A sermon preached in the Cathedral Church of Norwich on the ninth of September, 1683 being the day of public thanksgiving for His Majesty's late deliverance / by William Smith ...

PSALM CVII. 8.

O that Men would therefore praise the Lord for his Goodness: and declare the Wonders he doth for the Children of Men.

AS I shall not waste time by any cu∣rious search after the Author, or occasion of this Psalm in general; so neither shall I trifle it away by making critical Remarks upon every single Word of that part of it which I have read to you for my present Subject: But I shall make use of the Words as they run together in the whole; and so they may accommodably administer to this Days mighty Solemnity, because in the reading and hearing them they may considerably assist our grateful Devotions, as well as offer an occasion of discoursing the measures of this most famous Deliverance. They will serve both those concerns at once.

But if we will more strictly examine the meaning of the Words, they do naturally re∣present a Devotionary Gratitude by a pious and passionate Option, that such Men as have been any ways expos'd to extraordinary Dan∣gers,

and that have met with some extraordinary Deliverances (of which there be several Instances in the Psalm) might be so affectionately sen∣sible of their Relief, as to be ready not only to praise God for his Goodness, and to declare the Wonders of it as to themselves, but to invite and solicit others to do the same: Or as the 32d Verse explains the Method, that they should exalt him in the Congregation of the People, and praise him in the seat of the Elders. O that Men would therefore, &c.

Now that we may be sufficiently convinc'd, that such a Case at this time attend us, and which doth especially claim our best Praises and publications of Gods wonderful Goodness to us, I shall offer several reasons for it from two general Heads of those particulars, with which I intend to manage my whole Discourse.

The first general Head or Argument is founded upon a Consideration of the extra∣ordinary calamitous effects of this horrid Conspiracy, if it had succeeded, and from all which we were by the mighty Hand of God delivered.

The second general Head or Argument is founded upon a Consideration of the great Danger we were in of all those calamitous Effects, by the likelyhood of the Conspiracies success, from the many advantages which the

Treason had gain'd to promise and promote an assurance of it: all which were by the same mighty Hand of God prevented.

In every one of the many particular In∣stances on either respect, there will appear so many Wonders of Gods Goodness, that any single one of them by it self consider'd, may claim the Option of my Text, as much as all the Cases of Deliverance in the Psalm put all together can possibly import, for its often Repetition.

Under the first Head or general Argument, to advance the Glories of Gods Delivering Providence, I shall endeavour to represent the many calamitous Effects of this horrid Con∣spiracy, had it succeeded.

1. The first of them, as which would have been Causal of all the rest, had been the bar∣barous Murther of the Sacred Person of the KING. — But what? hath the Nation scarce∣ly wip'd their Eyes dry for the Blood of the incomparable Father, but must it have been drown'd again in Tears for the murther of his succeeding Son? And that in a Scene of Cru∣elty more inhumane, and with a Malice more Unsatiable than the former.

The Rage of the Factions had then but the Blood of one King for its present gratifica∣tion; but our Zealots for the CAUSE could

not glut their Thirst for Royal Blood, but by murthering (as it were) Two at one blow; the Life of the Dearest Brother must be sacrificed to their Fury and Design. So that (methinks) I hear the Saints of that complexion say of him, Here is the Heir, Come let us kill him also, and seize on the Inheritance.

But then to give their Inhumanity its high∣est Accent, they were preparing to Murther a Prince, whose August Majesty hath not only Innobled the Nation, and once more reco∣vered its loss Reputation abroad; but whose matchless Wisdom hath made his own King∣doms, as it were, an Ark of Safety at home, when almost all the Christian Nations round about us, were, or are at present, delug'd in Blood and Confusion: and who at the same time stands the Worlds triumphant Umpire, maintains the Ballance, and when he sees cause, can check any One, whose Ambition and Ac∣quists shall grow too big, for the common safety of other Neighbouring Nations.

A Prince who all along manageth the con∣duct of his own Kingdoms Government, with such a sweetness and ingenuity of Temper, that he never did, or can, chuse to see his meanest Subjects so much as uneasie, if Obsti∣nacy precludes not his Royal Kindness to relieve them: and whose Balsamous Soul would

not (if possible) suffer a Wound unclosed, even where nothing but Passion or Inadvertency hath occasioned any Breaches and Differences amongst his People. In a word, a Prince who is every thing, that a Character of any the Most Gracious KING, can present him.

