WE are now by the course of Time and Pro­vidence of God, brought to an Ʋnited, Solemn Anniversary Commemoration of two great Deliverances of this Nation, from two notable Conspiracies of our inveterate Enemies; the one secret, and under ground in the dark; the other bare­faced, above-board, and visible to the World: And the Deliverances were, one of our Ancestors, but in them of our selves, about one Age, that is, 84 years since; the other of our own selves, commencing in the Princes Arrival, but one year since: But both concurring in the same hap­py and memorable Day of the Fifth of November. Al­mighty God of his Infinite Goodness and Wisdom, was pleased, not only to renew his Mercies to us; to do it when, considering the corrupt and vicious State of the Nation, we had great reason, rather to fear some severe Judgment; to do it in such a Manner, as might make his Divine Power and Efficacy in it the more apparent; but to do it with such Circumstances of Time, as might mind [Page 2]us also of his former Mercies, of his long continued Fa­vour, and the constancy of his Providence over us, the more to endear his Goodness to us, and to oblige us the more effectually to himself. The Year, that of Eighty Eight, to mind us of the famous Eighty Eight, one Hun­dred Years before, in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, when the Wind and the Sea, by his Divine Direction, fought for us against a supposed Invincible Armado. And the Day of the PRINCE's Landing determined, by the remarkable Motion of the Wind, under the same Di­vine Direction, to the very day of the Fifth of November, to mind us of the Deliverance in the Reign of King James the First, upon the same day, from one of the most Bar­barous and Hellish Conspiracies that the World hath known. And, certainly they must be very dull and stu­pid Souls, who by such Admonitions as these, are not provoked to Consider with Admiration and raised Affecti­ons, the observable Course of the Divine Providence, in pre­serving this Nation from such various and continual Ma­chinations of the Antichristian Faction; not only during the long Reign of four and forty Years of that Queen, but for this full 130 Years; from her Accession to the Crown, unto this late Revolution.

As these Circumstances of the Time invite us to look backward upon the former course of Divine Providence, in the Occurrences of this Nation, so there is another Cir­cumstance in our late Deliverance, which doth no less excite our Consideration, and oblige us to look forward upon what hath since occurred in the space of this one Year last past: And that is the eminent and wonderful Manner of the Revolution.

The Deliverance it self was so full fraught, with Mercies and Favours from Heaven, that every Circum­stance had some special obliging Favour in it; and this of the manner, more than one. It was no small favour, that it was effected with so much Ease to us, and with the [Page 3]Effusion of so little Blood, especially considering the ge­neral Corruption of the manners of all sorts of People among us, which not only deserved, but seemed to need and require a Purgation: But the Merciful God, it seems, was pleased, first to try whether there was so much In­genuity left among us, as to be wrought upon by his more gentle method of so surprising a Mercy and eminent Deli­verance, which if it be not, will certainly aggravate the sin of the Nation, and in all probability, increase and hasten some remarkable Judgment upon it.

But that which I principally intend here, is, that it was carried on with a high Hand, like that of the Children of Israel, in so powerful and eminent a manner, a certain Dread and Terror going before, as makes the Providence of God visible, his Power known, and gives a great In­dication of his special Presence (by his Invisible Mini­sters) in it. This is such a special Favour, and pro­dueeth such special Obligations upon us, as must needs highly aggravate the Crime of any unsuitable Re­turn, as not only Notorious Ingratitude for an extraordi­nary Benefit, but a kind of contempt, or slighting of so great a Benefactor to his Face. Behold, I send my Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared, Saith God to Moses, and then subjoyns this Caution: Beware of him, and obey his Voice, provoke him not: for he will not pardon your Trans­gressions; for my Name is in him, Exod. 23.20, 21. This was our Case: And as such an Obligation requires a spe­cial Prospect, Care and Caution for the future, to avoid all Offence against it; so the powerful and successful Progress of that Deliverance, must needs make the De­parture of those Powers, or but Suspension of so emi­nent a Favour, soon felt, and easie to be perceived, and thereby give a plain Admonition of some Offence commit­ted. And whether this be not our Case, is a matter of great Importance, and requiring our most serious and deep­est Consideration.

The Deliverance in the Manner and Progress of it, was so surprizing and amazing, as the like is hardly to be met with in any History, since that of the Israelites; and yet it will not be easie to determine, which is most to be admired, the smooth, uninterrupted, prosperous and suc­cessful Progress of it, or the unaccountable Stop, which seems to have been put to that success; and the strange, slow, impedited, and unprosperous Course of our Affairs since: How all things did visibly concur to promote that, but the course of our Affairs since hath been retarded we know not how! Only this we plainly see, all is at a stand, or moves slowly, like Pharaoh's Chariots, when their Wheels were off; or as I have heard of a Cart be­witched, which before was drawn easily loaded, by four or five Horses, but of a sudden, became almost unmove­able, in plain Ground, and half unloaded, by a much greater strength: So have all things gon with us, as if they were Inchanted, for the greatest part of this year. And so sudden and great an Alteration, doth of it self de­serve and provoke our Consideration; but the danger­ous Consequences thereof, which have already occurred, or are within view, much more.

The late wonderful Revolution which is looked upon as our Deliverance, was Compleated, if we compute from the Arrival of the Prince, to the Exit of King James, within the space of forty three days; and if we extend it to the day when the Prince was Proclaimed King, it amounts but to one hundred days: But upon Christmas day He was Addressed to by the Lords, and two days after, by the Members of the former Parliaments, and the Aldermen and Common Council of the City, to take upon him the Administration of Publick Affairs, both Civil and Military, and the Disposal of the Publick Revenue, and to take into his particular care, the then present Con­dition of Ireland. All which, the day following, He ac­cepted and undertook.

Among those four things recommended in general to the Prince, and undertaken by him, were some things comprehended, which could not then be compleatly done by him; as the Constitution of Civil Officers, and of Lord Lieutenants, Deputy Lieutenants, and other Offi­cers in the Militia. All that could then be done by him in these matters, was only to consider, and resolve upon fit Persons for these Employments, to be Authorized as soon as might be. But this was a matter of some Con­sequence to be setled as soon as might be, as in other respects, so more particularly, that the more Forces might have been the sooner spared for Ireland. For con­sidering the Disposition of the People, the ordinary Mi­litia being in good hands, would have been sufficient for the Security of this Nation. But, whatever was the matter, neither were the Civil Magistrates in the several Counties, that is, the Justices of Peace, nor the Militia, setled in many Months after.

And for Ireland, the Consequence of the speedy secu­ring or reducing of that Nation, was very great; not only for the Security, Ease, and Benefit of this, but moreover and especially, in order to the common Design of the Confederates, that we might have been in a condi­tion to have Attacqued the common Enemy on the one side, as they did on the other; which we being anima­ted by Success, and our Enemies under no ordinary Con­sternation, might have brought the common Design to perfection; and which is of higher Consideration, have produced what the Providence of God had put an Op­portunity into our Hands to do, directed us to, and was ready to have conducted us to perform. And how dis­mal may be the Consequence of this failure, if it pro­ceeded from any neglect in us, as God alone compleatly knows, so I am unwilling to declare what I suspect, nor perhaps is it fit for me to do it. But thus much of the Matter of Fact in this case, is certain and commonly [Page 6]known, that the Arms and Ammunition which were sent, whenever that was, but to that one poor Town of Lon­don-Derry, which shut up their Gates the ninth of De­cember, declared for the Prince of Aurange, and the Pro­testant Religion, and immediately sent hither for speedy Relief, Arrived not there till the twentieth of March, nor the Forees sent with Cunningham and Richards till the fifteenth of April; and then instead of Relief, by desert­ing the Service, proved only a Discouragement to them. And though some others came near the seventh of June, yet were not those poor Creatures actually relieved till the thirtieth of July; when from seven Thousand five hundred brave Regimented Men, they were reduced to about four Thousand three Hundred; though nothing ap­pears, why that might not have been done full as well, six Weeks before.

