The remonstrance from the Reverend Father in God, Francis Lord Bishop of Ely, and several others, the most eminent divines of the Church of England, against the proceedings of the P: O. and the lords spiritual and temporal, that invited him. Being an adress [sic], from the pulpit to the King, in fifteen sermons; denouncing damnation, &c. to the abdicators of God's annoynted, and abettors of this rebellion.

A Sermon Entituled, Some seasonable Reflections on the Discovery of the la••e Plot, By William Sherlock D. D.

Psal. 18. Verse 50.

Great deliverance giveth he to his King, and sheweth mercy to his Annointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

MEn of turbulent and restless spirits will be sure to find, or make some pretences or occasions of quarrel under the most just and equal Government. Sometimes They dispute the right of Succession; but this they could not do in David's case, unless they would dispute God's right to place and displace Princes: For he was immedi∣ately chosen by God, and annointed by his Prophet, and yet this could not secure him from Conspiracies and Rebellions.

Others pretend great Oppression and male-administration of Govern∣ment, tho' Their licentious noises and clamours sufficiently confute it; for men who are most opprest dare say the least of it. And Others make Religion a pretence for Their Rebellion; Religion! the greatest and the dearest interest of all: But methinks it is a dangerous way for Men to rebel to save Their Souls, when God has * 1.1 threatned damnation against Those who rebel: But this is a vain pretence, for no man can fight for Religion, who has any Reli∣gion. Religion is a quiet, peaceable, governable thing; it teaches Men to suffer patiently, but never to rebel. And were there any true concernment for Religion in this pretence, can We imagine, that the most profest A∣theists; the most lewd prostigate Wretches, the greatest Prodigies and Monsters of wickedness, should be so zealous for Religion? But it's evi∣dent,

it is not Religion such men are zealous for, but a liberty in Reli∣gion; that is, that every one may have his liberty to be of any Re∣ligion, or of none; which serves the Atheists turn, as well as th•• Sectaries; but is nor much for the honour or interest of true Reli∣gion.

I suppose no man doubts how many dangers a Prince is expos'd to who flies before an enrag'd and victorious enemy: A Prince whose Fa∣ther was murther'd, and himself forc'd into banishment by his own Sub∣jects! Who knows not whither to go, where to hide himself, whom to trust: Many persons who were in greatest power, being concern'd (for their own preservation) to keep Him out; while those who wish'd Hi•• Return, durst not whisper any thing tending to call the King back again. This was the condition of our dread Soveraign, who was hunted as: Partridge in the mountains, pursued by his own rebellious Subjects, who had usurp'd his Throne, and thirsted after his Blood. But then God found an hiding place for Him, and delivered Him from the desire and expectation of his Enemies: And, as the Psalmist says, This is the Lords doing; and it is marvellous in our eyes; now know We, that the Lord sa∣veth his Annointed, He will hear Him from his holy Heaven, with the saving strength of his right hand, Psal. 65. 7.

God may sometimes suffer Treason and Rebellion to be prosperous, but it can never prosper but when God pleaseth; and it is impossible Rebels should ever know that. There is nothing more expresly contrary to the reveal'd will of God, than Treasonable Plots and Conspiracies against Soveraign Princes: And tho God does many times permit those things to be done, which he has forbid to be done, or else no man could ever be guilty of any sin; yet his forbidding of it is a plain argument that he does not approve it, that he will not countenance it. God never indeed interposes by an irresistible power to hinder men from choosing that which is wicked, for he offers no force or violence to mens wills: but when this wickedness is injurious to others, who are the objects of his care and providence, he many times interposes to prevent the mischief. Who ever suspected, that the Fire at New-Market, was sent by God for the preservation of our King and His Royal Brother?

Christian Religion is the greatest security of Government both i•• its precepts and examples: It commands Every Soul to be subject to the higher Powers, and threatens eternal damnation against Rebels; it strictly enjoyns the practice of all sociable virtues, and charms those boisterous passions which disturb humane conversation; it requires Us to obey our Supe∣riors

in all lawful things, and quietly to submit and suffor, when we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 obey: And the blessed Jesus, who was the Author of our Religion, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 our great Pattern and Example, did himself practise these laws, which he gave to US. He liv'd in obedience to the Civil Power, and though the Jewish Nation, which was a free People, the Lot and Inheritance of God himself, were then in subjection to the Romans, yet He would not give Them the least encouragement to shake off the yoke, but commands them to give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. He died himself upon the Cross, and made this the con∣dition of our discipleship, To take up our Cross and follow Him; and thus the Apostles and Primitive Christians did, they chearfully follow'd their Master to the Cross, and conquered by suffering. Christianity was plan∣ted in the world by no other arts but the foolishness Preaching, and it de∣fended it self Only, by a resolute and patient suffering for the name of Christ. This is the true temper and spirit of Christianity. Under the most barbarous and persecuting Emperors, no Christian ever suffer'd as a Rebel, They gave no other disturbance to the Government, than by confessing themselves to be Christians, and suffering for it. Their num∣bers indeed were very formidable, but nothing else; for in imitation of their great Master, They went as lambs to the slaughter, and as sheep before their shearers are dumb, so they opened not their mou••hs.

