THE REMONSTRANCE From the Reverend Father in God FRANCIS LORD BISHOP Of ELY And several others The most Eminent DIVINES Of the CHURCH Of ENGLAND Against The Proceedings of the P O. And The Lords Spiritual and Temporal That Invited Him. Being an ADRESS from the PVLPIT to the KING in fifteen Sermons Denouncing Damnation c. To the Abdicators of God's Annoynted and the Abettors of this Rebellion Concilia callida et Inhonesta pri 〈◊〉 Fronte loeta Tractatudura Eventu tristia Tacitus Dublin Printed for Alderman James Malone Book-seller in Skinner-Row 1689. TO THE SACRED MAJESTY OF God's Annointed AND Vice-Gerent to the Almighty IAMES The Second by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland KING In Vindication of the Principles of Obedience and Loyalty always Taught by the Church of ENGLAND This Remonstrance is most humbly Dedicated By your Majesties ever Loyal and Dutiful Subject JOHN YALDEN. To the Reader Christian Reader PArdon me if I presume to use the King words at his Majesties first Accession to tâ—â— Crown viz. I know the Principles of tâ—â— Church of England are for Loyalty And I mâ—â— tell I hee too that Loyalty will be always coâ—stant where it is accompanied with True Reâ—â—gion If thou doest enquire of me whether the Preachers of the Gospel have fully practice those indispensible principles of primitive aâ—â— pure Christianity herein taught and avowed 〈◊〉 them to the whole world I can only tell Thâ—â— with the Heathen Orator Omnis laus virtutâ—s actione consistit If any of them have acted contraâ—â— to what they delivered to the People from tâ—â— Pulpit where none but Sacred Oracles should dispenced it is they only are too blame And tâ— I am affraid Even my Bishop here cannot throughly excuse himself yet such as are innocent caâ—not ought not in Justice to share in those Bitâ— Reproaches which are most justly due to tâ—â— Guilty Tho the late Defection in England was veâ—â— general and spread it self over his Majesties â—â—minions like the poisonous infection of an Epiâ—â—mical Contagion yet I know there are many lâ—â— and those Protestants too that have not boâ—â— their knees to Baal nor worshiped the Gâ—â— Calf that others have sett up such as will most assuredly joyn with the King upon afair opportunity and do now really believe it to be a kind of Idolatry to obey the Vsurper This Remonstrance hath followed his Majestie through all the Meanders of his most Barbarous Exile and is design'd chiefly to reclaim such of his Subjects to their duty as have been mislead bring them to a due consideration of that natural and sworn Allegiance which for the most part both ways They owe the King And to assure the Obstinat persisting Rebell that his Portion shall be amidst all the dire effects of Eternal vengeance accompanied with the Cursed Crew of Appostat Angels still Cursing God as they Curse the King because They can expect no Mercy by being Sunk below the Depth of all Repentance The first 14 of these Sermons were preach'd on the 9th of September 1683 being a day set apart for the most Solemn worship of God Almighty a day of Thanksgiving for the great deliverance of his Majestie and his Royal Brother from the Rye house Regicides c. And the last for the Defeat of Monmoâ—th's Rebellion So that Sermons Preached upon such Occasions may be truly taken as from persons filled with Extraordinary Devotion and inspired with a true zeal for the Honour of Christianity To have printed the whole of each Sermon would have been too voluminous as-well too chargable to thee But in this Abstact is contain'd the matter and designe of the several Discourses the Force and Strength of all their Arguments where any thing is added it is only to make a Connection and comes generally betwixt these two marks And as the Divinity of these Preachers doth extend itself to an universal Obedience So I hope the Reader will pardon me where I apply such Doctrines to the case of this Rebellion In fine I challenge any man to shew me that I have wrested any thing contrary to the true sence of my Authors Tho' perhaps Some Mens own words at this time a day will be unsavory even to themselves but such deserve the Character of Atheists much better than that of Honest Christians And to that purpose I have directed the most Malicious Critick where to find the Sermons by telling him for whom they were Printed A SERMON ENTITULED The Duties of Fearing God and The King Preach'd on the 9th of September 1683. by John Fitz William D. D. Prov. 24. vers 21 22. My Son Fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change For their calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them both FEaring God and the King are Duties inseparable Indeed all the Commands are so chain'd together that he who loosens but a single link dissolves the whole chain who transgresseth one is guilty of all For tho they were wrote in two distinct Tables and distributed under ten heads or words as the Jewish Docters speak by God himself yet his Authority being the soul which quickned them like the soul animating the several members of the body gave them all but one common life and being So that a particular violation of one becomes of accessity an universal destruction to all And as the Commands so our obligations to observe them are connext if not after that manner as Zeno affirm'd all virtues were who promiscuously confounded them together yet so as Châ—ysippus hath explain'd that Stoical Doctrine That a man could not be truly Brave without the conduct of Prudence nor Prudent without attending to Justice nor Just without the regulation of Temperance So in like manner a man cannot be piously affected towards God without being honestly affected towards Men cannot express his Love towards the one in the instances belonging to him without shewing it towards the other in all points which concern them and he who pretends to the former And neglects the latter proclaims himself a liar The reason of this is plain and obvious because if I perform the first from a right principle out of conscience of my duty towards God requiring it the same principle will engage me to do the second because he demands that likewise And on the other side if the motive of my love to my fellow Creature man be his bearing the image of God I cannot but love and reverence that God who fashion'd him after his own likeness And as there is no dividing so there is no commuting of duties our zeal in one kind will not make attonement for our remisness in another our Piety for Injustice But tho'all the commands are inseparably conjoyn'd yet there is a closer and more indissoluble union between these two particular ones of â—earing God and the King by how much Kings are more lively expressions of God's Majesty and Power than ordinary
