SERM. Kings and People, even whole Nations to XV. be maffacred, by fecret Plots or by open Violences.

THIS is the Defcription and Character given in the prophetick parts of the infpired Writings, of a great and potent Apoftacy, which was largely and very distinctly foretold fhould happen in the latter Ages of the Church. And the Particularities; wherein this Tyranny was to be diverfe from all Kingdoms that ever devoured the whole Earth, are fo fingular and remarkable; that it is hardly poffible for any man to mistake in judging, to Whom the Characters belong. What remains therefore, is to draw fome Obfervations from what has been faid, proper upon the prefent Occafion. And

Firft; WHEN St John faw this ftrange tyrannical Power reprefented to him in Prophecy, whilft as yet there was no fuch Power in being; When he faw it reprefented to him under the fimilitude of a Woman of fornications, that is, in Scripture-language, an idolatrous Church; riŘev. xvii, ding upon peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues, and domineering over

15.

the

the Kings of the Earth; When I faw her, SER M. fays he, I wondred with great Admira XV. tion, Rev. xvii. 6. And even after the Event, whofoever has Any Notion what Virtue or Religion is, muft ftill of necef fity wonder with great Admiration, how it was ever poffible that the Name of Religion fhould be fo prodigiously abused. Religion is not an arbitrary or imaginary thing, but founded upon eternal Truth and Right, or it never can have any Foundation at all. Religion is the Practice of Virtue, proceeding from a regard to God the Judge of All, the all-feeing and unerring Judge. Good and Evil are neceffarily, effentially, and unalterably what they are: And God neceffarily fees and judges them to be fo. The Worship of God, and the univerfal Love of our Neighbour, are eividently the Perfection of Moral Good; and the contrary to thefe, the greatest Moral Evil. Whatever Forms or Ceremonies therefore have at any time been inftituted either of God or Good Men, they have always been entirely fubfervient to thefe Moral Duties: For Moral Duties, are the End and last Aim of All Religion, A a 2

of

SER M. of all Religion both natural and revealed. X.V. What then must be thought of a Reli

gion, filled with Opinions contrary to the neceffary Truth and Nature of things; over-run with idolatrous Practices, in the Worship of God; and fupported by Wars, Perfecutions, Majacres; by open Violences, and fecret Plots; oppofite, in the moft barbarous and cruel manner, to the whole Spirit of that great Duty of Love Mat. v. 16. and Charity towards Men! Ye shall know them by their Fruits, faid our Saviour; admonishing his Disciples, to guard themfelves against Falfe Prophets. And when Mat.x.17. he warned them to beware of Men; he did not mean only of Heathen Perfecuver. 21. tors,, but of the Brother alfo delivering up the Brother to Death.

Secondly; FROM what has been faid, we may learn how fincerely Thankful we ought to be, for the happy Deliverance of the King and the Three Eftates of the Realm, from the bloody intended Maffacre by Gun-Powder, which was to have been effected as upon This Day.

Th

XV.

Thirdly; FROM hence alfo we may learn SER M. to fet a juft Value upon the Greatness of n that Second Deliverance, which God worked for us as again upon This Day, by the Happy Arrival of his late Majesty King William. They who rightly apprehend how great a Calamity it is, to be deprived of all Ufe of Reafon and Confcience; to be obliged to profefs in Belief the most abfurd Impoffibilities, and to comply in Practice with the groffeft Idolatries; and this under the Penalty of the most barbarous and inhumane Cruelties: All men, I fay, who have a juft Senfe of the Dreadfulness of this Calamity, which is what the Scripture calls The great Tribulation, and perpetually com-x pares it to the ancient Captivity of God's Rev. vii. people in Babylon; nay, ftiles This, in 14 comparison of the former, by the name of Babylon the Great; will not fail to be very fincerely Thankful, for the Deliverance of his Country from this feverest of all Temporal Judgments; and very fearful of taking any even remote Step, that may tend towards bringing back fo great a Deftruction; and very follicitous to make

A a 3

μεγάλης,

SER M. make the Government always easy in the XV. Hands of fuch Princes, as are by Prin

ciple and by Inclination defirous to preferve all the Civil and Religious Rights of the Community.

Fourthly; The Laft Inference I fhail draw from what has been faid, is; that we who profefs the Reformed Religion, and, upon ftated Solemnities, pretend to return hearty Thanks to God for the wonderful prefervations of it amongst us; ought above all things to avoid thofe corrupt Practices, for which we fo juftly condemn the Church of Rome. Proteftants must not hate the perfons of Roman-Catholicks; nor uncharitably judge every private perfon among them to have That Malignity of Spirit, on which the publick Dominion of their Church is founded. Proteftants, I fay, must not hate the Perfons of RomanCatholicks, or of any Others who differ from them: Much lefs ought we to offer them any Injury, Violence, or Wrong: But, on the contrary, we ought to endeavour to convince them of their Errours, by Strength of Reafon, and by Gentleness of Behaviour. If a man's Practice be vi