and the Romans will come and take away both our Place and Nation Here was a causeless Cry against Christ That the Romans would come and see how just the Judgment of God was They crucified Christ for fear least the Romans should come and his Death was it which brought in the Romans upon them God punishing them with that which they most feared And I pray God this Clamour of venient Romani of which I have given no cause help not to bring them in For the Pope never had such a Harvest in England since the Reformation as he hath now upon the Sects and Divisions that are amongst us In the mean time by Honour and Dishonour by good Report and evil Report as a Deceiver and yet True am I passing through this World Some Particulars also I think it not amiss to speak of And first this I shall be bold to speak of The King our gracious Sovereign hath been also much and â—eed for bringing in of Popery but on my Conscience of which I shall give God a present Account I know him to be as free from this Charge as any Man living and I hold him to be as sound a Protestant according to the Religion by Law establish'd as any Man in this Kingdom and that he will venture his Life as far and as freely for it and I think I do or should know both his Affection to Religion and his Grounds for it as fully as any Man in England The second Particular is concerning this Great and Populous City which God bless Here hath been of late a Fashion taken up to gather Hands and then to go to the Great Court of this Kingdom the Parliament and clamour for Justice as if that Great and Wise Court before whom the Causes come which are unknown to the many could not or would not do Justice but at their Appointment A way which may endanger many an innocent Man and pluck his Blood upon their own Heads and perhaps upon the City 's also And this hath been lately practised against my self the Magistrates standing still and suffering them openly to proceed from Parish to Parish without Check God forgive the Setters of this I beg it with all my Heart but many well-meaning People are caught by it In St. Stephen's Case when nothing else would serve they stirred up the People against him and Herod went the same way when he had killed St. James yet he would not venture upon St. Peter till he found how the other pleased the People But take heed of having your Hands full of Blood For there is a Time best known to himself when God above other Sins makes Inquisition for Blood and when that Inquisition is on foot the Psalmist tells us that God remembers but that 's not all he remembers and forgets not the complaint of the poor that is whose blood is shed by oppression v. 9. Take heed of this 'T is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God but then especially when he is making Inquisition for Blood and with my Prayers to avert it I do heartily desire this City to remember the Prophecy Jer. 26.15 The third Particular is the poor Church of England It hath flourished and been a shelter to other neighbouring Churches when Storms have driven upon them But alas now 't is in a Storm it self and God only knows whether or how it shall get out And which is worse than a Storm from without it 's become like an Oak cleft to shivers with Wedges made out of its own Body and at every Cleft Profaneness and Irreligion is entering in while as Prosper speaks L. 2. de Contemptu Vitae c. 4. Men that introduce Profaneness are cloaked over with the Name of Imaginary Religion For we have lost the Substance and dwell too much in Opinion and that Church which all the Jesuites Machinations could not Ruine is fallen into Danger by her own The last Particular for I am not willing to be too long is my self I was Born and Baptized in the Bosom of the Church of England established by Law in that Profession I have ever since lived and in that I come now to die This is no time to dissemble with God least of all in matter of Religion and therefore I desire it may be remembred I have always lived in the Protestant Religion established in England What Clamours and Slanders I have endured for labouring to keep an Uniformity in the External Service of God according to the Doctrine and Discipline of this Church all Men know and I have abundantly felt Now at last I am accused of High Treason in Parliament a Crime which my Soul ever abhorred This Treason was charged to consist of these two Parts an Endeavour to subvert the Laws of the Land and to overthrow the True Protesant Religion established by Law Besides my Answers to the several Charges I protested my Innocency in both Houses It was said Prisoners Protestations at the Bar must not be taken I can bring no Witness of my Heart and the intentions thereof therefore I must come to my Protestation not at the Bar but at this hour and instant of my Death In which I hope all Men will be such Charitable Christians as not to think I would die and dissemble being instantly to give God an Account for the Truth of it I do therefore here in the Presence of God and his Holy Angels take it upon my Death That I never endeavoured the Subversion either of Law or Religion and I desire you all to remember this Protestation of mine for my Innocency in these and from all Treasons whatsoever I have been accused likewise as an Enemy to Parliaments No I understand them too well and the Benefit that comes by them too well to be so but I did mislike the Misgovernments of some Parliaments many ways and I had good Reason for it For Corruptio optimi est pessima the better the Thing is in nature the worse it is corrupted And that being the Highest Court over which no other here have jurisdiction when 't is misinformed or misgoverned the Subject is left without all Remedy But I have done I forgive all the World all and every of those bitter Enemies which have persecuted me and humbly desire to be forgiven of God first and then of every Man whether I have offended him or not if he do but conceive that I have Lord do thou forgive me and I beg forgiveness of him and so I heartily desire all to joyn in Prayer with me O Eternal God and Merciful Father look down upon me in Mercy in the Riches and Fulness of all thy Mercies look upon me but not till thou hast nail'd my Sins to the Cross of Christ not till thou hast bathed me in the Blood of Christ not till I have hid my self in the Wounds of Christ that so the Punishment due to my Sins may pass over me And since thou art pleased to try me
Army it was because the Parliament rejected them They are the Words of one of their own Party that most of the Romanists that seem'd to be of the old King's side only fled to his Garrisons for shelter and not to take up Arms to offend the Parliament Christ Moderator par 2. p. 12 29. Several of them boasted they were able to make appear their Faithfulness and good Affection to them the Rump See the Petitions of Sir R. Talbot and Garret Moor Esq See more on this Subject in Dr. Stillingfleet 's Idolatry of the Church of Rome p. 301 c. IV. In the Reign of King Charles II. 1. There was a Design carry'd on all along to alienate the Affections of Protestants one from another as plainly shew'd it self first of all at the King's Return who being put hard to it by the several Obligations he had contracted upon himself and Promises made of shewing Favour to each considerable Party in England For he had at his Coronation in Scotland promised and swore by the Eternal and Almighty God who lives and reigns for ever to rule the People committed to his Charge according to the Will and Command of God revealed in his Word and according to the lowable Laws and Constitutions of that Realm no ways repugnant to the said Word and to procure to the utmost of his Power to the Kirk of God and whole Christian People true and perfect Peace in time coming c. See the Form and Order of his Coronation printed by Robert Dowglas Minister at Edinburgh and reprinted at London 1660. p. 20. c. After this Engagement to the Kirk of Scotland he made as kind a Promise to the Papists at Breda as I remember that upon Condition they would assist him in Recovery of his Father's Throne he would do what he could to promote the Interest of the Catholick Cause in England And he could do no less but oblige himself as faithfully to the Church of England who had been faithful Sticklers for his Father as long they were able and afterwards applied to the Son with such a Courage and Resolution that they never left him till they had brought him safe to his long-desired Home In this Distraction of Mind he came to his Throne and any one may easily guess what Difficulties he must needs encounter in his following Reign What Endeavours were used to hinder the Puritans or Protestant Dissenters from obtaining Favour with the King as that they were ready with Forces raised to oppose his Majesty c. See the Account of the Sham-Presbyterian-Plot the Papists devised then in Yarraton 's Discovery p. 4 5 6 8 16. What Metheds were taken to widen the Differences between the Church-men and Dissenters is too plain to need a Descant and too fresh to be forgotten 2. Another Plot in this King's Reign was the Burning of London in 1666. For it was not enough with our Adversaries to enkindle a Fire of Passion and Discord in the Minds of People they proceeded next to kindle a material Fire in our most stately Buildings and nothing less would serve than the Metropolis of the Nation the great Mart of these three Kingdoms For the Proof whereof I shall insist only upon these seven Particulars 1. Strange Provincial of the Jesuits Gray Pennington Barton Jesuits c. and Keimask a Dominican Fryar pretending to be Fifth-Monarchy-Men prevailed with one Green a Fifth-Monarchy man but poor by lending him 30 l. to be an Instrument in firing London Green brought in eight other Fifth-Monarchy-men as Assistants but deferring to do it presently they were discovered tried and executed only Green died in Prison the Jesuits were not discovered because not known to be such 1665 6. as appears by Oates's Nar. Art 34. compared with the publick Gazet Apr. 30. 1666. 2. Several Persons were taken with Fire-Balls brought before the Magistrates and Committed to Custody but rescued by the Favour of the D. of Y. 3. One Hubbard was Executed who confessed that he began the Fire with one Pie-de-loup a French-man who came over on that Design with 23 other French-men 4. Several Letters were produced from beyond Sea enquiring whither London was Burnt hearing date some Days before the Fire began 5. Several words which the Papists had cast out here to the same purpose were proved as may be seen in the Depositions and Informations before the Committee in the House of Commons in Sept. 1666. of which Sir Robert Brokes was Chair-man 6. The Benedictines boasted to Mr. Bedloe that they had a hand in it and shewed him several Letters about it and told him that they resolved to Burn it again and tampered with Mr. Bedloe about it 7. Groves with Three Irish-men Fired Southwark 8. Doth any man begin to doubt said the Lord Chancellour in his Speech at the Lord Stafford's Condemnation how London came to be Burnt And is it not apparent by those Instances that such is the Frantick Zeal of some Bigotted Papists that they resolve no means that may serve to advance the Catholick Cause shall be left unattempted tho' it be by Fire and Sword 9. If all this will not serve to convince my Incredulous Reader I refer him to the Monument in London Erected in Perpetuam hujus Neferie actionis Memoriam Where the dead Stones witness the Truth of it with a voice loud enough to be heard to the utmost parts of the World POSTSCRIPT 3. A third Plot in King Charles the II. Reign was that which is commonly known and called by some in way of Derision Oates's Plot which yet I am perswaded in my own breast was no sham for these Reasons following 1. Because March 25. 1679. it was resolved nemine contradicente by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in Parliament Assembled That they do declare that they are fully satisfied by the Proofs they have heard that there now is and for diverse Years last past hath been a Horrid and Treasonable Plot and Conspiracy continued and carried on by those of the Popish Religion for the Murthering of His Majesty's Sacred Person and Subverting the Protestant Religion and the Ancient and Established Government of the Kingdom Joh. Brown Cleric Parliament 2. Because hereupon ' the King himself Issued out two several Proclamatins for a general Fast the first in these words CHARLES R. WHereas the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this Parliament Assembled being deeply sensible of the Sad and Calamitous Condition of this our Kingdom occasioned chiefly by the Impious and malicious Conspirary of a Popish Party who have not only Plotted and intended the Destruction of our Royal Person but the total Subdersion of our Government and of the true Protestant Religion c. have besought Vs that a Day might be set apart we have to this their humble Request most readily inclined Given at White-Hall Mar. 28 1679. 3. Because several Persons gave Testimony to the Truth thereof who were of their own party as Dr. Oates Capt. Bedloe
