Thefe general Obfervations, which I have laid before you, might be juftified by numberlefs Inftances, drawn from the Hiftory of the late Times; but perhaps they may weigh more standing fingle by themselves, than being coupled with Facts, in which the Paffions of the prefent Age are not unconcerned. And fufficient they are of themfelves to warn all honeft Men how they begin or foment the Divifions of their Country.

But yet, to do Juftice to my Subject, and the folemn Occafion of this Day, it is neceffary to take one Step into the Hiftory of former Times, and to view the Works of Divifion in its utmost Rage.

I am fenfible how difficult it is to speak of any Thing relating to that unhappy Time which this Day calls to Mind; and how hardly Truth can be borne on any Side: yet fhall not this difcourage me from bearing my Teftimony against the unnatural and barbarous Treafon of this Day, and the Acts of Violence which prepared the Way for it: a Treafon long fince condemned by the public Voice of the Nation, in the moft folemn Acts of Church and State.

I fhall go on therefore to illuftrate my Subject by fome Examples, which the Hiftory

tory of the late Times affords, and which will reach to the full Extent of the Obfervation of my Text, that a Kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.

To put a Stop to Innovations, to correct the Errors or Abufes in Government, to redress the Grievances of the People by the known Rules of Parliament, is the true and ancient Method of preserving the Conftitution, and tranfmitting it safe with all its Advantages to Pofterity. But when this wholesome Phyfic came to be administered, as at length it did, by the Spirit of Faction and Divifion, it was fo intemperately given, that the Remedy inflamed the Distemper; and the unhappy Conteft, which began about the Rights of the King, and the Liberties of the People, ended fatally in the Deftruction of both.

The Contest about civil Rights was rendered exceeding hot and fierce, by having all the Disputes and Quarrels in religious Matters, under which the Nation had long fuffered, incorporated with it. By this Means Confcience was called in to animate and inflame the popular Refentments. The Effect was foon felt: the Church of England, which had long been the Glory and

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the Bulwark of the Reformation, fell the firft Sacrifice; and many who had ferved long and faithfully at her Altars, were driven out to feek their Bread in defolate Places. What came in the Room of the Church fo deftroyed, Time would fail me, fhould I pretend to recount; fo many and fo various were the Forms of Religion, which arofe out of the Imaginations of Men fet free from Government.

The Bishops of thofe Days were generally inclined to fave and support the Crown. The Confequence drawn from thence was, that Epifcopacy itself was an Ufurpation. My Meaning is not, that this Argument was ever used in the Form of Logic, to convince any Man's Judgment; but it influenced the Affections of thoufands, and prevailed fo far as to exclude the Bishops, not only from this House, where they had fat from the earliest Foundation of the Monarchy; but from their Churches alfo, where they had been received and reverenced as Rulers and Governors, for as many Ages as can be counted from the Days of the Apostles.

But why do I mention the Exclufion of the Bishops from the Houfe of Lords, when fo much more fatal a Blow was given to

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the Liberties and Conftitution of England, by declaring the Houfe of Lords itself to be ufelefs, and excluding the Peerage from a Share in the Legislature; a Right derived to them through a long Series of Ancestors, from Time immemorial.

The Nobility were not free from the Infection of those Times; and yet, to their Honour be it remembered, that the execrable Fact of this Day could not be carried into Execution fo long as the Peerage of England had any Influence in the Government. But when once they were removed, and this laft Support of the finking Crown taken away, the Crown, and the Head that wore it, fell a Victim to the Rage of defperate and mercilefs Men.

It is faid (and the Partiality I have for the Honour of my Country makes me willingly repeat it), that few, very few in Comparison were wicked enough, and bold enough, to dip their Hands in Royal Blood. But then, how fatal to Kingdoms is the Spirit of Faction and Divifion, which could in the Course of a few Years throw all the Powers of the Kingdom into the Hands of a few defperate Men; and enable them to trample under Foot the Crowns and the

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Heads of Princes, the Rights and Honours of the ancient. Nobility, the Liberties and Properties of a free People, and to tear up the very Foundations of our once happy and envied Conftitution!

Could thefe Acts of Violence, and the Causes which produced them, be suffered to lie quiet in Hiftory, as fo many Marks to point out to us the Rocks and Shelves on which our Fathers made Shipwreck, we their Sons might be the wifer and the better for their Calamities. But if we permit their Paffions and Refentments to defcend on us; if we keep the old Quarrels alive. by mutual Reproaches and Invectives, what elfe are we doing, but nurfing up the Embers of that Fire which once confumed thefe Kingdoms, and which may again burst out into a destroying Flame? But I forbear; and will forbode no Evil to my Country.

The Application of what has been faid is fo natural and obvious, that were it pardonable to omit it on this Occafion, I should hardly mention it.

There is no Pleasure in viewing the Follies and Diftractions of former Times; nor is there any Advantage, unless it is in order to grow better and wifer by the Example