A sermon preached at St. Martins in the Fields, on November the fifth, 1678 by William Lloyd ... Lloyd, William, 1627-1717. 1679 Approx. 39 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 19 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A48848 Wing L2709 ESTC R20333 12402642 ocm 12402642 61303 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A48848) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 61303) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 767:30) A sermon preached at St. Martins in the Fields, on November the fifth, 1678 by William Lloyd ... Lloyd, William, 1627-1717. [3], 34 p. Printed by T.N. for Henry Brome ..., London : 1679. Includes bibliographical references. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Bible. -- N.T. -- John XVI, 2 -- Sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. 2003-11 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-11 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-12 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2003-12 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Imprimatur , Guil. Jane , R. P. D. Hen. Episc. Lond. a Sacris Domest . Febr. 27. 1678. A SERMON PREACHED At St. Martins in the Fields , ON NOVEMBER the Fifth , 1678. By WILLIAM LLOYD , D. D Dean of BANGOR , and One of His MAIESTIES Chaplains in Ordinary . LONDON : Printed by T. N. for Henry-Brome , at the Gun in St. Paul's Church-yard . 1679. JOHN 16. 2. They shall put you out of the Synagegues : Yea the time cometh , that whosoever killeth you , will think that he doth God service . THe Words are part of that Discourse which our Saviour made to his Disciples the Night before his Passion . The Words of a Dying Man use to leave the deepest Impression : And that was the end for which Christ intended this Discourse : He knew there would be a more than ordinary need of it . That which gave such force to his Words , was the very cause of this need ; that is , his Death . For Him to suffer Death , whom they lookt upon as their Messias ; Him that was to restore the Kingdom to Israel ; For Him to Frustrate that great Work by Dying ; They were in pain to hear this : For Him to suffer such a Death ; They were offended at it , often offended , as often as He spoke of it . Our Saviour considered their Weakness in this ; and mildly told them , it should not be so , but much otherwise . That which they were so apt to be offended with , when they heard it ; He made them hear it , that they might not be offended , when it came to pass . These things have I spoken to you , ( saith he ) to the end that ye should not be offended ; that you should not be scandalized , nor deterred from my Service , by any thing that I am to suffer . Nay more ; What you shall see done in Me , will likewise be done in You. As I am rejected and put to Death , so shall You be , and that for Righteousness sake . They which now begin their Work with Me , shall deal likewise with You when I am gone . The time comes ; and thus it will be , till time be at an end : The time comes when they shall remove you from their Assemblies ; they shall put you out of their Synagogues ; Excommunicate you for your Christian Profession . And having done so , they shall kill you ; and all this in Zeal , thinking it not only lawful , but acceps to God. They shall do it as Men that would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , do God Service , or Worship ; so the Original signifies ; as if in so doing , they should offer Sacrifice to God. It is a wonderful thing : That Men of Knowledge , and Conscience , and Religion ; they who doubtless were a True , though then a Corrupt Church of God ; should think to please God with those Sacrifices , which were scarce offered to the Devil by any other but the most Barbarous and Brutish part of Mankind . What ? To Sacrifice to God with Human Blood , which in his Law he had positively and directly forbidden ? To kill Men upon His account , that has expresly said , Thou shalt not kill ? To kill , not Malefactors , but the most faithful Servants of God , the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ ? To kill them to do God service , was surely a most preposterous way . But they that did it thought otherwise ; and they thought as they were taught ; they acted according to their Principle : It was the Principle of their Religion , that false Prophets are to be put to Death . 