Proportionable to this, for the Relief of that Town, was the Progress of our Affairs for the Reducing of that King­dom. That which might with ease have been done at first, grew daily more and more difficult; the Difficulties increasing faster than our Preparations; insomuch, that March 8. King William speaking to the Lords and Com­mons, concerning the deplorble Condition of Ireland, de­clared, That he thought it not advisable to attempt the reducing of it with less than Twenty Thousand Horse and Foot. Difficulties should, and usually do excite ge­nerous Spirits to the more vigorous Action: And this, no doubt, was the Intention of this King in that Speech: Notwithstanding long it was ere we could be ready to transport our Forces; and when all things were expect­ed to be ready for that purpose, how they answered the General's expectations, must be left to his own Observati­on, and the more particular Examination of them, who are not only concern'd, but are in Place and Authority to do it; it being commonly believed, they were not so well as ought to have been. And when they were at [Page 7]last Transported, which was not till about the middle of August, it seems they were not such as the General thought fit to engage with the Enemy, though so lately baffled before London-Derry; especially their Carriages not coming to him before the 24th of September; nor have they to this day, done any considerable Service.

And whereas it is likely, the wary old General might decline any Engagement, in dayly Expectation of the Danish Supplies to have been with him long since, yet so unhappily hath that also fallen out, that the Expectation of them, hath proved only a Disappointment to us, and perhaps a greater Disappointment than ever their Service may repair. Besides, the Season of the year is now so far gon, that they are more like to prove a burden this Winter, than any advantage to us. And what may now become not only of Ireland, but of the Forces we have already sent thither, is very doubtful; so that we have in a manner, already lost all the Expence of this Sum­mer, and are in danger to lose a great part of our For­ces also.

And now, if from Land we descend to take a Prospect of the Progress of our Affairs at Sea, we shall still find all alike: The two famous Nations for Action at Sea, not only baffled by the sole Power of France, but our losses in Men by Sickness and Mortalities greater than by Fight, and in our Merchandise and Trade, not less than our Expences: And, as if the Power of our Enemies were not enough to annoy us, after all, (if the Complaints of our Mer­chants and their Mariners be true) our Ships have been made a Prey by those who should have been their Guard and Convoy, and were imployed for that Purpose.

And if we return again to Land, and consider the State of the Countrie, we shall there find all our Country Commodities at so low a Rate, as will hardly pay Wages and other necessary charges, besides reasonable Mainte­nance of the Families: And this Condition made harder by [Page 8]Taxes already granted and Levyed, and those unsuccess­fully spent, and more expected. And such a Disap­pointment of the great Expectation, which was general­ly conceived of a happy change of Affairs, must needs produce an unhappy change in Mens minds.

And if we apply our selves to consider the Proceedings of our Councils, the great Council of the Nation, and the King's Privy Council, we may there more easily find the Original Root, Occasions and Authors of all these Mischiefs, than any such sound Resolutions or Counsels, as ever were, or are likely either to have prevented, or now to redress the same. A bold Speech, this I confess it is; but being said, not maliciously out of any evil Prin­ciple or Design, but out of Zeal for the common Safety, and other good Ends, nor of particular Persons, I doubt not but the Evidence of Truth, and the Consciences of most, will excuse and acquit me. And yet I must be bold to say, there are some things passed, of which none of them all who were present, or concern'd, can acquit or excuse themselves.

Such was one of the first Acts of the Convention, the Form of their Order for the Thanksgiving. And if any one dare presume to excuse that as a small matter, I dare be bold to say, he hath but little sense of the Majesty of God concerned in it, of his extraordinary Mercy and Goodness in the Deliverance, of the dangerous Conse­quence of such a fault in the beginning of their Consul-rations, or what an Indication it was of an unhappy Temper and Disposition prevalent in that Assembly. But had the Form been altogether faultless, to order a solemn Thanksgiving to God, and never after do any real Act of Gratitude for his Honour and Service, when pro­phane Swearing, and other Impieties and Wickedness were grown to that height of Impudence and Presump­tion, is such a thing, as would be resented with Indig­nation by a mortal Man, and was more likely to pro­voke [Page 9]a suspension at least of the Favours of Providence we enjoyed, than a continuance thereof. But of that more elsewhere.

One of the next things they did, was the ordering of a Committee for the business of Ireland: But, what have they done ever since in that business? Either nothing at all, or nothing to the purpose, as the Event, and what I have before taken notice of, doth plainly shew and de­monstrate. And yet it is plain, there wanted not mat­ter enough proper for their consideration. There were English Protestants enough in Ireland, to have defended themselves, and secured that Kingdom, had they not been disarmed, and their Arms contrary to Law, put into the hands of Papists; and notwithstanding that, had they but had Arms sent them in time; And had they needed some small Body of men at first, to whom they might have repaired, we had more in Arms and Pay here than we needed, and therefore, not only refused many who offered their Service, but Disbanded many of those we had. We had Ships also at the same charge, whether employed upon that Service or any other. Why then were not Men and Arms too, sent them in time, while our Men were Animated with Success, and the Irish under a Consternation? Why not we as forward as the French? And why, instead of sending to them, were so many of the Irish who had been in Arms here, suffered to return, and not rather employed in some Service of the Confederates, at least of the Emperour against the Turk, if they might not have been trusted against the French? And when by our neglect at first, there was need of a greater Force, if we had then Men enough in Arms, why were not more raised at home, of those who before had offered themselves, of those who were Disbanded, and of those who were forced from their Estates in Ireland, and wanted Maintenance here? But we must send for Forreigners without con­sent [Page 10]of Parliament, and so inour the blame we cast upon others; and send for such, which must protract the time, when we might as well have been certainly provided at home much sooner? And whereas all this may seem to have been managed either for the real Service of King James, or for a colour, to bring in a Foreign Force for the Security of such as having been true, neither to Him, nor to their Country, durst now trust neither, but endea­voured to impose upon the present King, and under the old pretence of his Service, get into their own hands a power to enslave their Country; it had been worth the Enquiry, how it was serviceable to the present Settle­ment? and who were the Advisers and principal Agents in it? And certainly such matters as this had been no improper nor unusual Business, for the Consideration of a Parliament.