But notwithstanding this, our daily experience tells US, that when Religion is divided into Factions and Parties, or rather Men are divided into Factions and Parties upon account of Religion, there is nothing more imbitters mens spirits against each other, nor gives greater distur∣bance to publick Government. All the Troubles and Miseries which for these late years have overwhelmed this unfortunate Island have been dooing to this cause; Religion has been made either the reason or the pretence of all.

To deny that Prosest Protestants have ever rebell'd against their Prince, is to deny, that there ever was a Civil War in England. And I would to God, We had but one instance of this; it might have left some hope still, that This was not the temper nor the Principles of the Men, but some unlucky ••••••cture of ••ffairs, which transported Them beyond the bounds of their Duty, and their own ••••ow'd Principles.

When Religion turns into a ••••a••e 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to curb and restrain, and quell such pretences, is not to invade the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Conscience, o•• the ••••ber∣•••••• of Religion, but to secure the publick 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to prevent the occa∣sions of new Rebellions. And no sob•••• man can 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his Prince for

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this, tho he may Those, (and ought to express a just indignation against Them) who forfeit this liberty, by abusing it for a cloak of malicious∣ness.

A great and passionate Zeal, like a distemper'd Love, blinds mens eyes, and makes them mistake both their Enemies and Friends. It fills their heads with endless jealousies and fears, and makes them start and run a∣way from their own shadow. Such a boysterous Zeal is the frenzy and Calenture of Religion, which makes men uncapable of any sober coun∣sel, and all prudent Resolves, and precipitates them into the most wild, extravagant, and irreligious attempts. There is nothing more perni∣cious than Zeal, when it gets a-head, and bears down all the considera∣tions of Reason and Religion before it. When men are conscious to themselves, that they are engag'd in a good cause, and have honest de∣signs, it makes them more bold and venturous: For tho few men da•• own it, yet the actions of too many sufficiently proclaim, that Th•••• think they may strain a Point, and dispence with strict Duty, when it is to serve a good cause, when the Honour of God, and the Interest of R••∣ligion is concern'd: Such a Zeal does violently push Men forward, but •••• does not steer well, nor observe its compass; and thus it is too often see•• that Men who begin with a zeal for Religion, insensibly slip into Stat•• Factions, and are engag'd vastly beyond what They first design'd. L•••• Us then above all things have a care of our Zeal, that we may not mista••∣en earthly Fire, which burns and consumes, for that divine and harmle•• Flame, which is kindled at God's altar. A true zeal for Religion, is no∣thing more nor less: than such an hearty love for it as makes us very di∣ligent in the practise of it out selves, and contented, if God sees it fit, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lay down our lives for it, and very industrious to promote the know∣ledge and practise of Religion in the World, by all lawful and prude•••• means. A true Christian Zeal will not suffer US to transgress the stri•••• bounds of our duty to God, or of our duty to Men, especially to King and Princes, whatever Flattering Prospect of advantage it may give. To lye, to forswear our selves, to hate and revile each other; To re∣proach and libel Governors in Church or State; to stir up, or counte∣nance, with the least Thought, any Plots, Seditions or Rebellions again•••• the King, is not a Zeal for God nor for Religion: for this wisdom•• not from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devillish: for where strife and co••∣tention is, there is every evil work.

Let Our past Experience therefore teach Us, to watch over the lea••••

stirrings, and first appearances of a seditious and factious spirit, either in our selves or others, however it may be disguised with a pretence of Religion. Faction, like other vices, has but very small beginnings; but when those beginnings are indulg'd, it soon improves, and gets strength. Omne in praecipiti vitium stetit: When men once espouse a Par∣ty, like those who are running down hill; they cannot stop when they please. Discontents and jealousies are easily fomented, when We have once given admission to them; and the busy Factors and Agents for Se∣dition, when They find US never so little disposed to receive the Im∣pression, use their utmost art and skill, all the methods of insinuation and address, to make us Proselytes. I doubt not but many Men have died Rebels, and suffer'd as Traytors, who at first did as much abhor the though••s of Treason and Rebellion, as any of us can; Thus I doubt not but it was in our late Troubles; And thus I believe it is at this Day.

Let such Examples as these make Us wary, how We begin to enter∣tain, or to whisper our discontents and fears; how we begin to listen to be suspicious of our Prince, or of his Government; and to hear with plea∣sure, any scandalous stories or reflections on either. Those who can with content and pleasure hear their Prince and his Government revil'd, will soon think him not fit to be Their King.

And the great danger of such beginnings is, that We are not apt to observe them in our selves or others, when Religion is concern'd in the quarrel. We think it all Zeal, pure Zeal! and can't suspect our selves or others, to be in any danger of turning Rebels. But whatever is in its own nature a degree or tendency towards Rebellion, is so where-ever, and in whomsoever it is found; and there is always more danger, that the beginnings of vice should corrupt the best temper of mind, than any hope that a sound and religious disposition should correct the malign in∣fluences of such a vice. Some mens Religion does as much incline them to Faction, as secular interest doth other men; and there is no such dan∣gerous Faction, as that which is bred and nourish'd by the corruptions of Religion. The Jewish Zealots, and the Christian Enthusiasts of all sorts, are too plain an Example of it. And therefore when men, who make great pretences to Religion, begin to talk or act factiously, a fair opportunity is as like to make them Rebels, as any other men. Thus We often see it is, and this is a sufficient reason to suspect all such begin∣nings, either in our selVes or others, whatever glorious pretences we may have.

London, Printed for Tho. Basset at the George in Fleetstreet.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rom. 13. 2.