to the uttermost I humbly beseech thee give me now in this great Instant full Patience proportionable Comfort and a Heart ready to die for thy Honour the King's Happiness and this Church's Preservation and my Zeal to these far from Arrogancy be it spoken is all the Sin Humane Frailty excepted and all Incidents thereto which is yet known to me in this Particular for which I now come to suffer I say in this particular of Treason but otherwise my Sins are very many and great Lord pardon them all and those especially whatever they are which have drawn down this special Judgment upon me And when thou hast given me Strength to bear it do with me as seems best in thine own Eyes and carry me through Death that I may look upon it in what Visage soever it appear unto me Amen And that there may be a Stop of this Issue of Blood in this more than miserable Kingdom I shall desire That I may pray for the People too as well as for my self O Lord I beseech thee give Grace of Repentance to all Blood-thirsty People but if they will not Repent O Lord confound all their Devices defeat and frustrate all their Designs and Endeavours upon them which shall be contrary to the Glory of thy Great Name the Truth and Sincerity of Religion the Establishment of the King and his Posterity after him in their just Rights and Privileges the Honour and Conservation of Parliaments in their just Power the Preservation of this poor Church in her Truth Peace and Patrimony and the Settlement of this distracted and distressed People under their ancient Laws and in their native Liberties And when thou hast done all this in Mercy for them O Lord fill their Hearts with Thankfulness and with Religious Dutiful Obedience to thee and thy Commandments all their Days So Amen Lord Jesus Amen And receive my Soul into thy Bosom Amen Our Father c. Again kneeling by the Block he prayed thus Lord I am coming as fast as I can I know I must pass through the Shadow of Death before I can come to see thee But it is but umbra mortis a meer Shadow of Death a little Darkness upon Nature but thou thro' thy Merits and Passion hast broke through the Jaws of Death So Lord receive my Soul and have Mercy upon me and bless this Kingdom with Peace and Plenty and with Brotherly Love and Charity that there may not be this Effusion of Christian Blood amongst them for Jesus Christ's sake if it be thy Will Then laying his Head upon the Block and praying silently to himself he said aloud Lord receive my Soul Which was the Signal given to the Executioner Thus he died Aged 71. Jan. 10. 1644. A brief Relat. of his Death and Sufferings printed at Oxon c. 1644. 114. King Charles the First made this his last Speech upon the Scaffold I Shall be very little heard by any body here I shall therefore speak a Word unto you here Indeed I could hold my Peace very well if I did not think that holding my Peace would make some Men think that I did submit to the Guilt as well as to the Punishment but I think it is my Duty to God first and to my Country for to clear my self both as an honest Man and a good Christian I shall begin first with my Innocency In troth I think it not very needful for me to insist long upon this for all the World knows I never did begin a War with the two Houses of Parliament and I call God to witness to whom I must shortly make an Account that I never did intend to encroach upon their Privileges They began upon me it was the Militia they began upon They confess'd that the Militia was mine but they thought it fit to have it from me And to be short if any Body will look to the Dates of Commissions both theirs and mine and likewise to the Declarations will see clearly that they began these unhappy Troubles not I So that for the Guilt of these enormous Crimes that are laid against me I hope in God that God will clear me of it I will not I am in Charity God forbid that I should lay it upon the two Houses of Parliament there is no necessity of either I hope they are free of this Guilt For I do believe that ill Instruments between them and me have been the Cause of all this Bloodshed so that by way of speaking I find my self clear of this I hope and pray God that they may be so too Yet for all this God forbid that I should be so ill a Christian as not to say That God's Judgments are just upon me Many times he doth pay Justice by an unjust Sentence that is ordinary I will only say this That an unjust Sentence that I suffered to take effect is punished now by an unjust Sentence upon me That is so far I have said to shew you that I am an innocent Man Now for to shew you that I am a good Christian I hope there is a good Man pointing to Dr. Juxon that will bear me witness that I have forgiven all the World and those in particular that have been the chief Causers of my Death who they are God knows I do not desire to know I pray God forgive them But this is not all my Charity must go further I wish that they may repent for indeed they have committed a great Sin in that Particular I pray God with St. Stephen that this be not laid to their Charge nay not only so but that they may take the right way to the Peace of the Kingdom So Sirs I do wish with all my Soul and I hope there is some here will carry it further that they may endeavour the Peace of the Kingdom Now Sirs I must shew you how you are out of the way and will put you in a way First You are out of the way for certainly all the way you ever had yet as I could find by any thing is in the way of Conquest Certainly this is an ill way for Conquest Sirs in my Opinion is never Just except there be a good just Cause either for Matter of Wrong or a just Title and then if you go beyond it that makes it Unjust in the end that was Just at first But if it be only Matter of Conquest then it is a great Robbery as a Pirate said to Alexander That he was the great Robber he was but a petty Robber And so Sirs I do think the way you are in is much out of the way Now Sirs for to put you in the way believe it you will never do right nor God will never prosper you until you give God his due the King his due that is my Successors and the People their due I am as much for them as any of you You must give God his due by regulating rightly his Church according to his Scriptures which is now out
Happiness Death and Judgment Arch-bishop Tenison 's Sermon preached at the Funeral of Her late Majesty 41. In this Princess Authority Majesty and Humility met together That dwelt in her to such a degree that in her Presence or within her Hearing the speaking of this which I have said or any thing like this would have been exceedingly offensive But the Justice of Nations gives those Praises to the Merit of good Princes which their own Modesty would not bear An ordinary Instance may suffice for the shewing her averseness not only to Flattery but to Praise Of a Book addressed to her she said She had read it and lik'd it well but much the better because the Epistle was a bare Dedication Ibid. 42. Her Graces and Vertues were not blemished by Vanity or Affection Had that been so she would scarce have made such a Profession as this a little before her Death I know said she what loose People think of those who pretend to Religion they think it is all Hypocrisie Let them think what they will I may now say and I thank God I can say it I have not affected to appear what I was not Ibid. 43. Seeing God had determin'd this good Queen must die the Christian Manner in which she went out of the World is in some sort an Alleviation of the Grief of those whom she has left behind her who have indeed Reason more than enough to mourn but yet not as Persons without hope Ibid. 44. I will not say that of this Affliction she had any formal Presage but yet there was something which look'd like an immediate Preparation for it I mean her choosing to hear read more than once a little before it the last Sermon of a Good and Learned Man now with God upon this Subject What! shall we receive Good from the Hand of God and shall we not receive Evil Job 2.10 Ibid. 45. She fix'd the Times of Prayers in that Chamber to which her Sickness had confin'd her On that very Day she shewed how sensible she was of Death and how little she fear'd it She required him who officiated there to add that Collect in the Communion of the Sick in which are these Words That whensoever the Soul shall depart from the Body it may be without Spot presented unto Thee I will said she have this Collect read twice every Day All have need to be put in mind of Death and Princes have as much as any Body else Ibid. 46. She seem'd neither to fear Death nor to covet Life There appear'd not the least Sign of Regret for the leaving of those Temporal Greatnesses which make so many of high Estate unwilling to die It was you may imagine high Satisfaction to hear her say a great many most Christian Things and this amongst them I believe I shall now soon die and I thank God I have from my Youth learned a true Doctrine that Repentance is not to be put off to a Death-bed Ibid. 47. On Thursday she prepared herself for the blessed Communion to which she had been no Stranger from the Fifteenth Year of her Age. She was much concern'd that she found herself in so Dozing a Condition so she expressed it To that she added Others had need to pray for me seeing I am so little able to pray for my self 48. When a Second Portion of a certain Draught was offer'd her she refus'd it saying I have but a little Time to live and I would spend it a better way Ibid. 49. In all these Afflictions the King was greatly afflicted how sensibly and yet how becomingly many saw but few have Skill enough to describe it I 'm satisfied I have not At last the Helps of Art and Prayers and Tears not prevailing a Quarter before One on Friday Morning after two or three small Strugglings of Nature and without such Agonies as in such Cases are common having like David serv'd her own Generation by the Will of God she fell on sleep Thus far Arch-bishop Tenison 50. Before the Queen had exceeded the Age of Childhood when in the midst of her Play she was imitating the Dutch March with her Hands upon the Cover of a Chest and was admonish'd not to mind the Dutch the King her Uncle's Enemy but on the other side France and the Dauthin were commended to her with a Divine and Prophetic Utterance she made answer I care not for France 't is Holland I desire Not many Words indeed but certainly Prognosticating and apparently then foretelling that fame Wedlock from Heaven conferr'd upon us and upon all Europe Dr. Perizonius 's Oration on the Queen in Holland 51. She had a greater Regard to the Dignity of those on whom she conferr'd her Bounty than to her own Fame in so fruitful a Field of Honour nor would she endure it should be spread abroad how many or who they were whom she supported by her Liberality Therefore she sate by herself and four times a Year alone in her Closet carefully computed what she had formerly determin'd to give to every one She view'd the Accompts of her Beneficence herself and distributed it from those Notes to several parts of the World by Letters written with her own Hand no Body being admitted to assist her in so Noble an Office because it was not her pleasure that any Body should be concern'd in the Testimony of her Conscience This was that which the ancient Stoics so studiously inculcated but very difficulty perswaded either others or themselves to observe That Vertue was to be desir'd for its own sake without any respect of Profit Praise or in hopes of great Advancement Ibid. 52. After the Expedition for England the Queen being tyr'd out with Grief and Mourning she order'd a Lady to be sent for of approved Probity and Illustrious Quality into whose Breast she might discharge the Sighs and Afflictions which then oppress'd her And then it was that she poured forth these Expressions sad indeed but worthy to be Engraven in Gold or carv'd in Cedar That if the only thing contended for were the Right which her Birth and the Laws of the Land had given her to the Inheritance of three Kingdoms she would never assent that it should be justify'd and recover'd by Arms from her Father but that she was over-rul'd by this Perswasion alone that the Laws of her Country and the Safety of the true Reformed Religion were in apparent danger Otherwise that she would reddily and patiently acquiesce and be satisfi'd with the Fortune which she had obtain'd in this Country with the Love and good Will of all Men which was dearer to her than a Kingdom And that she could not but extol the wonderful Goodness of God toward her that tho' she spent her brittle Years in a Court besieg'd with Vice and Impiety and tho' after the Death of her Mother she grew up under a Step-Dame and a Father devoted to the Church of Rome and were little minded by her Vncle yet she had so
