utmost that they understood if so be that there were no Treason to discolour it and they that did inflict all this appear but Christian Dioclesians and stand at that sad Day in the train of the Persecutions on the same hand O then those Fires which these Boutefeus called for and kindled shall blaze out into everlasting burnings And now it may seem strange that they who most of all pretend the Spirit of Christ are yet of the most distant temper in the World from that of Gospel always endeavouring to do that which our Saviour here checks his Disciples for proposing and did threaten Peter for attempting There are among our selves that seem to live by Inspiration that look and speak as in the frame of the Gospel as if every motion were impulse from Heaven and yet as if Christ had fulfilled his promise to them without Metaphor baptized them with the Holy Ghost and fire onely that they might kindle fire and the unction of the Spirit did but add Oyl to those flames as if the cloven Tongues of fire in which the Spirit did descend were made to be the Emblems of Division and to call for fire these mens life their garb their very piety is faction they pray rebel and murder and all by the Spirit 'T is true indeed they plead now what we seem to say that they should not be persecuted for not being satisfied in their Conscience so they mince their breaking of the Laws for which they suffer But do these know themselves what manner of Spirit they are of or are we bound not to remember when they had the Power how they persecuted all that would not do at once against their King their Conscience and the Law And we do thus far know what Spirit they are of and if they have not yet repented of all that then it is plain if they can get an opportunity they will do it again nay they must by their Spirit think themselves obliged to do it But these are not all those that above all the World pretend to the Infallible assistance of the Spirit our Church is bold in her Offices of this day to say do turn Religion into Rebellion she said it more severely heretofore and the attempts of this day warrant the saying when not like our Disciples that would call for fire from Heaven on the Village that rejected Christ these will raise up fire from Hell to consume their own Prince and his Progeny the whole line of Royalty the Church and Nation also in their Representative and all this onely for refusing him that calls himself Christ's Vicar There are I must confess among them that renounce the practice and say 't was the device onely of some few desperate male-contents wicked Catholiques and design'd by the Devil And they will allow their Father Garnett to have had no other guilt but that he did not discover it having received it in Confession And this gives me occasion to propose a story to your patience and conjectures Not long before the time of this Attempt a Priest of the Society of Jesus in a Book he publish'd does propose this case of Conscience Whether a Priest may make use of what he hath learn'd in Confession to avert great impendent mischiefs to the Government as for Example One confesses that himself or some other had laid Gunpowder and other things under such an House and if they be not taken thence the House will be burnt the Prince must perish all that pass throughout the City will be either certainly destroy'd or in great peril and resolves it thus 'T is the most probable and safe Opinion and the more suitable to Religion and to that reverence which is due to the Sacrament of Confession that it is not lawful to make use of this his knowledg to that end That his Holiness Clement the 8. had just before by a Bull sent to the Superiours of the Regulars commanded most studiously to beware they make not use of any thing which they come to know by Confession to the benefit of the secular Government He adds that in cases of Confession the Priest must not reveal though death be threatned to him but may say he knows it not nor ever heard it quia reverà non scit nec audivit ut homo seu pars reipub Yea he may swear all this if he but mentally reserve so as to tell you 'T is Del Rio in 6th Book of his Mag. dis 1. Cap. Sec. 2. It seems 't is safer to break all the Obligations to Allegiance and to truth his duty and his Oaths the Princes and Gods bonds than the Seal of Confession But I did not mention this to let you see the kindness these men have to Princes and their Government I shall avoid producing any the Opinions of particular persons howsoever horrid in my arguments this day but I onely ask whether it be not very probable this instance was the thing to be attempted on this day Whether the resolution was not publish'd the Pope's Bull if not made yet produc'd at least to caution any Priest that should receive it in Confession and should be so honest as to abhor the Fact yet from betraying it and hindring the Execution of it If it were the case this was not then any rash attempt of some few desperate malecontents but a long contrivance and