The damning nature of rebellion, or, The universal unlawfulness of resistance under pain of damnation, in the saddest sense asserted in a sermon preached at the cathedral of Norwich, May 29, 1685, being the anniversary-day of the birth of His late Majesty Charles II, and of the happy restauration both of him and of the government from the great rebellion / by William Jegon ...

To the Right Worshipful FRANCIS GARDINER, Esq MAYOR of the City of Norwich, And one of His Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of NORFOLK.

WORTHY SIR,

THAT the Publication of this Discourse is entirely owing to your earnest sollicitation, I can safely avow to the World, having by me sufficient evidence of it, I mean your Letter, which, if it were allowable to produce it, would evince more than I appeal to it for, even that I could not without incurring the imputation of rudeness, or at least affect∣ed modesty, decline your request; but I can further Appeal to you, and am secure of your attestation, that I consented to it with this condition, that our worthy Diocesans approbation should be first obtained, which you readily undertook, and have it seems effected: And this is what I had to say concerning the Publication. As to the substance of the Discourse I have little else to say but that I am sure 'tis honest, and I have this convincing evidence of it, that you yourself approv'd it, whose invincible Loyalty is so well known, and known to be so well grounded.

Whether it may do that service you conceive, whatever I wish, I am sure I have too much cause to fear, when after so many excellent Discourses Publish'd to the same purpose, to prove the absolute Ʋnlawfulness of Resistance, and proving it

to all the purposes of Conviction, we find persons at this time of day the most notoriously guilty of it, that will not at their last dying moments be induced to own it or repent of it, which may serve for a confirming evidence of what I urge towards the conclusion of my Discourse, that this sin of Resistance is seldom at all, and seldomer truly repented of, and therefore the more to be dreaded as, if not certainly, yet too too probably exposing to Damnation in the saddest sense.

But if it may contribute in any the least measure to those Ends you may conceive, and wish it may, and, it seems, hope it will, those excellent Ends you yourself with so much zeal and constancy, with such unwearied diligence pursue, even the ser∣vice of our Sovereign and the security of the Government, I shall think myself happy, and thankfully acknowledg it: But however the event be, which is uncertain, if you will please to interest yourself in it, by accepting this Discourse, whereof you occasioned the Publication, you will very certainly and suffici∣ently oblige,

Swan••on Morley, Aug. 10. 1685.

SIR, Your most Humble Servant, WILLIAM JEGON.