The speech of Henry Sacheverell, D.D. made in Westminster Hall..

Internet fi

by

Digitized in 2012 Queen's University

the Internet Archive with funding from - University of Toronto Libraries

http://archive.org/details/speechofhenrysacOOsach

THE

pppp

X JL-j JL-i \^>

OF

Henry SachevereU, D, D,

Made in

WEST MINSTER-HALL,

On Tuefdayy March 7, 17°^

"(®8*^

LONDON;

printed for jf. £*£er, at the B/<?c£ Boy in Vater-Nojhr Kow, ijiq. ^Ct Vttft $*!!»»

CO

Dr. Henry Sacheverelbs

S P E E C B

My LORDS, f*°~~ffl — "^H E Defence made by my Council, has been fo full anil particular, and the Trial it felf drawn out into fo greaj a Length, that I fhould not add to your Lordfhips TrouJ ble by faying any thing for my felf, did I not think that in fuch a Caufc as this, ( wherein the Doftrine of oui Church, the Dignity of that HoJy Order to which I belong, and even the Common Intereft of Chriftiamty it felf, are fo nearly concern'dj It becomes me not to be altogether iilent.

For, my Lords, it has been own'd by fome of the Managers for! the Honourable Houfe of Commons, that tho* I am the Perfon im- peach'd, yet my Condemnation is not the Thing principally aim'd at. lam, it feems, an infignificant Tool of a Party, not worth re- garding ; the avowM Defign of my Impeachment is, by the Means of it, to procure an Eternal and Indelible Brand of Infamy to be fix'd in a Parliamentary- way on all thofe who maintain the Doftrine of 'No?j*keJiftance, and to have^the Clergy direfted what; Doftrines they are to preach, and what no$.;feand therefore, as infignificant as J. am in my felf, yet the Confequences 9i my Tryal (if rightly repre- fented to your Lordfhips by fome of thofe Gentlemen ) are of the Highefl: Moment and Importance.

Since I am the Unfortunate Occafion of bringing thefe Matters in Judgment before your Lordfhips, it will behove me, I think, after what has been pleaded in my Behalf, by my Council learned in the Law, to fay fomewhat alfo for my felf, in order to clear the Inno- cence of my Intentions, and remove that Load of Guilt and Infamy, which may be laid upon me, fhould your Lordfhips determine ( as I truft in God you will not ) that the Articles of Impeachment ex- hibited, have been made good againft me.

With your Lordfhips Permiffion then, I fhall lay before you fome few general Remarks, which, in my humble Opinion, may be ad- ded to what my Council have already obferv'd, concerning the Methods taken by the Managers for the Honourable the Houfe of Commons, to prove and fupport the Articles of their Charge ; and ftall then, with your Lordfhip's Leave, fay fomewhat feverally to the Articles themfelves, which may ferve to remind your Lordfhips of what my Council before offer/d more at large, and with greater Advantage. My

(3)

My Lords, the Charge brought againft me, in theft Articles, is of a very high and heinous Nature ; and had it been as clearly made out, as it has been ftrongly affirm'd, it would juftly have expos'd me to a very fevere Sentence. But the more heinous the Charge is, the more evident and undeniable, I fliould think, the Proof ought to be. And how, my Lords, has this Charge been fupported in the feveral Articles of it ? By plain, direft, and exprefs Paflages, pro- duced and read to your Lordfhips out of my Sermons, or by In- tendments, unneceffary Implications, and ftrain'd Conftruftions ; by laying entire Sentences before your Lordfhips, and relying upon what was manifeftly contain'd in them ; or by piecing broken Sentences, aad conjoining diftant and independant Paflages, in or- der to make me fpeak what I never thought of

I am unacquainted, my Lords, with the Methods of legal Proof, and little thought I fliould have had this Occafion of enquiring into them. But as far as I am able to comprehend any Thing of this Na- ture, I fliould think, that there cannot be a clearer Indication, that I am not guilty of having aflerted what I am charg'd, by the feveral Articles to have faid, than that fo many Hours Learning and Elo- quence have been employ'd in proving me to have faid it. Had I really affirm d thofe Proportions for which I am, accused, my Ser- mons being before your Lordfhips, the Places wherein fuch Propo- fitions were direftly contained, might have beea referr'd to and read, with^the fame Eafe as my Council referr'd to the Paflages contain'd in the feveral Writings and Sermons of the Reverend Fathers, and other Eminent Divines of our Church, wherein they taught the Do&rine of Non-Refiftance, in the fame Extent, as I maintain'd it, or in Terms much ftronger.

Thefe Paflages, produced by my Council, were barely read to your Lordfhips ; no Arguments, no Colour? were ufed ; becaufe none were neceffary to prove what Proportions were laid down iji^t hole PalTages. Whereas, to prove me Guilty of having aflertM what is -laid to my Charge, after my Sermon and Prefaces were read to your Lordfhips, much Art and Induftry were us'd to perfuade your Lordfhips, that fuch AfTejrtions were really contained in them.

. My Lords, When my Words were capable of two Senfes, t! o worft and moll invidious, tho' at the fame time the raoft ftrain'd and unnatural, Conftruftion has been alwa^ s made of them -r Nay, when my Words were fo plain and exprefs, that it was impoffible to put any criminal GlofTes or Colours upon them, I have been accus'd of meaning the direft Contrary to what I have faid ; and when I prefs'd the Duty of Allegiance to the Queen, your Lojrdfbips were told, that it was moft certain, I meant the Pretender.

