his other Proteftant Relations. That 'twas impudent in the Doctor to affert, The Subjects Obligation to an abfolute ' and unconditional Obedience to the Supreme Power in all Things lawful, when the Reprefentatives of the Kingdom, both in Convention and Parliament, juftify'd the Depo fing of the late King James, because he acted contrary to his Coronation Oath, establish'd by Acts of Parlia ment Time out of mind, as the Original Contract and 'Bafis of our Government? That his Subterfuge of reftraining our unconditional Obedience to Things lawful, 'would stand him in no ftead, fince he discover'd his Hy'pocrifie by declaring against Refiftance on any Pretence whatfoever, which takes in Things unlawful as well as lawful. That 'twas in vain for the Doctor to have ' recourfe to the ancient Doctrine, or Practice of our first • Protestant Church, for an Apology for his Slavish Principles; fince every one knew, that the Bishops and Clergy in Queen Elizabeth's Time gave Money to Her Majefty to fupport the Proteftants of France, Holland, and Scotland, who had taken Arms against the Tyranny of their respective Sovereigns. That our Bishops were the 'Chief Perfons who follicited Queen Elizabeth, not only to deprive Queen Mary of Scots of the Succeffion, but 'likewise to take away Her Life, tho' to the Plea of her * being prefumptive Heir to the Crown of England, fhe added, that of her being a Sovereign and Independent 'Princefs, as Queen of Scotland; and with the Bishops 'both Houses of Parliament concurr'd. That by this it appear'd, That the Doctrine of Non Refiftance on any Pretence whatsoever, was not the Characteristick of the old Proteftant Church of England; nor was it fo in the Reigns of King James I. or King Charles I. fince both 'thofe Princes affifted the Germans and French, who had 'taken Arms againft their oppreffive Sovereigns, and fent 'Forces to join them That the flavish Dorine of PaffiveObedience, firft broach'd by Arch-bifhop Laud, was unanswerably Confuted by Archbishop Abbot; that Archbishop Williams took Arms against King Charles I. and C the Body of the Clergy concurr'd with the Parliament, who waged War against that Prince, for Levying Money without their Confent, &c. tho' Eight in Ten of C them were Church of England Men, as appear'd by their ready Conformity to the Church of England, upon the Restoration. That if at any Time, it cou'd be faid, that Non-Refiftance, in the Doctor's Senfe, was the Characteristick of our Church, it must have been in King Charles the II's Reign, and yet 'twas plain, by the Proceedings of that very Parliament, which enacted the fla 6 A. C. 1709. A. C. 1709. ་ vib Claufe against Refiftance on any Pretence whatever, that they did not understand it in the Senfe of the Dr. and his Brethren; for they themselves oppo'd that Prince to his Face, impeach'd his Miniftry for acting contrary · to Law, and advifing him to arbitrary Measures; oppos'd his Toleration by his dispensing Power; pref'd for a Redress of the Nations Grievances, and Security from Popery and Popish Council, and remonstrated against his Alliance with France, and his evil Counsellors. That 'twas likewife well known, how vigorously they profecuted the Popish Plot, tho' they knew the Court to be in it, and that the Commons pafs'd a Bill of Exclufion against the Duke of York, and fent it up to the House of Lords, where the then Bishops had fo far degenera'ted from their Predeceffors in Queen Elizabeth's Time, that they threw it out. And that the fame Parliament continu'd fo vigorous in oppofing the Popish and Arbitrary Measures of the Court, that the King, at laft, thought fit to diffolve them. That when King James II, came to the Crown, and that his Priefts had a mind to fhare the fat Benefices with our Clergy, the latter then forgot their Paffive Obedience fo much, that they preach'd and writ against the King's Administration, refus'd to read his Declaration of Ind Igence, and both Clergy and Laity concurr'd in the Revolution. That archbishop Sancroft himself, with feveral other of the golden Candlesticks, as the feven Petitioning Bishops were then call'd, invited the Prince of Orange to take the Admini • ftration upon him, and the Arch-bifhop went to the • Tower in Perfon, to demand the Keys of King Fimes's Lieutenant, and put them into the Hands of the late Lord Lucas. That the Doctor advanc'd, That the Prince of Orange folemn y difclaim'd the leaft Impuration of Refiftance in bis D claration when the contrary fo manifeftly appears by the very Words of it, Declaration 1. Art. 21. where he declares, That he brought with him a Force fufficient, by the Bleffing of God to defend him against the Violence of King James's Evil Counf Ulors; and