by Daniel Defoe
How has Heaven declar’d that he is resolv’d not to bless this immoderate Generation? How has all their Measures been disappointed both abroad and at home, all their designes been blasted, and the Anger of Heaven so remarkably bent against them, that even the little success we have had, has been prescrib’d by Providence to those few hands who Act from Principles of Honesty and Temper, as if God did thereby point out to us who they are he delights to bless.
The D—of M—is a Whig say some of our People who Hate all Moderation, he is so Dutchify’d, we shall never have any Good of him, why that may be, but yet you see there is not one Article of our Conduct has succeeded but what has been under his Mannagement.24
And Heaven has declar’d so Eminently against all other Branches of our Affaires, that I wish I am mistaken when I say ’tis plain either he seems to mislike the Cause or the Persons employ’d, and that however severe he was pleas’d to Anminadvert upon the Publick affaires in the late Violent Tempest, it seems that for all this his Anger is not turned away but his hand is Stretched out still.25
But what has a Sermon to do to enquire, may some say, and if it had, how shall it make appear whether God is displeased with our designs or the Persons employed, with the cause or the Carryers of it on.
As to the cause, all men are Judges of the Justice of it, and all men know the Foot of the present Confederacy, at least our part must be Just as it is to Maintain our just Rights, Liberty, Trade and Religion.
It must then be the Persons, the R—s, the Sir G—s, G—ns, the R—ks of this War;26 that Heaven is resolv’d shall not be the men, whom he will honour with the Deliverance of his People.
All wise Princes in the World have made it a constant Maxim in their Governments, that when any of their great Generals prove Unfortunate, tho’ never so Wise, they lay them by, as Persons that God does not think fit to bless with success, and ’tis not needful to examine whether it were not their fault, but to be Unfortunate is to be told from Heaven, that such a one is not the Man, and a Nation ought to understand it so.
But sure when Heaven Singles men out by Crossing their attempts and Marks them for unfortunate, and we can give our selves good reasons why they are thus Mark’d by the Divine displeasure; when we can see their false steps, their General designs against God and their Countries Intrests, ’tis high time then for those who sit at the Helm of Government, to Change hands and put their affaires into such Persons Conduct, against whom Heaven has not declar’d so plainly its Displeasure, nor the Nation its Dislike.
Why shou’d the Queen be desir’d to Chain down her own Happiness and the Nations Interest, to the Missfortune of a few Men. Perhaps God may Bless the Fleet under one Admiral, when he will not under another. I know nothing against Admiral Callemburgh, he may be an Honest and worthy-man, and ready enough to Fight for the cause, for indeed most of the Dutch Captains of Ships are so, but since Heaven has now ’twice refus’d to let him go, and driven him back again, if I were the Governour of his Masters affairs, he should not be sent a Third time, least we should seem obstinately to Employ somebody that God himself had declar’d against and had three times from Heaven forbid to go.
I hope no Body will Construe this to be a Personal Satyr upon Myn Heer Callemburgh, But take it among ye, let it go, where it Fitts best.
If these are not the Generation of Men that must do the Nations business, then ’tis plain our Deliverance will never be wrought while they are employ’d; If God will not bless them he will never bless us till they are dismist.
I doubt not we shall be deliver’d, and this Nation shall yet Triumph over her Enemies; but while wrong Instruments are Employ’d the Work will be delay’d. God would have a House built him But David was not the Man and therefore the Work was put off till Solomon was in the Throne.27
God would have Israel go into the Land of Canaan and possess it, but those Generals and those Captains were not the Men; Moses and Aaron, and the great Men of the Camp were not such as God approv’d off and therefore Israel could not go over Joardan till they had laid their Bones in the Wilderness.
England is hardly ever to pass over the Jourdan before her, till these Immoderate Men of Strife and Storms are laid by.
