inftil loyal Principles. May all Schemes, SERM. IX. that tend to bring in Popery, and it's conftant Attendant, Slavery, or to poison the Minds of Men with Republican Principles, be blasted. May the King long live happy in his numerous Progeny, happy in the Affections and Hearts of his People. And may we live long happy in His paternal Regard and Rule over us. Let us fear the LORD, and the King, and not meddle with those turbulent Spirits who are given to Change. To Speak Evil of the Ruler of the People, and of Dignities, is a Vice expreffly forbidden in Scripture. On the other Hand, to extol them while they are upon the Throne, creates a Sufpicion of fome finifter Views and By-ends. And indeed Praises are seldom valuable, but when they come from thofe who can difpraise with Impunity. In the present Case they are intirely needlefs, it being a Confideration of fufficient Weight to inforce Obedience, that whoever would attempt to new-model the Government, or to difplace the present Royal Family, must embark, it is to be hoped, in an impracticable Scheme. But if he should fucceed in his Attempts, he VOL. I. R muft SERM. IX. muft throw this Kingdom into Convulfions, and leave us in a much worfe State than He found us, He muft unhinge the best conftituted Government, to give us I know not what in it's Room. Which brings me, IIIdly, To conclude with fome Reflexions fuitable to the Solemnity. GOD, who, at fundry Times, and in divers Manners, hath formerly delivered this Nation from Popery, hath, in a remarkable Manner, refcued Us from the imminent Apprehenfions of it arising from the late Rebellion: A Religion which Men of good Nature muft abhor for it's many Cruelties; Men of Senfe, for it's many Abfurdities; and Men of Virtue, for it's large Indulgences to, and Encouragements of Immorality. It was to have been ushered in, and indeed could only be ushered in, by Bloodshed, Rapine and Defolation, and could only have been fupported by arbitrary Power, and illegal Acts of Cruelty and Oppreffion. There could not have been a more terrible Thing than to have had a Popish Prince at the Head of a Protestant Nation Nor could any Thing have been more more unreafonable." For is it reasonable SERM. IX. that a Papist, becaufe He is of Royal Defcent, fhould be invefted with a Regal Power in a Country, where if he had been born a private Man, he could not in Law, and ought not in Reason to have been intrufted with the lowest Office in the Government? No Nation under the Sun ever permits a Perfon, who is of a different Religion from it, to fit at the Helm of it; and the Reason is, because it is very abfurd to put it in any Man's Power to fubvert one Part, and a very valuable Part, of our Conftitution, who has a ftrong and rivetted Inclination to do it. ད་ Promises, that they will fecure us in the Poffeffion of our Religion, fignify nothing; becaufe fuch Promifes are never to be depended upon. People in Adversity promife generally very fair, who, when they have got the Reins in their Hands, break through all Vows, Ties and Engagements. The fame Profeffions Queen Mary made; and how fhe kept them, let the History of her Reign inform us, which was one continued Scene of Cruelty and Martyrdom; Cuelty, intirely owing to her Religion. For, fetting afide that, he was in her own R 2 Nature SERM.IX. Nature very compaffionate. Nay, fo far did the Fury of that Reign extend, that the helpless Infant, forced from the Mother's Womb by the Extremity of Tortures, was thrown alive into the Flames as guilty of it's Mother's Herefy, and under the Sentence of the Holy Court, which had condemned the Mother without excepting her Womb *. Such Promises King James the Second * See Bishop Burnet's Hiftory of the Reformation, Vol. II. P. 314. Anno 1556. "But this July there was done in Gernfey an Act of as great Inhumanity, as ever was recorded "in any Age. A Mother and her two Daughters were "burnt at the fame Stake; and one of them a married woman big with Child, when she was in the Fire, the "Violence of it bursting her Belly, a Boy fell out into the "Flame, that was fnatched out of it by one that was more "merciful than the Reft: but after they had a little con"fulted about it, the Infant was thrown in again, and "there was literally baptized with Fire. There were mány Eye-witneffes of this, who attefted it afterwards in "Queen Elizabeth's Time, when the Matter was enquired "into, and fpecial Care was taken to have full and evi"dent Proofs of it. For indeed the Fact was fo unnatural, "that a Man muft either be poffeffed with a very ill Opi"nion of the Actors, or be well fatisfied about the Number "and Credibility of the Witneffes, before he could believe it. "But Lies and Forgeries are feldom made of Actions done in "the Face of the Sun, and before fo great an Affembly as was "prefent at this. Therefore Complaint being made of it to "Queen Elizabeth, the Dean of Gernfey was put in Prison for "it; and afterwards he,and nine more that were all acceffary "to it, took out their Pardons. So merciful was the Go"vernment then, to pardon an Action of fuch a monstrous "Nature, because done with fome Colour of Law; fince it was faid, the Mother was condemned to be burnt, and no "Excep Second made with Tears in His Eyes be- SER.IX. fore He came to the Throne; and no fooner was he fettled in it, but he left no Stone unturned to deftroy the Reformed Religion. And yet He was a Prince of many excellent Qualities, and would have made a Nation of Roman Catholics very happy. The Truth of it is, We have only the Vices of a Proteftant Prince to fear, and may be made happy by his Virtues: But the very Piety of a Popish Prince obliges him to our Destruction, and in Proportion as he is more religious, he becomes more infupportable. But how little their Profeffions, or even Oaths, are to be depended on, the following Inftance, related by Hiftorians of their own Perfuafion, fufficiently fhews; and I the rather mention it, as it contains a remarkable Inftance of a particular Providence. Uladislaus King of Hungary made "And "Exception was made of her Belly." And p. 315. |