well imbib'd the Principles of the true Religion in her Infant Years that by means thereof she attain'd to the profounder Knowledge of it by degrees and made out her way to Eternal Salvation Therefore she consented to that Expedition neither willingly nor gladly but after a long Hesitation and vanquish'd at length by the most weighty Reasons of Duty and Piety while she apparently saw that had she not taken upon her to support whatever is valuable among Publick Enjoyments and which no good Man will loose but his Life all things would have gone to Rack and Ruine in her Country through the Ill-management of a Father led away by the Councels of his Priests Ibid. 53. A quick and ready Wit and fit for Government was admir'd in her by a great Number of Illustrious Ambassadors from Foreign Nations to whom she always answer'd without any Hesitation wisely and gravely concerning Affairs of greatest moment Nor will Albeville himself if I am not mistaken deny this to be true by whom when her Father after Fame had spread abroad the Report of her Mother-in-Laws being with Child would needs have perswaded his Daughter that he had not intention to disturb the legal Order of Succession in England nor to abolish the receiv'd Ceremonies of the English Church but that it should be of equal prevalency with the Roman Catholick Worship both as to Publick Exercise and equal share of Authority she is said to have return'd this Answer That she thank'd her Father for designing nothing of Innovation in the settled Succession of the Kingdom tho' she were well assur'd that by the Laws of the Land nothing of Novelty could be introduc'd in that Affair In Matters of Religion she abhorr'd all Violence and Persecution yet 't was her Opinion That Dagon and the Ark would not agree so equally and lovingly together in the same place tho' she would not then determine which Party was Dagon or which the Ark. Ibid. 54. In the General Consternation in the Y ar Ninety as if she had nothing of Female but Form prudently and in a short time got clear of all Dangers being in many places at once present with her Body every-where with her Mind She view'd the Camps and muster'd the Soldiers like another British Boadicia Those that were suspected even her own and nearest Relations she sent to the Tower For she acknowledg'd no Relation that was an Enemy to the Publick Welfare The Sea-Captains who had fail'd in their Duty and deserted our Men struggling with Multitude and Adverse Fortune she sent for up to answer for their Misdemeanours the Sea-men maim'd and wounded in the Engagement she bountifully reliev'd and no less liberal to the Widows of the Slain she sent some Thousands of Pounds into this Land to be distributed among the Relicts of those that were kill'd She confirm'd the Minds of the English and encourag'd 'em by her own Example She fortifi'd the Ports and Entrances into the Kingdom she reinforc'd the Fleet wiht Men of War Lastly She provided against all ill Accidents with a Heroic Providence so that the Enemy neither durst pursue his Victory nor attempt to Land Ibid. 55. For the most part therefore she rose betimes in the Morning and before all things dedicate her first Exercises to God then she applied herself to the Reading of such Books by which our Minds are either excited to Piety or adorn'd and enrich'd with the Precepts of Wisdom Then she dispatch'd such Business as offer'd itself and courteously thô a trouble to her admitted the Visits of such as in Duty came to wait on her and those Ceremonies being over she heard the Petitions and Requests of all that came after which she exercis'd her Body by walking in the Garden at what time she convers'd with such Bishops or Divines as were most eminent for Piety and Learning and greedily fed her Ears with their Discourses In the Afternoon she delighted herself in the Company and Converse of her Husband if his more important Occasions or the Wars would permit her the Opportunity of his Presence Sometimes she visited Ladies of highest Quality or else repaid 'em their Civilities nor would she disdain at other times with the same Royal Hands that but now wielded the Scepter to work with her Needle At what time also that she might not leave the least Minute unimprov'd she ordered the History of some Nation or other to be read to her And this not only when she was so empoly'd but when she supp'd privately in her Bed-Chamber or when she could not sleep in the Night-time as I was told by a most Noble Lady that attended upon the Queen for Nine Years together and was acquainted with her whole Course of her Life and when she was in Waiting had frequently herself read to her Ibid. 56. King James the Father of Mary when he came to the Crown employ'd all his Cares and Thoughts and made it his Business to Repeal several Acts which his Ancestors had made for the Support of the Reform'd Religion more especially to abolish the Law which enacted the taking of the Test which abjur'd all Power and Authority which the Pope or any other Mortal claim'd or could claim either in Civil or Ecclesiastical Matters within the Kingdom Mary openly declar'd That she could not approve his Conduct nor assent to those who urg'd that the English might be absolv'd from the sanctity and observance of that Oath nor that any one for the future was to be forc'd to it The King inform'd of this order'd his Envoy then at the Hague to make it out to Mary and perswade her that she had a wrong Opinion induc'd thereto by false Reasons and Grounds of her Father's Intentions and Meaning in that particular The Envoy taking a fit Opportunity held the Queen in a long Discourse upon this Subject bringing not a few nor those vulgar Arguments out of Scripture many Testimonies out of the most Ancient and most Learned Fathers of the Church and more than one Reason from the Knowledge of Things which Nature has imprinted in our Minds When the Queen had attentively heard him she did not answer him with a Laconism she so readily and so smartly of a sudden took to pieces the Envoy's Discourse and his Arguments refured all his Reasons with so much Judgment that when the Envoy was dismissed by the Queen he could not forbear testifying and acknowledging in the publick Hall of the Court before a great many Persons of high Quality and Dignity that he could never have believ'd there had been a Woman in the World endued with so much Understanding of the Christian Doctrine and of the Opinions urged to her upon the several Heads of that Doctrine or that could defend what she thought with so much strength and weight of Reason and fortifie it with so strong a Guard against all Assaults of open Hostility or treacherous Insinuation He added moreover That he was perswaded that this Princess could be mov'd by no
which God had given to the Grandeur of her Power We have seen Tears in her Eyes for sorrow that she could not do so much as she desir'd With what Goodness I will not say of a Princess and a Queen but of a Mother did she take particular Accompts and make particular Enquiries for the succour of poor Families Ibid. 81. 'T was this Charity that made her shut her Ears against Calumny and Backbiting Never durst any one speak ill of any Body before the Queen Neither Flattery nor Calumny two of the most dangerous Pests of Sovereign Courts durst never open their Mouths in her presence Slander was utterly banish'd from her sight and hearing Lord says David who shall abide in thy Tabernacle He that is pure in his Life whose Actions are just who speaks always according to Truth who slanders not his Neighbour and who lends not his Ear to the Backbiter This is then one more Encomium which it behoves us to give the Queen and which you who had the Honour to be near her Person knew that she most justly deserved Ibid. 82. There was something admirable in the Diligence of this excellent Queen and very extraordinary in a Person of her Sex her Age and Degree For she spent every Hour of the Day to profit and advantage She was wont to rise by Six a Clock in the Morning Winter and Summer far different from most People who covetous of many Things are so prodigal of that little time which is so burthensome to 'em that they seek always to waste it Ibid. 83. The Queen concern'd herself for all those who had quitted their Country for the sake of Religion Piety and the Glory of God which she had always before her Eyes made her continually wish That Persons who had shew'd their Zeal and Affection to the Service of God might do nothing but what became the Character of that Zeal which had inclin'd ' em Let us fulfil these Wishes so just and so Christian-like The incorruptible Crown of Glory shall not be given to him that begins but to him that perseveres Let us therefore labour our Zeal and Fervency while we may to the end we may find Grace and Mercy at the Day of our Death and that we may be made Partakers of that Bliss and Eternal Glory which now the Queen enjoys That Queen who because she was a Woman that truly feared the Lord deserves far greater Praises than we have been able to give her Ibid. 84. I remember one Day this pious and pensive Princess recalling to Mind her Father who had so lately Rul'd most flourishing Kingdoms but gone astray from that Faith whch the Laws of God and Man had establish'd ever since the Reign of Edward VI. the Josiah of his Age and which his Father and Grand-Father had subscrib'd to I remember I say that being admitted into her private Chappel after she had let fall a Showre of Tears she gave Thanks to God the Supream Parent of all Things who sometimes forsook the Sons and Grand-Children of Hero's sometimes in them supply'd what was wanting in their Parents correcting the Vice of Nature by the Benefit of Grace Which when I had confirmed by the examples of herself and her Great Grand-Father James the Son of unfortunate Mary and that it was done by the same Miracle of Grace as we daily see Nature produce Gold and Diamonds out of stony and craggy Mountains and sweet Juices out of bitter Roots I added by way of Consolation of her afflicted Piety that perhaps the Father of so many Tears and Sighs would not be lost in Heaven Ibid. 85. When first the News was brought of the inauspicious but certain Nuptials of James the Father with Mary of Modina by the Mediation of Lewis not only she together with Anne her Sister with a cast-down Countenance and watry Eyes receiv'd the Tidings attended with a Deluge of Tears which Doctor Thomas Doughty then Domestick Chaplain could by no means put a stop to but our Mary also after she somewhat alleviated her Sorrow with Weeping brake forth into these Expressions worthy to be engrav'd in Cedar However things fall out said she I hope we shall preserve immaculate to God our Faith and our Religion let all other things pass away which we shall look upon as of little consequence Ibid. 86. From these Exercises of her Youth she was called to greater and higher Things and to lay the Foundations of Empire and Council under the Conduct of William Henry Her Mind being capable of Great Things beyond her Sex she profited so well by the Company of so Great a Prince not only by his Instructions but by his Example that she was taught to Reign before she could know herself I will faithfully relate what I only heard my self and therefore can attest While she staid