V.

SERM.to the Pretenfions of a Nominal Prince, fupported by a Monarch, who feems not much to delight in any other Obedience of Subjects but what is Paffive, and what groans under the Burthen either of his Glory, or his Cruelty.

I have now laid before you fome Obfervati ons, refpecting as well the prefent Happiness we enjoy, as the unhappy Notions of fome amongst us. Almighty God thought it a good Argument against Abfolute Monarchy, to shew the Ifraelites the Unhappiness and Servitude of Subjects, introduced by that Form of Government. In Imitation of fo unexceptionable a Pattern, we can do no less than proteft folemnly to Perfons like-minded, and fhew them the Manner of the King they would have to reign over them; and the Manner of the Kingdom they would gladly fee established amongst us. And this I thought peculiarly agreeable to this Time, when the Nation hath been alarmed by the Pretenfes of One, whofe Success must have been accompanied with Abfolute Power, and the Ruine of our prefent happy Establishment; but whofe Attempt hath by this Time, we hope, fufficiently convinced Him of its own Weakness.

Our happy Estate therefore, I have fet before your Eyes, that you may the better judge of the Unhappineffes of the contrary which I have likewife fhewn as I

paffed.

V.

paffed. But, without thefe Affiftances, you s ER M. may easily imagine to your felves the blessed Effects of French Inftructions, and French Force, and a Popish Faith, fhould any Future Attempt prove more fuccessful to this Pretender; and judge from former Precedents, how exactly he will anfwer all his Obligations; how fincerely he will promise to maintain the Church of England, as by Law established, meaning the Popifh Church established in foriner Days; how inviolably he will preserve your Laws, by difpenfing with them; how strenuously he will maintain your Properties, by esteeming and ufing them as his own; how glorious he will make the Union, by enlarging it to the Gallican Church, and State; and how indulgent he will be to tender Confciences, by allowing them the Liberty of chufing exquifite Torments, or the Profeffion of his own Religion. Let Men confider whether this be not the very State they are to expect under Him; and then, voluntarily chuse it if they can.

This is a Subject of great, and univerfal Importance: And, if it be needful to add any Apology, let it be remembered, that it is foreign to no Man's Office, upon all juft Occafions, to inculcate fuch Doctrines as promote the Happinefs of human Society; and particularly not Foreign to ours, to confider a Subject to which Almighty

SER M. Almighty God, by his Prophet, so plainly leads

V.

our Thoughts. But, to conclude, Whatever Influence the Confiderations, I have urged, may have upon fome Minds, I hope they may at least animate fuch as are well-disposed already to follow the noble Example of our First British Parliament, in their Approbation of the late Revolution; their Zeal for Her present Majefty; their Concern to support the just Title of Herself, and Her Proteftant Succeffors; And their Resolution to do all in their Power to maintain the Happineffes we enjoy, and to convey them down unviolated to our Pofterity after us.

SERMON

SERMON VI.

Preached at the Affizes at Hertford, July 26, 1708.

ACTS xxii. 25.

And as they bound him with Thongs, Paul faid unto the Centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a Man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

I

T being my Design to speak fomething ats E RM. this Time concerning the Nature of Laws,

and the great Advantage of them to the well-being of Human Society, I think it not improper to found what I have to say upon the Behaviour of St. Paul, as it is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, with respect to his Civil Privileges, and to his Civil Superiors, and Judges. And I chufe to do fo, because this will at once give us fome Light into the true Interpretation of the Doctrine delivered by himself and others in the New Teftament, concerning Government; and lead us into fome useful Ob

fervations

VI.

SER M. fervations relating to the Happiness of Human VI. Society.

I. I propose to give you a brief View of the Behaviour of St. Paul, as it is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, with Refpect to those Civil Rights, and Privileges, to which the Laws of the Roman, or Jewish, State entitled Him; and to thofe Civil Magiftrates, and Judges, before whom He had occafion to appear. And,

1. In the Chapter now before us, the chief Captain, who appears to have acted the Part of a Civil Magiftrate as well as of a Commanding Officer in Jerufalem, refolving to find out what it was that had fo much incenfed the whole Multitude against St. Paul, commanded him to be scourged, in order to his own Confeffion of his Crime. St. Paul could have born this Ufage with as great Chriftian Patience, and Roman Fortitude, as any Man living: And no Man knew the true Glory of Suffering wrongfully better than He. But, inftead of this, He feems to think it a much more becoming Part to infift upon thofe Civil Privileges which the Laws of the State entitled him to, as He was free of the City of Rome. Is it lawful for you to scourge a Man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? Was the Question which He thought fit at that Time to

afk.