such a provocation as this comes to reckon with a Kingdom who can escape the terrible Visitation who can abide the Almighty Wrath They were but few in comparison with the whole Body of the Jewish Nation that were immediately concerned in putting our Blessed Saviour to death they were not many perhaps onely a mercenary Rabble who petitioned for his Crucifixion and undertook to answer all the Appeales of his Bloud at their own and their Childrens peril Yet when the time of their Visitation came which was not till Forty years after the killing of their King when perhaps most of his Murderers were dead and rotten every Age Sex and Family that were in Jerusalem shared alike in the common Calamity the Famine the Pestilence and the Swords of the Romans had no commission to distinguish When the Divine Vengeance for the Bloud of our Martyr will more signally break out we know not and we beseech the infinite Mercy it may never Our Forty years have not yet expired neither have the Romans as yet prevailed against us or the Inundation of Sects overwhelmed us How soon they may he alone can tell who alone can hinder we have no better security left us than strong Cries deep Repentance passionate Deprecations O remember not against us former iniquities But are we fit persons to intercede are we fit to stand in the gap to turn away the anger of the Lord and to stop the destroying Angel Do not our continued provocations our daily repeated personal sins call for new Indignation on us What attonement therefore can we make or wherewithal shall we come before the Lord Can Intemperance satisfie for Hypocrisie or Prophaness expiate for Murder Is Sedition and Rebellion a repenting for the barbarous outrages of a Civil War or of this days Crime Will Oaths and Curses and Blasphemies drown the noise of our crying Sins Or will the contempt of the Bloud of Christ be a propitiation for the Bloud of the Martyr When our late Gracious Soveraign and the Royal Line were restored by an extraordinary Providence by a secret and wonderful hand was our gratitude returned to God with that sobriety of Christian Joy as became a redeemed people Or were the unquiet Zelots of our Land less obstinate in their Opinions more forward to remit their Scruples or more modest in their Demands And have we not already undergone some remarkable instances of Gods displeasure for the Murder of our King and the Prophanation of his restoring Mercy such as a Forreign War a raging Pestilence a dreadful Fire and an actual Rebellion As the Jews were wont to say that in every Calamity that befel them there was an ounce of the Golden Calf in it of that shameful and Idolatrous revolt so may we also affirm that in every Judgment that o'retakes us there is an ounce of the Bloud of the Martyr in it or else why are we like that stubborn Generation such a forlorn people as to be Hardned under every Calamity and to turn our most signal Mercies into the greatest Provocations Why are we continually murmuring often Plotting sometimes Rebelling Why do we shew so little remorse for our present for our former Iniquities for the Iniquities of this day The Lord does often defer and put off the extremity of Temporal Judgments to see if the next Generation will amend but if they go on in the same ways if they follow their Fathers steps imitate their bad Examples and revive their sins then he executes his Vengeance for both together and most justly punishes a people for Offences committed many years ago because they renew them because they act them over again against greater conviction and with more obstinacy and malice as all must do who continue Schismatical in the Church or Factious in the State after so great a light and knowledge of Truth and Duty and having had so long a time so merciful a season to understand and to amend their Errours There were three things that were more especially active and fatal in our late Distractions concerning which some did wilfully mistake though others were undoubtedly deluded They were Popery Zeal and the extent of Subjection The notions of these were strangely disguised both in mens Writings and Apprehensions the effects of these most violent and impious But since our Restoration and settlement since mens Spirits have been in some disposition and capacity to receive a rational instruction all these things have been so plainly declared according to their true nature so fully stated as to their measure and extent so frequently inculcated as to their just and sober use that there is left no further pretence for Ignorance or Mistake that the Seditious have now no cloak for their Rebellion For First in respect to Popery Men have been seriously advised not to measure the Protestant Religion by any peevish opposition to the Papists nor to account every thing Popery that is practised in the Church of Rome but to allow of such a judicious distinction between them as Wise men may know what to Write for and good men may know what to Die for Men have been often told that our Reformation was no new Religion but onely a necessary and discreet removal of some intolerable corruptions and an establishing of the old Christianity taught us plainly in the Scriptures and interpreted where dubious by the ancient Fathers They have been told that in the Reforming of this Church all things were acted not by way of Anabaptistical Tumult and Rebellion not out of a spirit of contradiction and furious Zeal but by the consultation and authority of the lawful Powers and according to the just Liberties of a National Church What fiery turbulency did men shew against the moderate and perpetual Episcopacy of this Land as if it had been the principal abomination of Antichrist And yet the voting down of that so dreaded Order was received with a Triumph at Rome What Outcries were there made and with what confidence was it asserted