Page images
PDF
EPUB

fwered, It is faid the Czarewitz is with us in the Dominions of his Imperial Majefty, and the Emperor will not give him up. That Lopukin replied to Bleyer, The People here are much concerned for the Czarewitz, and his leaving the Kingdom may cause an Infurrection in the Empire: The Refident faid hereupon, and the Emperor will not forfake him in fuch a Cafe.

That he, Lopukin, had faid thefe Words to the Refident of his own Head, and out of the Inclination he bore to the Czarewitz; as was alfo what he had formerly talked with the Land-Rath of the Government of Cafan, named Kanbar Akinfief, who, when he was at Petersburgh, being with Lopukin, they difcourfed together of the Czarewitz, and of his being in the Emperor's Dominions; and that they had both faid, The Czarewitz had done well in retiring thither, for the Emperor would not give him up; and that Kanbar Akinfief had faid to the faid Lopukin, In our Country it is poffible fome Difor der may arife upon account of the Czarewitz's Flight, because the People there are very fimple and ignorant.

On the 21st of June, his Czarian Majesty ordered the Senators, by the Privy-Counsellor Peter Tolstoi, to come into the HALL; where, being affembled, the faid Privy-Counsellor laid before them the following Confiderations, prefented to his Czarian Majefty by the Clergy, and which he was pleafed to communicate to them by him.

1718.

[blocks in formation]

1718.

The CONSIDERATIONS of the Clergy.

REfecting on one side upon the great Crime

committed by a Son, who, like Absalom, has rose up against his Father; and on the other upon the Perfon offended, who is a Father and a Sovereign with abfolute Power over his Son; We dare not venture to touch upon an Affair of this Nature by fuch Confiderations as belong to us, this Matter relating wholly to the Civil Jurifdiction, and not to the Ecclefiaftical. Befides that the abfolute Power established in the Czarian Empire, which is a Monarchy, is not to be fubmitted to the Judgment of Subjects; the Sovereign having full Authority to act according to his own good Pleasure, without the Intervention of any Inferiors.

However, as we are commanded, not by way of Judgment, but for Inftruction only, to fearch out fuch Examples and Statutes as are applicable to the prefent Cafe; in conformity to the Orders of our Monarch, we of the Clergy, whofe Names are under-written, being prefent in the Imperial Capital City of Petersburgh, have collected from the Holy Scriptures, what to us has appeared to be fuitable to this dreadful and aftonishing Subject.

I. The Son of Noah, who mocked his "Father, was curfed of him, and condemned "to be the Servant of his Brethren, Gen. ix.

II. "God has faid in his Commandments, "Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that thy "Days may be long upon the Land, Exod. xx. "Thou fhalt not curfe the Ruler of the "People, Exod. xxii.

III. "He

"III. He that curfeth his Father or his "Mother shall furely be put to Death, Exod. < xxi. Levit. xx.

"And Jefus Chrift has faid the fame thing, Matt. xv. Mark vii.

"IV. If a Man have a ftubborn and re"bellious Son, which will not obey the Voice "of his Father, or the Voice of his Mother, " and that, when they have chaftened him, "will not hearken unto them, then fhall his "Father and his Mother lay hold on him, " and bring him out unto the Elders of his City, and unto the Gate of his Place, and

66

[ocr errors]

they fhall fay unto the Elders of his City, "This our Son is ftubborn and rebellious, he "will not obey our Voice, he is a Glutton " and a Drunkard. And all the Men of his "City fhall ftone him with Stones that he die : "So fhalt thou put away Evil from among "you, and all Ifrael fhall hear and fear, "Deut. xxi.

"V. The Eye that mocketh at his Father, "and that defpifeth to obey his Mother, the "Ravens of the Valley fhall pluck it out, "Prov. xxx.

"VI. Honour your Father by Actions "and Words, that he may blefs you: The "Bleffing of the Father ftrengthens the House "of the Children, and the Curfe of the Mo"ther destroys it to the Foundation, Eccles iii.

"And again, My Son, comfort thy Father "in his Old Age, and grieve not thy Mother' "fo long as the lives.

"VII. The People of Ifrael being in Pri"fon at Babylon, collected a Sum of Money, "and fent it to Jerufalem, to Joachim the High

G 2

Prieft,

1718.

1718.

"Prieft, and to all the People, and they said unto them, we have fent you a Sum of Mo

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

ney, buy therewith Burnt Offerings and In* cenfe, and offer Sacrifices and Offerings for "Sin, upon the Altar of the Lord our God, "and pray for the Life of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, and for the Life of Belfbazzar his Son, that their Days may be "upon Earth as the Days of Heaven, "Baruch i.

66

"VIII. When the King's Eunuchs, who kept "the Door of the Palace, were minded to lay "Hands upon the King's Perfon, and to kill "him, and the King was known to Mordecai, "he certify'd the King of their Confpiracy, "and when Inquifition was made of the Mat"ter, and it was found out, they were both hanged on a Tree, Efth. ii.

[ocr errors]

"IX. The Hiftory of Abfalom is told in "the fecond Book of Kings, Chap. xv, xvi, " xvii, xviii.

Thefe Paffages were collected from the OLD

TESTAMENT.

From the NEW TESTAMENT.

"I. JESUS CHRIST himself was subject to "Jofeph and his Mother, Luke ii.

"He alfo ordered to pay Tribute unto "Cæfar.

"II. If thou wilt enter into Life, keep the "Commandments. He faith unto him, Which? Jefus faid; Thou fhalt do no Murder; Thou "fhalt not commit Adultery; Thou shalt not

[ocr errors]

fteal,

fteal; Thou shalt not bear falfe Witness; "Honour thy Father and Mother; and Thou fhalt love thy Neighbour as thy felf, Mat"thew xix.

"III. Whofoever fhall fay to his Brother, "Racha, fhall be in danger of the Counsel, "Matt. v.

"IV. Honour all Men. Love the Bro"therhood. Fear God. Honour the King, "Servants be subject unto your Masters with "all Fear; not only to the Good and Gentle, "but also to the Froward, 1 Pet. ii.

"V. Let every Soul be fubject unto the "Higher Powers: For there is no Power but of "God. Whofoever therefore refifteth the Pow"er, refifteth the Ordinance of God: And they "that refift fhall receive to themselves Dam"nation. For Rulers are not a Terror to "good Works, but to the Evil. Wilt thou "then not be afraid of the Power? Do that "which is good, and thou fhalt have Praise of "the fame: For he is the Minifter of God to "thee for Good. But if thou do that which "is Evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the "Sword in vain: For he is the Minister of "God, a Revenger to execute Wrath upon "him that doth Evil, Rom. xiii.

"VI. Children obey your Parents in the "Lord, for this is right. Honour thy Fa"ther and Mother, which is the firft Com"mandment with Promife; that it may be "well with thee, and thou mayeft live long "on the Earth. And ye Fathers provoke "not your Children to Wrath, but bring "them up in the Nurture and Admonition of "the Lord. Servants be obedient to them " that

G 3

1718.

« PreviousContinue »