and arbitrary Government: Which inevctably he had brought about, if God in Judgement, had not remembered Mercy, and delivered this Nation from worfe than Egyptian Da knefs, and Thraldom. Remember, I fay, that black Night of Dark nefs, that then almost overfpread this Church, and Kingdom: and learn from thence, to dread the Horrours of a Popish Government : And confider, whether we have any Reafon to expect better Treatment from thefe, that hold the fame Tenets, and are actuated by the fame Principles. If not, what have we to do but arm ouriclves, and behave like Men, determined by the Bleffing, and Affiftance of God, to live, or die in the Poffeffion of what we this Day enjoy.

THIS is a Seafon that calls for Unity of Hearts, and Conjunction of Endeavours, in Defence of all that is dear to true Englishmen, and Proteftants. May then the merciful God put it into our Hearts, to remember the Fate of a divided Kingdom; that fo it may never be imputed to us, that we have promoted our own Deftruction, by our civil Diffentions, and inteftine Differences: May he give us Grace, ferioufly to confider thefe Things; and infpire us with a Spirit of Peace, and determined Unity, to be true to our own Inteteft, and Happiness. And by how much the greater our Danger is, and the Subtilty of defigning Men to divide us; (a) by fo much the more, let us be firmly united

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(a) It has always been the Policy of the Church of Rome, to fow the Seeds of Difcord, and Diffention amongst us, looking on that, as the eafieft, moft natural, and fure Way, to overcome and deftroy us. cordingly, Divide, et Impera, has been a standing Maxim of the Jesuits, in regard to this Church, and Nation,

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in our Prayers to God for his Affiftance, and in Love,
and Concord amongst our felves; that fo we may
not expofe our Perfons, Eftates, Pofterities, and a-
bove all, our holy Religion, to the wicked Machina-
tions, and bloody Advantages of the Enemies of our
Proteftant Church, and Government. Let it never be
faid in Futurity, that this Age was lefs careful to fup-
port, and maintain our happy Conftitution, than those
that have gone before. It is an indifpenfible Duty we
owe to our Children, and Pofterity, to tranfmit to them
pure and inviolate, thofe invaluable Birth-Rights of
English-Men, which we have received from our renowned
Ancestours; and which we enjoy, in the greatest Latitude,
under the aufpicious Government of his facred Majefty.
Call to Mind then, my Brethren, the folemn Oaths,
that many of you have freely, and voluntarily taken to
defend, and protect his Majefty's Perfon, and Govern-
ment; and that God will not hold him guiltless, that
taketh his Name in vain: Confider the many ineftima-
ble Bleffings you poffefs under his mild, and prudent
Administration; and let that infpire you with generous
Sentiments of Gratitude and Thankfulness:
likewife, upon that Vow you made at your Baptifm,
to be firm, and ftedfaft in the true, and orthodox Prin-
ciples of the Chriftian Religon: And let thefe Confide-
rations raise in you true Magnanimity, and Greatnefs of
Soul; and fire you with noble Refolutions, to ftand firm
to all these dear Obligations.-The Teft of a good
Subject

Reflect

Subject are perilous Times, and Days of Danger; then does our Loyalty appear to be either hypocritical, and defigning,or honeft, and fincere. And he is the trueft Soldier and Servant of Jefus Chrift, that in the worst of Times, remains fteady, and unfhaken as a Rock; and would rather die a Thousand Deaths, than part with his holy Religion; or expofe it to Danger, or Contempt, by his Cowardice, or Neglect.

THE beft Security you will always find to be in doing your Duty honeftly; For who will harm you, if ye be Followers of that which is good. When you are acting as you ought, then tho', as Solomon fays, you fhould meet a Lion in your Way, you need not be difmayed, for God will give his Angels Charge over you, to keep you in all your Ways: He will be your Shield, and Buckler, and mighty Deliverer in the Day of Battle. But if you fhould chance to fall in this glorious Conteft, thus perfevering in Well-doing, you will have your Confciences bearing Witnefs to you, that you have: died in the Courfe of your Duty. Then will you be entitled, if you be in other Refpects duly qualified, to that ineftimable Promife of our Lord, He that lofeth his Life for my Sake, fhall find it, and that to all Eternity; and fhall be welcomed into thofe celeftial Manfions, with a well done thou good and faithful Servant, enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. And can

there be any thing fufficient to damp your Spirits, or abate your Courage, who have fuch an excceding Weight of Glory in View? Can any thing be able to divert you from defending the Truth of Christ, with all your Might, that fo you may be intitled to a

Joint

Joint inheritance with him in Heaven, to all Eternity. I am perfwaded, I need not fay any more to you who have already fhewed yourfelves fo hearty, and zealous, for the good of your King, your Country, and Religion. But once for all, give me Leave to obferve, that the brisker we are in our Resolutions, the more united in our Councils, and the more vigorous in our Endeavours, to ftrengthen his Majefty's Arm to crush this growing Rebellion, the greater Difcouragement we fhall give to the Enemies of our Peace, and Tranquility. But if once they fee us faint-hearted, or baulking that Vigour, which we ought to exert on this Occafion, we fhall find them more daring, and obftinate. It was only an indolent Security in ourselves, back'd with the Promises of Affiftance, from our old and inveterate French, and Spanish Foes, that could have given Birth to this bold Attempt; and it must be only by the fame Behaviour in us, that they can promife Succefs to their audacious Infolence.

IT must be Activity, and Vigilance, that beget Deliverance; it is refolving wifely, and acting couragiously, by which every thing must go well with us. Let us lofe no Time then in fruitless Deliberations, but put ourselves in a Pofture of Defence; which is the fureft Method to intimidate the Enemy, and put a Stop to thefe dangerous Rebels.

BUT all this must be done, with an Eye to Heaven, the Seat of the great King of all the Earth. For let our Strength and Numbers be ever fo great, our martial Apparatus as formidable as we can poffibly conceive, and our Enemy ever fo contemptible in our

Eyes.

Eyes, yet we are to depend folely upon the Lord our God, for Protection, and Victory. As it would be vain to implore the Affiftance of Heaven, without arming ourselves, and ufing our beft Endeavours; fo would it be much more fo, to make the greatest Preparation, without engaging the Almighty to be on our Side, when Men rife up against us. Now the only way to conciliate the Divine Favour, and Protection, is to lead Lives conformable to his holy Laws, and Commands; and to turn from our Sins, by a general,. and national Repentance. For as national Sins unrepented of, will draw down national Judgements; and if we ftill do wickedly, we skall be deftroyed, both we, and our King; fo a general, and fincere Repentance will avail, to divert God's Wrath from us, and engage him to restore his Bleffings to us, and our Land. Then may we with Confidence look up to the Almighty, and implore his Affiftance; Then may we fafely commit our Ways unto the Lord, and trust in him, and he will bring it to pass. For the Lord will help, and deliver us, if we ule our own honeft Endeavours; he will deliver us from the wicked, and fave us, because we truft ir him. He will be our Refuge from the Storm, a Shaaow from the Heat, when the Blast of the terrible Ones, is as a Storm against the Wall. Then fhall we no longer hear the Sound of the Trumpet, and the Alarm of War; but our Danger will be turned into Security, our War into Peace, and our Fears, and Perplexities, into Victory, and Triumph.

Which God grant, for the Sake of his Son Jefus Christ our Lord.