It was His Royal Father's Wish, That He might rather be CHARLES le Bon, than Le Grand: I hope (saith He) God hath design'd You to be both; and His Wish and Hope were both Prophetic. As to the first, the Le Bon, no man questions it, that will impartially make Observa∣tion of His Royal Goodness, through the whole conduct of his Reign: And if we would re∣count His famous Atchievements, that is, how he hath by his wise Conduct moulded three imbroyl'd Kingdoms into such a Common Peace and mutual Order, as they never enjoy'd since they Intitled the Crown: How he hath attack'd and taken one of the greatest and richest Cities of Europe, by a noble and suc∣cessful Storm, I mean that of Wisdom and Coun∣sel, that it is now (as it were) to be garrison'd by His own Loyal Subjects, and once more made a governable part of His own Dominions: Lastly, How He hath just now vanquish'd an Army of Rebels, perhaps as numerous as an Ottoman Camp, without any effusion of Blood, but that of Justice to subdue them: I say, if

by these renown'd and successful Overtures of His Reign, considered together with all other the Circumstances of His present Greatness, we may undoubtedly write him in the highest Eminency, CHARLES the Great, as well as CHARLES the Good.

And was it this, such a KING, that was design'd to be basely and barbarously mur∣ther'd by his own Subjects? O, are you not all struck with such a horrour at the thought of it, as even to forget you have a Being at all? Don't all the Blood of you Veins chill to a Stone, at the very Notice of it? And are not your whole Souls, and all their Faculties, swal∣low'd up with Surprize and Amazement? Why don't you cry to the Heavens and the Earth to be astonish'd, that it should ever enter into the heart of any of the Christian Name to attempt an Act, that should not only have justified the Savageries of the most brutish Barbarians, but even made Hell it self comparatively innocent in its worst Consults. An Act that would have inverted the Order of the mischievous Regi∣ons, and plac'd the Bottomless Pit▪ and the Abaddon above-ground, and would have so out∣done Devils at their own Art, that they should for ever after have been tormented with Envy, as with a new kind of Hell; that there should be among Mankind in a certain Island, greater

Devils than themselves. Marvel not that I dis∣course in this Rapturous manner, the Case re∣quires it, and it is a Defect not so to ex∣press it.

But O joyful Day, that gives us the Glad Tidings, that Almighty God took care of his Dear Anointed, and would not suffer his Sig∣net to be ravished from his own right Hand: And that by a wonderful Providence, he did not only disappoint the near approaching At∣tempt; but marvellously detected and blasted the Long-train'd Conspiracy, which by seve∣ral steps of Disloyalty and Seditious Counsels, had so dangerously led on unto this last design'd Bloody Period.

O then let every Loyal Heart, if the Mercy reached no further than the preserving the Life of his Dear Lord and King, think it e∣nough to solicit the whole World to Praise God for his Goodness, and to declare the Wonders he doth for the Children of Men.

2. The next Calamitous Effect of the Con∣spiracy (had it succeeded) had been the uni∣versal ruine of this Establish'd Church; the Glory and main Pillar of the Reformation, and which only in all Points can solve the Rea∣sonableness of it. A Church, which at this day only claims the honour of being the lively portraicture of the Apostolic Age, and the

resurrection of the Primitive Doctrine and Polity, before any fatal defection had sullyed its Purity. A Church, that dares be Disputed without Evasions or trifling Quarrels, and that can defend it self upon a conjunct Tryal of Scripture, first-Antiquity, and Reason altoge∣ther; and that scorns to fly to a circling In∣fallibility, an expurgatory Index, or a stubborn private Spirit, to perplex or violate those Autho∣rities for her own defence.

This, such a Church had this factious Con∣spiracy confounded: The Evil Spirit had once again (as in the last Rebellion) put a Lye into the Prophets mouths to intoxicate the Peoples Minds. The precious Sons of our Zion (Lam. 4.2.) had once more been made a contemptible as earthen Pitchers, while the Sea-Monsters had drawn out the breasts to the Young ones. The Devil as Ge∣neral, with his Lieutenants in Sheeps clothing, under the Flag of a Through Reformation, had once again rallyed the whole Protestancy (as its called,) that is, all the Heresies that ever in∣fested the Catholic Church in all Ages, espe∣cially the Reformado's of the Knipperdollian and Knoxian Regiments, to bear down before them all that's Regular and Loyal, Learned, and Pious.

Or you may judge what measures of Pro∣faneness we must have met with, by calling to mind what was acted in the late Confusions in this very Cathedral, when at the Morning-Service the then Reverend Bishop was de∣truded into an obscure Corner of an inferiour Gallery, while two Famoso Villains of the Re∣bellion, Cromwel and Ireton, sat together the Sermon time in his Throne. And at the Evening-Prayer of the same day, an unhal∣low'd Crew of Souldiers at the end of every Collect, confounded the Amen with a rude and loud Hallo at the Altar, where they were tumul∣tuously gathered together. After that, a Com∣pany of the new Saints took all the rich Vest∣ments, Books of Service, and a famous Musi∣cal Ingine, and having torn them in pieces, carried them all into the public Market-place, with a Villain in an Ecclesiastic Habit (who thereupon presently languished to his death) going before a prophane Rout, singing the Litany in derision, and then committed them all to the Flames: some of them (as I am in∣form'd) repenting afterwards, that they did not return back and set Fire to the Sanctuary it self, till in that stately Monument of Ancient Piety, they had not left one Stone upon ano∣ther, to bespeak the hopes of any future Re∣stauration.

