the King, and laid the foundation of that ruin which broke out in his fon's time, to the deftruction of this church and nation, and one of the best princes it ever had, would be tedious to relate. Nor need I fay much of the fucceeding reigns, which fo nearly resemble the former, that from the Restoration to our prefent gracious King, the cafe feems to be much the fame as it was from the Reformation to James the First. King Charles the Second had no iffue; and if he was not himself a Papift, his fucceffor was, in whofe time this church and nation were brought to the brink of ruin: and though he had been faved from a bill of exclufion by the interefts and loyalty of the church, yet no fooner was he on the throne, but he imprisoned her bishops, difpensed with her laws, and broke down all the fences that were raised for her fecurity; in which confufion she had utterly perished, had not the providence of God refcued her by the means of a Proteftant prince, happily allied to the Crown of England by marriage, and by birth. In his and his fucceffor's time the eyes of the Popish faction were upon the Pretender to the crown, and all their hopes centred in him. As long as there was any prospect of defeating the Proteftant fucceffion, they kept themselves within bounds, and were contented to work by policy, and not by force: but no fooner did they fee a King of the reformed communion, with a numerous iffue, mounted on the throne, but they threw off the mafk; as they did in the like cafe of James the Firft, attempted directly his deftruction and ruin. And will not all this teach us wherein our true intereft does confift? Fas eft et ab

hofte doceri: if we cannot judge for ourselves, let us learn of our enemies to know wherein to place our fecurity. The two greatest efforts of Popery to bring ruin upon this church and nation by force and violence, have been, one at this time, the other in James the Firft's reign; and their great provocation was, to fee a fucceffion of Proteftant princes likely to be established among us. As this is their fear, fo is it our fecurity. And if we confider the circumftances of times paft, the doubtful condition we have often been in, when our happiness has depended on one fingle life, we fhall have reason to think that Providence has both wifely and mercifully provided for our fafety at this time. When the family of James the First was partly corrupted with Popery, and near being extinguished for want of heirs, how providentially did God preserve one branch free from the infection, from which the prefent royal family is defcended? And yet, to come to that which is the melancholy part of the application, how infenfible do we feem to be of this bleffing! What rebellions, what tumults and riots have we feen in the fhort compafs of this reign! as if the people had forgot not only the care of their King, but of their country, their religion, and themselves: as if the fears of Popery were all vain; as if fuperftition and idolatry, and the very terrors of an inquifition, were the mere delufions of a fick mind. Thefe are the bleflings which fome are contending for; thefe will be the rewards of their pious undertaking to fet up a Popish prince over these kingdoms.

It is an cafier matter to kindle the fires of Popery

and perfecution, than it will be to extinguish them. Should the wishes of fome take place, and a Popish prince prevail over us; and fhould he not be fo good as they vainly expect he will, where will they go next for protection? What prince or family in Europe is left, to which they may fly for fuccour ? The Proteftant religion has its laft fupport; if it fails now, there is no other refuge; and fhould it be once loft in England, it will dwindle every where elfe; Popery will overrun all like a torrent, and we fhall return to a worfe darkness than that from which we came out. If therefore we have any sense of loyalty to our present gracious King; if we have not quite forgot that obedience upon which we have fo long valued ourselves; if we have any concern for our religion and the welfare of our fouls, which depends on it; if we have any natural affection for our country, our friends, our families, or ourselves; let us fhew it by a cheerful and steady obedience to the Prince whom God has fet over us. All these motives plead not so much for him as for ourselves: for if ever obedience to their prince was the true intereft of a people, now is the time it is fo.

The fecond obfervation I made to you, was, that notwithstanding the hopeless profpect of human affairs, the text affords ground of dependence on God.

In this part of our cafe, the application, I blefs God, is made to my hands. His care over us has already appeared, and we are like to be faved, whether we defire it or no.

Let us then raise our hearts to a juft fenfe of our deliverance, that we may unfeignedly adore his

holy name for all his mercies; and let us ftrive together to promote his glory by a conftant and steadfast adherence to the Church established, by a dutiful and ready fubmiffion to our Prince, and by love and charity one among another.

DISCOURSE VI.

MATTHEW iv. 17.

From that time Jefus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

THE defign of this meeting being to promote the propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts; and the fuccefs of this work depending on fuch methods as human prudence can fuggeft, now left deftitute of thofe miraculous affiftances, which the church of Chrift in her infancy enjoyed; the occafion will naturally fuggeft to your thoughts the confideration of the encouragements and difficulties which attend this undertaking; and of the methods proper to attain this end, so much to be defired by every good and pious Chriftian: but yet, fince I fucceed much abler men, who have gone before me in the performance of this duty, and have with great judgment confidered thefe neceffary points; fince alfo I ftand at present before fo many much abler, whose thoughts have long dwelt upon this important fubject; I beg leave to decline the unequal task, and to spend the time allotted me in confidering upon what foot the Gospel firft fet out in the world, when it was published by our bleffed Saviour and