images other men are The wise Man hath here mention'd them as one command and St. Peter too even while he useth two words for them Fear and Honour Fear God Honour the King for this honouring the King â— Pet. 2. 17. is the same act as fearing of him or expressive of it And Kings for their nearer and exacter resemblance of him are adorn'd with his title wear his name and have Psal 82. 6. Joh. 10. 34. Exod. 22. 28. his stile given them by Himself I have said Ye are Gods and again Thou shalt not ourse the Gods. From this strict alliance and union of these two commands arising out of the near resemblance between the persons God and the King and the Majesty of the one and Soveraignty of the other it is made as impossible to adore God and not revere the King who represents him as it is to honour the King and cast all the contumely we can upon his Lieutenants or Vice-Roys commission'd by him And of necessity it follows that Subjects withdrawing their Obedience from their * Such was and is James the Second Lawful Prince is a denying the Authority of God a shaking off His Government from his Shoulders a laying Him aside that he should not reign over t The people of England Them. They have not rejected Thee but Me that I should not reign over them 1 Sam. 9. 7. Treason against the King is a kind of Sacriledge a Revolt from Him an Apostacy from God a Resisting Him an Opposing God Rebelling against Him Fighting with God the * Is not this the case in England Setting up a counterfeit Prince against the True One an introducing a plurality of Godheads the Obeying of an Usurper Idolatry the slandering His Annointed and his Footsteps a Blaspheming God the blaming His Conduct a Quarrelling with Providence And as we cannot Fear God the Supreme Potentate without Honouring the Subordinate who bears His Image and Superscription so we cannot Honour this last as we should without Fearing the former as we ought We cannot revere the Copy of Divinity transcrib'd in the King without revering the Original the Deity front whom His power came any more than we can have a veneration for the picture of a man and none for his person We cannot be for maintaining the Prerogative while we are clipping the wings of his Power c. There is no bearing true Faith and Allegiance to our King when we do it not to our God no being loyal Subjects to the One while we are downright Traytors to the Other The reason of this is clear because the honouring and obeying our Prince should proceed from a Religion towards God a conscientious regard to his Authority exacting the payment of both these which if they do not they are false and spurious wanting the true and genuine Parent a right principle I mean for their production and must needs be * English Loyalty sickle and inconstant for not being grounded upon a sure and standing bottom So that when an Inviting Occasion offers of promoting our interest to greater advantage of serving our ambition with better success than by Honouring or Obeying our King or of Gratifying t Malecontents or disgusted Lords our Revenge of Wreaking our Malice then these are forgot and withdrawn Or last of all when by a declination in the state of affairs He is grown too weak to compel Us to render these Baxter's Holy Common Wealth Thes 137. then we not only deny the payment of them but justify it too Then maxims of humane Wisdom the most contrary to these precepts of the Divine are broach'd by Us. That the King is not God's Minister but the Peoples Servant and as theirs stands accountable to them for his misdemeanors That his Power being a Trust only from and for them is revokable at their pleasure and discretion and they may justly reseize it into their own hands and for their own behoof when they see it is not administred for their good That wicked and irreligious Princes and all are such whom They please to brand with those marks have actually forfeited their Crown and Dignity to them And then * Too lately in England Practices squar'd or rather deform'd by these enormous rules are set on foot too seditious Clubs and Cabals are erected Illegal Associations form'd and entred into Secret Conspiracies hatch'd next Open Insurrections raised against them and last of all Uillanous Assassinations c. A disdainfull pride swell'd Dathan Abiram and On Sons of Reuben and so of the eldest House to see that power Numb 16 8 13 14. lodg'd in Moses and Aaron's hands which by right of Primogeniture they imagin'd belong'd to them Ambition seduc'd Absolom the Peoples Guil. And Revenge for being 2. Sam. 15. removed from his great Charge and drove into Exile by Solomon inflam'd Jereboam into Rebellion under the 1 Kings 11. 28. 40. Reign of his Son. And every one of these either forsook God afore they did * such is the King. Their Lawfull Gâ—vernours or Else Renounc'd them and disclaim'd him together The Seditious Reubenites were engag'd in a Schism against God at the same time as they were up in Mutiny against their Rulers joyn'd themselves to Corah a Levite who had Usurp'd the Priest's Office in Burning Incense before the Lord which appertain'd not to him Absolom had his hands imbrewed in 2 Sam. 13. 28. his Brother Amon's blood before he lifted them up against his Prince and Father and Jerebâ—am to 1 Kings 12. 27. 28. strengthen himself in his unjust acquisitions made a Change in the Worship to continue the rend in State by winding it He made a Rupture in Religion To defend his Rebellion he set up Idolatry two Calves at Dan and Bethel And to manifest that we fear God and honour the King We ought not to meddle with those that are given to Change And this * The Bishops We may do either by approving the Projects of t Lords Temporal Men Designing a Change or by actually endeavouring One our selves and the concerning our selves either way is unlawfull And first the approving a Change Renders Us as equally Guilty as if we had brought it about for it is consenting to a Crime which derives all the malignity of it upon * who has been to blame Us the External Commission of it being only the owning of that to the World which we had before perpetrated within our selves Cataline was not less a Conspirator and an Enemy to Rome when he sat in Consultation within its Walls by what methods and parties its frame and constitution were to be subverted than when he took the Feild and Usurping the Ensigns and Badges of Consulship he joyn'd with C. Mallius And a man may be as compleat a Rebell as he was without taking up Arms against the Government meerly by justifying the Lawfullness of so doing a Traytor †Why did not the
