Part 1

Transcriber's Notes: Every effort has been made to reproduce the original text as printed. Sidenotes and footnotes in the original have been moved inline to follow applicable text.

A SERMON PREACH'D Before the Right Honourable THE LORD-MAYOR, THE Aldermen and Citizens of _London_, AT THE _CATHEDRAL_ Church of St. _Paul_, On _Monday_ the 30th of _Jan._ 1709/10. BEING The ANNIVERSARY FAST for the _Martyrdom_ of King CHARLES the First.

By _ANDREW SNAPE_, D. D. Chaplain to his Grace the Duke of _Somerset_, and Rector of St. _Mary at Hill_.

_LONDON_: Printed for JONAH BOWYER, at the Sign of the _Rose_ in _Ludgate-Street_. 1710.

_Garrard_, Mayor.

_Martis_ vii. _die Februarii, 1709. Annoq; Regni Reginæ Annæ, Magnæ Britanniæ, &c. Octavo._

This Court doth desire Dr. _Snape_ to Print his Sermon, Preach'd at the Cathedral Church of St. _Paul_, before the Lord-Mayor, Aldermen and Citizens of this City, on _Monday_ the Thirtieth of _January_ last, being the Day of Humiliation for the Martyrdom of King _Charles_ the First.

_GIBSON._

1 KINGS, XXI. 9, 10.

_Proclaim a Fast, and set_ Naboth _on high among the People_:

_And set Two Men, Sons of _Belial_, before him, to bear Witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the King: and then carry him out and stone him, that he may die._

There is scarce any one Instance of the shedding innocent Blood recorded in Holy Scripture which has not at some time or other been apply'd to the Occasion of this Day's Solemnity, even that of our blessed Saviour not excepted, whose Steps we have with one Voice declar'd in the Service of the Church the blessed Martyr cheerfully to have follow'd. [Note: _2d Collect for the day._] But here indeed it concerns us to tread warily. We can only affirm of the greatest Saints and brightest Luminaries of the Church that they have made some faint Approaches toward that great Exemplar, without presuming to equal either the Merits or the Sufferings of any meer Man to those of our crucify'd Redeemer: in all other Parallels there is less Danger of Excess, since most of 'em will be found, in many Circumstances, to fall short of the Fact committed on this Day.

Now altho' in such a comparative way of arguing, where we single out some remarkable Passage from the Records of past Ages, and adapt it, as far as it will naturally bear, to some After-Occurrence that has fall'n out nearer our own Times, it cannot be expected that both the Cases should be in all Respects exactly the same, without the least Variation, yet when we can point out some of the principal and Master-Strokes of each of 'em which have a near Resemblance of one another, when the Methods and Ways of Acting, the Motives and Inducements to it, with other concurrent Circumstances, are the same; this may be enough to justify the Choice of the Subject, and make it serve at least as a fair Introduction to the Matter in Debate.

I mention this, because of one remarkable Disagreement, which you must needs have been before-hand with me in observing, between the Case of _Naboth_, and that of this Day's _Royal Sufferer_, who as he had Liv'd the Ornament, so Died the _Martyr_ of the _English_ Church and Monarchy: And that is, that in the former of 'em, an innocent Subject was Murder'd by a wicked King (or at least by his Instruments and Agents, not without his Approbation and Consent, as appear'd by his subsequent Behaviour, in seizing his Inheritance, as well as by his own Confession, when he submitted to the Prophet's Charge, and humbled himself for it) whereas in the latter, a just and pious King was depriv'd at once of his Crown and Life by wicked and rebellious Subjects. But there are other Resemblances between 'em, that will make Amends for this Disparity. And therefore I shall proceed.

I. To draw a Parallel between the two Cases, and shew what is common to 'em both.

II. To consider the Nature and Consequences of the Fact committed on this Day. And

III. I shall conclude with one or two Moral Reflections.

I. I am to draw a Parallel between the two Cases, and show what is common to 'em both. Here then we may observe, that the Persons compar'd were both good Men: Both were Murder'd with a pretended Show of Justice, and with Religious Solemnities: Both for the same Cause, because they would not part with _the Inheritance of their Fathers_: Neither of 'em suffer'd singly; but the Enemies of each extended their Malice to the whole Race of 'em.

