of maliciousness And if we ever desire to see the peace and prosperity of our Sion is it not high time to unite in Religion which is the onely thing that can bless us with a firm and lasting peace All our late troubles have been owing to the differences of Religion and while the cause of dissentions remains though there may be some expedients at present found out to palliate the distemper yet nothing can remove it All men seem to be very sensible of this and very desirous of an Union but the question is how or in what we shall Unite Shall we unite in Popery God forbid the salvation of our Souls is somewhat dearer to us than temporal peace and that we believe to be exposed to infinite hazard in the Communion of so corrupt a Church A firm and universal Agreement indeed in any thing will secure the publick peace but we must not make our Religion so wholly subordinate to temporal ends If we can save our Souls and secure the publick peace together such a Religion ought to be chosen upon a double account but if both these interests cannot be united we must take care to save our Souls and trust the Providence of God with our other concernments Shall we then unite with the different Sects and Parties of Christians which are among us This is to unite without Union It is to unite indeed against something but to unite in nothing The several parties of Dissenters who separate from the Church of England differ as much from each other as they do from us They may unite and combine together in pulling down but they can never unite in setting up any thing they can unite in Tumults and publick Disturbances but they can never unite in Peace When they had pulled down the Church of England they could set up nothing in its room but a prodigious encrease of Heresies and Schisms There is nothing then to unite in but the Church of England as by Law established which will both secure the interests of our Souls and the publick peace And why should we not unite in this Church which is the Glory and the Bulwark of the Reformation the envy and the terror of Rome Whose Fathers and first Reformers were Martyrs against Popery and who her self has been a Martyr for Loyalty Those infinite dangers we are surrounded with on all hands methinks should strongly encline all honest men impartially to examine the reasons of their Separation and I am confident not onely what has been formerly written in the Defence of this Church but what has been lately offered for the satisfaction of Dissenters would open the Eyes of all sincere men to see their mistakes if they would but calmly without prejudice or passion read and consider it It is demonstrable we can unite no where else and is it a desirable state to be perpetually strugling and contending with intestine Commotions to be hating reviling undermining each other For Gods sake beloved Christians let us at last consider the things which make for peace and those things whereby we may edifie each other And in order to do this I observe further 3. How dangerous a rash boisterous intemperate Zeal is though it be for the best things and against the worst Whatever private discontents revengeful or ambitious designs might secretly act some great men who know how to practise upon the zeal and the ignorance of the people yet nothing is more evident than that the first visible occasion of these new Troubles and Conspiracies which have endangered the Life of our King and the Ruine of his Government was laid in a mighty zeal against Popery and for the preservation of the Protestant Religion The Popish Plot was the first Scene in this new Tragedy Those bloody designs raised the fears the jealousies the indignation of men and a love to their Prince and to their Religion kindled and blew up their Zeal into such a violent flame as threatned an universal desolation and became more formidable than the danger it intended to remove A great and passionate Zeal like a distempered love blinds mens eyes and makes them mistake both their Enemies and their Friends It fills their head with endless jealousies and fears and makes them start and run away from their own shadow Such a boisterous Zeal is the Frenzy and Calenture of Religion which makes men uncapable of all sober Counsel and prudent Resolves and precipitates them into the most wild extravagant and irreligious attempts There is nothing more pernicious than Zeal when it gets a head and bears down all the considerations of Reason and Religion before it When men are conscious to themselves that they are engaged in a good Cause and have honest designs it makes them more bold and venturous for though few men dare own it yet the actions of too many sufficiently proclaim that they think they may strain a point and dispense with strict duty when it is to serve a good Cause when the honour of God and the interest of Religion is concerned such a zeal does violently push men forward but it does not steer well nor observe its Compass and thus it is too often seen that men who begin with a zeal for Religion insensibly slip into State-Factions and are engaged vastly beyond what they first designed and engaged so far that they cannot retreat with safety or honour but must either Conquer or be Conquered Let us then above all things have a care of our Zeal that we may not mistake an earthly fire which burns and consumes for that divine and harmless flame which is kindled at Gods Altar A true Zeal for Religion is nothing more nor less than such a hearty love for it as makes us very diligent in the practise of it our selves and contented if God sees it fit to lay down our lives for it and very industrious to promote the knowledge and practise of Religion in the world by all lawful and prudent means A true Christian Zeal will not suffer us to transgress the strict bounds of our duty to God or of our duty to Men especially to Kings and Princes whatever flattering prospect of advantage it may give To lie to forswear our selves to hate and revile each other to Reproach and Libel Governours in Church and State to stir up or countenance with the least thought any Plots Seditions or Rebellions against the King is not a Zeal for God nor for Religion for this wisdom is not from above but is earthly sensual and devilish for where strife and contention is there is confusion and every evil work 4. Let our past experience therefore teach us to watch over the least stirrings and first appearances of a seditious and factious Spirit either in our selves or others however it may be disguised with a pretence of Religion Faction like other Vices has but very small beginnings but when those beginnings are indulged it soon improves and gests strength Omne in proecipiti vitium stetit
