WE are this Day to Bless and Magnifie the name of God, who has manifested his great goodness towards our King and his Kingdoms, in giving Him so abso­lute and signal victories over the late Rebels.

And I dare say that there is no truly ho­nest Loyal Soul among us, but does it with [Page 2] a great deal of hearty Zeal and Chearful­ness; For tell me, did not your Hearts burn within you? were you not wonderfully enlivened, and almost transported at the first news, or certainty of that utter defeat and overthrow? Though (which is very sad to think of) we could not but observe, nor can we well forget, the quite different humour and behaviour of too many among us, who shew'd as much as men could, or dare, their open dislike of God's special Pro­vidence in this matter. I need not tell you how brisk and pleasant they would appear on every vain report (raised by their own Party) of the hopes or success of the Rebels in both Kingdoms, and which is more prodigious, what pains and industry they us'd to defame and discredit that good true news which they had no mind to be­lieve. Had we not seen it, we could scarce have imagined, that men should thus re­solutely oppose the Truth, and be so given over to believe a lye.

But when this Goodness of God became unquestionable, and they were now utterly confounded, and the Devil had no more lyes in store to buoy them up with: Doth [Page 3] their belief and conviction now influence their heart, and that, their practice? Since the Villany is so plainly discovered, are they asham'd of, or sorry for it? Doth this good­ness of God to others, lead them to repen­tance? Do they lay these things to heart? Do they seriously consider, that these Rebels, their Adherents and Abettors, are guilty not only of Imprudent, hot or rash actions, but of mor­tal and damnable sins? and does it prompt them to suitable acknowledgments and ex­pressions in Mourning, Sorrow and Lamen­tation; for this, which is to us a good day, a day of Joy and rejoycing, to such as these should be a day of sorrow and humiliation, not as some may make it, because the mis­chief did not succeed; but for their being any ways concern'd or instrumental in it: for it will be your most aggravated crime and condemnation, if you yet continue your obstinacy. And ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterwards.

So that this great goodness of God in our present most gracious deliverance, should now at length prevail upon such, who were concern'd in the Rebellion, or [Page 4] any ways favourable to it, to be sincerely penitent for their great sin in this case; Though God knows, and with sorrow we speak it, their obstinacy appears even yet to be very great, and almost incorrigible. And ye, when ye had seen it, repented not after­ward. In speaking on this Subject, I shall consider,

I. What it is in the case before us that should prevail with men to repent; where we shall remember the great mercy and goodness of God in some of our late Deli­verances.

II. The persons that yet continue Impe­nitent.

III. The little or no grounds or reasons we have to believe them Penitent. Not­withstanding,

IV. The great cause they have to be so at this time or occasion.

V. We shall lay down the more particu­lar signs or tokens of their Repentance, [Page 5] which we may and do justly expect from them.

I. Were we to consider the several mer­cies, favours and deliverances God has be­stowed upon us, the time would fail us to speak of them. However we may very use­fully for a while entertain our selves on this point, by representing to you some short account of those many and great deliveran­ces, God has given us from these Phanati­cal Republican Spirits, that are near at hand, or fresh in our remembrance.

1. And here we might in the first place bring to Your minds the Great Rebellion which some of you have known or been concerned in; which cannot but call to our minds, the dismal Scene of a most di­strest and unhappy Nation; overwhelm'd with Blood, Ruin and Confusion both in Church and State, and will be evermore black and remarkable for that most horrid murder of the best of Kings.

But how good and gracious was God to­wards us, even in the midst of this great Calamity: for that good Prince who is lately gone to his long home; and our pre­sent [Page 6] Soveraign, that were the great suffer­ers in those times, and chiefly aimed at, were wonderfully preserv'd in great dangers by land and by water, and at length brought to succeed and sit in their rightful Inheritance.

