A sermon preached before the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in the Abbey-Church at Westminster : the XXXth of January, M.D.CC.XIX

5133
K39se

Kennett

Sermon preached before the
Lords

THE LIBRARY

OF

THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA

LOS ANGELES

FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD
ENDOWMENT FUND

SERMON

Preached before the

Lords Spiritual and Temporal,

I N T H E

ABBE v-C H u K c H

A T

WESTMINSTE R,

The xxxth of January, M.DCC.XIX.

By the Right Reverend Father in GOD,
WHITE LordBifhop of Peterborough.

LONDON,

Printed for W. TAYLOR at the Ship in Pater-
no/ier-Row. M.DCCXX.

7,

St. MARK xiv.

And they began to be forrow-
ful, and to fay unto him,
one by one, Is it I? And
another faid, Is it I?

IF we ferioufly reflecl: on the National
Sin and Shame of this Day, that have
blacken'd it into a ftated Day ofReluke
and Trouble-, we muft needs, as the Ac-
cufed in the Textr legin to le forrovtful, and
to have (tho at the diftance of above Seventy
Years) fome Painr fome Shock upon us, that
fo horrible a thing fhould have been once com-
mitted in our Land : That a great Prince, &
fDod Man, a devout Chriftian, diftrelTed by
adions, betrayed by Friends, fubdued by
Arms, confined in Prifons, difappointed in,
Efcapes, fhould be at laft brought forth to-
an ignominious Trial, to an execrable Sen-
A i tence^

902858

Sermon f reached before the

tence, and even to a barbarous Execution of
it, for a Speftacle before his own Palace, as
in a Triumph and Infult over the Laws of
God and Man ! And what Impulfe had the
Actors in it, but that of Ambition, Revenge,
and Thirft of Blood ? To what End, but to
overthrow the Fences of Government, Liber-
ty, and Religion ; and to pick up they knew
not what in the Ruins of the Foundations of
Church and State ?

And yet poflibly, if any Perfons, or any
Parties of Men, were to be charged wich
this heinous Guilt of fhedd ing Royal Blood ;
they would All throw off the odious Impu-
tation of it : they would be ready to clear
themfelves, and to juftify themfelves, and to
call the heavy Weight upon any Head but
their own ; they would take it ill to be ac-
cufed, -to be fufpecled ; they would fa)' one
fy on?) Is it I? and another would fay , Is
it I?

For fo it was in this Hiftory of our Sa-
viour's Sufferings, (not to be paralleled by any
other) his being betrayed into the hands of
wicked Men, and after cruel Mockings and
Scourgings, brought forth as a Malefactor to
die the moft dolorous and infamous Death.
He forefaw all he was to fuffer ; he was now
opening the mournful Scene to his Difciples at
Supper ; and would intimate unto them, that
what grieved him moft of all his Sorrows,
was to meet with fuch Ingratitude and Trea-
chery

*

Houfe of Lords, Jan. 30. 1719. 7

chery fo near unto his own Bofom ; that one
of his Companions, his Friends, his chofen-
Difciples, who had received his CommifRon,
and called him Lord, that one of them fhould
fell him, and betray him into wicked Hands.
And therefore out of a deep Senfe of fuch In-
humanity, our BlefTed Matter would exprefs
fome Refentment, fome Indignation at it :
In the Verfe immediately before the Text, as

the. twelve Difcifks were at Suffer, JefusJatJ
Ifafly I fay unto you. One of you which eateth

me flail betray me. Where, I fay, the
fenfible Pain and Anguifli lay in this, that he
fhould fall a Sacrifice in his own Houfe ; that
in effect his own Table fhould be made a
Snare unto him, and he that eat of his Bread
fhould lift up his Heel againft him. All the
hard Sayings to be fulfilled in him ; not an,
open Enemy to do him this Dishonour, for then.
be could have born it; neither zn 4dverfaryr
for then perad venture he could have hid him-
felf from him : But it was even thou my Cm-
•p union* my Guide, and mine own familiar Friend
Said our Saviour to his own Subjefts, to his
own Domefticks, One of you which eateth with

me* ffiaH forty ™e-

But who fhould be that unworthy Manr
that ungracious Wretch? Who could bear
the Imputation, the remote Sufpicion of it ?
Who was it? Who could it poflibly be?
They could every one anfwer for themfelves,
far be it from every one of them ; they were

faying

Sermon preached before the

faying vehemently, one ly one. Is it I? and
another , the very Criminal, faid9 Is it I?

