A SERMON Preach'd before the RIGHT HONOURABLE the LORD MAYOR THE ALDERMEN, AND
CITIZENS
of LONDON, AT THE Cathedral CHURCH of St.
PAUL,
of FRIDAY the Twenty Ninth Day of
May,
1741.
BEING THE Anniversary Day of THANKSGIVING for the RESTORATION of King
Charles
the Second, the Royal Family, and Government.
By
JAMES TOWNLEY,
M. A. Lecturer of St.
Dunstan's in the East,
and Chaplain to the Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR.
LONDON:
Printed for FRANCIS GOSLING, at the
Mitre and Crown
in
Fleetstreet.
MDCCXLI.
LAMBERT,
Mayor.
Tuesday
the Ninth Day of
June 1741,
and in the Fourteenth Year of the Reign of King
GEORGE
the Second,
of
Great-Britain,
&c.
IT is ordered that the Thanks of this Court be given to the Reverend Mr.
Townley,
for his Sermon preached before this Court, and the Liveries of the several Companies of this City, at the Cathedral Church of St.
Paul,
on
Friday,
the Twenty Ninth Day of
May
last, being the Anniversary Day of Thanksgiving for the Restoration of the Royal Family and Government; and that he be desired to print the same.
MAN.
To the Right Honourable
Daniel Lambert,
Esq
LORD MAYOR OF THE CITY of
LONDON.
My LORD,
I WOULD fain have suppressed this Sermon, being sensible that it is very inaccurate and imperfect; but, as it is Your particular Order, that it should appear in the World, it must entirely depend on Your LORDSHIP'S Patronage, for a favourable Reception.
To insist on those Virtues that are so eminent in You, wou'd be disagreeable to a Person of Your LORDSHIP'S Temper, and only a Repetition of the Sentiments of all Your Fellow-Citizens: But, since You have been pleas'd to admit me to a great Degree of Intimacy with Yourself, and, by that means have made me a Witness of Your Sincerity and Integrity, Your Good-nature and Generosity, Your strict and impartial Execution of Justice, and, above all, Your Concern and Regard for Religion, I cannot help taking this Occasion of publickly acknowledging the Honour and Happiness I therein receive.
MAY that God, whose Worship and Service You endeavour to promote by the best and most effectual Method, a good Example, show'r down his Blessings upon You, and prosper all Your Labours for the Welfare of the Nation in general, and, of this City, in particular.
THIS is the hearty and sincere Prayer of
My LORD,
Your Lordship's Most Obedient, and most obliged Servant, JAMES TOWNLEY.
PSALM L. 14.
Offer unto God Thanksgiving.
T HE Prophet
Samuel,
in his Reproof to
Saul,
styles his Successor
1 Sam. xiii. 14.
The Man after God's own Heart:
Which Character was exemplified in no one Instance more, than in that thorough Knowledge Holy
David
had of the Will of God, with regard to the Service he expects from his Creatures.
OF this Knowledge likewise the
Asaph.
Author of this Psalm had a large Share;
Vid. Patric. Comment.
whose Words King
Hezekiah
2 Chron. xxix. 30.
commanded the Levites to make use of, with those of
David,
in the House of the Lord. — He was fully sensible that the Obedience God requires from Men is that of the Heart — The Sacrifice of their Wills; far more pleasing to him than Incense or
1 Sam. xv. 22.
the Fat of the Rams.
AND the Reason of this is evident: For, if a Man reflects, He will find, that his Will is that alone which he can properly call his own, and therefore the only Sacrifice he can offer unto the Almighty. To offer unto him Burnt-offerings,
Psal.
the Bullock out of thine House, or He-Goat out of thy Flock,
is to offer unto him what is his own; since
all the Beasts of the Forest are his, and so are the Cattle upon a Thousand Hills. I know,
says God,
all the Fowls upon the Mountains, and the wild Beasts of the Field are in my Sight. If I be hungry I will not tell thee, for the whole World is mine, and all that is therein. Thinkest thou that I will eat Bull's Flesh, and drink the Blood of Goats?
