be the paternal affection of the Holy Father at Rome if this indeed be zeal for the Catholick Cause if this be the way to reconcile us to their Communion have we not great reason to be fond of returning into the Bosom of such a Church which may strangle us as soon as it gets us within her Arms But there are some whose concernment it is to make men believe there was no such dangerous plot intended I meddle not with that evidence which lies before you but there is one notorious circumstance obvious to all persons and sufficient to convince any which is the horrid Murther actually committed on one of his Majesties Justices of Peace in cold blood with great contrivance and deliberation Do men imbrue their hands in blood for nothing Why no other Person why at such a time why in such a manner There was a Reason for all this he had taken the examinations he knew too much to be suffered to live and they hoped by his death to stifle his evidence and to affrighten others from searching too far and they managed that matter so as though they had a mind to convince the World they had no other end in taking away his life but to prevent a further Discovery And they whom his Death doth not convince neither would they be convinced though he should rise again from the Dead God forbid that we should charge such barbarous cruelties such wicked conspiracies such horrid designs on all who live in the Communion of that Church but we must distinguish between the seduced party who are not thought fit to be trusted with such things for fear their Consciences check at them and their good nature disclose them and the busie Active Faction who are always restless and designing and act by such Maxims of Morality as the more sober and modest Heathens would abhor What hath this Party of men been doing among us this last hundred of years and more but plotting conspiracies inflaming our differences betraying our liberties heightning our discontents and in short undermining the Foundatior s both of our Government and Religion And shall such men alwayes triumph that they are too hard for our Laws and that like the Canaanites and Jebusites to the Children of Israel they will still be as scourges in â—â—r sides and thorns in our eyes If these things must be I hope God designs it not to destroy us at last by them but I am sure it doth prove and try us whether we will hearken to the Commandments of the Lord or to the vain Traditions of Men. God knows I speak not these things out of any malice or ill will to the Persons of any for that I may use St. Paul's words My hearts desire and prayer to God for them all is that they might be saved And although I cannot bear them witness yet my hopes are some even of these may think they have a zeal for God in all this but we are sure it is not according to knowledge Such a blind zeal as the Jews had who when they killed the Apostles thought they did God good service But it is so furious so inhumane so unchristian a zeal that it is charity to them as well as necessary care of our own safety to keep them from a capacity of doing themselves and others mischief But before I conclude the Text suggests to us three things very pertinent to the duty of this Day which I shall briefly recommend to your consideration 1. Matter of humiliation for our sins as they have an influence upon the Nations suffering 2. Matter of Advice Only fear the Lord and serve him in truth and with all your heart 3. Matter of encouragement For consider what great things he hath done for you 1. Matter of Humiliation for our sins Which have been many and great and aggravated by all the Mercies and Deliverances which God hath vouchsafed to us and therefore he may be justly provoked to punish us proportionably to the measures of our ingratitude and disobedience Let us lay our hands upon our hearts this day and seriously consider what requital we have made to the Lord for all the benefits he hath bestowed upon us For the Light of his Truth the Purity of his Worship the Power of his Grace the frequency of his Sacraments the influences of his Spirit and the continuance hitherto of our established Religion in spite of all opposition whatsoever But have we not been guilty of too much slighting that Truth neglecting that Worship resisting that Grace contemning those Sacraments quenching that Spirit and of too great coldness and indifferency about matters of Religion I do not fear that ever the Church of Rome should prevail among us by strength of Reason or force of Argument with all its specious colours and pretences unless it be among those who understand neither one nor the other Religion but if men be loose in their principles and unconcerned about Religion in general there will not be courage and constancy enough to keep it out I do much more fear Popery coming in at the back-door of Atheism and Prophaneness than under all its false and deceitful pretences of Universality and Infallibility And this those have been aware of who have been so industriously sowing among us the seeds of Irreligion knowing that if men be unconcerned as to all Religion they will never have the courage to oppose any but will be sure to close with the prevailing side Next to this I know no greater