To aggravate my Guilt, I have been accufed, not only for what I am fuppos'd to have faid ; but for what I am allow'd ftot to have faid : Not only for what I have taken Notice of in my Sermons, but for what I have pafs'd by unobferv'd. I nave been charg'd with Nega- tive Crimes, asf if what I omitted to fay, had been omitted with Defign, and my Silence ft felfwer* Criminal. A i Thefe

( 4 D

Thefe, fny Lords, are the Methods that have been madeUfeo* to prove me Guilty of Crimes;, which, if proved, might effeft my Li- berty ^nd Fortune. No favourable Allowances have been made to a;- of the GofpeFs difchargmg the Duty of his Fun&ion, and r :''ce and Irreligion, with an honeft and well meant Zeal ; -irnes, perhaps, carrying him into Expreflions too open and I. I could add, my Lords, if fuch a Complaint might not ought improper for one in my Circumftances, that in the Courfc my tyxufation, I have been ftil'd a Criminal, and treated as fuch _ by fome of thefe Honourable Gentlemen, with a Degree of Scorn and ignity, from which I hop'd my faored Profefllon, my prefent un- , f Oandition, 2nd a Regard to this folemn and awful Judicature, : - have fereen'd mt my Lords, J lay nfide all Complaints of this Nature, and, with yoor Lordfliip!s Leave, fhall proceed to make fome few fliort Obfervations upon the fevsral Branches of the Charge exhibited lift rhe.

a n tharg cl, my Lords, in the firS: Article, with having main- lat the neceffary Means us'd to bring about the late Happy Revolution, were Odious and Unjufrj/iable : In Proof of which, it jj has been urg'd, that I have in'General Terms aflerted the utter II- $ legality of Refinance to the Supreme Power, upon any Pretence ffoever.- My Lords, The Refiftance in that Paffage, by me con- demned, is no whereby me apply'd to the Revolution, nor is it ap- plicable to the Cafe of the Revolution ; the Supreme Power not being then refined.

My Lords, I neither exprefly apply'd my Do&rine of Non Refi- ftance to the Cafe of the» Revolution, nor had I the leaft Thoughts of including the Revolution, under my General Afte-rtion I exprefs'd this Dodrine in the fame General Terms, in which I found it deli- ver'd by the Apoftles of Chriflr. I taught it as I had learnt it from the Homilies of our Church, and as I was enjoin' d to teach it by the Articles of our Religion. I us'd no other Language than what had been us*d by ourfirft Reformers, by a continued Seires of Right Reverend Prelates, and other Celebrated Divines, now with God, and by many of thofe Venerable Fathers before whom I ftand, and what is perfe£}]y agreeable to the Laws and Statutes, of this Realm. J had little Reafon to apprehend that I could ever have been accused by the Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons tfo your Lordfhips, as a Criminal, or as an Afperfer of the MemorAr of the late King, for preachingthisDo&rine; when others, whopreach'd the fame Do&rine in the fame Terms, before their late Atajefties, before our prefent Gracious Sovereign (whom I pray God long to preferve) before each Houfe of Parliament, before th s very Houfe of Commons, have met with publicfc Approbation.

But, fmcc it is my Angular Misfortune to b^ accyifd for what o- thers have receiv'd Thanks is fome Inftances conveyed to them by leveralofthe Managers themfelves, 1 do with -all Humble Confi- dence •

.CO

dence, rely upon your Loflifhips Juftice, not doubting, but that tbc Learned, the Judges, if thought' neceiTary to be confulted, will de- clare what I have, in this Cafe, aflerted to be warranted by Law; and the Right Reverend the Bifhops will affirm it to be the Doftrine of the Gofpel ; the Doftrine I preach'd, being the Do&rine of the Homilies of our Church, not cxprefs'd only in a few particular PaiTages of thofe Homilies, but perfeftly agreeable to the whole Tenor, the main Scope and Deiign of them.

And thofe Homilies being eftablifh'd by the Thirty Nine Arti- cles, as containing Godly and Wholfome Doftrine ; and thofe Ar- ticles being coniirm'd by fhe 13th of Queen Elizabeth; and that Statute being made Perpetual and Fundamental to our Conftitution, by the late Aft of Union, I leave it to your Lordfhips, to confider how far the Condemnation of me,on the account of that Do&rine, may affeft and fhake the prefent Frame of the Britijh Conftitution in Church and State, and tend to diflblve the Union of the Two Kingdoms.

My Lords, upon the Second Article, I would humbly pray your Lordfhips to confider, that I have no where, in my Sermon, fliewri any the lead Diflike of the Indulgence granted by Law to DiiJenters ; that on the contrary, I have declar'd my Approbation of it in the mofl: exprefs Terms imaginable, which I beg Leave, once more, to repeat to your Lordinips, out of my Sermon preach'd at St. Paul'to I would not ( I there fay ) be mifunderftood, as if I in- tended to caft the leaft invidious Refle&ion upon that Indulgence which the Government hath condefcended to give them, which I am fure, all thofe who wilh well to our Church, are ready to grant tt) Confciences truly fcupulous ; let them enjoy it in the full Li- mits the Law hath prefcribed.

My Lordf, This then was, and frill is my fincere Opinion ; nor am I confcious that I have utter' d one Word inconllftent with it * I have, indeed, blam'd, and, perhaps, with fome Warmth and Ear- neftnefs blam'd, the Abufes, which Men of no Confcience have made of the Legal Exemption granted to Confciences truly fcrupulous: Nor could I think that thofe Reprehensions of mine, would have drawn upon me the Difpleafure of any fincere Chriitian, which were level'd againft Hypocrites, Socinians, Deills, and fuch as, under the Umbrage of that Aft, which permits Proteftant-PifTenters, and thofe only, to ferve God, every Man in his own Way, think them- felves at Liberty to be of no ProtelTant Congregation, of no Reli-

'gion at all. I will farther ingenuouily own to your Lprdfhips, that I had in my Eye, fome Abufes made of that Aft, by the Drflenters themfelves, who, I am told, do (both PaiTors and People J rarely ob- ferve the Qualifications prefcrih'd by that Aft ; and who ereft Semi- naries for educatingYouth in Principles oppofite to theDoftririe, Dif- cipline, and Worfhip of our Church ; whereas that Aft was intended For the Eafe of thofe whofe Minds* thro' the unhappy Prejudices of

'Education, were already eftrang'd from the Church, not. as I hum-

' ' My

(6K

My conceive, to indulge Men in taking The. moft effe&ual Methods to propagate and perpetuate their Schifm.