We begin to entertain or to whisper our discontents and fears how we begin to listen to be suspicious of our Prince or of his Government and to hear with pleasure any scandalous stories or reflections on either Those who can with content and pleasure hear their Prince and his Government revil'd will soon think him not fit to be Their King. And the great danger of such beginnings is that We are not apt to observe them in our selves or others when Religion is concern'd in the quarrel We think it all Zeal pure Zeal and can't suspect our selves or others to be in any danger of turning Rebels But whatever is in its own nature a degree or tendency towards Rebellion is so where-ever and in whomsoever it is found and there is always more danger that the beginnings of vice should corrupt the best temper of mind than any hope that a sound and religious disposition should correct the malign influences of such a vice Some mens Religion does as much incline them to Faction as secular interest doth other men and there is no such dangerous Faction as that which is bred and nourish'd by the corruptions of Religion The Jewish Zealots and the Christian Enthusiasts of all sorts are too plain an Example of it And therefore when men who make great pretences to Religion begin to talk or act factiously a fair opportunity is as like to make them Rebels as any other men Thus We often see it is and this is a sufficient reason to suspect all such beginnings either in our selVes or others whatever glorious pretences we may have London Printed for Tho. Basset at the George in Fleetstreet The Power of Kings from GOD. A SERMON Preach'd at Sarum By Paul Lathom Prebendary there Prov. 8. 15. By Me Kings Reign KIngs have their Authority deriv'd immediately from God whicâ— Authority is not confer'd on Them as a Trust by the People Let us consider first what Titles the Scriptures give to King They are called the Ministers of God therefore not of men Rom. 1 4. 6. The Powers that be are said to be Ordained of God therefore not of Men. v. i for the question concerning St. John's Baptism waâ— it from Heaven or of Men seems to put this upon an Issue Besides they are call'd Elohim Earthly Gods Psal 82 6. And what Peoplâ— can make there own Gods without Palpable Idolatry When God first Subjected his own People Israel to the Government of Kings the People had nothing to do in conferring the Power Mosâ—â— was made their Ruler immediately by God so Ioshuah and the Iudgeâ— for so long the Theocracy did continue visable among them When thâ— People desir'd a King with formality God is not angry with them simpâ—â— for desiring a King for he foretold their having a King and gave hiâ— directions for his Government Deut. 17 but for some irregularities their manner of desiring him But how was he chosen not by the People but by Lot. 1 Sam 10 20 21. the determination whereof from the Lord Prov 16. 33. no hand of the People in choosing him David was made King by God's immediate 〈◊〉 Sam 16. 1. Hâ— the Theocracy seems to end Afterward the Government did descend by Succession And Those that pretend directions from the Scripture in every thing will be at a loss where to finde directions there for the People to take away or Confer Power upon their Prince We Challenge any man from Prophane Histories to shew Us any Footsteps of such beginings of Monarchy when the People did intrust this Power to their King If they acknowledge that their History fails them let not also reason fail them Let not Loyalty fail Them let not Conscience fail them let them have somhing more than bold Surmises or else not attempt to build a Supposition of such dangerous consequence upon the meer strength of imagination If therefore they Persist and Urge Us to shew how Monarchy first came to Subject men to Obedience I think the History of the Bible will give US light enough That Patriarchal Government or the Ruling of the Father or eldest of the Family over the Rest was the first form of Government in the World I think is generaly own'd Now when the Families increased the Subjects multiplied and by insensible degrees the Patriarchal Government seems to have setled into that Government of the Reguli or small Kings which was upon the matter the same when Ioshuah Conquered the land of Canaan which is less in extent than the Kingdom of England alone he found and Subdued 31 Kings Iosh 12 24. And it seems this was the least Jurisdiction of their Reguli For after him Iudg 1. 7. Adâ—â—ibezek when he was Conquer'd doth own that he kept 70 Reguli in Barbarous Servitude under him And some Hundreds of years after the King of Syria no great Prince had 32 Kings at once in his Army 1 Reg. 20. 1. so that it seems their Territories and power were then surely but an inconsiderable alteration of External Government and that which by degrees introduced greater Monarchy's If We further proceed to take a view of all the ways whereby Princes ascend to the Throne it will appear they are but few and that in none of those the People confer the power on the King first by Dâ—scent or Succession as in England Now who can say that the People hereconfeâ— the Power If they pleâ—d that at the Kings Coronation the consent of the People is demanded it is evident that the King is King to all intents and purposes before his Coronation Besides neither are all the People Sommon'd nor any considerable part of them appear at a Coronation And if then thereshould be any suâ—ly Sheba that should reject his Prince that would not hinder the Coronation so that this is but barely a thing of course and doth not deside the King's Power from the People at all Secondly those that attain a Crown by conquest no man can say They expect or receive the explicit consent of the People tho' a tacit consequential consent may be argued in their yeilding him a forc'd obedience Thirdly Those that Surprise a Throne by Fraud tho' they may impose upon the People so as to gain a formal consent Yet is there no real consent in those that are thus bewitch'd or cajol'd Fourthly there are some that come to a Crown by Elcteion And here our Male-contents think they are secure that They derive their Power from the People But we must consider the great difference that is betwixt Designing the person and conferring the Power The former is from those that choose Him the latter by no meanes the Dean and Chapiter of a Cathedral by the Kings leave choose a Bishop Sede vacante this choice designs the person but doth not confer the Power which is afterwards given him in his consecration The Aldermen and Commons of a City do yearly choose their Mayor this choice doth indeed designe the person but not confer the power