First I say they were both good Men. That _Naboth_ was so, we may very fairly conjecture from his Behaviour in the Matter of the Vineyard; and from the Severity of God's Wrath toward _Ahab_ and his Family, for unjustly putting him to Death. For altho' the Murder even of a wicked Man, either by false Accusation, or secret Treachery, is a very heinous and detestable Thing; (and that Life that is Forfeited to Justice by a thousand real Crimes, yet if innocent _quoad hoc_, and taken away by wicked Subornation, on weak and insufficient Evidence, for that which is not a Crime, or which was not committed, will derive a Sentence of Blood-guiltiness, nay of the Shedding innocent Blood, on the Contrivers and Actors in such an Execution;) yet we cannot suppose, that this is, in so excessive a Degree, provoking, or that it entails the Divine Vengeance on so many Generations, as when the Person Condemn'd is eminent for Piety and Vertue.

If indeed we were to judge of Things by their first Appearance, the Carriage of _Naboth_ toward _Ahab_, in denying him his Vineyard, might seem to have been very Churlish and Undutiful, especially when offer'd a _better Vineyard_ in Exchange for it, or an equivolent in _Mony_. And the Kings condescending way of Address, when he thus expresses himself, _If it shall seem good to thee_, and _if it please thee_; might be thought to have deserv'd a better Answer than, _I will not give thee my Vineyard_.

But we must consider on the other Hand, that the Thing which the King desir'd, was absolutely Unlawful, and expressly forbid by the Command of God; the smallest Ceremony of whose Appointment could not be dispens'd with. We may learn from _Lev._ 25. and _Num._ 36. how straitly the _Jews_ were enjoyn'd to look upon the Inheritance of their Fathers as Sacred: The very numerical Lands and Possessions were to be continually preserv'd in the respective Families to which they were allotted, and the present Occupants had no Power of totally alienating 'em, but only till they could be redeem'd by one of their Kin, and not so long as that, if a Year of _Jubilee_ should first happen, when all Things were to be restor'd as at the beginning: And even that temporary Alienation was not to be made, but under the Pressure of extreme Necessity, which it seems was not _Naboth_'s Case. So that he look'd on the Proposal, as a Thing he could not with a safe Conscience comply with, and therefore speaks, you see, with some Abhorrence of it, (tho' not altogether so bluntly as _Ahab_ repeated it to his Wife) _The Lord forbid it me, that I shou'd give the Inheritance of my Fathers unto thee_. From this I say, and the other Consideration before-mention'd, we may reasonably infer that _Naboth_ was a Man of Uprightness and Integrity; tho' the Scripture has distinguish'd him by no other Title, but that of _Naboth the Jesraelite_.

But we have better Arguments than bare Conjectures and remote Conclusions to induce us to believe that our _Martyr'd Sovereign_ was highly deserving of this Character, of which we have all the Proof and Demonstration that 'tis possible for one Man to have of the Integrity of another.

'Tis true, God alone is an infallible Judge and Discerner of the Heart; _he_ only beholds with an unerring Eye the Uprightness or Obliquity of Human Thoughts and Intentions; and therefore none but he can absolutely and decisively pronounce of any Person, that he is either Holy and Sincere, or Wicked and Prophane.

But we Men must form our Judgment from the outward Actions, and wheresoever we find a regular Conduct, where all the Duties to God and Man, as far as we can observe, are exactly and punctually discharg'd, where there are no visible Infractions of Divine or Human Laws, or none but such as may be imputed to Human Frailty; we are to look upon a Person so qualified as a Man of Probity and Vertue.

This is no more than is due in _common Justice_. But _Christian Charity_ will oblige us yet farther, even where there are some suspicious Appearances, if the Character of the Person be in other Respects unblemish'd; to err (if we must err) on the better Side, and make a favourable Construction.

This is Spoken at large, and not that there is any Occasion for this last Supposal, with Regard to the Subject I am upon: There being nothing in the Behaviour of that _excellent Prince_, that has so much as an indirect Aspect, nothing I mean that can affect his general Character.