And indeed when we consider the pre­sent, we have great reason to call to mind and bewail those rebellious times; for These among us have been some of the very same men, that were then notorious for this vil­lany, and is no doubt the self-same Phana­tical Spirit that runs through all these de­signs, which is and ever will be addicted to Treachery and Rebellion. So that we do in a great measure owe all or most of our present Sects, Factions or Parties to those times: These being the Tares now grown up, that the Devil did then sow a­mong the Wheat.

2. The next remarkable deliverance from this sort of men, is very legible in that im­pious design of Excluding our present Prince from What was inviolable by the strictest laws of God and Nature. A design full of Ingratitude and Irreligion: Therein more resembling a Fanatick contrivance.

[Page 7] He that had suffer'd such hard things for his Countries good, and was banish'd from his own home; He that had ventur'd his own life, and lost his dear Royal Father in the defence of Truth and a good Cause; He who when restor'd to his own Coun­try and native soil, would yet again re­solutely hazard himself in a most dange­rous Naval fight. He that has often ventured his life for the defence of this Nation, must now for a requital be debar'd from that his most undoubted and inviola­ble Right in it. What an unparallell'd base­ness and ingratitude is this? and such as will be a lasting shame to the Impenitent Promoters and Abettors of it in all ages; Being withal most unchristian, prophane, and impious, contrary to our Solemn Oaths, and all the obligations both of Scripture and Conscience. So that for the honour of our Nation and Religion too, all honest Loyal Churchmen must look upon and bless God for our deliverance, from that impious unchristian and truly Fanatick Con­spiracy. 3 Which brings us to consider a Third Instance of their wicked designs and our great deliverance.

[Page 8] That of the Rye Conspiracy being the re­sult of their disappointment in their former design; for when the pretence of Law would not effect their business, now comes out That their black & hellish contrivance of Murdering the Royal pair after a most dismal and horrid manner: which when one of the design'd Actors in it did openly confess, He acknowledgeth himself to be a Hearer of the Baptists, Independents and Presbyterians.

Now we cannot but look upon this to be a most Providential and remarkable In­stance of Gods wonderful mercy and deli­verance towards us; A sudden fire hastning Their return before the Villans were ripe and prepar'd for that horrid execution.

4 And now as a branch and consummation of that, and all their other Plots, let us as behoves us, consider and reflect upon our deliverance from their late horrid traite­rous Conspiracy, that unnatural open Rebellion, for which we are now especially to magnifie the Lord and exalt his Name to­gether. I shall not need surely to spend much time in shewing you the heinousness of all Rebellion, and this in particular, having done it already in some late Discourses; only [Page 9] let us remember that our Religion, our Prince, the lives of all honest men, and whatever is dear to us in this world, were in danger, by the designs of these ambitious, restless and bloud thirsty men. To whom had God given us over as a prey (as our sins most justly deserved) our bloud would have been spilt like water upon the ground, we must have lost all that is dear to us in this world, and we should have been overwhelmed in a de­luge of Sects and Heresies, of wars and confusions, of which we could not have expected to see any other issue than the final ruin and destruction of this Kingdom and God's Church among us.

This is in short the account of our deli­verance, or the grounds of our Joy for it; and certainly if any thing can make us tru­ly chearful and pleasant, and heartily thank­ful to God, we have abundant reason to be so, for this his present mercy and goodness towards us. Who has so graciously rescu'd us from these most accursed and damnable designs, contriv'd and carried on by the se­veral Sects and Parties of pretended Religion, [Page 10] the known and avowed enemies to the pre­sent Government and Constitution both in Church and State. Which brings us to consider our second Particular.