'T is most true , God had so ordained it in his Law , as you read Deut. 13. six first Verses . But how should a false Prophet be tried ? Among the Jews he should be tried by his Doctrine . And how his Doctrine ? By Scripture . God sent them to the Law , and to the Testimony : and declared , that , if Men that took upon them to Prophecy , spake not according to this Rule , they had no Light in them ; then they were to be taken for false Prophets . But these of whom our Saviour speaks , the Jews of his Age , had another way of Trial , which they held at least equal with the Scripture . That was their Oral Tradition . Our Saviour told them of it : He blamed them smartly for preferring it before Scripture . You make , ( saith he ) the Scripture of no Effect by your Tradition . By this Tradition , if they tried Christ and his Apostles , and judged them all to be False Prophets that would not receive it , they must judge Christ and his Apostles to be False Prophets ; and , as such , must kill them by their Law. Thus they did . They dealt so , First with Christ himself , and Then with his Apostles . And they thought they did well in it . They did this upon the Account of Religion . It was indeed for their Religion , such as it was ; not grounded on Scripture , but on that False Rule of Oral Tradition . In Defence of their Traditions , they killed the Followers , and even the Writers of Scripture . Tanto in Religio potuit — Such a mischievous pernicious Inflorence hath misguided Religion upon the Souls and Consciences of Men. So that now in my Text we have two things to consider . You see the Theme of it is Persecution against the Followers of Christ. You see , First , the Cause of it is Misgrounded Religion . In these Jews , it was grounded , not on Scripture , but on Tradition . Secondly , you see the Effect of it , in their carriage towards the Followers of Christ. The Effect is twofold : First , to shut them out of the Church by Excommunication ; Secondly , having so done , to put them to Death . They shall Kill you , saith my Text. Now Killing again is twofold ; either Publickly , by the Magistrate ; or Privately , by any particular Person . 'T is all one to him that Suffereth , whether he die by the Sword of Justice , or whether he have his Throat cut in a Massacre , or by Assassination . But as to the Authors , 't is far different . The Sword of Justice may be Abused , in many respects ; and is so sometimes in all Nations . It may kill the Innocent , through Misinformation ; and the Magistrate may be faultless in doing it . But for Private Mens Killing , by Assassination or by Massacre , it is and ought to be odious in all Nations . Yet some will do it , and Justifie it . My Text says , some would not stick to do it , yea and justifie it , upon the account of Religion . Thirdly , the Time when they will do this ; The time comes , says our Saviour . Comes , when ? Now under the Gospel . The Jews did it at the Entrance of the Gospel . In After-times , that Christians should do it , that profess to believe the Gospel ; Did our Saviour ever think of this ? If he did , you may soon guess of what sort he meant . For I know but one sort of Christians , that do it , and that justifie it , upon account of Religion . I know not any Principles for it , among Christians , but theirs in the Roman Church . It seems as if Christ looked upon them , when he said these words to his Disciples . It appears he thought of them , if what he said to his Disciples , were intended of any sort of Christians . He declared elsewhere , Ioh. 17. 20. that what he said , he intended not for them alone , but for them also who should believe on him through their word . I say therefore , if our Saviour had any thought , of Christians that should suffer from their Brethren , as his Disciples did from the Jews ; I know not where to apply this , but only to them of the Roman Church . Of them only among Christians he had Occasion to say this . They shall put you out of the Synagogues , yea when they kill you they shall think that they do God service . So that I have a twofold Consideration in these words . First , in relation to the Jews ; and Secondly , to the Romish Christians . First , in relation to the Jews , Christ said these words immediately to his Disciples ; that the Jews would Excommunicate Them , and Kill them in pure Zeal for their Religion . To pursue this in the Method that I propounded at first ; First , the Cause of those Evils which the Jews did to the Apostles , was meerly Zeal for their Traditionary Religion . What their Zeal was , you know , is often spoken in Scripture . S t Paul testifies of them , Rom. 10. 2. They had a Zeal , but not according to Knowledge . They reckon'd it Zeal towards God , Acts 22. 3. They were Zealous of their Law , Acts 21. 20. But by the Law , they meant chiefly their Customs . So 't is explained Acts 6. 