The next and greatest matter of all, of civil Conside­ration, was the long Debate about the Abdication. This took them up little less than three Weeks time. And though there was reason enough to declare the Depar­ture of King James under his Circumstances, an Abdi­cation of the Government, he having before notoriously endeavoured the Subversion of the Constitution, actually, in divers great Instances, Violated the Fundamental Laws, given just cause of War to the Prince, and of De­fence and Vindication of their Rights, to the People; and after all, by recalling the Writs for a Parliament, refused a legal Determination of the matters in Question, all which make it plainly, rather the flight of a Criminal from Justice, than of an innocent Man Metus causa & cum Animo revertendi; and a Cession or Dereliction of the Government in Fact, which his deliberate Violati­ons declare he had before Deserted in Affection; yet as if they indeed layed the whole stress upon the Departure; and the other matters charged against King James were not criminal or punishable, so much as in his Ministers, [Page 11]Counsellors, and Accomplices, or at least doubted their own Authority as a Parliament, not one of those, who by their wicked Counsels and Compliances, betrayed not only their Country, but their King himself, whom they pretended to serve, into such mischiefs as were like to have been fatal to both, (whatever yet may come of it) hath yet been brought to condign Punishment, or so much as called in Question upon a fair Tryal; quite contrary to all the Practice of our Ancestors; who always punish­ed the Counsellors, Ministers and Agents in such Mis­carriages, but rarely the Prince himself, unless in extra­ordinary cases directly tending to the Destruction or Sub­version of the Government, as this did.

And whereas upon such a Revolution, one of the most necessary things to be done, especially when meeting with such Opposition as this hath, and is yet like to do, is to Remove as much as may be all Occasions of Difference, and Ʋnite all Parties in a firm Agreement, for a Mutual Assistance in civil Matters, such hath been the Jealousies, Animosities, and preposterous Zeal of many, that a great part of the most sober and serious People of this Nation, are to this day, kept out of the Service of their Country, and the most debauched and profligate freely let in; and let in with the grossest Pro­fanation of Sacred things, that hath, I think, been known in any Christian Nation; and no expedient can yet be agreed on, though in a matter of so great Im­portance.

And to sum up all that belongs to this Consideration of the Parliament, in one Word, they have been all along infested with a Spirit of Division, so prevalent upon them, that they have scarce done one brave and clever Action, nor so much as enquired to any purpose, into the Causes, and principal Authors of the evil Ma­nagement of our Affairs, ever since they met.

Should we come nearer to the King himself, and en­quire into the more secret Proceedings of his Privy Council, and great Ministers of State, 'tis possible we should come so much the nearer yet, to the Fountain head of much of this Unhappiness: For it must all have been either the Effect or Disappointment of their Counsels. But such an Enquiry is a business so proper for the grand Inquest of the Nation, that it is fit to be left to them to do it effectually.

But as for the King himself, this is apparent to the World, that the embroil'd, if not lost condition of Ire­land, and the loss of this Summers Assistance to His Confederates, is a great Eclipse and Diminution of that Honour, which the success of his former Proceedings had acquired; and was of so great Importance to him for the farther Progress of His Affairs.

But I need not proceed farther on so ungrateful a sub­ject; the Instances I have already produced, are suffici­ent to shew a great and unhappy Change in the Course and Progress of our Affairs, from so smooth and prosperous, that formidable Armies could give no check or inter­ruption, but vanished like Smoke before the Wind, to so rough and disturbed, and that so universal in all, that neither Abroad nor at Home, at Sea or at Land, in Country or in Council, do we find any chearful face of Affairs, but every where Rubs, Impediments, Failures and Disappointments, and our way fenced up that we cannot pass.

So great a change as this, is enough to move the curio­sity of an unconcerned Spectator to enquire into the true Causes of it, much more ought our own concern to move us to do it, with no less care and diligence, than a skil­ful and faithful Chyrurgeon would use, in the search of some dangerous Wound or Sore. Nor would it be hard to discover the particular, immediate Causes of many of these things; but to rest in them, would prove but a shallow [Page 13]and superficial Speculation; and the Application of means for the redress of them alone, could not be expect­ed to have better effect than the application of a Plaister to a deep and ulcerous Wound. Here is so great a con­currence of so many and various evil Symptoms, and parti­cular immediate Causes conspiring to cross and disappoint us, as is a plain Indication of some more secret and power­ful common cause influencing all. They are men of no very clear, (but clouded) Minds, or of no very strict Observation, who having any considerable time been conversant with Men and Business in the World, do not feel in themselves, and perceive in others, that the most minute concerns of men, are under the Conduct and Re­gimen of certain invisible Powers. Though Providence and Industry often succeed, yet we see them often de­feated; and lucky and unlucky Hits, as we call them, and those many times unaccountable, prevail above and against both; and that not once or twice, but in a long course together. And had we but the understanding of Balaam's Ass, we might discern, that an Angel of the Lord is standing in our way to stop our Progress; and that this great change, is indeed Mutatio dextrae Altissimi. Israel hath sinned and transgressed, and therefore cannot prosper: Our strength is departed from us, and we are become like other men: Neither will it return, unless the cursed thing be found out and removed. This there­fore is our business, which this change of success loudly calls us to, to find out the Sin that keeps good things from us, and to dissipate the Cloud that intercepts the benign Influences of Heaven. And to that end, it will be fit to return to that Period of the Revolutien, the Exit of King James, and the Arrival of the Prince at the Roval Pa­lace, and the confines of the Metropolis of the Nation, and consider what Indications have since occurred.

Here he was met and attended by most of the Nobi­lity, and a numerous concourse of the Gentry and People [Page 14]of all Ranks and Qualities, from all parts of the Nati­on. And the very next Lord's Day, were the following ADMONITIONS very sealonably given to him, and to all then present, from the Pulpit; and soon after by his Highnes's special Command, to all others from the Press, by a Person of great Name, who having shewed from the amazing Concurrence of Pro­vidence in the late Revolution, that it was the LORD's DOING, he makes some Reflections upon it.

One whereof he thus Expresseth:

P. 22. If we will carry on, and perfect this Marvellous WORK OF GOD, we must study to be such, that God may not repent him of the good which he seems to have prepared for us. While we are under such a happy Influence of Heaven, we must not RAISE UP SUCH AN INTERPOSITION between it and us, as may not only make us lose this happy Opportunity, but turn it to a Curse by the ill use we may make of it.

Another he Expresseth in these Words:

P. 20. If this WORK OF GOD possess us with the Veneration which is due to it, We ought NOT TO STOP THE COURSE OF IT, till it has had its full Effect; nor to DAUB matters by slight and palliating Re­medies. We see now before us the most GLORIOUS BEGINNING of a noble Change of the whole face of Affairs, both with relation to Religion, and the Peace of Europe, that we could have wish'd for. It is so far beyond our Hopes, that we durst scarce let our Wishes go so far: We may, if we are not wanting to our selves, and to the Conjunctures before us, hope to see that which may be accord­ing to the Prophetick Stile, termed a New Heaven, and a New Earth. But if a Spirit of Jealousie and Murmuring, of Impatience and Faction, and of returning back to that out of which God has so signally extricated us, grows up; so that instead of reaping the Fruits that we have now in Prospect, [Page 15]we have not Souls big enough, nor Hearts good enough to carry this on to Perfection, then we may justly fear our being DEIVERED UP to all those Evils from which we will not be healed, &c. And a little after, There is scarce any INDICATION more certain of the Sins of a Nation being grown up to that height, that it must be destroyed, than the MISCARRIAGE of so great a Deliverance as God has wrought for us, which will be an Eternal Blot on the Wisdom of the Nation, &c.

Again: P. 24. In order to the preventing the return of the like Evils, We must avoid the RELAPSING into the like Sins. It is neither the Ʋnion nor Wisdom of Councils, nor the Strength of Fleets or Armies, that will secure us from the Judgments of God, which we may expect will fall upon us with an extraordinary redoubling, of seven times heavier than any thing that we have yet seen or known, if those that are filthy, will be filthy still.—If Men think that their Fears are over, and that therefore they may give themselves up to work Wickedness without Restraint; then we may justly ex­pect a return of the like, if not of greater Miseries.