Such resembling Outrages as these might easily be presumed to have been acted in every Sacred Place; and all other the prophane Pra∣ctices of the Churches common devastation, would certainly have followed this Conspira∣cies success.

But, O happy Day that represents the News, that such desperate Designs are disappointed; and while the Factions are pining in their Shame, and weltring in their unsuccessful Ma∣lice, let every Son and Lover of our Consti∣tution, take occasion to publish the Wonders of Gods Love and Care of his precious Zion, with a Voice loud enough to reach those Heavens, whence their help and deliverance came.

3. The third Calamitous Effect of this hor∣rid Conspiracy, if Success had compleated it, would have been, that the Three Nations had immediately ran into Blood and Rapine, Re∣venge and Villany: We had once more become an Aceldama and a Vally of Hinnon; evey Zealot would have been preparing a Tophet, and set∣ting up his Moloch to be worshipped with the Bloody Sacrifices of the Loyal. And as it was foretold by the Prophet, of the Jews impend∣ing Ruine, (Isai. 3.5.) The People would have been oppress'd every one by another, and every one by his Neighbour. And the Gospel-state of Mankind

(as its represented by the same Prophet, Isai. 2.4.) had been inverted; the enrag'd Vulgar would presently have turn'd their Plow-shares into Swords, and their Pruning-hooks into Spears, to execute what their bloody Leaders long-fermented Malice had before contriv'd.

Every Village had been a Seat of War, all united Neighbourhoods turn'd into distinct Hostilities, and every single Person had been listed into one Side or other to carry on the work of a through Destruction. Muster'd Armies had fill'd their Streets and emptied their Houses by reciprocal Plunders, and the Popu∣lar Rage would soon have been such, that a Prison would not have been so much a Re∣straint, as a Castle to secure the Persons (as they stil'd Imprisonment in the late Confusions) of the truly Loyal, from the Routs of such Re∣ligious Barbarians, whose Zeal had been newly inflam'd by a raging Pulpiteer, for the Cause of God, as they call'd it.

In a word, to discourse in another strain, We had faln into the Hands of such, as would have been Instruments of God's severe Ven∣geance upon us; and whereby the Judgment of God had overtaken us to the utmost Execu∣tion of his Displeasure. The reason of Da∣vid's, Choice would have been improv'd beyond what he could possibly account for, at that

time, when his election was (2 Sam. 25.) that he might fall into the hands of the Lord (for his Mercies are great) and not into the hands of Men; I am sure not into the hands of such Mon∣sters, as would have been profligate from all that Humanity can claim as due, to the most Merciless Enemies. For they that had once inhumanely Murther'd (as it was design'd) their own Natural KING; what destruction of his Friends and Adherents could possibly have stop'd their barbarous Rage?

But, O happy Day that proclaims the blessed Tidings of our Universal Peace, that the Armed Troops in our Streets march only as our De∣fence, and Guard; that the Trumpets sound nothing but the welcom Joys of our common Safety, and evey Drum beats us to Bed for an unsuspected Quiet! Oh, let us awaken all manner of Expedients, whereby to express our Thankfulness to God; and, as if that were not enough to discharge our Duty, let us heartily solicit one another to cry and say, O that Men would therefore, &c.

4. The Fourth and last Calamitous Effect, (if there could have been any last at all) of this matchless Conspiracy (if it had succeeded) would have been, That it must have put a cer∣tain Period to all that can be counted English Property, Liberty, or National Priviledge.

For though the weak Vulgar were clamour'd into a belief of the loss of them all, yet was it only to dispose them to serve the Ambitious and Revengeful Designs of those, who could not avoid the delivering them up into the hands of such Tyrants, as must in course have oppress'd them to the utmost.

And how could any Reasonable man possi∣bly hope to enjoy those common Endearments of his Life, from them, whose whole Design must be begun and carried on, not only with the apparent Violation of our National Con∣stitution; but of the very Fundamentals of all Humane Society?

And I wonder, that Men should not re∣member or consider, how the Usurpers in the last Rebellion, found it an impossible thing to fix upon any Model of Government, by which the Peoples Native Laws and Immunities should be preserved: They pretended it in∣deed, and perhaps endeavour'd it; but they at last split upon that Rock.

For though Revenge, and an impatient Dis∣content had made the People pretty willing to bear their Oppressions, whilst their Warriours were gaining, or had newly attain'd their de∣sign'd Acquists of Power; yet when that Work was done, and the People expected a Return to their Laws and Liberties, the Rebels, after

their playing them off with various tossings of the Supream Power from one figure of Go∣vernment to another, were at last necessitated (some of them would fain have it accounted and act of their Favour) to call back the right∣ful Heir of the Crown, rather than endure the Peoples Clamour for their Laws and Liberties, or adventure their Fury for their Recovery of them.