advantage that they take against us than from the unnatural heats and unchristian divisions which have been among us If men were wise they would consider at least in this our day the things which do belong to our Peace How can men answer it at the great day if in such a critical time as this is they stand upon little niceties and punctilios of Honour rather than Conscience or upon keep up the interests of their several Parties and do not those things which themselves think they lawfully may do towards an Union with us I pray God the continuance of these breaches may not look like an argument of Divine Infatuation upon us But what can we say to that looseness and debauchery of manners to that riot and luxury to that wantonness and prophaneness to that fashion of customary swearing and Atheistick Drollery which have been so much and so justly complained of among us I hope there are many thousands at this day in England whose souls abhor the abominations that are committed and who mourn in secret for them and therefore our case may not be so desperate as that of Jerusalem was May we all this day so heartily repent of all these follies and impieties that the Cause of our Fears which our sins give us being removed we may hearken 2. To the matter of Advice here given Only to fear the Lord and to serve him in Truth and with all our heart As though Samuel had said Your hearts
poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there We have sinned against the Lord. Mizpeh a City in the confines of Judah and Benjamin as Masius and others observe was the place where the States of Israel were wont to be assembled together upon any great and important occasion where there was a place on purpose for them to meet in and an Altar and House of Prayer for the publick Worship of God and therefore it is said Judg. 20. 1. The Children of Israel gathered together from one end of the Land to the other unto the Lord in Mizpeh and there the chief of all the Tribes of Israel presented themselves in the Assembly of the People of God And therefore Samuel chooseth this as the fittest place for them to fast and pray and confess their sins in and to implore the Mercy of God to the Nation We do not read in Scripture of any more publick and solemn Fast of the People of Israel kept with greater signs of true humiliation than this at Mizpeh was for the pouring out of water was used among them either to represent their own desperate condition without Gods help that they were as water spilt upon the ground or the greatness of their sorrow for their sins and the floods of tears which they shed for them And to let mankind see what influence a General and serious Fasting and Humiliation hath upon the welfare of a Nation we find from the day of this Fast at Mizpeh the affairs of Israel began to turn for the better For the Philistines thought they had an advantage against the Israelites by this general meeting and hoped to surprize them while they kept their Fast in Mizpeh and made such an incursion upon them as put them into a great consternation and they came trembling to Samuel praying him that he would not cease to cry unto the Lord their God for them that he would save them out of the hand of the Philistins Samuel prays the Lord hears Israel marches out of Mizpeh pursues the Philistins and smites them and Samuel sets up a stone of remembrance and calls it Eben-Ezer saying Hitherto hath the Lord helped us Yea from hence forward did God help them for it follows so the Philistines were subdued and they came no more into the Coast of Israel and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistins all the dayes of Samuel Never any People had greater reason to be pleased with a Governour than they had with Samuel who managed their affairs with so much wisdom and piety with so much faithfulness and integrity with so much courage and constancy with so much care and industry with so much success and prosperity But people are apt to surfeit upon too much ease and plenty and to grow wanton with abundance of peace they began to be weary of Samuels Government and secretly to wish for a change And when mens discontents grow ripe there seldom wants a plausible occasion to vent them Samuel was grown old and could not go about from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpeh as he was wont to do but he fixed at his house in Ramah and placed his Sons in Beersheba these not following their Fathers steps were soon accused of male-administration and nothing would now satisfie the discontented Elders of Israel but Samuel himself must be discharged of his Government For they gathered themselves together and came to Samuel in Ramah and said to him Behold thou art old and thy Sons walk not in thy wayes this was their pretence but their design was to alter the Government Their plenty and prosperity had made them fond of the Pomp and Grandeur of their neighbour Nations and whatever it cost them they were resolved to have a King to judge them like all the Nations Samuel tells them what inconveniencies that more absolute form of Government of the neighbour Nations would bring among them as Josephus shews all which signified nothing to them for it is said nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel and said Nay but we will have a King over us that we also may be like all the Nations It was not the Monarchical way of Government that was so displeasing to God or Samuel for their Government was of that Form already God himself being their King and appointing such Vicegerents as he thought fit to manage their affairs under him So God answered Samuel They have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them Not as though Kingly Government were inconsistent with Gods Sovereignty over his people for by him Kings Reign and they are his Ministers to us for good and that Government is the most agreeable to his own and to the primitive institution of Government among men But wherein then lay this great sin of the Israelites in asking a King when God himself had provided by his Law that they should have a King when they were setled in their own Land And yet we find the Israelites at last confess We have added unto all our sins this evil to ask us a King Their great fault was that they were so impetuous and violent in their desires that they would not wait for Samuels decease whom God had raised up among them and whose Government had been so great a blessing to them and therefore God looked on it as a rejecting him more than Samuel since he had appointed him and they had no reason to lay him aside for his Sons faults but they made use of that only as a colour for their own self-willed humour and affectation of being like to other Nations However God commands Samuel to yield to them and he appoints another meeting at Mizpeh for this purpose where the Person was chosen by lot and at his solemn inauguration at Gilgal Samuel makes that speech unto all Israel contained in this 12th Chapter where of the words of the Text are the conclusion which make these words the more considerable 2. In regard of the Occasion of them being delivered by Samuel at so great a solemnity in which he delivers up the Government into the hands of their King 1. With a great protestation of his own integrity with an appeal to their own Consciences concerning it and they freely give a large testimony of it 2 He upbraids them with their ingratitude towards God time after time that they were never contented or pleased with his Laws or the Governours he raised up amongst them and now at last upon a sudden fright concerning Nahash the King of Ammon they were resolved they would have a King and behold saith he the Lord hath set a King over you 3. Notwithstanding their sin in so unseasonable a demand yet he tells them they might be happy under his Government if they did sincerely keep to their established
Jovis 14. die Novembris 1678. Ordered THAT the Thanks of this House be returned to Dr. Stillingfleet Dean of St. Pauls for his Sermon yesterday Preached before this House at St. Margarets Westminster And that he be desired to Print his Sermon And Coll. Titus is desired to give him the Thanks of the House and to acquaint him with the desire of this House to Print his Sermon Will Goldesbrough Cler. Dom. Com. A SERMON Preached on the FAST-DAY November 13. 1678. AT S t MARGARETS WESTMINSTER Before the HONOURABLE HOUSE of COMMONS By EDWARD STILLINGFLEET D. D. Deanâ— St. Paul's and Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty LONDON Printed by Margaret White for Henry Mortlock at the Phâ—â—â— St. Paul's Church-Yard and at the White Hart in Westminster Hall 1678. 1 Sam 12. 24 25. Only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart for consider how great things he hath done for you But if ye shall still do wickedly ye shall be consumed both ye and your King IT hath been well observed by some that those who look at a distance upon humane asfairs are apt to think that the good or bad success of them depends wholly upon the Wisdom and Conduct of those who manage them others who look nearer into them and discern the many intervening and unforeseen accidents which often alter and disappoint the Counsels of men are ready to attribute the events of things rather to Chance than Wisdom but those who have made the deepest search and the strictest enquiry have most firmly believed a Divine Providence which over-rules all the Counsels and Affairs of men and sometimes blasts the most probable designs sometimes prospers the most unlikely attempts to let us see that though there be many devices in mens hearts yet the Counsel of the Lord that shâ—â—l stand We live in an age not over prone to admire and take notice of any remarkable instances of Divine Providence either in our preservation from dangers or deliverances out of them for so great is the security of some men that they are unwilling to apprehend any danger till they fall into it and if they escape will hardly believe they were ever in it and such is the concernment of others to baffle all evidences of truth wherein their own guilt is involved that they all agree in robbing God of the honour of his Mercy and our selves of the comfort of his Protection But blessed be that God who hath hitherto defeated all the secret and subtile and cruel designs of his and our Churches enemies and hath given us the liberty and opportunity of this day to meet together to implore the continuance of his