ly Hill of Sion. See how madly they have Plotted against themselves: For our King and his Government is not only yet preferved, but we hope Strengthened and Established by their impious Confpiracy against it.

But more particularly, we are now affembled to make due acknowledgments of God's wonderful Providence and Mercy, in Difcovering and Defeating the late Treasonable Confpiracy against his Sacred Majefties Perfon and Government. In fpeaking of which, I shall first of all briefly set before you the Horridnefs of the Confpiracy it felf; then the Greatnefs of the Deliverance we now blefs God for; and laftly, add fome few plain Advices fuitable to this occafion.

I The Horridnefs of this late Confpiracy will fufficiently appear, if we confider only these three things.

1. The Actors or Perfons ingaged in it.

The Motives from which they acted.

3. The Mifchiefs that would inevitably have followed, had not God's Providence made timely Difcovery of it; and under these heads I fhall only hint at fome few things.

D 2

I. As

1. As to the Perfons that were ingaged in this Plot,they may be confidered under feveral Circumstances, which do'all highly aggravate their Crime and Guilt: As that they were Proteftants; nay, the most Zealous Proteftants, who would hardly allow any others to be fuch befides themselves. Hence on all occafions they would appear most vigorous and active for the Profecution and Suppreffion of Papifts, and counted all that were not fo fierce and violent as themselves, to be Popishly affected, and ready upon any turn of the times to leave their Re ligion. All this Zeal against the Papifts, they profelfed to proceed from a juft Hatred of their Difloyal Principles, which were inconfiftent with the Civil-Government, and dangerous to the Monarchy, and the Kings Perfon; as if they had a mind to fave the Government from the Papifts, only that themfelves might have the Honour of Subverting it. They liked the thing well enough, it was a glorious work, but only they did not approve of the Inftruments. And if these must be called Protestants, who can joyn in fuch Villanous Designs, I fhall only fay, that then I know fome Proteftants, who are every jot as bad, and as little to be trufted as any Papifts.

1

We

We indeed of the Church of England, for this one thing, were not a little beholden to thefe ConSpirators, viz. That they were fo careful to diftinguifh themfelyes from us, and were for a finer and purer Communion than that Established by Law. A Proteftant is a word at large, and may fignific any thing, and comprehends all that are not Papifts, whatever they are for. But the Doctrine and Difcipline of the Church of England, we all know what it is; it is Stated and Defined, and we are fure, that it condemns all Difloyal, Seditious Practices, on any pretence whatever: And therefore they who were ingaged in this Wicked Confpiracy, however fome of them might fometimes be feen in our Churches, yet they were forced to find fault with our Establishment, to decry our Bishops and Minifters, and weaken their Authority, to endeavour by all means to prejudice the People against our Church, and to leffen its Intereft, which they knew stood in the way of their Designs.,

And have not thefe Men now bravely provided for the Credit and Honour of the Proteftant Religion? Had thefe great haters of Popery gone to School to the Jefuits, could they poffibly have been taught a more compendious way to ferve

and

and promote Popery, than that very way which they took to keep it out?

But befides this Confideration of their Religion, we shall find the perfons concerned in this late Treafon, under as great Obligations to have lived quietly under the present Government, as could pof fibly be laid upon Men.Some of them were actually in the late Rebellion, and had hitherto enjoyed the benefit of his Majefties Gracious Act of Indemnity, owing their Lives and Fortunes to his Majesties unparallel'd Clemency: Of whom it may be truly faid, what St. Peter faith of fome in his days,2 Epift. 2. 22. It is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the fow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. So hard a matter is it to cure one bewitched with the Principles of Rebellion, that af ter above twenty years he shall return to his old trade as bare-facedly, as if we had never heard of his former pranks.

Many of them were Perfons, who, befides his Majefties pardon, had partaken largely of his Royal Grace and Favour, been advanced by him to great Honour and Dignity, been intrufted in places of great Power and Eminency; and after they had

raifed

raifed their Families, and gotten great Estates by his Majefties Bounty, then lifted up their Heels against him; to whom the King may well fay, what our Bleffed Lord did to the Jews, St. John 10.32. when they took up Stones to caft at him for which of those many good works I have done for you, do you now defign and contrive this mischief against me?

Others there were that were ingaged out of Difcontent, because they had not all they had a mind unto, because they were not employed in the publick, proportionably according to the opini on they had conceived of their own worth and ufefulness to the King and Nation, or because they did not now appear in fo high a Station as they had done formerly.

T

Add to this his Majefties wonderful Lenity and Indulgence towards all forts of Diffenters, the fresh memory of our late Troubles and Confufions, and the direful Confequences of them, the easinefs of our present Government under his most Gracious Majefty, who adheres fo close to his Laws, and hath given us all poffible affurance that he will always do fo, that great Plenty, and Peace we have for fo long time enjoyed, excep