SOME Seasonable Reflections ON THE DISCOVERY OF The late Plot. BEING A SERMON Preacht on that Occasion By WILLIAM SHERLOCK D. D. Rector of St. George Buttolph-lane London LONDON Printed for Thomas Basset at the George in Fleet-street and Fincham Gardiner at the White horse in Ludgate-street 1683. The Preface to the Reader THe reason why I publish this Sermon is partly to gratifie the desires of some partly to prevent the misrepresentations of others but chiefly for the same end for which I preacht it viz. to take the advantage of this present opportunity to make some impressions upon mens minds which I fear at other times they will not so easily receive I hope all honest men even Dissenters themselves do from their hearts abhor those villanous designs against the Life of our King which God of his great mercy to these Kingdoms has so lately brought to light and while they are possest with such an abhorrence of the Treason it seems to me to be a very proper season to put them in mind by what means such evil designs have been first formed and encouraged and brought to ripeness and perfection that those who have been cheated into a Faction by some plausible pretences and have followed the general noise and outcry in the simplicity of their hearts may take warning for the future and avoid every step and advance towards Sedition and Treason as well as abhor the Treason it self It was impossible to do this without calling to mind a great many things which to be sure those who are any ways concerned are not now willing to hear of and that with such plainness as is necessary to convince men of the evil nature and tendency of such practices but God is my witness that I did not this with the least design to upbraid or reproach any men or party of men but with the same honest and charitable intentions though it may be not with the same skill that a Chirurgeon uses in searching a wound to the very bottom which is very painful indeed but absolutely necessary to a Cure Some persons I hear have objected against this Discourse that I seem to charge this Plot upon the Protestant Dissenters and insinuate that it is a Fanatick a true Protestant Plot. God forbid that all Protestant Dissenters should be concerned in this Plot I hope better things of many of them nor do I undertake to meddle with such matters All that I meant is nothing but what is evident to any man who believes a Plot that this horrible Conspiracy has been contrived and carried on by those men who of late have pretended to be the only true Protestants a name which they would not allow to any man who appeared zealously concerned either for the King or the Church of England Whether such men have any Religion or none whether they go to Conventicles or to give the better grace to the business sometimes hear the Common Prayer is all one to me I am sure the turbulent spirit which has of late acted our Dissenters and their unwillingness to believe any Plot still gives too just a suspicion of many of them Though we are all bound to praise and adore the Divine goodness in defeating such wicked designs yet I am so far from triumphing over these men that I cannot but pity and mourn over them my heart bleeds for that scandal that is done to Religion that advantage which is given to the common enemy for the sin and the fall of great Men and the ruine of Noble Families but what is done cannot be undone again our care must look forward to times to come to remove the occasions to root up the very seeds and principles of Sedition that these shakings and convulsions of State may at last settle in a profound and secure Peace and Tranquillity If this plain discourse can contribute any thing to so happy an end I have all that I aim'd at both in Preaching and Printing it however I have the satisfaction of an honest design which is a reward to its self and gives that inward contentment and pleasure which the reproaches and censures of the World which too often attend such undertakings can never disturb A SERMON XVIII PSALM v. 50. Great deliverance giveth he to his King and sheweth mercy to his Anointed to David and to his Seed for evermore THis Psalm was pen'd by David in a thankful remembrance of those many wonderful deliverances which God had wrought for him and particularly his deliverance from the hands of Saul a jealous powerful and implacable enemy as we are expresly told 2 Sam. 22. 1. This Pious Prince though he were immediately advanced to the Throne by God himself could not escape the Conspiracies of his enemies both at home and abroad for Men of Turbulent and restless Spirits will be sure to find or make some pretences or occasions of quarrel under the most just and equal Government Sometimes men dispute the right of Succession but this they could not do here unless they would dispute Gods right to place and displace Princes for David was immediately chosen by God and anointed by his Prophet and yet this could not secure him from Conspiracies and Rebellions Others pretend great Oppression and Male-administration of Government though their licentious noises and clamours sufficiently confute it for men who are most opprest dare say the least of it The Liberties and Properties of the Subject is an admirable pretence to deprive the Prince of his Liberties and Properties and those who have any Liberty and Property to loose seldom gain any thing by this for when they have secured their Liberties and Properties against their Prince it is a much harder task to secure themselves from their fellow-Subjects Men who have no Property have some encouragement to Rebel and fight for Property for it is possible they may get something in the scramble when all Law and Property ceases but the property of the Sword but methinks men of Honour and plentiful Fortune should not be so zealous for transferring Properties to enrich Beggars and submit their necks to the Yoke and Government of their own Slaves which our late experience has taught us to be the glorious effect of Rebelling for Liberty and Property Others make Religion a pretence for their Rebellion Religion the greatest and the dearest interest of all but methinks it is a dangerous way for men to Rebel to save their Souls when God has threatned Damnation against those who Rebel but this is as vain a pretence as Liberty and Property for no men fight for Religion who have any Religion is a quiet peaceable governable thing it teaches men to suffer patiently but not to Rebel And were there any true concernment for Religion in this pretence can we imagine that the most profest Atheists the most lewd profligate wretches the greatest Prodigies and Monsters of wickedness should be so zealous for Religion But it 's evident it is not Religion such men are
