'nion over us, and fly in the face of all that 'vifible Authority by which thou art pleafed to rule and govern us. Judge now we 'befeech thee, between thy felf and us, let 'the event decide the right of the cafe, and do thou profper and fucceed us in this our undertaking, according to the juftice and ' righteousness of our caufe. When therefore his own Authority is thus nearly touched, by an appeal fo Impious and Audacious, it's high time for him, unless some mighty reason intervene to the contrary, to ftir up his ftrength, and make bare his Arm, in the vindication of his injured right, and affronted Authority; and by delivering up the infolent Rebel to condign punishment, to affert and maintain his Dominion over the world.

Thirdly and Lastly, Rebellion is an ap- III. peal to God in a cause that is of all others the most deftructive of humane Society: Which is another peculiar reason why God fhould decide against it, rather than against any other unjust war whatsoever. For God being the Soveraign head of humane Society, we may be fure that the principal end

of

of his Government is the publick good; that being infinitely happy within himself, and from the immenfe perfections of his own nature, he can have no felf ends to serve in ruling and governing the world; but that his great defign is to Blefs his Subjects, and by diffufing his goodness through the world, to make 'em all partakers of his happiness. And.if it be fo, then we may certainly depend upon it; that as thofe things and actions are moft grateful to him, which are moft beneficial, fo thofe are most odious and offenfive to him, which are most prejudicial to the world. Now there is no one thing whatsoever that is more beneficial to the world than Government, which is the foul of Humane Society, by which it exifts and operates, without which it muft. inevi tably diffolve, and its united parts immediately disband and fly in pieces. For an ungoverned Society of men, is no better than a herd of Wolves and Tygers, whose cross interefts, inconfiftent humors, extravagant paffions and affections, are perpetually prompting 'em to tear and worry one another; by reafon of which it is impoffible for 'em to live together with any comfort or

fecurity,

fecurity, but either they must submit their paffions to be restrained by Law, and their interests to be ballanced and adjusted by Government, or withdraw themselves like other beasts of prey into dens and secret retirements, and there live poor and folitary as Batts and Owls do, and fubfift like Vermin by robbing and filching from one another. Since therefore Government is fo indispensably neceffary for the Commonweal of men,to be fure, God, who is fupream Lord of all, and the great end of whose Government is the good of the whole, must have a very tender respect and regard for it, and an implacable averfion to every thing that is destructive to it. Now it's certain, there is nothing fo deftructive to Government as Rebellion: For as for wars between Prince and Prince, and Nation and Nation, they are indeed the plagues and fcourges of Nations, by reason of the flaughters and devastations they carry with 'em; but they fubvert not Government, which is the life of Nations: whereas Rebellion carries the fame flaughters and devaftations with it; and besides that, it ftrikes at the very foundations of Government. For though the defign

D

design of the Leaders of Rebellion, is not to deftroy Government, but to ufurp and ravifh it out of the hands of the lawful poffeffors; yet their practice tends directly to the destruction of it. For whenever Subjects levy Arms against their Soveraign, they actually throw off the yoke of his Government; and if they may throw off his, they may for the fame reason throw off anothers, till at last they have thrown off all, and utterly diffolve themselves into a wild Tumult and Confufion: which being once admitted, Government can have no other foundation to rest on, but the humor and caprice of a wild multitude that is to be governed no otherwife, and no longer than it pleases. And how is it possible for any frame of Government whatsoever to fubfift upon fuch fickle and mutable principles: So that when Subjects Rebel against their Soveraign, they appeal to God against the very being of Government it felf, which is the life and foul of all humane Society, and do in effect defire him finally to determine by the iffue and event of things,whether it be juft and reasonable, that they should be ruled and governed. When therefore

the

the point they contend for, is so apparently deftructive to humane Society, of which he himself is the fupreme head and Soveraign, and the final decifion of it is refer'd to his Arbitration: We have all the reason in the world to prefume, that he who is the God of order and not of confufion, will, without fome mighty inducement to the contrary, damn the Rebels caufe, and award fuccefs and Victory to the Government.

Since therefore there are so many peculiar reasons why the Lord of hosts, the mighty God of War, fhould arm his Almighty power against the Rebellious: this ought to caution us not to engage our selves in any Factious, Difloyal or Rebellious de fign against our Prince and Government; because in so doing, we take the most effeEtual course that it's poffible for men to do, to oblige the Almighty Providence of Hea ven to fight against us. For there is no one fin in all the black Catalogue of the works of darkness, which God is more concerned to punish in this life, than this of Treafon and Rebellion. And accordingly if you confult those monuments of divine vengeance, which are tranfmitted to us, both in Sacred D 2 and