an All-seeing Providence no Blow given The old Fox that had never learnt that part of the Gospel that it was expedient for one man to die for the Nation begins to shift for himself And pitching an eye on Holland most agreeable with his Common-wealth Genius He chose rather to hazard his Den of Foxes with his whole Association than his own precious Neck to the stroke of Justice It was this Association together with a Vote of Parliament That if the King fell by an untimely Death it should be revenged on the Papists which first gave birth to this Hellish Conspiracy 〈…〉 belief all along to accomplish 〈…〉 For some the Solemn League and Covenant on which 〈…〉 was bottom'd never such a Piece of Machiavilian Mischief did enter on the Christian Stage as this Association which however they called The Solemn Union of all true Protestants comprehending under this Union all sorts of Sectaries no matter how Dignified or Distinguished so they were in their wild Principles quite opposite to the Communion of the Church of England by Law Established the true Protestant here intended being a Dissenting Member of the Non-conforming Communion of the Church of England Is not this then a meer Jesuitism and a double-refined Treason for any of these Conspirators to pretend themselves of the Church of England when the true Test without tricks or evasions means only the Church of England by Law Established No wonder then if the Sword intended by this stratagem to be intrusted with our deadly Enemies of all sorts it was very probable to have been sheathed in the Bowels of the best of Princes and his dearest Brother his Royal Highness for it was the Suppression of the Crown with Episcopacy which they had resolved the best expedient for pulling down of Tyranny and the Church of Rome And yet had these Weapons so craftily formed prevailed either against Church or State these true Protestants had a Salvo at hand to have laid it on the Papists a People bloody enough Yet their numbers being very few comparatively with these Incendiaries which have overspread this Nation they never could have aimed such an universal Massacre as was designed of these true Protestants It is here observable of what mischievous consequence any Combination is of what kind soever whether influence of self-Interest Pride Ambition Spight or Malice to be led out of the Kings High-way of Honesty into any By-Paths of our own be it in the smallest matter only at first perchance into a Combination of lesser moment tho only against your Lawful Minister for ye know not how soon of these beginnings of Mischief ye may be led into the broad Road of Rebellion What a Tempest should we have had if this black Fanatick Cloud had broken over our Heads Never was Death figured with so many terrible shapes as were visible in this Conspiracy but God have the Praise that we are in hopes not to see it not only blow over but that the Storm is like to fall upon the heads that raised it Some of these Treacherous dealers who have dealt so very Treacherously with us are already fallen into the pit which they digged for others and are ensnared in the mischievous works of their own hands And it is to be hoped for the rest that their violent dealing will fall upon their own heads For he who is truth itself in whom we trust whose we are and whom we serve hath assured us that wicked and blood-thirsty-men shall not live out half their days For he who is the God of all mercy abhors the cruel and deceitful man Thus far the Committee of six did succeed in this Enterprize under many Fears and Jealousies of a Popish Successor to hold correspondence in several parts of England for a general Insurrection their Followers being poisoned with several treasonable positions viz. that it was agreeable with the Christian Religion with the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom to defend the Prostant Profession with open Force and Resistance That there is a Liberty in the People to acquire to themselves that which they apprehend to be their Right by Force if they cannot obtain it of the Prince by fair means And this was especially instanced in the case of the Bill of Exclusion where reflecting on many violences that were offered for compassing this Bill no passage did seem more unnatural than a forcing Sir Lionet Ienkins to carry it up to the House of Lords who had best opposed it by his admirable Reasoning on purpose to represent him had it been possible a betrayer of his Trust and Conscience grounding themselves on this Iulian Principle that the Peoples Preservation was the Supreme Law Thus did these subtil Foxes while their heads looke several ways carry these Firebrands between their Tails to have reduced this flourishing Empire once more into Dust and Ashes These Opinions with divers of the like stamp I might reasonably insist much larger only bound in the compass of a Sermon They can be only mentioned to give a fair warning how under the most colourable pretences we never be enticed to combine with any number of men against a Lawful Power for however they sweeten or guild over this Poison there is no more real way to introduce Popery than a vain fear of it and this was the very thing the Jesuits aim'd at in the Reign of King Iames and the late unnatural War to destroy each other by these Jealousies and at last either by Force or Policy to bring us back to the Romish Church nor can we ever enough abhor this Pestilence which in several Kings Reigns hath struck many Subjects dead by a due course of Law too sadly made appear in the death of the late Lord Russel who encouraged by this Scotch Doctrine that it is lawful to defend a mans Conscience by open Force against any Authority whatsoever did dare adventure his Body yea I tremble his very Soul on this false Bottom so his execrable Paper seems to