And toward the Conclusion: P. 31. If in all that we do, we take not Care to have God ever on our Sides, it will be easie for him to blast all Councils, and to defeat even the greatest and best laid Designs. We have now be­fore our Eyes one of the signallest Instances that is in any History, of the Instability of all humane things, &c. Per­haps, some may imagine that we are safe, because we can­not be dashed on the same Rock, about which we see so great a Shipwreck: But alas! If we provoke God to hide his Face, and to withdraw his Protection from us, his Ways are past finding out: He can bring Ruine and Destruction on us from that Hand, from which perhaps we apprehend the least. If Prosperity and Success blow any up, and make them for­get God, and all the Vows that they made to him, he will never want Means and Methods to make them return to them­selves, and to remember him.

To these I will subjoyn one more delivered by the same Person upon the solemn Occasion of the Corona­tion, in these Words:

Page 3. Those who are raised up to a high Eminence of Dignity, are so much the more accountable both to God and Man, not only for all the Ill, which either they themselves, or others acting in their Name, or by their Example may have done; but likewise for all the Good which they might have done, but did not. And as they have much to answer for to God, so likewise men expect much from them. &c.

These are all truths, and so plain truths, that there need­ed no extraordinary Spirit of Prophesie to reveal them: and yet I doubt not but we may say truly, This spake he not of himself, but being ordered to preach on such occasi­on, he prophesied. If we believe that this great work was the work of God, in whose hand are the hearts of all men, why should we question but he who directed the Wind at Sea, directed also now at their arrival here, the motions of this mans heart to so seasonable and necessary Admoni­tions for the farther promotion of that work, which he had so eminently favoured hitherto? And the great change in the progress of affairs, which we have since seen, confirms the same, inasmuch as it shews the Admo­nitions to have been not a little necessary. And if that be so, it is the more likely that some Miscarriage there hath been, contrary not only to certain Duties, but to some such particular express Admonition; which is a great aggravation of that fault, which hath had the un­happy effect to raise up such an Interposition between the happy Influence of Heaven and us.

The next thing then to be enquired is whose, and what this Miscarriage may be? The persons concerned in the Success and Management both were the Prince himself, his Counsellors, Ministers, and those about him, and among them he especially who gave those Admonitions, the Convention, the Army and the Navy; in the Success alone the people of these Nations, the Church of England, and the Confederates beyond Sea, whose Design is as much affected with it as the concern of any other. But whoever else might be concerned in the Fault, because the Prince was not only principally concerned in the Success and Management both, but had before been made so glo­rious an Instrument that nothing could stop his Advance, it is not reasonable to believe that he should have been at all deserted by the propitious Powers of Heaven, without some Offence given by himself, either by his own Act or Neglect, or by Participation with some other. And to discover that, what it might be, is a matter of great importance, and requires no less Fidelity in any man to endeavour it, than Skill to do it effectually; Fidelity to God, to himself now King, to his Country, and Good Will to a most just and honourable Cause, and to all con­cerned in it. And all this I hope is ground enough for plain dealing,

I cannot think of this King without thinking also of his Predecessors in the Throne of these Kingdoms, from whom he is personally descended, and now succeeds in their Estate: Had he been only personally descended from them, he had not been so far concerned in the Fate of their Family; but having now accepted their Seat and Right, he thereby succeeds in their Obligations, and must either discharge their Debt by Reformation of what they have in that Capacity done amiss, or bear their Iniquity, and succeed also in their Punishment. They had all the Fa­vour of Providence in their access to the Throne, and some of them in a special manner, even beyond their Ex­pectation [Page 18]or Hope; but none more than this. But they all deserted imprudently the Conduct, and ungratefully the Service of that benign Providence, and following their own ways, were thereupon deserted by it, and Rehoboam-like left to the unsound and pernicious Counsels of Flat­terers, and unfaithful self-seeking Favourites, who for their own sinister ends divided the Common Cause, and set up a Separate Interest of Prerogative against Law, and King against the People, and turned the Court and Church into a Combined Faction. This hath been the Stumbling Stone and Rock of Offence to all the former; and I know not any thing that can be more dangerous to this, and if he be not well aware of it, to the remainder of that Royal Family, if not to Monarchy it self in this Nation.

This is a matter of so great consequence for the Peace and Prosperity both of King and People to be well under­stood, that it deserves a more particular consideration. And these two Observations will make it very plain and apparent. 1. It is certain that by the Constitution of our Government the King can legally do very little, but by the Advice of some legal Council. The Councils, by whose Advice he is to proceed, are 1. The Great Council of the Kingdom, the Parliament. 2. The Lords, who are Conciliarii Nati. 3. The Kings Council for matters of Law, anciently consisting of other and more persons, besides the Judges and Sergeants, than now are consulted with: And 4. The Privy Council. But Secret Cabals and Cabinet Councils of Favourites are neither agreeable to the English Constitution, nor have been ever successful, but always pernicious and destructive, to such Kings as have most re­lyed on them. In what is done by advice of Legal Coun­cil, the King is always, and ought to be, excused, and the advisers answerable for it: But what is done by illegal Councils, is imputed to the King himself, and usually produceth Discontents in the people. And of this was K. Ch. II. very sensible, when in his Declaration Apr. 20 [Page 19]1679. he tells the Privy Council, He is sorry for the ill success he hath found in this course, and sensible of the ill po­sture of affairs, from that, and some unhappy Accidents, which have raised great Jealousies and Dissatisfaction among his good Subjects, and thereby left the Crown and Government in a condition too weak for those dangers we have reason to fear both at home and abroad. And then declaring his Hopes that those evils may be prevented by a course of wise and steady Councels for the future, and these Kingdoms grow again to make such a figure as they have formerly done in the World, and as they may always do, if our ƲNION and CON­DƲCT were equal to our Force; and his Resolution to that end to lay aside the use he had made of any single Ministry or private Advisers, and to constitute such a Privy Council, as for number and choice may be fit, and to govern by con­stant Advice of such a Council together with the frequent use of his great Council of Parliament; he adds, which he takes to be the true Ancient Constitution of this State and Government. The mode was before, and soon taken up again, to draw the Orders, matters of greatest moment being first resolved in a private Cabal, as made by the King in Council, instead of by advice of the Council; and to prefix the Names of all present, instead of each, who consented to them, subscribing his own; so that none could be charged with what was done but the King himself; which was no less prejudicial to the King and Kingdom, than contrary to ancient custome and the good Polity of our Ancestors.