13 , 14. Those Jews that bore Witness against Stephen , their Witness was , that He blasphemed against God , and against Moses , Vers. 11. How did it appear ? In the the Thirteenth Verse , He spoke against the holy Place , and the Law. What did they mean by the Law ? Even the Customs which Moses delivered them . No doubt their Hebrew word was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Cabalistical Rites , their Traditionary Customs , Quos Moses Tradidit , which Moses delivered by word of Mouth . That this was their meaning it appears by St. Paul's Explication . Speaking of himself , what he did when he was a Jew , Gal. 3. 14. Saith he , I beyond measure persecuted the Church of God , and wasted it . A Jew persecute the Church of God ? Wherefore did he do it ? He declares what I have said . I was , saith he , exceedingly Zealous for the Traditions of my Fathers . That stuck more with the Jews , than the Scripture , the Written Law of God. They insisted much less upon the Law , than upon the Traditions . Yea they called their Traditions , the Law , as you have heard ; and contended for them , as being Essential to Religion . Saith the Apostle , I profited in the Iews Religion above many of my Equals in my own Nation , being more exceedingly Zealous for the Traditions of my Fathers . So we have found out the Cause of this Carriage that follows . The Jews Cause was , the Defence of their Traditions . Their Carriage it self was , First , to Excommunicate ; and Secondly , to Kill , those that convinced them out of the Written Word of God. Since their Religion was founded , not on Scripture , but Tradition , in those Points that were in Controversie between them and the Disciples ; The Disciples not owning , but condemning those Traditions , they lookt upon them as Men of Another Religion , that is , both as Heretics , and Schismatics . And as such , They put them out of their Synagogues , they cast them out of the Church , they cut them off by the Sentence of Excommunication . Even while our Saviour lived , they had agreed among themselves , that whosoever confessed him should be turned out of the Synagogue , Joh. 9. 22. According to this Agreement , when one born blind , being cured by our Saviour , confessed him ; and maintained it , that he that cured him , could be no other but a Prophet sent from God : They were so moved at this Confession , and so inraged at him that had received his Sight , ( the more inraged , because the matter was so evident ) that , not knowing how at that time to revenge themselves otherwise , ( for the People took Christ for a Prophet , therefore they durst not meddle with Him ; ) they fell upon the Poor Man , they took Occasion against him to turn him out of the Synagogue , Iohn 9. 34. And the Matter was so notorious , that some that did believe in Christ , yet durst not confess him , Iohn 12 4. They knew they ought ; but they durst not , for fear of being turned out of the Synagogue . 'T is known to them that are conversant in the Writings of the Jews , that whensoever they had any cut off by their Censures , it was their way to expose them with Contumelious Names . They called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; that is , Heretics , and Schismatics . Secondly , Whom they cast out for a Heretic , or a Schismatic , they lookt upon him as not worthy to live . When St. Paul discovered himself to be a Christian ; they threw off their Clothes , they threw Dust into the Air , they cried , Away with such a Fellow from the Earth , for it is not fit that he should live , Acts 22. 23. They would have stoned him , if they durst ; but that the Roman Governour was present , as you read there , Vers. 34. By saying , That he ought not to live ; their meaning was , That it was a good deed to kill him ; which was the usual Effect of their total and final Excommunication . The Effect of it was Killing ; with those horrible Circumstances , that , whereas he that was killed was judged an Enemy of God , he that killed him was considered as having done God a great piece of Service : which made this much different from any other kind of Death . He that killed a Man otherwise , knew he did Murther . He that killed him for God's sake , lookt upon it as a Sacrifice : So far from being an Offence against God , that it rather made amends for all his other Offences . And whereas he that ordinarily kills a Man , seeks nothing more but to be rid of him as soon as he can ; and therefore makes haste to put him out of his Pain ; Those that put Men to Death for Religion , think no Death too severe . Single Death is not enough : It is too soon over . They will make such a one feel how he dies . Common Rage is but a blunt Sword , in comparison of that which is whetted and edged with a Zeal of mistaken Religion . First , by the Sword of Justice : If the Jews put one to Death for Religion , it must be done by the Sanhedrim , who were their Judges in Ecclesiastical things . But the Sanhedrims way of putting . Men to Death was by Stoning ▪ which was a very Unmerciful Death . St. Stephen felt it . He was thus put to Death for Religion . And they stoned Stephen calling upon God. When Herod , that had no such Motive as Religion , was yet pleased for Popularity to put St. Iames the Apostle to Death , he only killed him with the Sword , Acts 12. 