If any man ask me why these men shou’d not perfect the Nation Peace as well as other men? I do not say which Men nor who, but let them be who the enquirer please, I answer the Question, with a question How shou’d men of no Moderaion bring us to Peace.
How shou’d Men of strife bring us Peace and Union: Contraries may Illustrate but Contraries never Incorporate; Men of Temper, are the safe men for this Nation. Men of heat are fit to Embroil it, but not to Cure it: they are something like our Sea Surgeons who fly to Amputation of Members upon every slight Fracture, when a more proper Application would effect the Cure and save the Joynt.
’Tis an ill sign especially for England when Wars abroad wont make us Friends at home. Foreign dangers us’d to Unite us from whence Queen Elizabeth, has been said to leave this Character of the Nation behind her, that they were much easier to be Govern’d in a time of War than in Peace.
But when This, which us’d to be the only Cure of all our diseases, fails us, ’tis a sign the Distemper is Grown very strong, and there is some more than usual Room for despair.
The only Way left the Nation is to obtain from those in power, that Moderation may cease being the pretence and be really the practice.
It would be well all men would at least be Occasional Conformists, to this Extraordinary principle; and when there is such a Loud call to Peace both from Heaven and from the Throne, they would do well to consider who are the Men of Peace and who are not: For certainly those Immoderate Gentlemen, who slight the Proposals for a general Union of Charity, cannot pretend to be Friends to the present Intrest of their Native Country.
These men, ’tis true, Cry out of the danger of the Church, but can they make it appear that the Church is in any danger from Moderation and Temper; can they pretend that there is no way to secure her, but by pulling down all that differ with them, no way to save her but by the ruin of her Protestant Brethren; there are Thousands of Loyal honest Church-men, who are not of this mind; who believe that Moderation and Charity to Protestant Dissenters is very Consistant with the safety of the Church and with the present general Union which they Earnestly desire.
As to Persons we have nothing to say to them, but this, without pretending to prophesy, may be safely advanced, that Heaven it self, has Eminently declared it self against the Fury and Immoderate Zeal of those Gentlemen, and told us as plainly as possible, unless we would Expect a Voice from on high, that he neither Has nor Designs to bless this Generation nor their proceedings.
When ever our rulers think fit to see it, and to employ the Men and the Methods which Heaven approves, then we may expect success from abroad, Peace at home, prosperity in Trade, Victory in War, plenty in the Field, Mild and Comfortable Seasons, Calm Air, Smooth Seas, and safe Habitations.
Till then we are to expect our Houses Blown down, our Pallaces Shatter’d, our Voyages broken, our Navys Shipwreck’d, our Saylors Drown’d, our Confedrates Beaten, our Trade ruin’d, our Money spent and our Enemies encreased.
The Grand dispute in this Quarrelsome Age, is against our Brethren who Dissent from the Church; and from what principle do we act? it is not safe say they to let any of them be entrusted in the Government, that is, it is not profitable to let any Body enjoy great Places but themselves.
This is the Bottom of the pretence, as to the safety of it. These are the People who Cry out of the Danger from the Dissenters, but are not concerned at our Danger from the French; that are frighted at the Dissenters who as they pretend grow too Formidable for the Church, but are not disturb’d at the Threatning Growth of a Conquering Popish Enemy; that Deprecate the Clouds of Whiggism and Phanaticism, but apprehend nothing of the Black Clouds of God’s Threatning Judgements, which plainly tell them if they would suffer themselves to think, that there is somthing in the general practice of the Na
tion which does not please him, and for which the hand of his Judgements is extended against us.
These are strange dull-sighted men, whose Intrest stands so directly between them and their understanding that they can see nothing but what that represents to them; God may Thunder from Heaven with Storms upon Storms, Ruin our Fleets, Drown our Sailors and Blow us back from the best Contriv’d Expeditions in the World, but they will never believe the case affects them, never look into their own Conduct to see if they have not help’d to bring these heavy Strokes upon the Nation.