The other observation is this: What at first, and for some time, was ordered by the Assemblies of Christians, the Clergy in process of time assumed to themselves to order alone: and what was then done by the Common Coun­cil of the Clergy, the Bishops afterward assumed to them­selves alone with their Chancellors. And in some ages after the Bishops of Rome made the like Encroachments upon the Right of all, especially in matters of most ad­vantage, [Page 20]as the disposing of Bishopricks, &c. At last Hen. 8. with us perceiving the injustice of the Papal usur­pations, instead of restoring things to the right and ori­ginal Institution, so far prevailed with his Parliament, as to get all annexed to the Crown. And no doubt this was thought a special acquest, and much for the advantage of the King and his Successors: but it proved like ill got­ten goods, a pernicious morsel. For it soon excited the most aspiring of the Clergy to seek by Flatteries to obtain their Favour, who had the disposal of the great Preferments of the Church. This soon produced false Notions con­cerning the Royal Power; and the interest of those who designed that Profession made those Notions easily swal­lowed without much examination; till at last the very youth in the Universities were levened with them: and being so early seasoned therewith, they could not but take deep root in many honest and well-meaning persons. Again, this must needs have the like influence upon Kings, who are of themselves as apt to assume, as Flatterers are to attribute, whatever tends to the enlargement of their Power. On the other side, the greatest part of the Nation, that is all, who have no temptation to Flattery, well knowing their own Rights, could not be wheadled out of them with mistaken Names and groundless Notions. And from these two Roots have sprung that combined Faction, which hath so long and often occasioned the shaking this Throne with such violent concussions, and will undoubt­edly overturn it, if things be not restored in time to their right order.

And to prevent so great a mischief, it may be farther serviceable to observe the Difference between this Faction, or the Factious Church of England, and the true Church of England. For as the Church of Rome arrogates to it self the Name and Title of Catholick, and excludes all others who are not of that Communion, from any right to it, and yet is it self at best, but a part of that which is indeed [Page 21]the Catholick Church; so the great Zealots for this Faction, under the Name of the Church of England, will hardly deign the Name of Church of England men, to any who run not to the same excess with themselves; though if the matter be rightly computed, they will not be found so great a part of those who do justly come under that deno­mination, much less of the People and Strength of this Na­tion, as they may seem to some, and would be thought to be. For of those, who are not inferiour to any either in Conformity to the Church, both in Doctrine and Worship, and that not out of any sneaking or crafty com­pliance, but judgment and choice; or in true Loyalty and Fidelity to the King in his Just and Legal Rights; they are as little inferiour in Number or Interest, who notwithstanding, preferring Christianity it self before any particular Church, and a compleat genuine Loyalty to the intire State and Constitution, before a partial pretend­ed Loyalty to any party in it, do not think themselves obliged, either by any Duty to the present Church, to neglect the great Duties of Christianity, Charity, and reasonable condescention in things indifferent; or by my Reverence to Ancestors, to neglect what is necessary at this time, as well for Peace and Unity, as for supply and improvement of what they themselves had begun, and declare was not then compleat and perfect: Or lastly, by any partial Loyalty, or even Oath of Fidelity to the King (which extends but to his just Rights, and those too for the benefit of the whole, so that he cannot alienate or al­ter them at his own pleasure) to desert the Rights of their Country, and the confessed true ancient Constitution of the State and Government. And these solid Principles being grounded upon Truth and Justice, wherein another great part of the Nation is equally concerned, must needs prevail at last against the false pretences of a violent Facti­on, which hath no other support but Ambition, Avarice and Animosity, animated by the Favour or Compliance [Page 22]of flattered, easie, and deceived Prince, though they create no little disturbance for some time, for the enjoy­ment of their great beloved Diana. Besides, if we consider the tendency of the Motions of the Divine Pro­vidence at this time, it is not likely that our Lord will much longer suffer such unprofitable Servants in his Vine­yard, but spue out the Laodicean Faction out of his mouth, unless they speedily mend their manners. But to return

The Arm of God, that is his Divine Providence, was not less apparent in that Revolution, which restored King Charles II. than in this, which hath brought this King to the Throne; nor less obliging. Nor were the oppor­tunities then less than now, which were put into his hands to have made himself and these Kingdoms happy; but he insensible of that Illustrious Providence, and regardless of his Word, gave up himself to Sensuality, aery phansies, and crafty Policies, and most ungratefully by an evil ex­ample, transfused a torrent of all kind of Vice, Fraud, Injustice, Profaneness, Contempt of Religion, and all manner of impudent Wickedness, all over the Nation. And all this descended as a charge upon his Successor, either to be expunged and discharged by solemn Humiliation and effectual Reformation, or to be answered and born by himself in the Measure of Punishment and Affliction to be laid upon him. But this was a matter which had too much of the Influences and Approbation of his own party, to be checked or restrained by him. On the contrary, it was by him aggravated with additions of such violences and bare-fac'd bold illegal attempts, and those for so un­grateful an end, the restitution of the Romish Abomina­tions, as his Brother had either more consideration, or less courage, than ever to venture upon, till the Land cast him out; those very Persons, who had basely betrayed him into those mischiefs, by pretences of Loyalty, and magnifying Prerogative above the Law and the Truth, and by flatterring Addresses, being many as forward as [Page 23]any to conspire against him, when their own Interest was touched, and others to come into the prevailing Party; and will likewise betray, whoever they are, who shall trust or rely upon them.

This was the State, in which the Prince at his Arrival found this Kingdom: And if this was the Marvellous work of God to bring him hither, we may easily perceive from hence what was the Princes Work for which he was brought. Shall we think it was to drive out Popery and Arbitrariness, that we might injoy our Rights, and there­with the greater Liberty to profane a purer Religion, and by impudent violation of it, bring all Religion into con­tempt? No, no, these were but such accessions of the Principal Evil, as made way for the ejection of that un­happy deluded Prince, as well for neglect of his Duty, in not restraining the over-spreading Impiety and Wick­edness of the Nation, as for his own additional transgres­sions. And if after all it be not now reformed, it will certainly prove such a Canker and Root of bitterness, as will soon grow up to produce the like evil fruit again of it self, without any such additionals. For can any one imagine that the Abominations of Debauchery and Im­piety can be less offensive to the most Holy God, than the Abominations of Popery? Or that the Popish Super­stitions, Errours, and Impostures, can be more offen­sive to him than impudent and presumptious violation, and notorious profanation of a purer Religion, and open contempt of all? If not, then the Reformation of those Impieties and Wickedness, which have over-spread the Nation, but especially the Nobility and Gentry, and most of all the Army, which soon submitted to him, was a special and principal part of his Work, which he was conducted, and as it were, led by the hand to do. And therefore plainly without more saying, by neglect of this was the Fault committed: In this was the stop put to the course of this Work of God: This was the Good, [Page 24]which might have been done but was not, and is therefore to be accounted for both to God and Man: This neglect it being one of the great sins of the former Kings, was therefore now a Relapse into the same: This was a neglect, of Care to have God ever on our side: And by this was the Interposition raised between the happy influence of Heaven and us: A fault committed against a great Duty, after so admirable a Divine Conduct to it, and so many express and weighty Cautions and Admonitions.

And yet this is not all, for the same Divine Provi­dence, which so seasonably gave him these Adminitions by one, as seasonably sent him a Specimen of a Delaration against Debauchery by another, with no mean Motives closely couched in a short Letter. It was Composed ac­cording to the Princes Authority, and the State of Affairs as it then was, the expressions of command directed only to the Armies and Souldiery, who were properly subject to his Command, what had respect to the Civil Magi­strate or future Parliament, in expressions only of hope and expectation. And as much as this might have been done by any General of an Army; but God with the success, he had given to him, had given him also that Authority and Re­spect in the minds of all men, which would have extended the Effect of such a Declaration to those to whom it was not directed; and he would also undoubtedly, had the Prince but first declar'd, and then shewed his Resolution by destributing his Favours according to mens Conformity thereunto, have made all as quietly comply therewith, as he made the Army submit to his Power, and have made this second atchievement no less Glorious to him than the former, not only for confirmation, but augmentation also of his Honour and Authority. His very Presence should have dispersed the Wickedness of this Nation; and the Divine Presence should have continued with him, and have given him Rest and Happiness. But here was the Fault, an unhappy, though I hope not yet fatal, fault committed.

