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SER M. Evil. Ever fince the Reformation has been IX. established, from it's Youth up the Papists have fought against it. But, Thanks be to GOD! they have not prevailed against it! Their Attempts have been often, very often providentially defeated, and all their Measures blafted. We are rescued from a Rebellion that would have impoverished the Public, raifed feveral Tumults, made our Country a Seat of War and Defolation, and expofed it to the Attempts of foreign Enemies.

Arbitrary Power would have been absolutely neceffary to introduce a corrupt and abfurd Religion, and would have been so natural to the Infolence of a Conqueror, that should our Invader have gained the Sovereign Power by Violence, there is no Doubt but He would have preferved it by Tyranny.

Succefs is not always a Proof that we are the extraordinary Favourites of Heaven. However, if it should not be thought strictly providential, there is fomething at least extraordinary and unaccountable, that an illuftrious Perfon, whofe Years did not promise any diftinguished Experience or Conduct in Military Affairs, or incline our Men to repose a firm Confidence in Him, fhould ftrike a Terror into a Set of defperate Men, embarked in a desperate, as well as wicked Caufe, who were flufhed with repeated

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repeated Succeffes: That our Armies fhould SER M. be like fo many Cyphers (which however numerous, were of little or no 'Account) till He, the diftinguished Figure, was placed at the Head of them. But from that Time that He was placed the principal Figure at the Head of them, their Numbers became of infinite Value, and could earn or purchafe any Thing, however valuable the Acquifition might be. This seems to be the LORD's Doing, and it ought to be marvellous in our Eyes; that We were not given over for a Prey unto them; that We still retain those Bleffings that ought to be moft dear to us as Englishmen and Proteftants.

And it is to be hoped, that, by a due Reflexion on the Progress and Event of this Confpiracy, Those who are not convinced of the Wickednefs of Attempts of this Kind, muft at least fee the Vanity, Folly and Madness of them.

To conclude: We have with a commendable Zeal on many Occafions flood in Defence of our Religion at the Expence of the Blood and Treafure of the Nation ; let it not be obferved that the Religion of England, like a mere Watch-word for an Army, is never valued but when it is to be fought for; and in Times of Peace laid by and condemned to ruft, with other ufelefs Inftruments of War.

SERM.

To a Zeal for Religion let us add ChaIX. rity, the Crown of all Virtues, and let us lay afide all Hatred, Malice and Defire of Revenge; that We may with one Heart and one Mouth glorify GOD for His Mercies, and implore His Protection for ourselves, our King and our Country; that He would give us the Bleffings of Peace, and that We may never want a Proteftant Prince, who has the Interefts of Reformed Christianity and the Good of His Country at Heart, to rule over us.

SERMON X.

Religious Pleafures productive of the greatest Happiness.

PROV. iii. 17.

Her Ways are Ways of Pleafantness.

HE turbulent Paffions, fuch as Anger SERM. X. and Revenge, are disagreeable to our

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Nature, because they are open and declared
Enemies to our Repose: they alarm the Soul
at their firft Infurrection, and afterwards
command it with an overbearing Tyranny.
But Pleasure fteals upon Us by infenfible
Degrees, fmooths it's Paffage to the Heart
by a gentle and infinuating Address, and
foftens and difarms the Soul of all it's
Strength. It is more therefore to be guarded
againft, as being more dangerous, and
what we have a greater Inclination to,
To arm Us then against the Deceitfulness
of unlawful fenfual Delights, I have chofen
the Words of Solomon, which fet before
Us the genuine and fincere Pleasure which
Religion affords.
Her Ways are Ways of
Plea-

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SERM. X. Pleasantness. In difcourfing on which Words I fhall endeavour to fhew,

I. First, That the Pleasures of Religion and Virtue are fuperior to the Pleasures of the Animal Life; and,

II. Secondly, How neceffarily those must be disappointed, who place their Happiness in any Thing exclufive of Religion and Virtue.

Firft then I am to fhew, that the Pleafures of Religion and Virtue are fuperior to the Pleasures of the Animal Life.

And here we expect to be told by the Men of Pleasure, that spiritual Satisfactions are nothing but the Product of an over-heated Fancy, and mere Enthusiasm, But we except against them as very incompetent Judges. A good Man by tasting the Pleafures of Senfe, as far as they are cònfiftent with Reafon, is very well qualified to form a true Eftimate of them. But the fenfual Man, by being an utter Stranger to Religion, is no more able to make a Judgment of the Satisfaction it yields, than a Man of no Taste is to pafs a decifive Verdict upon the Elegancies of Poetry, or an Idiot upon a Point of Philofophy.

Difmiffing him therefore as an improper Judge, we appeal to the Virtuous for the Superiority

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