at the Hague after the Expedition for England expecting a Wind I was admitted to the Presence of the Royal Princess and found her turmoil'd with many Cares and deep Cogitations At what time she who was never wanting in any measure of Familiarity casting a propitious Look upon the Interpreters of the Holy bible deliver'd herself in these Expressions to me What a severe and cruel Necessity said she now lies upon me either to forsake a Father whom my Grand-Mother first ruin'd hence France the Author of our Parents Calamity or to forsake a Husband my Country nay God himself and my Soul my nearest and my dearest Pledge 'T is a cruel Necessity indeed Madam answer'd I but not to be avoided Heaven not enduring divided Duty nor divided Affections Heaven that has not only joyn'd you by an Eternal Tie to William but calls you to succour your labouring if not perishing Country the Church of God your Religion and these your Batavians over whole Necks the Sword or Bondage hang. You forsake a Father Madam 't is true but who first forsook himself Nature his Children Kingdoms Religion Laws his Word and the Hopes of his Subjects who departed himself from the Government that he might serve the Conveniences of those who under the pretence of false Religions measure all things Divine and Human by their own Advantages And when I added that she was called by the Voice of Heaven from a most delightful Ease to be the Companion of William in his Cares and Toyls and unless our Wishes fail'd us to the Government of one of the greatest Empires in the World I said the very Image of Modesty itself I govern a People and wield Scepters I who only learnt to handle next the Sacred Bible Books that either may instruct or recreate the Mind then to handle my Needle Pen or Pencil or to mind my Flowers Garden or whatever else belongs to my Family-Affairs or calls off our Sex from the Contagion of Idleness And therefore be not deceived in your Opinion continued she smiling as if the Prince by his Society had instructed me in the Arts of Peace and War 'T is true after hard
scent to her Nose and thereby receive it into her Brain which if she had done it had been her Death Never any Treason against her came so near to Execution as this For the Traytor Squire observed his Direction did the Deed and that immediately before the Queen rode abroad but the Divine Providence kept her from touching the Pummel with her Hand yet was the Treason discovered and the Traytor received his reward 17. A. C. 1599. The Earl of Tyr-Owen an Irish-man having been some while in Spain returned from thence with a Rebellious Mind and by the Assistance of Spain and the Popish Faction raised a Rebellion whereby more damage accrued to the Queen and State than by any other Rebellion all her Days yet by the good hand of God this Rebellion also was subdued and that Land secured and quieted 18. A. C. 1600. There was a Plot for the removing some of the Queens chief Officers and Councellors from about her which had it been effected might have proved dangerous to her Person and State the rather because many Papists had a great hand in that Conspiracy But the Lord prevented the mischief intended 19. A. C. 1602. Henry Garnet Superiour of the Jesuits in England Robert Tresmand Jesuit Robert Catesby Francis Tresham and others in the Name of all the Romish Catholicks in England imployed Thomas Winter into Spain to obtain an Army from thence to joyn with a Popish Army that should be raised here to change the Government and Religion setled among us Spain and England being then at Wars the motion was readily embraced by the Spaniards and an hundâ—ed thousand Crowns promised to help forward the business but before any thing could be effected it pleased God to take away that Peerless Princess full of Years in peace on her Bed having Reigned Gloriously 44 Ysars four Months and seven Days being sixty nine Years six Months and seventeen Days old II. In the Reign of King James 1. In the first Year of his Reign before he was solemnly Anointed and Crowned Watson and Clark two Romish Priests drew into their Conspiracy some Noble Men some Knights and some Gentlemen to surprise the King and his Son Prince Henry presuming on Foreign Forces for Aid and Assistance intending to alter Religion and to set up such Officers of State as they ohought best but their Plot before it came to execution was discovered the Traytors Condemned some of them Executed and others through the Kings Clemency spared Garnet and Tresmond Jesuits with Catesby and Tresham notwithstanding the Death of Queen Elizabeth when they saw that King James Defended the same Faith continued to solicit the King of Spain to send an Army into England to joyn with the Forces of the Papists here for Extirpation of Religion But the King of Spain being in Treaty with the King of England about Peace refused to hearken to any such motion whereupon they together with other Unnatural and Trayterous Subjects Plotted the matchless merciless devilish and damnable Gun-powder Treason as is now to be shewed The Plot was to under-mine the Parliament-House and with Powder to blow up the King Prince Clergy Nobles Knights and Burgesses the very Confluence of all the flower of Glory Piety Learning Prudence and Authority in the Land Fathers Sons Brothers Allies Friends Foes Papists and Protestants all at one blast Their intent when that Irreligious Atchievement had been performed was to surprize the remainder of the King's Issue to alter Religion and Government and to bring in a Forreign Power Sir Edmond Baynam an attainted Person who stiled himself Prince of the Damned Crew was sent unto the Pope as he was the Temporal Prince to acquaint him with the Gun-powder Plot and now to the Plot it self The Sessions of Parliament being dissolved July 7th A. C. 1605. and Prorogued to the 7th of February following Catesby being at Lambeth sent for Thomas Winter who before had been imployed into Spain and acquainted him with the design of blowing up the Parliament-House who readily apprehending it said This indeed strikes at the Root only these helps were wanting a House for Residence and a skilfull Man to carry the Mine but the first Catesby assured him was easie to be got and for the Man he commended Guy Fawkes a sufficient Souldier and a forward Catholick Thus Robert Catesby John Wright Thomas Winter and Guy Fawkes had many Meetings and Conferences about the business till at last Thomas Piercy came puffing into Catesby's Lodging at Lambeth saying What Gentlemen shall we always be thinking and never do any thing You cannot be ignorant how things proceed To whom Catesby answered that something was resolved on but first an Oath for Secrecy was to be Administred for which purpose they appointed to meet some three Days after behind St. Clements Church beyond Temple-Bar where being met Peircy professed that for the Catholick cause himself would be the Man to advance it were it with the slaughter of the King which he was ready to undertake and do No Tom. said Catesby thou shalt not adventure thy self to so small purpose if thou wilt be a Traytor there is a Plot to greater Advantage and such a one as can never be discovered Hereupon all of them took the Oath of Secresie heard a Mass and received the Sacrament after which Catesby told them his devilish Devise by Mine and Gun-powder to blow up the Parliament-House and so by one stroke with the Destruction of many effect that at once which had been many Years attempting And for case of Conscience to kill the Innocent with the nocent he told that it was Warrantable by the Authority of Garnet himself the Superiour of the English Jesuits and of Garrard and Tresmond Jesuitical Priests likewise who by the Apostolical Power did commend the Fact and Absolve the Actors The Oath was given them by the said Garrard in these words You shall swear by the blessed Trinity and by the Sacrament you now purpose to receive never to disclose directly nor indirectly by Word or Circumstance the Matter that shall be proposed to you to keep secret nor desist from the Execution thereof until the rest shall give you leave The Project being thus far carried on in the next place the first thing they sought after was a House wherein they might begin the Work for which purpose no place was held fitter than a certain Edifice adjoyning to the Wall of the Parliament-House which served for a With-Drawing Room to the Assembled Lords and out of Parliament was at the disposal of the Keeper of the place and Wardrobe thereto belonging These did Piercy hire for his Lodgings entertained Fawkes as his Man who changed his Name into Johnson had the Keys and keeping of the Rooms Besides this they hired another House to lay in Provision of Powder and to frame and to fit Wood in for the carrying on the Mine which Catesby provided at Lambeth and Swore Robert Keyes into their Conspiracy whom he made the
of it Catesby and the rest posted into Warwickshire and began an open Rebellion being joyned with about Eighty more and so Trooping together broke open the Stables belonging to Warwick-Castle and took thence some great Horses Thence into Worcestershire and so to Staffordshire where they rifled the Lord Windsor's House of all the Armour Shot Powder c. But being pursued by the high Sheriff of Worcestershire and his Men who rush'd in upon them both the Wrights were shot through and slain with one Musquet-Bullet the rest being taken were carry'd Prisoners to London being all the way gaz'd at revil'd and detested by the common People for their horrid and horrible Treason and so at last they receiv'd the just Guerdon of their Wickedness See a fuller Account in Bishop Carleton's Thankful Remembrance of God's Mercy III. In the Reign of King Charles the First 1. Sir John Temple Master of the Rolls and one of His Majesty's most Honourable Privy-Council within the Kingdom of Ireland and who was Father of the present Sir William Temple relates in his History of the Irish Rebellion in 1641. and which History was first Printed in London in 1646. there in P. 16 17 and 18 sets down that the first Plot for the Rebellion carried on with so great Secresie as none of the English had Notice of it before it was ready to be put in Execution and that on the 22d of October 1641. In the very Evening before the Day appointed for a Surprizal of the Castle and City of Dublin Owen O Conall a Gentleman of an Irish Family but one who had been bred a Protestant and who had been drinking that Evening came to the Lord Justice Parsons there about Nine of the Clock and acquainted him with a Conspiracy for the seizing upon His Majesty's Castle of Dublin and the Magazine therein the next day but he did then make such a broken Relation of a Matter that seem'd so incredible in its self as that his Lordship did then give but very little Belief to it at first in regard it came from an obscure Person and one he conceived somewhat distemper'd in Drink but in some Hours after O Conall being somewhat recover'd from his said Distemper was examin'd upon Oath before the Lords Justices and his Examination gave such a particular Account of the Conspiracy and the Conspirators therein that caused the Lords Justices to sit up all that Night in Consultation for the strengthning of the Guards in the Castle of Dublin and likewise of the whole City and for the seizing of the Persons of the Conspirators that the Execution of the Plot was thereby prevented and otherwise the Castle of Dublin had been the next day in the Possession of the Rebels of Ireland and all the Protestants in Dublin had been the next day massacred The Papists planted the Soveraign Drug of Arminianism here in England on purpose to promote Divisions among us and endeavoured to Advance Arbitrary Power and inflame the Puritans as the Author of the History of Popish Sham-Plots from the Reign of Queen Elizabeth tells us out of a Letter sent to the Rector of Brussels And Cardinal Richlieu sent over one Chamberlain hither who for four Months had Consultations with the Jesuits how to stir up the Scots and foment our Broils as may be seen in Dr. Heylin's Life of Archbishop Laud and Habernfeild's Plot c. Or to speak in the very Words of the late Learned Bishop of Lincoln Dr. Barlow When King James slept with his Fathers and was Translated to a better Kingdom out of the reach of Popish Conspirators their Designs slept not they prosecuted their Plots and Conspiracies to Ruin our