2. If the Jews had had the doing of it , it would have been done at another Rate . Else , possibly for Haste , or for Concealment , or the like , when they could not intend those more exquisite Cruelties ; and so in those cases where the Sanhedrim had no power ; there they were for destroying by Assassination ; as you read , Acts 23. 12. When St. Paul was so protected by the Magistrate , that they could not come at him in a Legal Judicial way ; then they resolved to Assassinate him ▪ They bound themselves under a Curse , that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they were more than forty of the Jews that had made this Conspiracy . Those were of the Cannitae , or Zealots , ( as they called them ; ) Men that took upon them the Cause of God , to avenge him of his Enemies ; whether it were to kill any single Person , or a Family , or a Nation if they were able to compass it . They stuck at nothing that stood in the way of their bloody and barbarous Sect , disguised under the mild and sacred Name of Religion . I shall not shew , nor will it be greatly material to tell you , what Reaks they played among the Jews , nor what Havock they made of the Christians of those times . I have shewn you enough of their Way , and of their Principle , which suits the immediate scope of my Text. This , together with the rest that I have said , was that measure that the Apostles of Christ were to expect , and to receive from the Jews , upon the account of Religion ; that is , indeed , of Tradition against Scripture . But now I come to consider the Time when this Prophesie was to be fulfilled . I have shewn you , that , besides the Completion in that Age , it is as capable to be extended to any future Age ; any Age before the Resurrection ; for even That lies within the reach of these words , Venit Hora , The Hour comes , in my Text. The Hour cometh , saith our Saviour , when they that are in their Graves shall hear the Voice of the Son of Man , and shall come forth , John 5. 28. The Notation of that word then , it is plain , is large enough to extend even till the Resurrection . And if our Saviour spoke this , First , of the Jews in the Apostles times ; of whom should he intend that they will do this in Future Ages ? Could he mean this of the Unbelieving Gentiles ? Saint Austin says , No ; in his Book Contra Literas Petiliani . For , saith he , They do not use Excommunication ; nor , when they kill , do they think that they do God good service . What then ? Could it be said of the Jews in after-times ? Much less : For they were in no condition to kill . They have been killed , in every Age ; both by Heathens , and by Merciless Christians . But for them to kill Christians , it hath not been in their Power at any time since the Destruction of Ierusalem . Of whom then are we to understand this ? If not of Gentiles , nor of Jews , 't is surely meant of some kind of Christians in Future Ages . So the same Saint Austin doth understand it in his Book Contra Epistolam Gaudentii . This , he says , is to be understood of Heretical Christians . They will be ready to kill the Orthodox Christians , whensoever they have them in their Power . But how shall we know who are Heretics ? We know who they are , that are given to Kill , among Christians , upon the account of Religion . I dare appeal to themselves in the Roman Church ; whether any , but themselves , either Teach , or Practice this , among Christians at this present Day . First , I am sure , for the Cause which these Jews had , they also have it . They have the same Zeal , that those Jews had , for Unwritten Traditions . And as the Jews called theirs by the Name of the Law , so the Papists make bold to call theirs The Vnwritten Word of God : So they call it expresly in the fourth Session of the Council of Trent . All that which they chiefly contend for , is wholly founded on their Unwritten Traditions . Run through all those Points that they have added to the true Christian Faith. What Pretence , or what Colour have they for the proof of them ? For many , they do not so much as pretend a word of Scripture . For some they do : But , God knows , very wretchedly and absurdly . For every one of them , the true