Then it follows (as a full Declaration of what Sacrifice God is delighted with, and a Command moreover to perform the same)
Offer unto God Thanksgiving.
NOTHING but supine Indolence, and the utmost Indifference to Things of a spiritual Nature, can make this Duty so neglected among Men, and suffer the Goodness of God to pass away with so little Regard. The Mercies which he is pleased, each Day to confer upon us, seem to have no other Effect (with the Generality I mean) that to make us confident of a Succession of them the following Day: No other Effect, than to assist us in flattering ourselves, that we are the peculiar People of God; and to teach us to presume, that he, who hath ever been mindful of us, will ever continue to be so. — Yet this is not the Whole of the Case — For it is observable that those Persons, who are so unmindful of the Blessings of God, who permit such repeated Instances of his Mercy to slip out of their Minds, without any Mention, or Acknowledgment of them, are the first to complain, and murmur, if an Accident disappoints their Schemes and Designs, or any thing falls out contrary to their Wishes and Inclinations. — Surely, this is a most notorious Indication what Strangers we are to God, and the Ways of his Providence; and how wholly our Minds are busied and delighted with the Affairs of this World!
A SIGNAL Act indeed of Mercy, a Mark of God's special Providence will raise in many Men a sudden Spirit of Gratitude; a certain Warmth, and Eagerness to give Praise unto God. — But soon does that Spirit subside. — Variety of Diversions and Hurry of Business quickly damp that Fire, and introduce Luke-warmness and Indifference. — But if the Blessing receiv'd be remembered for a Time; it is often remembered in wanton Gratitude, express'd by unseemly Mirth and Jollity, and most frequently ending in Excess and Intemperance. — So evident is that Truth; That if the common and daily Mercies of God cannot awaken in us a Spirit of Gratitude, neither shall we be persuaded to a constant Practice of this Duty, tho' the most extraordinary Act of Mercy were wrought in that Behalf.
THANKSGIVING is distinguish'd from Praise as it is a more confin'd Duty; or rather a Part of that general one. — It has respect to those Blessings and Mercies which concern ourselves; whereas Praise terminates in God, with regard to his own great, and infinite Perfections.
THANKSGIVING consists in a grateful Sense of any Mercy we have receiv'd from God; express'd by such outward Signs as are most agreeable to our Joy — It implies not only a present Acknowledgment of his Favours, but such a constant Remembrance of them, that no worldly Honours, or Success can deface, or blot out of our Minds. — Moreover, it includes a due Reflection on those Favours, and requires, that we set a just Value on them; omitting no Circumstance that may heighten their Excellence — But this Duty is best express'd when the Mercies of God excite in us a Love and Reverence of his Name, and an hearty Desire, and sincere Endeavour to present ourselves
Rom. xii. 1.
a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto him.
HEREIN consists the Duty of Thanksgiving — How reasonable an one it is, every Man must at once confess, when he considers to whom it is to be paid — To him who first gave and still continues our Being — To him who hath created all Things in Heaven and Earth for our Comfort and Convenience —
Jam. i. 5.
Who giveth liberally, and upbraideth not,
requiring, as a Return for his Kindness, the Acknowledgment of it; and the Performance of some Duties, that are by no means difficult to practise — Whose Providence watches over us, at all Times, in every Place, and under all Circumstances, when we are rash and inconsiderate, when we are careless and negligent, and when we are buried in Sleep, and cannot so much as think how to secure ourselves, or any thing belonging to us — Who is so gracious as to call us his Friends, and under that endearing Relation, to admit us to a free Intercourse with himself; permitting us to call him Father, and to make known our Requests unto him, by Prayer and Supplication — Who with an Eye of Pity beholds our Sorrows, relieves our Wants, assists our Infirmities, and sends us Strength and Patience to support ourselves under Tryals and Afflictions. — But, above all, who hath sent his only begotten Son, from his own right Hand, into the World, to take upon him our Nature, and its Infirmities; to die in our stead, and by his Death to make us Inheritors of Life and Glory; and who, when, through our manifold Transgressions, we provoke him to Wrath, at the Intercession of his Son, does still forgive us, and suffers not his Displeasure to arise.
