A sermon preached in Christ-Church, Dublin, on Thursday the 23d of October, 1755, being the anniversary of the Irish rebellion, ... By Edward Lord Bishop of Ossory. ... 1755
Maurice, Edward
9%, 62 Ss 8 E R M * * PREACHED IN ——— => %< * Chriſt- Church, Du BLIN, 5 on Turf the 23d of Ocroprs, 1755 55 Being the Arbei of the IRISH REBELLION, - Before His EXCELLENCY | JVILLIAM Mixquis of ZHARTINGTON, Lord Lieutenant General | and General Governor of IRELAND; And the LORDS SeIRIT UAL and TxzMPORAL in ParLIAMENT Aſſembled. | Co "\ | : —— ———_—__—— — ä 1 Cc * By EDWARD al Biſhop 0 of 0850 RT, M7" "WY — Publiſhed 1 0 His EXCELLENCY' Special ee nw Ape” by = Order of the HOUSE of LORDS. f USES IF: . | Printed by RICHARD TAMES,  Ordered by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament aſſembled, That | the Thanks of this Houſe ſhall be, and are | hereby given to the Lord Biſhop of OssoRx, | for his Sermon preached before this Houſe Yeſterday at Chri/t-Church; and his Lordſhip is hereby deſired to Print and Publiſh the ſame : And that no Perſon do preſume to Print the ſaid Sermon, but ſuch as his Lord- {hip ſhall appoint. n Hen. Baker Stern, Cler' Parliamentor. N Ps ALM cxxii. VERSES 6, 7, 8, 9. Fan for the peace of nnen Dey ſhall proſper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, ry and prof perity within thy palaces. Fer my brethren 8 nene lei. 1 will now ſay, peace be within thee ! Becauſe of the bouſe of the Lord our God, I will ſeek thy good. Ty E words carry ſo plain an rockten, that 1 ſhall take no pains to refer you to their par- ticular occafion. The author of them, ac- E to ſome, a patriot prince, according to others, a loyal and religious Jew in captivity, has his country in his thoughts, and entertains himſelf with the ideas of its peace and profperity ; its real glory: and adds to 61 to his hearty wiſhes, his pious prayers for it. Nor is it beneath the character of either, to regard him as a poet, and this pſalm as an ode, which he animates with the moſt warm, and tender, and touching motives, to inſpire his countrymen with the affection which He felt. And theſe moti ves are recommended in a fervour. and dignity- of | expreſſion peęuliar to poctry, which has been often employed to fire the breaſts of Heathen Worthies with this noble paſſion. And it the beauti- ful paſſages of their poets, ſtill extant and frequently quoted on this Subject, were compared with This, they would ſet it off, rather than. diſparage it: This ſong of Sion being of a more exalted ſtrain than the raptures of their Parnaſſus. And as it is breathed by a ſpirit truly divine, we may ftill regard the author, in a higher light, as a prophet : commanding, as well as perſuading, us to love our country, by the ſame au- thority that requires us to love God.” For ſince virtue and religion are not principles merely ſpeculative and ſolitary ; but ſuch as muſt be proved and exerciſed in practice, having human ſocie- ty, with its various relations and ſubordinations, to act their parts upon; the good will and affection of a moral or chriſtian” ſoul, looks firſt towards mankind in the bulk (as we are exhorted by St. Peter to honour all men, before we are bid to love the brotherhood.) But mankind being too large for our views, though not for 1714 for our wiſhes or prayers; we muſt manifeſt and prin- cipally attach our love to that part of it, which by being near to us, we beft can comprehend, and pro- mote its peculiar intereſt againſt foes and friends, and, not ſeldom, againſt ourſelves. To be more particular, and follow our divine guide his own way. I. War are we to underftand by Jeriſalem, or our country * By it if we underſtand a compaſs of walls, or an extent of Land; our notions are too narrow, and material, There are who cry up their natal ſoil, they know not why; but if we would add reafon to our fancy, we muſt look on that Jerigſalem, or country that requires our duty, in another light. We muſt underſtand by it, that ſyſtem of law and polity by which we are kept together in peace and order, and preſerved in ſecurity from our enemies, and ourſelyes. And This is the civil ſenſe of the word. It is our conſtitution, which we are too apt to boaſt an extra- ordinary zeal for, in the heat of our purſuit of mea- ſures not very reconcilable, or directly repugnant to it. BuT as the world is made up of many kingdoms, ſo are kingdoms of many . provinces, which have likewiſe 11 1 4 17 ö [ { [8] likewiſe their ſubdiviſions enjoying rights and privileges peculiar to themſelves. Theſe little communities bring our notion of our country nearer home: to the place of our birth, poſſeſſion, or habitation: not improper- ly, if we conſider, that a man's duty to his country in a large acceptation, muſt begin with it in a lower. Where, if he performs it duely, clear of all partiality to Thoſe he loves, or to Himſelf whom he molt loves; he contributes all he can to the good of his country, which is as much as the greateſt patriot or miniſter in the nation can do. Ir we look on a ſtate in its comprized figure or draught; there are few characters large enough to Rand out to our obſervation: as in the map of world, we muſt ſtrain our eyes to diſcover the moſt magnif- cent cities. But we may divide our map, and-enlarge our ſcale, till we bring the meaneſt villages to our view. It is with the people of the world, as it is with the parts of it. Men muſt be ſeparated to be ſeen. And the more ſeparations are made, a greater variety of figures will appear. The ſmalleſt in as juſt and due a proportion as the larger. All Theſe contribute to the whole, whether good or bad. And though the glory or preſervation of ſtates, or the infamy and ruin of them are commonly imputed to One, or Few perſons ; yet are they, in truth, owing to many : and every one acting in the underparts of whatever counſels or actions 11 actions make the ſtate flouriſh or periſh, has a ſhare in the virtue or guilt, though not in the fame of them. And therefore, though men are, in relation to their country, too commonly conceited above their degree or capacity, and prone to think ore highly of them- Jebves than they ought to think ; yet no man ſhould be ſo abjectly modeſt, as to imagine himſelf altogether inſignificant in it. For the meaneſt ſervices, when well directed, will flow into ſome channel, which will flow into a greater, till, collected into rivers, they reach the main ocean. From which they will be ga- thered into clouds, and return in fruitful and refreſh- ing ſhowers upon the whole face of the land. II. Bring thus ſettled in FJeruſalem, what is our firſt duty towards it? The Eſalmiſi tells us, Pray for the peace of Jeruſalem. PraysR is but the addition of piety to our wiſh of the peace of our Ferw/alem : and muſt follow a fincere love of country and religion. And peace is that uni- verſal bleſſing, that ſpreads its wings over the whole country, and reaches ſecurity and comfort to every good mind within its borders. There may be ſome, who delight in the glory, or the plunder, or the trade of war. Horace may wiſh that the ſun, through all his race, may behold nothing greater than His Rome : and Virgil, his fellow-flatterer, contemn the umprovemse1.t 1 1 i i "i L104 improvement of art and ſcience, to direct his Romans to the ſole ſubjugation of nations, and the methods of perpetuating their dominion over them. But our di- viner poct, as humble in his wiſh, as warm in his affection, is content that his Jeruſalem ſhall not ex- tend its bounds, but keep peace and W within them. THAT this peace and proſperity is eminently the care and gift of God, we are often put in mind, becauſe of the pride often aſſumed on public ervices: when men look on themſelves as authors _ than inſtruments of publick good. To mortify which vanity and preſumption the P/a/mi/# (plalm 197, ver. 14.) ſays to Feruſalem, He (God) maketh peace within thy Borders, and filleth thee with the fneſs of the wheat, The ſtateſman may plod, and the husbandman ſweat : but God muſt give the ſucceſs and increaſe. And God Himſelf in the ſame breath that He aflerts his creation of light and darkneſs, ſays (I/. chap. 97, ver. 7.) 1 * peace and create evil. Whence be put in mind, ye wiſe men of the earth, that God fits at the head of your projects, and pro- motes or baffles them at his pleaſure : and obſerve, that the word evil, not war, is oppoſed to peace: as if every thing were evil where there was not peace. This peace is not a bare reſt from foreign and declared war (though That, ſhould be beſought of the Lord Lord of Hoſts) but conſiſts in that tranquility and con- tentment which is within our gates and walls: that diſintereſted concern for the common good : that im- partial adminiſtration of Juſtice : that conſcientious obedience to the laws of God and man : that harmony of political and religious ſentiments, which ſhew Je- ruſalem, to the envy of the world, a city at unity in itſelf, If inſtead of Theſe, irreligion, and unrizhte- ouſneſs and firife are not only apprehended and /þied by the prudent, but apparent to every eye, and clamo- Tous in every ear of the people: if the great, governed by their ambition, envy, avarice, and ſelfiſhnels, draw different ways from the public good; the giddy populace will quickly quit their occupations to follow their leaders: whence will enſue firſt idleneſs, then want, then violent endeavours to relieve it, and at laſt a ſcene of confuſion and evil, ſcarce inferior to the calamities of war, and frequently a forerunner of them. So much are we concerned to pray for the peace of our Feru/alem. But prayer is not the fulfilling of our duty: it muſt be ſeconded by endeavour. We muſt ſeek the good of Jeruſalem, according to the cloſe of the text. The good of our country will be vainly prayed for, if but prayed for. God never intended the promiſe of his grace and aſſiſtance to ſlacken, but to quicken our attention to our temporal and eternal O happineſs: : - — a -—- = 4» FI... — [ 12 J happineſs: ſo that the peace of our country muſt pro- ceed from the conſonance and concurrence of our pray- ö ers and performances. Hz then who has ſeriouſly implored the bleſſing of God upon his public intentions, will keep heaven in his eye, in his ations : and never preſume to ſerve his. country, by thwarting his prayers, and diſſerving God. hi What am I about ? He will fay. Am I for myſelf ! my | friend! or my country] Is there any injuſtice, uncha- ritableneſs, revenge, treachery, violence, or immora- lity in my preſent purpoſe ? Such an expoſtulation with | a man's foul will bring to light the latent views and ö vices of it, and if it is not poſſeſt with the furious = enthuſiaſm of the laſt century, compell him to forgoe . his deſign or his devotion. Tux neglect of ſuch a ſearch is the main reaſon of dale raſhneſs and giddineſs of our politics: that our N notions are uncertain, unſteady, and contradictory: |: that we run from chriſtianity, the ſure guide of pub- ic, as well as private worth, into mere human pru- F dence, and bewilder an in ſchemes that are earthly, ſenfual and deviltiſh, By which means, the ſtrongeſt governments are often ſhaken, and ſometimes thrown into anarchy and deſolation. SHOULD Ew} ö Snovrp I ſay, that the unparallel'd tragedy this day j plan'd for the whole proteſtant part of this nation, and 1 deeply acted in ſeveral parts of it, was the conſequence = of unhappy and fatal diviſions on the other fide of the channel, F might ſeem to advance a huge paradox. For They who only ſurvey the ſurface of hiſtory, may be apt to aſcribe it, ſolely, to the conſtant treachery and cruelty of the ſpirit of popery. And that ſpirit mult be owned very equal and ſufficient to the bloody work. But the more curious enquirer will look back to feek the cauſe and ſource of an attempt fo unac- countable, ſo improbable of ſucceſs, ſo tranſcending the utmoſt rage and revenge of human nature, as to be ſuſpected falſe, till proved unqueſtionably true; will diſcover a cauſe more remote in the opportunity tempting: and lament, that he has too good reaſon to believe, that proteſtant contention gave birth to popiſh barbarity.. For the heginming of ſirife is, as when one letteth out water, (Prov. cap. 17, ver. 14.) ſays the wiſe man. The beginning of ſtrife was, when a proteſtant nation. would needs give vent to its ſuppoſed or real grievance from. an overflow of arbitrary power. It let out the water, but could not ſtop the breach: the | water proyed- water of ſtrike, and turned to blood; and flowed in an inundation upon three kingdoms; Wirnour a figure, when one nation, by a ſword- in-hand petition and treaty, obtained for itfelf what re- ] ligion. [ 74 ] ligion and liberty it pleaſed to chuſe : and when it ſowed or watered the ſeeds of diſcontent in another, till they grew unweedable: it was not unnatural to ſuppoſe, that a Third nation would follow the exam- ple, on pretence of an equal claim and title to the re- ligion and laws of their anceſtors. Ig was natural to ſuſpect tnat the pretenders to ſuch right would take the advantage of the civil fury of two kingdoms, and by their own union try to regain what they originally loſt by their diviſions. But they took a moſt unnatural courſe to the accompliſhment of their hopes: and, that nothing ſhould ſtand in their way at home, they deliberately and cooly maſſacred. They did what even Cromwell, on an occaſion not very unlike, could not find in his heart to do. And to load their execra- ble treachery with infernal malice, they laid the blood of their own hands on the innocent: and, with an impudence equal to the atrocity of their guilt, pre- tended and forged the king's commiſſion for what they did. Many of whoſe miſled ſubjects, with too ready a credulity, ſwallowed the bee calumny, and all the miſleading propagated what they believed not, till reconciliation became hopeleſs, and diſſenſion ended more tragically, than any of the actors chemſelves could intend 1 in their firſt ſetting out. BuT our peculiar ſhare of the calamity of that time is too fad to relate further. Animus meminiſſe Horret. horret, Tt is too fad to relate: but very uſeſul to re- member. If the ſpirit of Popery be now the ſame as it was in Thoſe days, our conduct, in theſe, ſhould be different from what our fathers was. Inſtead of jealouſies among ourſelves, it ſhould keep a jealous eye on the hands of the common enemy of religion and liberty. The ſpirit of Popery is not extinct : it ſleeps perhaps. Let not us waken it with the noiſe of our broils. The Canaanite is ſtill in the land: ſome- what humanized, we may hope from the feroctty of the laſt age, and bearing a part in queſtions, in which our 7eru/alem alone is concerned. Perhaps it were no vain caution to beware of his infinuation : ſure I am, it would be a very vain glory to value ourſelves on His applauſe of our public conduct. Turs I am compelled to ſay: at a time when Po- pery is lifting up its head under the humane connivance of our laws. When it has as many ſchools, and more ſcholars than when the kingdom was all its own: and by Them endeavours to defeat the pious and Proteſtant defigns of our charity ſchools. When the maſters de- ſpiſe the ecclefiaſtical cenſures, which formerly had cre- dit enough to keep them in order : and live audaciouſly under the countenance and protection of Proteſtants : who ſometime truſt them with the education of their own children. When the teachers of Popery, nume- Tous and active, miſs none of their congregation at their public [ 16 ] public worſhip, and maintain the places of it in order and decency, as laudable in Them, as reproachful to us, whoſe churches are unfrequented, and falling on our heads, in ſpite of the laws which provide for their repair: when we have been publicly told, that there can be no danger to our conſtitution from the catholic (they will not call it the popiſh) religion: and that all the plots, laid to its charge, are no more than the de- rangements of a few deſperate men, whom no religion could bind. As if the maſſacre of Paris, the gun- powder plot, and the extirpation this day projected, were erazed from the annals of time: and the doQrines of romiſh caſuiſtry recanted, and condemned to their expurgatory index. Is not This the time then to take theſe things, which I but hint, to your lordſhip's timely and deeper confideration ? =» To take leave of this melancholy and inexhauſtible ſubject: ſince moral and religious manners, and ſuch deſigns as we may ſafely beg of God to bleſs, are what the peace and proſperity of Jeruſalem are moſt ſurely built on: let us proceed, with our guide, to the par- ticular proſperity of the lovers of Feru/alem. They ſhall proſper that love Thee. [11 May they proſper that love Thee ! ſome would underſtand : afraid perhaps of objections to the pro- miſe of proſperity, on the experience of the ſufferings U 17 j ot ſome for the love of their country, and the gran- deur and elevation of others, on the ruin they brought upon it. But the caution is unneceſſary. u — ; iy [18] is in convulſions, his bufineſs and defigns are interrupt- ed, his comforts unſteady, and his life and fortune precarious. Then does he recolle& the days of- peace, when every nan dwelt ſafely under his vine and fig-tree, in plenty and cafe ; then truly ſenſible how preferable is the ſecure enjoyment of the fruits of his honeſt indu- to the ſhort, vexatious, and hazardous advantage reaped from difcord and faction: and acknowledging it in to be of an humble ſpirit with the lowly, than to divide the ſpoil with the proud. Theſe dividers of ſpoil he fees caſt up, and float, for a time, ' with the mire and dirt of a troubled ſea. But the tempeſt that ſet the ſea a roaring and boiling will have an end; and then will they ſink to the obſcure a and _— youu Gems which' they came. Pre without muſt not be forgotten as tha ſure ef- fect of peace within Jeruſalem. Faction abandons the gates, or opens them to the declared enemy: whoſe hag © againſt the walls ſprung purely from what he fpied within. And ſo void of fear and wit is the fury of faction, that, in all ſtates, there have not been wanting men, who when they could not compaſs their unbounded and unreaſonable defires at home, would, with deſperate revenge, caſt themſelves into foreign intereſts, and run into real flavery from pretended grievance and oppreſſion. An inſfance that ſhould moderate and even humble, our deſires, whether gra- 1255 * [ 19 ] tified or overlooked ; left for want of the honours and emoluments which we have not, or the loſs of thoſe which we have had, we by degrees loſe our affection for Feruſalem : and would chu rather to ſee it periſh than Hourith 1 in any other hands than our own. F NO the fruits of Jeruſalem's peace we rect, with our guide, to the particular motives, which fired Him with this noble paſſion for his country. They are Blood, F e and Religion. The firſt is Blood. For my brethrens fake, I will now (or again) ſay, Peace be within Thee. Ws are All brethren in a civil relation: but, in ſuch a wide one, ſome muſt ſtand nearer to us than others. And the neareſt is our kindred, to whom we feel in our hearts a warm and natural propenſion. And this pro- penſion is wrought upon, and improved by the early impreſſions made upon our tender years, by the good Offices of | thoſe who go before us in the world, and is tranſmitted, through us, to them who come after us in it. Every man is a center of conſanguinity : and as the heart diſcharges the blood copiouſly into the neareſt _ veſſels, which divide it into ſmaller, till it is ſent into the extremities of the body; ſo our affections flow ſtrongly on our kindred in the neareſt degrees, and part them- Ae in their progreſs, and diminiſh till they are out of 1108 E fight, 2 - * _ — * — . —— ——̃ -wQ— a 1 = IF "7 248. ' | | | =E : : | YN [ 20 J ſight. They who live without this endearing affection (49/4) are ranged by the apoſtle in the black liſt, fore- told to be the authors of perilous times in the laſt days. A liſt; that the Lovers of Themſelves ſtand in the front of: in whom the circulation of natural affection is ſtopt: and who, by having no communication of kin- dred, have leſs of religion. For if any man provide not for his own, and eſpecially thoſe of his own houſe, he hath denyed the faith, and is worſe than an infidel. Again, if any man love not his brother, whom he hath ſeen, how can He love God whom he hath not ſeen & Bor They, who in ſociety retain their humanity, are intereſted in the weal and woe of their brethren,. as their own. And their weal muſt primarily. be provided for, by promoting the peace. and unanimity of that Jeriſalem which is their common parent, and gathers them under her wings. In Her Peace, They ſhall have Peace. 'Their temporal bleſſings, as far as there is ſecurity in human things, ſhall be affured to Them: and the comfortable intercourſe of - converſation, and the mu- tual offices of kindneſs, relieve the rougher occupations of their lives without interruption. Whereas popular ſtrife and commotion break the ſtrongeſt ties of blood, and often the bonds of domeſtic concord. And tho the fomentors of diſſenſion lay their train, and place their firebrands, as far from Themſelves as they can; yet the Flame, raiſed by them, when blown into ſtrength, L 21 4 ſtrength, is not governable by Themſelves, but comes to their own doors, and involves them in the general conflagration. Second. Our friendſhips are the next motive to ſeek the peace of Jeruſalem. For my companions fake, I will now ſay, Peace be within Thee J By companions, in a large ſenſe, we may underſtand Thoſe with whom we are on civil terms, to whom we bear a general good-will, expanded as the ſun on the face of nature: in a more limited, thoſe with whom, by bu- ſineſs or neighbourhood, we have neceſlary intercourſes and connections which often oblige us to a ſhow, and ſometimes lead to a ſincerity of friendſhip : but in the ſtricteſt ſenſe we underſtand thoſe, who are dear to us by a kind of ſympathy and ſimilitude of manners or humours. With ſuch we mix our hearts, On Them our love beams, like the ſun drawn in at a chink, while it but lights the reſt of the room. This is a relation of our own creation, and whether the choice be made by judgment or fancy, is the moſt refined (of any) from wordly conſiderations: and gives us the higheſt joy, in the poſſeſſion, and the deepeſt concern, in the diſcon- tinuance of its endearments. Fox the ſake of theſe ſelves of ours, if I may uſe the expreſſion, we ſhould avoid every poſſibility of ſe- paration : E paration: the occaſion of which is adminiſtered by uncharitable and frivolous diſſenſions. Theſe, while they break our union, break our very ſettlement at home. Our feuds ſwell from the minuteſt beginnings, till they grow ſtrong enough to break in upon the ſcene of our deareſt delights, and amuſements, and ſhift us from place to place, with ſuch a continual hurry and buſtle, that our life is never at reſt, and in a capacity of a quiet and permanent enjoyment, of that chearful eaſe and relaxation of mind, which we never feel fo ſen- ſibly as in the ſociety of thoſe, whom, for their virtues as well as their accompliſhments, we love : and whoſe love we ſtudy to engage by the ſame qualifications. Tux interruptions of the pleaſure of virtuous and agrecable ſociety are very grievous to every ſoul, except ſuch as are wholly given up to the low intereſt of the world. But popular diviſions ſtop not here. They not only ſeparate friends, but divide friendſhips. The per- petual changes and chances of this life give new colours to things, and work incredible changes in Thoſe, whoſe diſcernment is juſt and quick enough in a clear day, but unable to penetrate the miſts of intereſt and ambition. In theſe miſts we loſe our friends: and ſhould the wea- ther clear up, we may perchance find them different perſons from them we ſaw in open day : broken with one another, and enticing and beckoning Us to Their faction. Here dies real friendſhip: and often at a time of L 234 of our lives very unfit to contract new friendſhips. When experience and age incline us to coldneſs and ſuſ- picion: and our breaſts are not very ſuſceptible of the impreſſion of another's worth. Only think of the man you heartily love: and then think of being eſtranged or alienated from him. If ſuch a pofſibility affects you tenderly, ſhun the poſſibility of breaking the perſe ve- rance of an early friendſhip. Thine own friend, and thy father's friend forſake not, ſays Solomon: and if New Ones could be readily found, David would not have ſummed up his calamity, by ſaying, my lovers and friends haſt thou put away from me, and hid mine ac- guaintance out of my fight. Thirdly, Our laſt motive to ſeek the peace of our Feruſalem is Religion. Becauſe of the houſe of the. Lord our God, I will ſeek thy good. RELIGION of one kind or other, has prevailed in all ages and places of the world. And; though ridiculous as Popery itſelf, the Gods and Altars have been the care of all lawgivers, and their names conſtantly called upon, to incite men to ſeek the peace of their country, or to run the riſk of the moſt hazardous undertakings for the. defence or glory of it. Tu diſpenſation of the Chriſtian Religion ſhould have a greater power over human affections: and, as E it [ 24 ] it is interwoyen with the conſtitution of our country, ſhould engage our love to it, and our particular zeal for its eſtabliſhed Church, the facred part of our birth- right and inheritance : and as it has been ſo truly ho- noured, as to be called and made the firſt and moſt juſti- fable cauſe of that neceſſary and ever memorable yin- dication of liberty, which fixt our long fluctuating con- ſtitution, a zeal for tne principles of which is the fun- damental and ſureſt teſt of the love of our country; we ſhould continue that reſpec and reverence for it, which our fathers then ſhewed: and not be ſurprized that many who have not been ſtrictly conformable to its doctrine, or obedient to its precepts, have been eminent in its ſupport and encouragement, as the glory and ſecurity of the ſtate. Becauſe a conſtitution, without a leading eſtabliſhment in religion, is not perfect: and men can be but halt governed by human laws, THrar the Chriſtian Religion is not equally pure and uncorrupted in every nation is lamentable : but this oc- caſion of our ſorrow ſhould be alſo the occaſion of our union and zeal : but a zeal according to knowledge, and always in perfect charity with miſthinking, or miſled men. Of this our church ſhewed a ſignal inſtance at the reſtauration: when its members, long under the tyranny of fanaticiſm, were provoked to ſevere repri- fals, which they forbore. And even the Butchery of This Day, from Proteſtant Humanity, was not Re- venged 257 venged in the manner it was executed; although the ſword was in hands not ſparing of the effuſion of blood, and recent and red from the murder of their king. Ir then we do not vaiuqy pretend, to be the moſt rationally and ſcripturally reformed, in religion, of all the Reformed : but live in confidence that our country is the re//ing place of the Lord, and the ark of his ſtrength ; let us call to mind, that by the title of a true chu = we are fellow-citizens with the ſaints, and of the houſhold of God : and are built on the foundation of the apoſiles and prophets, Jeſus Chriſt himſelf being the chief corner lone. In whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth up into a holy Temple in the Batu Epbeſ. chap. 2. ver. 19.) Of This Temple and vocation if we world walk worthy ; let us endeavour, as the Apoſtle infers (chap. 4. ver, 2:) with all lowhneſs and meekneſs, long ſuffering and forbearance, to keep the unity of the ſhirit in the bond of peace. LtT us infer, that the intereſt of our noble conſti- tution is the firſt object of men of honour and religion. Piety, Loyalty, Liberty, Truth, Friendſhip and Juſtice are included in its Peace: and to be falſe to it, is to be falſe to God, to the king, to our fellow-ſubjecs, and ourſelves, 0 94 To conclude, let us, in our ſeveral ſtations, pray heartily, and act diſintereſtedly, for the Common Good: and putting away all bitterneſs, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil ſpeaking, (which have abounded) with all malice) ſeek the peace and proſperit of the kingdom, the country, or city in which we welle ever mindful hat righteouſneſs alone exalteth a nation : and /ooking, in all our deſigns. and actions, towards the city that hath everlafting foundations, whoſe builder and maker is Co. Heb. cap. II. ver. 10. r > Vs 2 a 4 K ”. 