Temper, and Eagerness for a Change, that when once they had shaken off their just Allegiance, and chose new Masters for themselves, they were afterwards forc'd to be perpetually changing, and cou'd find no Power that was able to protect 'em long, but saw more Turns and Revolutions in the Compass of a few Months, than had happen'd in a Thousand Years before.

New Schemes and Models of Government were daily Fashion'd, some of which died in Embryo, others made a Blaze for a short Time, but no sooner had they turn'd themselves to the new-started Light, in hopes to be warm'd and directed by it, but the Airy Meteor disappear'd.

'Twas a common Thing then to see Servants on Horseback, whilst Princes walk'd on Foot, to see the meanest of the People in the highest Places; and one might have seen Jotham's Parable exactly verified, when instead of the Fatness of the Olive, and the Fruitfulness of the Vine; the Supreme Dominion was invested in the despicable, the useless, the hurtful Brambles.

Then as to Spirituals. Did the Authors of those Troubles find their Account in 'em? Were they able at last quietly to Establish their own Way of Worship, and had they not many contending Rivals? Were not their own Complaints against the Hierarchy, of taking too much upon 'em, imposing on the Lord's People, and depriving 'em of their Christian Liberty, return'd upon themselves? Was there a greater Advancement of Piety, whilst the Sacrament was rarely Administer'd, the Catechizing of Youth exceedingly neglected, and almost all Religion resolv'd into Hearing? Was there a greater Liberty of Conscience, when the prevailing Sect for the Time Condemn'd the Toleration of the rest as Anti-christian?

These were the Blessed Fruits of Discord and Rebellion. This was the Price of over-turning a legally and peacably settled Constitution.

As another bad Effect (but God be prais'd that's over too) of this Day's Cruelty, may be reckon'd the imminent Danger we were in, not many Years since, of the Return of Popish Superstition into this Nation, to which, in all human Probability, the greatest Part of it had in a little time relaps'd, had not Providence defeated the Designs that were form'd against our Holy Religion, by the late Happy Revolution.

That very Danger, I say, of Popery, may be imputed, in its Original, to those who, by Banishing the Royal Progeny, and obliging 'em to fly for shelter to the Court of a Popish Prince, expos'd 'em to the utmost Temptation of changing the Religion of the Country they had left, for that of the Place where they were Entertain'd. It did, in Fact, so happen, that they were earnestly solicited to that Effect, and one of 'em, we know, (and we had like to have known it at too dear a Rate) unhappily complied with the Temptation.

But there are some ill Consequences of that great Rebellion, that still affect us, and particularly the unhappy Divisions that reign among us. 'Tis a sad and deplorable Thing indeed, that Men who are Professors of the same Religion, who have the same Political Obligations, who are bound by all the Ties both of Interest and Duty to direct their Designs and Actions to the same End, should notwithstanding, fly into such opposite Extremes, and brand each other with such opprobrious Names.

Such Jealousies and Surmises, such Names of Distinction, and forming of Parties, were the fatal Beginnings of that Intestine War, which depopulated and laid Wast this flourishing Kingdom, and ended in the Murder of the Sovereign, and the total overthrow of all orderly Government both in Church and State. And that Spirit of Division which then began to Reign has never since been totally ejected.

Add to this, that many loose Principles as to Government, were then imbib'd, of which it were much to be wish'd, there were no Tincture still remaining.

And (which is worst of all) it is too certain that the Pretences to a more than ordinary Sanctity, and the great Apperance of Godliness in such Numbers of Men, who yet, when the Mask was off, were found to be wicked to the last Degree, and to have acted by no Principles

but Iuterest and Ambition; gave an unhappy Disgust to many Observers of their Conduct, against all that favor'd of Piety and Goodness, and rais'd an unjust suspicion in 'em, that all Religion was counterfeit, that whoever went under the Character of a devout Person, was only acting a Part, in order to deceive. Thus were the Seeds of Atheism and Irreligion sown, which have since thriven but too well, and yielded a very ungracious Encrease.

1. To the same Cause too we may ascribe almost all our Differences in Religion. We can call upon all the Persuasions but one, who enjoy the Benefit of the Toleration, (and may it ever be enjoy'd by Consciences truly tender) to look back to those unhappy Times for their first Original, and see, in the midst of how much Licenciousness and Disorder they were propagated, and began to spread.

I shall only crave your farther Patience, while I apply what has been said in two short moral Reflections, both which I shall take from the concluding Prayer in the Service for the Day, where we beseech God, that neither the splendor of any thing that is great, nor the Conceit of any thing that is good in us, may any ways withdraw our Eyes from looking on our selves as sinful Dust and Ashes.

1. Then, from the tragical Event of this Day, we may observe the Uncertainty of all

Human State and Grandeur. Of how short Continuance, and consequently of how little Value is the most glittering Pomp, that attracts our vain Eyes, and strikes us with Admiration! Of how slippery a Tenure must lesser Dignities and Honours be, if Majesty it self be so insecure! How little is the Condition of Princes to be envied, who have often Occasion to envy the Quiet and Repose of the meanest of their Subjects, who can Sleep securely, whilst they are waking and caring for 'em! They are equally expos'd to Pain and Sickness, to Infirmity and Diseases; they lye as open to a natural, and much more open to a violent Death. Plots and Conspiracies, Assassinations and Poysonings are Accidents peculiar to the Royal List of Mortality, and seldom bring a Subject to his End.

Nor is the Fame of Princes less liable to Injury, than their Persons. Calumny dares even assault the Throne, and fears not to trample on Regal Sepulchers. There is none so great and inaccessible, as to be out of the Reach of that intruding Monster; who will blacken and sully the clearest Fame, turn the brightest Ornaments and Beauties into Deformities, detract from the most Heroical and Princely Vertues, and transform, to the Appearance of such as see by her Glass, a good Josiah into a wicked Jeroboam. And as the most conspicuous Greatness is no

Preservative against the common Calamities of the World, so neither

2. Is the most eminent Goodness. Tryals and Afflictions are the common Lot of Mortality, and every Man, more or less must sustain