The Wise Governour of the World, whom he calls out to any special Service, them he usually, if not always, leads to some special Tryal of their Fidelity; wherein, if they acquit themselves well, he makes them afterward very happy and prosperous, but if ill, either wholly lays them aside, or leaves them to great difficulties, till they recover themselves by Repentance, and some very gene­rous Act of Fidelity. This Declaration was presented to him the same day in the morning, on which the Lords in the afternoon presented him with an Address to accept of the Administration till a free Parliament could be as­sembled. That both these proposals were presented to him on the same day, was not without the Disposal of the Divine Providence. The one was for the Honour and Ser­vice of God, the other in appearance for his own Honour; and both made up a plain compleat Trial. And the latter he accepted; but the former hath been neglected to this day. The cause of such neglect is principally either the Fascination of Prosperity, which disposeth men to forget God, or the Deceitfulness of Worldly Wisdom, which be­trays them to forsake him, and apply themselves to ordi­nary sensible means to secure what they do in fact prefer before him. When these two meet they make a strong Temptation; but against both he had the fresh Experience of the Favour of God, and of the irresistable Power of the Divine Providence over him, and making all things easy and plain before him; and this made the fault the great­er and more inexcusable.

Nor is this so small and inconsiderable a matter as sen­sual men may be apt to think it, which possibly may be the better perceived if we take notice more distinctly of the several particular Ingredients comprehended in it, and how aptly certain like particulars, of which the unhappi­ness of this Change is composed, do correspond to them. And first, if we consider it only as a Neglect of Duty and Desertion for the present of a principal part of the Work, to [Page 26]which he was led in so extraordinary a manner by the propitious Providence of God, is it not as plain that that propitious Providence, which before made his Progress so exceeding smooth, easie, and successful, hath in like man­ner since either deserted, or so neglected his affairs, that all have either gone back, stood still, or proceeded very slowly. Secondly, as this Neglect was also a matter of Ʋnfaithfulness in his Lords Service, in which he was as a special Instrument, employed and intrusted; so never was Unfaithfulness more notorious, than in the occurrences of this last year, in such as were employed and intrusted un­der him, as is commonly believed, and shall be discovered in its causes hereafter. Thirdly, it was a Neglect of his Honour, who had conferred by so extraordinary success, so much Honour and Reputation upon him; and such change of success is usually attended with proportionable diminu­tion of Honour and Reputation. Lastly, here was (the Root of all) a Desertion of Dependance and Trust in that potent Providence, which had favoured him hitherto in so extraordinary a manner, and recourse to deceitful Worldly Wisdom. It was the Unhappiness of King James I. that after an admirable Deliverance from an horrid Popish Conspiracy ready for execution, he applied himself first to connivance, and at last to association with Papists for his security; which contrary to his expectation proved the Original of all the mischiefs, which have since befallen his Family: So likewise this Prince, after as great an ex­perience of the Divine Providence over him, lest the Kingdom should return to King James, thought to deal wisely with them, and (after Hushai's advice) defer this great Work, first till the Kingdom should be settled, and then when he was Proclaimed King, till Ireland should be reduced, and he should have sufficient Power (an Arm of Flesh) to do it effectually, and in the mean time try what effect a good example and kindness, intrusting them with Offices and Employments in State, Army and Navy, [Page 27]would have upon such vitious people in the end, which in like manner, contrary to his expectation, hath proved the Original of all the Impediments and Disappointments in his affairs. O that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! I should soon have subdued their Enemies, and turned my hand against their Adversaries. The Haters of the Lord (the Profane and Debauched) should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever. Psal. 81.13. Now would the Lord have established thy Kingdom upon Israel for ever. 1 Sam. 13.13.

This was the Root of the Miscarriage: Hast thou not pro­cured this unto thy self, in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way? Jer. 2.17. From hence hath plainly proceeded this great change of the former prosperous course of Affairs into so disturbed, im­pedited and unsuccessful, even by a natural Chain of Cau­ses after the first breach, but those moved and promoted (by the Divine Permission) by other invisible Powers than those which gave that great success before. The presence of so favourable a Providence, ought to have been an­swered with a proportionable Magnanimity, Resolution and Constancy, in dependance upon that Divine Power; but in such a case, to stoop to compliance to those, who ought to have been awed and subdued, is dishonourable, and a great offence to those Divine Powers: And if those be once provok'd to withdraw, a man sinks presently under the Power of them, who otherwise should have been subject to him. And by this Fault without doubt, and his acceptance of their State, did this Prince enter into the Fate of his Ancestors of this Nation, and will be daily more and more involved therein, until it either prove fatal to him, or he by Repentance and some Mag­nanimous and resolute change of his course and methods, extricate himself.

And it is very observable that he not only fell by the same Sin, but fell into the very same Faction, which for the four last Reigns successively, have by their Flatteries of Princes for their private advantage, and provocations of the people by Tricks, illegal Projects and Practices, brought all those mischiefs which we have seen and felt, upon both: Whereas both civil Prudence, and Duty to God, i. e. Fidelity to the Conduct of his Providence, re­quired that he should have maintained the Reputation and Authority he was raised to, made himself Umpire of all Parties, restrained the Excesses, and discouraged the Inso­lences of each, and with a mixture of Authority and equal Kindness to all, reduced them as near as might be to a Union, at least to a mutual agreement in matters of common concern. But by the course of Affairs, he seems to have been rather passive than active in the manage­ment thereof; and what Counsels prevailed therein may by the same also be perceived.

Nor was it only into the same Faction that he fell, but into the hands of those very Persons, who in the Reign of King Charles the Second (for under King James they were overtopp'd by others) were the principal Advi­sers and Managers in those illegal Projects, and now be­ing conscious of their own Guilt and Desert, have by them­selves and their tools, not only hitherto obstructed Justice, upon the betrayers of their King and Country, to the great disparagement of the present Settlement, but ani­mated such a mungrel party, and therewith filled many Offices of the Revenue, Army and Navy, as are real and hearty neither to this nor the former King, but intending only their own safety or advantage, are disposed to act, as in a doubtful case, so as may best serve their turn, which ever prevail. And from this sort of people have proceed­ed most of the Rubs and Difficulties in our Proceedings; and among such, it could not be hard for some of the Agents of King James to creep in.

But as when men do not closely and fully follow the Di­vine Conduct, if they be but a little deserted by it, and left to themselves, they are immediately exposed to vari­ous miscarriages; so there was another miscarriage of his Ancestors, into whibh he likewise fell, if what is common­ly affirmed and believed is true, which proved a great inlet unto all sorts, and the very worst of men, into Offi­ces and Employments, and that was permitting the Sale of Offices and Places; or granting them at the sollicitation of such as did it for money; and which is worse yet, such as were strangers, and utterly unacquainted with Persons and their Qualities. This could not but expose very con­siderable Places to the Agents, not only of King James, but of the French King, to be purchased with his money (which of late is become more common here than ever) no dout but for his own advantage. He is believed to have been a good Chapman to those who were before in places to do him but some particular service; and therefore to get in such as were intirely at his service, he would un­doubtedly be much more liberal; but especially under such a juncture of affairs, when the Purchase of our Diver­sion in Ireland but for this last Summer, was worth for ought I know as much as half his Kingdom.