From hence, and from our daily Experi-
ence we learn, that there is fuch a natural Re-
proach in Sin and Wickednefs, efpecially in all
Treachery .and bafe Cruelty, that People are
impatient to bear any part of the Burden of
it ; they would fhift it off elfewhere, they
would thruft it upon any Shoulders to eafe
their own.

As in the Cafes of the Text and of the Day,
in both Cafes (Matters of Treafon and Blood)
what Carefulnefs -, yea, what clearing of them-
felves ; yea, what Indignation ; yea, what Fear ;
yea, what vehement Defire ; yea, what Zeal to
affrove themfelves to be clear in this Matter ?
la the firft Inftance before us of Servants be-
traying their Lord and Matter, no one guilty ;
not only the feveral that were really innocent
juftified themfelves, as they had a Right to do,
but even the Traytor himfelf was as forward
to vindicate his own Honour : Even Judas faid
among the reft, Lord, Is it I?

For fo I think the wording of the Text may
be. underftopd, tho our Tranflation does not
come up to it. They who were truly forrow-
ful, or heartily concerned to think that their
Matter {houid be betray'd by one among
themfelves, they were the eleven Difciples,
not let into the horrid Secret; they could
with an honeft Refentment fay, one by one,
to the number of eleven, each for bimfelf, If

it

Houfe of Lords, Jan. 3 o. 1 7 1 9. 9

it 1? But then comes the twelfth Difciple^
here called another, perhaps rather fo oMos,
the other, the remaining Difciple, 'Judas ; who
for fear his Silence (hould have given Confent
to the Confcioufncfs in his own Mind, he
likewife faid, Is it I? He like wife would be
able to ftand as fair as the beft of them ; he
could demurely and boldly ask, Is it I?

This Senfe of the Text, tho not obferved
by Commentators, is fupported, or rather ex-
prefs'd by St. Matthew xx.vi. 25. After all buc
'Judas had been exceeding forrowful, and be-
gan every one of them to J'ay unto him. Lord, is •
it I ? after fome Paufe, then Judas, who be-
trayed him, anfwered and faid, Mafler, is it.
I? Jefus faid unto him, Thou haft faid ; you
betray your Guilt by your officious Forward-
nefs in the Denial of it. So that 'tis very
plain, the Perfons who had no hand in it
ought not to fuffer the Reproach of it ; and
yet as plain, that the one Criminal out of
his own Mouth would be Not Guilty. He
made ftrange of it, he prefumed to appeal
to the Judge of all Hearts, to him who knew
what was in Man, to him he had the AfTu-
rance to fay, Mafler, is it If

The Reafon of Sinners thus purging them-
felves, is the natural Turpitude and the felf-
confcious Shame in Sin and Wicked ne Is :
When Men have committed the Guilt, they
would itill decline the Odium of it. Hence
B all

io <>A Sermon preached before the

all the manifold Inventions of concealing,
thfguifing, palliating, and mifreprefenting of
every Griminal Gaike, to appear excufable
et leaft, or rather to have no manner o£
Concdrn ih ifc And this irideed is at the-
bottom of all Hypbcrify and FalCbood, I
mean the natural Stain and; Reproach of
Wickednefs. Men would adventure to be
wicked, to be exceeding finful, arid yet they
would not wilHflgiy reveal themfelves; they,
care not to feem Reprobates, they cannot
eafily aflbme the: Air* of glorying in their
Shame* they would deny, or they would
finooth and foften, or they would even fane-
tify their Crimes, ; as if the lefs honourable
amdnwre uncomely Parts of their Soul were tt>
fcave the more abundant Honour beftowed upon1
them.

