too great a Bias
upon the Minds of indiffe-
rent Men, when they faw the only Way to
escape being punished, was to take the
Course that deferved it.

They, who confider the happy and envied
Condition of our Government, in which are
equally fecured, the Dignity of the Prince,
and Liberty of the Subject; the Bleffing of
a Church established in primitive Purity,
wherein the Honour of Religion and God's
Service is maintained without Superstition;
Obedience taught without Blindness; can
never fufficiently reverence the Memory of
a Prince, who chose rather to lay down his
Crown and his Life, than not deliver down
thefe Bleffings inviolable to Pofterity. They,
who remember him, without any partial
Affection, muft allow him the Character of
a noble and generous Prince, and Father of
his Country. They, who think with Envy,
and speak with Malice, of him, can fay no
worse, than, He was a Man of like Paffions
with us.
And furely they forget themselves
to be Men, who would have our common In-
firmities remembered to his Difhonour.

The Cafe is hard, if Princes have no Right to the Allowances made to all befides: harder, because, by their high Station, they

are more expofed to the View of the World; and few there are so modeft, as not to think themfelves wife enough to judge of their Actions. Private Perfons have their Inclinations free from all Checks and Restraints, more than Innocence and Religion require: their Rule is, to preferve Integrity, and it will preserve them. But Men of Character have this further Care, That their God be not evil spoken of a Leffon of infinitely more Difficulty, and greater Toil, by how much harder it is to please Men than God. To feek the good Opinion of the People, is Prudence in Men of public Characters: but is there a greater Slavery under the Sun, than to be obliged to live by the Opinion of thofe, who are neither wife enough to judge, nor to let it alone?

The Privilege that extends to the meanest Cottage, to choose their own Friends and Companions, is not without murmuring allowed to Kings: nor will it be permitted to the Dignity of fome Characters, and Majefty of others, to ftoop even to the innocent and harmless Enjoyments of Life: as if Princes and great Minifters had no private Cares; but were capable of the conftant Thoughts of public Business, and Religion. Every

Step

Step Men take, by which they rife into the View of the World, is an Abridgement of their innocent Liberty, and binds them to a ftricter and feverer Self-denial. For there is a natural Envy in Men, which loves to fee the Honour and Dignity of great Places, qualified with Trouble and Anxiety.

But Men who are diftinguished by the Advantages of Birth and Education, fhould be above the common Prejudices and fordid Paffions of the Vulgar; and think themfelves obliged, in Honour as well as Duty, to pay a steady and regular Obedience to the Government. It is fome Excufe for the Difhonour of the Nation, in the late Rebellion, that we can fhew fo brave a Lift of Nobility and Gentry, who fell in Defence of their King; and left the Honour of their Death, a nobler Inheritance to their Families, than their Lands and Eftates. Imitation of their Virtue and Obedience need not to be preffed in this Audience; where the Rules of Duty and Honour are better practised, than they can be taught. The noble Families have Examples of their own, to inftruct them how they fhould behave themselves to their Prince and their Country and in the Hiftory of their Ancestors,

The

may learn, that Loyalty to the Crown, is the firft and the nobleft Title of Honour. And furely thus much Good we may expect from the Evil of the late Times; that Men would learn at length to value the Bleffing of a good Prince.

It is the Goodness of God to us, that, after fo many Convulfions, we ftill enjoy our ancient Government; that there is ftill Life and Vigour in the Religion and Liberty of England: a Goodness that on our Part requires the utmoft Returns of Gratitude; which can no way be fo acceptably fhewn, as in the worthy Ufe of the Bleffings we enjoy. We shall but ill perform the Duty of this Day, unless we amend in ourselves the Errors we reprove in others. The Crown and the Virtues of the royal Martyr are once more joined together; let not then our Reproach be renewed by the repeated Want of Obedience and Affection. If, whilft our Governors watch with Care and Solicitude, to make us eafy and happy in ourselves; strong and fecure against our Enemies abroad; we labour to difturb the Methods of our Government at Home; we muft thank ourselves for the Evils, which will always follow from the turbulent Humours, and distracted Coun

fels

fels of a Nation. We have an Enemy strong and cunning to deal with; an ancient Rival of the Power and Honour of England; an Enemy to the Religion of Protestants, and the Liberty of Mankind: and if nothing elfe will, yet Intereft would prevail with us to unite for our mutual Safety; and whilft our brave Countrymen expofe their Lives to the Hazard and Fortune of War Abroad, in Defence of their Prince, and their Country; methinks the leaft that can be expected of us, is to be quiet and peaceable at Home. To fave the finking Liberties of Europe, is worthy a Queen of England; and if the Spirit of our Fathers be not degenerate in us, it will, it must rife to check the Progrefs of an ambitious Monarch; and it will ever be the Choice of an Englishman, rather to die by his Sword, than live by his Law: but our Lives and Fortunes are fafe in the Conduct and Prudence of our Governors; we need only facrifice our ill Humours, to the Peace and Security of our Country; and be content to stand fill and Jee the Salvation of the Lord. Let us at least be willing to be faved; and, for the Sake and Defence of our Religion, submit to live by the Rules of it. We have been long