zealous for but a Liberty in Religion that is that every one may have his liberty to be of any Religion or of none which serves the Atheists turn as well as the Sectaries but is not much for the honour or interest of true Religion So that whatever the pretences are it is an ambitious discontented revengeful spirit an uneasie restless fickle and changeable humour which disturbs publick Government and undermines the Thrones of Princes and therefore it is no wonder if the best Princes and the best Governments in the world be disturbed by such men David himself could not escape he had a great many enemies but Davids God was greater than they all for great deliverance giveth he to his King and sheweth mercy to his Anointed to David and to his seed for evermore There is something peculiar in these words which cannot be applied to any other Prince for as David was King of Israel so he was a Type of the Messias who was to descend from his loynes and that promise or prediction that he would shew mercy to his Anointed to David and to his seed for evermore received its full accomplishment in the Kingdom of the Messias who is said to set upon the Throne of David but yet those deliverances God wrought for David were personal too and an example of Gods care and protection of Pious and Religious Princes And when we see the same good providence watching over our Prince and securing him from the bloody designs of wicked men we have reason thankfully to acknowledge it as David did great deliverance he hath given to our Prince he hath shewn mercy to his Anointed Now know we that the Lord saveth his Anointed he will hear him from his holy Heaven with the saving strength of his right hand Some trust in Chariots and some in Horses but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God they are brought down and fallen but we are risen and stand upright My present Discourse therefore shall consist of those two parts 1. Briefly to observe to you those many great Deliverances which God hath wrought for our King 2. I shall make some practical Reflections on it especially with reference to this late Discovery 1. To observe to you those many great deliverances which God hath wrought for our King His troubles have not been much unlike I am sure not inferiour to Davids and his Deliverances have not been less strange and wonderful I am not a going to give you a History of his Life but only to point you to some remarkable passages of it which it becomes us all thankfully to remember I suppose no man doubts how many dangers a Prince is exposed to who flies before an enraged and victorious enemy who knows not whither to go where to hide himself whom to trust this was the condition of our Dread Soveraign who was hunted as a Partridge in the mountains pursued by his own Rebellious Subjects who had usurpt his Throne and thirsted after his Blood But then God found a hiding place for him and delivered him from the desire and expectation of his enemies But still his condition was calamitous he was forc't to live in Exile and Banishment divested of Royal power and all the ensignes of Majesty reduced to a precarious and sometimes a necessitous state while he saw his Friends impoverisht and ruined his Loyal Subjects opprest his Enemies triumphant too vigilant and too powerful to allow any hope to see an end of these troubles But that God who can do what he pleases and oftentimes does such things as no humane force nor power can effect put an end to these troubles also and restored him to his Fathers Throne in Peace and Honour and with the universal joy and triumph of his Subjects and I suppose you will reckon this a deliverance a great and wonderful deliverance both to Prince and People a deliverance immediately wrought by God without Humane policy contrivance or power To see a Prince whose Father was Murdered and himself forc't into banishment by his own Subjects without any power of his own without the help and assistance of Forreign Allies while his Friends at home were opprest while the same power that drove him out was still in the hands of his enemies while so many persons who were in greatest power were concerned for their own preservation to keep him out while those who wisht his return durst not whisper any thing tending to call the King back again I say to see a Prince in such circumstances without striking a blow without shedding a drop of Blood return again in the throngs and crouds and with the acclamations of his Subjects is no less a Miracle than dividing the sea to give a safe passage to the Israelites for the Psalmist represents it as an argument of equal power to still the noise of the the seas the noise of their waves and the tumult of the people This is the Lords doings and it is marvellous in our eyes now know we that the Lord saveth his Anointed he will hear him from his holy Heaven with the saving strength of his right hand And that good Providence which brought our King back again has watcht over him ever since Though he returned in a happy day when the Seas were smooth and calm when no frowns were to be seen on mens forheads but such cheerful looks as signifyed the inward pleasure and serenity of their minds yet it could not be expected that this calm would always last I think we may now venture to say without fear of being censured that there are two sorts of men that are restless and implacable and always working under ground and both of them with an equal pretence of Religion I mean the Papist and the Fanatick I shall not take notice of those several weak attempts they have made since the happy Restauration of our Prince there is something greater to imploy our thoughts at this time some more signal demonstrations of that great deliverance God giveth to his King We have now for many years had little other discourse than of a Popish Plot a wicked hellish design against the Life of our King and the Religion and Liberties of his Subjects This was a formidable design laid close and in the dark prosecuted with deep Counsels and combined interests We may remember for I think we cannot easily forget what horror and consternation surprized us at the news we lived in perpetual fear of the Life of our Prince in perpetual fear of our own how did the name of Popery deservedly stink among us how did men abhor a Religion which is nourisht with Blood with Royal and innocent Blood How zealous were men in their discoveries how watchful in their Guards how devout in their Prayers for the preservation of their Prince and of their Religion And though possibly we have not seen to the bottom of that Plot to this day and it may be never shall yet blessed be God