How many Thousands have we in England, who if the whole Navy of England had been at Stake; had rather have lost it than the Bill against Occasional Conformity; that had rather the French should have taken Landau and Beat the Prince of Hess Cassell, than the Queen should have made such a Speech for Peace and Union; that had rather the Duke of Bavaria should have taken Ausburgh, than that there should not have been some Affront put upon the House of Lords.28
And if such Zealots, such Christian Furies are met with by Providence, and see both the Fleet and the Occasional Bill lost together is it not plain, what Providence meant in it. He that can not see that God from on high has Punish’d them in their own way and pointed out the Crime in the Vengeance must be more blind than usual, and must shut their Eyes against their own Consciences.
’Tis plain Heaven has suited his Punishment to the Offence, has Punish’d the Stormy Temper of this Party of Men with Storms of his Vengeance, Storms on their Navies, Storms on their Houses, Storms on their Confederates, and I question not will at last with Storms in their Consciences.
If there be any Use to be made of this matter, ’tis to excite the Nation to Spue out from among them these Men of Storms, that Peace, Love, Charity and a General Union may succeed, and God may Bless us, Return to us and delight to dwell among us, that the Favour of Heaven may Return to us, and the Queen who has heartily declared her Eyes open to this needful happiness, may enjoy the Blessing of Wise Counsellors and Faithful Servants, that Constant Victory may Crown all our Enterprizes, and the General Peace of Europe may be Established.
If any one can tell us a way to bring all these Blessed ends to pass, without a General Peace of Parties and Interests at home, he is Wellcome to do it, for I profess It is hid from my Eyes.
FINIS.
THE
STORM.
AN
ESSAY
THE STORM. AN ESSAY
I’m told, for we have News among the Dead,
Heaven lately spoke, but few knew what it said;
The Voice, in loudest Tempests spoke,
And Storms, which Nature’s strong Foundation shook.
felt it hither, and I’d have you know
I heard the Voice, and knew the Language too.
Think it not strange I heard it here,
No Place is so remote, but when he speaks, they hear.
Besides, tho’ I am dead in Fame,
I never told you where I am.
Tho’ I have lost Poetick Breath,
I’m not in perfect State of Death:
From whence this Popish Consequence I draw,
I’m in the Limbus1 of the Law.
Let me be where I will I heard the Storm,
From every Blast it eccho’d thus, REFORM;
I felt the mighty Shock, and saw the Night,
When Guilt look’d pale, and own’d the Fright;
And every Time the raging Element
Shook Londons’ lofty Towers, at every Rent
The falling Timbers gave, they cry’d, REPENT.
I saw, when all the stormy Crew,
Newly commission’d from on high,
Newly instructed what to do,
In Lowring, Cloudy, Troops drew nigh:
They hover’d o’er the guilty Land,
As if they had been backward to obey;
As if they wondred at the sad Command,
And pity’d those they shou’d destroy.
But Heaven, that long had gentler Methods tried,
And saw those gentler Methods all defied,
Had now resolv’d to be obey’d.
The Queen, an Emblem of the soft, still, Voice,
Had told the Nation how to make their Choice;
Told them the only Way to Happiness
Was by the Blessed Door of Peace.
But the unhappy Genius of the Land,
Deaf to the Blessing, as to the Command,
Scorn the high Caution, and contemn the News,
And all the blessed Thoughts of Peace refuse.
Since Storms are then the Nation’s Choice,
Be Storms their Portion, said the Heavenly Voice:
He said, and I could hear no more,
So soon th’ obedient Troops began to roar:
So soon the blackning Clouds drew near,
And fill’d with loudest Storms the trembling Air:
I thought I felt the World’s Foundation shake,
And lookt when all the wondrous Frame would break.
I trembl’d as the Winds grew high,
And so did many a braver Man than I:
For he whose Valour scorns his Sence,
Has chang’d his Courage into Impudence.