always attended with Loyalty This will clear the Profession of Religion from the aâ—persion of ungovernableness and set Us forward to that Kingdom where He by whom Kings Reign shall rule over all and be all in all LONDON Printed for Joanna Browne at the Gun at the West-End of St. Paul's A Sermon Preached by Benjamin Calamy D. D. on the 9th Septemb. 1683. Ecclesiastes 10. Verse 20. Curse not the King no not in thy thought c. OF all Rebels they are certainly the worst that are such out of conscience and no such desperate Villains as those who think to please God by Murders and Massacres Other wicked men may be often checked are sometimes restrain'd by their consciences and dread of a future Judgment but what evils shall they ever boggle at who commit such gross wickedness out of complyance with their conscience out of obedience to God and expect to be rewarded for it in another world And is it possible by any thing We can do to bring greater dishonour to our Religion or more effectually to prejudice Rulers and Governors against it than by making it to patronize and countenance Faction and Rebellion If this were the true genious of Religion To make men Unpeaceable Turbulent Mutinous Seditious c. It would then become the great interest of Princes to guard themselves against It as the very Pest of Humane Society and dangerous to the Civil Government But thanks be to God This is not the temper of Our Christianity Our Saviour's Religion begets in men the most gentle and meek patient and Governable Spirits and is so far from being inconsistent with Loyalty to our Prince that it is thâ— greatest â—ye and Obligation to it in the World And there is no one can through off his Allegiance to his Earthly Soveraign but at the same time He Renounces all duty and Conscience towards God. The Doctrine and discipline of the Church of England We all know what it is It is stated and defin'd and we are sure that it condemns all disloyal Seditious practices on any pretence whatever We must not compass imagine desire or contrive Or invite any thing that tends to the damage and prejudice either of our Soveraign Lord the King or of any that are Commission'd or Authoriz'd by him Soveraign Kings and Princes are God's Deputies and Vicegerents set up by himself and They derive their Power and Authority from him alone God Almighty the maker of us all is the only absolute Lord and uncontroulable Soveraign of Men and Angels part of his own Power and Authority which he hath over his Creatures he hath Delegated and Committed to Kings who are the most Principal instruments and Ministers of his providence in the World Hence are they call'd Gods and Children of the most High Psal 82 6. God hath invested them with some part of his own Majesty stamped his own Character upon them and appointed Them in His place to perform and administer even some part of his Divine Office if I may so speak amongst men Thus constituting Them Earhly Gods as to their persons sacred and as to their Actions Accountable to None but that Supereminent Divine Authority that gave them Commission This is not any new coyned Divinity invented in favour of Arbitraâ—y Power but is expresly delivered in holy Scriptures was professed own'd and taught by the primitive Christians and hath been the constant Doctrine of the Reformed Church of England Nay it is agreeable to the general sence of mankind and might be made out by Rational Evidence if we had no other confirmation of it That Supreme Governours have their Power and Authority from God alone is expresly delivered in Scripture and that not only of the Kings of Israel who were evidently established by God's appointment but in general we are told Prov 8. 15. 16. By me Kings reign and Princes decree Justice By me Princes Rule and Nobles even all the Judges oâ— the Earth Thus Cyrus an Heathen Emperour is call'd God's Annointed Isa 45. 1. Thus saith the Lord to his Annointed to Cyrus and in the last verse of the preceding Chapter he is call'd God's Shepheard Prin ces being often by reason of the Resemblance betwixt the Pastoral Officâ— and Government call'd Shepheardâ— I have made the Earth saith God by the Prophet Jeremiah 27 5 6. and given it to whome it seemed meet unto me And now have I given all these lands into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon my servant Thus Daniel declareth that the Most High Ruleth in the Kingdoms of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And he tells Nebuchadnezzar Chap. 2 37. that it was the God of Heaven that had given him a Kingdom Power and Strength and Glory In the new Testament nothing can be plainer than the begining of the 13 Rom where St. Paul tells us that there is no Power but of God that the Powers that be are ordain'd of God whence in the next verse he styleth Magistracy or Government the Ordinance of God and in the 4th verse the Ruler is Called the Minister of God To execute his vengeance upon Them that do Evil. It is plain that this was always the Doctrine of the Church of England as appears from the Booke of Homilies wherein we are taught That the High Powers are set in Authority by God that they are God's Lieutenants God's Presidents God's Officers God s Commissioners God's Judges Ordain'd of God himself Nay it hath been directly asserted in our Church that the most High and Sacred Order of Kings is of Divine right being the Ordinance of God himself founded in the prime law of nature and clearly establish'd by express Texts both of the Old and New Testament Nor indeed can it be well Conceiv'd or Reasonably imagin'd from whence Kings and Soveraign Princes should have right to Govern and Command but from God alone since He is the undoubted Lord of the whole Earth and alone hath full Power and Right to Govern it I cannot see but that whoever shall goe about to Confer any Power of Government or take upon himself any such Authority over others were it not â—y God's Appointment and instiâ—ution he would thereby put himself upoâ— disposing of Gods Right without his leave or ordering so that Government or Supriority of oâ—e or more over others is all Tyrany and Usurpation upon God's Right or els it must be granted to be Ordain'd by God himself And whatever the form of Government may be or whatever hand the People may have in Choosing or Designing the person or persons that shall be invested with this Supreme Authority yet the Power and Authority it self is deriv'd only from God and is neither Received of the People in Trust nor is the Soveraign Power answerable to them for the Administration of it which is sometimes illustrated thus Tho' the Wife may choose what person she pleaseth to make her Husband Yet his Authority over the Wife is not owing to her nor doth