Church and Establish'd Religion as much in Charles the First as in his Father's time and at last it came to this Issue that other Means failing the King and Arch-Bishop must be taken away This was discover'd by an Honourable Person Andreas ab Habernfeild to the English Embassador Sir W. Boswel at the Hague and by him to the Arch-Bishop and by him to the King and the Original Copy of the Discovery being found in the Arch-Bishop's Library after his Death was then publish'd and is in print in many Hands and among others in mine In the mean time adds my Author the Civil Wars began and our Popish Conspirators are first in Arms and the bloody Rebellion and in Ireland murder'd above 100000 Protestants in cold Blood without any Provocation given but to kill Hereticks which according to them was Lawful and Meritorious And farther when in Process of that fatal Rebellion carry'd on by English and covertly by Popish Rebels that good King was taken and a Council of Priests and Jesuits sitting in London signified the Condition of Affairs here to a Council of their Confederates at Paris and they transmitted the Case to Rome from whence Directions and Commands were return'd back again to London in short it was determined that it was for the Interest of the Catholick Cause that the King shculd die and accordingly their Council of Priests and Jesuits in London voted his Death This saith the same Reverend Author is now notoriously known to be true and in print publish'd to the World by Reverend and Learned Person who if any shall call him to Account for it is so convinced of the Ttuth of what he writ that he publickly offers to make it good viz. Dr. Du-Moulin Canon of Canterbury in two Books written to the same purpose See more in Bishop Barlow's Book called Popish Principles c. inconsistent with the Safety of Protestant Princes The Irish Papists when they had promised to furnish his Majesty with 10000 Men for the helping of him against the Parliament did not but endeavour'd to cut off the King's Army there by Force and Treachery and employ'd Commissioners to Rome France Lorrain and Spain to invite a Foreign Power into England See Fowles Hist of Rom. Treasons and the Lord Orcery 's Answer to Peter Welsh About 30 Priests or Jesuits were met together by a Protestant Gentleman between Roan and Diep to whom they said taking him to be one of their Party they were going to England and would take Arms in the Independant Army to be Agitators The Romish Priest and Confessor is known who when he saw the fatal Stroke given to the King flourish'd with his Sword and said Now the greatest Enemy we had in the World is gone When the Murder was cried down as the greatest Villany the Pope commanded all the Papers about the Queen to be burnt Many intelligent Travellers told what Joy there was in the English Convents beyond Seas and the Seminaries upon Tidings of the King's Death Benedictines were afraid lest the Jesuits should get their Lands and the English Nuns contended who should be Abesses the Fryars of Dunkirk were jealous lest the Jesuits should engross all the Glory to themselves Du-Moul Answer to Plul. Angl. And tho' the Papists during the Civil Wars flock'd to the King's
Vineyard where are two American Churches planted which are more famous than the rest over one of which there presides an ancient Indian as Pastor called Hiacooms John Hiacooms Son of the said Indian Pastor also Preacheth the Gospel to his Country-men In another Church in that place John Tockinosh a Converted Indian Teaches in these Churches ruling Elders of the Indians are joyned to the Pastors the Pastors were chosen by the People and when they had Fasted and Prayed Mr. Eliot and Mr. Cotton laid their Hands on them so that they were solemnly Ordained All the Congregations of the Converted Indians both the Catechumens and those in Church-Order every Lord's Day meet together the Pastor or Preacher always begins with Prayer and without a Form because from the Heart when the Ruler of the Assembly has ended Prayer the whole Congregation of Indians Praise God with Singing some of them are excellent Singers After the Psalm he that Preaches Reads a place of Scripture one or more Verses as he will and expounds it gathers Doctrines from it proves them by Scriptures and Reasons and infers Uses from them after the manner of the English of whom they have been taught then another Prayer to God in the Name of Christ concludes the whole Service Thus do they meet together twice every Lord's-Day they observe no Holy-days but the Lord's-Day except upon some extraordinary Occasion and then they solemnly set a part whole Days either in giving Thanks or Fasting and Praying with great Fervor of Mind Before the English came into these Coasts these barbarous Nations were altogether ignorant of the true God hence it is that in their Prayers and Sermons they used English Words and Terms he that calls upon the most holy Name of God says Jehovah or God or Lord and also they have learned and borrowed many other theosogical Phrases from us In short there are six Churches of Baptized Indians in New-England and eighteen Assemblies of Catechumens professing the Name of Christ Of the Indians there are Four and Twenty who are Preachers of the Word of God and besides these there are four English Ministers who Preach the Gospel in the Indian Tongue I am now my self weary with Writing and I fear lest if I should add more I should also be tedious to you yet one thing I must add which I had almost forgot that there are many of the Indians Children who have learned by Heart the Catechism either of that famous Divine William Perkins or that put forth by the Assemblies of Divines at Westminister and in their own Mother Tongue can answer to all the Questions in 〈◊〉 But I must end I salute the famous Professors in your University to whom I desire you to communicate this Letter as Written to them also Farewel worthy Sir the Lord preserve your Health for the Benefit of your Country his Church and of Learning Yours ever Increase Mather Boston in New-England July 12th 1687. Mr. Hammond in his Sermon in the Casuistical Morning Exercise gives us out of Ecclesiastical History two remarkable Passages of the Promotion of the Gospel by private Christians 1. THE one is related by Ruffinus who gives this account of the Conversion of the Kingdom of the Iberians to the Faith There was saith he a certain poor Woman who had been taken Captive and lived among them she was at first taken notice of for her Sobriety and Modesty and then for her spending so much time in Prayer these raised a great admiration of her in the Minds of the Barbarians At last they brought to her a sick Child which upon her Prayers was restored to Health This spread her Fame abroad so that the Queen of the Country was brought to her and by her Prayers recovered Whereupon the King and Kingdom were won over to Christ and the King sent to Constantine the Great for some to instruct them farther in the Christian Religion Ruffin Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 10. The holy Conversation and the ardent Devotions of private Chistians are excellent means to recommend the Gospel and to represent it as most amiable and desireable 2. The other is of Frumentius Aedecius These being Christians were left young in one of the Kingdoms of the inner India and were after some time for their excellent Parts and unspotted Life honoured and employed by the Queen of the Country during the Minority of her Son In Process of time some Roman Merchants came to Traffick among them then Frumentius understanding that there were some Christians among them invited them to reside with him and provided a place for them where they might offer up their Prayers to God after the Christian manner and himself having obtained leave of the Queen went to Athanasius in Alexandria requesting him to send some Bishop to that Kingdom to promote the farther Entertainment of the Gospel among them to which they were well inclined and disposed for the reception of it Athanasius ordained Frumentius himself who returned and by God's Blessing met with wonderful Success Ruffin Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 9. Socrat. Eccl. Hist l. 1. c. 15. Sozomen l. 2. c. 23. If Providence says my Author shall bring these Lines to the view of Christian Travellers Merchants and Mariners who come among the poor Heathen let the Examples laid before them excite and encourage them to use their Endeavours to bring them to the Knowledge of Christ and the Entertainment of the Gospel The Reverend Mr. Annesly whose non-such Zeal in promoting the Gospel has been so successful in this part of the World gives the following Account of the Reverend Mr. Brand in the Narrative of his Life wherein he seems to have been actuated by a double Portion of the same Spirit whilst he writes the Story of that is Friend He tells us His Zeal for promoting the Gospel was so extensive that besides his constant weekly Catechising where he resided he promoted the constancy of it in all Schools and places to which he was a Benefactor and engaged all Ministers to whose support he Contributed to be diligent in it often examining the Conduct and Success of those he trusted with it And besides these again he hired several other Persons in distant places to catechise Children and all others willing to Learn and once a Month or oftner rode to visit and catechise them himself And to encourage them to do well and especially those who were Old and yet Ignorant and therefore ashamed to come to frequent those Exercises he gave them Books or Money according to their Quality And to allure Masters and Parents to send their Children or Servants he would also present them with Books curiously bound and Guilt and to such as were Poor he would give more Money than they could earn in the time spent in Learning His Discourse with Parents and Masters themselves was Catechistical and yet not disparaging All his Questions to all sorts so instructively Worded that they could not miss a right Answer and his whole
a fair Fruit of Arras of which tho' a shred may assure us of the fineness of the Collours and the richness of the Stuff yet the Hangings never appear to their true advantage but when they are display'd to their full Dimensions and seen together Be sure the Scriptures to which we do well to take heed as to a light shining in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 will in this prospect clearly shew their Author and Original namely that they came from him who is the Light of Men and shineth in Darkness John 1.4 5.1 John 1.4 5. to the good satisfaction of the Consciences of the honest Beholders themselves whatever Objections may be made by carnal Reasonings to the contrary hereby being far more effectual to convert the Soul and rejoyce the Heart Psalm 19.7 8. than any appearances of prodigious Spectres giving some notice of what passes in the other World could ever do Sith the read Resurrection of Lazarus had no other Influence on some of the Jews than only to give them occasion of turning Informers to the Pharisees against Christ who had just before their Eyes wrought that most notable Miracle John 11.46 In the dispensation of the Word there is an Evidence of Divinity in it commending it self to the Consciences of unprejudiced Men. The ordinary means of Crace being mighty through God to the pulling down of the strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 5. yea every thing that exalteth is self against the knowledge of God from whom it came and unto whom it directs us Even great ones have been astonish'd at the Doctrine of the Lord Acts 13.12 Psal 119.111 drawn from vicious Courses into virtuous and holy Practices from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God Acts 26.18 when little good comparatively was done by Christ himself preaching at Capernaum Matt. 11. 