THERE is one Circumstance which must greatly recommend this Duty to us, and that is, its Excellence. — We cannot pay a more acceptable Service to our Lord than Thanksgiving: A service which, of all others, he is most delighted with: Nay, which he is pleased to distinguish in a very peculiar manner;
Ps. l. 23.
Whoso offereth me Thanks and Praise he honoureth me.
Honoureth God? — How emphatically does this Expression set forth the Excellence of Thanksgiving, and graciously encourage us in the Performance of the Duty? Let it not then be termed a mercenary one; let it not be construed to proceed from Selfishness; since there cannot be that Principle in any Man's Heart, who makes the utmost Return he is able, for a Benefit receiv'd.— No, Selfishness is the Parent of Ingratitude; a Sin most unpardonable in us, and most detestable in the Sight of God. But Thankfulness proceeds from another Principle; a Principle of Love deriv'd to us from the Fountain of Love, God himself.— It is not an Address of Interest, a Petition to him for more Blessings; 'tis an humble Acknowledgment of his excellent Mercy and Goodness, in what he has already bestowed.
THE Reasons and Occasions of the Duty, must, of necessity, make it a pleasant one: Because the Recollection of every Mercy is a kind of second Enjoyment. We are assur'd by one who was very conversant in it, that,
Ib. cxlvii 1.
it is a joyful and pleasant Thing to be thankful.
It must besides administer great Delight to the Mind, as it enlarges its Powers, and raises it from low and trifling Objects, which darken and debase it, to that great and noble one, the Divine Being.
SUCH is the Nature, Reasonableness and Excellence of Thanksgiving; a Duty required from, and incumbent upon all since all have tasted of the Mercies of God.
THE same Obligations which affect every Individual, for the particular Instances of Kindness shewn to him, will respectively affect all Communities and Bodies of Men, and consequently all States, and Kingdoms.
IT must be confess'd by ourselves, and all others who are acquainted with our History, that this Nation has experienced the most sensible Marks of the Divine Favour; has been most signally and wonderfully preserv'd, in Times, both of the greatest Danger, and most extreme Necessity.—The God of Hosts has often gone out with us to Battle. —
YEA,
We had, at this Time, receiv'd the welcome News of the taking the Forts and Castles of
Carthagena,
and were in expectation of soon hearing that the Town itself was taken.
at this Instant (I speak with all due Deference) we have some Reason to believe, that
Ps. cxxiv. 1.
The Lord is on our Side;
that he has most graciously answer'd our Petitions, and is
See the Additional Prayer for the War.
gone forth with our Fleets and Armies.
THIS is a Mercy, not which our Fathers have told us; but which we do now see and hear; and which loudly calls for our most devout Thanks to the Author: And with them our further Prayers that he would be pleas'd to continue to us his Favours, and to preserve that Great Man, Who, truly sollicitous for the public Good, left his Ease and Retirement, to enter upon a painful and hazardous Expedition; Who departed not in the Spirit of Revenge, but with an Heart full of Courage, and Resolution, equalled only by his Prudence, and Moderation: In Whose generous, and honest Breast the Love of his Country appears to be the governing Principle, and Who seems to rejoice, that it hath pleased God to make him the Instrument of recovering its just Rights; of chastising a faithless and insolent Enemy.
After two rigorous Winter Seasons (the first of which was very remarkable) and a long excessive Drought, when our old Stores were greatly exhausted, and a most melancholly Prospect before us, it pleased God to send a great Rain, which was universal, and has produced one of the most plentiful Harvests, ever known in this Kingdom.