Now from such people as by these means might be, and undoubtedly were, let into places of great importance, what can be expected less than all Ʋnfaithfulness and Trea­chery imaginable? and what less from that, than such Success and Disappointments as we have met with? And what is a more natural product of that, especially when it proceeds either immediately or originally from a mans own oversight or miscarriage, than Dishonour and Con­tempt? or a juster provocation of the Divine Majesty to cause or permit it to befal them, than their neglect of his Honour and Service? He poureth Contempt upon Princes, and weakeneth the strength of the Mighty, Job 12.21. Psal. 107.40. They that honour me I will honour, but they that [Page 30]despise me shall be lightly esteemed, 1 Sam. 2.30. So easily can the most Wise and Powerful God, when he pleaseth, cause a just punishment in all circumstances of Mens Mis­carriages to proceed even naturally from some small insen­sible beginning in their own actions. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: Know therefore and see, &c. Jer. 2.19.

And yet to give some gentle admonitions, that there was more than meerly natural in it, he was pleased to in­termix some occurrences of a distinguishing Previdence. Such was that brave, undaunted, and admirably successful Resistance of all the Assaults of King James his Force in a close Siege, for near Twelve Weeks together, by those poor unexperienced and undisciplined, but sober and serious people of London-Derry: Such the magnanimous and suc­cessful Attacks of the Irish Forces by those of Inniskiling: Whereas the Famous General Schomberg, with all his dis­ciplin'd Forces of the old Army, and his experienc'd and lately successful Forreign Forces, had not the power to hurt or attack the Irish Army, which lay encamped so long together almost by his side: And such was that in Scotland, when one single new-raised Regiment bore the brunt, and defeated the same Force which before had beaten the Gene­ral there with several Regiments of the old Army.

And it is very observable to this purpose, how little ser­viceable either to King James in England, or to King Willi­liam in Ireland, those poor creatures of that dissolute Army have been; whose provoking sins, by a generous mixture of Authority, and Encouragement to reform, might have been restrained at first, and in a great measure cured, to the Honour of God, and greater Service in this Cause? But on the contrary, many of them there, languishing in their Iniquities, and Corporal Sickness together, have only helped to consume our Provisions, and are daily consumed by Death, and swallowed up of the Earth; the Merciful God being constrained to purge the Land by degrees by his se­verer [Page 31]methods, while inconsiderate men neglect to be the Instruments of his milder. A pitiful and deplorable Case indeed; which I cannot think on without sad Reflections upon him to whom this matter was so early recommended, with no inconsiderable, though very plain admonitions relating to his Station.

And I do the rather take notice of this here, because this Person was, of all Men, next to the Prince himself, concerned in this matter, in regard as well of the Circum­stances he then was in, as of that special Recommendation of a matter of so great consequence to his care. Whoever was the Person by whom it was recommended, it was un­doubtedly by the secret direction of the same Providence which directed his Admonitions, and no less obliged him, than those did them to whom they were delivered. If he did faithfully discharge the Duty of his Circumstances as he ought, he hath the less to answer for: but then that is an unhappy Ingredient in this case. But if he did not, but instead of the personal, plain and powerful Admonitions and Perswasions of a judicious and faithful Divine, he took up with the prudential Considerations of a Statesman or Politician; and instead of imminding the Prince of his great Duty of attendance to the Conduct of that power­ful Providence which attended him, and of exciting him to a magnanimous prosecution of that glorious work to which it led him; he prudentially misled him to stop at the Bait which lay in his way, and daubing, even stoop to raise such as oppos'd him, and by compliance, animate a mungrel Party; he disabled the Prince by lowering his Authority, hath unhappily retarded, if not deseated a prin­cipal part of the Glorious Work which God had laid before us, and must be accountable both to God and Man for all the Good he might have done, and did not, and for all the Evil which hath followed upon this neglect; and the more, because contrary to his own Admonitions.

True Divinity is much different from the Notional, Schismatical and Polemick, in which a man may be very ready, and have besides a great furniture of other Reading, Oratory, and all kind of Polite Learning, as they call it, enough to make him look big, and be admired in the World, and yet be very unskilful in the other. It is a Di­vine Wisdom, a quick Understanding in the Fear of the Lord, not to be learned in Schools, but taught of God, a Divine Ray cast into, and kindly received in a well purified Soul; which gives it a clear, distinct Sight, and true Esti­mate of the different value and worth of things; an Ab­horrence of what is really Evil, a Contempt of what is splendid and gaudy, but empty and vain, the Pomps and Vanities of the World; and a just Esteem of all that is really Good, according to their different degrees: of God above all, and therefore with a great care and concern for his Honour and Service; of the blessed Creatures above us, that they may be gratified, and not grieved or offend­ed; and of the Souls of Men, that they may be rescued from Perdition; but of the Temporal Concerns of Men, as they are subservient to this: directs it to act as a Child of Light, discerning what is acceptable to the Lord, and what is displeasing to him. It is not to be attained by Men, whose affections are intaglned in the things of the World, nor constantly enjoyed by such as are immersed in the business of it: and yet without it, no man, let his Na­tural Parts, his acquired Accomplishments, his Degree in Holy Orders, and his Preferments in the Church be what they will, can be a true Divine; but is in truth so much the greater Impostor, appearing in Habit and External Form what he really is not; a carnal, sensual or animal man at the best, not having the good Spirit, but in many things obnoxious to the Impressions and Deceits of the subtle Evil one; and therefore most dangerous to Princes and Persons concerned in the great Affairs of the World, to be relied on. But this I intend only for a general Cau­tion, [Page 33]not to reflect upon any particular person, much less upon him before mentioned: for I do not know how he may have behaved himself.

But of those about the King, they who have been accessa­ry to this Summer's ill Success, especially by evil Counsels, or Recommendations of evil Men, may be best known to himself. It is true, at his first coming he was under a great disadvantage, that he had not so full knowledge of persons as was necessary for the State of his Affairs: but such hath been the business which since hath been in agitation, as cannot but have given him a competent Experimental Knowledge of those who have been concerned in the most important parts thereof. If he do but consider the Success of his Affairs, and then recollect by whom, and whose Counsel or Recommendation they were managed, he may in a good measure perceive the Disposition of the persons, and what they designed or aimed at.

