Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n
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A30452
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A sermon preached before the King at Whitehall, on the second of December, 1697 being the day of thanksgiving for the peace / by Gilbert, Lord Bishop of Sarum.
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Burnet, Gilbert, 1643-1715.
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1697
(1697)
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Wing B5908; ESTC R29158
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18,251
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16
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by touching defiâ—'d The happiness of this Reign is that in it all those Attempts made on Law and Liberty have been stigmatiz'd as they well deserv'd to be but with such mildness towards those who had offended hurried on in the Croud or betray'd by their Fears that those who understand not how boundless a thing Royal Clemency ought to be have from thence pretended to infer That the not punishing Offenders was a Confession that their actings were Legal and Innocent But a Government that was Merciful as well as Just was as gentle in punishing past Offences as it intended to be exact to provide against the like for the future The Laws have been fortified by new Explanations which assure us of their true meaning These have deliver'd us for the future from the ractices of those Corrupters of Justice and Enemies to Liberty nor is this all but where our Ancient Constitution seem'd defective and had not guarded enough against the Fraud of Sycophants it has been fortify'd by the addition of further Securities which as Buttresses were judged necessary to support the Fabrick The bringing matters on the other side of the Sea to juster proportions the raising of some depressed Princes and the limiting others that were over-grown has laid the Fears that the World had fall'n under of being over-power'd by a new Monarchy and has provided for our own quiet by stoppâ—ng the progress that was made upon our Neighbours by which we have secured to our selves all the returns of gratitude acknowledgment and dependency that can be expected in such cases Both Ancient and Modern Writers have thought that Theâ—dsius Conquering Mâ—ximus and Restoring Valentinian the Second not only his own share of the Empire but to Gratian's likewise was a Subject fit for Rhetorick Yet that cost him but one Campaign and in it there were only two days of Action neither the Charge nor the Danger were extraordinary Besides that it was a just gratitude to Gratâ—â—ns Memory who had raised him to a Partnership with him in the Empire to revenge his Death and to Restore his Brother How much 〈◊〉 is the Panegyrick when we see a Prince in a course of many Years carry on a War into infinite Dangers and at an inestimable Charge and that only to preserve the States of Neighbouring Princes without any other Advantage but the Pleasure of having Protected the Oppressed and of having secured the Neighbourhood not reserving any one Place either as a Pledge upon his Allies or an encrease of Dominion to himself In all Ages Princes have been ready to assist their Neighbours with Auxiliary Troops and sometimes with hired Armies but it is the peculiar glory of this Age that we see a King who has maintain'd a long War led the Armies and exposed himself to innumberable hazards only to maintain others in their Right If this adds nothing to his Crown yet as it makes it sit the firmer so it must be acknowledged that it makes it shine the brighter The Gems of it have a peculiar Luster a Glory of which former Ages cannot boast This is indeed to answer that Character to which all Princes pretend how few soever of them study to deserve it of being God's Representatives and Vicegerents who takes pleasure in delivering the Oppressed setting him at liberty from him that puffeth at him Thus we see what are the two great Ends of Government as they are set forth by this Southern Queen Next let us view the Measures to be kept in the Admistration to do Judgment and Justice The Generosities as well as the Severities of Government are believed to be implyed in these two The rigour of Punishment being the harder part not so natural to Minds of the best Mold is to be left to Persons of that Robe who ought to be so chosen that they be Men fearing God hating Gifts and eschewing Covetousness They Minister in the less acceptable part and to them it ought to be left except when the interposition of a just Mercy softens the rigour of strict Justice I say a just Mercy for there are Mercies that are cruel When upon false suggestions Blood is cover'd or encouragement is given to enormous Criminals when they have the hopes of Favour especially when they see that it may be purchased this will soon dissolve the Strength as well as the Order of Societies Princes by so doing render themselves in some sort accessary to all the Crimes that happen