THIS is our great Year of Jubilee, wherein every Man may return to his Possession, that was unjustly tak­en from him; and every Bond-Man may be made free, if he pleases. But certainly, they are very fit for Slaves, who cannot find in their Hearts to be very thankful for their Liberty: which being the Case of our present Grumbletoni­an Crew, it were Pitty, if they might not have leave, to transplant themselves into some Catholic Country; where they may have their Ears bor'd through to the Door Post, in Token of an Everlasting Servitude; and may solace them­selves with the full Fruition and Enjoyment of all the good Effects of Popery and Arbitrary Power; which now they have lost the Benefit of in England.

[Page 2] These Monsters of Ingratitude, out-do the very Devil him­self; who was always pretty quiet, whilst he was in Pos­session; and never raged till he was in danger of being e­jected. But our Male-Contents, seem to be possest with a New Sort of discontented Devil, never heard of be­fore, and are such Renagado's from Common Sense, that they prefer their being turn'd out of all, rather than such a Settlement (to the satisfaction of all reasonable and good Men) as England never had the opportunity of before, per­haps since it was a Nation.

That stiff necked untoward Generation of the Jews, had their Murmurers indeed amongst them, as well as we; but 'twas always when they were brought to some Streights: and not immediately upon their Deliverance out of them. A capricious Giddiheaded Humor ('tis true indeed took them once) of making a Captain, and returning into Egypt; whilst they were in the Wilderness: But we never read, that they were such down right Blockheads, as to mention any such thing, after they came into the Promised Land; tho' they were forced to fight their Way through it.

We, thanks be to God, are put into possession all that is dear to us, both as Men and Christians; upon no harder Terms, than to be thankful. And would not any one in his Wits that knew, our woeful Condition, but some few Weeks since, think us all mad, that thought much of that.

But the Truth of it is, we have had a Lucky Age on't, till of late, for Knaves and Fools; and now good Men dare to lift up their Heads, the other Sort must be forced to pull in their Horns: which Sort of Discrimination is grievous to them, whose pretended Loyalty always con­sisted, in wading through thick and thin; in Order to keep themselves in a Capacity to do mischief. And now that Trade fails, the Poor Men are undone all of suddain; and tho' they never knew what a good Conscience meant, in all their Lives, yet are now troubled with such Qualms, as no Man can imagine or believe. A new Oath of Alle­giance, [Page 3] amongst the rest, is that, which every Kitling Cri­tic of this Tribe, takes upon him to censure, tho' I could never yet hear of any solid Reason given against it, by the greatest of their Recusants. Nor can any certainly be given; God and the States of the Realm, having so plainly pointed out unto us, to whom it is due; as by many Learned and Judicious Men, have lately, been sufficiently de­monstrated in the Point. So that after all, I cannot see what should hinder the going down of this new Oath; es­pecially, with a great many of the debauched Sort of these Murmerators: Unless their Throats be so furr'd with God Dame's, that no other Oath will slip: And yet these Sort of strange Foplings, as well as others, help to make up the number, of these Pretenders to a tender Conscience in this Matter; and behave themselves so toward Authori­ty, as if they thought their ill behaviour upon that account, would make an Attonement with God Almighty, for the rest of their flagicious Crimes.

I need not here undertake, by any Arguments of mine, to justify the Public Proceedings, upon the late miraculous Revolution, that has been done already by those, who were far more able to perform it. But that which satis­fies me as a private Person (not at all concern'd in Public Affairs) and I think ought to satisfy all others in my Sta­tion, is this. That every Soul (according to the Apostles Rule) ought to be subject to the Higher Power: for that there's no Power but of God. And that the Powers that be, are ordained of God, and thereupon whosoever resisteth the present Power he is under, resisteth the Ordinance of God.

Now consider, we who are private Persons, have been only Spectators, throughout the whole Series of Divine Pro­vidence, in this great Revolution. We have indeed been under terrible Apprehensions a long while, of being destroy­ed, by the desperate Steerage of that Pilot, who was in­trusted with the Government; which, when he had Strand­ed and run a Ground, Abdicated and then forsook the [Page 4] same, as a Wreck in the Sea. Upon this, there are other Pilots, that are desir'd to use their Skill and Gare, in weigh­ing and poising up again this sameforsaken and sinking Vessel. Truly I am satisfy'd (as to my own Particular) in such a Case as this, our Obligation to the first Pilot ceases of course; and we may enter into a new Agreement and Obligation to the latter, without asking any Question for Conscience Sake. Allegiance being Naturally due to those that can and do protect us, and not to him that is out of that Capacity; to say nothing which may sound more harsh.

We as private Persons, had no Hand either one way or other, in setting up of the present Power, upon the Declen­sion of the former; but we find it set up to our Hands. And being set up in such a Solemn manner, as at present we see it is, I think (according to the said Apostle's Rule) we ought to be subject to it, for the aforesaid Reasons, given in the Text: and not by a Desperate and Disloyal refusal, render our selves Obnoxious to the Government, we live so happily under. And upon this Ground (as the same Apostle farther enlargeth) I think we must needs be subject, not only for Wrath but even also for Conscience Sake.

And to be a little farther serious in this Matter, do but consider still the desperate Condition, we were lately in (this cannot be denyed, I trow) and also the late seeming impossibility of our Deliverance, so that we were ready to conclude with David in his Case, that he should certainly one Day perish by the Hand of Saul. I say, do but con­sider this Seriously, in all its Circumstances (too many to be enumerated) and we must conclude this late Revolution in England, to be more immediately the Lord's doing, than perhaps is to be parallel'd in any History, since the writ­ing of the Holy Scriptures. And tho' we be bound in Matters of Government, to Persons and Families, so long as their Supremacy continues; yet God the great Proprietor and Lord of all, is not so: but pulls down one, in Cases of [Page 5] Male-Administration, and then sets up another: Disposing of all the Kingdoms of the World as he pleases. And when this is done, still I say, all Persons (in a private Ca­pacity especially) ought to submit, without hesitation or doubt. And truly, all others (be they who they will) ought well to consider, how they slight such apparent Providences of God, as have appear'd in this mighty Sal­vation that he has rais'd up for us; least whilst they seem to struggle with Men, they fight against God.