So began Original Sin in the Nature an#
Conftitution of Things and Men ; the Sinners
could not bear the Weight of their own Guiltr
they were Ihifting the Scene of Wickednefs
from one to anotlier : Adam reprefented it to-
be the Fault of the Woman, and fhe laitF
it to the Charge of the Serpent y and the
Searcher of Hearts only could- determine the
controverted Matter Hence Men abhor th&
being thought capable of Crimes which they-
are afterwards drawn into; they difown
their being fubjecl: to any Temptations of
them : Far be k from -:thck Intentions to con-

ceiva

Hotift of Lords, Jan. 30.1719. &|

ceive this or that abominable Wickednefs*
which yet at laft they commit without any
Remorfeupon them.

This Deceitfulnefs of Sin prevailed on the
Tray tor in the Text: -And it was much the
fame with a better Difciple, St. Peter, who
"was likely to fall into another Snare of the
Devil, the denying his Lord and Mafter : He
at firft abhorred the Thoughts of it; it was
impoffible that he ftiould ever be the Man,
the falfe ungrateful Man. And therefore
.when our Saviour told his Difciples of their
; falling away from him, St.M#.xxvi. 31. M
lje Jhall le oftended lecavfe of me ; it was St. Pe-
ter who put in the firft Proteftation againft
the approaching Fa6t, T/JO all Men Jhall ie of-
fended lecaufe of thee, yet will I never le of-
fended. -Nay when Jejvs, who knew his- In-
firmities, told him within what .time, , and
how often he -thould-deny him, yet he flood
it out with the utmoft Affurance, Tho I ffi&uld
die with thee, yet will I not deny thee : when
after all he committed and repeated thatSin
of Unfaithfulnefs, and could not but.-weep
bitterly to think how frail he had been.

It was, 'if poffible, a Beater {Faiktrecin
Hazael King of '-Syria ; -he -deprecated the very
Thoughts of doing what he 4arcd to. do :
When he came a Meffenger to ;£///&z, the
Prophet faw in -him fuch Indications of A
"Wicked Mind, that the Man of God wept
82 at

IX <*A Sermon preached loefvre

at the Prefages of his doing Evil,
viii. ii. ButHazael wiped his Forehead, and
fa id, Whyweepeth my Lord? When the Pro-
phet anfwered, Becaufe I know the Evil that
thou wilt do to the Children of Tfrael ; their
Strong-holds wilt thou Jet on fire, and their
young Men wilt thou flay with the Sword, and
wilt dajh their Children, and rip up their Wo-
men with Child: Hazael ftarted from the
Imputation of fuch Barbarities as thefe were :
Could he be thought fuch a Brute, the vileft
of them ? What ! is thy Servant fuch a Dogr
that he pould do this thing * And yet when
he came into Power and Opportunity, he did
it all, and added other Effects of unbounded
Tyranny and Oppreflion.

From thefe Truths, direclly within the
Compafs of the Text, (and alas I fatally with-
in the Occafion of the Day) we might learn
many fuitable Inferences and Leffons of Ho-
nefty and Wifdom.

I. Firflj We might obferve, that when Men
are unhappily imbark'd in a bad Caufe, they
tnow not how far they fhall go, or be pufh'd
on in the purfuit o/ it ; farther than they at
firft imagin'd : Step after Step in Wicked nefs,
till they are plung'd in beyond their Aim, and
beyond their Depth ; they have loft them-
felves, and all their firft Intentions. It was
undoubtedly fo with the Beginners of thofe

faul

Hpufe of Lords, Jan. 30. 1 7 1 9. i )

fatal Feuds that brought about this Day of
Confufion : Moft of them of any Senfe could
mean only the tender Defence of Liberties and
Religion. Many of them receded, when they
difcovered a worfe Intention in it ; but alas I
too many proceeded farther on, till they found
it too late to look backward, till Things were
defperate, till the Leaders thought it necefTa-
ry to add Iniquity to Iniquity, Murder to
Rebellion.