ANOTHER Mercy, for which we, at this Time, stand obliged to our Gracious Preserver, is that glorious Prospect of the Fruits of the Earth, springing up to supply our present great Necessity; the Effect only of his Goodness,
Ps. lxviii. 9.
who sent a gracious Rain on his Inheritance, and refreshed it when it was weary.
These are Blessings which we are now sensible of, and which require our sincerest Thanks to the boutiful Giver; Whom, with all Humility, we are to wait on for a Continuance of these Mercies; trusting that he will finish what he hath begun, that he will preserve us in our Dangers abroad, and our Necessities at home, that he will both
Ib. exlvii. 14.
make Peace in our Borders, and also fill us with the Flour of Wheat.
THE best Method by which we can most reasonably hope to see our Desires answer'd, to behold the Completion of these Blessings, is gratefully to acknowledge those Instances of the Divine Goodness, which were shewn to us heretofore. — Of these, none more deserves our best and heartiest Thanks, than the great Deliverance of this Day: Which, it is to be hop'd, will be had in Remembrance, as long as that Constitution shall last which was reestablish'd by it.
To remember this Mercy is not the Work of the Lips, but of the Heart. — It is to reflect, with Seriousness upon it; to learn how to value it; and to look into every Circumstance that may help to shew us the true Value of it.—It is to draw such Inferences from it that may direct our Practice, and assist us in the several Duties of Life.—To entertain from thence just Notions of the Relations we bear to each other, and of the Obligations arising from such Relations. — Particularly, To learn from thence Obedience to the King, and all that are put in Authority under him: To endeavour to preserve the Peace and good Order of the Community in which we live: To shew good Offices to our Friends and Neighbours, and to bear a good Will towards all Men; To restrain every inordinate and turbulent Passion in our Minds that may incline us to change, or lead us beyond the Bounds of Equity, Truth, and Reason. — Above all, To love and fear, and honour him who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and to frequent the Service of that Church, which his Providence hath established in these Kingdoms.
THE Blessing, which we, this Day, stand so greatly indebted to Almighty God for, is
The having put an end to the great Rebellion by the Restitution of the King, and Royal Family, and the Restauration of the Government, after many Year's Interruption.
To be sensible of the great Value of this Blessing we need only look into the History of that time, and reflect on the Anarchy, and Confusion that then overspread the whole Nation.
WHEN that Form of Government, which was so agreeable to the Temper, and Constitution of the People, and which was prov'd, by the Experience of many Ages, to be the best Method of preserving to them their Rights, and Privileges, nay, which the Usurper himself confess'd to be the best Method of governing, by instituting something of the like Kind, I say, when that excellent Form of Government was destroyed, no Wonder that Disorder was the Consequence; when
Judges xvii. 6.
there was no King in this our
Israel, it is no matter of Amazement, that
every Man did that which was right in his own Eyes.
— After that Effusion of noble Blood, and the black unparallel'd Murder of the best of Kings, how soon did Oppression spread its dark Wings over this unhappy Nation! How soon were those deluded Men, that were blindly led on by false and mischievous Guides, made sensible of their Error! And how quickly did they perceive, that That Liberty, which they thirsted after, even unto Blood, was only made a popular Pretence to reduce them to the most abject Slavery!—Thus being grosly deceiv'd, and, by the most scandalous and false Representations, urged on, through the most unwarrantable means, to seek Freedom, did they plunge themselves into the very Gulph of Tyranny; and, madly striving to depose one that was imaginary, suffer'd themselves to be evil entreated by many real Tyrants.—What Envy, Injustice and Bitterness of Heart was there in every Society! What Malice, Jealousy, and Suspicion! What Schemes and Designs! What Plotting and Contrivance! Each Faction, by all the Methods and Arts that the most fiery Zeal could suggest, striving for the Superiority: Professing Sincerity, Meekness and Humility, Full of Pride, Rage, and Perfidiousness.—For how was the sacred Name of Religion then prostituted, and the Honour and Service of God made a Cloak to palliate the most enormous Crimes; made the Means not only of practising, but justifying the most notorious Instances of Oppression and Cruelty?— Surely, more flagrant Hypocrisy, carried to greater Heights, and attended with stronger Aggravations, never yet appear'd in the World! An Hypocrisy equal in every Circumstance and Character to that of the Pharisees, and well deserving those severe
Matt. xx ii.
