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rity, fince it is the Doctrine of their Church, taught by Councils, confirmed by Popes, and defended by their ableft Schoolmen and Divines, that Heretics have no Right to Dominion; that they may be deposed by the Pope, and their Subjects abfolved from all Bonds of Allegiance to them. And their Practice has been of a Piece with their Doctrine: Henry the Third of France was excommunicated for a lefs Crime, for favouring only the Succeffion of a Proteftant Prince; and thus excommunicated, was murdered by a poor Monk. Henry the Fourth was fo strongly oppofed by the League, animated by the Pope, that he could never fix himself in the Throne till he changed his Religion. If we come to our own Country, Queen Elizabeth was formally depofed by a Bull from Rome; and her Subjects abfolved from their Obedience to her: nay, thrice was fhe depofed by three Popes, to fhew how conftant they were to this Point. When King James the First came to the Crown, his first Compliment from Rome, was by a Mandate of Clement the Eighth, declaring him incapable of holding the Crown, because he was an Heretick; that is, because he was a Protestant; M

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and therefore enjoining his Subjects to yield him no Duty or Obedience. But notwithstanding this Doctrine, fo well confirmed by Authority and Practice, yet confidering the prefent State of Britain, and the Views of Rome, I should not be surprised to hear her Emiffaries maintaining, with all Solemnity, the contrary Opinion. When a Proteftant Prince was to be depofed by Roman Catholics, it was proper Encouragement to tell them, that Herefy was a Forfeiture of Dominion; but now, that they want the Affiftance of the Proteftants of England to advance a Popish Prince to the Throne, we may certainly expect to hear from them, that Religion is out of the Queftion when the Claims and Titles of Princes are under Debate; and perhaps too we may be ready enough to believe them; so much wiser are the Children of this World in their Generation, than the Children of Light.

The Principles upon which the Legality of the present Establishment are maintained, are I think but improperly made a Part of the prefent Quarrel which divides the Nation. There are but few who have not precluded themselves on this Point: those I mean who have had Courage and Plainness

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enough to own their Sense, and to forego the Advantages, either of Birth or Education, rather than give a falfe Security to the Government, which under their present Perfuafion they could not make good. To these I have nothing more to fay, than to wish them what I think they well deserve, a better Caufe: but to us, who had bound ourfelves by previous Oaths and Obligations in the most folemn Manner in the World, the Acceffion of his Majefty could adminifter no Occafion of reconfidering this Question: there was nothing new required of us; we had no Faith to give, which was not already plighted, and bound upon our Souls by the most facred Engagements. Those therefore under these Circumftances, who have openly engaged, or fecretly favoured the Rebellion, are void of all Excufe; they are guilty of the greatest Crime under the greatest Aggravation; and feem to have no Refuge left, but that which was Adam's Policy, who hid himself from the Prefence of the Lord God amongst the Trees of the Garden, because he had nothing to cover his Nakednefs.

Should any fuch, quitting all Pretences of Diffatisfaction with the Lawfulness of the M 2 prefent

prefent Government, plead Difobligations or Refentments of any Sort, as the Ground of their Proceedings, to them we answer in the Words of our bleffed Saviour, Ye know not what Manner of Spirit ye are of. Where did they learn, that Rebellion is the proper Remedy in fuch Cafes? The Church of England has no fuch Doctrine; and if they cannot govern their own Paffions, yet, in Juftice to her, they ought not to use her Name in a Caufe which the ever has, and will disclaim.

It is perhaps too high a Degree of Virtue to expect in this Age, that Men should act with a steady View to the public Good, without being drawn at all by the Bias of their own Interest. Whoever builds upon a Dependence on fuch a Behaviour from any Set of Men, will, I believe, find himself miftaken. Allow then what cannot be avoided, that Men will differ in their Views and private Interefts, yet ftill methinks there is one common Concern, which is the Prefervation of the whole, in the Security of which every Man's private Fortune is founded; and it is as abfurd for a Man under any Refentment whatever to enter into Measures deftructive of his Country's Peace, as it \would

would be for him to burn the Title to his Eftate, because the Tenant was behind inhis Rent.

If therefore we have any Concern for the Peace and Happiness of our Country, or any Zeal to preserve the Light of the Gofpel with which these Kingdoms have been bleffed; or if our Confciences are not hardened against the Influence of the most solemn Oaths and Obligations, under which we have bound ourselves to be true and faithful to our prefent Sovereign; we must deteft this Rebellion, and with fincere Hearts adore the Goodness of God, who hath wrought this Deliverance for us. Let us then, in the fecond Place, confider,

II. What Obligations we are under from the fame Motives, to use our own best Endeavours to make perpetual the Bleffing of this Deliverance.

This Obligation is but the neceffary Confequence of the Duty which we are met this Day to perform. Thanksgiving is little more than a folemn Piece of Mockery, if we have no Value for the Deliverance for which we would seem to be thankful. If any, or if all the Reasons already mentioned, ought to excite us to pray for the Peace of our Coun

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