that the Declaration itself, Art. 25. invites the whole Nation to join with the Prince in the Execution of his Design againk ⚫ all fuch as fhould oppose him? Several other Objections and Complaints were rais'd both against Dr. Sacheverell's political Notions, and his fiery Zel against the Diffenters; and on the other Hand, there were not wanting thofe who in their Difcourfes and Writings ftrenuously maintain'd his Doctrine of Paffive-Obedience by the Authorities of great Numbers of eminent Divines, both English and Foreigners. These Disputes having occafion'd a dange с rous rous Ferment in the Nation, the Commons thought fit to enquire into the Cause of that growing Evil, and up on A. C. 1709. à Complaint made to their Houfe, by Mr. Dolben, of Two Printed Books the one Entituled, The Commu- Dec. 13th. nication of Sin; a Sermon preached at the Affizes held at Complaint in the Houfe of · Derby, August 15. 1709. by Doctor Henry acheverell: Commons of And the other, Entituled, The Perils of Falfe Brethren Dr. Sache• both in Church and State; fet forth in a Sermon preached vereli's Two before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and sermons. • Citizens of London, at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, on the 5th of November, 1709. preached alfo by the faid Doctor Henry Sacheverell, and both printed for Henry Clements: (a) Which Books were delivered in at the Table, where feveral Paragraphs in the Epiftle Dedicatory preceeding the first mentioned Book, and also fe veral Paragraphs in the latter Book, being read, Sir Peter King, Recorder of the City of London, and fome other ter King's Members made Speeches against the Audacioufness of Dr. Speech a Sacheverel, who had advanc'd Pofitions diametrically oppo-1 Gite Sir Pe gainst them. (a) The Epistle Dedicatory was as follows. TO the Right Werthipful George Sacbeverell, Efq; High-Sheriff of the County of DERBY, and to the Honourable Gentlemen of the Grand-Fury. Gentlemen, The Peculiar Honour you were pleas'd to confer upon me after the Delivery of this plain Discourse, was so Signal, that nothing less than this Publick Acknowledgment can acquit me of Ingratitude. Now, when the Principles, and Interests of our Church, and Conftitution, are so Shamefully Betray'd, and Rua Down, it can be no little Comfort to all those who With their Welfare and Security, to fee, that notwithstanding th fecret Malice, and Open Violence they are Perfecuted with, there are fill to be found fuck Worthy Patrons of both, who dare Own and Detend them as well against the Rude and Prefumptuous Infults of the One Side, as the Bafe, Undermining Treachery of the Other; and who Scorn to fit Silently by, and Partake in the fins of these Affociated Malignants. Tho' the Truth jeems to be so much Forfaken, yet God be thank'd, they shall yet find to our Honour, that We have still amongst Us those who have Courage to Speak it, as well as those who bave Lives and Fortunes to Maintain it: And tho the Age is Sunk into the Loweft Dregs of Corruption, that it cannot endure Sound Doctrine, there are not wanting fome to Preach it, and Others to Support it, at the Expence of both. May the Influence of your Good Examples, which as much Animates our Friends, as it Terrifies our Enemies, be as diffufively Prevailing, as 'tis nobly Confpicuous; and the Bleffing of that Church attend you, wbich you fo eminently Adorn, and Suftain! And, as I am oblig'd by the Relation I bave the Honour to bear to your Family, may a double Portion of Divine Favour reft on you (Mr. High Sheriff) wkofe Commands I was very ready to Execute in this Office, fince you thought neither the Advancement of your Years, fo generously Expended for the Good af your Country, nor the great Trouble attending this Poli, fufficient to exempt you, from fhewing that steady Loyalty and Zeal to ferve Her Majefty, and ibe Government, for which you have been remarkably Diftinguil'd. I am, with all Regard, Gentlemen, Tour very bumb.e Servant, Henry Sacheverel, A. C. 1709. fite to the Principles on which the late Revolution was undertaken and accomplish'd; to the prefent Eftablish'd Government, and to the Proteftant Succeffion; and confequently tending to foment Factions and Divifions, and ftir The faid up Rebellion. No Member offering to speak in his DeSermons cen- fence, it was Refolu'd, That a Book, Entituled, The Jured. • Communication of Sin; being a Sermon preached at the Affizes beld at Derby, August 15, 1709: And a Book, Entituled, The Perils of Falle Brethren both in Church and State; fet forth in a Sermon preached before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Citizens of London, at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, on