II. And therefore we might, Secondly, infer,
that this growing State of Wickednefs will
fpread moft of all in the Enterprizes of Facti-
on and Sedition, of Treafon and Rebellion.
Some of the chief Promoters of this Day's Evil
had been once in Favour and good Graces with
their Sovereign, and fo long they fcorn'd to
be fufpe&ed of the leaft Difloyalty; their
Hearts were faid to be true, and yet, alas !
how deceitful were thofe Hearts ? They had
not all they asked or expected , they were
fourM upon fome Repulfe, or grew fullen at
fomc Delay; then they fecretly repined, they
begun openly to murmur, their Paflions drew
them to another fide, they grew oppofite to
their former Friends, and afted in Contradic-
tion to their former Pretenfions, till they were
infenfibly got out of their Reach, and out of
their own Power ; till they thought them-
felves bound to go on, not knowing, nOtt caring,
what would be in the end thereof.

III. A

1$ oA Strmon preached before the

III. A third Inference might be, that Men
fhouid ftand faft upon the antient Foundati-
ons and Boundaries of Law and Conftitution ;
paying Loyalty and Allegiance according to
Law ; faving Rights and Liberties according
to the fame legal Security ; considering Go-
vernment as ordained for the common Good,
a Body Poiitique for the mutual Aid and Pre-
fervation of Head and Members, no one to
deftroy or hurt the other, no Schifm in the
Body; a ftated Superiority, and a regular
Subordination, no Part feparate from the
Whole ; a common Intereft, and fome Balance
of Power to preferve it. On this Bottom our
Forefathers ftood, not as on a Seat unfhaken,
nor can any on Earth be fo eftablifh'd ; but on
a Bafis never utterly overthrown, till amidft
the Confufions of this Day. Providence refto-
red us to the fame foundations of Sovereignty
and Subjeftion, bounded by Law for common
Good. Let us reft here, not moving, if pofli-
•ble, not leaning to the Right-hand, nor to the
Left. Surely there^ is a Golden Mean, and a
Center to reft in ; if we are drawn into any
Extreme, we muft be foon falling we know
not where.

But to keep more immediately to the Senfe
x)f the Text, may feem more diredly to an-
fwer the Occafion of the Day. A Day not to
-be infulted with profane Contempt, nor to

be

of Lords, Jan. jo, 1719.

be again polluted with Strife and Reproaches;
A Day without queftion of National Sin, and
National Judgment. But who committed
that Sin ? who brought that Judgment on us?
Hear one faying, Is it I? and another will
fay, Is it I? The different Parties (all, fome
wayrconcern'd) would be wafhing their own
Hands of this Royal Blood, would be cafting
all the Afperfion of it on the Heads of thofe
they differ from.

i. How many loofe Writers, and other un-
ceafonable Men, have poured forth all die.
Blame upon the King alone, and the corrupt
Ministry, and a perfecuting Church, and Cler-
gy. The} rnuft anfwer for all the following:
Changes-and Calamities which they brought
upon themfelves. It was, fay they, the af-
fe&ing of Arbitrary Power, the going into
Popifh Counfels and Foreign Meafures. - -
THr, fay they,, kindled all -the Fire that brake
forth, and brought all the Fuel to iu A hea.
vy Charge, wherein Men of any Might know
there is a great want of Charity and Truth:
Is there no diftinguifliing between the begin;-
Bing of Murmurs and Difcoments* and the
IlTues. of Revenge and Fury ? Is there no al-
lowing for human Infirmities* and common
Mifcarriages in every Reign ? Is there to be
ao Acknowledgment, that in every Grievance
Right was done, or offer'd to be done, and
Qaacelfi<fes wete made fu£6eient t?o fatisfy

wife

1 6 oA Sermon f reached before the

wife and good Men ? And fuppofing the very
worft, muft it be granted, that the King does
all the Wrong, and that his Perfon muft be
tried by the People for it, without any Law,
or any Precedent whatever? Thofe Men
who would fo juftify the horrid Fad, feem
to labour to become guilty of it. It would
raife our Indignation to have a common
Friend barbaroufly murder'd, and then parti-
ally brought in Felo de fe.

2. In Calumnies and Reproaches Men de-
light to be out of debt to one another : And
therefore Men of different Sentiments put a
different Turn upon their Adverfaries. They
plead there was no manner of Offence given ;
it was pure Innocence and Merit on the one
fide ; and that the wicked Defigns, and evil
Arts, and horrible Refolutions were all en-
tirely on the other fide. The original Plot
(fay they) was for the utter Deftru&ion of
the King and Church : The Raifers of the
War (fay they) were all Sectaries and Schif-
maticks, by Principle and by Covenant Ene-
mies to the Crown and the whole Conftitu-
tion; Antimonarchical, Republican, Rebels,
Regicides, and what not? Efpccially the
Presbyterians, (and they have enlarged that
Denomination) they are treading always in
their Fathers Steps, and therefore are to be
branded and purfued as publick Enemies for
ever. We muft likewife confefs fuch bitter

Words

Houfe of Lords, Jan. 30. 1719. ij

"Words to be uncharitable and untrue ; the
Remonftrances, the Tumults, the very draw-
ing of the Sword began in no Name but that
of his Majefty's Subje&s, fcsV. the dividing
into multiplied " Sefts and religious Parties
was rather the fad Confequence of thofe
Troubles, than the Caufe of them. How-
ever, of thofe various Parties, the old Purl-
tans, who made up the bulk of the Presbyte-
rians, were the moft fober-minded, had the
leaft Difpofition towards the Iniquity of this
Day, made folemn Proteftations againft it,
ana did endeavour to atone for it.

3. And now hear the common Adverfary
the Ptpifts, they take their Advantage of
thefe mutual Revilings among us. They pre-
tend themfelves, and their glorious Church, to
have been the only faithful Adherents to the
King; that they honeftly fupplied Him with
Money, Arms, and Men; and offer'd to fup-
ply him with Foreign Aid, with Catholick
Troops to defend and deliver him frorh the
Curfe of Herefy and Schifm. We have no
Time to reply, but in a word, That of all
Parties tfoy had the fulleft Hand in fowing
thofe Tares that grew up, and were kindled
into Flames. They gave the main Occafion
to Fears and Jealoufies : They made the bloody
MafTacre of Proteftants to be the loudeft A-
larm to Self-Defence and Prefervation : They
labour'd, tho in vain, to polTefs the King ; they
C poffefs'd

1 8 $A Sermon preached before fhe

poflefs'd the neareft to his Bofom ; they corrupt-
ed his Royal IfTue : and, to avoid fpeaking of
their Infults at his Death, of their accommo-
dating Principles to it, of their embarafling
the Affairs of his SuccefTor, I muft have leave
to think, that they were the leaft inftrumen-
tal in the Happy Reftorationy however info-
lent upon it

TKs, for BK- > his Re'

vity, was omitted turn in Peace utterly imprafti-
in the speaking, cable, if they had given the Na-
tion any Evidence, any ftrong Sufpicion, that
He was reconciled to their Church of Rome.
For the Body of the Nation well knew, that
Gofpel-Faith and Worfhip, that legal Rights
and Liberties, could not be maintained by a
Pofifh Prince. - We may call to mind, that
our Saxon Anceftors, even under a thick Veil
of Superftition,, would not bear their Sove-
reign Princes; going in Perfon to> Rome, till
they had firft quitted their Crown and Regal
Dignity* It was. fo with our firft Royal Wan-
derer CeadwaUa* An. 685. Aa abdicated
Prince, and then a Pilgrim. Reliffo Imferio
f rafter dominum regnwnft (erfetuum vemt Ro-
mam. Jfler* Men. fub anno. So his next Suc-
ceffor lna% Et ifje reliflo Imferio ac junior ilus
commendato ad limina leatorum Afoftolorum> Gre-
fprio Pontifcatm tenente profeffus-eft. ib. It

was;