Bottom is nothing else but Unwritten Tradition . Is there any thing else for seven Sacraments of Christs Institution ? For their Picturing of God the Father , and of the Trinity ? For their Worshipping Images ? For their Denying the Cup to their Laity ? For their Doctrine of Purgatory ? For their Indulgences , and the like ? The learned Writers among them do acknowledge , even while they maintain these Traditions , while they endeavour to prove them , that there is no Proof for these out of Scripture . For all the rest of their Doctrines , they may have some Colour ; but they have no manner of Proof for any of them , but what the Jews had against Christ himself ; and as Christ convinced the Jews , so Our way to convince them is , by Scripture . But what Return have we for it ? First , Excommunication , to be sure . Let any among themselves argue any thing against their Tradition ; Let him offer to name Scripture against it ; Nay , let him own his right to read Scripture ; 't is enough to bring him under the Sentence of Excommunication . As for us that do all this , we are cut off from their Church at one stroke . We are Excommunicated in a heap . We are Anathematized in Bulla Coenae by his Holiness , in Passion Week . 'T is his Charity to us , at those times , when he most solemnly betakes himself to remember the Death of Christ in that Sacrament . And being so Excommunicated , and Accursed by him , as we are ; you must not wonder at the Names which they are pleased to give us . They call us Heretics , and Schismatics , in their modest Appellations : Yea Infidels , and Atheists , whensoever they please . And whether they do not treat us like such , that comes next to be considered . Do I say they treat us like such ? No , I know they do much worse . Except at the first Conquering of the Indies , when the Spaniards killed some Millions , I say Millions , of that poor miserable People ; Except that time , they have dealt more favourably , always , with Heathens than with us . They kill none , usually , where they are Masters , but only Heretics . And they killed not even those , as they do Heretics in those Countries which are wholly under the Dominion of Popery . As namely , in Spain , and in Italy , in those Parts where they have the Inquisition . Whosoever , there , sides with Scripture against their Traditions , is no sooner discovered , but hurried away to Prison ; where no Friend is suffered to come at him , no Relief to come near him , no Hope of better in this World. All which , taken together , make it Hell upon Earth ; and the rather , for from thence there is no Redemption . Well he may scape by Dying there : But if ever he comes forth , 't is to be burnt . If one dies there in the Popes Slaughter-House ; or if one scape coming thither , ( which is impossible , but by not being discovered ) if he be discovered after death , they will not allow him Burial . Or if he be buried first , then they dig up his Body to be burnt . So that whether one dies in their hands , or no ; 't is all one , he must be burnt . There is only this difference : He that dies in their hands , his Body is not buried , but burnt . He that was buried before he was discovered , he is digged up to be burnt as soon as he is discovered , though it be twenty or forty years after . I could give many undeniable Instances of all that which I have said in this matter . Few Instances can be given to the contrary , in Spain , or in Italy , in those parts which are under the Inquisition . If it is not so in any other Country , yet it was so , even there , when it was under the full Dominion of Popery . As for instance ; in France , a little more than a hundred years since . In our Kings Dominions , about a hundred and twenty years since . In the Low-Countries , ( as Grotius tells us in the first Book of his Annals ) a hundred thousand Men and Women had suffered thus , before ever Sword was drawn against the Spanish Government . Not to speak of Merindole , and Cabriers , and Piedmont , and in Austria , and Bohemia , and other Places , where this Cruelty was exercised so lately , in Countries not under the Full Power of Popery . When all was theirs , before the Reformation , it was no where otherwise . How was it possible it should be ? When since the time that it came to be a Practice of their Church , that all whom they accounted Heretics should be burnt ; ( that is since about the year 1200 , for then it began ) it hath been Established by their Laws both Ecclesiastical and Civil ; It hath been approved by , and acted in , their General Councils ; It has been taught by their Doctors and Writers ; It hath been Enacted , and Prosecuted , and Executed , every thing by the