My Lord, Of any Favours to DifTenters, granted or intended by the Law, I have no where complain.M ; of Toferation, a Word un- I known to our Laws, and implying, as I am informed, much more I than our Law-givers defignM, if Ihave faid any Thing offenfive, I may, I hope, reafonably prefume, that it will not be judg'd by your Lordfliips in any wife to refleft on that Aft of Exemption, which I have ipoken of in Terms no Ways, I think, misbecoming a good Subjeft, or betraying any Want of Chriftian Moderation Nor is, there, my Lords, any Want of it, I conceive, iri affirming that this Aft, which relieves fome DifTenters from legal Punifhments, to ■which they were befere obnoxious, hath not any ways alter'd the Nature of Schifm, or extinguifh'd the Obligations to Church-Com- munion, which is an Evangelical Duty, incumbent on all Chriftians by the Rules of the Gofpe], antecedent to all fecular Laws, and can by no humane Power be difpens'd with. If the Church of England, *j my Lords, impofes no unlawful Terms of Communion, as fhe cer- tainly doth not, then all Separatifts from her Communion, will, not- | withftanding the Indulgence, continue to be guilty of Schifm, the § Confequence of which Guilt may ftill reft upon their Souls, however it may ceafe to affeft their Bodies or Eftates ; for as no humane Law can render that lawful which God hath forbidden, fo neither can it make that void which God hath commanded.

My Lords, I am accus'd, under this Head, of Maintaining, that it is the Duty of fuperior Paftors, to thunder out their Ecclenaftical Anathemas againft Perfons entkuled to the Benefit of the Toleration. Ihope, it hath evidently appear'd to your Lordfhips, that I advance jio fuck Poiition. Sure I am, that my Words do not, in themfelves, Scarry fuch a Meaning ; nor does the Conneftion of my t)ifcourfe re- quire that Senfe, or eafily admit it. Schifmaticks, my Lords, are not the only Perfons againft whom Ecclefiaftical Cenfures may be denounc'd ; the Works of Darkriefs which I referr'd to, as fit to be reprov'd, in that Part of my Sermon where I fpeak of thefe Cenfures, are of the fai-ne Kind with thofe mention'd by the Apoftle, whofe Words I produced, all lewd and immoral Praftices ; againft thefe,my Lords, and againft Herefies and Blafphemies, ( a black Catalogue of which has beeri difplay'd before your Lordfhips) I thought the Ana- themas of the Church would be well employed : Such Anathemas, I doubt not, my Lords, would be ratified in Heaven, and would, therefore, by anv Power on Earth, be irrevfcrfible.

As to Arch-BifhopG rindaUi tho' I may feem to have us'd fome undue Afperity of Expreffion, concerning him, yet I charg'd him with nothing but what I had good Grounds for, from our Hiftorians. It hath been made appear to your Lordftiips, that, on the account ©f his Remiflhefs in Church Government, he liv'd and died under the high Difpleafure of Queen Elizabeth ; and whether therefore He, ©r that Glorious Queen, Ihall bear the blame of his Difgrace andr

Sufferings,

(7)

Sufferings, is, with all Humility, fubmitted to your Lordfliips. I hope, my Lords, I (land clear in your Opinions of the Charge ad- vanced againfl: me, in the Two firft Articles ; And as my own Con- fcience acquits, fo, I truft your Lordfliips will acquit me, of what- ever is laid to my charge in the Third.

* My Lords, I neither have fuggefted, nor do in my Confidence be- lieve, that the Church is in the leaft Peril or Adverfity, from Her Majefty's Adminiftration. So far am I. from any fuch Thoughts, that I am entirely fatisfied of her being a moft affe&ionate Nurfing Mother to it. But I hope, I may fay, without Offence, that the Church maybe in Peril from other Caufes, without any Refleftior* upon Her Majefty's Government, or any Contradiction to Her Royal Proclamation, and the Refolution of both Houfes of Parliament, Four Years ago. If the Church be in Danger, when the Chriftiart Riligion is evidently fo, I hope, it will be thought no Crime, to fay it has fcarce ever been in greater Danger, than it is now, fince Cnrift had a Church upon Earth. For, befides that Deluge of Pro- phanenefs and Immorality, which over-fpreads the whole Kingdom ; befides the Variety and growing 'Strength of thofe Schifms, which weaken and divide us, and of thofe Heterodox Opinions, and dam- nable Herefies which are daily publifli'd and propagated among us, I verily believe, that never were the Minifters of Chrift fo abufed and vilified ; never was the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures fo arraign'd and ridicul'd ; never were Infidelity and Atheifm it felf, fo impudent and barefae'd ; never were fuch horrid Blafphe- mies printed in any Chriftan State, from the Foundation of Chriftia* nity to this Day.

Out of the many Inftances of this Kind, which, being ready at hand, I could have produced to your Lordfliips, I have fele&eda few only, but thofe fuch, as I am perfuahded, your Lordfliips could not hear without Horror and Aftonifhment. Pardon me, my Lords, if my Apprehenfion of the fad Confequences we may expeft from fuch crying Abominations, have fore'd from me fome Expreffions,- which upon a lefs Occafion, might feem too harfli and vehement. A Man that dreads no Danger from fuch unparallel'd Iniquities, that do, as it were, call down God's fevereft Judgments upon that poor Church and Nation, wherein they are openly and daringly committed, muft be dead in his Love for his Country and Religion. If I have difclos'd fuch a frightful and deteftable Scene of Impiety, which, by reafon of your Lordfliips High-Stations, and Great Em- ployments, might poflibly lie undifcover'd to your Sight before; I ihall think my felf Happy, whatever fliall befall me, if I may, by God's Grace, become the mean Inftrument of putting a flop to that Over-flowing of Ungodlinefs and Blafphemy, which, as yet, not Laws, no Proclamations, how well foever defign'd, and how often foever repeated, have been able to reftrain.