Man may to Man his Valour show,
And ’tis his Vertue to do so.
But if he’s of his Maker not afraid,
He’s not courageous then, but mad.
Soon as I heard the horrid Blast,
And understood how long ‘twould last,
View’d all the Fury of the Element,
Consider’d well by whom ’twas sent,
And unto whom for Punishment:
It brought my Hero to my Mind,
William, the Glorious, Great, and Good, and Kind.
Short Epithets to his Just Memory;
The first he was to all the World, the last to me.
The mighty Genius to my Thought appear’d,
Just in the same Concern he us’d to show,
When private Tempests us’d to blow,
Storms which the Monarch more than Death or Battel fear’d.
When Party Fury shook his Throne,
And made their mighty Malice known,
I’ve heard the sighing Monarch say,
The Publick Peace so near him lay,
It took the Pleasure of his Crown away.
It fill’d with Cares his Royal Breast;
Often he has those Cares Prophetickly exprest,
That when he should the Reins let go,
Heaven would some Token of its Anger show,
To let the thankless Nation see
How they despis’d their own Felicity.
This robb’d the Hero of his Rest,
Disturb’d the Calm of his serener Breast.
When to the Queen the Scepter he resign’d,
With a resolv’d and steady Mind,
Tho’ he rejoic’d to lay the Trifle down,
He pity’d Her to whom he left the Crown:
Foreseeing long and vig’rous Wars,
Foreseeing endless, private, Party Jarrs,
Would always interrupt Her Rest,
And fill with Anxious Cares Her Royal Breast.
For Storms of Court Ambition rage as high
Almost as Tempests in the Sky.
Could I my hasty Doom retrieve,
And once more in the Land of Poets live,
I’d now the Men of Flags and Fortune greet,
And write an Elegy upon the Fleet.
First, those that on the Shore were idly found,
Whom other Fate protects, while better Men were drown’d,
They may thank God for being Knaves on Shore,
But sure the Q—will never trust them more.
They who rid out the Storm, and liv’d,
But saw not whence it was deriv’d,
Sensless of Danger, or the mighty Hand,
That could to cease, as well as blow, command,
Let such unthinking
Creatures have a Care,
For some worse End prepare.
Let them look out for some such Day,
When what the Sea would not, the Gallows may.
Those that in former Dangers shunn’d the Fight,
But met their Ends in this Disast’rous Night,
Have left this Caution, tho’ too late,
That all Events are known to Fate.
Cowards avoid no Danger when they run,
And Courage scapes the Death it would not shun;
’Tis Nonsence from our Fate to fly,
All Men must once have Heart enough to die.
Those Sons of Plunder are below my Pen,
Because they are below the Names of Men;
Who from the Shores presenting to their Eyes
The Fatal Goodwin, where the Wreck of Navies Lyes,2
A thousand dying Saylors talking to the Skies.
From the sad Shores they saw the Wretches walk,
By Signals of Distress they talk;
There with one Tide of Life they’re vext,
The Barbarous Shores with Men and Boats abound,
The Men more Barbarous than the Shores are found;
Off to the shatter’d Ships they go,
And for the Floating Purchase Row.
They spare no Hazard, or no Pain,
But ’tis to save the Goods, and not the Men.3 Within the sinking Supplaints Reach appear,
As if they’d mock their dying Fear.
Then for some Trifle all their Hopes supplant,
With Cruelty would make a Turk relent.
If I had any Satyr left to write,
Cou’d I with suited Spleen Indite,
My Verse should blast that Fatal Town,
And Drowned Saylors Widows pull it down;
No Footsteps of it should appear,
And Ships no more Cast Anchor there.
The Barbarous Hated Name of Deal shou’d die,
Or be a Term of Infamy;
And till that’s done, the Town will stand
A just Reproach to all the Land.
4 The Ships come next to be my Theme,
The Men’s the Loss, I’m not concern’d for them;