But I'le trouble the Reader with no further Arguments upon this Topic, but shall say something, in Reference to the Laws of our Land (which, so far as they intrench not upon the Law of God) are the Measures of our Obedience, and this I hope will tend somewhat far­ther to every ones Satisfaction in this Matter. We have now a King and Queen de facto (and de jure too, I do not in the least doubt) and at present supposing it only de facto; if then by the Law of the Land (as my Lord Coke says) Treason may be Committed against a King, that is only so de facto; then sure, Allegiance is due of course to such a King: for where no Allegiance is due, no Treason can be Committed. And if so, it will consequently fol­low, that no reasonable or legal Exception can be made against taking the New Oath of Allegiance, to our pre­sent and truly Gracious King and Queen, whom God long preserve with Life and Happiness in that Dignity to which by his own Right Hand and Holy Arm, he hath advanced them. And let it ever bear part in our Mag­nificate, that he hath put down the Mighty from their Seat, and hath exalted the Humble and Meek. And let the Church of England now confess and say, that his Mercy endureth for ever. And that the time is now come about indeed that she hath a King for her Nursing Father, and a Queen for her, Nursing Mother. And not only Titular, but true Defenders of the Faith.

[Page 6] I know we have at this time, some, who say they are Friends to the Church of England (and I hope in the main are really so) who yet by their Imprudent and Undutiful Behaviour towards the Government, take the ready way to bring her out of Credit with it. But let them (as well as Dissenters from the Church) beware, least they have not false Brethren amongst them, who manage another In­terest than what they intend. Tuta fruquesque via est per a­mici fallere nomen.

It is not so long since, but that we may very well re­member, what Drudgery we have been put upon; under the Notion of Service both to Church and State, by a Generation of Vipers, that intended to have eaten through the Bowels of both; and now have no hopes left them, of retriving their lost Cause, but our Divisions. Consi­der what advantage they have taken of it, ever since the Reformation of the Church of England, from that of Rome. And when we have considered it, let us behave our selves as those who believe it; so that our Demea­nour and Condescention, one towards another, in this happy Juncture, may utterly for ever frustrate the languish­ing Hopes of the common Enemy to us all.

Let us not rip up one anothers failings (there have been too many on all sides) but let our Love to one another, cover that multitude of Faults, which otherwise may go very near to shame us all. For the Truth is, some of us have been such overgrown Tories, as if there had gone but a pair of Shears, between them and the worst of Papists; And others, hot Enthusiastical Whigs, as bad as either of the former. And tho these Devil's Brats, in the time of our late Heats and Animosities, have been often laid at ho­nest Men's Doors, who had no reason to own them; yet that there have been, and yet are, some such amongst us, is but too true and evident. And tho these, possibly may not lay their Heads together, in order to the Management of their ill Designs; yet like Sampson's Foxes, they all car­ry [Page 7] Fire-brands in their Tails: and by their running several ways, do more mischief perhaps than if they kept to­gether.

And now I must needs say, I know none but the poor Trimmer, that can plead not Guilty to this Indictment; tho he has been represented, as one of the worst of Sin­ners, and snarl'd at on every side, whilst he has been In­dustriously endeavouring the good of all. But further, I must also say, he was not for all that easily beaten from his Post; but thought it better to be always a Trimmer than sometimes a Fanatic, otherwhile a Tory, and at last a Papist: as many others have been, according as their Interests serv'd them. But to say no more of him at pre­sent, let it now suffice; that tho he could never reconcile himself, to that blundering sort of pretended Loyalty, lately in Fashion; yet that he is now acceptable in the true Notions of it, to our present King and Queen, meer­ly for his Principles sake, of moderation towards all Men, is very evident: And in that alone, he can acquiesce and be content, without Place or Preferment; the main Stake being secur'd.

And thus far, my just Indignation, against the Mur­murers of our Times, has carried me; which is farther than I at first intended. But however, give me leave now to enlarge a little farther, and mildly to recommend to their consideration over again, the more than ordinary Footsteps of Divine Providence, so plainly seen in God's late Merciful Dispensations towards us; and which have been so well set forth and expressed, in some late Printed Sermons of the most Eminent Divines of the Church of England; to which I refer them. And in particular, let that twice Auspicious 5th. day of November, and of the Years of 88, not pass by us, without a due regard, of something very remarkable in them, upon that account. Upon the Ist 5th of November, we were delivered with our King, and on the last 5th of November we may well say [Page 8] we were delivered from him. In the first 88, from ill De­signs against us abroad: And in this last 88, from worse at home.

And now to conclude, let us all as one Man, Purge out that sour Leaven, that yet remains with many of us; and not abuse that mild and gentle Government, which now God has set over us: least he should in just Judgment, take away the Golden Scepter, and reduce us again un­der the Iron Rod: for then, the most that we can suffer, will be the least that we deserve. We now may all do well, exceeding well, if it be not our own faults. But if Jea­lousies, of no Man knows what, and strange Fancies and Chimaera's be set up, like Men of Straw to fight with; to the disturbance in any manner, of that sweet Peace, which otherwise we might all enjoy; then let the ill Effects thereof (I pray God) lye at their Doors only, that causes it: and let them be filled with the Fruit of their own doings.