Denuntiations pronounced against it by the Mouth of Truth.
THE faithful Loyalist, in the mean while, depriv'd of all Power, all probable Means of assisting, or bringing back the King, could only shew his Affection towards him in good Wishes and Inclinations; which the excessive Violence and Fury of the prevailing Party, would not suffer to extend even to Words. The Treachery of some compell'd him to confine his Thoughts to his own Bosom; as the Avarice, and Rapine of others, oblig'd him to conceal his Substance where it was most likely to be secur'd. — How grievous an Heart-breaking must it have been to him; to Every Man of old
English
Principles, first to behold a Prince, of so much Goodness, rudely seiz'd on, and inhumanly murder'd by his own Subjects; Then to see his Son, and the rest of the royal Issue, in their tender Years, drove from the Kingdom; The purest Christian Church overthrown, and trampled on; and private Property no better secured than by Faction, and Opinion!
IN this miserable Situation of Affairs, some Attempts were made towards a Re-establishment, but without Success. Alas! All human Means were too weak to recover the Peace of the Kingdom; to place so distracted a Government on its antient Basis. Nothing
Matt. xxiii.
but the Hand of Providence could effect so mighty a Work, and reconcile so many contending Parties and jarring Opinions. 'Twas not in the Arm of Flesh; 'twas the Peculiar only of God to cause those
Ezek. xxxvii.
dry'd Bones to live.
And it was he that did, in his appointed Time, renew a right Spirit within the People of this Nation: That did
Ibid. xi. 19.
take away the stony Heart out of their Flesh, and give them an Heart of Flesh.
'Twas thro' him alone that
Ibid. xxxvi. 3
.
This Land, that was desolate, did become like the Garden of
Eden,
and the wast and ruin'd Cities become fenced and were inhabited.
FOR this Cause therefore let us
Dan. iv. 37.
praise, and extol and honour the King of Heaven, all whose Works are Truth, and his Ways Judgment.
Who did
Ps. lxvi. 11.
suffer men to ride over our Heads,
but, at last,
brought us out into a wealthy Place:
Who, in our Troubles and Adversities, did turn and refresh us; who remember'd us in our low Estate, and turned away the Captivity of his People.—Is there any one then, among this People, that will refuse to pay to Almighty God, his annual Tribute of Praise and Thanksgiving for so wonderful a Blessing? — The Man in whom the Return of this Day does not create Joy, and raise a Spirit of Gratitude, would have look'd upon the Confusion, that preceded the Restoration, with Pleasure and Complacency: And what a Friend to his Country, such an one is like to prove, the meanest Capacity may judge.— Every Satisfaction we enjoy, every new Acquisition we make, every thing that is dear to us, more especially our Religion and Liberties, are derived to us from thence.—To be insensible therefore of this Blessing, were to act most absurdly indeed, were to indicate that we are even Enemies to our own selves.
HE, whose licentious Tongue, instructed and directed by a wicked Heart, can rail at, object against, and vilify the truly happy Day we are now remembring, should consider (if nothing else can stop his Virulence and Detraction) that he is obliged to that Day's Success for the very Freedom of Speech he is pleas'd so intemperately to make use of.
I KNOW not how far Men may be carried by their Humours and Passions; How far an Affectation of Singularity may incline some, how far a Spirit of Party may compel others, and how far Indifference and the Distance of Time may be a Cause in more, of omitting this their Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving; but this may be said with some Degree of Assurance, That no one, who has a due Regard for the Honour and Dignity of the Crown, a tender Concern and temperate Zeal for the Established Church, and an Heart glowing with the Love of Liberty, that no one can, consistently with these Principles, neglect his Duty on this Day, and be blameless. — If a Man will be searching for Excuses, the only possible Method, by which he can requit himself in this Case, is to doubt the Truth of the Fact: A Scheme, which may not seem so full of Absurdity, if Scepticism in History be as flagrant as it is in Religion.