Itoufe of Lords, Jan. 30. 1 7 r 9. 19

was the fame with Kjnred, Offa, and other
weak Princes. The firft Inftance to the con-
trary, I think, was Ethlwolfb, who adven-
tur'd to go as a crowned Head to Rome%
An. 855. But this was thought fuch an In-
dignity to the Realm of England, that it oc-
cafion'd great Confufions. For in his Ab-
fence it was in effect declared, that he had
forfeited his Rights, that he ought not to be
Received as King, but be Rejeded and Dif-
own'd for ever. Nor could he enter and en-
jay his former State, till he had refign'd one
of his two Kingdoms, and impoverifli'd the
Land with a continual Tribute to the See of
Rome . Adhelbaldus Rex JdelwlPhi Regis filius
& Ealftanus Scirelurnenjis Ecclefi* Efifcofus>
Eanulpvus quoqite Sumurtunenfs fagi Comes con-
jitrajje referuntur, ne unquam Adelvolfus Rex a
Roma revertens iterum in Regno reciferetur. -
Ne irremediable Saxonie fericidum Mligerante
Patre cum Filio, quin immo tata cum Gente am-
lolus relellantilus, atrocius & cnidelius fer fees
fingitlos quafi clades intefiina augeretur : ineffa^
lili Patris dementia, omnium^ aftifulatione No-
lilium, adunatum antea Regnum inter Patrem £*f
f ilium dividitur.— Roma quaque omni anno tre-
centas mancwfas denariorwn fortave frwefit,
Flor. IVigorn.jub anno

But thus, I fay, all Parties would amiafe

the World by inveighing one agaioft the other.

C 2 Each

ZO sAStrmm preached before the

Each would cry out againft his Neigboutv
TJJOH art the Man : The Guilt and the Ven-
geance of that Blood be on Ttee and thy
Seed for ever. Whereas,, in truth, among all
the deplorable Divifions, there was no one
Denomination of People, but what were more
or lefs found Partakers of the Sin of this
Day. Let none be too officious in vindica-
ting themfelves : Nooe too eager in upbraid^
ing others^ The Load is not All on any one
Side. The Princes, the Priefts, the People,.
the Nation were to blame ; and we have All
©fus reafon fo far to mourn and to repent,
acid to bring forth the Frwts worthy of a Na-
tional Refentance^

The Limits of my Difcourfe. and your Pa-
tience will not fuffer me to enter into a wide
Field, that feems to open upon us : But fuffer
me, My Lords, to fuggeft a few Things, an$
to leave them in Suggeftion only.

I. Firffi, I would fuggeft, , That at the time
of {hedding this Royal JBlood, All, but the
Part of an High Court of Juftice, fo called,
and a certain Band of Officers, pretended to
be clear of it : They did all in effed, as Pi-
late at the condemning of our Holy Matter
Jefas', not only their Wives had a more:
tender Regard, but they themfelves could
wafh their own Hands before the Multitude,
We are. inoocent, fee ye to it. As Pilate

threw

of Lords, Jan. 30, 1719.

if On the People., they on the Chief
Priefts, they on the Pharifees, and they again
or) y^j himfeif, as gujlty and deferving to
«Jie ; fo here, if we arraign the Body of the
Nation, it is pleaded that there were oppo-
f]te Powers, and diftinct Armies, and equal
Strength for a long while. If we look to-
ward the two Houfes, we can find but one,
and that a Refufe of the Dregs that were
left behind. Jf we lay the Charge on a pre-
vailing Army, even there it is objected, that
the General himfelf knew little of it, that
the Soldiers were under Command and Pay,
and that fome of the Chief Officers, when
called to account for it, .excufed themfelves in
being bound to obey Orders, and not to dif-
pute. the Reafon of them.

II. Secondly, I would fuggeft, That tho
all Parties and Perfons (a very few excepted>
woi^ld juftify themfelves, and would caft the
odious Imputation upon others ; yet in truth
All were culpable more or lefs : fome as-
Principals, fome as AcceiTaries, fome as mere
Tools, CH; as idle Standers-by ; for even a-
mong the Royal Party, fome, I doubt-, were
hanging on the Wheels of die Chariot,. «ot
thinking that they did but help others to
Qverfiirn it. §om,e retired to a£l a negative
Part of ^lence .aod Safety.: Some wece haf-
tily purchafing their own Peace at die Ex-

pence:

ZZ <*A Sermon f reached before the

pence of the Publick : Some were flying into
Foreign Parts, or any Places of Refuge, till
they thought the Storm might be overpafs'd :
Some few revolted to the conquering Side.
Impoflible that an united Intereft of the King's
Friends could ever have permitted the Scan-
dal of this Day !