Pope : whose very Throne is Established , whose Greatness has been built , the Foundations of it laid , in the Bodies , and the Walls cemented ( as I may say ) with the Blood of Orthodox and Innocent Christians . Where they have not Power to do this , and the colour of Law ; where the Government hath been against them , or where it hath been weakly on their side ; There they have found other ways to do the same thing ; by Private Murther ; by Public Assassination ; by Open Rebellion ; by such Barbarous ways as I should not mention , for fear of being accounted a Slanderer , but that they are notoriously known to all the World. And in All these ways , there 's none like them , for Cruelty , among Christians . There were indeed Assassines among the Heathen Saracens ; There are Deruices among the Turks , and Saids among the Moors ; Single Persons , or Orders of Men , that are bloody enough in other Sects : But for a whole Sect to be led by its Principles , nay even Obliged to shed Blood , I know none like these Traditionary Christians . The Jews in the Apostles time , to Them , were but Children ; Their Zealots , not to be mentioned with the Iesuites , the Cannites of the Popish Religion . They have the same Zeal , that those had , for their Traditions ; the same Diligence to make Proselytes ; the same Cruelty to shed Blood. Only what those acted upon the small Stage of One Country , these do throughout the whole World , wheresoever they dare , and have opportunity to do it : Whether it is to be done , by Private Murther , or by Open War ; Whether by a Foreign Sword , or by the Civil ; Whether it be upon Subjects , or upon Princes . And in this last thing indeed , they Out-do the Turks , and the Jews , and all other ; That they spare not their own Princes , where they may hope to advantage their Cause by it . For the Foreign Sword , they hold it not only Lawful , but Necessary , to be drawn upon the meer account of Religion . There is no Kingdom in our Europaean World , but the Pope hath given it away upon the account of Religion ; No Country but He has made an Aceldama upon the account of Religion . His giving Kingdoms indeed , hath been , like the Devil 's offering them to Christ ; upon Condition , that they to whom he gives them shall fall down and Worship him . As the Devil offered All , so the Pope hath given Many ; though they are none of His Own ; Though He had no more Title to any One of them , than the Devil himself has to All Kingdoms . The Empire he hath given away more than once ; France many a time over ; England many and many a time , to those that would Conquer them . And for fear that Prize should be too little , he hath given them Heaven into the Bargain . He hath Commanded them to Conquer those Kingdoms ; and that , for the Remission of their Sins . Thus he gave Navarre to the Spaniard ; who both Conquered it , and holds it to this Day , under no other Original Title but of the Popes Gift ; and that founded upon No other Right the Pope had to it , but what he hath to All Kingdoms . He knows little of our Story that knows not how he hath plaid with the Kingdoms of England and Ireland : Sometimes exciting the Foreign Sword ; sometimes stirring up Princes against their Subjects ; sometimes Arming the Subjects against their Prince ; sometimes commanding them , and sometimes hiring them , either to Rebellion , or to Assassination . And in this they exceed the Turks , and all others ; who do bloody things otherwise , but not to their own Princes ; at least , not upon the account of Religion : But to Kill Kings meerly for Religion , I know not one Instance where it was ever done , but for Popery . Not to insist upon old Stories . Within this last hundred years , there have been Two Kings of France Stabb'd by their own Popish Subjects , but for Favouring the Protestant Religion ; Henry the Third in our Queen Elizabeth's , and Henry the Fourth in King Iames's time . For those Princes themselves , Queen Elizabeth's Life was attempted many times . She was never out of Danger after the first Eleven years of her Reign ; Though all that time she had not put One to Death of that Religion . Afterwards indeed she did put some of them to Death , to secure her own Life . And knowing it was Chiefly sought by their Priests , she forbad them to come into her Kingdoms . And for coming in spite of her , she did sometimes put to Death some few of them ; whom she had cause to judge faulty otherwise . But this Rule she observ'd , She never put any One to Death , that would declare under his Hand , That the Pope had no Power to take away her Life and her Kingdoms . When King Iames came in after her , He even Studied to oblige them . He treated them