OF HUMILIATION, AND The EFFECTS of it, IN RELATION TO THE PRESENT OCCASION.  
THE Effects, Success and Consequents of the most solemn Acts of Religion are somewhat like to those of the Water of Jealousy, which to those that were Pure produced a Blessing, Health and Conception; but to those who were defiled, a Curse and Corruption: So these if duly used never fail of a Blessing, but if profaned by Irreverence or Neglect, and undue Performance, have a suitable Success, miss of the Blessing expected, and besides, (it may be) meet with some Temporal Judgement; For this Cause, saith S. Paul, many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep: And this he speaks of such as shall be saved hereafter, as appears by what follows; For if we would judge ourselves we should not be judged, but when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the World: By which it appears, That those who shall not be condemned with the World, are, if occasion be, and for that very End, that they may not be condemned with the World, often chastened of the Lord, with the severest of Temporal Judgements, even Death itself; and That this may be prevented by judging ourselves.  
Among those solemn Acts of Religion, by the Well or Ill management whereof we may procure to ourselves a Blessing or a Curse, Acts of Repentance and Humiliation are to be reckoned. And since the King and Queen have appointed a General and Public Fast and Humiliation, to implore the Blessing of Almighty God upon our Forces by Sea and Land, and Success in the War against the French King, it behoves us to consider well what we do, that we do not provoke a Curse instead of procuring a Blessing upon ourselves and our Forces by it. And we have the more reason to consider well what we do now, if we do consider our Ways (as the Prophet Haggai admonished the Isrealistes in a parallel Case) since our last Solemn Day, which was for Thanksgiving, for a most admirable Mercy and Deliverance; for it is visible to all, That there is a great Alteration in the Course of our Affairs since that time. All went before with a smooth and prosperous Course, beyond all Expectation, even to Admiration; and hath ever since gone as untowardly and heavily. I need not mention Particulars; for it is so manifest, that none can be insensible of it, who are not very stupid: but it does concern us to inquire at this Time, when we are about to implore the Blessing of God upon our Forces, whether we have not by some Miscarriage forfeited that Blessing of God, which before was with us. For if we have, if we do not confess the same, give Glory to God, and-speedily reform it, we may sooner provoke a Curse, than obtain a Blessing by this days work.  
This was fit and necessary to be done, were our Fast upon any other occasion, but being upon such an occasion as this, we have besides a special Admonition to do it. When the Host goeth forth against thine Enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing. If there be any thing which hath provoked an alteration of the course of our Affairs for the worse already, if we look not well to it, our Fasting and Praying will not help us. We must consider the Majesty of Almighty God, before whom the greatest of Princes are but despicable Worms: We must consider the greatness of that Deliverance he so lately gave us; consider the special Obligations it laid upon us: and then consider our ways, how we have answered the same. Which if we do as we ought we shall find, that though we kept a Day of public Thanksgiving; yet neither Prince not Priest, nor People (the Parliament) have hitherto done any one act of Gratitude toward Almighty God, answerable to the occasion. It is a very good Observation. Non bene suceedunt res Humanae, ubi negliguntur Divinae. Here lies the very root of all our slow Proceed. And because on such occasions we are not to mince the Matter, but confess, and lament the Sins of ourselves and our forefathers, and of our Kings, our Priests and our Prophets: I will plainly relate that which all aught to take into serious Consideration.  
The Christian Religion reform from the Abuses of the Roman Church, is not only allowed, but embraced, and the Profession thereof authorized by the Laws of this Nation; so that any Affront, Contempt, or Disrespect to it, doth proportionately affect the State, and in that which is most Sacred. No wise man would unnecessarily do that which might be interpreted a disrespect to the State and Government of his Country, nor would any wise State, though Heathen, endure to be affronted, much less in things so sacred as Religion. Yet to that degree of folly and madness, are many of the very Gentry and Nobility of this Nation degenerated, that they not only patiently suffer the Religion of the State to be contemned, violated, and profaned by the basest of the People, but are themselves, instead of being examples of Virtue, the evil Examples of all Wickedness, Vice, and Debauchery.  
The speedy Reformation of this, was certainly the proper business, and great duty of this State; the neglect of it (I doubt not) a great cause and provocation of the judgements and unhappiness of the late King, and of our slow and unprosperous Proceed, and if it be longer continued, and after a solemn day of Fasting and Prayer, will provoke some smarter Chastisement. This was a duty, to which our late Deliverance by so extraordinary a Providence, did lead us and oblige us; and this had been a reasonable act of Gratitude, But it must be confessed that it hath not only been neglected, but with some aggravating Circumstances.  