II. The several Sects, Parties and Divisions among us being the great Authors, Incou­ragers and Promoters of these most impi­ous designs and practices, as being most a­greeable to the Principles or Sentiments of these men; for nothing can be more plain and demonstrable, than that they have all of them made it almost their constant en­deavour in all their discourses publick and private (especially such as have been ma­naged in a pretended religious way) to set themselves all they could against the present Government and Constitution both in Church and State. And were I at leisure to manifest this from what is the usual way and method of proving mens Principles, I could abundantly confirm it from their nu­merous writings and professions in this kind, the main drift of all, or most of them, as to this particular, being to destroy the Church, disturb the Kingdom, debauch mens Principles, and pervert the Scriptures; so that I the less wonder at these practices, [Page 11] which are but agreeable to their Profession, and the very constant design and natural result of these Schisms and Factions; for a man cannot be a Fanatick or Schismatick, but he does and must actually forfeit his duty to the Church and the King. Nor is this any more than what is agreeable to former and present experience.

That they have been the constant distur­bers of our Israel, is I think already manifest, and might be more largely proved, were there occasion for it: And look now into the very late Rebellion, and then tell me what you think of it, whether it was not purely and solely Fanatical? that the several Sects and Separatists from our Church were not chiefly or only concern'd and ingag'd in it? some of their pretended Ministers were actually in it, and most or all of them knew of it? And as we before intimated, I do verily believe that they did not act in­consistently to their own Ways or Princi­ples (if they have any). And had I been one of the Party or Separatists, I do not see how I could have acted congruously to my own pretences, or that Schism or Se­paration, had not I consented, conspired [Page 12] or acted in these designs for promoting their True Protestant Cause against preten­ded Popery and Arbitrary Power. Where­fore I do more wonder that any should be exempted from it, than that all should be in it: for I cannot see how a man could be a Fanatick, and could tolerably excuse himself in this case. Nor do I think but that every one of them did as much carry on the Re­bellion, as all Loyal honest men were a­gainst it.

III. But did this need further proof; 'tis too plain and manifest from their continued im­penitency. Which is our Third particular. Which is too evident, either first, from their own Profession; or secondly, their ex­cuses for it; or thirdly, their continuance in their former ways and practices.