of many heads and its taking its effect was the great care of their Church Well they are even with us yet and lay as horrid Projects to the charge of Protestants Among our other Controversies this is one whether are the worse Subjects bloody sayings are produc'd from Authors on both sides yea there is the Image of both Churches Babel and Jerusalem drawn by a Catholique Pen and then you may be sure all Babel's divisions and confusions make the draught of ours and are said to be the issue of the Protestant Doctrines Whereas such things are countenanc'd by some particular Authors of their Church were never own'd by any publique Act or Doctrine of a general Council to which they provoke us I must confess our Calendar can shew a thirtieth of January as well as a fifth of November There are indeed that say the Romanists hatch'd that days guilt and challenge any man to call them to account for saying so But whether so or not which Churches Doctrines such things are more suited to I will now put to trial that we may know what Spirit each is of And I will try it by the publique Acts and most establish'd Doctrines of the Churches and here undertake to shew the Church of England most expresly does declare against all practices against the Prince for the cause of Religion But the Romish in those acts wherein she hath most reason to expect infallibility of Spirit also in the publique Acts of the Church representative in General Councils does abett the doing them not onely for Religion but for the cause of Holy
them was rais'd who serv'd as Voluntiers without any pay or reward and perform'd all duties not only in the Garrison and sallies for the defence of it in case of attacques and sieges but were also commanded upon parties abroad and endur'd the fatigue of marches and ill treatment of mean quarters differing in nothing from the poor mercenary Soldier besides their civility and justice to the country people while they staid with them and paying them at departure things so unusual that when at their going off from quarters they offer'd their Landlords mony they imagin'd it don in jest and abuse and at last by finding it left with them were convinc'd that it was don in earnest In this Regiment Mr. Allestree tho a Master of Arts and fellow of the College thought it no disgrace to carry a musket and perform all duties of a common Soldier forward upon all occasions to put himself into action And in this service he continued till the unhappy end of the war gaining still what time was left from military duties to the prosecution of his studies nay joining both together frequently holding his musket in one hand and book in the other and making the watchings of a Soldier the lucubrations of a Student But then when carnal weapons prov'd frustrate and Divine Providence call'd his servants to the more Christian exercises of praiers and tears for the defence of the King and the Church Mr. Allestree wholy betook himself to these and put himself into that warfare to which his former education had design'd him entring into Holy Orders at a time when there was no prospect of temporal advantage and his being in the service of God threatned no less danger than his having bin in the service of his Prince In that little interval of safety which the Articles of Oxford gave and was for some time continued while the two factions of the Rebels were in contest who should divide the spoil of the Nation and enjoy the price of bloud Mr. Allestree with great sedulity addicted himself unto his studies and became a Tutor of many young Gentlemen and other Students which trust he discharg'd with great sufficiency as he did also the office of Censor in the College moreover he bore a part in the signal test of the Loialty of the Vniversity of Oxford possibly the greatest that has bin given by any society of men I mean the passing of the solemn Decree and Judgement of theirs against the Covenant and Rebellion enflamed and fomented by it perform'd in Convocation when the City was held by a Garrison of the Rebels whose swords were at the throats of those Confessors and yet the decree was carried by a most unanimous suffrage of the whole body there being but one dissenter in that numerous Senate and he a person who had absented himself from the Vniversity during the war and taken part with the Rebels Soon after which great performance the Visitors of the pretended Parliament being at last come with a second Commission to kill and take possession having lost their first by outstaying in a long praier and sermon the time assign'd for the opening of it began their enquiry and did it not as one would have expected from men of Zeal and Godliness with an inspection into vice and immorality but set their whole affair upon the short issue of submitting to the Authority of the pretended Parliament and they who could prostitute their allegeance to their Prince and oaths to the Vniversity and their local Visitors and comply with the lust of these Vsurpers tho never