favour and mercy towards us in the preservation of His Majesties person for in praying for him we pray for our selves since our own welfare doth so much depend upon His. When we look back upon the History of this Church ever since the Reformation of it we may observe such a wonderful series of Divine Providence going along with it that we have the less reason to be discouraged with present difficulties or disheartned with the fears of future dangers What struglings did it meet with in the Birth And although it were therein like Jacob who took hold of the heel of his Brother and at last obtained the blessing yet the Romish party got the start like Esau and came forth all red and hairy full of blood and cruelty and the old Dragon cast out of his mouth a Flood of Fire to destroy our Church before it could attain to its full growth and maturity But after it not only survived these flames but enjoyed a firm establishment under the care and conduct of a wise and cautious Government what restless endeavours what secret plots what horrid conspiracies what foreign attempts what domestick treasons were carried on during the Reign of Queen Elizabeth And yet which is very considerable while she openly and heartily owned the Protestant Cause it pleased God to deliver her out of all her dangers and to give her a long and a prosperous Reign when two of her Neighbour Princes were assasinated for not being zealous enough in the Popish Cause though they professed to own and maintain it And it is but a very little time since you met together in this place to celebrate the memory of a mighty deliverance which Both King and Kingdom and together with them our Church received from that never to be forgotten conspiracy of the Gunpowder Treason in her Successors Reign May we not then take up St. Pauls argument and say Who hath delivered us from so great death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us Especially if we do not fail in the performance of that duty which God expects from us in order to our own preservation which is delivered by Samuel to the people of Israel in the words of the Text Only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart for consider how great things he hath done for you But if they would not hearken to this wise Counsel but go on in their sins he tells them what the fatal consequence would be not to themselves only but to their King too But if ye shall still do wickedly ye shall be destroyed both ye and your King Which advice will appear to deserve our serious consideration this day if we either regard 1. The Person who gave it 2. The Occasion of giving it 3. The matter contained in it 1. The Person who gave this Counsel to the People Samuel a Person of great Wisdom and long experience in Government and therefore very able to judge concerning the proper causes of a Nations Prosperity and Ruine The People had enjoyed a long and uninterrupted tranquillity while they followed his directions They had before been miserably harassed by the inroads of the Philistins discomfited in several battels and at last the Ark of God it self taken by their enemies and their leaders destroyed at which sad news Eli who had judged Israel forty years fell backwards and so ended his dayes while they were under the sense of their present miseries Samuel puts them into the most hopeful way for their deliverance which was by a Reformation of Religion among them by returning to the Lord with all their hearts and putting away their strange Gods and preparing their hearts unto the Lord and serving him only and then saith he he will deliver you out of the hands of the Philistins The miseries they felt and the dangers they feared made them own the true Religion with more than usual courage Then the Children of Israel did put away Baalim and Astaroth and served the Lord only But besides this Samuel appoints a publick and solemn Fast of all Israel at Mizpeh And Samuel said Gather all Israel to Mizpeh and I will pray for you unto the Lord. And they gathered together to Mizpeh and drew water and
charges guilt upon Nations as well as upon particular Persons As in the case of uncertain murder If one be found slain in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it lying in the field and it be not known who hath slain him the Elders of the next City were not only to protest their own innocency but to use this prayer Be merciful O Lord unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israels charge And the blood shall be forgiven them so shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you Here we see the guilt of innocent blood goes farther than the bare shedders of it it lyes upon the Nation till it be expiated and the Jews say the soul of a person innocently murdered hovers up and down the Earth crying for vengeance till the guilty persons be found out and punished and then it ascends above to its place of rest The guilt of innocent blood is indeed a crying sin it cryes loud unto Heaven for vengeance and nothing stops its voice but the execution of it And where that is not done it leaves a guilt upon the Land for God himself hath said it Blood defileth the Land and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein but by