A sermon preached November V, 1673, at St. Margarets Westminst by Edward Stillingfleet ...

3. Cruelty. And by this they fully discover them∣selves to be ravening wolves: when they have lost all the tenderness, and love, and good nature of men or Christians: when no design can be so horrible or bloody, so mischievous and treache∣rous, so base and cruel, but persons will be found to undertake it, and that under a pretence of Conscience and Religion. I need not here tell the long & dreadful stories of the Roman Inquisition, the num∣bers of those in other Countreys who have been butchered on the account of Religion, but the Fact, I mean the Conspiracy, (for God be thanked it went not farther) which we bless God for the discovery and defeating of this day, doth abundantly mani∣fest the fruits of those doctrines, which they had

sucked in from the Roman Church. If only a few desperate persons upon personal provocations had been engaged in so villainous a design, we should have had never the less reason to thank God for our deliverance; but since it doth appear, that those persons who undertook it, pretended nothing in it but conscience and Religion, we have not only reason to abhorr the undertaking, but the principles which animated them to it.

I know very well what Sheeps clothing hath been of late cast over the most barbarous cruelty of these ravening wolves; and men by their impudence would endeavour to bear us down,* 1.1 that it was only a project of some few male-contents, drawn in by the subtilty of a crafty Statesman in those dayes; and that it ought not in justice or honour to be imputed to the principles of their Religion.* 1.2 Therefore to lay open before you the just and true circumstances of this horrible Con∣spiracy, I shall proceed upon these three parti∣culars.

• 1. That the persons engaged in it had no per∣sonal provocations to move them to it.
• 2. That all the motives they had to it were from the principles of their Religion.
• 3. That the Church of Rome hath never since detested the principles upon which they acted; or set any mark of infamy on the Actors in it.

1. That the persons engaged in it had no per∣sonal provocations. What injury had Catesby,

or Percy, or Tresham, or Digby received from the King or Parliament, to stir them up above thou∣sands of others to be the great managers of so hel∣lish a Plot? Did not they enjoy their estates and places, and one of them at Court too? Why should these men venture lives, estates, honours, families, and all that was dear to them? Were their estates confiscated before; and themselves every hour in danger of having their throats cut? This might make men of high spirits grow desperate. But not the least tittle of all this was pretended, by the most enraged of them: nothing but Zeal for Re∣ligion and the Catholick Cause, was ever pleaded by them. To which purpose these are remarkable words of King Iames in his Speech in Parliament up∣on the discovery.* 1.3 For if these Conspirators, saith he, had only been bankrupt persons, or discontented upon occasion of any disgraces done them, this might have seemed to have been but a work of revenge. But for my own part, as I scarcely ever knew any of them, so cannot they alledge so much as a pretended cause of grief, and the wretch him∣self in hands doth confess, that there was no cause moving him or them, but Meerly and Only Religion. And the King himself again avowed it to the whole Chri∣stian world,* 1.4 That the Papists had not before this horrible design, the least colour of any discontent from him: that he had so far suspended penalties, and abated the rigorous execution of Laws against them, to such a degree, as gave great suspicion to his best Subjects, who told him what

would be the fruit of all his kindness to them. Nay, he saith, they grew to that height of pride in confidence of his Mild∣ness, as they did directly expect, and assuredly promise to themselves Liberty of Conscience, and equality with his other Subjects in all things: that he had shewn particular Favours to many of them, gave them free access to him, eased them of their payments, set their Priests at liberty, granted a general Pardon to them after conviction. Now after all this, what colour or pretence in the world can there be to say, that only discontent and despair brought these men to it? O, but it might however be the cunning of a great Minister of State, to draw a few Gentlemen and others into such a Plot. This I know is suggested and believed by some, who think it a fine thing to talk out of the common road, and to be thought more skilful in My∣steries of State than other men. But I would fain understand from whence they derive this pro∣found intelligence at such a distance of years. If King Iames may be believed, if the Popish Histo∣rians and Apologists at that time may be credi∣ted, there was not the least intimation given, either by the Actors or Sufferers, from abroad or at home of any such thing. Was not the world sufficient∣ly alarm'd at the news of this dangerous and un∣parallel'd Conspiracy? Were not men very in∣quisitive into all the particulars? and those of the Church of Rome, especially the Iesuits concerned in point of honour to wipe off the stain from them∣selves,

and to cast the odium of it on a great Minister of State? Were not two of the Iesuits who were conscious of the Plot, preferred afterwards at Rome? and how many Writings came from thence about it? and yet not one man discovered the least suspicion of any such thing. If they go on in this way without the least shadow of proof to lay the contrivance of this Plot on a professed Protestant: for all that I know, by the next age, they may hope to perswade men, that it was a Plot of Protestants to blow up a Popish King and Parliament.

2. That they had all their Motives and encou∣ragements from the principles of their Religion to undertake such a design. (And Philostratus con∣tends, that the murder of Domitian ought rather to be attributed to the doctrines of Apollonius,* 1.5 than to the hands of Stephanus and Parthenius.) For which we are to consider, that they were fully possessed with this as a principle of their Religion, That it was absolutely in the Popes power to deprive heretical Prin∣ces of their dominions: which had been rooted in them, especially after that Pius the Fifth had fully declared it in his Bull against Queen Elizabeth. In her case they made no scruple to destroy her if they could, and thought they should do it with a good conscience. And there are no Villains in the world like those who are Villains out of consci∣ence. But as to the Queens Successor, the Pope had declared nothing; till such time as Garnett

being Provincial of the Iesuits, had received two Briev's from Rome,* 1.6 wherein he declared, That in case they should suspect the Queens Successor would not be true to their Religion, it was lawful for them to use their endeavours to keep him from the Crown. These Briev's Garnett shews to Catesby,* 1.7 who took the rise of his design from hence. And when afterwards in con∣ference Garnett desired him to know the Popes opi∣nion in it, he replyed, That he needed not ask that, for if it were lawful to exclude him before he came to the Crown, it was lawful to take him away when he was in pos∣session of it. Which argument was so strong, that Garnett either had no mind, or was not able to an∣swer it. All the scruple Catesby had after this was, whether it were lawful to destroy the innocent and guilty to∣gether: which Garnett fully resolved him in, so it were for the greater good of the Church. Upon these two grounds as Widdrington, a Roman Catholick well observes, Catesby laid the Foundation of his whole conspiracy. After this, it's evident by mani∣fest proofs, and Garnetts own confession under his hand, that he and other Iesuits did understand the particulars of the Plot; and Tesmond another Ie∣suit and he discoursed the circumstances walking together in Moor-Fields; and that not in confession, as is pretended, for the Iesuit did not confess it as a fault, but advised with him about particulars, and asked him, who should be Protector of the Kingdom after the Plot took effect? as Garnett himself confessed.

But suppose it had been in confession; why might not Treason be discovered as well as Heresie? and their Casuists acknowledge, that Heresie may be revealed. There is only this difference, that Trea∣son is only against Secular Princes, but Heresie against the interest of their Church; which is dearer to them than all the Princes lives in the World. Yea, so bu∣sie were the Iesuits in encouraging this Plot, that they not only debated it among themselves; but one of them gave them the Sacrament upon the Oath of Secrecy, and then absolved them after the discovery; another prayed for good success, ano∣ther comforted them after it was discovered by the examples of good designs that had wanted success. And must we after all this believe, that only a few discontented Laicks were engaged in it, and that it was nothing at all to their Church? when the Iesuits gave all the encouragement to them in it, in point of conscience: so that it was truly, as well as wittily said of one, That the Iesuits double garment might well be called Charity, because it cove∣red a multitude of sins.

3. But if the Church of Rome give no encourage∣ment to such actions; why hath it not detested the principles upon which it was grounded? Why hath it not removed all suspicion in the minds of Princes and People of giving any countenance to such treasonable designs? But on the contrary, the same doctrines are still avowed, and the per∣sons

of the Conspirators honoured. Widdrington saith,* 1.8 that Garnetts name was inserted into the English Martyrology, though he gave it under his hand, that he dyed for Treason, That his bones were kept for Reliques, and his Image set over Altars, as of a holy Mar∣tyr? Is this the honour of Regicides and Traytors in the Roman Church? When in the late prosperous Rebellion, the prevailing Faction had proceeded to such a height of Wickedness, as to take away the life of our Gracious Soveraign, how did the Church and Nation groan and grow impatient till they could vindicate the honour of our Religion and Countrey! not only by an execution of Ju∣stice on the persons of the Regicides, but by decla∣ring in Parliament against the principles that led to it. What hath there been done like this in the Court or Church of Rome, against the principles or actors of this Gunpowder-Treason? If it had succeed∣ed, by all that we can see, Paul the Fifth might have admired the providence of God in it, as much as Sixtus the Fifth did in the murder of Henry the Third of France: and we may guess his mind shrewdly by the Bulls he published against the Oath of Allegiance, which the King was forced for his own security to impose on the Papists after this Conspiracy. With what scorn and contempt doth Bellarmine treat the King in his Writings against him, and tells him in plain terms, if he would be secure, he must give liberty to their Religion? It

seems then, their principles are dangerous to Princes where they have it not. What mark of dishonour was there set by their own part on any one of the Conspirators? Two of the Iesuits upon their arrival at Rome, met with such hard usage, that one was made the Popes Poenitentiary, the other a Confessor in S. Peters at Rome. And is not this the way to let the world see, how detestable such persons and practices are to their Church? To conclude all, I challenge those of the Roman Church to produce any one solemn Declaration of that Church, (I do not say of Secular Powers or some particular persons, or Councils rejected at Rome) whereby they make it unlawful for the Pope to depose Princes, or to absolve Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance to them. But in∣stead of that, even in this present age of ours, that opinion which makes it unlawful, hath been condemned at Rome by three several Popes, Paul the Fifth, Innocent the Tenth, and Alexander the Seventh: and which is more considerable, all three have condemned it with a particular respect to the case of His Majesties Subjects; and not meerly condemned it as a false opinion, but as wicked and contrary to faith. And is not the world grown wiser now, as to these matters? But if they be not, I hope we may be. And after their frequent Treasons and horrible Conspiracies, and princi∣ples, never disowned by their Church, have we

not reason to entertain in suspicion of them, as to their principles of Civil Government, till they give sufficient security, that these pernicious principles have no influence upon them▪

But blessed be that God, that hath hitherto defeat∣ed the malicious purposes of the inveterate enemies of our Church and Religion: that hath brought to light these works of darkness; and yet continued us in the enjoyment of the benefits of this mighty deliverance to this day. May the same Gracious God go on still to protect our established Religi∣on, against all Forreign Usurpations and Dome∣stick Factions. May our love to it still increase, and our zeal for its preservation make us study the best means to preserve it; that neither Divisi∣ons among our selves, nor Assaults of our com∣mon enemies may be ever able to ruine and de∣stroy it; that we may still say with the Psalmist, Blessed be the Lord,* 1.9 who hath not given us over as a prey unto their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a Bird out of the snare of the fowlers; the smare is broken and we are escaped. Our help is in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Apology for Papists. Reply to the Answer, p. 203.
• * 1.2

  Advocate for Liberty of Consci∣ence, p. 218.
• * 1.3

  K. Iames's Works, p. 501.
• * 1.4

  K. Iames's Works, p. 253.
• * 1.5

  L. 7. Vit. Apol.
• * 1.6

  Widdringt. append. ad Supplicat. p. 133.
• * 1.7

  Proceeding against the Traitors. Garnett's Tryal.
• * 1.8

  Widdring∣ton. Appen. p. 150.
• * 1.9

  Psal. 124.6, 7, 8.