so flagitious were immediatly receiv'd to favor all others however meriting were without farther regard proscrib'd the method whereof was to write the names of as many as they thought fit to sacrifice at once in paper and affix it upon the door of St. Maries Church wherein 't was signified that the persons there nam'd were by the Authority of the Visitors banisht the Vniversity and requir'd to depart the precincts thereof within three daies upon pain of being taken for spies of war and accordingly proceeded against By which practice often repeted the men of greatest hopes and merit in the Vniversity were spoil'd of all things and not suffer'd to breath the common air so that within the compass of few weeks an almost general riddance was made of the loial Vniversity of Oxford in whose room succeeded an illiterate rabble swept up from the plough tail from shops and grammar Scholes and the dregs of the neighbor Vniversity Tho in that scandalous number some few there were who notwithstanding they had parts and learning were prefer'd upon the account of their Relations who merited a better title to the places they possest and have since prov'd useful men in the Church and State Those of the ancient stock who were spar'd upon this trial were afterwards cast off upon the second test of the engagement till in the end there were left very few legitimate members in any of the Colleges In this diffusive ruin Mr. Allestree had an early share being proscrib'd about the middle of July in the year 1648. And tho he had the care of several persons of quality his Pupils and accounts of his own and theirs to make up he with difficulty obtain'd from the Governor of the town Lieut. Coll. Kelsey a little respit for his settling his affairs and doing justice to those for whom he was concern'd the Visitors utterly refusing his request for this reason as Dr. Rogers one of their number was pleas'd to word it because he was an eminent man Mr. Allestree being thus driven from Oxford retir'd into Shropshire and was entertain'd as Chaplain to the Honorable Francis Newport Esquire now Viscount Newport where he continu'd till such time as Richard Lord Newport the father died in France whither he had some time before retir'd to avoid the insolence of the conquering Rebels On this occasion Mr. Allestree was sent over to clear accounts and see if any thing could be preserv'd from the inhospitable pretence of the droit d'Aubeine which pillages those Strangers who happen to die in the French Dominions Mr. Allestree having dispatcht this affair with good success came back to his emploiment and continued in it till his Majesties march into England with the Scotch Army and his miraculous escape at Worcester at which time the Managers of the King's affairs wanting an intelligent and faithful person to send over to his Majesty desir'd Mr. Allestree to undertake the journey which accordingly he did and having attended the King at Roan and receiv'd his dispatches he came back into England At his return he found his friends Mr. Dolben and Mr. Fell the present Archbishop of York and Bishop of Oxford who had likewise bin banisht the Vniversity adventuring to sojourn privatly there and serve the uses of those who adher'd to the Church of England in performing Religious offices according to the order of the Church whereupon he join'd himself to
encourage it sure Witches have no spirit but the Devil for familiar But the Church of England on the other side in her publique Doctrine set down in the Book of Homilies establish'd in the 39. Articles of her Religion says in express words that it is not lawful for Inferiours and Subjects in any case to resist and stand against the Superiour Powers that we must indeed believe undoubtedly that we may not obey Kings Magistrates or any other if they would command us to do any thing contrary to Gods Commands In such a case we ought to say with the Apostle we must rather obey God than Man But nevertheless in that case we may not in any wise withstand violently or Rebel against Rulers or make any Insurrection Sedition or Tumults either by force of Arms or otherwise against the Anointed of the Lord or any of his Officers 1 Book of Hom. 2 part of the Serm. of Obed. Not for Reformation of Religion for what a Religion 't is that such men by such means would restore may easily be judged even as good a Religion surely as Rebels be good men and obedient Subjects 2 Book of Hom. 4 part of the Serm. against wilful Rebellion The very same thing is defined in the first of the Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical of the year 1640. for Subjects to bear Arms against their King offensive or defensive upon any pretence whatever is at least to resist the Powers which are ordain'd of God and though they do not invade but onely resist S. Paul tells them plainly he that resists receives unto himself damnation This was the Doctrine of the Church in those her Constitutions and although there was no Parliament then sitting