J Nor

( 8/

Nor ought I, my Lords, to forger, tW it was Forgotten by the Honourable Managers, another Ground of Danger arifing to this Church from the Attempts of Popijh Emiffaries, by mq mention'd, I hope, without the leaft Offence, in my Sermon at St. Paul's, where I fay, it were highly to be wifh'd, that thofc excellent Laws made for the Defence, and Security of the Church, were, at prefent, put ftriftly in Execution. For the Rwian CatholukAgcnts and Miflionaries that fwarm about this great City, as 'twere in Defiance and Contempt of them, were never more bufy in making Profelytes to their Super- ftition and Idolatry, and perverting and debauching Her Majefty's Subjects in every Corner of our Streets. I have not, my Lords, been caH'd upon to prove the Truth of this Paflage, nor has it been ;| reckoned among the falfe Infinuations I have made, that the Crmrch is in Danger. I pray God, the Church may- be in no Danger upon any of thefe Accounts. Her Majefty, your Lordftiips and the Com- mons, have, indeed, provided againft thefe Dangers by wholfome Laws, and I hope, I did not exceed the Limits o£my Fun&ion, when, j being call'd to preach before Magiftrates, I exnorted them to pre- vent thefe Dangers, by putting thofe Laws ftri&ly in Execution.

Juft had been the Indignation of the Honourable Houfe of Com- mons ; juft would be your Lordihips moft fevereRefentments; if by any Parallel, by me drawn, I had inlinuated, "that the Members of both Houfes, who pafs'd the Vote concerning the fafe and flourifliing Condition of the Church, had been then confpiririg its Ruin : I have already purg'd myfelf from this Imputation, by obferving, that the Parallel afcrib'd to n*e, implys, that they who voted King Charles I.I to be out of Danger, and thofe who confpir'd dis Death, were the, very fame Perfons; whereas it is certain they were not. For, my Lords, the Vote about the -Kings Safety was pafs'd by Lords and Commons, a Year and half before his Execrable Murder, which had been contriv'd by the Army, and was perpetrated by a pretended Ordinance of a fmall Remnant of the Houfe of Commons, (not a thncePart of the whole; after the reft of the Members had been Imprifon'd or fecluded, and without the Concurrence of the Houfe of Peers, who totally rejefted it. You have had, My Lords, a very different -Representation of this Fa&, made by one of the learned Managers; but this, My Lords, is the real Truth, as recited in the Aft" cf Parliament, for the Attainder of the King's Murderers, and is an Evidence that I could not poffiblv mean, by any odious Parallel, to infmuate, that the Members of both Houfes, who pafs'd the Vote concerning the Safety of the Church, were then confpiring its

T rtumbly crave your Lordfhip's Patience, yet a little farther, whilft Jfpeak to what is " alledg'd in the 4th Article, W»hich charges mi- with many Crimes of a very high and flagrant Nature, none of which have besn endeavour' d to be prov'd upon me, otherwife than H from fuppos'd Suggeftions, and undetermin'd Expreffions : And I m^ rith vour Lordfliips Leave, humbly iniift upon it, that!

where fhe Expreffions are doubtful, there the favourable Senfe is ' always to I: - pi e&rrrd. After]

(9 )

After all that has been Paid, by the learned Manager* for the Pom mons. What Minifter of State,I Weech Your Lordfolps? ia t i°S prov d to reflet* upon, direftly or indiredly ? Where, or how do T byanySuggeftion, charge Her Ma jefty, or thofe in Authority ut der her, with a general Mai- Adminiftration .? How do I perfuade her Subjeas to keep up a Diftfoaion of Parties and Faftion* w He I reprove thofe who divide w by Knavilh Diftinaions, and while I

KSS'ta!7 S°W'Subfa4t0 l0fe and ^get .them? HoW siJ po,iible,I mould ft.rup the People to Arms and Violence, when I jim endeavouring toconvince them of the utter Illegality of Rebel lion upon any pretence whatfoever ? Thefe Things My Lords £1' to be inconfiftent, unlefs a Man may be thought^ Rebel for reS mending Loyalty ; or Seditious/or preaching againft Sedition •I remember, indeed, at the Opening of this Charge againft me, •Th,, One of the Managers for the Houfe of Commons, vouchfafed

other Perfon, in View \ and, that I might t S ^fogTSrSbSS

my nncn esof Non-Ugfiftwe, ftir up the People to Amsand vl

ok ce againft her Sacred Majefty : Your Lordlhips will, once more

pa,jonmyEarneftnefs,ifIcallGodto witnefs, that I utterly Steft

any fuch Traiterous Intention : And I mould in my Opinion be

unworthy of the Name of a Cbnfiian, if I fhould givernVfe f Leave

to caft fuch a black and ground left Imputation upon anyone in hke

Circumftances vv.th mine, who had given all poff.ble EvS of

his Duty and AfFea.on to the prefent Government. Mv Lords I

have taken the Oath of Allegiance to Her Majefty, aid th'c cf

Abjuration againft the Pretender; and when, therefore! [preach d

,he Doar.ne of Non-Kefifiance, it is mo ft apparent, that the Go

ernment wh.ch I perfuaded my Fellow-Subjeds not to efift, is^he

prefent Government. And I humbly conceive that the prefent Gc!

roroment can never be overturned, it it be never refilled

How true a Zeal and Auction I have always born to Her Maie-

iy s Perfon and Government, I leave to be judg'd by Your I or£

hips and the whole World, from thofe pJUbHck DemonftraSrs

Jh.ch I haveg.ven of it at all times, when had Occafior tc mike

nentionof e.ther- I hope, Your Lordlhips will pardon me, i * Tetr

fnf?6 °f ^ °Wn XTed ExPreffions, as an evident Proof om J infeigned Duty and Allegiance. '