Upon Christmass-Day was sent to the Prince a Specimen of a Declaration against Debauchery in the Armies, which had been perused and approved by several Persons of good Ability, both Divines, Lawyers, and Persons of Quality.  
It was enclosed in a Letter, to this Effect: Something of this nature to be Published by your Highness, is exceeding necessary, would be but a reasonable act of gratitude to God, who hath blessed you with so extraordinary Success, would be very grateful, and much endear your Person to all good People, would, as I guess by experience, not want a good Effect, and would I hope, conduce to obtain yet greater Blessings from Almighty God upon your honourable undertake And, because the Prince was then full of Business, about a Week after notice thereof was given to Dr. Burnet, presuming he would put forward such Works, and not suffer them to be neglected by multiplicity of Business, or worldly Policy. Some time after it was published in Print, both alone, and with other Papers under the Title of the true English Government, and Misgovernment of the four last Kings, with the ill Confequences thereof. In one of which, Entitled A Caveat against Flattery and Profanation of sacred things to secular Ends, were many things said very plainly, and very truly against Debauchery. All was dedicated to the King, with a brief Narrative of the causes of the unhappiness of those Kings, and the Danger of his involving himself in their Fate, and participation in their Judgements, and presented to his own Hand, March 18. And some time after presented to several of the Lords, and many of the Commons.  
But to this day hath not any thing been done to this purpose, or so much as mentioned by King, Bishop, Lord, or any one of the Commons; nor are we yet awakened to any sense of the Importance of this Matter, though we see some things, little less than predicted in those Papers, already come to pass, as particularly the impeding and crossing our Preparations for Ireland, and encouraging the Irish. pag. 15. of the Caveat. And I wish we see not more come to pass, as we certainly shall if we go on in this manner. Can we think that our verbal Thanksgiving can find acceptance with the Wise and Righteous God, without acts of Gratitude, when there is occasion? It would not with a mortal Man, but rather provoke Indignation. Nor can we reasonably expect our Fasting and Prayers should ever find favour with him without an actual and speedy Reformation; but rather aggravate the fault, and provoke some great Cross and Disappointment.  
Sometimes God is pleased in the Government of the World, as it were to withdraw himself, and wink at the courses of Men, and let them go on without check or control; at other times to appear in extraordinary Dispensations of his Providence: And this he is now doing not only in these Nations, but in a great part of the World. He hath in an admirable manner executed his Judgements against the late King, who had filled up the Iniquity of his Fathers by not only courting, but espousing the Babylonish Harlot, and when we might have expected some severe Judgement, gave us a great Deliverance. He gave to the Prince an extraordinary Success, but withal, at the same time led him to a Temptation and Trial? whether after such an Army of Men had stooped to him, he would dare, in dependence upon that Providence, to encounter a Party of Vicious and debauched Nobility and Gentry; which had he done all had certainly stooped to him, he had kept up his Authority; which with a Mixture of Kindness, Confidence and such like encouragements, would by the Blessing of God, have made that Army as debauched as it was, entirely at his Service; and might have made things go more smoothly in the Parliament than they have done, without any Politic Compliance with any Faction whatsoever. That he did not do it, if it was through Forgetfulness, the Fault lies at the Doctor's Door; but if it was upon Politic Considerations, he hath stumbled at the very same Stone at which King James the First did, and unless he speedily extricate himself, will be involved in the Fate of that Family. And for the Bishops, Lords and Commons, the Representatives of the Nation, who have been so busy in scuffling for Places and Preferments, or carrying on the Interest of some Faction or Party, if they neglect to correspond with the present Course of God's Providence in Reformation of the Nation by the Gentle Means of Good Laws and Vigorous Execution by the Civil Sword, God will certainly do it by his rougher Ways, of the Sword of War, and cast out such unprofitable Servants; our extraordinary Mercies will aggravate our Crimes, may fill up our Measure, and the Profanation of our Fasting and Prayer, by neglect of Reformation may seal up our Judgements. I am persuaded God will pull down the Pride and Insolence of that wicked Man the French King; and great probability there was he would have done it in a great Measure by our Hands, had we made ourselves fit for his Service; but it is now doubtful, whether he will not first scourge and purge our wicked Generation by that Rod before he throws it in the Fire: For the things which belong to our Peace, seem to be hidden from our Eyes, as if we were possessed with a Spirit of Slumber and Infatuation. Quos perdere vult Jupiter dementat prius. If this Solemnity produce no better Effects in our State, it remains only that Private Men look to themselves, have a care who they associate with, and enter into such Courses, as 'tis probable Almighty God will Bless and Protect them in: and perhaps the Condition of Londonderry in their Siege may be more eligible than of the City of London in their Liberty, with Licentiousness.  