she confer it upon him but it is of Divine Appointment Whosoever Râ—sisteth the Power Resisteth the Ordinance of God saith St. Paul To oppose and shake off his Majesties Government To Plot and Conâ—piâ—â— against him is to Rebell against God And when We wouâ—d not suffer our Lawfull Soveraign whom the Divine Majesty had appointed to Rule over Us we did by just consequence and fair interpretation endeavour what we could to Dethrone God himself and proved Traytors â—ot only against our Natural Lord and King but against the Heavenly Monarch himself by whose Commission he Reigns That Wicked King Zâ—dâ—kiah of whom it is expresly said 2 Kings 24. 19. that he did that which was Evil in the sight of the Lord yet he is stileâ— by the Prophet Jeremy Sam. 4 20. The Breath of our Nostrils The fates of whole Kingdoms depend upon them All that live under their Government are interested in them and partake with them And a Uillanous Invitation or Treacheâ—ous Attempt Succeeding against our Soveraign may I am afraid most justly will stab a whole Nation to the Heart and fill all Places with Blood and Confusion Is it not God's wonderfull Providence that hath hitherto preserved His most Sacred Majesty And did not the same Providence preserve his Royal Brother and himself from the Fury and Rage of those who Embrued their Salvage hands in the Sacred Blood of their Majesties Royal Father Hath not the same good Providence continually encompassed Them as with a sheild when their own Subjâ—cts then and now again in Arms sought both their Deaths and destructions was it not the same Providence that for a long time hid and Conceal'd Them from the most diligent Search of Blood-thirsty Rebells and at last after a Miraculous manner provided an escape for them and through Innumerable dangers conveyed them safe to a strange Land was it not the same God who deferded and supported them then and still continues so to do in the unparallel'd case of his present Majesty against the most unnatural and blackest Treacherys and Treasons that ever yet saw light till at length by His own Right hand and Ouâ—stretched Arm. He brought them safe again to England and Gloriously Restored the King to his three Kingdoms Tho' it were realy so that We were oppressed or treated harshly by Governors yet We are not to give vent to our passion in undecent Rayling or Inveighing against them call'd in Scripture Blaspheming or speaking Evil of Dignities Is it fit saith Elihu to Iob to say to a King thou art wicked and to Princes ye are ungodly It cannot but be observed almost by every man that many of the Heads of this late Conspiracy were persons Infamous throughout the whole Nation for their Immortallities and Debaucheries Notorious Whoremasters Adulterers Drunkards Murderers Swearers and what not Now what a Fulsome thing is it and to be abhor'd of all Honest men to hear such persons as these set up for the great Patriots of their Country and the assertors of the Peoples Rights and Conservators of their Liberties and Religion Are men of such Atheistical Principles and prostitute Consciences fit to be trusted either with Religion or our Liberties or can we desire any grâ—ater Argument that they are mov'd by some other design which they make under such plausable pretences Let Us all be warn'd to have a care of Reading Factious Books and of imbibing antimonarchical principles but more especially that cursed Antichristian Principle which hath done an infinite deal of mischief amongst Us and perhaps hath brought more into This Plot than any one thing els I mean That it is Lawful in some Cases by Force and Violeâ—ce to Resist the Supreme Authority Especially in defence of the True Religion Particularly if the King or those commissioned by him use Illegal Force to bring in another Religion or to persecute the Professor of the true Keligion Let us have a care of the Books wherein such Poysonous Doctrines are taught or of the Company of those who profess to believe them least before we are aware they insinuate themselves into us and so betray us to infinite mischiefs Men do not become Traytors and Rebâ—lls in an instant But first They begin with Murmuring and Complaining then unmannerly talking of their Superiors at length plain accusing their proceedings till by such undutifull practices they become conscious to themselves that They have offended the Government at so great a rate as that they cannot be safe under it and then in their own defence they think of destroying it LONDON Printed for Walter Kittilby at the Bishops Head in St. Paul's Church yard Core Redivivus A SERMON Preach'd by William Bolton one of the Scholmasters of the Charter-House Numb 16. 