with all possible Indulgence . He could not presently take away the Laws ; but he put none in Execution against them . He never touched , either the Person , or the Purse , of any of those whom they call Catholicks . He forgave all that was in Arrrear from them to Queen Elizabeth . He refunded what Money of theirs he found in the Exchequer . He gave them leave to live at Home , how they pleased , only peaceably : Or to go Abroad , and Travel , where they pleased , without Account : Or to take Imployment under what Prince they pleased , without Distinction . He Honoured all alike with Advancement and Favour . He Knighted Many of them ; and even One a that was afterwards in this Treason . This Gunpowder-Treason was Encouraged , or at least Hastned , by those Means . I speak in the very Words of that King : Saith he , b The Papists themselves grew to that Height of Pride in Confidence of my Mildness , that they did directly expect , and assuredly promise themselves , Liberty of Conscience , and Equality with my other Subjects in all other things . When they found that King Iames was not for down-right Toleration , then they were for his Blood. Nothing would satisfie them but his Blood : And not only His , but the Queens , and his Childrens . c I speak the Words of His MAJESTIES Proclamation , and of the Act of Thanksgiving upon this Day : The King , the Queen , the Prince , were all at one Thunder-Clap to be sent to Heaven together . Oh Barbarous , and Horrid , and Execrable Cruelty ! How could it enter into the Hearts of Men , but by the Instigation of the Devil , to do such horrid things as they had design'd ! To destroy their own Prince , the Anointed of the Lord ; His Gracious Queen ; their Hopeful Children ; their whole Parliament with them ; and GOD knows how many more that should come within the reach of that Blow ! The Innocent with the Guilty ! Yea , all Innocent ; for there were none Guilty of any thing but the Protestant Religion . And their Religion was according to Scripture ; Only it was against the Popish Traditions , as the Scripture it self is . The Scripture is against those Popish Traditions . What then ? If others do what Christ and his Apostles did , mu●t they be such Arrant Jews to kill them for this ? Yes , and that with the same colour of Duty and Religion . It was resolved , d To be Lawful , to be Laudable , to be Meritorious ; or ( as my Text says ) a good Service , an acceptable Sacrifice to God. I know how they that come afte do endeavour to excuse this ; and shall lay open their Excuses more fully elsewhere . I shall only at this time desire you to think , what they can say for themselves ; and , much more , for the Authors of this Wickedness . What they first say , is , That the Authors did not come of themselves , but were drawn into it . They were indeed led into this Wickedness by their Religion : They acted according to their Consciences , as the Jews did in Crucifying Christ. They were drawn in by none but their Spiritual Guides ; by their own High Priest , and their Rulers ; by the Pope , and the Governing Clergy . For the Minister of State whom they Now charge with this ; there was no Ground for such a Charge , but his Vigilance . There was not the least Intimation of any other in those days . Both they that died , and they that survived , accused none but themselves , left no shadow of Guilt on any other . But what then ? Were they Rashly drawn into it ? Nothing less . It was a Deliberate Plot. It was begun , and carried on with great Consultation . It was some Years in Contriving , before it was to be put in Execution . But it was managed only by a Few Desperate Men , that were thrust upon it with some great Provocations . That is a second Excuse . But for the Provocation , take it in the King 's own Words : e There was no Foreign Grudge , nor no Inward Whisper , nor Discontent , that was any way appearing before this Plot. For their Condition , the chief Actors in it were Men of Great Estates , and spent many Thousands of Pounds in it , and were able to have spent many more . For the Number , I believe the Design it self was known to Few : But that there was a Design , was known to many more . King Iames himself tells us so : f A great Number of my Popish Subjects , of all Ranks and Sorts , both Men and Women , as well within as without the Country , had a Confused Notion , and Obscure Knowledge , that some great Thing was to be done in that Parliament for the Weal of the Church . Though , for Secresies sake , they were not to be acquainted with the Particulars . But perhaps those Many were of the more Ignorant sort , that were drawn into it for want of Knowledge . Nay , they knew as much as they generally