— Neither do I see with what Reason any one can insinuate himself into another's Favour, by Misrepresentations of the important Transaction of that Day, and by depreciating the Character of the King, then restor'd. With Men of honest and generous Principles, it has ever been held a Mark of a mean spirit, to commend one Man by aspersing another. How much more then is it a sign of base Servitude, to extol one Prince (whose Virtues are too well known to need such low Helps) at the Expence of debasing another, who wore the same Crown before him! It amounts to more than a Supposition, that he, who can be guilty of such Behaviour, would, at a fit Opportunity, and under favourable Circumstances, turn a vile Traitor, and even whet his Sword against the Gracious Sovereign now set over us. As it is our Duty to pay the greatest Reverence to his sacred Person, so let the Memory of the other be ever dear unto us: Of Him, who, as on this Day, return'd to his Kingdom, with the universal Acclamations of his People, rejoicing with one Heart and united Hands, to see their antient, their best Constitution restor'd; to behold, once again, the glorious Face of Monarchy, Episcopacy, and Liberty.
IT has pleased God, out of his abundant Mercy, to prolong the Lives of some Persons, who were Eye-witnesses of that happy Day, even to these Times. But had we no living Evidence of it, were the Distance of Time much greater than it is, yet a Mercy so signal, and so excellent, can never be forgotten by us. We cannot, without Forfeiture of our Reason, omit religiously observing a Day, the joyful Effects of which we are every Moment sensible of. More especially in this great and renown'd City, which the rest of the Kingdom seem so industrious to copy after, let this Day be ever held sacred. It were to degenerate from the Spirit of our Ancestors not to acknowledge that Work with Joy, which they were so sollicitous about, and which, under the Direction of Providence, they were so remarkably instrumental in bringing to pass.
I WOULD use one Word more of Exhortation, which is, That we take care to instil into those that come after, the same Sense of this Mercy, the same Spirit of Gratitude, which we ourselves feel;
Ps. lxxviii. 6.
That Posterity may know it, and the Children which are yet unborn, to the intent that when they come up, they may shew their Children the same.
Josh. iv. 6.
That when your Children ask their Fathers in Time to come,
saying, What meaneth this appointed Day, and this solemn Thanksgiving? That you shall let your Children know, saying, This Land was defiled with Blood; the antient and free Government of this Kingdom, was overthrown and destroy'd by wicked and blood-thirsty Men, and the Lord delivered us from their Hands, by a stretched out Arm:
Ibid. iv. 24.
That all the People of the Earth might know the Hand of the Lord it is mighty, and that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.
THE Royal Psalmist (who had so often experienced the merciful Goodness of the Lord, some Passages of whose Life the History of this Day is exactly parallel to; who was driven out of his Kingdom by ungrateful and evil-minded Men, and return'd to it again with Joy and great Triumph) will put a Song of Praise into the Mouth of every Man, who has a just Sense of this Day's Mercy, and reach him thus to express his Thanks for it to Almighty God.
Ps. cxlv. 1.
I WILL magnify thee,
God my King, and praise thy Name for ever
ever. Every Day will I give thanks unto
, and praise thy Name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and marvellous, worthy to be prais'd, there is no End of his Greatness.
Ibid. cxlvii. 7.
O sing unto the Lord with Thanksgiving: Sing Praises upon the Harp, unto our God:
Ps. lxv. 7.
Who stille
the Raging of the Sea, and the Noise of hi
Waves, and the Madness of the People.
Ibid. cxlvii. 12, 13.
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem, praise thy God O Sion; for he hath made fast the Bars of thy Gates, and hath blessed thy Children within thee,
Ps. cxlv. 21.
My Mouth shall speak the Praise of the Lord, and let all Flesh give Thanks unto his Holy Name for ever and ever.
FINIS.