23.13.58 The Magazine of his Miracles those extraordinary Discoveries of their Author in the use of the ordinary means of Grace even at one Sermon of Peter's we find three Thousand converted Acts 2.41 And afterwards upon hearing of the Word we meet with about five Thousand more that believed Acts 4.4 which may well evidence who was the Author of it and in whose Hand it was an Instrument Eph. 2.20 Many have been built upon this Foundation enlightned and directed by this Light Psal 119.105 fed with this Meat Heb. 5.13 14. regenerated by this Seed 1 Pet. 1.23 which as a grain of Mustard Seed in a matter of sixty six Years space after the sowing of it grew into a great Tree which Pliny †the Proconsul in Bythinia employed by Trajan to root up Christianity which they accounted a Crime did acknowledge Tertullian and others prove the spreading of it in the second and third Centuries So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed Acts 19.20 in the Primitive times ingenerating unconquer'd Constancy of Faith and Godliness in the minds of the Hearers and always victoriously triumphing over the Kingdom of Satan and false Religions In the beginning of the Reformation said Luther ‖ We do everywhere experience in the Church in the Commonwealth in the Family certain Fruits of the Word which as Leaven doth spread it self into all the parts of the Commonwealth the Offices and all the States * Mr. Boyl Stile of Scripture p. 72. †Plin Secund. l. 10. Epist mox ipso tractu us fieri solet diffundente se crimine c. Adversus gentes ipsa multitudine perturbatus ‖ Tom. 4.282 Vbique experimur in Templo in Rep. c. Afterwards we find hoe it did diffuse it self in England Scotland and Ireland c. * Notwithstanding they of the Antichristian state have laboured to keep up their Superstition and Idolatry by feigned Apparitions as may be seen in later Collections of Popish Miracles the History of Jetzer Thus far Mr. Adams See the fulfilling of Scriptures p. 401. Stand fast and fix'd says the Reverend Mr. Woodcock in his Sermon in the Casuistical Morning Exercise in the good Word of God which is settled for ever in Heaven Psal 119.89 as the Copy of the Divine Nature and Law Stand having your Loins girt about with Truth Ephes 6.14 and having on the Breast-plate of Righteousness This is the grand and perfect Rule of Faith Worship and Life Keep within these Trenches and you have an assurance of Protection I remember an Ear-witness told me he heard Dr. Hammond Preach before King Charles the First at Oxford when his Affairs were at a low ebb and he told him While God-dam-me led the Van and the Devil confound me brought up the Rear he would be routed in all his Designs And they are very unlikely to be good Subjects to Princes who are open Rebels to the Laws of God and Men and their own Reason Thus far Mr. Woodcock Many useful Sayings good Precepts and Rules may be fetched from Heathen Authors Plato Seneca Tully Plutarch c. But we need not says the Reverend Mr. Slater in his Sermon in the last Morning Exercise borrow Jewels of Egyptians blessed be God nor go down to the Philistines for the sharpening of our Mattocks It is the Gospel of Christ which is the Power of God to Salvation There is no need of quoting a Philosopher when we have a Paul What Examples can we produce and propound so exact and curious as is that of Christ who did no Sin neither was Guile found in his Mouth He spake so as never Man spake and he walked so as never Man walked What Arguments can we find more convincing than those of the Scripture which are mighty for casting down the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imaginations Conceits Reasonings of a carnal vain and proud Mind What Motives more perswasive and alluring than those of the Gospel which are indeed the Cords of a Man What Thunder-claps can be thought of more terrible or what Terrors more amazing and affrighting then the Terrors of the Lord What Promises more inviting and encouraging than those he hath given us which are exceeding great and precious Where if any one can let him tell us where we shall see sin so clearly and fully in its Deformity and Ugliness in order to a real and thorough aversation from it or Religion Godliness and a Conversation ordered aright more in its Loveliness and enamouring Beauty in order to our setting our Hearts upon it than we do or at least may see it in the Gospel When all is said and done that can be it is the Grace of God Tit. 2.14 The Doctrine the Gospel of Grace which bringeth Salvation and hath appeareth to all men Jews and Gentiles Men of all sorts and ranks it is that yea it is that which teacheth us and all that sit under it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live seberly righteously and godly in this present World CHAP. LXVII Present Retribution to the Faithful BY Faithful I mean here such as dare trust in God whilst they faithfully discharge their Duties though they
his Creatures that depend upon him for every bit of Bread they eat and are not able to stand a moment upon their Legs without him grow bold in confidence of their own Faculties as if they were a kind of Demi-gods upon Earth Absolute and Soveraign without any dependance upon Heaven 1. Arimazes having garrison'd a very strong and steep Rock in the Sogdian Country with Thirty Thousand Men sent to Alexander the Great who demanded it to know whether he could flee or not But the next Day he was taken together with his strong Hold and nailed to a Cross God delights to confute Men in their Confidences that they that are his way run to the Rock of Ages Isa 26.4 to that Arx roboris of his Holy Name which alone is impregnable and inexpugnable 2. The Spaniards in 1588. called their Navy the Invincible Armado but it proved otherwise and that upon St. James's Dayâ— whom they count their Patron and Tutelary Saint Trapp 3. The Lord Mordant afterwards Earl of Peterborough being a Papist and desirous to draw his Lady to the same Religion he was willing that there should be a Meeting of two Eminent Parsons of each Party to dispute what might be in Controversie between them The Lady made choice of our Lord Primate and prevailed with him though newly recovered from a long Sickness and scarce able to take such a Journey The Jesuite chosen by the Earl went under the Name of Beaumond but his true Name was Rookwood Brother to Ambrose Rookwood one of the Gunpowder Traytors The Place of Meeting was at Drayton in Northamptonshire where there was a great Library so that no Books of the Ancient Fathers were wanting upon occasion for their View The Points to be disputed on were concerning Transubstantiation Invocation of Saints Worshipping of Images and the Visibility of the Church Three Days they were in this Disputation three Hours in the Forenoon and two in the Afrernoon each Day and the Conclusion was this after the third Day 's Meeting The Lord Primate having been hitherto Opponent now the Tables were to be turned and the Jesuite according to his desire was to oppose and the Lord Primate to answer But when the time came the Jesuite was expected instead of coming he sent his Excuse to the Lord Mordant which was That all the Arguments which he had framed in his Head and premeditated so that he thought he had them as perfect as his Pater-Noster were now slipt from him and he could not possibly recover them again and that he believed it was a just Judgment of God upon him for undertaking of himself to dispute with a Man of that Eminency and Learning without a License from his Superiors The Lord Mordant seeing his Tergiversation upon some further Discourse with the Lord Primate was converted and became a Protestant and so continued to his Death One Challoner a Secular Priest afterwards writing a Book against this Beaumond by way of Scorn bids him beware of coming any more to Drayton lest he should meet with another Vsher to foil him again to the Dishonour of his Profession and himself See his Life 4. A little before the late horrid Conspiracy against the Life of our present Soveraign King William the III. in an exempt Chappel within three Miles of Norwich one preached on those Words Jer. 24.10 and near the time of the intended Assassination on Jer. 46.10 For this is the day of the Lord God of Hosts a day of Vengeance that he may avenge himself on his Adversaries and the Sword shall devour and it shall be satisfied and made drunk with their Blood for the Lord God of Hosts hath a Sacrifice in the North Country by the River Euphrates One Mr. Trinder also a noted Justice of Peace in Middlesex in the Reign of King James to his Nephew in the Earl of Arran's Regiment in a Letter dated at Paris Feb. 1695. writes thus viz. Sir Notwithstanding your great Confidence in your Hero and your great Ingratitude to your Friend your Repentance shall not be too late if the Effects of it appear within a Month after the Receipt of this Advertisement from your Friend J. T. Another great French Man in a Letter to a Friend concluded That the whole English Nation would be a miserable Field of Blood c. And the Courtiers of France and some of them bragg'd That King James was not gone to invade but to take possession of his Kingdom Nay the D. of B. was so confident of Success in this Business that he told the French King he scrupled not within three Months but he should be sent over by King James to give him Thanks in way of Embassy for all his Kindness to him since he left his Kingdoms A Declaration was drawn up printed and dispersed on purpose to cajole the People of England into false Hopes of a Relaxation of Taxes perpetual Parliaments and the Preservation of the Protestant Religion c. Transport Ships were ready and Soldiers to the number of 20000 to embark at Callis Bullen Dunkirk c. And the French King caused to be delivered 100000 Lewis ' d'ores to the late King desiring him to hasten his Departure for that all things were in readiness and so took his leave of him wishing him a prosperous undertaking promising as soon as he posted himself in England he would supply him with more Troops The Pope's Nuncio likewise pronounced a solemn Benediction upon the Enterprize and the Jesuites had begg'd Chelsea-College for themselves the Image of St. Victor was bestowed upon the Army as an auspicious Omen And yet after these Preparations and great Confidences when they thought all cock-sure the Descent was hindred by the Winds the Counsels took air in England and by Divine Providence the Authors of the Conspiracy discovered and several of them brought to condign Punishment The Impartial History of the Plots and Conspiracies against King William p. 30 31 c. CHAP. CXXXIV Divine Judgments upon Bribery and Injustice SHould any one saith Bishop Latimer in a Sermon preached at Court ask me which was the readiest way to Hell I would answer First be Covetous secondly take Bribes thirdly pervert Judgment and Justice There 's the Mother and her two Daughters I will add fourthly a Tyburn Tippet Hangum Twinum for him If saith he to his Majesty I were King and any of my Judges should thus suffer themselves to be corrupted and pervert Justice tho' he were my Lord Chief Justice himself as God shall judge me I would make Quondams of every Man of them If not in these Words yet to this purpose Sure I am God Almighty doth ring very sharp Peals of his Wrath and Vengeance by the Prophets in the Ears of his People Israel for this very Sin and there is no doubt but he is as severely angry with it in all Ages even to this Day 1. A. C. 1289. A. 16. Edw. I. upon the general Accounts made of the ill Administration of Justice in