That Her Ma,efty, the good and pious Relift of the Royal Fa- mily, fits now happily upon the Throne of Her Anceftors: If to

■ oor/nf ?l rt """J l0n§, Preferr Her for the Co,ntort »<1 Sup , port of the Church, as the only Security, under God, it has, rode

Kd°.r : If earneftly to contend for the Safety. Rights and Eftablimmentof Her Majefty, together with thofe of the Church ■ jlf to vindicate Her Majefty's Title to the Crown againft the U- Turpations, Pretences, and Encroachments of her Advcrlaries • *nd to affert her Right to the Throne, to have been fo clea r, ma

B « niteft

( 10 )

* mfeft, and undoubted, that even her worft Enemies fcould fuch a € pious Princefs be fuppos'd to have any) muft acknowledge it , That

< (he was proclaimed, as it were, by the Voice of God, in the U- f niverfal Joy, Satisfaction and Unanimity of her Subjetts* That j her Perfonal Merit, exempted from that, made her 'worthy of ar; 6 brighter Diadem than fhe wears ; If to perfuade her Subjects

c with the moft hearty Zeal and Generofity, to enter into a neceflary • c War, for the Defence of Her Majefty and the Common preierva-

< tion of our Church, Liberties and Conftitution, againft a powerful I « Ac\verfary : If to befeech God to* profper fo good an Undertaking,

f to give a happy Event and Iffue to fuch a rightful Caufe, to crown '« our Arms with Viftory, and to make them as fuccefsful, as they i are juft and' honourable : And, that in order to this, we are all f bound, both in Duty to God and our Sovereign, as well as by our « own Intereft, unanimoufly and heartily to aliift and fapport He*

* under this great Undertaking, as far as our Frayers and Eftatesf,

< Lives and Fortunes can ferve her : If to perfuade her Subjefts, that

* the great and threatning Dangsfs of our Enemies fhould have

* that juft Eifeft upon us, to unite a$ much inour Reiblutions and Af- « feftiens, as they do in our common Iftterefts, Appreheniions and

< Troubles : If to'fet out the Blefiings we enjoy in the wife Conftitu-

* tion of our Government and Laws, in the moft refin'd Policies of « our Parliament and Miniftry, in the Strength and Number of our f Armies, Fleets and Confederates ; in the Care and watchful Vi-

< gilance, the Courage? Resolution and Conduft, of our General ; « and above all in the Piety and Prudence of our moft Gracious « Queen : If to affirm, that She daily gives frefh Inftances of her f Wifdom, in the happy Admifliftratron of her Government; and

< in nothing more fhews her Policy anddiftinguifhing Judgment,tha& > in making Choice of fuch Minifters of State, who are acceptable to

< their Country, and exprefs fuch a Zeal and Steadinefs in its Ser> 4 vice and true intereft •, and whom nothing could bribe or betray in-

* to a Party, wherein it might any ways feem to be endanger'd : If: I with the moil: ardent Requefts, to implore God's Providence,whioh

< thro' fo many Dangers and Difficulties, has raifed up and pteferved «' Her Majefty to carry on thefe Glorious Undertakings with Succefs

* that (he may be able to reftore and fettle the Peace of Europe in iti

< juft Rights andLimitations : And that asGod basbeftow'daCrowi f upon Her, in this World, as a Reward of thefe heroick and pioii

* 'Defigns ; fo after a long Reign here, he would advance Her toai f highet Throne in Heaven, and dignify Her with a Glorious an<

* Immortal Crown hereafter: If this, My Lords, I fay, is fallt and malicioufly to fuggeft, that Her Majefty's Adminiftration, bot ri Ecclefiafticai and Civil Affairs, tends to the Deftruftion of th Conftitution: If this be charging Her Majefty, and thole in Ai thority under Her, both in Church and State, with a general Ma' Adminiftration : If thris be as an Incendiary to perfuade her Subjef fokeep up Diftinttions of Factions and Parties : If this bd infti ling groundlefsjealoufiessfomenting deftruftive Divifions,and ftiriir

' 1

( ii )

up tier Majefty's Subjefts to Arms and Violence again?* any but ttef Enemies ; then, my Lords, I am Guilty of -this Article of Impeachment, Otnerwifc I am Innocent.

My Lords, I have always thought it n?y Dutv upon all Publick Occa- fions, to affert thefe Principles of Royalty and SubjeSion to the Supreme Pb ver, whenever I had a proper Call fo to do : Of this, there are num- berlefs Wirneifes in thofe feveral Places to which I have belcng'd. One of thefe I beg Leave of y oar Lordfhips, particularly to mention* Magda- len College in Oxford, whereof I am at prefent an unworthy Member, and which by the known Sufferings of ihe whole Body, for the Church and Conftitution, contributed as much towards the late Happy Revolution, as any Society in the Kingdom : To which Honourab !e Society, I humbly Appeal for my Character and Behaviour. I could alfo Appeal -for the fame, to a Right Reverend Lord5 that now fits upon the Bench of Bifhops

Had it been fit to have ttoubled your Lordfhips with Evidences of my Hearty Affection to the prefent Government, I could have produced them In great Abundance from the Perfons with whom I have conversed ; from the Gentlemen, whom I tave bred up ; and from the Congregation^ to which I have preach'd. If my Principles had any Tendency towards alienating the AfFeftions ©f Her Majefty's Subjeds j furtly, feme one In- ftance of my Difloyalty to rhe Queen ; fome favourable ExprcfTions to* wards the Pretender ; fome Indications of my Diflike to the prefent Set- tlement, and the Proteftant Succtflion, rxight have been pitch'd upon, and cxpos'd to your Lordfhips^ in order to juftify rhe Charge of Sedition againft me. Bat I cannot but with Pleafure obferve to your Lordfhips, that from the whole Courfe of my A&ions, no one fnftancc of that kind is alledged, or fo much as pretended.