When I affirm this I consider him chiefly as a private Christian, for in his _Royal Capacity_ indeed, as we find him represented, by the designing Artifice of his malicious and restless Enemies, there are faulty Appearances enough. And yet the very Persons, who thus industriously blackned and defam'd him, and loaded him with so many unjust Reproaches on the Account of his _Regal Administration_; (which can never be so Excellent, as to give no Handle to the _Factious_, the _Guilty_, and the _Disappointed_, to censure and malign it, and will be always liable to Misconstruction, the Reasons of State being so Mysterious) yet cou'd never charge on him any gross Misbehaviour in Point of Moral Duty, any one habitual Vice, or indulg'd Passion, tho' they wanted not Means of prying into his most secret Commerce and private Correspondence, and nothing, we know, is so quick-sighted as Malice.

His Devotion to God was regular and constant both in publick and in private, and that, not cold and formal, but with an ardent Zeal and enflam'd Affection. In the midst of the perplexing Cares that encompass a Throne, and with which _his_ Throne was peculiarly beset; he always found Leisure for the Exercises of Religion: He was never so dazl'd with the Splendor of an _Earthly_ Crown, as not to prefer before it a _Heavenly_ and _Immortal_ One: Nor was he ever unmindful of this important Truth, that as _his_ Subjects were accountable to _him_; (tho' in the End they quite inverted that Order) so was he himself to render an Account of _his_ Actions at a greater Tribunal before the King of Kings.

In the midst of the highest Plenty, and all the Means of gratifying a sensual Appetite that _Royal Affluence_ cou'd Administer, he was remarkably Temperate, Chast and Sober. His Conjugal Affection has been even imputed as a _Crime_. He was an inviolable Observer of his Matrimonial Vow, a Vertue not _too common_ in the World, a very rare one indeed in _Princes_. Nor was he less eminent for Clemency and Justice, and a tender Regard for the Welfare of his Subjects.

And if we consider him in the last Scene of his Life, in his Behaviour both before, and at the Scaffold; we may observe an admirable Composition of Christian Meekness, and Royal Grandeur, how under the extremest Pressures he wou'd never be prevail'd with, to do any thing unbecoming either the _Christian_ or the _King_.

As he had Liv'd, he Died a true Professor of the purest reform'd Faith: And his Character has this Advantage, even from the _reproachful_ manner of his Death; that his last Declaration so publickly made in the Face of the World, was not capable of being denied, or misrepresented. Whereas had they dispatch'd him by Poyson or Assassination, or any other way of Murder, that had carried less of Pomp and Ostentation; the Accusation had been obvious, that he Died a _Papist_, which his Enemies would not have fail'd to have reported, and his Friends could not so convincingly have disprov'd.

His admirable and instructing Legacy to his Children, his Praying for his Murderers, his patient Resignation to the Will of God, and indeed all the several Parts of his Deportment at that dismal Juncture; do conspire to raise in us the highest Esteem and Veneration for his Memory. And sure we may allow to one who was endu'd with so large a Share of Vertues, with so inconsiderable a Mixture of Defects, the Character and Denomination of a good Man. I mean, in a qualified Sense, for, in an absolute Sense, we know who has told us, there is none good but God. And this is one Point in which _Naboth_ and he agree.

The next is, that they both were Murder'd with a pretended Show of Justice, and with Religious Solemnities.

In order to _Naboth_'s Murder there was a _Fast Proclaim'd_, _a solemn Assembly call'd_, a formal Accusation forg'd, and suborn'd Witnesses produc'd. The principally intended Wickedness was thus usher'd in with a preparatory Combination of other Crimes; thus closely was the Train of Mischeif laid, by the Contrivance of wicked _Jezebel_; that _Hypocrisy_, _Perjury_ and _false Judgment_ should be the Prelude and Introduction to _Murder_.

And was not this exactly the Case of our _Royal Sufferer_? Was there not a Day of _Humiliation_ appointed? Was not the nefarious Business in Agitation dignified with the specious Title of _the Lord's Work_? Did not the cheif Authors of that Cruelty pretend to be _seeking the Lord_, whilst their Instruments were embruing their Hands in the Blood of the _Lord's Anointed_.

