'Laws on our fide. And those who by theis Practices, whatever their Profeffions are, 'have discover'd themfelves Enemies to the Conftitution, and Friends to the Pretender, cannot make a Step farther without being guilty of Treafon, without standing in broad Day light, confeffed Criminals against their injured Queen and Country.

When the People were in a Ferment, when Faction ran high, with irrefiftable Prepof'feffions against every thing in its former Chan'nel, fanguine Men might conceive Hopes of leading them their own Way. But the Build ing erected upon that Quickfand, the Favour of the Multitude, will fink, and be fwal, 6 lowed up by that treacherous Ground on 'which the Foundation was laid.

It is eafie to project the Subverfion of a People, when Men fee them unaccountably, turned for their own Deftruction; but not fo eafie to effect that Ruin, when they are come < to themselves, and are fenfibly and reafonably affected with Thoughts for their Prefervation. We cannot help it, if fo many, Thousands of our brave Brethren, who laid down their Lives against the Power of France, have died in vain; but we inay value our "own Lives dearly, like honeft Men. Whatever may, befall the Glory and Wealth of Great Britain, let us ftruggle to the laft Drop of our Blood for its Religion and Liberty. The Banner under which we are to enter this. Conflict, whenever we are called to it, are the Laws mentioned in this Difcourfe; when we do not keep them in Sight, we have no Colours to fly to, no Difcipline to preferve

σ

us,

· us, but are devoted, and have given our felves up to Slaughter and Confufion.

While we act manfully under them, we ' have Reason to expect the Bleffing and Affiftance of Heaven on its own Cause, which it has fo manifeftly acknowledg'd to be such, by our many wonderful Deliverances, when all Human Affiftances and ordinary Means of Succour feemed irrevocably removed. We have no Pretenfions to the Divine Favour, 'but from our firm Adherence to that Settle. ment, which he has, by fo many Wonders and Bleffings, after fuch great Difficulties and Misfortunes, bestowed upon us, and which we have in his Sight, and with the In• vocation of his Sacred Name, after preparing our Selves at his Altar, fo frequently and fo lemnly Sworn to defend. This plain, unperplexed, unalterable Rule for our Conduct, is vifibly the Work of his Hand to a favoured People. Her Majefty's Parliamentary Title, ' and the Succeffion in the Illuftrious House of 'Hanover, is the Ark of God to Great Bri'tain, and, like that of Old, carries Death to the profane Hand that shall dare to touch

it.

I come now to the Clofe of the Englishman, where I find the following Paragraph marked. But if God fpares the good Queen's Life 'from fuch fecret Attempts as we have too much Reason to fear, I doubt not but to fee her judge rightly of fuch Pretences. Tho' Flattery carries Witchcraft, yet when the fhall fee that these Men, instead of supporting her Government with their Intereft, can'not carry their Elections, but by representing

• all.

all others as under her Difpleafure; when fhe fhall fee that they over bear the Rights of Corporations by the impertinent Interpofition of her Power and Name; when the fhall fee that those large Bodies of Men which the Examiner and others expofe and exafperate, as Men whom the Queen hates, are fo loth to be alienated from their Hope in her, that their being actually caft from all Preferments and Places, hath not made them guilty of one feditious, or even undutiful Action. When the fhall fee that those noifie Men who embarrass the Nation in every Queftion, with calling out the Church, are but like the Weather-Cocks and Clappers of the Steeple; and that the fober, and laborious, and peaceable Church-men, are its real Support and Pillars. When a little more time thall bring out things that begin to appear pretty plain already; then the Queen will fhew felfish Men that would ingrofs her Fa vour, that he will be the Mother of all her People; and as in Spite of thefe Men's ftudied Provocations, he hath their Hearts and Affections, fo fhe will rule with equal Juftice towards all. If the Nation will be fo wife as to lay afide Parties and Party Quarrels, fhe will have no need to keep them up,but employ all Men according as the Law makes them qualified, and their Virtues and Parts make them fit. But if feveral Interests, and Opinions, and Humours fhall still continue our Parties (as the Examiner's Violence and Partiality hath done more to fharpen them, than to take off the Edge) then the will let all fee, that her Crown is not to be funk down

'down to be a Partizan of either side, so as · to take these to be her Friends and the other Enemies; but that she is over both, and will ufe either in their Turns, according as they are fittest for the Service the hath for them at 'that time. And for those who shall dare to infult and exafperate the other as Enemies, they are Sycophants instead of Friends; and rob her of her beft Treasure, which is the • Love of her People.

I have heard fome Exceptions taken to the two or three Lines of this Paragraph where I fay, If God fpares the good Queen's Life 'from fuch fecret Attempts as we have too

much Reason to fear: But as to this Paffage, I think it is fufficiently explained by a Paragraph which I fhall beg Leave to read in the 35th Page of the Crifis.

And here I cannot but add what is ftill of more Importance, and ought to be the ⚫ most prevalent of all Arguments, that should there be the leaft Hopes given to a Popish • Succeffor, the Life of her Majefty will certainly be in moft Imminent Danger: For there will never be wanting bloody Zealots of that Perfwafion, that will think it meritorious to take away her Life, to hasten the • Acceffion of fuch a Succeffor to her Throne.

The remaining part of this Paragraph, is nothing else but the Picture of an excellent Princefs, who notwithstanding the Suggestions of unreasonable Men, will ftill maintain in her the Character of the best of Sovereigns, by fhewing her felf the Mother of all her People. If any inuendo can poffibly be found in this Paragraph, it can only affect those who would

incline

incline her Royal Heart to make an unjust Diftinction among her Subjects.

The next Paragraph is in the 6th Page of the Quarto Edition of the Englishman, in these Words:

I infift the more upon these Revolution Principles, (as they are fcornfully called nowa-days) not only because there never was more need of them than at this time, but because the best and greatest Part of the Clergy (especially thofe placed in eminent Stations) have in all Ages, fo far as relates to our Nation, and as far as my fmall Reading informs เ me, been ready and hearty Affertors of the Privileges and Properties of the People; and why the whole Body fhould not be now, is 'paft my Comprehenfion.

I fuppofe my Accufer would again infinuate by this Paragraph, for Reafons beft known to himself, that I fpeak difrefpe&fully of the Clergy: But how he will be able to make this out, from an Elogium which is given to their past Conduct, and a Prefumption that their Future will be conformable to it, is past my Comprehenfion. I fuppofe he will not deny, notwithftanding his new and inexpreffible Tenderness for the Clergy of the Church of England, that there are among them, fome Nonjurors and Afferters of Hereditary Right, in Oppofition to the Laws of their Country.

The following Paragraph in the 10th Page, concerning Dunkirk, has already receiv'd its Anfwer. Here it is.

Toby is mistaken: At this Day it is in a more dangerous Condition as to England, than it was when I writ about the Impor" tance