26. And he spake unto the Congregation saying Depart I pray you from the Tents of These wicked Men and touch nothing of Theirs least you be consumed in all Their Sins TO oppose Our lawful Magistrate is against the sense and practice of Christ's Church in all ages even under the severest persecutions I say in all ages even under the severest Persecutiors of Heathen Emperors nay under Julian the Apostate And if We shall reflect upon the Judicial proceedings of God Almighty in this kind we shall find him so jealous of his own as not to suffer in his Deputys Honour and therefore by some secret and irresistible power He hath still countermanded the deepest projects of Traytors He hath split their Councels and struck their most refined Policies with frustration Or a Curse You have heard how Corah Dathan and Abiram who had supplanted from their loyalty no less than 250 Princes men of renown upon whom the Holy Ghost in the Text fastens no other character than that of Wicked suffer'd both in themselves and accomplices for their mutiny against Moses And let Absolom steal the hearts of Israel from David both his King and Father Let ten of the twelve Tribes proclaim him King in Hebron Let the Distressed David fly from his Royal Seat and let his ungrateful and rebellious Son possess Jerusalem London Let Aâ—hiâ—ophel advise Absoloâ— â—o pursue David his counsel shall be turn'd into folly insomuch that he shâ—â—â— lay violent hands upon himself and though the too indulgent Father gives command to spare his life yet rather than Absolom shall prosper in his Treason his own beloved hair shall serve for an halter to execute him 2 Sam. from chap. 15. to the 19th Let Sheba the Son of Bichri make a Party in Israel against David let him secure himself in the strong City a Woman shall perswade his own Followers to cut off his head and present it unto David's General chap. 20 If you look into 2 Kings 11. you will find the reward of Athaliah's Treason She seizeth upon the Crown of Judah and to sâ—cure herself in it she as she imagin'd slew all the Seed Royal After six years enjoyment of the Throne without doubt she supposed herself safe enough when behold the
The Murmurer is certainly the State sinner The little grudgings that begin in Princes Courts are â—oon spread into the Country and they are like the Poets Fâ—â—â— Malum the further the same goes the greater it grows The Murmuring discontents in the state at last break out into open Rebellion as We now sadly see The Israelites said as for this Moses We wot not what is become of him The next thing we hear of them is They make a Motion Calf that is set up a Religion and Government of their own The Tongue is a little Member saith St. James but t is a great evil and the Murmuring Tongue sets the state still on fire and Hell Fire shall be the Portion of such Tongues Thirdly the Murmurer is ever an envious person and so an evil member of a Socieâ—y Murmuring is a distemper call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a complaining without cause and the envious man always doth this T is a nature that makâ—s a near appreach to the Devils The prosperity of Iob is an Eye-sore Fourthly he is the Malicious man delights to do Mischief where he lives is a trouble to himself and will be so to his Neighbour and therefore no wonder if punishment doth attend him for he is ranked by Soloâ—on among the seaven abominable things that God hates Him that soweth discord among Brethren In short a Murmurer is he that is every thing that is Mischievous Blaspheams God the King the Church his Neibour and he is a burthen to the Earth and to himself neither good nor bad wheather pleaseth him Complains in War and yet is discontented in Peace pines away in Scarcity and yet repines at plenty when â—â—s Summer he longs for Winter and when 't is Winter wisheth again for Summer neither Times nor Manners please him and could he call for them at his pleasure yet he would Murmur still of which we have a full iustance in the Text. Ill Men who have private designs of their own to carry on will be always complaining of Publick affairs and their Complaints may somtimes seem so plausible that they may gain Proselytes to their Faction * I doubt not but there were many such in England Some of whom may not Mean so ill as they do Froward Men disturb God's method of Mercy and make it ever Miscarry in the Womb. God intended quietly and safely to lead Israel out of Egypt into Canaan and the March of so many years might have been accomplished in so many days but They stood in their own light and stopp'd the way against themselves They tempted God very oft and so oft that a patient and long suffering God at last sware in his wrath that They should not enter into his Rest This Sin of Murmuring is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ill habit of the stomach that corrupts the best meat We Murmur at Mercys as Israel did at Manna Some Casuists tells us that Habitual Sins have a guilt distinct from those Sins of which they are Habits and that they are more dangerous because the Sinner is farther off from Repentance The guilt that is contracted from those Habits doth make a Callus and fear the Conscience that the sinner little thinks on it That he is going down into the Chambers of death and he is ensnared into damnation drown'd in perdition before he says Domine miserere or asks what he has done The Habit of Murmuring is so universal Hand joyn'd to Hand Tongue to Tongue that the sence of the Guilt is lost and because 't is so 't is a distinct guilt for the greatest Sinners have repented as Murderers Adulterers yea and Idolaters too who are in a peculiar manner Guilty Loesoe Majestatis Divinae and Traytors to the God of Heaven The repentance of all habitual sinners is difficult but the repentance of an Habitual Murmurer is besâ—t with more than ordinary difficulties for the Arguments that should reach the guilt are not well reducible to any single Commandment and doth scarce affect the letter of any And yet t is a sin of a complicated guilt affects both Tables and most of the Commandments of Both. Besides the Murmurer is not so soon as other Sinners convinced of his Guilt because he hath fram'd a rule of rectitude to himself and his Conscience oâ—ens and shuts by that Rule and so he strains at gnats and swollows Camels Nothing so much troubled the Coscience of a Neopolitan Shâ—pherd when he came to Confession at Eaâ—ter as that he had tasted a little Cream the Lent before but he had often Robb'd and Murder'd Passengers on the Mountains and that troubled not his Conscience because his Father and Grandfather had â—on so before I believe all oâ— Us are ready to pass a true and just sentence here but Reflect here are some who cannot digest asâ—â—t Form of Prayers are offended at a Surplice startle at the Cross in Baptism c. And yet can whisper against the King and whisper to be heard too talk loudly against Bishops and Pâ—iests censure all men complain of every thing and be satisfied with nothing Remember that God passed by some of the discontents of Isrâ—el but when They grew Clamorous and more Combined his wrath fell in amonst them And Remember that God hath other Eyes to see Sin with than We have and hath other Scales to weigh it in than We have We our selves do not take ill Language kindly from our Neighbour and can we think that God will from Us when by our discontents We dayly Revile his Providence When froward men do take a Liberty to speak write and Print what they please and all with designs against the Government they live under 't is plain They would be Governors themselves And when They have whet their Tongues and sharpn'd their Pens They are not far off from drawing their Swords And surely without offence I may now ask if this be not the present case of England against their natural Liege Lord and King LONDON Printed for John Fish near the Fountain Taverâ— in the Strand A SERMON Preach'd befoâ—e the King at Winchester by Fra. Turner D. D. then Dean of Windsor but since Bishop of Ely. Psal 144. 