Of the Parliament I have already mentioned some things with respect to the unsuccessful and retarded course of our Proceedings: We are now enquiring into the Original and first Cause of this great Change, which is not to be impu­ted to the King only: The Parliament also have been Prin­cipals in it, and that by great and notorious defects of Re­ligion, Gratitude and Piety towards God; and of Justice, Charity, Providence, and Unanimity and Courage for their Country. They are the Representative Body of the Nation: To them it belonged to have well considered the admirable Mercy and Favour of God in our late Delive­rance, and to have made return of real Gratitude, and not put off that with a superficial Formality; to have well con­sidered the defiled and sinful State of the Nation, as well as the State of its Affairs, and to have endeavoured the Recovery of the Favour and Blessing of God upon those, by an essectual Purgation and Reformation of that; and to have begun with some good Orders for correction of the Profaneness and dissolute Manners of their own Mem­bers; [Page 34]which had been an Act of Charity and Providence for the good of their Country and of themselves, as well as of Religion and Gratitude to God. For his Blessing is not to be expected upon their Consultations now, till the Impieties and Wickedness of their own Members be reform­ed or removed. And to them it belonged also to have made some Examples by Justice upon the Betrayers of the Rights of their Country, as well to assert the Justice of their own Proceedings against the late King, as to prevent encouragement to the like Practices for the future by their Connivance. And to them it belonged to have made a timely Enquiry into the Mismanagement of Affairs, whe­ther by Ministers, Counsellors, Officers, or by the King himself; and to have plainly, that is, faithfully represented the same to the King, and desired Redress of what had been done amiss by himself, and proceeded against the rest ac­cording to their desert. This was their Duty: This had been like a true English Parliament: And this doing, we might have expected God's Blessing: For he favours not the Wicked nor Fools, who mind not their own business. But such a Pusillanimity and Baseness has possessed our Par­liaments of late, since the dissolute Manners were so en­couroged by Ch. II. that they have been more apt to complement away the Rights of their Country, to gra­tifie the Humour of the King, and the Safety and Honour of the King himself, to please his Minions and Favourites, than do any honest, faithful and generous Act for the pre­servation and real benefit of either.

Before I quite leave the Parliament it may be fit to re­member the Bishops, who make a part thereof, and in this case deserve a special Consideration. They are the Chief Governours of this Church: To them it belongs by their Office to take care of the Manners of the People, to be concerned at great, common and notorious National Sins, to admonish and importune the Civil Magistrate; and be­ing moreover Members of Parliament, to propose and pro­mote [Page 35]good Laws, for the Correction and Reformation thereof. And all matters of Religion do so peculiarly be­long to their Care, that the Neglects before mentioned in the King and in the Parliament, are with no less Reason, but rather more especially chargeable upon them. And it is an ill sign of the great prevalence of Impiety and Wickedness in the State or Parliament it self, if they durst not, or of Laodicean Coldness and insensibility in them­selves, if they would not; for certain it is they did not do in their station in the House, what so singular a Mercy of God, the so sinful State of the Nation, this late great Change we have suffered in the course of our Affairs, and the present cloudy Face of things do so plainly require. Such a Neglect at such a time as this, may justly move us to reflect upon former times, and the many and great Advantages, Opportunities, Occasions and Provocations they have long had to do Good both at home and abroad; and considering notwithstanding how little hath been done, to suspect that Constantiue's Poyson hath some Lethargick or Narcotick Vertue in it to benum the Nerves, and stupifie the Spirits and Life of Zeal and Devotion in such as taste but a little too deep of it. And of this, to what is already mentioned, I will add Two fresh Instances of my own knowledge: the one of a great Clergy-man, who having well providod for himself in the World before elsewhere, and besides gotten good Preferment here, could yet permit, though admo­nish'd of it, the Propagation of Religion among his own Countreymen to go a begging here for so small a Relief and Assistance as he himself might very well have suppli­ed: The other of some Dignified Persons of considerable Note in the Church, who when a well affected Lay-man out of pity to Forty or Fifty Thousand Souls, had consi­dered and proposed to have the Care of so great a Parish committed to some man of a Primitive Christian Disposi­tion, who contenting himself with a reasonable share of [Page 34] [...] [Page 35] [...] [Page 36]the Profits, would have distributed the rest among as ma­ny young Curates as it would maintain, whereby both the needs of the people might have been better supplied, and those Persons by their mutual advices and assistance in such a Work, the better fitted and prepared for the Cure of Souls in Parishes of their own, yet were pleased to in­terpose for the Presentation, and so far as to obtain it at least from another Competitor in no commendable man­ner, for one who had at that time a good Parsonage, a good Lecture, and a good Prebend, as a Preferment for him.

Such Scuffling for Preferments in the Church is a great Scandal to many ingenious Lay-Spectators, to suspect the Sincerity of those who take upon them to be Preachers of the Gospel, and yet discover so little of the Power and Effects thereof in their own Actions. And this cannot but greatly obstruct the good effect of all their Preaching upon such. It is also a great Temptation to one of the greatest and most common immediate causes of most of our Mischiess, both publick and private, Over-valuation and Greediness of the Supersluities of the things of this World, which all their Preaching can never cure, while it is daily confirmed and heightned, by such Examples. And from the same root doth proceed all that Pharizaical Zeal for the Church, and Jealousie and Dread of the least alteration, though never so reasonable and necessary, in many, who shew little sense of Religion in any thing else, which hath long disturbed both Church and State, and doth at this time expose both to danger. These things being observed, together with so great coldness in the weighty matters of the Law, cannot but cool the affecti­ons of their best friends to them; and avert the favour both of God and Man from them. This therefore we may reasonably look upon as one of the Original and Provoking Causes of this Stop and Change of the late Happy course of Affairs. Thou sayest I am rich and increa­sed [Page 37]with Goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind? Be zealous therefore and repent.

Concerning our Judges and Civil Magistrates I have lit­tle to say: Our Courts of Justice are so well filled with such Persons, as the Profession of the Law doth not afford better than most of them are; only few of those who are in were more worthily preferred, than one, whom I need not name, was unworthily left out. His personal Worth doth well qualifie him for that Service; and his singular Merit, in his generous appearing for the Service of his Country, in occasions of greatest difficulty, did most justly claim it: and however it came to pass, certainly no man of Vertue and Ingenuity would ever oppose it.

But because Corruption and Abuses in great Places, be­sides other mischiefs are of pernicious consequence by their Example, I think fit to take notice of one which de­serves Correction, because it not only concerns divers great Lords, but is obstinately persisted in contrary to the Opi­nion and Advice of Mr. Atturney himself. And if the Lords will pass by such an abuse to themselves, I know not what people of inferiour Quality may expect in time. It is the needless and illegal Charge they are put to, before they can be inserted into the Commission of the Peace of any County for Custos Protulorum. I need but name it.

As to the Army and Navy, the Seamen are generally honest, and true to their Country and the Protestant Re­ligion, and many among them sober and serious people; but a great part of their Officers, and the Land Army, who were nearer the influence of the evil Examples at the Court, are generally so dissolute and debauched, that it is not to be believed that God will ever be with them, or prosper them, but rather by degrees waste and consume them, till he has wholly purged the Land of them; and therefore so unhappy a Company of people amongst us, must needs make us unprosperous and unsuccessful, till they be either destroyed or reformed.

Concerning the Body of the People of England, though [Page 38]the unhappy effects of the pernicious Examples at Court have reach'd all Ranks and Degrees amongst us, yet have they been most prevalent upon such as were nearer in degree or converse to it; so that the lower Ranks of men, which are most numerous, and the strength of the Nation, though not wholly escaped, have yet been least corrup­ted by them; and were but the Examples of Vertue in our great men now, but any way proportionable to what their Examples of Vice have been for so long past, I do not doubt but they would soon appear again as considerable as heretofore they have done. So that there is little to be noted in them, but what is derived from those above them, and is plainly to be imputed, not more to their neglect of good Examples, good Laws, and good Execu­tion, than to the energy of their wicked, profane, and impious Examples. And these being besides only Passive, and concerned only in the Success, not in the Manage­ment of the Affairs, are not so much to be considered in the case. Nor shall I say any thing of our Confederates beyond Sea. And therefore to draw up the conclusion