of order For to set you in a way particularly now I cannot but only this A National Synod freely called freely debating among themselves must settle this when that every Opinion is freely and clearly heard For the King indeed I will not the Laws of the Land will clearly instruct you for that Therefore because it concerns my own particular I only give you a touch of it For the People and truly I desire their Liberty and Freedom as much as any body whomsoever but I must tell you That their Liberty and Freedom consist in having 〈◊〉 Government those Laws by which their Lives and Goods may be most their own It is not for having a share in Government Sirs that is nothing pertaining to them a Subject and a Soveraign are clean different things and therefore until they do that I mean until you do put the People in that Liberty as I say certainly they will never enjoy themselves Sirs it was for this that now I am come here If I would have given way to an Arbitrary way for to have all Laws chang'd according to the Power of the Sword I needed not to have come here and therefore I tell you and I pray God it be not laid to their Charge That I am the Martyr of the People In troth Sirs I shall not trouble you much longer for I will only say this to you That in truth I could have desired some little time longer because that I would have put this that I have said in a little more order and a little better digested than I have done and therefore I hope you will excuse me I have delivered my Conscience I pray God that you may take those Courses that are best for the Good of the Kingdom and your own Salvation The Bishop of London minding him to say something concerning his Religion he answered I thank you very heartily my Lord for that I had almost forgotten it In troth Sirs my Conscience in Religion I think is very well known to all the World and therefore I declare before you all That I die a Christian according to the Profession of the Church of England as I found it left by my Father and this honest Man I think can witness it Then turning to the Officers he said Sirs Excuse me for this same I have a good Cause and a Gracious God I will say no more Then turning to Colonel Hacker he said Take heed that they do not put me to pain and Sir this and it please you But then a Gentleman coming near the Ax the King said Take heed of the Ax Pray take heed of the Ax. Then to the Executioner I shall have but very short Prayers and when I thrust out my Hand Then the King called to Dr. Juxon for his Night-cap and having put it on he said to the Executioner Doth my Hair trouble you Who desired him to put it all under his Cap which he did accordingly Then to Dr. Juxon I have a good Cause and a Gracious God on my side Dr. Juxon There is but one Stage more This Stage is turbulent and troublesome it is a short one but you may consider it will soon carry you a very great way from Earth to Heaven and there you shall find a great deal of Cordial Joy and Comfort King I go from a Corruptible to an Incorruptible Crown where no Disturbance can be Doctor You are exchanged from a Temporal to an Eternal Crown a good Exchange Then the King took off his Cloak and his George giving his George to Dr. Juxon saying Remember And so humbly submitted to the Block Jan. 30. 1648. through the Indignity and unjust Dealing of ill Men. A brief Review of the most material Parl. Transact began Nov. 3. 1640. 115. Duke Hamilton Earl of Cambridge made this his last Speech on the Scaffold in the Palace-yard march 9. 1649. I Think it is truly not very necessary for me to speak much there are many Gentlemen and Soldiers there that see me but my Voice truly is so weak so low that they cannot hear me neither truly was I ever at any time so much in love with speaking or with any thing that I had to express that I took delight in it yet this being the last time that I am to do so by a Divine Providence of Almighty God who hath brought me to this End justly for my Sins I shall to you Sir Mr. Sheriff declare thus much as to the Matter I am now to suffer for which is as being a Traytor to the Kingdom of England Truly Sir it was a Country I equally loved with my own I made no difference I never intended either the Generality of its Prejudice or any particular Man 's in it what I did was by the Command of the Parliament of the Country where I was born whose Command I could not disobey without running into the same hazard there of that condition that I am now in It pleased God so to dispose that Army under my Command as it was ruined and I as their General cloathed with a Commission stand here now ready to die I shall not trouble you with repeating of my Plea what I said in my own Defence at the Court of Justice my self being well satisfied with the Command laid upon me and they satisfied with the Justice of their proceedure according to the Laws of this Land God is Just howsoever I shall not say any thing as to the matter of the Sentence but that I do willingly submit to his Divine Providence and acknowledge that very many ways I deserve even a Worldly Punishment as well as hereafter For we are all sinners Sir I am a great one yet for my Comfort I know there is a God in Heaven that is exceeding merciful I know my Redeemer sits at his Right-hand and am confident clapping his hand on his Breast is Mediating for me at this instant I am hopeful through his Free Grace and All-sufficient Merits to be pardoned of my sins and to be received into his Mercy upon that I rely trusting to nothing but the Free Grace of God through Jesus Christ I have not been tainted in my Religion I thank God for it since my Infancy it hath been such as hath been profess'd in the Land and established and now it is not this Religion or that Religion nor this or that Fancy of Men that is to be built upon it is but one that 's right one that 's sure and that comes from God Sir and in the Free Grace of our Saviour Sir there is truly somewhat that he then observing the Writers had I thought my Speech would have been thus takeâ—â—â— would have digested it into some better Method than now I can and shall desire these Gentlemen that do write it that they will not wrong me in it and that it may not in this manner be published to my disadvantage for truly I did not intend to have spoken thus when I came here c.
read a Paper in which was a good rational Confession of his Faith then comes to the Occasion of his Death for which he says He neither blames the Judges Jury nor Council but only some Men that in reality were deeper concern'd than he who combin'd together to swear him out of his LIfe to save their own and that they might do it effectually contriv'd an Untruth c. He forgives the World and the Witnesses gives his Friends Advice to be more Prudent than he had been prays that his may be the last Blood spilt on the Account wishes the King wou'd be merciful to others says he knew nothing of Ireland and concludes with praying God to have Mercy upon him He had then some Discourse with Cartwright wherein he tells him That he was not for contriving the Death of the King nor to have had a Hand in 't and being urg'd with some Matters of Controversie tells him He did not come thither to dispute about Religion but to die Religiously 7. Mr. ROVSE ROuse comes next gives an Account of his Faith professing to die of the Church of England tells his former Employment and Manner of Life acknowledges he heard of Clubs and Designs but was never at 'em and a perfect Stranger to any thing of that Nature Gives a Relation of what past between him and his Majesty on his Apprehension Talks somewhat of Sir Thomas Player the Earl of Shaftsbury and accommodating the King's Son as he calls it tho' not while the King reign'd Then falls upon Lee and the Discourse they had together who as he says swore against him on the Trial those very Words he himself had used in pressing him to undertake the Design Speaks of a Silver Ball which he proposed to be thrown up on Black-Heath and after some Discourse with the Ordinary gives the Spectators some good Counsel They they all Three singly prayed and then the Sentence was executed upon them 8. ALGERNOON SIDNEY Esq THe next Victim to Popish Cruelty and Malice was Colonel Algernoon Sidney of the ancient and noble Name and Family of the Sidneys deservedly famous to the utmost Bounds of Europe who as the ingenious Mr. Hawles observes was meerly talk'd to Death under the Notion of a Commonwealth's Man and found Guilty by a Jury who were not much more proper Judges of the Case than they wou'd have been had he writ in Greek or Arabick He was arraign'd for a Brnach of this Plot at Westminster the 17th of November 1683. where tho' it cannot be said the Grand Jury knew not what they did when they found the Bill against him since no doubt they were well instructed what to do yet it must that they found it almost before they knew what 't was being so well resolv'd on the Case and agreed on their Verdict that had he been Indicted for Breaking-up an House or Robbing on the High-way 't was doom'd to have been Billa vera as much as 't was now An Abstract of the Paper delivered to the Sheriffs on the Scaffold on Tower-Hill December 7. 1683. by Algernoon Sidney Esquire before his Execution FIrst having excused his not speaking as well because it was an Age that made Truth pass for Treason for the Proof of which he instances his Trial and Condemnation and that the Ears of some present were too tender to hear it as because of the Rigour of the Season and his Infirmities c. Then after a short Reflection upon the little said against him by other Witnesses and the little Value that was to be put on the Lord Howard's Testimony whom he charges with an infamous Life and many palpable Perjuries and to have been byassed only by the Promise of Pardon c. and makes even tho' he had been liable to no Exceptions to have been but a single Witness He proceeds to answer the Charge against him from the Writings found in his Closet by the King's Officers which were pretended but not Lawfully evidenced to be his and pretends to prove that had they been his they contained no condemnable matter but principles more safe both to Princes and People too than the pretended high-flown Plea for Absolute Monarchy composed by Filmer against which they seemed to be levelled and which he says all intelligent Men thought were founded on wicked Principles and such as were destructive both to Magistrates and People too Which he attempts to make out after this manner First says he if Filmer might publish to the World That Men were born under a necessary indispensible Subjection to an Absolute King who could be restrained by no Oath c. whether be came to it by Creation Inheritance c. nay or even by Usurpation why might he not publish his Opinion to the contrary without the breach of any known Law Which Opinion he professes consisted in the following Particulars 1. That God had left Nations at the liberty of Modelling their own Governments 2. That Magistrates were instituted for Nations and not E contra 3. That the Right and Power of Magistrates was fixed by the standing Laws of each Country 4. That those Laws sworn to on both sides were the matter of a Contract between the Magistrate and People and could not be broken without the Danger of dissolving the whole Government 5. The Vsurpation could give no Right and that King had no greater Enemies than those who asserted that or were for stretching their Power beyond its Limits 6. That such Vsurpations commonly effecting the Slaughter of the Reigning Person c. the worst of Crimes was thereby most gloriously Rewarded 7. That such Doctrines are more proper to stir up Men to destroy Princes than all the Passions that ever yet swayed the worst of them and that no Prince could be safe if his Murderers may hope such Rewards and that few Men would be so gentle as to spare the best Kings if by their Destruction a wild Vsurper could become God's Anointed which he says was the scope of that whole Treatise and asserts to be the Doctrine of the best Authors of all Nations Times and Religions and of the Scripture and so owned by the best and wisest Princes and particuarly by Lewis XIV of France in his Declaration against Spain Anno 1667. and by King James of England in his Speech to the Parliament 1603. and adds that if the Writer had been mistaken he should have been fairly refuted but that no Man was ever otherwise punished for such Matters or any such things referred to a Jury c. That the Book was never finished c. nor ever seen by them whom he was charged to have endeavoured by it to draw into a Conspiracy That nothing in it was particularly or maliciously applied to Time Place or Person but distorted to such a sense by Innuendo's as the Discourses of the Expulsion of Tarquin c. and particularly of the Translation made of the Crown of France from one Race to another had been applied by the then Lawyers
