear is left out of the Paris Edition this Doctrine being not so current in France as at Rome but 't is still extant in the first Colen Impression and in that of Antwerp Well it seems this is the new Heresy of the Jesuits as a late Author even a Papist calls it and these Doctrines they commonly vent and publish in their Books Printed Con Licenza at Rome and elswhere nor did they ever retract or recant them as far as I could hear I know what is commonly pleaded and pretended of late by our Romanists viz. that these dangerous destructive King-killing Doctrines are but the private Tenets and Opinions of some particular Doctors and were never own'd and receiv'd as the public Doctrines of the Romish Church nor ever decreed nor confirm'd by the Church of Rome in a Council And this is the last and latest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the newest shift and refuge they have found out for themselvs But let me ask 'um 1. Is not the voice of their Pope Boniface the 8th claiming a right to the Temporal Sword by vertue of Ecce duo gladii and Repone gladium in Vaginam and the like and when he told King Philip of France Scire te volumus We wu'd have you to know that you are Subject to us both in Spirituals and Temporals I say is not this Vox Ecclesiae the public voice of the Church of Rome Let me ask 'um 2. Has not that of their Pope Gregory the 7th alià s Hildebrand Nos nos Imperia Regna Principatus quicquid habere mortales possunt auferre dare posse as Platina has it in his life 'T is in our power to give and take away Empires and Kingdoms at our pleasure I say has not this fine Hildebrandine Doctrine been the public acknowledged Doctrine of their Popes and of their Church at least of the Court of Rome ever since 3. Was the 4th Lateran Council under Innocent the 3d a General Council or no If not as sure it was not nothing being fully and openly determin'd in it saith Platina Nec decerni quicquam apertè potuit how then comes their Transubstantiation to be made an Article of Faith by vertue of a Decree of that Council If it was a lawful Oecumenical Council as they will needs have it then that the Pope has power to absolv Subjects from their Oath of Allegiance and fealty to their Princes is a receiv'd authentic Doctrine of their Church for that they confess was decreed in a Canon of that Lateran Council under Pope Innocent 4. Suppose these King-killing Doctrines are not publicly own'd and declar'd to be the Doctrines of their Church nor decreed in their Councils either of Lateran Florence or Trent are they a whit the less dangerous and pernicious for that seeing they are the current Opinions of their most learned Casuists Doctors and Confessors commonly receiv'd and embrac'd I and openly publish'd and printed by their greatest Clarks among 'um and that without any check or controul yea with great Approbation Licence and liking But now 5 and lastly If in good earnest the Church of Rome disallows and renounces these dangerous Doctrines and Opinions so destructive to Kings and Kingdoms then I pray let his Holiness seat himself in his Chair and condemn these Doctrines as he did or wu'd have seem'd to do those of the Jansenists lately let him limit his Ordo ad Spiritualia and disclaim and quit his Temporal Monarchy let him disown all power so much as indirect over Princes Temporals let him confine himself within his own Precincts and Territories and renounce his Catholic Supremacy and his Universal Jurisdiction over all the Kingdoms and Churches of Christendom Let the Church of Rome publicly declare to the world in Print that she disowns and disclaims these treasonable disloyal Loiolitical Principles these pestilent pernicious Antimonarchical Tenets of the Canonists and Jesuits and then we may hope that our Romanists may be good Subjects But till this be done and while the Doctrine of