III. I would, Thirdly, fugged, That at this
Diftance of Time, after a third or fourth Ge-
neration, it doth not fo much concern us to-
be contending and reviling, and to turn this
Day of Fading and Mourning into a Day of
Strife and Delate ; as it does concern us, and
will concern our Pofterity, to mark and to
avoid all thofe Steps and Snares that led Men
on to this fatal Deftru&ion of King, and
Church, and State. This Caution concerns
all manner of People, and thofe more efpe-
cially who have made the loudeft Outcries
againft their Brethren upon the Occafion of
this Day; for even they, by their own late
Practices, have made it the more neceflary
to perpetuate the Obfervation of this Day, to
keep it up for an everlafting Sea-Ma rk, againft
fplitting upon the fame Rocks of DiQoyalty,
Sedition, and open Rebellion.

So many were the Delufions of Men, and
the Devices of the Devil on that Occafion,
that the time will not fuffice to be particular
in them.

i. One

1. One of the chief was a ftrange Infatua-
tion in the Minds of People tending to En-
thufiafm, and unaccountable Conceits and Pre-
judices in Matters of Religion and Govern-
ment. If the Nation had been fober-minded,
it had been impoffible to have brought thofe
things to bear. But when Mens Heads were
warm'd and turn'd with a miftaken Zeal,
and a Contempt of Knowledge ; then they
were capable of the abfurdeft Notions, of the
vaineft Imaginations ; they could believe they
knew not what, and mult impofe that Belief
on others. And fo Blafphemy, Nonfenfe, any
Illegality, any Impiety could be obtruded in
the Name ot* Divine Right and the Caufe of
God. On that Rock let us fplit no more ;
let us labour at lead to keep People in their
right Minds, and, if poflible, to recover thofe
who have been fpirited away into ftrong De-
lufions. In Religion, kt us direft Men to
found Reafon, ana to plain Scripture. InGa-
vernment, let us refer them to Laws and
Conftitutions ; and to the Grounds and Foun-
dation of all Government, .the Publick Safety
and the Common Good. Unlefs we are on
this Bottom of Scriptural Inftitutions and Le-
gal Eftabli foments ; we give Men a Loofe to
the wildeft Fancies of making and believing
their own Inventions, and perifhing in them.

2. Another unhappy Step towards the Evil
of this Day,; was humouring that Madnefs of

die.

Z4 <^ Sermon preached befon

the People by feditious Preaching to them,
and poifoning their Hearts continually with
more and more Difeontent and Difaffeftion to
their Lawful Governours. Surely the Preach-
ers of the Gofpel fhould have kept to the Te-
nour df it, Peace, and Quiet, and Obedience
for Conscience fake ; and as they found the
Multitude more inclined to Faction, they
fhould the more in feafon have fnt them in
wind to be fubjeft to the Powers fet over them
by Law, the Ordinance of Man, the Ordi-
nance of God. But alas I on the contrary,
fome who ferved at the Altar were daily
fetching Fire from it, and were blowing up
the People with Fears and Jealoufies, with
Prejudices and falfe Surmifes, to alienate their
Affe&ions from the fettled Government ; and
this as in the Name of God, and from the
very Word of God. And tho thefe were
commonly of the younger and more infer iour
Clergy, yet by the Iniquity of the Times they
grew Popular, and able to be prime Incendi-
aries of the Civil War, and to carry it on to
the Great Rebellion. Let following Ages take-
heed, that they who are commiflioned to
preach the Gofpel of Chrift, do keep within
the Bounds of that Commiflion, /.>.- our com-
jnon Faith and Salvation, and the publick
teace and Happinefs. To poifon the Flock,
is far from the feeding of it : In fuch cafes of
Infection, thefe 'She**, what have they done ?

but

ffoufe of Lords, Jan. 30. 1719. 25

but thefe Sbeffe&jk, what have they to an-
fwer for?

3. Another of the wicked Arts -to widen
thofe Breaches, was by idle Tales of Calumny
and Defamation; by fpreadiftg falfe Rumours
and the moft incredible Stories, to turn afide
the Minds of People, to affright them, and
exafperate them againtt the Government.
Some were employ'd to invent fad Stories, tho
but for the Service of a Day ; others were
fent to and fro (like fo many MefTengers of
Satan) to fpread about the terrible Accounts
Of Things, and to vouch for them ; and the
poor People, who believed them, were impa-
tient to tell every one his Neighbour ; and
every one in their Affrightments added fome-
thing more,-, tiil a Lying Sfirit feem'd to be
gone forth as a Judgment upon the Land, and
People at laft could repeat and affirm Stories
which they knew to be falfe ; and fuch Sin-
ners might be paft Shame, even upon this-
Day.