But if that Ʋsurpation had stood, or if by this Conspiracy it had been regain'd, it could not have been avoided, but that every Chief General of the Army, must have been our absolute Monarch; and whatsoever Freedom could have been obtain'd, must have been upon the favour of the longest Swords; which would have kept us so long in quiet, as the whole Nation had been their Prisoners, and every mans Fortune laid to Pawn to maintain their licentious and arbitrary Dominion.

This Universal Bondage under the worst Tyrants of Mankind, had certainly been the issue of this horrid Conspiracies success: But, O happy Day that alarms the Notice, that into that dismal Pit, which the Trayterous Cabals had digg'd for us, they are faln themselves; and that that Iron Rod, which they design'd should have entred into our very Souls, is turn'd into Manacles to bind those Hands; and into Chains

to fetter those Feet, that had suddenly carried us all into the worst Captivity that ever bore that Name. O, let us bless GOD, that we are here at liberty to celebrate our Deliverance, and that we are yet secur'd by the protection of a Gracious Prince of those Laws and Free∣doms, by which we may live the lives of Rea∣sonable Creatures, and not of Machins or meer Bodies, (as Slaves are render'd, Apoc. 1813.) and that we may enjoy our Houses and Places without a Superiour Lord in Buff, to whom, as to a new Imperious Proprietor, we must have forfeited whatsoever is Dear unto us, even to our very Lives, upon any Displeasure, that is, upon the least Suspicion of being Honest.— O then, let GOD have the Honour of this Blessed Day, and with an Universal Consent, let us praise Him for his Goodness, and declare the Wonders he doth for the Children of Men.

Thus I have endeavoured to offer you a short, but a prodigious prospect of those several kinds of Calamities, which would ine∣vitably have befaln the Monarchy, Church, and Nation in general; if this Treason, as actuated by Phanatic Zeal, had brought the Conspiracy to its design'd effect. And this I have done, that every Man may learn in this day of Public Thankfulness, how to Tune his Soul with Reasons to oblige him, by all possi∣ble

Expedients, to declare and publish the Glories of the Divine Providence, that hath so signally preserv'd us in all our Civil and Religious Enjoyments and Blessings.

But there is another Argument yet behind to be pursu'd, for a further advance of our Grateful Sense of what God hath so marvel∣lously done for us in this Famous Deliverance, and where the Wonders of it are to be specially remark'd; and that is from a Consideration of the great likelyhood of this Conspiracies suc∣cess, by the many Advantages which the Treason had attain'd, to secure its Completion.

And those Advantages on the Conspirators side, were these Five; which I shall endeavour so to represent, that we may see what Dangers were upon us of an Universal Ruine, and what reasonable Hopes the Traytors might have of their own Success, to the intent that so the Mercy of the Deliverance may appear so much the more Wonderful, and the Divine Hand of Providence be the more specially Re∣mark'd.

1. The first advantagious Point was, that the Conspiracy had got a great share of that Power and Encouragement, upon which the Barons Wars (as that Rebellion was then call'd) commenc'd and proceeded so far, as to Con∣troul the Monarchy with such various Suc∣cesses,

and by such a vast Expence of English Blood: That is, that in the first Rise and Pro∣cess, and to the nearest approaches of its Consummation, this Treason was not only Countenanc'd and Abetted, but really ma∣naged and acted by a considerable part of the Nobility; who having affronted Majesty by Petitioning, Protesting, and Caballing, gave the Seditious Factions a full Assurance that they Own'd and Headed their Cause. And the Danger was, that the Greatness of Nobility in Conjunction with such desperate Multitudes of the Abus'd Vulgar, might easily perswade the Conspirators to believe, That they were Powerful enough, if not wholly to overturn, yet at least to perplex and disorder the Monar∣chy in its present Figure.

But, O Ʋnfortunate Gentlemen, (or Wretches rather,) that they should condescend to be Tools, and to creep in the Dust, to humour a Peevish and an Ʋnworthy Faction: That they should go about to blend and extinguish that Light, whence they borrowed their own Lustre; and chuse to fall from their own Starry Orbs, to turn blinking Meteors in the Musty Regions, to shine only by the favour of an Ʋnjudicious and Ʋnconstant Multitude.

But notwithstanding this Great Advantage the Treason had attain'd to secure the reason and hopes of its Execution, GOD hath gra∣ciously

cut in sunder that Powerful Combi∣nation; and that so signally upon those Un∣happy Peers that were engaged in it, that a very Narrative of Particulars, would look too like a Revenge upon the Ashes and Blood of Some; upon the Cowardize of Others, who are sneak't from Justice; and upon that Brand of Shame, that lyes upon the Ho∣nours of the Rest, who acting their part of Disloyalty under the Umbrage of Moderation, and of a Healing Temper, (as it was to be ac∣counted) gave Warmth and Respit to the Treason, and perhaps contributed as much to the strengthning and furthering the Conspi∣racy, as most Others, that were principally in∣gaged in it. O let us therefore, on this Account, praise God, &c.