import as if purposely to embolden such persons as are left behind of the same Leven instead of a faithful I fear he met a faithless Confessor I cannot believe but that the whole World will entertain this Discovery with horror and tho the Sectaries will endeavour with the greatest Impudence to deny or mitigate it yet certainly this many headed Hydra will receive the Blow which they intended for our Religion for who that is not resolved to quit Humanity will believe that Religion which is to be maintained with Treasons and Murders of the most purple dye But here a smile must part from me which however is lawful enough on a Thanksgiving day that all this was to be done to keep out Popery when they made it one main branch of the Conspiracy to say they did fear it and when they were to act that themselves which they had perswaded the World was ever the contrivance of the Jesuit viz. to murder the King In the case of the
A THANKSGIVING SERMON FOR DISCOVERY Of the Late Phanatick Plot September 9. 1683. By IOHN HARRISON D. D. Rector of Pulborow in Sussex Tantum Religio potuit Suadere Malorum LONDON Printed for W. Crooke at the Sign of the Green Dragon without Temple-Bar nigh the Passage into the Temple by Devereux Court 1683. To the Right Honourable Sir WILLIAM MORLEY Knight of the BATH One of his Majesties Honourable Deputy-Lieutenants for SUSSEX Right Honourable NEver was such a Mite presumptiously offered as this Trifle to Your Honors Patronage But having once Intituled it a Loyal Sermon I knew not where more seeurely to shelter it than under Loyalty it self Your Honors known Modesty could never yet endure large Encomiums which are also unsuitable Prefaces for a Religious Discourse nor can I give an account of any secret Impulse of Nature except your Powerful Name in relation to my Lord Bishop of Winchester with your Train of attractive Virtues that hath ever secretly inclined my heart more peculiar to your Honors Service than any other Person whatsoever I have endeavoured my utmost what will best agree with your Loyal thoughts to keep my self as close as possible within the Method of his Majesties excellent Declaration accounting it far beneath the sence of Honor to write after an Enemies Pattern either bitter Invectives or if in my Power Characters of Blood so humbly Addressing my hearty Zeal for my King and Countrey better beseeming your Protection than an Elegance or softness of Style I take leave with my Fervent Prayers to God for a farther Discovery of this Fanatick Plot with all imaginable success on your Loyal endeavours and the other his Majesties Honourable Deputy-Lieutenants of this Western Division of Sussex perchance for its bigness more fruitful of such great Examples than any other Spot within his Majesties Dominions Right Honourable your Honours most obliged humble Servant JOHN HARRISON A SERMON ON 2 SAM XVIII XXVIII And Ahimaaz called and said unto the King all is well And he fell down to the Earth upon his face before the King and said Blessed be the Lord thy God which hath delivered up the men that lift up their hand against my Lord the King THE Preacher tells us that that which hath been is now and that which is to be hath already been and There is no new thing under the Sun We have had and have still the same Instances of Danger what befell David in the case of his Son Absalom hath befaln our Sovereign of a like unnatural Son both Righteous Kings afflicted with a Rebellious Off-spring And if there be divers circumstances in either of these hellish Conspiracies Ours hath been heightned of far more endearing Kindness As Absalom by fair Speeches did steal the hearts of Israel 2 Sam. 15. 5 6. And it was so that when any came nigh to him to do him Obeysance he put forth his hand and kissed him And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the King for Iudgment so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel And our Israel can witness this hath been no new thing for that which hath been of old time was also practised of our Absalom Again the Rebellion that was to begin at Hebron did happen under pretence of paying of a Vow unto the Lord that is under the Veil or Disguise of Religion 2 Sam. 15. 7. Absalom said unto the King Let me go and pay my Vow which I have vowed unto the Lord in Hebron But this pretence of a Vow was only in effect to send Spies through all the Tribes of Israel ver 10. Assoon as ye hear the sound of the Trumpet then ye shall say Absalom Reigneth in Hebron Nothing more usual than to give out the Cause of Christ whilst under that Vizor they act Parts quite contrary to his Holy Doctrine and blessed example so true is the Observation of the Preacher That which hath already been now is As if the Kings Declaration for this Days Deliverance had been the very Transcript of the Text. And this is ever observable in a well-formed Conspiracy if a Conspiracy can in any sense be so expressed First To settle it self under some chief Leader that especially of Popular Arts hath insinuated himself into the Multitude giving out himself to be some Mighty one and what he wants of a just Title as that ought ever to be pretended in an Hereditary Kingdom he will make good in his Defence of the Peoples Religion Estates Lives and Liberties The business is to cheat the World with a pretence of Sanctity and Zeal and to blind the Peoples eyes more strongly in these Mischievous Attempts they do ever joyn this Chief Leader with some notable Achitophel that is some experienced Counsellor if such can be procured as hath been formerly eminent or successful in the overthrow of a State or Kingdom 2 Sam. 15. 