My Lords, the Charge of wickedly wrefting divers Texts of Scripture lbs very heavy upon me, as a Chriftian and Minifter of Chrift. If I am Guilty of it, there is another Tribunal, another^Bar, at which I am to ap- pear; and where, by that Scripture which I have wrcfted, I (hall be judged and condemned. In the mean time, My Lords, 1 hope that thofe, whofe particular Profcffion and Studies qualify them to be the mrf: Competent fudges of fuch Matters, will abfolve me in this Particular.

Upon the whole Matter, therefore, My Lords, I hope, it appears, that I am not Guilty of any of the Crimes of which I am accused ; that I have tranfgrefs'd no Law of the Land, neither Statute nor Common- Law, re- lating either to Her Ma jefty, ortomy Fellow-Subjecls, to the Church, or to the State, and that I may, with all Humility, apply to my own Cafe, the words of that Blefled Apoftle, whofe Doctrine I defend, and whofe Example, I hope, I fhall have the Grace to follow ; * Neither againft th? 1 Law, nor againft tie Temple, nor againft Cafar, have I offended any * thing at all.

What I have hitherto humbly offered to your Lordfhips, relates to my Words and Actions ; and as to the Thoughts, and Intentions cf my Heart, which are known only to God and my own Confcience, and which are af- SinVd, in my Impeachment,to be Vv*ickedtSeditious, and Malicious j I call foe Searcher of Hearti to witnefs, in the moft fokmn and religious Man-

B a net,

,

( ")

ner, as T e^peft to be acquitted before God and his Holy Angels, at that dreadful Tribunal, before which, not only lf but all the World, even \our L^rdnVps, who now fie in Judgment upon me, muft appear, to be i quieted or condemned ; that I had no fuch Wicked, Seditious, or Mali- c ous inre nfions j that there is nothing upon Earth, I more Deteft and Ab- hor ; that my Ddigns were, in every refpe£t, dire&ly contrary. I had no Ime tion to afpeffe the Memory of his Jate Majefty ; to traduce or con* demn the late Happy Revolution ; or to arraign the Resolutions of both Houfes of Parliament. So far was I from defigning to undermine and fubvert Her Majetty* Government, and the Proteftant Succeflion as by Law E* bliuYd, that it was my fincere Intention to exert my beft Endea* vours fcr their Security : So far was I from intending to perfuade Her Ma jetty's Sibjects to keep up a Distinction of Parties and Faclions; from inftiliing groundlefs Jcaloufies; fomenting deftru&ive Divisions among- the o ; or exciting and flirting them up to Arms and Violence ; that my Aim was to perfuade them to lay afide all Diftin&ions j to unite in one well-compared Body ; to be obedient to their Governors } and to fupport the prefent Ettablifhment : ^o far was I from defigning to defame Her Ma- jesty's Adminiftration, or to in fu re any undutiful Thoughts of Her, that I not only pay Her all Honour and Obedience, but am, from the bottom of my Sou!, zealoufly and affectionately Loyal to Her ; being entirely per- fuidcd, that the Church is (o far from being in Danger from Her Ma- yfly, that She is as heartilv affected to its Eftabliflirnent and Profperity, ast I hope, I have always (hewed my felf to be to Her facred Perfon and Government.

As to the Proteftant Succeflion by Law EftablifhM, tho' the Doftrine which I preach'd, rends to the Security of it, ( as I heartily defire every thing by me fpoken fhould tend ) yer having no Occafion in either of my Sermons to take Notice of it, I do no where, in thofe Sermons, mention ir. nor fay any thing that can be interpreted to have any View towards ir» Therefore, tho' I c^nnor, with my £>eft Application, apprehend, how it comes to be faid, in the Preamble to my Impeachment, that I had defign'd to undermine and fubvert it j yet I fhall gladly take this Opportunity of Declaring my felf, before your Lord fhips .upon that Subject. It is my fin- cere and heafty Prayer, that God would prolong the Life of Her moft Sa- cred Majefty, who'e Exempla/y Goodnefs and Piety give us the beft hopes we have, of averring that Vengeance, which is due to the Wicked- ness of the: Age we live in ; that he would blefs Her Counfels at Home, and Her Arms abroad, and make Her Reign exceed that of Her renowned PredecefTor Queen Elizabeth) in Length as well as Glory ; but when the Inheritrix of the B!eflTcd Martyr's Crown and Piety ; when She, the Defire of our feyes,*nd the Breath ofonr Nofirils, (hall, full of Years and Honour^ be guchered to Her Fathers, and exchange Her Temporal for an Immorta Crown, (tince we are deprived of that Prince Her Rdyal Offspring, whofi Lofs no true Lover of his Country, and of the Royal Family, can reflef upon, without a bleeding Heart j and whom God, in his Anger, took frorj us, becaufe we were unworthy of (o ineftimabl'e a Blefling ) I earneftljj Sefeech God, in dtkd of future I/Ibe from Her Majefty, to perpetuate tb Succeflion of the Crown, as it is EfteMifh'd in the moli Iilufkious Houfi

( H )

ofHantitver, which I look upon as, next to his Providence, the befl: Guard we have againft Popery and Arbitrary Power ; the beft Security of our Church, and of the Conftitution of our Government, which is the Glory and Happinefs of our own Nation, and the Envy of all orhers. And I cannot yec apprehend, how the DoQrine which I have tauphr, tends to weaken or undermine it ; nor on the other fide, how the Dr ft fine of Re- finance, which brought Her Majefty's Royal Grandfather to the Block, ( fuppofing it a true Dcftrine ) comes to be mentioned or thought of, much lefs to be induftrioufly maintained , as a neceiTary, an indifpenfaMe Duty, under the mod mild and gracious Administration of the Beft of Queens. Nothing feems more ftrange, than that Refiftance fhculd be fo carefully taught under fuch a Government ; unlefs it be, that Non- Refiftance fhould overturn it. So far was I, therefore, from having any of thofe wicked, malicious, or feditious Defigns, which are laid to rny Charge, that my Intimations were, on the contrary, to inftil the Princi- ples of Loyalty and Obedience into my Fellow Subjcfts, and withal to put a flop to that Tornnt of Lewdnefs, Jrreligion and Atheifm, of which I have given your Lordlhips fo many flagrant Teftimonies.