4, But from hence came the next Forerun-
ner of Ruin, the Spiriting up the common-
People into Riots and Tumults, and fo puftH
iog them forward to Infur reft ions and Rebelli-
on ; they were taught Grievances, and a Right
to have them redrefs'd in their ownWay ;; Ju<-v
iiice was to be a Demand in the Streets ; th6l
meaneft of the People were inftrufted 4nd
managed together in the Night, and to-a«p-

D, pear/

1(5 &4 Sermon f reached before the

pear at Noon- Day ; and to befiege Palaces
and Parliament-Houfes. Surely there wanted
Law, or there wanted Spirit to fiippreis them.
By their not being timely fupprefs'd, a fmall
Gang became a Party ; the Parties grew into
a Body, and that Body into Troops and Ar-
mies: By a fort of gradual Advance, like
that of Streams and Torrents, lol the Brook
became a River, and the River became a Sea*

5. In all this mult be underftood the lead-
ing Caufe of All, the Corruption and ge-
neral Depravation of Manners, that ulher'd
in that Stupidity, and thofe Calamities upon
us. The Liberties of the Stage, and inde-
cent Reprefentations, and vitious Interviews,
that came in a little before the beginning of
thofe Troubles, had tended much to foften
and taint the Minds of People. They grew
femiliar with what, their Anceftors abhor'd.
A vifible Profanenefs in forne, had caft others
into Hypocrify and .outward Appearance on-
ly* Between both, the Chriftian Simplicity
abated, the Moral Honefty decay'd; nay, Hu-
manity itfelf gave way to Difappointment,
Wrath, and Revenge. For the moft part,
the ferving upon Principle was dropt, the
Craft was to ferve for Intereft, and during
Advantage; to watch the Rife and Fall of
Policies ; to underftand Benefits, and the Gain
cr Lofs of them ; or even fometimes to ad-
vcature All upon Humour, Will, and Plea-
:, v, fure.

Houfe of Lords, Jan. 30* 1719. 17

fure. So that Inftability, Ingratitude, Anger,
and every evil thing (that could poflibly arife
from Immorality and Irreligion) had a fatal
influence on the Rife and Increafe of thofe
deplorable Troubles.

But to conclu e; There is ftill a Debt of
Thankfulnefs to God, that when we have
been juftly deploring the Sins and Follies,
and Calamities of thofe Times, efpecially the
Blacknefs and Horrour of this Day ; we fhould
caft an Eye upon the Beams of Comfort that
foon brake forth again : After the Sun-jetting*
as it were at this Noon-Day^ there was indeed
a thick Cloud, and horrible Darknefs upon us
for near twelve Years ; but then came the
Morning, and Joy with it : A Year of Jubilee,
a Month of double BteflfingB ; the peaceable
Return of one King, and the aufpicious Birth
of another. One to bring Peace and legal Set-
tlement, the other to renew them, and infure
them, we hope, for many Generations to
come. For if we can truft our own Hopes,
nay, if we can truft our own Experiences,
the good Providence of God will not fuffer us
to be again made a Sacrifice to unreafonable
Men. Pray we, That the Brightnefs of that
Divine Providence may open every day more
and more, in favour and honour of the King,
in protection and fafety of the Church and
State, in fupport ofiithe'Protcftant Intereft ;
KiTCfO'll.iA*) -«o YH-.: VJ ' : and

z8 <*A Sermon, &c.

and finally, in the Repofe and even Balance
of all Europe. And oh I let the Goodnefs of
God, that we have fo liberally tafted^ incline
us All to amend our ways, to be wife, and
vertuous, and confcientious ; to lead quiet and
feacealle Lives, in all Godlinefs and Honefty ;
that we may be worthy to give Glory unto
God on high, to fee Peace upon Earth, and:
Good-will towards Men.

F I N I S.

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