to enact these Canons into Laws yet since that time the Law of England is declar'd to say the same and we obliged by it to acknowledg that it is not Lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take up Arms against the King by this Parliament whose memory shall be for ever blessed And now it is not hard to know what manner of Spirit our Church is of even that Spirit that anoints the Lords Anointed that is which Commissions them Gods Spirit as we find it phras'd in Scripture And 't is obvious to each eye that there is much more resemblance betwixt present Rome and the Image of Babylon as S. John hath drawn it in the Revelations than there is of Babel and the Church of England as to those Confusions which seditious Doctrines make as the Romanists pourtrai'd her But far be it from me to conclude hence that all of their Communion do allow their Doctrines Though they stand on the same bottom that their Faith of half-Communion and Transubstantiation do even Acts of the same Councils yet I doubt not multitudes of loyal Souls of this our Nation do abhor the Tenents by what Rule of theirs I know not I confess Nor shall I enquire what Security a Prince can have of the Allegiance of those who by the most infallible Rules of their Religion can be loyal onely on Condition by the leave of those who are his Enemies on whose will and power all their Oaths and duty are depending If the most essential interest of Princes will not move them to consider this sure I am I shall not undertake it But I shall take the confidence out of the premises to infer that no Religion in the World does more provide for the security of Kings than the Christian as it is profess'd in our Church does And when we see the Interest of the Crown and Church were twisted by God in the preservations of this day nor could be separated in the late dismal Confusions but died and reviv'd together in the Resurrection they that hate the execrable mischiefs of those times or love the Crown or do not come to mock God when they come to give him thanks for his great glories of this day cannot choose but have good will for our Sion cannot have an unconcernedness for this Religion a cold indifference to it or any other which where-ere it is alas I fear betrays too openly indifference and unconcernedness for Religion it self For if I should appeal to our most Sceptick Statists and not beg one Principle of a Religion but take their own Religion was contriv'd they say by pretending to engage a God to uphold his Vicegerent and by putting after everlasting punishments before mens fears for they saw present ones restrained not Treason was contriv'd I say to uphold States Then that must be the best with them that best upholds and then I have evinc'd the Christian is secure as 't is prosess'd by our Church But then shame to those who to gratifie their lusts meerly labour to perswade themselves and others there is no such thing in earnest as a Resurrection to punishments who by publique raillery in sacred things and turning all to merriment endeavour to take off the sense of all Religion and have done it in great measure and so thrown down the best-Basis on which Government subsists which they themselves confess was necessary to be fram'd on purpose for it For if there be no after fears he that is stronger than to need to fear the present may rebel kill Kings These Atheists are Fanaticks I am sure in Politicks more traiterous than our mad Enthusiasts or than the Canons of the Popish Councils To these Sadduces in Christianity we may say ye know not what spirit ye are of who know not whether there be any Spirit But it is indeed because they are all flesh themselves But then if the works of the flesh be manifest Adultery Fornication Seditions Heresies Murders Drunkenness c. we know what manner of Spirit they are of even the spirit that did enter into the Swine the Legion indeed of Spirits one Spirit is not Devil enough to animate the flesh into so many of those works But the fruits of the Spirit that Gospel Spirit which we Christians are of are love peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance joy in the Holy Ghost and they that do bring forth such fruits are baptised indeed with the Holy Ghost and if with fire fire that came down from Heaven too 't was onely to consume their dross that they may be pure mettal fit as for the King's Inscription meek Christians good Subjects so for Gods Image to be stamp'd upon that is renewed in Righteousness and true Holiness Fire this that will sublime our very flesh into spiritual body that we may begin here that incorruptible which our corruptible must put on when our vile Bodies shall be made like to the glorious Body of our Saviour To which state that Spirit which rais'd up Jesus from the dead bring us by quickning our mortal Bodies To whom c. The Eleventh SERMON Preached at CHRIST-CHURCH IN OXFORD Novemb. 8. 1665. Being the Monthly Fast-day for the Plague LUKE XVI 30 31. Nay Father Abraham but if one went unto