9. 10. I will sing a new Song unto thee O God c. Thou hast given Victory unto Kings and hast delivered David thy Servant from the peril of the Sword. THere is no question but David in my Text had an eye to all the terrible hazards he had run before he was Crown'd when Saul and his bloody house were hunting him like a Partridge upon the mountains So that not his Own * Not our King's Palace House which should be a man's Castle and his Sanctuary not his Own †His Majesty didisturb'd at midnight Bed which was made to be quiet in not those very places whither He flâ—d for Refuge were free from the peril of the Sword. â—o keep far enough off not only from cold and frivolous parallels but also from odious
comparisons I will only say Do We not see a King preserved from the same implacable enemy that has pursued him above these forty years but a much more formiâ—able enemy since he conceal'd his enmiâ—y than when he declared himself openly even by setting a price upon the Most Sacred Head. And David in his reflâ—ctions upon the dangers or deliverances of his life looks up to Heaven he acknowledges That the Race is not to the swift nor the Battel to the strong and tho it be added by Solomon that Time and chance happen to all things his meaning was that many things â—ook indeed like Chance tho guided by a hand of Providence to most unseen which yet was most visible to King David in the whole course of his Fortunes therefore he gives the Honour to God alone He thanks him not only for his own prosperous successâ—s but in behalf of All the Crown'd Heads in the world It is he that giveth victory â—nto Kings To the same great God of Heaven he ascribes their Preservation from so many Horrid Consâ—iraties as while there is a Devil in Hell and so many of his Agents upon Earth in England will never cease to be carried on and when they are defeated or prevented it is â—e the King of Kings that delivers his Servant David or by parity of reason any other Sovereign Prince from the hurtful Sword. Now when David says It is God that giveth victory unto Kings it is to be understood virtually and implicitly univerâ—al he does not say that God always gives them victory We know it has been given against the Best of Kings to the Worst and most Ungrateful of all his Subjects But the meaning is that when ever thâ—se sacred Princes are so delivered as to be preserved from the Sword 't is by an extraordinary vigilance of the Divine Providence over them 't is God is their Guardian and not Man. And as too late experience teacheth no King is to put his trust in the number or the fortitude of his People so neither is any People to confide in the wisdom of their Heads or in the vastness of their Body to Oppose their Lawful Prince For God in his Good Time will make it appear that He governs the World and He will make Them feel his hand that Have Wrested or think to wrest the Scepter from Himor Them that hold it for Him. Whoever They are that use indirect unlawful means to raise or establish or but to Sâ—cure Themselves They set up as it were for themselves without God in the World They take the certain course either to miscarry with their design Or if they do gain Their Point yet their success it self is a Jâ—dgment upon Them Proportionable to the greatness of their Sin will be Their punishment which if It comes in this World is commonly fetch'd out of the very bowels of the Sin that deserv'd it and so as the hand of God is illustriously visible in it Such as will not trust in God as a Deliverer from any Dangers They fear but will take the Sword against Their Lawful Prince upon any pretence whatsoever Their Senâ—ence is read in the words of our Blessed Saviour They that take the Sword shall perish by the Sword. As an humble Confidence of God's Protection over us if We resolve to live in his most holy fear is the most infallible course We can take to continue in safety so on the other side all Policy that swerves from the strict rule of Conscience does rather procure than prâ—â—ent extreme danger The men of Israel said unto Gideon that was in the time of the Judges Rule Thou over us both Thou and thy Son and thy Son's Son also By which they bind themselves and their posterity to be subject to him and his But how did they keep their Faith with him Much at the same rate as the unconstant multitude are wont to keep it As soon as Gâ—deon is dead Abimelech his Son by a Coâ—â—bine insinuates himself into them They furâ—ish him with Money under hand wherewith he hires vain and light persons to follow him Multi quibus utile Bellum And with These he assassinates all the seventy legitimate Sons of his Father upon one stone yet the People have still that wicked partiality for him as to make him their King but how did this * And so is every Traytor for the blood of all that is spilt in the Rebellion shall lye upon their heads Murdrous Traytor and his A betters prosper Jotham the youngest Son of Gideon and the only Son that surviv'd the Massacre cryes as a Prophet from God against the Usurper and denounces that Fire shall come out of â—e Bramble so in his parable he calls that Baâ—e Son and that this Fire shall devour their Cedars of Libanon Their Noblemen that raised or inviâ—ed him And we are told afterwards that the men of Sichem dealt treacherously with Abimelech as Those that have been once Fâ—llow Trayâ—ors to their lawful King do sâ—lâ—om long continue faithful to one another What â—umulâ—s tâ—ere follow'd What Insurrections How the Fields were died with Gore and how much Blood ran down the Streets of their City you may read in that noble Story And all the evil of the men of Sichem did God render upon Their own heads and upon Them came the Curse of Jotham But because this â—istrusting of God and in stead of doing that which David presses so passionately O tarty Thou the