I am amazed to consider the Supine Negligence and Insensibility of our State in this Respect; and the more, when I consider, that there are some among them, who make Profession of Religion, and whose sincerity therein I cannot question. Possibly some may be of some other Church or Party, and look upon all the rest, as such as are without, and therefore are not concerned for them; but this, if it be so, is a Mistake, for they and their Parties, being Members of the same Commonwealth, may deservedly be involved in the Punishment of those Crimes, which they neglect to reform in other Members thereof.  
But for those of the Church of England, how they can magnify this for the best Church in the World, and at the same time, with Patience see it made a Cage of every Unclean Bird, I cannot understand; for certain it is, That none of the Debauchees do profess themselves to be of any other Church, but all of the Church of England, and many of them Zealots for it too: and reason good, for there they are connived at.  
But I cannot mention this Neglect of the Church of England, in not reforming its own Members, without calling to mind another Neglect, by no means to be passed over in Silence, upon this Occasion, because the Mischiefs thereof do seem very likely to fall heavy upon us: And that is of Reclaiming, Civilising and Converting the poor Irish, who seem to have been committed to our Care by the Providence of God: For we have for a whole Age at least wanted neither Men nor Means, nor any thing else but good Hearts sensible of our Duty, for that Servicet. The Souls of that People and of their Ancestors, may cry to Heaven for Vengeance for that Neglect. And we may reasonably fear that God in Judgement, may make use of that neglected and despised People for a just Scourge and Punishment for it. The Wit of Man in his Prosperity may find out Fine Plausible Exccuses; but it is time now to consider, How far such Excuses are like to pass with Almighty God: And certainly it will be more suitable to this Occasion, to lay them all aside; take the Matter into serious Consideration, and make that one of the Motives of our Humiliation.  
Besides the gross Immortalities of the Nation, there are many other matters, which deserve consideration: And among the rest, that Root of all Evil, Covetousness, and insatiable Greediness after the things of the World. This, as it deadens the Affections, and averts the Soul from God, so it so narrows and contracts it that it cannot freely exert its Powers for the Public Good, but is ready upon all occasions to sacrifice that to its insatiable Appetite; which I mention here because I take it to be no small Impediment to the course of our affairs at this time. But I shall say no more of it now.  
I am so well known to want no  either to the State or Church of England, that I think an Apology for this Plaindealing needless. The matter itself, in my Apprehension, carries its own Apology and Justification with it. And he, whose Cause and Service I have undertaken, is a better Advocate, than either I myself, or any Man else can  me.  
FINIS.   

A POSTSCRIPT. To the Paper of HUMILIATION.  
THAT Religion and Virtue do greatly conduce to the Weal and Happiness of Kingdoms, States, and of all Societies of Men, as well as of single Persons; and Irreligion, Profaneness, Vice and Debauchery, to their Dissolution and Destruction, hath been observed by Philosophers and Wise Men in all Ages: And that they have both a Natural Tendancy thereunto, and are moreover often directed by a special Providence of God in concurrence with other causes to those Ends, I have both by domestict Examples and Reasons, as far as I thought necessary in so plain a Case, showed in the Caveat before mentioned. In which taking notice of the great Degeneracy and Corruption of the Manners of this Nation, I also shown that our late Extraordinary, though undeserved, Deliverance did in a more special manner oblige us to a speedy & effectual Reformation thereof: And that we could not expect but that the Neglect thereof under such special Obligations would be attended with some observable Disappointments or Obstructions in our Councils and the Course of our Affairs, as we have seen it hitherto fall out. To this our Solemn Thanksgiving added a further special Obligation; and the not doing it thereupon doth beyond all question aggravate the Fault of our Neglect, whereupon I presumed to represent the Case briefly in a particular Dedication of those Papers to the King. And when we had another Solemn day appointed for Fasting and Praying for God's Blessing upon our Forces in the War against the French King, which certainly adds another Obligation, it was but a reasonable Prosecution of the same honest Design to note briefly the Necessity of making a Public Reformation a Concomitant of such a Public Humiliation. To all this I will now add these few Considerations:  
They, who have any real Love to their Country, be their Religion what it will, if they will acquit themselves but like men of sense and reason, ought certainly to endeavour the promotion of such a Public Reformation, by the promoting of some good and Effectual Laws for that purpose, even upon Civil Considerations, as a thing tending by a natural Efficacy to make the People much better either for Peace or Warr, and for the Common Benefit and Advantage of the whole Society. And for an Experiment of the truth of this we need not go far from home, or from our own times. It will be sufficient but to reflect back, and consider well the different Morals of the two Parties in our late Civil Wars, and their different Success.  