2. The next Point of a promising Advan∣tage, which this Treason had attain'd in Com∣mon Belief (if it were no more) was that, upon which the Fatal Wars in the York and Lancastrian Quarrels at first commenc'd, and were so long continued, with so many various Events and frequent Turns in the Succession; and which in the late Rebellion might only be thought to be wanting, to promise a better Security to their Successes; and which our New Traytors were resolv'd to amend (if possible) as a Defect in the Counsels of that

Time: And that was, Our Conspirators were so Impudent, as to create a Belief (how Cun∣ningly soever they did insinuate it,) That they had sprung a Title to the Crown, in a Person Accomplish'd for his own and the Nations Honour, had he not miscarried in his Duty to his Most Gracious Sovereign; but how far in this Point he had given his Counsel or Con∣sent, it were Presumption in me to offer at so much as a Conjecture. But its certain, that the Conspirators boldly managed such a Pre∣tence; That if His Sacred MAJESTY were depriv'd by Death or otherwise, and His Royal BROTHER Excluded, they had One ready to have taken upon him the Go∣vernment, and that should have freed the CAƲSE from those Perplexities, which the Fundamental Constitutions of it, occasioned in the late Rebellion for want of One in that Capacity.

How did our Presumptuous Traytors en∣deavour in their Seditious Pamphlets to be offering at the hammering out such a Title? And how very much they had affected the Disloyal Factions with a Belief of it, to serve their own Ends, is as obvious as any in other the many Expedients they made use of, to imbroil the Government.

Though herein their Trayterous Subtlety was considerably defective, in that they were not consistent to themselves, in fashioning that Mysterious Project.

Howsoever, it was no small Advantage to the Conspirators Cause, that such a Contri∣vance was to be dispersed and credited: and our Dangers on that account were undoubt∣edly greater, than of which so tender a Point will permit an enumeration.

But blessed be the Great Disposer of Thrones, and let the Wonders of his Goodness to this Nation be for ever Magnifi'd, that the detection of this Horrid Conspiracy hath marvellously defeated this long and dange∣rous contriv'd part of the Treason, which might, if ever they had gain'd that Point, have entail'd War and Blood to our unborn Poste∣rities. O that Men, &c.

3. The Third great Advantage, which the Treason had got to promise and promote a likelyhood of its Success, was, That there were so many yet Alive, that were ingaged in the last Rebellion, as that (as His MAJESTY's Declaration observes) there were in Town, at the Time determin'd for an Insurrection, an Hundred Old Officers, to Head and Conduct those Seditious Multitudes.

Now by the Conspirators gaining that Point, were our Dangers greatly multiply'd. For first these Men must be presum'd to be perfect Masters in the whole Art of Rebellion, and well blooded and hardned for the work, from their former Guilt and Experience. Secondly, Those Men were able to account, and knew how to amend the Defects of their former Proceedings; and to rectifie those Errours, upon which they in the End mis∣carried, of what they expected, and for what they had fought so many years together. But then Thirdly, That which did most especially encrease our Danger on this account, was, That we must presume them now to under∣take the Work, and go into the Field with Souls full of enraged Shame, and with a Malice compleatly unsatiable. There was not now in their Minds, as before, a bare Discon∣tent for the supposed Miscarriages of State, to remove Evil Counsellors, or to get a little Mony by a Trade of War; but now we must believe them to have acted with a deep and bloody Revenge for their Parties former Mis∣carriages, and for their own baffled Expecta∣tions.

And now Excuse me, if I shall tell you, what these Old Saints may be presum'd to say to their New Brood, in one of their Tub-Academies:

What? were we once Gull'd out of our Victorious Cause, and tamely dismounted from that Honour and Ascendency, which we had so Triumphantly attain'd? Were we once Fool'd out of the Lands of a Forfeited Crown; and of those in which we were seized, by the just Title of Reforming the Church; and from the Estates of such, as so ma∣lignantly opposed the Cause of God? And were we at last turn'd off with a Portugal Enterprize, or an empty Snap-sack; or at best condemn'd to an Irish Bog, or a contemptible Retirement?

Well! we may even thank our selves for all this. That is, That we should suffer a Musty Magna Charta, and a trifling Dispute at the Bar among the Lawyers, about Titles and Settlements, to call in question the indispensable right, of what our Swords had so fairly possessed us? And then, that we should be such Tonies, as to permit the Uni∣versities, those Nests of Antichrist and Mischief, to flourish, and under our Noses to bring up a Gene∣ration, very commonly of our own Children, to fly on our Cause's Face, and to dispute the Justice of our Reformation, and of all other our Actions; which we know they did as soon, as our Backs were turn'd.