How horribly did they profane the Name of God, whilst they invok'd him, as Accessary to their Bloody Machinations, and besought him to strengthen their Hands in that diabolical Work! How wretchedly did they pervert his Word, which teaches all Obedience and Reverence to Princes; whilst even from those sacred Writings they would pretend to justify not only the highest Insolence and Contempt, but even the actual Murder of his _Lawful Vice-gerent_! To how base Purposes were the Ordinances of Religion prostituted, whilst they fasted for the Success of that impious Act, which it requires a perpetual Fast to deprecate the Guilt of: And _made long Prayers_ only _for a Pretense_, when they were making a Royal Widow, and devouring Houses and Lands, stately Palaces, and Princely Revenues with insatiable Greediness! How ill did it accord with their profest Purity and Godliness, after they had strain'd at so many Gnats, to swallow such a Camel!

Could they, in Reality, have been held by any Religious Ties, they would have paid some Regard, if not to the general Precepts of Obedience, if not to the former Oaths of Allegiance they had taken; yet at least to their own _Solemn League and Covenant_, that precious Test of Disloyalty, they so eagerly contended for, and which they had contriv'd as a Snare for others, whilst, thro' the Deadness of their Consciences, they were unrestrain'd themselves.

Even _that Engagement_, rebellious as it was, provided for the Security of the King's Person, which they were bound, by all that was Sacred, to protect and defend; and consequently the putting him to Death, besides all the other bad Circumstances, was an Act of the most _deliberate Perjury_ that ever was committed.

But as if something was still wanting to fill up the Measure of their complicated Impiety; they added Hypocrisy to the rest, gave a Religious Turn to their execrable Proceedings, and in the Depth of all this Mischeif, pretended a Zeal for God's Glory, and to have nothing so much at Heart, as promoting the Purity of his Worship.

Nor was _Piety_ the only false Pretence, they wou'd make a show of _Justice_ too: They would seem to do that by _Law_, which was an open Violation of all the Laws both of God and Man. To this End was erected a Mock-Tribunal of Self-created Judges, who by Vertue of that usurp'd and imaginary Authority, presum'd to set before 'em as a Criminal, their unquestionably rightful Sovereign. They had false Witnesses, _Sons of Belial_, ready at hand to have born their Testimony against him, and to have charg'd him with such Things, as he not only, in Fact, was clear of, but which he was not capable of committing.

_Naboth_ indeed might, 'tho' he did not, have Curs'd _God and the King_. [Note: So the Hebrew Verb should be rendred here, as it is elsewhere. The _Arabick_ and _Chaldee_ express it by two different Words. Thou didst _Blaspheme_ God, and _Curse_ the King.] There were really such Offences, tho' there was no such Offender. Whereas in the Case of our Martyr'd Prince, the Crime its self was as Fictitious as the Personal Charge. He not only was not, but cou'd not be guilty of that Treason they accus'd him of, since by our known Constitution, it was against himself only that any Treason cou'd be committed. We find in no Records the mention of such a Crime, as the _Lese-Majesty of the People_, nor that the cruellest Tyrants were ever tax'd with being _Rebels_ to their own Subjects. 'Tis possible for 'em to Misgovern, to subvert Fundamentals, to abuse their Trust, or to forsake it, and drive the People to a Necessity of transferring their Allegiance (of which our own Times have furnish'd us with an Instance:) But they can never be guilty of _Treason_, nor suffer the Punishment of _Traytors_.

When therefore the good King disown'd this illegal Judicature, and refus'd (as he well might) to Plead his Cause before 'em; they still went on with a Mask of Justice, and in Mock-Representation of a legal Process, to Sentence and Condemn him, and Sign a Bloody Warrant for his Execution.

Another Thing in which his Case does nearly resemble that of _Naboth_ is, that they both were Murder'd for the same Cause, because they wou'd not part with the _Inheritance of their Fathers_.

_Naboth_ might have compounded for his _Life_, by relinquishing his _Vineyard_, nay he might have had an equivalent too. But as he conceiv'd himself bound in Conscience, religiously to preserve his original Patrimony, he was under an unhappy Necessity of making such a Refusal, as brought him to that untimely End.