Lord's leisure being ready to say with that impious Nobleman Why â—arry We for the Lord any longer Because this fatal Impatience seems to be now one of our national Sins I shall urge against the sad effects of it some such examples as shall be national and virtually a multitude of examples Zedekiah the King of Judah having absolutely submitted to the great King of Babylon ' â—is said he rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear by God Therefore by the way The â—â—stâ—â—ing a lawful Prince to whom an Oath of Obedience haâ—h once been takeâ— tho he be an Heathen Prince as Nebuchad ezxar was is 〈◊〉 better than a down-right Pâ—â—â—ury A wicked Rebellion So Jeremiah the poor despised Prophet of God implies it to be throughout his Prophecy But what if these were Perjur'd Rebels yet this was always their note concerning themselves The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord are these i. e. They were the Godly they were the Saints just as the True Protestant The true Protestant is now the common Cry of Those who think that Title a good Apology a sufficient Plea to legitimate Perjury and Rebellion nay more he is sure to be call'd a Factor for Babylon as Jeremiah was that dares but call it Perjury and Rebellion But to return to my Story what became of that Rebellion I was relating That misguided easy Prince was utterly lost his very eyes were not left him but only so long as to see his Sons
Us as if he had said of tkis Kingdom as he did of Zion Psal 132. 14. This is my Rest for ever Here will I dwell for I have a delight therein And yet I may truly say but to our great shame that since the Creation of the Universe there never was such an Athestical Generation no not in the most dark in the most distant in the most infidel parts of the World as this Nation hath groaned under these late years And yet 't is observable tho' it be very strange that None among Us have pretended greater concernment for the Reformation than Those who have bid open defiance to all Religion whatsoever Men of the most profligate Reputation Open Drunkards profest Adulâ—â—reâ—s Notorious Cheats Forsworn Rebells Impudent Lyars Persidious Hypocrites and but the other day Scoffâ—rs at God and at the very shew of Piety 'T is enough to move the Meekest the most Patient Man on Earth to consider what Foreheads of Steel and Adamant those Impious Wretches haue that coulâ— take the â—â—nsidence Thâ—s to Gull and Impose upon the People by a seeming Zeal for Religion Especially when They are now up in Arms fighting for it in open Rebellion against the Example of our Saviour and the Precepts of the Gospell As far as I have observed the whole History of England doth not afford Us an Instance of God's Providence that can come any thing near that account which Relâ—tes to our present Soveraign and his Royal Brother Deceased unless it be that single Story of King Alfred the great A Prince of that Learning Wisdom Clemency Sweetness of nature and other such excellent Virtues as really made him an honour and ornament to the Throne And yet that excellent Prince was once Reduc'd to those miserable straights partly by the Invasion of Enemies from abroad and partly through the Treachery of Rebels and Deserters at Home that he was Forc'd to put himself into the disguise once of a Common Soldier another time of an Herds-man and at last to abscond for a considerable time in the West in a poor Cottage among Woods and Moors a sad and wofull place for a Crown'd Head to Rest in And yet such was his Religious dependance upon God that tho' He was Forsaken by his Friends invioron'd with his Enemies and brought to those extreams and shameful necessities that his mother and himself were hardly able to subsist yet He doubted not but Providence wâ—uld one Day Restore Him to his just Grandieur And so it was that in that very mean Condition in that most obscure place he began the Recovery of his Fortunes There he began the Foundation of his Kingdom Raising it on still by degrees till in a little time he became the sole and absolute Monarch of this Nation and made it a most Flourishing Kingdom and gave many the most excellent Laws that We enjoy at this Hour or rather may so do when God shall Restore the King and we return to to Our Allegiance and Duties LONDON Printed for Samuel Keble at the Turks Head in Fleet-street Error Pag 2 line last Read their Shoulders POSTSCRIPT NOw Reader after Thou hast duly consider'd these Firm Doctrines of the Protestant Religion Tell me truly If thou canst expect ever to see One Rebel in Heaven or to meet even any of Those that do but wish prosperity to Rebellion in the Regions of Bliss Tell me if thou hast any dread of a Future Judgment If thou hast any value for thy Soul what Rewards will follow Thee what vengeance rather will pursue Thee if thou set up a God of thy own Fancy and hearken to the Oracles of Rebellion instead of Governing all thy Thoughts words and Actions by the precepts of the Gospel and after the meek example of the Blessed Jesâ—s Dost thou think one Murther enough to Damn an unrepenting Soul and Canst thou wish Success to those that take Arms against the King without Plunging thy self into the Guilt of every Man's Blood that is or shall be Spilt in such a Damnable Quarrel Canst thou Offer in Sacrifice thy will and affections as the Indians do their darling Children to the Devil to the Monstrous Idol of Rebellion and not be tainted with that Idolatry which will inevitably Damn thy Soul without a most speedy and the deepest Repentance Nay tell me if thou canst Repent If the Nature of thy Crime will admit of Repentance in thee when Lucifer was Damn'd because the Sin of his Rebellion was utterly incapable of that Grace which gives a true Repentance Fare-well These Sermons may be Printed Dublin Castle the 28th of July 1689. Patrick Clogher Thanksgiving Sermons Preached on the 9th of September 1683. Francis Lord Bishop of Ely pag. 37 John Fitz-william D. D. pag. 01 William Sherlock D. D. pag. 15 Paul Lathom Prebend of Sarum pag. 20 Benjamin Calamy D. D. pag. 25 William Bolton Scholmaster of the Charter-house pag. 30 John Price D. D. pag. 33 Charles Powel M. A. pag. 43 William Smith Prebend of Norwich pag. 47 Miles Barnes D. D. pag. 51 Henry Hesketh Minister of St. Hellens pag. 55 John Harrison D. D. pag. 58 Edward Pelling D. D. pag. 60 Luke Milbourne pag. 65 A Thanksgiving Sermon against Monmouth's Rebellion 29th July 1685. Edward Pelling D. D. pag. 68