Had we listned to the Counsels of our wise Agi∣tators, or gone on with our Major Generals: Had we Ship'd away all the Cavaliers, when upon that Design, they were carry'd away and imprison'd in the Sea-Port Towns: Had we never suffer'd the Loyal Gentry (as they would be accounted) to dwell in their Houses, and upon their Estates; and even the worst of them for a trifling Composition, and the Flea-bite of a petty Decimation: Had we taken away all the Tithes (of which we made a happy Experiment in Wales,) demolished the Relicks of Popish Superstition; and instead of Men in Black, executed the Preaching Humor with wandring Itinerants: I say, Had we taken this course, We and our Cause had not gone off the Stage with so much Shame and Disappoint∣ment.

Well! what is past we can't recall nor help; but If ever (O unhappy If) we shall once more recover the Sword into our hands, we'l mend those Errours in our Politicks; we'l strike home, if at all. —And we are not out of hopes of that neither, 'Tis but getting to us in every place some of the Discontented Gentry, and a parcel of Stout Atheists, (you know they generally are our Friends in that Affair,) and then get the Humouring Neutralists to go along with us, at the Choice of our Representatives, (you know they once did the work for us, if we had ma∣naged it as we should, and may do it again:) Let us

but get London once more into the hands of the Sober Party (you know whom I mean;) and then let us but take a couple of Obstinate Brothers out of the way, or so, we can't want neither Mony nor Friends; we can muster Men enough out of the Conventicle Seraglio's, and, which is as good for our Business, out of the Congregations of Popular and Partial Conformists, or of such as insinuate, how uneasily they can endure the Conformity, by which they keep their Livings, and we shall be pre∣sently at our old Work again, we hope to a better purpose than before.

Thus I have open'd the Heart of an Old Seditious Phanatic, and shewn the Figure of our Danger from them that acted in the last Re∣bellion, and are now Alive.

But, O blessed God, This happy Day tells us, that their Flaming Revenge is stifled, their Old Officers fled or hid, and their New rais'd Regi∣ments in the Clouds. The Conspirators may now keep their Caballs in New-Gate; and erect their Trophies at Tyburn. And that instead of our near approach'd Woes and Lamentations, we can take Joy into our Hearts, and the Praises of God into our Mouths. O let us then, on this dangerous Account, solicit one another to declare the Wonders, &c.

4. The Fourth, and never to be sufficiently lamented Advantage, which the Treason had attain'd, and which seems to me to declare one of the greatest Wonders of our deliverance from it, was, That too great Numbers of the Common People have been unhappily betrayed into a strong suspicion of the Governments degenerating into Arbitrary Tyranny in the State, and Popery in the Church. And for the better promoting this Popular Madness, all possible Arts and undirect Contrivements have been made use of, to fix such a Jealousie in their Cre∣dulous minds. Libels againts the Government, like Almanacks in the beginning of the Year, are constantly dispersed into all Parts of the Na∣tion; Conventicles insinuate a belief of it, by their leering Whines, and melting Complaints of Sad Times to come; Coffee-Houses smoak'd with the Noise of it; and now and then comes forth some compter Artifice in Print, such as the Popish Successor, Julian, and the like, upon design, first that the ordinary sort of the Pre∣judiced People might be supported with a Belief, that they have not only the dull re∣peated hints of Fears, and slight Stories of im∣probable Prodigies (which their News-Mongers daily invent for them) to uphold their CAƲSE, but that they have Wit and Learning also on their side: And then, that the more knowing

part of Evil Men, who are wilfully bent to maintain their Disaffections to the Govern∣ment, might be inabled to discourse their Sedi∣tious Thoughts more Formally and Artifici∣ally.

Now when a Peoples Heads are once actu∣ated with such a Hurricaning Passion as Jealou∣sie, and that too of their precious Liberties; what can stop their Rage from attempting any thing that is most Daring and Mischievous; or from believing any thing, that is most unrea∣sonable and contradictious, to the common sense of their own good?

How stoutly may Men be presum'd and per∣swaded to act, when they are perpetually affrighted with the noise of Tyranny at such a rate, as if they were presently ready to purchase a little Salt with a considerable portion of their Labours and Revenues; or as if their Children were immediately to be ravish'd into a Sera∣glio, or themselves to be instantly driven to an Algerine Mill or Oar? I say, what a Champion must every Man be presum'd to be, when he is thus perswaded of such Tyrannick Conse∣quences from the Government he lives under?

But, O Ʋnfortunate Ʋulgar! that the fatal Ene∣mies of their Freedom, should perswade them to en∣tertain Fears of the loss of that Liberty, of which no Nation under the Heavens are more secure; and that they should be so befool'd, as to mind and under∣take such Expedients for a pretended preservation of it, as must necessarily dash them upon as severe a Rock of Tyranny and Slavery, as if they were presently brought into subjection to as many Colonies of Bar∣barians, as ever the Romans had once planted to enslave this Nation.