And if they have indeed any thing of true Loyalty in them (whereof many have made so high Profession) this they ought to demonstrate both by abstaining themselves from contemning and affronting the Laws and Government of their Country in things so sacred with all well constituted States, as the Religion Publicly professed by them; and by a real and active concern, as they have occasion, that all others be effectually restrained. If they have no just conern it is certain their Loyalty is but a Superficial thing, a mere pretence for some design or advantage to themselves: Nor ever did or ever will such Men prove steady to any Government, but basely betray all, and sacrifice them to their own Interest; and therefore are by no means to be trusted by any wise Governors, notwithstanding any Parts or Abilities, for which they ought the more to be suspected.  
And for those who are Men of Religion, and more particularly those of the Church of England, besides the Obligations and Considerations before mentioned, the Common Prayers of the Church which are daily used, and in each House of Parliament, as they do afford to them who are there present a daily Admonition of their Duty, so are they in my apprehension a special and great obligation upon them to it. For to pray that God will be pleased to direct and prosper all their Consultations to the Advancement of his Glory, etc. and never so much as enterinto any Consultation for the effectual restraining the Abominable Profanation of his most holy Name by all sorts of people throughout the whole Nation, and most impudent and presumptuous violation of his Laws; to pray that all things may be so ordered & settled by their Endeavours that Religion & Piety may be Established, and never use any Endeavours for the suppressing of so common and notorious Impieties in the Nation; What is it but to add Impiety to Impiety, to turn Religion into mere Formality, and instead of procuring a Blessing to help to fill up the Measure of our Sins and pull down the Judgements we have reason to fear, the sooner upon us; And the like observations may be made upon the occasional Prayers and Confessions purposely composed for the late Solemnities.  
And for those, who perhaps may think better of some separate Churches, certainly they would take it amiss if we should question whether they do constantly Pray for God's Direction and Blessing upon this Parliament, or less than is expressed in the Common Prayers: And if they come not behind in their Prayers, and yet are as backward in their Consultations and Endeavours, I see not how they are one jot more excusable, but must neccessarily fall into the same Condemnation, if not greater for having deserted the Church and yet be no better.  
And these few Questions I would propose to them all, who pretend to be Christians: Whether they can hope for any good success in this Undertaking without God's Blessing, unless it be such as God sometimes gives to wicked men, whom he useth for the correction of others? Whether there be not such Cursed Things, and National Sins, which may provoke him to withdraw his Presence, and withhold his Blessings from Christians, as well as from others, until they be removed? Whether there be not reason to believe that this Nation is Polluted and defiled and entangled in some such National Sins and Cursed Things, which may obstruct the Divine Blessing? whether their unaccountable flow, or Retrograde Course of our Affairs (no less to be admired than the precedent easy Revolution,) may not with reason be reduced and imputed to some such secret cause? And whether a diligent search into that remoter but most prevalent Cause, and speedy and effectual Reformation of what is amiss, be not the most proper business to begin with, (if we do indeed depend more upon God's Blessing, now under such inviting Circumstances, than upon our own shallow and ineffectual Policies) to complete a happy Progress of our Affairs?  
This, if it was done to purpose, as it easily may, and aught to be, would soon produce a great Alteration by the Blessing of God in the Course of our Affairs for the better. Magnanimity, and Courage is the part and duty of a Christian, as much as of an upright Judge or a Soldier: and if we will ever show it, now is the time. If we basely fear the loss of a few debauched Ministers, Gentlemen or Soldiers, we shall really lose a far greater Number of much better men, and be enslaved and betrayed, as we well deserve, by the Company we choose: whereas by a generous doing our Duty we should better secure them bettered by reformation to our Party.  
POssibly, in the Perusal of this Paper, some who are most attentive to the Importance of the Matter, may overlook other things, and think it very good and honest; but these must be Men who have some relish of such things But others, who are not much affected with that, will be apt the more to regard the Form, and censure it for rude and insolent; and that I am well pleased they should do, and as severely as they will: For I know no better way to convince them of a Fault of their own, than to make them judge themselves in the Person of another. For If I be rude by plaindealing with my Fellow-Creatures for their Good, who are perhaps but a little above me in some petty, accidental, transitory Advantage, what are they who are not only more rude toward the State, but impious against their Creator, or can behold such Rudeness and Impiety without any Censure, or Endeavour to restrain it? Must I be censured for breaking the Laws of Man, or but of Civility, and out of a good Design? And it is equal then that others shall be permitted in impudent Contempt of the Religion of the State, and impious violation of the Laws of Almighty God? Therefore thou art inexcusable, O Man, whosoever thou art that judgest; for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself. And thinkest thou, O Man that judgest,— and dost the same, that thou shalt escape the Judgement of God? Or despisest thou, etc.  
FINIS