that the chief of our Bishops and Clergy were driving on a Popish Interest when it was manifest that they were the greatest nay the onely true Champions against it As for some of the more eminent of them when they could no longer remain with any safety in this Kingdom where-ever they travelled they gallantly maintained the fight against the Subtleties and Corruptions of that Church and like Hannibal when he was banished from Carthage where-e're they came they justly raised up Enemies to the Romans Thus the renowned Brumhall Cosins and Morley c. carried the War into the Enemies Country were victorious abroad though contemned at home defended our Church against the strength and power of Rome whilst their Adversaries went destroying of all Christianity here by contending with the shadow of Errour by mistaking the Controversie by shewing great violence little Learning no Arguments By cherishing those Distractions both in Church and State which gave the greatest blow to the Protestant Cause and the surest
appease an Almighty Revenger An extraordinary affliction of Soul can onely wash out an extraordinary guilt Is not this the Fast which I have chosen saith the Lord by his Prophet Isaiah Chap. 58. v. 6 7. to loose the bands of wickedness to undo the heavy burthens and to let the oppressed go free and that ye break every yoke but that of Government Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house When thou seest the naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh Is it not to bewaile those Divisions which this Church lies under and those continual Discontents which disorder this State and Government Is it not to forsake those reigning Sins which call down heavy Judgements on us or which perhaps is worse withdraw the Mercy of an afflicting Hand and make us most unworthy of them Is it not to practise that sincere Piety towards God that religious Loyalty to our King that Charity to our Neighbour that Temperance Moderation and Contentedness towards our selves as alone can make us the Objects of Gods pardoning Mercy Is it not that the Priests of the Lord should weep between the Porch and the Altar and with incessant Supplications cry Spare thy people O Lord and give not thine Heritage to reproach Be not wrath very sore O Lord neither remember this days Iniquity for ever Behold see we beseech thee we are all thy people how long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth We are that ungrateful Remnant which thou hast made remarkable throughout the world by thy Mercies and thy Judgements Thou hast rescued us from Superstition and Enthusiasm and hast established the purest part of thy Religion amongst us thou hast confirmed it to us not onely by the Bloud of its first professors but by that of a most meek and glorious King Behold O Lord see see how we are this day united to implore thy Mercy and not as once to call down thy wrath and Indignation upon us we are engaged in no other Conspiracy now but that of besieging thy Throne of Grace Thou hadst continually a truly Religious and Loyal people in this Land who utterly abhorred the bloudy Act of this day and all the accursed tendencies towards it And as for the deluded Multitude O pardon them Lord pardon them for whom our Saviour prayed for whom our Martyr prayed O pardon them because they knew not what they did Though our Kalender is red with this days Action yet our Chronicle shines with this days Example there Meekness Humility Patience Charity and Constancy set triumphant It was the honour of Constantine's Reign that he was converted to the Christian Faith Renowned were those Emperours who afterwards protected it by their wholesome Laws and Edicts Blessed and thrice blessed were those Princes who gave Authority to it by their admirable Lives and Examples But for a King to fall a Sacrifice for it to Live in all its active Duties and Die in all its passive Graces this is onely to be met with in the English Annals this is onely to be read in the Protestant Dypticks this is the peculiar Triumph of our Church and the Universal glory of Christianity at large Let us therefore deeply Repent for this days sad occasion and then praise the Almighty for this days glorious Event Let our Humiliations wear out the black guilt of this days Crime and our Lives copy out the Example of this days Martyr Then may we recover the favour of Heaven and either cancel all the commissioned Judgements against us or improve them into Mercies Then may we become an united people in Church and State a Royal Priesthood an holy Nation then may we spread our Fame to the uttermost parts of the Earth and the purity of Christs Religion with it then may we remain a standing Bulwork against the Policy of Rome and teach some Protestant Churches a Doctrine which they have not yet compleatly learnt The true and Catholick Subjection to the Soveraign Powers FINIS BOOKS Printed for W. 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PSAL. LXXIX v. 8. O Remember not against us former Iniquities or the Iniqities of them that were before us THE repeated Practices of Rebellion in this our Land and our continual dread of Imminent Judgments do add a new Seasonableness to this days Humiliation And let us add a new vigour to our Intercedings with the Almighty to prevent those Punishments which we so highly deserve For we are this day met to bewail the greatest National sin except that which the Jews committed in Crucifying the Lord of Life A sin which hath made us a Scandal and a Proverb of Reproach to other Kingdoms a miserable and divided people within our selves and a dreadful Theatre of the continual Judgements of God There was doubtless a general corruption of Life and Manners that disposed this Nation to enter into such horrid Counsels and to engage in such furious attempts Luxury Wantonness neglect of Religion and wise