to be committed afterwards by those whom thro' a feebleness of Grace they have rescued from deserved Punishment Judgment is the more acceptable part The Branches of this are the distributing of Trusts and Rewards the delivering tho Oppressed and the relieving the Necessitous beginning at those who are brought low by a heavy share in common Calamities especially those of War which entitle them to more special degrees of the Prince's Favour and Bounty There is in all this such a shadow of Divinity that in it lies the Noblest part of a King's Prerogative It is not he but the Law that punishes the Bad but the distingushing the employing the honouring and rewarding of those who deserve well of him and the Publick is singly in him All must owe this only to the Bounty of the Prince yet the whole is a Trust from Heaven and those who Rule for God and the good of their People will manage this as knowing that they must answer it to the King of Kings This Subject is too tender to be enlarged on by any Person below that High Dignity let us then hear the Resolutions of a Good as well as a Warlike King when he found himself setled on the Throne to which his Son had no doubt a particular regard Psalm 101. I will behave my self wisely in a perfect Way I will walk within my house with a perfect Heart I will set no wicked Thing before mine Eyes a froward Heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked Person Who so privily standereth his Neighbour him will I cut off him that hath a high Look and a proud Heart will I not suffer Mine Eyes shall be upon the Faithful in the Land that they may dwell with me He that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me He that worketh Deceit shall not dwell in my House He that telleth Lies shall not tarry in my sight I add not the words that follow for they seem too severe for the milder State of the Gospel I will early destroy all the Wicked of the Land There would be little occasion for this if the former Resolutions were exactly maintained Kings have a Dialect peculiar to themselves they will understand one anothers Language and penetrate into their Thoughts therefore I will not presume to add to these Words either Paraphrase or Inferences But now having looked over all that compass of Thoughts to which this Noble Devotion of the Royal Traveller led us It remains that we conclude in turning the whole to Solemn Adorations and to the Celebrating the goodness of God both to King and Kingdoms Our Hearts are now so full of Joy and our Mouths so full of Praise that these will inflame us to Hallelujahs equal if not to the Occasion for what can rise up to that yet to our strength which will naturally carry us to the highest Transports the loudest Acclamations and the perfectest Harmony that we are capable of This will go easily we can hardly restrain our selves from it Our Thanksgiving must go further We must study to express them in more valuable as well as more lasting Instances Let us remember and pay all the Vows that we made to God in our Days of Fasting and Prayer Let us now resolve to live as a Nation deliver'd and Redeem'd of God and blessed with the most special favour of Heaven Let us walk suitably to that Light and to those Advantages that we enjoy beyond all other Nations Under God the Fountain of our Life as well as the Giver of our Peace let us make all the Humblest Returns of Duty and Gratitude of Fidelity and Zeal to our Great Deliverer Let us continue our most earnest Prayers as well as our highest Thanksgiving to God for him I will not suggest to Melancholly a Thought as the Change in Solomon's Reign The difference between its bright Beginning and dark Conclusion None how Great or how Wise soever are so established in the ways of Vertue as to be above Prayers and beyond Temptations Let us all therefore Pray that God may long Preserve the King whom he hath set over us and the Peace that by his means is procured to us May his Reign of Peace be as Glorious as his Course in War has been but of a 〈◊〉 longer Continuance May he be long the Delight of his People the Arbiter of Europe the Patron of Justice and the Maintainer of Right all the World over May the Nation still Flourish and the Church be ever Glorious by his Conduct and Care And may he be as Happy in the Love of his Subjects as he has made them safe under his Protection To Conclude in a Devotion Dictated by a Royal as well as an Inspired Author The Lord hear thee in the Day of Trouble Send thee help from his Sanctuary Grant thee according to thine own heart and fulfil all thy Counsels The Lord fulfil all thy Petitions We will rejoice in thy Salvation Now we know that the Lord saveth his Anointed He will hear him from his holy Heaven And we will remember the name of the Lord our God for we are risen and stand upright O Lord save the King And Mercifully hear us when we call upon thee FINIS William Prince of Orange Gaspar de Coligny Admiral of France Una morientis ad Deum vox Miserere Populi Grot. Annal. lib. 4. Rhinotmel Cedrenus Theophanes Psal. 21.