the blood of him that shed it This sin we see is of such a malignant nature that it infects the Land where it is committed and lyes upon it till it be expiated But there are other sins which contract a National guilt when the Authority of a Nation either gives too much countenance and encouragement to the practice of them or does not take that care it ought to do to suppress and punish them When men daily and insolently break the Laws of God and bid as it were defiance both to them and to the Laws of men when wickedness spreads like a leprosie and infects the whole body when vices become so notorious that they are a reproach and a by-word to Neighbour Nations these are the signs and tokens of National guilt 2. Because the Scripture tells us of a certain Measure to which the sins of a Nation do rise before they are ripe for punishment This was the reason given why Abrahams Children must stay to the fourth Generation before they come to the possession of the promised Land for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full Where it is plain that God doth consider Nations as distinct bodies the measure of whose sins is taken after another manner than that of particular persons but when once that measure is compleated ruine and destruction is unavoidable or at least some signal and extraordinary judgements falling upon them as the punishment of their iniquities Men may ask why the Canaanites in Joshua's time were dealt with so severely that nothing but utter extirpation would satisfie the Justice of God against them But God prevents that objection by letting Abraham know how much patience and long-suffering he used towards them waiting till the fourth Generation and when their iniquities still increased and every Age added to the Guilt of the foregoing the burden grew too heavy for them to bear it any longer and therefore they must sink under the weight of it So our Saviour saith to the Jews in his time Fill ye up then the measure of your Fathers Not as though God did punish any Age beyond the desert of its own sins but when the measure of their sins is filled up God doth no longer forbear to punish them and that seldom happens but when the sins of that time do exceed those of the foregoing Generations as it was in the case of the Jews when their City and Temple were destroyed 3. Because it attributes the great Revolutions of Government to a particular Providence of God God is the Judge or the supreme Arbitratour of the affairs of the world he pulleth down one and setteth up another Which holds with respect to Nations as well as particular persons Which doth not found any right of Dominion as some fancied till the argument from Providence was returned with greater force upon themselves but it shews that when God pleases to makes use of Persons or Nations as the Scourges in his hand to punish a People with he gives them success above their hopes or expectations but that success gives them no right And of this the Psalmist speaks when he adds For in the hand of the Lord there is a Cup and the Wine is red it is full of mixture and he poureth out of the same but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them It is called by Isaiah the Cup of Fury and the Cup of Trembling which God gives to Nations destined to ruine which makes them like people intoxicated and deprived of that apprehension of danger of that judgement and consideration to prevent it which at other times they have When a Nation is near some dreadful calamity as a just punishment of its sins God takes away the wisdom of the Wise and the understanding of the Prudent and the resolution of the men of courage that they all stand amazed and confounded not knowing how to give or take advice but they are full of fears and rather apt to quarrel with one another than to consult the general good This was just the state of Egypt when God did purpose to execute his Justice upon it 1. First their courage failed them And the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it and the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof In that day shall Egypt be like unto women and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of Hosts which he shaketh over it It is a very ill sign when men want the spirit and vigour they were wont to have when they are daunted at the apprehension of every danger and rather meanly seek to save themselves by base arts and sordid compliances than to promote the common welfare It is folly and stupidity not to apprehend danger when there is cause for it and to take the best care to prevent it but it is a fatal symptom upon a Nation when their hearts fail them for fear that they dare not do the duty which they owe to God to their King and to their Countrey God forbid that any should exceed the bounds of their duty to prevent their fears but when men want resolution to do that they are in a lost condition 2 Their Counsels were divided and infatuated And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians The Princes of Zoan are Fools the Counsel of the Wise Counsellors of Pharaoh is become bruitish they have also seduced Egypt even they that are the stay of the Tribes thereof The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof