tually safe from him by his Subjection to the fame? No, certainly; where the Benefit of the Law is his, the Obligation of it ought to reach him too, or there will be no Equality, and confequently no Society. He therefore, who fhall presume to own himself thus led by an inward Voice, or Instinct of the Spirit, in oppofition to the Laws enacted by the Civil Power, has forfeited all Right to any ProteЯtion from that Power, and has, ipfo facto, out-lawed himself, and accordingly as an Outlaw ought he to be dealt with; and if by thefe Impulfes and Infpirations he fhall dare to offend capitally, the Magiftrate muft affert his Rights, and vindicate the Prerogative of his abused Laws with the Gibbet or the Halter, the Ax or the Faggot; and this, if any thing, will cure fuch Villains of that, which they call the Spirit.

Infinite have been the Disturbances given the World in general, and this poor Kingdom in particular, by crafty Perfons sowing their Hypocrify by Pretences of Religion; of all which Pretences none have been fo frequent and fatally fuccefsful, as the two grand Ones; one of the Spirit, the other of tender ConSciences; concerning the higheft Pretenders to both of which I fhall fay no more, than that it is well for them, that no fort of Lyes whatsoever can choak them; and well for the Magi

Z 3

Magiftrate, that something else can; there be ing no Cafuift comparable to the Minister of Fuftice, to answer the fturdy Scruples of an Enthufiaft difposed to rebell. For otherwise, as to matter of Duty, whether to God or Man, there can be no Doubt or Difficulty about it at all; that Rule of our Saviour being infal lible, for the Discovery of all fuch Pretenders, and fpiritual Cheats, that by their Fruits ye Shall know them. And the Fruits of the Spirit, (S. Paul tells us, Galat. v. 22, 23.) are Love, Joy, Peace, Long-fuffering, Gentleness, Meeknefs, Temperance, and the like; Fruits which never grew in the fame Soil with Rebellion, Murder, and Sacrilege. For as the fame Apoftle fays, Those who live by the Spirit, will walk by the Spirit too, fince no Man fubfifts by one vital Principle, and acts by ano

ther.

To which Eternal Spirit of Truth, and Holinefs, together with the Father and the Son, be rendered and afcribed, as is most due, all Praife, Might, Majefty, and Dominion, now and for evermore.

A SER

A SERMON preach'd on the Fifth of November, 1688. at WestminsterAbbey.

ISAIAH V. 4.

What could have been done

more to my Vineyard, that I have not done in it?

T

Cannot think it the chief, much lefs the fole Business of this Day, to declaim and make Invectives against the Perfons, whofe Villany occafioned the Solemnity of it. Their Action was indeed bad enough, had we not lived to fee it tranfcended by many worse រំ fo that were not Proteftantifm in itself a bet

6

ter Religion than Popery, it would have but little Advantage from most of the Perfons, who profefs it. For are we lefs proud, coveus, or rebellious, than the Papifts? I am re, if many that call themselves Proteftants are fo, we must make our Reckoning from core fix hundred and forty, or defpair of Boding them fo fince. All the wicked Arts the Jesuits have been first sanctified, and

n acted under the fplendid Names of the Porner of Godlinefs, Chriftian Liberty, and the Septer and Kingdom of Jefus Chrift, with other fuch Words, as have writ their Meaning with the Sword's Point, and now stand legible to Pofterity in Letters of Blood. Nor ought any to wonder, that I afcribe these Reformers Practices to Jefuitish Principles; it being fo well known, that the Jefuit never acts himself more than under another Perfon, Name, and Profeffion.

Declamatory Satyrs may indeed feem ufelefs to all Purposes whatfoever; it being impoffible to revile away a Diftemper, or cure a Difeafe by an Invective. But were they never fo proper; though the Church of England, whofe Principles and Practices breathe nothing but Loyalty to Princes, may juftify any hard Speeches against the Sons of Rome; yet furely the Papifts are not fit to be reviled by, nor indeed before many amongst us,

who

who have acted worse things, and that with the Aggravation of acting them under a better Religion; unless it could be fit to arraign one Malefactor before another, who is himfelf a greater. I wish, that while we speak loud against those of the Romish Church, we could at the fame time inwardly abhorr and deteft their Impieties, and yet imitate their Difcretion; and be ashamed, that thofe Son's of Darkness fhould be so much wiser in their Generation than we, that account ourselves fuch Children of Light. For be they what they will, it is evident, that they manage things at an higher rate of Prudence than to fear a Change in their Church Government eve

ry fix Months, or to be perfuaded by any Arguments to cut their Throats with their own Hands, or amongst all their Indulgences to afford any to their implacable Enemies.

My Business at this time fhall be to make the Mercy of the prefent Day on occasion of declaring our great Unworthiness not of this only, but of all other Mercies; and that by a parallel Instance; if fo be our Wickedness proves not too big for a Parallel, and of that Bulk, as to laugh at Examples, and baffle all Comparisons. For indeed our Sins seem as much to furpass thofe of the Jews, the Perfons here upbraided by God, as all Men would