A greater sin than that which these men have been guilty of, can hardly be imagin'd, being (as I have shew'd you very lately) a complication of almost all kinds of wicked­ness, bearing in it Treason, Sacrilege, Mur­der, and what not? And now when such as are thus guilty come to reflect upon themselves, one would expect and hope for in this case a most profound humility, and [Page 13] strict repentance, but whether most or any of those that so justly suffer'd for this Cause, have given sufficient demonstration of their extraordinary sorrow for their designs and practices, let any impartial man consider. When men come to dye, especially in their strength and vigour, they have then more abundant advantages to consider and un­derstand their Case and Condition; but have you known them then to deal plain­ly and freely as becomes such a state and cir­cumstances? 2 or do we not find, in the Se­cond place, Excuses and Palliations instead of true sorrow and Repentance? and as is said of a great one among them, we find enough (from them) to shew their guilt, but not their repentance. Now seeing that many or most of them are so industrious in excusing themselves or others, and take hold of any little opportunity, either to justifie or extenuate their crimes; This is too great a sign of an impenitent or relent­less heart. For the true and sincere peni­tent, is more, industrious to discover and aggravate, than to hide or lessen his sin; in This consists the true nature and comfort of Repentance. If therefore you are Con­scious [Page 14] to your selves, or we find any to be given to the covering or extenuating these sins, or the promoters of such horrid practi­ces, this I think is an undeniable proof to any sober judicious man, of their continu'd impenitency. 3 Especially if we add to this in the Third place, The continuance in their former ways and practices. Such people are not and cannot be accounted truly penitent, who yet persevere and continue in their for­mer courses which did really and actually encourage and promote these rebellious de­signs. Whoever therefore are glad of any occasion or opportunity to vilifie the Church, and reproach Government; to discourage such that do their hearty endeavours for discountenancing Schism, Faction and Rebel­lion, that do herd among, or can think or speak well of such that are known and pro­fest enemies to the constitution both in Church and State. This is a sign that such are so far from being penitent, that they are rather harden'd and obstinate in their impie­ties. IV. Though in the Fourth place we shall find, that now especially, they have great cause to be truly Penitent: Considering, I. First, That by these late actions, there is 1. [Page 15] given to the world a plain demonstration of such mens guilt and impiety. Grant that some or many of them did follow these people, or had a kindness for them out of a presumption of the goodness of their Cause, or the strict piety of their persons: Now upon this discovery and defeat of their Vil­lany, Men of any sence or reason cannot but have other Sentiments, and must look upon themselves to be miserably deluded or mistaken in them; so that now upon this better knowledge, this thorow and indeed plain demonstration, you may recede very justly and honourably, and not suffer your selves to be any longer deceiv'd by them. We may hope therefore, and do expect, that such who in the simplicity of their hearts were led away and seduc'd by them, will now, if ever, come to themselves; and if after such plain conviction and undoubted proof against them as this is, they will still continue in the ways and courses of Faction and Sedition, they can be accounted no bet­ter than incorrigible Rebels. 2. Seeing with­al in the Second place, the Result of their Designs, which is not any longer, as some have been made to believe, for the love or [Page 16] fear of God, the Protestant Religion, Ten­derness of Conscience, Christian Liberty, and the like; But, as you have heard and seen, the main drift and tendency of all is to imbrue a Nation in War, & Tumults, Blood and Murder, to ruin our Church, destroy our Prince, and all true Loyal men. Is not this sufficient cause to make them look about them; and now at length seriously to repent of, and renounce all such impious ways and practices? 3. Considering in the Third place, That this seems to be both the greatest and the last means and method God may use for the bringing these men to repentance, and a sound mind; for what is there that can or will be prevalent with them, if this be not? If after all those demonstrations God has given us of his mercy, and their impious designs, you will not see and re­pent, you give the world too much reason to believe, that you lie under that Phari­saical judgment, to have eyes and see not, ears and hear not, hearts and will not un­derstand. And therefore, Sirs, as you will answer it to your Consciences now, and to God hereafter, be rouz'd out of this fatal Lethargy, and hearken to this awakening, [Page 17] and perhaps last call of Almighty God; be not still perverse and obstinate to your ut­ter ruin both of Soul and Body: 'tis high time to look about you, and now at length having seen all this, to shew your Repen­tance; which we earnestly hope and desire to see, in these following respects: which is our Fifth particular.

V. I. In an utter renouncing of your former ways and doings, those especially that have had any manner of Aspect or tendency to the promoting or incouraging these impi­ous designs and practices; cast a serious sin­cere and impartial reflection upon your late and your former actions, and see whether you have not one way or other justified, incourag'd, or promoted these designs; whe­ther by herding with the multitude against publick Rule and Government, by coun­tenancing or speaking, or thinking well of them that did, by acting or voting what you knew was displeasing to the King, and contrary to the practice of undoubtedly Loyal men; by discouraging truly Loyal, honest, Orthodox Preachers, that would tell you the Truth without guise or dissi­mulation, and adhering to or thinking well [Page 18] only of such that you knew or fancied to be otherwise.

In a word, Examine your own know­ledge and Consciences, and make a thorow search of whatever way, means, or actions, through fault or misfortune, you have pro­moted the Cause and Interest of such as are thus Factious and Rebellious; and be now at last convinc'd of your error, detest what you have done this way, with zeal and heartiness. This is the first mark and token of Repentance we desire and expect from you.

2. Hereupon ensues another very signal mark and token of your sorrow, Repen­tance and true Conversion, and that is a sincere and hearty Loyalty to your Prince. That you practice this your selves, and pro­mote it among others to the utmost of your skill and power; that whoever are in your families, under your care, or committed to your charge, may be instructed in the sound Principles of Loyalty and Obedience, ac­cording to the Doctrine and Institution of the Church of England. And is it not high time seriously to enter upon this course and practice, seeing the fatal designs and conse­quences [Page 19] of disobedience and Rebellion, the works of those that forget or abandon their Duty and Allegiance to their Prince; you will not, and cannot secure your selves from such impious practices but by your being thus heartily and truly Loyal, in Thought, Word or Deed, to the utmost of your Power: for if it be only in outward forma­lity or expression, or according to the indiffe­rent and moderate way and manner of some men; 'Tis such as will be neither acceptable to God, serviceable to your Prince, or safe to your selves. Wherefore to shew your selves truly penitent, you must endeavour to be eminently Loyal, and remarkably Obedient, and dutiful to the King for the future, which is the only opposite to Faction, Sedition and Rebellion.