But then the highest Instance of our Dan∣ger from the abused Multitude, lies in their power of Electing their Representatives in Par∣liament, and that because they will be sure to struggle, Body and Soul, to chuse such as are of their own Complexion, and that will stand by them in all their own Seditious and Schisma∣tick Tempers and Designs against the Govern∣ment.

Its hence, that the Monarchy hath this last Century contended with so many Difficulties to preserve it self, and all that while hath stood in such a hazardous Defence of its own Safety: with which Perplexities being in time wearied and over-born, it was necessitated to give way to the last Ages Rebellion, which, by several steps of Incroachment and Conquest, brought the best of KINGS at last to the Block.

And hence it is, that our present most Wise and Gracious MONARCH, hath of late felt the Rage and Seditious Persecutions of that im∣petuous and restless Faction, which hath endea∣vour'd, all that's possible, to make His Majesty Cheap abroad and Contemptible at home, by Arraigning the Justice of His Government, by offering to remove from him the very necessary Guards of His Royal Person; by precluding (if it had been possible) the very advantage he might make of His own Revenues; and by running Him and all his Loyal Friends down (only a little faster) to the same woful or worser Evils and Events, into which the hopeful Senate of—41. had brought this their Miserable Church and Nation.

Now when a Multitudinous Rout of dissent∣ing and discontented People shall but appre∣hend, that they have any favour, or so much as a Countenance from any thing, or bit of a thing, which they can call a Parliament, their minds shall admit as solemn an Encouragement to act, as if a Voice from Heaven had enjoyn'd them what to do.

But blessed be our Good GOD, that a Sea∣sonable Declaration, a good Royal Revenue, and the Wisdom of a Mighty Prince, hath given so fair a Respit to the People for their entertaining Wiser thoughts; and that the wonderful and

most evident Detection of this last horrid Con∣spiracy (we hope) will so perfectly undeceive every Mind, in which there is the least grain of Honesty and of the English Genius, that we may no more split upon that Fatal Rock. O let this remarkable Instance of GOD's Delivering Pro∣vidence in this respect oblige us for ever, to praise God, &c.

5. The last Advantage, with which the Trea∣son was attended, to secure the Hopes and Reason of its design'd Success; and that there∣by we may further advance the wonderful Mer∣cy of the Deliverance, was, That it was sup∣ported under the Pretence, and by the obliging Name of Religion.

Now, as Religion bears generally the most powerful Charm in the Minds of Men, and in∣fluenceth them to the highest resolution of Acting, be the Attempts never so difficult or hazardous: so must the danger of any Evil proceedure be increased, that hath gain'd such a prevailing Abetment. And such was our Case.

For though the Cunning Heads, that moulded and manag'd the Conspiracy, might easily be presum'd not to be much affected with Religion, especially with such a silly One; by which Vulgar Minds are ordinarily capti∣vated; yet to serve their own base Ends, they

comply'd with, and countenanc'd every wild Humour of Religionizing, on design to gain a Belief in the Peoples weak Heads, That they were the only Patriots of their Religion, and that they minded nothing but the CAUSE of GOD.

Religion is in Danger, say they; Popery is flowing in upon us; the Court and Clergy do but Maskarade, and are Popishly Affected; The Govern∣ment of the Church is Antichristian, the Worship Superstitious.

Now when these dismal Representations are once fomented and believed, what can such prejudiced Minds refuse to attempt for the Prevention of such Woful Events? But that which chiefly adds to our Danger on that account, is, That all the Factions, though in other things they may irreconcileably disagree, yet concur in this one common Principle, That every Mans Religion is his own private Con∣science, which he is to believe to be the im∣mediate dictate of God, and which he is bound indisputably to follow.

Now when this Notion of Religion is en∣tertained, it sets up in every Factious Mind an uncontroulable Tribunal, which governs with a power superiour to all humane Reason, Laws, and Authority; and gains such an Ascendant over such mens Thoughts and Actions, that like

the Commanders power in the Gospel, it says to one man, Come, and he cometh; and to another Go, and he goeth. And then what can such a Conscience refuse to do, when it commands an Observance?

Go, saith Conscience, fetch me a Chain to bind this King, or these Iron-Fetters to tye down those Nobles; It's dispatch'd without dispute. And if then it saith, Go and pluck down these Idolatrous Structures, and let those Superstitious Ministers be cast out of them; if such a Conscience be but tinctur'd from Scripture, that those are Groves and High Places, and these are Baalitish Priests and Dumb Dogs, the work is done in an instant.

