Andrew Snape

“ To the same Cause too we may ascribe almost all our Differences in Religion. We can call upon all the Persuasions but one, who enjoy the Benefit of the Toleration, (and may it ever be enjoy'd by Consciences truly tender) to look back to those unhappy Times for their first Original, and see, in the midst of how much Licenciousness and Disorder they were propagated, and began to spread. ”

“ And sure we may allow to one who was endu'd with so large a Share of Vertues, with so inconsiderable a Mixture of Defects, the Character and Denomination of a good Man. I mean, in a qualified Sense, for, in an absolute Sense, we know who has told us, there is none good but God. And this is one Point in which Naboth and he agree. ”

“ Proclaim a Fast, and set Naboth on high among the People:
And set Two Men, Sons of Belial, before him, to bear Witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the King: and then carry him out and stone him, that he may die.
There is scarce any one Instance of the shedding innocent Blood recorded in Holy Scripture which has not at some time or other been apply'd to the Occasion of this Day's Solemnity, even that of our blessed Saviour not excepted, whose Steps we have with one Voice declar'd in the Service of the Church the blessed Martyr cheerfully to have follow'd. ”

“ There were really such Offences, tho' there was no such Offender. Whereas in the Case of our Martyr'd Prince, the Crime its self was as Fictitious as the Personal Charge. He not only was not, but cou'd not be guilty of that Treason they accus'd him of, since by our known Constitution, it was against himself only that any Treason cou'd be committed. We find in no Records the mention of such a Crime, as the Lese-Majesty of the People, nor that the cruellest Tyrants were ever [15] tax'd with being Rebels to their own Subjects. ”

“ But there are some ill Consequences of that great Rebellion, that still affect us, and particularly the unhappy Divisions that reign among us. 'Tis a sad and deplorable Thing indeed, that Men who are Professors of the same Religion, who have the same Political Obligations, who are bound by all the Ties both of Interest and Duty to direct their Designs and Actions to the same End, should notwithstanding, fly into such opposite Extremes, and brand each other with such opprobrious Names. ”

“ The Guilt whereof has ever since lay heavy on this sinful Nation, and even now calls for our deepest Humiliation, to deprecate that Vengeance of Almighty God, which might justly be inflicted on the remote Posterity of the Actors in that unnatural Parricide. ”

“ But we Men must form our Judgment from the outward Actions, and wheresoever we find a regular Conduct, where all the Duties to God and Man, as far as we can observe, are exactly and punctually discharg'd, where there are no visible Infractions of Divine or Human Laws, or none but such as may be imputed to Human Frailty; we are to look upon a Person so qualified as a Man of Probity and Vertue. ”

“ New Schemes and Models of Government were daily Fashion'd, some of which died in Embryo, others made a Blaze for a short Time, but no sooner had they turn'd themselves to the new-started Light, in hopes to be warm'd and directed by it, but the Airy Meteor disappear'd. ”

“ There are indeed many Passages of Scripture, that encourage a good Man to expect even the Blessings of this Life, and ordinarily Speaking, he does actually enjoy 'em, at least in a contented Mind and quiet Conscience, which comprehends 'em all. ”

“ Tryals and Afflictions are the common Lot of Mortality, and every Man, more or less must sustain his Share of 'em. In this, the Righteous and Wicked fare alike, nor can a Man judge of Love or Hatred by all that is before him. ”

“ But they can never be guilty of Treason, nor suffer the Punishment of Traytors.
When therefore the good King disown'd this illegal Judicature, and refus'd (as he well might) to Plead his Cause before 'em; they still went on with a Mask of Justice, and in Mock-Representation of a legal Process, to Sentence and Condemn him, and Sign a Bloody Warrant for his Execution.
Another Thing in which his Case does nearly resemble that of Naboth is, that they both were Murder'd for the same Cause, because they wou'd not part with the Inheritance of their Fathers. ”

“ From this I say, and the [8] other Consideration before-mention'd, we may reasonably infer that Naboth was a Man of Uprightness and Integrity; tho' the Scripture has distinguish'd him by no other Title, but that of Naboth the Jesraelite.
But we have better Arguments than bare Conjectures and remote Conclusions to induce us to believe that our Martyr'd Sovereign was highly deserving of this Character, of which we have all the Proof and Demonstration that 'tis possible for one Man to have of the Integrity of another. ”

“ But tho' they escap'd with Life, (no Thanks to the Usurpers of their Inheritance that they did so) yet were they devested of their just Rights, which none of 'em had then done any thing to forfeit, driven into Exile, branded with Names of Infamy and Reproach, and declar'd Traytors and Rebels themselves, as well as their Abettors and Adherents. ”

“ Both for the same Cause, because they would not part with the Inheritance of their Fathers: Neither of 'em [6] suffer'd singly; but the Enemies of each extended their Malice to the whole Race of 'em.
First I say they were both good Men. That Naboth was so, we may very fairly conjecture from his Behaviour in the Matter of the Vineyard; and from the Severity of God's Wrath toward Ahab and his Family, for unjustly putting him to Death. For altho' the Murder even of a wicked Man, either by false Accusation, or secret Treachery, is a very heinous and detestable Thing ”

“ That according to the most rational, most probable, most natural Event, such temporal Blessings would be allotted to good Men, not that each particular good Man should be possess'd of every one of 'em, for that would be in some Measure, to have his Portion here. ”

“ They are equally expos'd to Pain and Sickness, to Infirmity and Diseases; they lye as open to a natural, and much more open to a violent Death. Plots and Conspiracies, Assassinations and Poysonings are Accidents peculiar to the Royal List of Mortality, and seldom bring a Subject to his End. ”