3. As another sign of your true Repentance, we do exhort you to, and expect from you, a thorow and strict conformity to our Church; The best, if not only Constitution, that does sincerely teach and promote true Loyalty and Obedience: for you may take this as a sure rule, which you'l find true by constant observation and experience, the more any do dissent from, or dislike, the [Page 20] present Constitution of our Church, the greater friends or promoters they are, or have been of what either was, or tended to Sedition or Rebellion; against which there is no prevention or security but by a firm and strict adherence to the Church of Eng­land. And this besides other incomparable advantages, shews the great priviledge of those who are truly of it, and the miserable state of such that are bred up in any other courses.

Wherefore to repent of what you have been or done, and to avoid or prevent such designs or calamity, and to be heartily ho­nest, Dutiful and Loyal for the future; You must be sincerely conformable to the Church of England, studying it your selves; and teaching others its Doctrines, and Prin­ciples, frequenting its Communion, devout­ly joyning in its Prayers, and doing every thing that becomes a sincere Conformist, and a true Churchman.

And thus, as you have heard, are you to manifest your Repentance, First, by an ut­ter renouncing your former ways and pra­ctices that have been any ways Factious or Seditious. Secondly, to become heartily Loyal [Page 21] and dutiful to the King. Thirdly, sincerely and strictly Conformable to the Church.

And as we just now pray'd, may God to this end take from them all their Pre­judices and all their Passions, their confident mistakes, their carnal ends, and their secular interests, and open their eyes that they may see (at least in this their day) the things which be­long to their peace, and soften the most obdurate heart, into a meek, humble and docible temper, that they may no longer resist the truth; bow down the stiff neck, and the iron sinew, take away the brow of brass, and the whores fore­head, sweeten (if it may be) the gall of bitterness, and loose the bands of iniquity, and guide their feet into the ways of peace.

4. After which, you will be fit and ready for the Fourth and last advice, which is, to shew your Repentance by joyning with us in returning Praise and Thanksgiving to Almighty God for this great Deliverance; for I dare say, whoever is heartily thank­ful to God for this Mercy and Blessing, was either altogether unconcern'd in those hor­rid [Page 22] designs, from which we are thus deliver'd, or does sincerely repent of them; Let us therefore with one heart and voice glorifie God by giving him the honour due unto his Name: The sole glory of our deliverance. That we acknowledge it to be the Lords doing, and the day which the Lord hath made. And let us endeavour to express our gratitude not only with our lips but in our lives, by giving up our selves to his service, and studying to serve him all the days of our lives.

For the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you. Take good heed therefore unto your selves, that ye love the Lord your God, Josh. 23. 10, 11.

And now I cannot instance in any one thing, that does so much manifest our Re­ligious Duty and Thankfulness together, as that of Charity and Beneficence to the Poor; the great obligation of a Christian at all times, but peculiarly necessary, and almost indispensable at a solemn time of Praise or Thanksgiving: Were your Chari­ty, which we now beg of you for our Poor, large or bountiful, it would be but a slen­der return for this present Deliverance, and the Mercies we enjoy by it. However 'tis [Page 23] an acknowledgment of God's goodness to­wards us, which therefore we cannot omit without being insensible of his mercies, or ungrateful for them.

May none of you therefore slight or neglect such a fair, seasonable, and blessed opportunity of shewing your selves

Thankful to God, Loyal to the King, and Charitable to the Poor.