When this Soveraign Conscience enjoyns this Oath to be taken, another to be superseded or broken; such a Jury to be pack'd, and such a Verdict to be given, let an Innocent mans life, or even the Safety of a whole Nation lye at Stake, he can no more suspend his Duty, than violate his Credit of his being of the Godly Party. Nay, if Blood lies in the way of Re∣formation, 'tis but whispering into Conscience a Text or two, and it bids the Man (let it be a∣gainst whom it will) Go, and utterly destroy those Sinners the Amalakites, and fight against them till they be consumed, (as he finds it 1 Sam. 15.18.)

Or if he reads, Cursed be he that doth the Work of the Lord negligently, and that keepeth his Sword from Blood, (as he is told from Jer. 48.10.) Or if he but hears a Curse ye Meroz, unless you raise a Regiment to fight the Lords Battles; The Man of Conscience can no more resist such a Call, than if a Revelation from Heaven had set him a work.

Now, can you think that we were not in the greatest Danger that was possible, when such a wild and destructive Principle as this, may be presum'd to have possessed the Minds of our Numerous and Seditious Factions, whensoever the Change of the Government should come under design, and be attempted?

O, surely this gave (as in reason it might) the Conspirators a great assurance of Success in their Treasonable proceedings.

But, O Blessed God, whose watchful Provi∣dence broke forth in Mercy to us through this Dismal Cloud also; and hath cast this Ope∣rative Principle at present into such a Dead Sleep of Shame and Abhorrence, that we hope and pray, that it may never be awaken'd more, to be made an Engine to assist any future At∣tempts, for our common Ruine, as it hath done hitherto: And that the detection of this horrid Conspiracy, (as it must be abominable

to all Mankind) should accomplish the Pro∣phecy of the ROYAL MARTYR, when he told his Son, (Our Soveraign LORD) That when the Mask of Religion should be pull'd off the Face of Rebellion; —He might then see Happy Days.

And certainly this Day proclaims the remo∣val of that deceitful Vizzard, with a plainer Evidence to undeceive the Cheated Vulgar, than the Faction ever met with, since they acted their Seditious Designs against the Go∣vernment in Church and State. O, let us on this account discover the greatness of our Danger from the late Conspiracy, and thereby take occasion to see more and more the Wonders of Gods Goodness to us. This the last.

Now if we shall but seriously Consider, and take a full prospect of these several Instances of our imminent Danger, from the con∣currence of so many Advantages, which the Conspiracy had met with and attain'd, to se∣cure its Success; And then look back upon the most prodigiously Calamitous effects it would have produc'd, had it succeeded upon those Advantages; it cannot but melt our whole Souls into a holy Joy and Love, to think of what our Most Gracious GOD hath done

for us in preventing all those Evils, and de∣feating all those Advantages: And at the same time, how can we but be transported with the most amazing Admiration of his Goodness, that His tender Providence should have such regard to an Ungrateful Nation? And then, how can we not but be affected with the un∣accountable Manner of His acting that Provi∣dence; that is, that God should chuse the Inter∣vention of an ordinary Contingence, to make a kind of Necessity to his Sacred MAJESTY to escape from his Danger, in contradiction to his own Resolution of staying where He was, till every Circumstance had been fitted for His destruction?

O, what Joy must it needs create in every Loyal mind, when this Day tells him, that he did not live to behold (as was design'd) a Gracious KING and his Royal BROTHER weltring in their Blood; nor the Three King∣doms imbroyl'd in the most Unnatural War, or which is worse, made Slaves to the most Unnatural Tyrants! That we have heard no News of Cities laid in Ashes, nor of Fields covered with the Slain; nor that the Innocent and the Loyal are made every where a prey to satiate the Malice of a Revengeful Faction! And that for their sakes the Nation is not once

more become the Reproach of Christianity, and Scorn of Mankind!

O, what shall we render to the LORD for these mighty Mercies! Where's such a Cup of Salvation to be found, as may answer the di∣mensions of such a Wonderful Blessing! Where are all manner of grateful Expedients to be had, that not one of them may be omitted on such a mighty Occasion! O let us study to do every thing that may make us officiously grateful to Heaven; and then heartily wish, that if it were possible, we might offer to our good God in Sacrifice, All we have, and all we are; and then sincerely think it all too little.

In the mean time let the Horizon Ec∣cho our Joyful Acclamations; Let the Roofs of the Temple return back the Loud Voice of our present Praises: Let the Streets be filled with Melody, our Houses with Chear∣fulness, and our Tables deck'd with Gladness. And then let us humbly acknowledge, that we owe them all to God anew; and that the Rea∣son of this Days Solemnity, gives another Title to all we enjoy, or that our Posterities can ever with comfort inherit.

Finally, Let us Wish, That the whole World might have Notice of this Days Wonder, and that all Christian Nations might know and affectionately resent this Mighty Salvation of our GOD; and with them and us, let us Wish also, That the Holy Angels in Heaven, whose station is Joy and Love, might concur with us in our highest Hallelujahs; and particularly in this Days so often repeated Anthem: O that Men would therefore praise the Lord for his Goodness: and declare the Wonders he doth for the Children of Men.