care to know . They understood the mind of their Governours concerning this matter . Their Spiritual Governours were the Chief Men in it themselves : g Garnet , the very Chief Man , was the Provincial of the Jesuits ; and the rest of his Order were the chief Instigators : Who not only consulted , and contrived , but formed Prayers for this Purpose ; and used them in their several Congregations for the good Success of this Business . These are again the Words of King Iames in his Book g . But it will be said , The Catholicks ever since have disowned it . I think , and doubt not , many of them do from their Hearts . But I assure you , 't is disown'd by not many of the Governing Party . Some of the Traytors themselves confest their Guilt at their Death ; h three of them , and no more : The rest justified themselves , and stood in it to the last . i Some of them refused to ask any Pardon for it . One of the Jesuits k said , It would have been Commendable if it had been done . A Lay-Gentleman l said , ( even at his suffering ) He hoped their Sons would grow up to Revenge their Cause . One of them , m being advised to Repent of that Sin , answered chearfully , He was satisfied it was far from being a Sin : Nay , that he trusted , the Merit of that Vndertaking would amply suffice for the Satisfaction of his Sins . Thus they thought . What others did , it appeared after their Deaths . Some of their Leaders are yet esteemed no less than Martyrs in their Church . And those Principles by which they went are yet the very Catholic Doctrines . I know , or believe at least , they are detested by some Members of that Church : But they are as boldly , and as strenuously , asserted , by the Head of that Church , and by all the Principal Members . They do really that , which Christ foretold some would do in future times , upon the Account of Religion : They will ( saith he ) put you out , &c. The more evident this is in them , the stronger Motive it should be to us , both to Zeal for our Religion at all times , and now especially to Thankfulness to God for this Deliverance . For our Religion , we know it is from the God of Truth ; and theirs , ( as far as it differs from ours ) is from the Father of Lyes . And they take his way to maintain it , if Fraud and Violence are of the Devil ; which they are , as sure as Truth and Goodness are of GOD. Blessed be GOD for our Religion ; for giving it , for keeping it from all Danger , and especially from this . He deserveth no other MERCY , that is not thankful for this . LORD ! We deserve none at all . We deserve nothing but Judgment . We are below even the least of thy Mercies . It was for thy Mercy sake , for thy own sake , that thou didst this . Oh , never let it be forgotten in our Days ! Never let it be remembred , or thought of , but with Thanksgiving to our God! And as the highest Motive upon Earth to those Ways that are pleasing in his sight ; To a Zeal for his Truth , to Love and Unity among our selves , to true Holiness in all our Conversations ! And having this Experience of GOD's Care for his Church in these Kingdoms ; let us learn , by this , to trust him with it on all other Occasions . We have a great Occasion at present , and GOD knows what we are like to have more . Let us Trust in Him , that as He has done , so He will still deliver us . But withal , Let us Keep His Way ; and not follow our Adversaries in theirs . It is properly their Way to Kill Men for Religion : GOD forbid we should follow them in it ! But for those other things in which they give us Example ; for Zeal , and Activity , and Undefatigable Diligence ; as they are Theirs in an Ill Cause , so in a Good they may and ought to be Ours . And in these , if we cannot out-do them , yet for shame let us not be out-done . Let us not ( as perhaps we are too apt to do ) so much relie on our Cause , as to think that we need not defend it . Lastly , Let us follow our Endeavours with our Prayers to Almighty GOD ; That being delivered from the Hands of all our Enemies , we may serve Him without fear : That having escaped the greatest Cruelty on this side Hell , we may at last escape that too ; And that Living and Dying in the Communion of his Church , we may be Partakers of his Kingdom in Life Everlasting . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A48848-e210 Vers. 1. Matth. 15. 16. a Sir Everard Digby . b King Iames's Works , pag. 253. c King Iames's Works , pag 224. d Thu. Hist. Tom. 4. p. 1206. E. King Iames's Works , pag. 503. e King Iames's Works , p. 225. f King Iames's Works , pag. 291. g King Iames's Works , p. 273. g Ibid. p. 291. h Winter , Rockwood , and Digby . i King Iames's Works , pag 291. k Hall. l R. Winter . m Grant.