the 5th of November, 1709, are Malicious, Scandalous and Seditious Libels, highly reflecting upon Her Majefty and Her Government, the late happy Revolution, and the Proteftant Succeffion as by Law Eftablished, and both Houses ' of Parliament, tending to alienate the Affections of 'Her Majefty's good Subjects, and to create Jealoufies ' and Divifions among them; and order'd, That Dr. Henry Sacheverel, and Henry Celments, fhould attend at the Bar of the House, the next Day at Twelve a 'Clock. Commons, and owns the two Sermons. Purfuant to this Order, Dr. Sicheverel repair'd, on the Dr. Satheverel at14th of December, to Westminster, in the Coach of Dr. tends the Lancaster, Vice-Chancellor of the Univerfity of Oxford, Houfe of and Rector of S. Martin's in the Fields, who accompanied him to the Court of Requests, where they found above a Hundred other eminent Clergymen, moft of whom thought themselves attack'd in the Perfon of their Brother, and therefore came to that Place, both out of their Curiofity to know his Fate; and, as much as lay in their Power, to defend his Caufe. The Commons being inform'd, that Dr. Sacheverel, and Henry Clements attended; the First was call'd in, and at the Bar examin'd, touching the Two Sermons complain'd of the Day be'fore to the Houfe, where he cwn'd the Preaching, the Directing of the Printing, and the Publishing the Sermon preach'd the 5th of November, 1709. at the • Cathedral Church of St. Paul; and the Dedication of * Vide fuit. At the fame time, he acquainted the Houfe with the Enpra, where mention is couragment he had receiv'd from the Lord Mayor of made of this London for the printing the faid Sermon; and own'd alfo, that the Epiftle Dedicatory to the Sermon preach'd The Lord C at the Affizes of Derby, the 15th of August, 1709, was Mayor denies the ha- agreeable to that which he put to the Impreffion of that ving encou- Sermon which he directed to be printed and publish'd. raged Dr. The Doctor being withdrawn, the Lord Mayor, a Mem Sacheverel to print bisser-ber of the Houfe, was ask'd, whether he had commanded Sermon. mon, Dr. A A. C. 1709. Dr. Sache verel to print his Sermon, as he fuggefted in the Dedication of it, and had just now infinuated? But the Lord Mayor difowning that he ever defred, order'd, or encourag'd the Printing of that Sermon; another Member faid, they ought to give more Credit to a Member of that Houfe, than to one who had preack'd such a Sermon. Queftion being after propos'd, That Dr. Henry Sacheverel be impeach'd of High-Crimes and Misdemeanors, he was call'd in again, and ask'd, if he had any thing to offer to the House? But ftanding to what he had faid before, without expreffing the leaft Consciousness of having done amifs, he was directed to withdraw; and then the House Refolu'd, That the faid Dr. Henry Sacheverel be Impeached of High Crimes and Mifdemeanours. And order'd, ift, That Mr. Dolben fhould go to the Lords, and at der'd to be impeach'd of their Bar, in the Name of all the Commons of Great 'Britain, Impeach the laid Dr. Henry Sicheverel of High and Milde 'Crimes and Mifdemeanors, and acquaint the Lords that meanours. this House would, in due time, exhibit Articles againft the faid Dr. Henry Sacheverel. 2dly, That a Committee be appointed to draw up Articles of Impeachment against the faid Dr. Henry Sacheverel; and a Committee was appointed accordingly, 'with Power to fend for Perfons, Papers, and Records, and to fit de die in Diem. Dr. Sa cheverel or High Crimes And taken into the Cu Then Henry Clements was called in, and at the Bar was examined touching his Printing and Publishing the faid two Books, which he owned, and that he had the Copies of them from Dr. Sacheverel, after which he was directed to withdraw, and no further notice was taken of him: But it was order'd, That Dr. Henry Sacheverel be taken into the Cuftody of the Serjeant at Arms attending the House. The Commons having proceeded thus far, in order to ftody of the Serjeant at punish Dr. Sacheverel, fome Members took from thence Oc- Arms. cafion to speak in Favour of another Divine, whofe Principles were more agreeable to the Sentiments of the Majority of that Houfe; I mean Mr Benjamin Hoadly, who in feveral Writings had vindicated the Revolution; particularly in Two Books lately publifh'd; the one Entituled, Some Confiderations humbly offer'd to the Lord Bishop of Exeter, occafim'd by his Lordship's Sermon, preach'd before Her Majefty, March the 8th, 1708. The other Entitul'd, An Humble Reply to the Lord Bishop of Exeter's Answer, in which the Confiderations lately offered to his Lordship, are vindicated, and an Apology is added, for defending the Foundation of the prefent Government. Here |