Thefe outrageous Infults upon God and Goodnefs, are fo provoking* that they may excufe fome Heat and Severity of Exprefllon in a Mini* fter of Chrift, who has a juft Senfe of Religion, or due Concern for; theDifcharge of his Holy Funftion, or for the Honour of his Maker and Redeemer. And if any Obje&ion be made againft me, for treating, with an unbecoming Bitternefs, fuch daring Rabfiecas, who defie the Living God, I beg leave to reply* in the Words of a Reverend Father of our Church, ' Let them confider what Moderation and Temper a Man had lc need be of, that in this Nation, and this Age, fhall fpeak againft Fa- it ftion, Rebellion, (F add, Deifm,Tritheifm, and all forts op Herefy, 1 * Blafphemy and Atheifm ) without extraordinary Severity. Nay, it is our Duty, in fuch Cafes, to exprefsourfelves with Warmth and Sharpnefs, according to the Example of our blefTed Saviour, who, tho1 Meeknefs it felf, could not but (hew the utmoft Indignation at the prophaning the Houfeof God. This is not, my Lords, to rail, but to rebuke ; and thofe I who ridicule or cenfure us for it, either have not, I prefume, or will [not own they have, a right Notion of the Dignity of our Office ; will not konfider that we are the Ambalfadors of Chrift ; chat we are commanded, fin his Name, to exhort, and rebuke, with all Authority ; and that cur lAuthority is derived from thofe, to whom it was faid by our bldTed 5a- Iviour, He that defpifeth you defpifezh me, and he that defpifeth me, de+ Ypifeth him that fent me. Whatever Expreffions, therefore, in my Ser- hnons, may have flipt from me, which feem fo far liable to Exception, as ho carry a Scnk I never intended (as he muft be a happy Speaker indeed, Iwhofe Words are altogether unexceptionable ) yet, I.humby hope, the fcbove-mentioned Piovocations will plead my Excufe, or that at the very pvorft, fome hafty, or even violent Expidfions frail not be deuned High "Crimes and Miidemcanours. f defire, it may be farther considered by four Lordfhips, that I could have no umpora) Interefls to ftrve, by the uoftrinss I advanced Mnd therefore could have no Dcfign in view, but to Mfchargemy Duty rojGcd as * Mmifter of Chriir, and xo mv Sovereign |ts a faithful aad loyal Subject

My

( 14)

My lords, Thefe things being humbly offer'd to the Confideratiott cf your Lordfhips; I hope, that whit T have already fuffer'd as a fup- pofed Criminal, will be shougbt fufficienr Punifhm.ent for one who has offended againft no Law yet in being. It muft be thought no little Grjef and Vexation to any ingenuous Man, to be brought to this Bar, un- der the Ieaft Sufpicion of fuch Crimes as are laid to my Charge : hut for a Perfon of my Function to have an Accufution of this Nature alledg'd againft him, fo heinoudy refleftrng upon his Holy Chara&er, is fuch a foul Blot, as, tho* his Innocence fhouid, at iaft, be clear'd by your Lordfhips upon the moft undeniable Evidence, muft leave a Scar upon his good Name, which is to all Men dear, but much more fo to thofe whofe whole Capacity of doing Good in the World, principally depends upon it. My Lord? , As the Matter of my Charge was highly Criminal^ fo the Form and Manner of it ran iafuch general and uncertain Terms, that 'twas impoffible to know the Grounds of my Accufation, or how to defend my felf, when I knew not where I (hould be attacked; To that after I had provided as particular an Anfwer, as fuch a general Accufa- tion would admit cf, the Commons were pleafed, in their Replication, to fay, that there were feveral things in it foreign to the Charge. To the great Misfortune of falling under the Difpleafure of that honourable Houfe, I might add, that of a long and a clofe Confinement, and of an Eapence no ways proportioned to my Circumftanccs. Thefe, my Lords, are Afflictions which can be concciv'd by no body, fo well as by him, who has been fo urhappy as to feel the Weight of them \ and among thefe, I reckon it not the leaft of my Sufferings, that I have been fo long time debarr'd froni taking heed to that Flock, over which the Holy Ghoft hath made me an Overfeer. For, ever fince I have had my Li- berty, by the Favour of your Lordfhips admitting me to Bail," I have purpofely avoided doing any part of the Duty of my Function, or even appearing in Pu^lick, left it ftiould occafion any Tumult or Di-' fiurbance, as my neceflary Attendance on your Lordfhips, from time to time, has fince been thought unhappily to have done, without any Fault of mine, or the leaft degree of Encouragement given by me, which 'I profefs, in the Prefencc pi God, to abhor.