12. And Absolom sent for Achitophel the Gilonite David's Counsellor from his City even from Giloh while he offered Sacrifices and the Conspiracy was strong for the People encreased continually with Absalom And this was professedly done as being no new thing under the Sun in the late Earl of Shaftsbury And to make it farther appear that the Church hath formerly had such Enemies he is at large described in Psal. 36. 2. 3 4. He flattereth himself in his own Eyes until his iniquity be found to be hateful the words of his mouth are Iniquity and deceit he hath left off to be wise and to do good he imagineth Mischief upon his Bed c. A Character so peculiar to our Achitophel that instead of describing as some Interpreters do hereby an Enemy in general of the Church of God It seems a special Prophecy for so David was a Prophet that such a wretch should arise in these days Now from this Description ye may easily conclude the Conspiracy in a short time grew very strong And to this purpose there happens a singular Instance in the story of Absalom how they did continually increase in numbers and that was by sending messengers through all the Tribes of Israel nor can I deliver in more fitting words what these Spies did intend than Tremellius's Paraphrase on this Passage Nunciorum speciem 〈◊〉 se ferebant Re tames explorabant Animos Praecipuorum Israel Absalonis Partes seductos that is These Spies did seemingly carry the joyful news of this Journey to Herbron Re tamen explorabante But in truth they were to underfeel the chief of Israel who were inclined to take part in this intended Conspiracy And is not Tremeliu◠his Paraphrase verified in our Spies I Or else what meant the Multitudes of Men and Horses in most Parts of England utterly contrary to Law unless on a Reception of the King himself only to evince the King's Son as they flatteringly stiled him that by this mighty strength they were able to make him a King indeed And now all things being thus ready for the fatal Blow and yet by
of these Common-wealth-Protestants scarce out of our sides had been turned into a very Shambles For it is a damnable Maxim among them if ever they again attain the Power to destroy all Loyal Families Root and Branch for say they the sparing these Amalekites was the high provocation which Restored Charles Stuart to the Throne no better Language to have been allowed our now Dread Sovereign and all his Loyal Followers Should we ever trust a Rebellion though flattered with Golden Lives and Liberties never any single Person that had signally served his King and Church but he shall be shackled with Iron Fetters In one word to conceive our selves under the mercy of a Sword is no other than England now an Earthly Paradise to become an Akeldama that is a very Field of Blood Therefore the Thanksgiving in the Text fitly applieth it self on this days Deliverance Blessed be the Lord thy God which hath delivered up the men that lift up their hand against my Lord the King I can compare the Enemies of this day next this of the Text with no fitter Scripture examples than with Bigthan and Teresh the Chamberlains of Ahasuerus the great Persian Monarch Esther 2. 21. Two of the Kings Eunuchs Bigthan and Teresh were wroth and sought to lay hands on the King More than Heathenish wickedness this to render evil for good because the King had raised them to be the chief keepers of his Body to become the chief seekers of his Blood The Text gives no reason for all this only they were angry yet being said they were angry in those days it is agreed by Interpreters it was at the Marriage of Queen Esther she being a Captive of the Iews they presently clamor we shall now all be Iews for Ahasuerus must not Marry but where Bigthan and Teresh do appoint No reason this at all to forget an Oath of Allegiance to cast behind them all past Favours to betray their Trust to lift up a hand against God's Anointed Yet for a far less Reason were our Traitors full of wrath not for the Kings Marriage with a Captive but for his near adherence to his own flesh and blood his dearest Brother Iames Duke of York presently we must be all Papists As Bigthan and Teresh so our Traitors once men of great Wealth and Renown some Guardians of the Kings Person others of his Council-board are on a sudden entrapp'd in the Devices of their own hands This must needs be the Lords doing and it is Marvellous in our eyes O that men would therefore Praise the Lord for his Goodness and declare the Wonders that he doth for the Childen of men Sure there are the better they be dealt with the worse still ye shall find them and of these David was in most danger Alas nothing but a Vow at Hebron when this Vow was to have deprived him of Life and Kingdom This is the way of them all that before it be seen it may do the Mischief that is meant What Dangers are they in that are in this Case How neer being lost only the Kings Enemies being the Enemies of God They are preserved of Ishbenot an open Enemy 2 Sam. 21. 16. as well as of Achitophel a wicked Counsellor No way it seems to prevail against a Righteous King except they can keep back an All-seeing Eye And shall it please God to find a watchful Eye to save us and shall not we find Lips to Bless and Magnifie him for it O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his Goodness and declare the wonders that he doth for the Children of Men Ahimaaz and Cushi strive very hard which might out-run the other to bring an earthly King the defeat of a Rebel-Army Theirs was an open Rebellion opposed of a like open Force and so in some sence to be ascribed to the help of men ours was a close Conspiracy carried on in dark corners impossible ever to have seen the Light so as to have been prevented except of an All-mighty God How infinite more Reason then for each of us to hasten which may exceed each other in our Joys Praise and Thanksgiving O that Men would therefore Praise the Lord for his Goodness and declare the Wonders that he doth for the Children of Men. FINIS