tereft. And indeed, were fuch great Events to be guided by human Counfels, a Nation might be destroyed before they could agree in what Method, or by what Means to be saved; so variously are Men drawn by their Paffions and their Intereft, that it is very difficult for them to concur in preferving what all are equally concerned to preserve. In these Circumstances, it is very natural for Men to dwell upon the melancholy Prospect, and to forebode that Ruin to themselves and their Country, which feems to be the juft Confequence of such distracted Counfels: but they ought to reflect, that there is one higher than all, who can still the Rage of the People, and bring Peace and Safety out of Tumult and Disorder, with as much Eafe as he produced Light out of Darkness, when he said, Let there be Light, and there was Light. Were it not for the Comfort arifing from this providential Care of God over the World, the beft Thing a Wise Man could do for himself, would be to get out of it as foon as he could; the only Way to fecure himself from the Miseries and Calamities which Men by their Folly and their Wickedness are perpetually drawing down upon themselves and others. Nay,

could

;

could we depend upon this Care and Protection of God no further than our own Merits would justify our Expectation, we might have Reason still to defpond. But as there is another Time in which all Men shall yield an Account of their own Doings; and as God has greater Views oftentimes in faving and destroying Nations, than punishing or rewarding the prefent Inhabitants and as Mercy and Goodness incline him to deal graciously with Sinners, in allowing them further Means and Opportunities of Repentance and Amendment, we may reafonably hope from his Mercy and Goodness to be more favourably dealt with, than our Confciences, if ftrictly examined, can give us Ground to expect. And if ever these Hopes are justifiable, then most certainly they are, when the Honour of God is immediately concerned in the Event; and when the Truth of that holy Religion which Chrift fealed with his own Blood, is. Part of the Controverfy. The People of Ifrael had as little to boast of on their own Behalf as other Nations; but they were chofen by God to bear his Name, to be Witneffes of his Truth in the dark Ages of the World, to prepare the Way for the coming

of

of our Lord and Mafter; and though they were often afflicted, yet they were as often reftored, till at last they were utterly rejected for denying that great Prophet, for whofe Sake, and for the Completion of the Prophecies relating to him, they had been fo often and fo long preferved.

These are the Obfervations I had to make to you from the Words of the Text. The Application of them to ourselves, is what I believe every Body fees, as well as myself. And yet I beg your Patience, whilft with all Truth and Sincerity I discharge my Duty and Conscience as a Minister of this reformed Church, now openly attacked by its profeffed and inveterate Enemies. Since the Beginning of the Reformation in this Kingdom, we never had fo good a Profpect of a firm Eftablishment of the Proteftant Reli gion, as at this Time; and yet I verily think we never had lefs Senfe of it; our Deliverance is near us, but we understand it not. Whilft we have been ftriving together about Things, however dear to us, yet ftill of lefs Confequence moft certainly than our Liber→ ty and Religion, we have been in Danger of being swallowed up by the common Ene my; and the People, never till now infen

fible of the Fears of Popery, have stood by unconcerned, feeming, as it were, to invite that Slavery and Oppreffion, which coft their Forefathers fo much Blood and Trea

fure to get rid of. Could you have thought

that this Soil, fo often watered and enriched by the Blood of Martyrs, shed by the cruel Hands of Popish Tyranny, so often miraculously saved by Providence from Roman Slavery and Superftition, would ever yield fuch Fruit as this? That England, famed throughout the World for the Bulwark of the Proteftant Religion; hated by her Enemies, and envied even by her Friends, for the best established Church in Chriftendom, fhould fo far forget herself, and the God who faved her, as to look with any Patience upon thofe Chains from which she was fo lately delivered. It is ftill more furprifing, that this should happen at the very Time when Providence feems to have laid the best Foundation for our Peace and Security, by fettling a Proteftant Prince in the Throne of thefe Kingdoms, happy in Heirs to fucceed him in his Crowns, and to perpetuate the Bleffing of Liberty and pure Religion to thefe Nations. Whatever we think of this Advantage, our Enemies cer

tainly judge right of it; they foresee, that if this Settlement prevails, their Hopes are at an End, and therefore they are ready to hazard all to disturb and overthrow it: and it feems to have been the main Point of the Policy of the Court of Rome, with Respect to these Kingdoms, from the earliest Times of the Reformation, to fecure themselves against a Succeffion of Proteftant Princes. When we have had a Prospect of this Happiness, then we have been attacked with their utmost Fury; Rome has plyed all her Engines to prevent this Foundation being laid amongst us, of lafting Peace and Security. At other Times, when the Succeffion has been doubtful, and she had any Hopes of feeing one of her own Communion exalted, she has moved by gentler Steps, and her Fury has been abated by the Hope of swaying the Sceptre of a Son of her own.

If we take a fhort View of this Period, it will help not only to convince us of the Truth of this Observation, but also to give us a juft Prospect of the Security and Happinefs, which are now prepared for us, if we do not obftinately shut our Eyes against the Things which make for our Peace.

The Reformation had its firft Rife here