Discipline first forfeited the protection of Providence and then God delivered up an infatuated people to their own Passions and false Zeals and let them follow their own Imaginations It is indeed to no good purpose at least in this place to lay the whole Guilt upon any particular Party amongst us That may be the business of an Historian but not of a Divine That may serve to awaken Governours but will not contribute towards the attonement of our God That may give Men Rules of worldly Policy but will never work in us a true and Spiritul Compunction Sharp and eager Reflections may promote Revenge and Malice but will hardly produce a general Humiliation and Repentance Whatever Designs our Adversaries formed we may be sure it was our Sins that gave them their Success The Tragedy is acted the Murder compleated the anger of the Almighty is provoked the Nation has sinn'd and the Nation must repent or else there is nothing but a fearful looking for of swift and final Destruction But O! Remember not against us former Iniquities It is not requisite at this time to engage in any exact method of Discourse the Subject of this days Meditation being somewhat too big for the common Rules of Art 'T is the property of great Passions to know but little Order The sudden effusions of a pious and Loyal Heart with some general remarks on the more fatal Springs and Principles of Faction and Rebellion are more suitable to this Solemnity than the smoother compositions of a mind at leisure Let such as please study to be Elegant under the Indignation of God and the Infamy of a Kingdom all that I shall at present attempt shall be onely to manifest an humble and an Holy concern in every period I pronounce The English Nation had been long held in singular repute for their Noble their good-Natur'd and Loyal Courage and not onely the Neighbouring Kingdoms but the remoter parts of the Earth had been Witnesses of their unalterable Affection to their Kings whom they cheerfully followed in their Expeditions with constant and unwearied Duty But the abomination of this day has almost silenced all our former Praise and the stain of this days Murder has cast a blemish on our ancient Glory How must we blush to think that it shall be always read in story How that English men stood round a Scaffold with their Muskets and Javelins to guard and forward the Murder of their own King Surely the strangeness of the Fact will make men suspect the truth of the History they will abhor the Record that shews them such a Villany But yet does not this days Assembly does not this present Generation too truly attest it but can they can all Posterity attone for it The favour of Providence and the Honour of our Country which we have lost by our Rebellions we must recover by our Humiliations The Victories of the Field must be turned into the Repentances of the Temple and the active Nobleness of Exploits into meekness and sufferings for Truth and Holiness if ever we expect that the Lord should forget the Iniquity of this day Pontius Pilate willing to give some check to the importunate malice of the Jews who so tumultuously demanded the Crucifixion of our Lord and Saviour put this harsh and dishonourable Question to them Shall I Crucifie your King He cannot be crucified but your Name also must be crucified with him in the Superscription of his Titles for he shall be crucified the King of the Jews So might it this day have been put to the English Rebels Will you murder your King the Father of your Country the Vice-gerent of God the Fountain of Justice the preserver of your Laws and the Guardian of your publick Peace and Order Will you murder your own most just and â—â—â—â—al King so Wise so Meek so Pious and so Devout a King whom Providence Succâ—â—sion your own Laws and your Consâ—nâ—â— have established in the Throne and of which his own Vertues had made him 〈◊〉 worthy Will you murder that King who has parted with so much of his Prerogative for your satisfaction who has delivered up a most able Counsellor to your importunate and unjust Petitions and wounded his Conscience for your peace and safety who has undergone the rudeness of your Victories your Prisons and your Mockeries of Justice with the same mildness and constancy which he shewed in the fulness of his Empire who has given up every thing to your implacable demands but your truest Liberties your Laws and Rights and your established Worship But 't is too late now to ask the Question and I shall forbear to continue the Figure any longer They have acted the Crime they have brought an Eternal Infamy upon the Nation an indelible blot upon Religion and I fear an Hereditary Curse upon this miserable Land But why should those be concerned in the trouble and confusion of this day who had no share in the guilt of it for are there not many now living who may justly boast of their extraordinary service to that Excellent Prince and of the honour they had of suffering with him And were not many of us unborn when this accursed thing was committed Yet however this was most properly a National Guilt because so many of all Orders Ranks and Callings amongst us were engaged in that Rebellion which brought forth this execrable Fact and in sins of this nature the Children must either inherit the Curse or attone for the Iniquities of their Fathers None of us how innocent soever either in our own actions or those of our progenitors None of us though never so Loyal either in our Principles or our Parentage are above the reach of this days amazement are beyond the necessity of this days Humiliation For publick sins of such example such scandal and contagion as this like the first Rebellion of Man remain a debt upon Posterity and involve more in their unhappy consequences than the immediate Instruments themselves or the Off-spring of those who first acted them For when God upon