Ail thefe Circumftances, my Lords, being confider'd, together with the Publjck Manner, the Length and Solemnity of my Trial, before fo Au- guft a Court of judicature, by which means, I am made a Gazmg*Stockf I both by Reproaches and Affiiclion^and a Spectacle to the -whole World : I have I flood in this Place, Day after Day, to hear my Telf accu^d of the Blackefil Crime*, and openly revjl'd : I have been reptefented as a Papift in Dif-I guile, as a Rebel, as an Emmy to W.r Majejlys Perfon andGovernmtnt% and I a ^Pawwer of the Pretender, tho' I have abjur'd him ; that is, as thel worft of perjured Villains. I«have been calfd an Infignificant Tool of aM Party on the one hand, and a moft dangerous Incendiary on the other ;| nay, an Angel, that is, a Demi detactid from the Infernal Regions* Allr thefe thing*, I fay, hsing confider'd, ( and your Lordfhips, 1 am fure, iri tender Companion to me, will confider them ) it is moft certain, thad whatever be your Lordfhips Determination concerning me, I cannot! tfcape without being a very great Sufferer ; and I fhall have been abunJ dantly punifh'd, the' I fhouid have the Happincft to be by )oar LordJ ihiu^ a.1 iaft, acquitted. Yei

Yet I cannot reflect, without Comfort, fthe greatefl of Comforts, next Itojhnof a good Ca««Y and a good Confidence) that I anfwer for tnJ Wf.thb.Day Pf ore .the moil Illusions Affembly in the World, the

Z^fflPnf*™"?^ Of****** wh°f« Princely Extraafon and Hig^Qaa!iCyswhofe magnificent Title* and fpiendid for- tunes, whole- Hereditary Candor and Gen.rofity, inherent in Noble Blooc, mf..: .|8 trom the Smh and Education of Peers • in a word, whofe Solid Judgment and Exaa Skill in the Laws of this Realm fo eminently qualify them for the final Determination of Juftice 2 are neither to be fway'd ■ > Hopes, cver-mfd by Fears nor miS by any falfe Prejudice or Pa.iion. If it muft be a Man's Misfortune to Uboor under (uch hard' Cireumftahces as mine, it is no (mSlMki£ t.on ot nem, that hs pfead, his Canle before f ^ j ^

AWd'wV,i3 drd^ Wkh fhe ftriaea {mP-tiality, Equity fnd Honor A;.d when I confider, that I now fend, and am judgd for fome of the Potatoes of theGofpel, which God deliver 'd unto our Father? and *oo. «y- Lords the Bifhops, their Saccefiors, have receiv'd from Chrift

rlfjf y L" ui PnnVt,ve Simplicity- when 1 confider, what is the i I.u.hs which You are folemnly commanded to Teach and

anTn ?ACSrdrf°r,: W*^***** our B)I,Ted Lord an;d hb Amities feald w,th their tnoft precious Blood, and fo many

WrZrs r £TKk" re^mmeIP^d t0 Poft«^y '° the.ryimmortar Kav JbJi? ri,hpgUifh^S BsdSe andG1°ty of oor Reformation: Na> when I confider, that ris what your Selves have already il-nnorted

Advoca e JJ ^"f "^'^ are ?y Jtt**CS« fo >'ou muft «e my foonT, n, Gulk'asWeii as D,f8race» would it juitlv devolve

Srch efSc^lv fC° reCedeuf'T »* Pri«ci^ oi our iStS'. lof a7r»neSarUr°,rtWha,Lh:,,,been '° ^ reta,ned and b°aft*d IfoU Ke woJft&J- by ab!ndoning w»>'ch, we muft relapie i„.

£ves the tnofi Co° remDf u™' ^V* ^^ k felf' and re"der «£ Word I Xnlc I "T^ 'r3$ Wd! "*"«>"»»««, Church in rhe ™ ApoOte m hK A?yr heref°re WKh Co-',fide"cs «fe the word, of the

-rimes laid to my Charfie fo I mnii "il S*rfft ^ i T . , " ^ which I have raiKrhf , I • ! '" ,nfM "f0" ail t!le ^octuncs

he Drft • t " ' ,bJng a«rce»b'« to the Word of God, ani th

\ck„o5ed°etd D?ir°A T? b<>th &y Sabl'criPfion and Oath to

.em^hn^^

ve fhall be more heavily nun-fh'd in the n-x^ U/h*r r, r °% '

111

f 16- > •

in Seafon and out of Seafon, on the one hand ; and profecuted, impri- fon'dj.tuin'd on the other ! If this be our Cafe, who, indeed, is fuflicicnt or thefe things ? And, how truly may we of the Miniftry, above all Men living, apply to our felves, thefe Words of the ApoftJe; if in this Life only we have hope in Chrift, we are of all Men moft miferabfc. But our Comfort is, that our Hope in Chrift is not only in thh Life. . Juftly might We be reproached, and defertre fonie of thofe R*fle£fionS| which in thefe Licentious times are fo plentifully pourM u,,on us, were we not ready to praftile the Dc&rines we preach, <£^ Self-denial, Taking up our Crofs, and patient SubmiQiora to Sufferings and Affl ft t us.v

For my own Part, it matters not what becomes of rric, nor is my Delive- rance or Ruin of any Moment to theWorld \ orif it be, i am ?.e <*y not enly to be bound, but to die, could I, by that, do Service to my Ql- . n, rn? Church, or my Country $ neither count I my Life dear, fo char i mig1 finiflh rny Courie with Joy, and the Miniftry which I h ve r c . the Lord Jefus; but may God fo direft your Lordfhips, thn '■; Wound may not be given, to the Dc&rines of the Scrio u the Church, which Chrift hath purchafed with his own Blond

And fo, with all Humility and Refignation, I fubmit ray felfcq Lordfhips Judgment, be !t what it will. One thing, I am fure, k can neve? take from me; the Power of wi&ing and praying (and whether in *>ro- perity or Adverficy, whether I am acquitted or condemned,! /hall always pray) for the Queen my Sovereign, tor your Lordftiips my Judges, and for the Commons my Accufers ; mod earneftly befeechtng Almighty God, to deliver all Orders and Degrees of Men amongft us, from all fa.fe Do- ft ine, Herefie and Schifm, from Harslneft of Heart,, from Conteaapt of his Word and Commandment, from Envy, Hatred and Malice, and all Llucharkablenek

F I N I &

The speech of Henry Sacheverell, D.D. made in Westminster Hall..

Internet Archive