attempt to lead you with the cords of a man, but pray to God to open your eyes, that ye may fee at length, before it be too late, the things, which belong unto your peace.

Let no man think, that his private Vices affect only himself, and have no influence on the Public: fecret tranfgreffions wound with greater certainty, as concealed poifons are ever the most dangerous.

Public Juftice in fome measure expiates public Crimes, but latent Iniquities caufe the Community to languish imperceptibly; and if not corrected in time will gradually deftroy the best Government in the world. For fince public Societies are made up of private men, if these become corrupt, the Body will not long escape untainted: and weakness and deftruction in every State have been always found to have a close connection.

Hence it appears, that a bad man can never be a real Friend to his Country: what he builds up by his Counfels, he pulls down by his Life: and if the good of the Public should ever interfere with his favourite

paffion,

paffion, it is easy to determine, which must

fubmit.

F

But if all the instances of goodness, which we, our Fathers, and Ancestors have received from the hands of God, will not induce us to make the proper returns;

II. Surely the next motive will have better fuccess; and, if we have not lost all fense of feeling, as well as fhame, that terrible threat, Ye shall be confumed both ye and your King, will rouse the most lethargic into immediate Repentance.

View but the nature of that Destruction, which will befal us and our King, in cafe the present Rebellion fhould finally profper, (which God forbid) and I am perfwaded, that there will want no other topic to awaken the most indolent into a just sense of our common Danger, and to raife fuitable émotions of Refentment both against his own Sins, and his Countrys Enemies.

The bitter fruits of fuccefsful Rebellion would be to dethrone His prefent Majesty,. and to banish His Illuftrious Houfe.

How

How dreadful muft this found to every English ear, when all that is valuable in Religion, Freedom of Body and Mind, depend entirely under God upon the con-tinuance and profperity of the King, and his Royal Family among us?

A Popish Prince and Civil Liberty, a bigotted King and undefiled Religion, have been found by fad experience to be incompatible in this Nation: change your Sovereign, and instead of Freedom of all kinds, Servitude in every shape will be your certain and inevitable portion.

Does every man now live under his own vine, and enjoy the fruits of his honest labour? by fuch a mournful change Property would become precarious, and Labour unprofitable to any but the bold Invaders of them both.

Do ye now enjoy Freedom of Perfon and right in your Goods? then arbitary Impri fonment, and lawless Decifions will be the daily complaint of us all.

Do we now poffefs the Bleffings of a fettled and regular Government, except in thofe

thofe unhappy Places, where Rebellion rages? before that violent alteration can be brought about, Terror and Devastation will march triumphant through the whole Land; and Plunder, Slaughter, Murders, Rapes, be their dreadful attendants.

What then must we think of thofe wretched Parricides, who would thus drench their Swords in the Bowels of their native Country? We must look upon them to be, what they really are, perfidious, ungrateful, and without natural affection. We grieve for their delufion, but muft retain that charity for ourselves, our Relations, our Friends, our Country, as to prefer Happinefs, long and experienced Happinefs to military Executions and riveted Slavery.

Pardon formerly granted to fome, Indulgence allowed to the Papiffs themselves, and Protection extended equally to all, called for other returns than open Hoftilities. But repeated experience incontestably proves, that no Favours, no Benefits can oblige those, who deem it fuperlative merit to break through

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through all Ties and Obligations, that oppofe the grand Point, which they have constantly in view.

For fuch returns to that Indemnity, Connivance, and Security, which they have freely enjoyed, the Lord rebuke them, and keep us ever fafe from all their cruel attempts.

But these Evils, great as they are, are but small, when compared to the irreparable lofs, which we shall then lament, of our holy and undefiled Faith.

Do we now worship God in the Beauty of Holiness? we must then, if we will worship him at all in Public, address him in all the deformities of Superftition,

Are we now Members of the purest Church upon Earth? We must then be contented to mourn the ways of Sion in private, or join ourselves to the most corrupted branch of the Chriftian Church, that Pride, Avarice, and Bigottry can poffibly form.

Do