A sermon preach'd before the Right Honourable the Lord-Mayor

In Short

Delivered at St. Paul's Cathedral on the anniversary fast for the martyrdom of King Charles the First, this eighteenth-century sermon examines the profound guilt of regicide. The preacher draws a direct comparison between the unjust execution of Naboth in the Old Testament and the tragic downfall of the English sovereign. By aligning these two historical events, the text argues that both figures were pious men destroyed by unlawful trials and religious hypocrisy. It has endured as a primary artifact of high-church Tory political theology, capturing a defining moment of mourning and retrospective justification.

The Story

The discourse opens by acknowledging the solemnity of the anniversary fast dedicated to the memory of King Charles the First. The preacher anticipates a potential objection regarding the precise comparison between biblical events and contemporary history, noting that while minor disparities exist—such as Naboth falling victim to a wicked king whereas the English monarch fell to rebellious subjects—the master-strokes of both occurrences share a striking resemblance that fully justifies the comparison.

The argument unfolds across three primary divisions. First, the preacher establishes a detailed parallel between the biblical Naboth and the martyred king. Both men are characterized as fundamentally good and upright individuals. Naboth defended his ancestral inheritance against unlawful royal demands with a clear conscience, just as the king faithfully preserved the ancient prerogatives of the crown against escalating, unauthorized demands. Furthermore, both men suffered under a pretense of justice and religious solemnity. Just as Jezebel orchestrated a fast and employed false witnesses to condemn Naboth, the rebellious factions of seventeenth-century England proclaimed days of humiliation and perverted legal frameworks to justify the trial and execution of their sovereign.

The progression then shifts to consider the unique nature and severe consequences of the regicide itself. The preacher emphasizes the unprecedented horror of bringing a hereditary monarch to trial before a self-created tribunal of his own subjects. This act violated the fundamental laws of the realm, which explicitly denied any coercive power over the person of the king. Far from achieving true civil and religious liberty, the nation plunged into a miserable state of anarchy and military despotism. The text details how the turbulent times immediately following the execution brought severe taxation, arbitrary imprisonments, and relentless political and religious instability, proving that the disruption of a legally settled constitution carries bitter fruits.

Finally, the discourse transitions into moral reflections drawn from the day's liturgy. It addresses the fundamental uncertainty of all human grandeur and state, reminding the audience that even the most glittering pomp and the highest earthly majesty are entirely insecure against the vicissitudes of fortune and malicious calumny. Yet, while earthly greatness offers no shield against suffering or public detraction, the righteous man finds his true and enduring reward beyond this life. The sermon concludes with the consoling reflection that the martyred sovereign now wears an immortal crown of life, having persevered faithfully through extreme pressures to his end.

How It Unfolds

The opening comparison The sermon begins by introducing the solemn commemoration of the king's martyrdom and carefully justifies drawing a parallel to the biblical narrative of Naboth. The preacher notes that despite minor historical differences—such as a wicked king versus rebellious subjects—the core circumstances of both events display a remarkable alignment that warrants the comparison.

Establishing the parallel The text compares the personal virtue and uprightness of both Naboth and the sovereign, emphasizing their steadfast refusal to part with their rightful inheritances. It details how both were subjected to mock-trials, false witnesses, and religious hypocrisy designed to cloak premeditated murder in the robes of formal justice and solemn assembly.

Analyzing the crime The core of the argument evaluates the immense guilt of the regicide, emphasizing that no English law or constitutional tradition ever granted subjects coercive power over a monarch. The preacher argues that the trial was an unprecedented insult to majesty itself, executed by a fraction of an assembly acting under false pretenses and deep hypocrisy.

Examining the consequences The discourse explores the chaotic aftermath of the regicide, noting how the nation descended into anarchy, heavy taxation, and constant political instability rather than true freedom. It demonstrates that the disruption of legitimate authority replaced imaginary grievances with real, severe oppression and endless political divisions.

Concluding reflections The text closes with moral lessons drawn from the day's service regarding the absolute uncertainty of human grandeur and worldly power. It reminds listeners that neither supreme greatness nor deep piety shields individuals from worldly suffering, directing their ultimate hope toward a heavenly reward and eternal peace.

The People

The text centers on three key historical and biblical figures whose actions drive the moral argument. Andrew Snape portrays King Charles the First as a pious and temperate ruler who desires to maintain his conscience, uphold true religion, and preserve the ancient prerogatives of the crown. Standing in his way are his restless, factious enemies and rebellious subjects who demand absolute dominion and the dismantling of the monarchy. The king meets a tragic end on the scaffold, maintaining his dignity and meekness to the last, and is ultimately vindicated with an immortal crown of life.

In the biblical parallel, Naboth stands as a man of integrity who wishes only to preserve his ancestral inheritance according to divine law. His obstacle is King Ahab, whose unlawful desire for the vineyard leads to a murderous conspiracy. Naboth is falsely accused by sons of Belial and stoned to death in a rigged trial, though his tragic fate is later avenged by divine judgment.

Alongside them, Jezebel acts as the mastermind of religious hypocrisy, employing fasts, false witnesses, and fabricated solemnities to achieve her ends. Unlike the unrepentant regicides of seventeenth-century England—who gloried in their crime and remained obdurate to the end—Naboth's primary persecutor, Ahab, ultimately humbles himself before God and confesses his guilt, illustrating a crucial moral contrast in how wrongdoers respond to their actions.

In Its Own Voice

The preacher captures the dignity of the fallen monarch by emphasizing his steadfast demeanor during his final moments on the scaffold.

As he had Liv'd, he Died a true Professor of the purest reform'd Faith: And his Character has this Advantage, even from the reproachful manner of his Death; that his last Declaration so publickly made in the Face of the World, was not capable of being denied, or misrepresented.

Describing the chaotic and oppressive political climate that followed the overthrow of legitimate authority, the text highlights the bitter disappointment of the populace.

They dream'd and rav'd of Oppression before, but they were then opprest in Earnest.

Reflecting on the universal vulnerability of earthly power, the sermon warns against the false security of high station.

Of how short Continuance, and consequently of how little Value is the most glittering Pomp, that attracts our vain Eyes, and strikes us with Admiration!

What It's Really About

The work is fundamentally an exploration of divine right, political legitimacy, and the deep moral perils of rebellion. It investigates the dangerous tendency of political factions to cloak selfish ambitions in the language of piety, justice, and reform. Beneath the historical comparison lies a profound anxiety about social order, constitutional stability, and the accountability of subjects versus monarchs. The text probes the philosophical tension between human fallibility in governance and the absolute sacredness of established law. Ultimately, it confronts the enduring question of how societies reconcile political grievances with moral obligations, warning that violent disruptions of legitimate authority inevitably breed widespread corruption, hypocrisy, and long-lasting civil discord.

Why Read It Today

Modern readers interested in the intellectual roots of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century political theology will find this sermon a compelling primary document. Reading it offers an authentic glimpse into the high-church Tory rhetoric that shaped post-revolutionary England, capturing the solemn, grievance-laden atmosphere of the anniversary fasts. The prose is stately, confident, and deeply rhetorical, moving with a steady cadence that reflects the pulpit style of the period.

Contemporary readers must navigate period-specific political attitudes, including rigid hierarchical assumptions about divine right and hereditary monarchy that feel entirely foreign today. Additionally, the dense, formal prose style and heavy reliance on biblical typology demand patient, close reading. Yet, those who persevere will discover a fascinating study in political memory and rhetoric. The text vividly preserves how historical trauma is transformed into institutional ritual, offering enduring insights into how societies use shared narratives of martyrdom and victimhood to define their political identity and moral boundaries across generations.