IT has been obſerved, that all Arts, Sciences, Cuſtoms, and the ſeveral Diſpoſitions of Mankind, have acted their Parts by Turns in this World, ſometimes One being moſt in Vogue and Requeſt in ſuch a Country, where, after having Reigned ſome Time, it was forced to give ground, and quit the Throne to ſome other new Humor of the Age, which having had its Turn, was likewiſe obliged to retire, and make place for another: And all this Remark will reach, I ſuppoſe, to Points of Religion it ſelf; or at leaſt, to thoſe of Hereſie. But I believe; it has hardly ever been known, that any one Humor in one and the ſame Country, has come twice upon the Stage by the ſame Methods and Paces the ſecond time as it did the former, within the ſpace of Forty Years; which makes it ſeem ſtrange, that the preſent, at leaſt, ſeeming Deſigns upon the Church of England, and its Head, next under God, the King, ſhould have that full Carrier; and meet with that kind Reception as they now do; by Numbers of People: Indeed the difference is, that the late ſad Times were uſhered in by a pretended Popiſh Plot, and the preſent by a helliſh, true and real one; but its Neck being, I hope, broken, I know not why it ſhould be allowed to be made uſe of for the carrying on the ſame Deſigns as brought us ſo lately into Ruin and Deſtruction, and made us groan under the heavieſt Yoak, and Arbitrary Government, that ever any Nation was oppreſſed with. I ſay, I cannot imagine how People can be ſo inſenſible as to be lured, and blinded by the ſame Paint and Pretexts, as drew them, and but ſo lately, into the extreameſt miſery and Deſolation. Was not a pretended Conſpiracy of the Papiſts, a Prologue to thoſe ſad Cataſtrophees? Was not there as full a Cry then as there is now againſt Arbitrary Government, and the Promoters of it? Were not the Chiefeſt Miniſters, and Pillars of the Royal Authority, firſt, maliciouſly and falſly accuſed, and then pulled down, before they ſtruck at the Crown it ſelf; nay, had the Rebels not, or at leaſt, did they not pretend to have, in the greateſt Heat and Fury of the War, that Veneration, Reſpect and Care for his Late Majeſty, as to inſert in all their Generals Commiſſions, the Clauſe of endeavouring to ſave his Sacred Perſon from Danger? And did they not give out, that they only aimed at ſecuring, and recovering his Perſon out of the Hands of ſuch as abuſed his Authority; and that they had no other Proſpect, than Reforming the State? But did we not ſadly find their Reformation, to be what a Famous Author of this Time, ſays in one of his Pieces; That it is only leſt to Princes to mend the World▪ whoſe Commands find general Obedience, and Examples Imitation. For all other Men, they muſt take it as they find it, and good Men enter into Commerce with it, rather upon Caution of not being ſpoiled themſelves, than upon hopes of mending others. At leaſt, this Opinion becomes Men of my Level, amongſt whom I have obſerved all Sett Quarrels with the Age, and Pretences of Reforming it by their own Models, to end commonly like the pains of a Man in a Little Boat, who tuggs at a Rope that's faſt to a Ship: it looks as if he reſolved to draw the Ship to him; but the Truth, and his Meaning, is, to draw himſelf to the Ship, where he gets in when he can, and does like the reſt of the Crew when he is there. And what a ſad Crew they were, and what horrid Tragedies they acted, to our Miſery and Shame, we are but too well acquainted. I bluſh to think that we whoſe Anceſtors were the moſt famous People in the World, and whoſe Heroick Actions, perhaps, no other Nation ever did, or can parallel, ſhould ſo degenerate from their Bravery, as to lay the whole Scene of our Honour, in nurſing and uſhering in Rebellion. The main Cry, is againſt Arbitrary Government, and at the ſame time, thoſe who bawl ſo loud againſt it, take the right Courſe to bring in the rankeſt Tyranny. They would have, or at leaſt, they ſay, they would, the Religion and Laws of the Nation preſerved; but they do not mention, as they are now eſtabliſhed. I am apt to think, that thoſe who make all this Buſtle, are