very murderers, as the first martyr did, after the Divine example of our Blessed Redeemer. But these things are so well known, and so well expressed in the service for the day, that I need not enlarge upon them. That which ought more especially to be observed is, the wonderful providence of God, in making this martyred prince and his family the great instrument of defending, restoring, delivering, and upholding our happy constitution in Church as well as state. He himself both lived and died in the defence of it: when for the sins of the nation it was broken in pieces, so that scarce any one part of it was visible among us for some years, God sent the blessed martyr's son to restore it; his daughter's son to deliver it when it was again in extreme danger; and then his other son's daughter, our most gracious Sovereign, to keep it as he left it in peace and safety: for whom we have therefore infinite cause to praise God, and to love and honour, as being a branch of that royal stock that was cut down for supporting our Church; much more as inheriting his virtues as well as kingdoms, as in other respects, so in relation also to our Church; she being as constant an attendant at the daily prayers, as frequent a communicant at the Altar, as strict an observer of the orders, and as much concerned for the peace and welfare of it, as her grandfather, of ever-blessed memory, was. To which we may add her royal bounty for the augmentation of the maintenance of the poorer clergy, in which she exceeds all that went before her. From all which we may well conclude, that although our Church be always in danger from the many enemies wherewith it is encompassed, yet we have no cause to fear, but that, by God's grace and blessing upon her Majesty's care and conduct, she will preserve, defend, and uphold it, in spite of all the powers of Hell, through the whole course of her reign which I heartily wish may be the longest that ever any king or queen reigned in this or any other kingdom upon earth. : But how long soever it shall be, there will be a time for her to leave her earthly crown for one in Heaven. And whether it will please God that she shall leave it to the issue of her own royal body, He only knows. But this we know, IV. SERM. that He of His great goodness hath still in reserve a numerous offspring of His martyr's royal sister, in the illustrious House of Hanover, every way qualified to succeed, if there should be occasion. And we must acknowledge it to be a great happiness to have always one of that royal family to reign over us, which hath hitherto been so great a blessing to this Church and kingdom, and we hope will ever be so to the end of the world. Among the many great blessings that we have received from thence, one of the most remarkable, and that which is the great glory of our Church, is, that so great a prince gave such a testimony to it, as was never given to any National Church besides, and sealed it with his own blood, before many thousand witnesses that stood by, as Saul did at the martyrdom of St. Stephen. There are none, I suppose, here present that " stood by" when King Charles was murdered; and I hope none that ever consented to it; but that we can truly say, as the Lords and Commons did in the act before mentioned, that "We renounce, abominate, and protest against that impious fact." This is the least we can do to preserve ourselves from the guilt of that sacred and innocent blood. But that it may not only cease to be a curse, but also become a blessing to us, we must now set a higher value upon the Church for which it was shed, and labour more abundantly to adorn it, as this holy martyr did, with virtue and good works. In the first ages of Christianity it was observed, that "the blood of martyrs was the seed of the Church;" that whereby it increased and multiplied. God grant that the blood of this royal martyr may have the same effect among us; that they who are not of our communion may be prevailed upon to come into it; and they who are, may be more confirmed in it, by the testimony and example of this great monarch; who, holding constant communion with our Church, by God's blessing upon the means there used, was, like St. Acts 6. 5. Stephen, a man "full of faith and of the Holy Ghost," so as to be able to prefer his duty to God before all his kingdoms and dominions, his liberty, and his life too. This was to be a Christian, this was to be a Saint indeed! And such we may all be, if we will but take the same course as he did for it, by keeping close to the communion of our Church in all points. For this was the great end wherefore the Eternal Son of God purchased to Himself an Universal Church with His Own blood, and by His almighty power still continues it upon earth, that men, being fallen into a state of sin, might there be sanctified, or made holy again, to the praise and glory of God. For which end He hath instituted in it several Offices, Sacraments, and other ordinances, to be the means whereby we may "all receive of His fulness, and John 1. 16. grace for grace," called therefore the "means of grace." To which He hath also added "exceeding great and precious 2 Pet. 1. 4. promises, that by these we might be partakers of the Divine nature;" " Holy, as He Who hath called us is holy, in all 1 Pet. 1. 15. manner of conversation," as many thousands have found by experience, who once were sinful mortals upon earth, as we at present are, but now are glorified Saints in Heaven. But they were first made Saints upon earth. And why may not we be made so, as well as they? We especially, who live in that part of the Holy Catholic Church, where the foresaid means of grace are as regularly, as constantly, and as powerfully administered, to speak with the least, as in any place upon the face of the whole earth? So that it is our own faults, and we must blame none but ourselves for it, if we be not as great Saints as ever lived. For if we be not failing to ourselves in the use, we cannot fail of the end of those holy institutions. Wherefore, beloved in the Lord, let us now resolve in the Name of Christ, that we will no longer content ourselves with the bare profession of our Holy Religion, nor with doing only some things which our Church requires, nor yet with pretending and talking high for it; but that we will do all we can, as this blessed martyr did, to live up to the height of it; steadfastly believing all that is there taught, and constantly exercising ourselves in all and every one. of the means of grace, which are there administered or prescribed, trusting always in God for His assistance and blessing upon what we do. And let us never think that we do all we ought, or as we ought to do it, till we find our passions subdued, and our whole man restored to a right IV. [Phil. 3. 20.] SERM. frame and temper again: till our hearts be wholly inclined to God, and set to obey His laws, and to do all such good works as He hath prepared for us to walk in: till, after the example of the Saints and martyrs, and all the faithful servants of the Most High God, we can live above this world, and have our conversation always in Heaven, where our great Lord and Master is. Then we shall think nothing too great to do, nothing too much to suffer for His sake. But, if all the kingdoms upon earth were ours, we should be willing and ready to part with them all at once, rather than deny any one article of our Christian faith, or wilfully transgress any one of those Holy Commandments, which the supreme Lawgiver of the world hath given us to obHeb. 12. 2. serve: Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God:" where He is continually interceding for all those who serve Him faithfully upon earth, that they may ever live with Him in Heaven; with Him Who liveth and reigneth with the Father and Holy Ghost, one God blessed for ever. |