he had a great Resolution and not at all startled with the fear of Death He said That he defy'd Death and all them that were the occasion of it He was very courageous and died so He spent some time in private Prayer and was not allowed time because there was to be Execution at Honiton His Execution being over we pass on to Honiton where four were executed one of which was a Chirurgeon his Name if I do not mistake was 2. Mr. POTT MR. Pott behaved himself with that extraordinary Christian Courage that all the Spectators were almost astonished he being but Young about Twenty his Prayers being fervent his Expressions so pithy and so becoming a Christian of greater Age that drew pity and compassion from all present a rude Fellow just before he was to be executed called for a Bottle of Wine and so began the King's Health to one of the Guard which he perceiving Poor Soul said he Your Cup seemeth to be sweet to you and you think mine is bitter which indeed is so to Flesh and Blood but yet I have that assurance of the fruition of a future Estate that I doubt not but this bitter Potion will be sweetned with the Sugar of the loving kindness of my dearest Saviour that I shall be translated into such a State where is fulness of Joy and Pleasure for evermore 3 Mr. EVANS ONE Mr. Evans a Minister ought not to be omitted who did all along in the time of his Confinement in Prison behave himself with that Devotion and Strictness that became a Christian of great Eminency as indeed he was he spent much of his time in Preaching and Praying to his Fellow-Prisoners exhorting them to hold out to the end he at last by appointment being condemn'd was executed by himself at which time and place he behaved himself with great Courage and Devotion and with a great willingness and chearfulness he submitted to Execution 4. Mr. SIMON HAMLING MR. Hamling was formerly an Inhabitant of Taunton but of late Years had lived two or three Miles from thence he was a very honest worthy good Christian But to our purpose Mr. Hamling living in the Country hearing of the Duke of Monmouth's being in Town he there came to speak with his Son who lived in the Place where being come he gave him Advice which was That as he expected his Blessing and Countenance he should not at all concern himself in the Matter but submit to the Will of God in all things And having thus advised his Son he returns home and two days after came again to Town on a Market-day with his Wife to buy Provisions for his Family and returned to his House again And this was all the times he was in Town whilst the Duke was there But after the Business was over he was brought in one Suspicion being a Dissenter that was Crime enough except Coin appeared to a Justice of that Town who usually did Commit or Dismiss as that appeared This worthy Person was Arraign'd at Taunton and pleaged Not Guilty The Evidences were two profligate Rascals that had Encouragement from the Justice they usually doing what he put them on The Prisoner had many to prove this Fact and his Honesty but this did not avail the Jury found him Guilty with two more who were presently Sentenced and next Morning executed to be Examples to others It is said that the Justice did make application to our Famous Protestant Judge and hinted some Mistake concerning him To which as I have been informed he should Reply You have brought him on if he be Innocent his Blood be upon you Mr. Hamling behaved himself very worthily at the Place of Execution and did at the last declare his Crime to be the same as is above-mentioned and not otherwise Thus fell this Pious Christian a Man by all sober People that knew him beloved and disrespected by none but loose Villains which at last took away his Life 5. The Behaviour and Dying Words of Mr. Gatchill Executed at Taunton THE said Mr. Gatchill was a Constable of the Hundred he was surprized by a Party of the Duke's and shewed a Warrant to bring in Provisions and other Necessaries for the use of the Army which if he had not obeyed was threatned to have his House burnt so that he was obliged to do what he did for his own Preservation But this was not sufficient for being found Guilty he was Executed As he was drawn to Execution he looked on the People and said A Populous Town God bless it Just before he was Executed he spake That the Crime he was Accused of and Condemned for was High Treason but he did not know himself to be Guilty of it and that what he did he was forced to do And further said I am so well known to you that I do verily believe you have Charity to think that what I speak is true As for the Niceties of the Law I do not well understand them And much more to the same effect he spake And so after Prayer with his Suffering Brother Mr. Simon Hamling he was Executed 6. There was also Executed at Taunton Mr. John Hucker a very worthy Gentleman of that Town He had some ill Friends in the Duke's Army that cast Aspersions on him as though he was the Person that was a Traytor to the Duke by firing a Pistol in Sedgmoor but I have strictly examined many on that Point and can find it to be nothing but the worst of an Enemy'd Malice to Wound him after his Death in his Reputation which he always valued highly when living To be short he has left the Character amongst his Neighbours of an honest Man a good Christian and one that was true to the Interest of the Duke and Sealed it with his Blood Mr. John Hucker's Letter to his Friend a little before his Execution I Was in hopes to have had Liberty to speak a few words at the Place of Execution till a few Minutes since but now am perswaded the contrary Therefore excuse these abrupt Lines I bless God I am now reconciled to this contemptible Death it was long ere I could but now God hath done it for me and I thankfully submit to it from the hands of the wise God whom I have offended And therefore desire to accept my Punishment knowing he doth all things well without any wrong to his Creatures I had lately some Discourse with two Persons whereof one was of Quality concerning the things laid to my Charge I was told that it was three things One was That I was an Enemy to or against the Protestant Religion that I was troublesome and had acted vigorously in Elections of Members for Parliament and upheld the Meetings I own my self a Protestant and die an Asserter of that Religion and I pray God I do prove a better Friend to it than those that have so industriously endeavoured the taking away my Life and that they see it not when it 's too
Hunting or wearied with continual Audiences or tir'd with incessant Cares for the Good of the Republick he comes to my Chamber about Supper-time upon this Condition that I should not tire him more with multiplicity of Questions but rather strive to recreate him over-coil'd and almost spent with pleasing Jests that might revive him with innocent Mirth Ibid. 87. William might justly exalt his single Mary above all the Wives of former Times then whom no Woman greater for her Courage more Religious in her Affection more amiable in her Countenance more modest in here Habit more affable in her Discourse or who with a more obedient readiness to serve her Royal Consort whether present or absent was more his Counsellor his Hands his Ears his Eyes and every-way more assistant to him And therefore the August William told his mournful Bishops and Grandees That Mary's outside was known to them but that her intrinsick and just Value was only known to himself Ibid. 88. Queen Mary lookt upon Piety to be the Compendium the Seasoning of all Vertues and the Support of Kingdoms and therefore Religion was always her first Care and her Supreme Law as it was also to her Glorious William And therefore it was the frequent Saying of those two August Princes That neither the Guards of Majesty the Councils of Princes Emperors Legions Cities Garrison Courage of their Leaders Well-disciplin'd and Veteran Armies nor the Sinews of War any thing avail'd to the Preservation of Sovereigns or their Subjects without God's assistance Ibid. 89. She was moderate in her Dress sparing in her Train but eager and humble in her Attention Who whenever she entred the Church-doors or happen'd to sneeze in the time of Divine Service impatiently brook'd the Bowings and Cringes of the Sycophant Croud professing That in the House of God the Distinction was the same of Meanest and Highest from the most Infinite Majesty Ibid. 90. The Queen being mov'd by the untimely Death of several Illustrious Women in her Court thought it high time more familiarly to converse with Death and meditate upon Eternity And that she might always have him in her Eye besides the Sacred Books which she turn'd over more frequently than ever Alexander did Homer's Iliads she applied herself to other Books no less familiar to her which taught the Art of Dying well more especially the Treatise upon that Subject or Charles Drelincourt which she confess'd to his Son then one of her Physicians That she had read above Seven times over Ibid. 91. How many Things could I say of the Earnest Desires of our pious Queen to see extinguished or as much as could be lessened the impious Divisions too deeply rooted but first sown by the wicked Emissaries of Rome to the Ruin of her Country How averse was she from the Severity of former times which decreed the Dissenters if not to be exterminated by the Sword yet to be routed out by Excommunications and macerated by Imprisonments Fines and Banishment for the only sake of their differing Discipline free from all other the least Stain or Pestilence of Heresie or false Doctrine And how earnestly has she wish'd in my hearing that saving to the Church of England and the Bishops their ancient Rights there might be a moderate way found to consolidate the common Safety of England and the Universal Church by the Union of all Parties all Offences being remov'd all Animosity being laid aside all Passion being moderated and whatsoever on either side savoured too much of Human Invention being utterly rejected Neither if we have any thing of Prophetick in us is all Hopes of such a Union cut off in the Loss of Mary while William still remains Ibid. 92. When this most Noble Senate interposed their kind Offices of Condolement for the Death of King Charles II. by which her Father came to the Sovereignty but upon which most dark and dismal Storms threatned the Kingdom the Church and the Reformed Religion she as she was never without all the Marks of Civility after she had answered the Messengr added these Expressions That it was the Will of God through whose Providence there was no reason to despair of the Publick Safety That the best Consolation in Affliction was a reliance upon God That there was a Threatning Cloud hung over her Father's Kingdoms but that he was able to bring forth a splendid and most acceptable Cloud out of the thickest Darkness Oh Mary a true Prophetess and Words a certain Augury of what was to come 'T is now about two Years since that the Fatal News reached the Ears of the best of Queens that News more especially doleful to our Merchants that so many Ships laden with rich Goods and wealthy Treasure bound for the Levant either through Perfidiousness or supine Negligence were either sunk or burnt or yielded up to the French which penetrated so deeply to the Heart of the compassionate Queen that she could not forbear watering her Royal Cheeks before all the Standers by with a Deluge of Tears nor did she only with her Tears bemoan the Losses of those who suffered after a more than ordinary manner but also testified her sympathizing in their Misery to the Widows and Orphans that were hardly able to bear up under so great a Calamity Nor shall I ever forget that cruel Hour when going to take my leave of the Princess returning to her Country I am call'd said she to my Husband to my Native Country to my Fellow-Citizens and whither Providence leads me I must follow But when I leave this Palace I leave the Seat of my Leisure my Tranquility and Delight And first shall my Right-Hand forget itself before I will ever forget this my Belgium after so many Proofs of the Affection and Judgment of this Republick Whose Losses added she without the least Commotion of Mind whose Misfortunes and Calamities and also whatever prosperous and joyful befals it I shall look upon as my own as long as I remember my self Ibid. 93. But here my Sorrow stops my Mouth and I must put an end at length to my most bitter Memorial of her Praises But wherefore do I say an End when dying she was so much above all Praises by how much the more she approached nearer to Heaven and Eternity Ibid. THE Wonders of Nature PART II. By WILLIAM TVRNER M. A. Vicar of WALBERTON in SUSSEX When I consider thy Heavens the Work of thy Fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained What is Man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of Man that thou visitest him Psal 8.3 4. LONDON Printed for John Dunton at the Raven in Jewen-Street MDCXCVII THE PREFACE TO THE Wonders of Nature THE Impression which the Almighty hath made upon the several Pieces of the Creation and diversity of Species Figures Lineaments Properties and Curiosity of Operation discernable in them is enough to amuse and puzzle the Reason of the most Ingenious and Gigantic Atheist in the World For can any Man in