And the Desire of his _Inheritance_ was the Motive that induc'd our unnatural Country-men, to take away the Life of their Lawful King. The Inherent-Rights and Prerogtiaves of the Crown, which his Royal Predecessors had uncontestably enjoy'd, thro' a Succession of many Ages, were one after another disputed with _him_, and in the End violently extorted. What he cou'd depart from, with safety to his Conscience and Honour, he gave 'em, by a voluntary Consent, to preserve the Quiet of his Kingdom; but when he perceiv'd that nothing wou'd content 'em; (their Demands still rising, as his Concessions were larger) he adher'd with a steddy Resolution to those Branches of Power, which he judg'd to be inseparable from the Royal Dignity, and parted with them and his Life together.

Before they had thus compass'd their wicked Ends, and were become Masters of all without Controul, whilst there was yet the Appearance and Shadow of Kingly Government, and nothing cou'd be valid without the Royal Sanction; even then, tho' they left him the _Name_, they arrogated to themselves the _Power_. With what repeated Importunities did they Daily tear from him his most trusted and faithful Servants, under the Character of _Evil Counsellors_, and thrust into his Presence and Councils, their own Mercenary Creatures, Men of notorious Faction and Disloyalty, the profest Haters both of his Person and Authority, as the only Men to be _confided_ in! How justly might he have answer'd their haughty and unreasonable Demands (for such in Effect were their _humble Petitions_) in the Words of the wisest of Princes (when a very improper Application was made to him, in behalf of one, who had so little Pretension to _Favour_, that _Impunity_ was more than he had deserv'd) _Ask for him the Kingdom also_. [Note: _1 Kings_ 2. 22.]

They wanted, in short, such a Power as should create Dependencies on _them_, and tie fast to their Service such Instruments of Mischeif as they should have Occasion to make use of. And not to descend to all the several Branches of Royalty, 'twas Dominion and Government they aim'd at; an Affectation of Lording and Ruling it, was the real Ground of their seditious Outcries (as the Event sufficiently show'd) however they varnish'd over their Designs with more plausible Pretences.

Once more, we may observe another Resemblance between these two Innocent Persons, in that neither of 'em suffer'd _singly_, but the Enemies of each extended their Malice to the _whole Race_ of 'em. Tho' the History now before us is silent as to _Naboth_'s _Family_, and only relates what befel him in his own _Person_; yet we may learn from _2 Kings_ 9. 26. what became of 'em. _Surely I have seen Yesterday the Blood of _Naboth_, and the Blood of his Sons, saith the Lord, and I will requite thee in this Plat._

It cannot, I confess, be equally affirm'd, with relation to our Martyr'd Sovereign, that the Blood of _his Sons_ too calls for Vengeance, _that_ only Stream of Royal Blood having been Spilt, that ran within his own Veins. But tho' they escap'd with Life, (no Thanks to the Usurpers of their Inheritance that they did so) yet were they devested of their just Rights, which none of 'em had then done any thing to forfeit, driven into Exile, branded with Names of Infamy and Reproach, and declar'd _Traytors_ and _Rebels_ themselves, as well as their Abettors and Adherents.

Having said thus much by way of Parallel, give me leave to conclude the Comparison between these two Innocents, as I first introduc'd it, with taking Notice of one other material Difference between the two Histories. _Naboth_'s Murderer, tho' _above_ the Reach of _human_ Justice, saw, and confess'd, and bewail'd his Guilt, and humbled himself so effectually before God, that the Vengeance he requir'd for that _innocent Blood_ (for _innocent Blood_ will be aveng'd, nor is it any Security to us, that it was not shed by _us_, or in _our Days_) was not immediately taken, but postpon'd till another Generation.

But the _Royal Murderers_ show'd _no_ Remorse. The _Regicides_ of _this Day_ continu'd to the last Inflexible and Obdurate: Their Hearts were so hardned by the just Judgment of God for their accumulated Wickedness; that even those of 'em who, by his peculiar Providence, were reserv'd for _publick Justice_, were so far from any Signs of Repentance, that they even _Gloried_ in the inhuman Deed. I come now in the

II. Place to consider the _Nature and Consequences_ of the Fact committed on this Day. The _Nature_ of it may be in a great Measure judg'd, from what has been already said. But farther to convince us of the enormous Guilt of it, let us take it, as attended with the following Circumstances.