not People of Quality, Eſtates, or Sence, but ſuch, whoſe Fortunes being deſperate, hope to mend them by a Change, and are ſeconded in it by Pamphleteers, who are maintained, and get a Livelihood by diſperſing all manner of ill Reports, Principles, and every thing that tends, and is capable to help on their Deſigns, by infuſing Jealouſies and Diſtractions into the People, by irritating and drawing upon us the Fury of ſome of our Neighbour-Nations, and rendering us contemptible, neglected and deſpiſed by the others, by defaming all thoſe who ſeem Loyal, and able to aſſiſt the Crown; and by elevating to the Skies, and making even Gods of thoſe who are thought to favour their Deſigns, and by a thouſand other Arts and Means, alienate the Peoples minds from the Government, and inſinuate into them Diſguſts, Diſſaffection and Fears of thoſe at the Helm. Such People as take, or favour theſe Courſes, I cannot imagine to be Perſons of Eſtates and Prudence, ſince, ſhould they take Effect, they would run the Riſque of loſing what they have, without any probability or proſpect of bettering themſelves; the Truth of which, we have but too late and deplorable Examples of: For did not even the ſo called Parliament it ſelf, ſerve for a Stalking Horſe to ſome Diſſaffected People and Upſtarts who, when by its means they had got into the Saddle, how they rid and haraſs'd both it, and generally the Three Kingdoms, is ſo well known, that, methinks, we ſhould all be ſo ſenſible of it, as not to be drawn into the ſame Snares again. Did any of thoſe Great Men, who were Promoters of the Late Troubles compaſs or enjoy long that Splendor and Greatneſs they aimed at? Were they not put by, and turned out, by people that roſe from nothing, or at leaſt, if ſome were kept in, it was in Places, that were of no Profit to them; and only becauſe their Names were advantageous to their Party. It is this that hinders me from giving Credit to thoſe Reports which ſay, that all this now is the Sence of the Nation, and that it is influenced by ſeveral Grandees. Perhaps indeed, there may be ſome few, whoſe too greedy Ambition having met with Checks, and being new ſpirited with Revenge, are glad to find the Nation in a Fever, and its Pulſe beat ſo high; and who inſtead of ſeeking Remedies, feed the Diſeaſe, and inflame the Humors, not caring to bring the Kingdom into utter Ruine and Deſolation, ſo they may but have the Opportunities of ſatisfying their Irregular Appetites and Paſſions: and perhaps theſe may have drawn in amongſt the reſt, ſeveral well-meaning People, who having things ſhewn them in falſe Lights, are content to go along with the Stream, ignorantly thinking, it is for the Publick Good. It is theſe, and ſuch like Circumſtances of this Juncture, that make me lament my Misfortune of being born in an Age, wherein Loyalty is run down, the True Proteſtant Religion, that is the Church of England, as by Law eſtabliſhed, is trodden under foot, and its Miniſters reviled and beſpattered by every Fiery Diſſenter; and each Faithful Subject is branded with all the Infamous Names and Epithites they are capable of inventing.

Affairs being in this ſad and deplorable Poſture, I appeal to the whole World, if every True Engliſh Man has not reaſon to be grieved to the very Heart, to ſee ſo many endeavouring to ſow the Seed of Diſſention and Jealouſies, inſtead of procuring Union and a good Underſtanding between the King and his People, eſpecially in a Juncture, when every Day brings us freſh Tidings of the great Preparations, both by Sea and Land, of ſome of our Neighbours, whoſe Ambition, Intereſt and Revenge, will certainly prompt them to lay hold of all Opportunities; at the leaſt, of humbling us, who have been ſuch Obſtacles and Oppoſers of their great Aims and Deſigns, as they cannot but highly reſent it; and will doubtleſs embrace all Occaſions they can meet with of procuring our Ruin. I ſay, in ſuch a time, to foſter, nouriſh, and ſpread abroad, Fears, Diſtractions, and Diſcontents, can never be the Part of a True Engliſh Man, a Loyal Subject, and a Real and Religious Proteſtant.