THE ORIGINAL OF PLOTS, OR, Some Seasonable Reflections upon the late Horrid Fanatic Conspiracy, in a Sermon Preached at St. Mary's in Dover, on Sunday September 23, 1683.  
By JAMES BROME, A. M. Rector of Cheriton in Kent, and Chaplain to his most Sacred Majesty.  
LONDON, Printed for Samuel Lee, at the Feathers in Lumbard-street, 1684.   

To all the Loyal Gentlemen, and Men worthy, of the Town and Port of Dover.  
GENTLEMEN,  
THIS plain discourse having met with great encouragement by your serious attention to it, and favourable approbation of it, doth now presume to shelter itself under your Wing, as not knowing any better Asylum to have recourse to then your protection, whose exemplary integrity and Loyalty, as they have endured immovably the greatest shocks of Fanatic rage and malice, so are they chiefly able to succour such Persons, who are likely to fall under the same dismal fate, and to suffer persecution from the malevolent Tongues of those Foul-mouthed Animals, who were never acquainted with any other civility but that of railing.  
How far this discourse may provoke the choler of some Men, I shall not much concern myself; being resolved to follow the advice of the wise Philosopher, Not to kick against such Asses whose chief Talon hath been found to lie mostly in their Heels, and have for a long while suffered a Delirium in their upper parts.  
But if some of their own party speaks true, (and 'tis hard not to believe but that sometime they may do it,) that what was here uttered was delivered with so great modesty and little Passion, that it must needs be well resented by all unprejudiced Men, they are obliged rather to give me thanks, then to pick a quarrel with me for endeavouring to undelude them.  
And that this was chiefly the design will plainly appear throughout the whole series of it, which is to make Men truly sensible of all Seditious Principles and Practices, and to show them what an Heinous crime it is to Act a Ravillac's part under a True Protestant disguise, or to hide a Dominican Dagger under a Presbyterian Cloak, that it was far more adviseable to expiate the guilt of a late Murdered Sovereign before they enter upon a new Tragedy, and imbrue their hands in the Blood of his surviving Sons; and that to ruin three Kingdoms twice in one age, is to render themselves the most insatiable sort of Cannibals.  
In fine all that this discourse would put them upon is to repent of what is passed from the very bottom of their Hearts, and to promise to do better for the future without any mental reservations, and by their Loyal Practices to evince the true sincerity of their intentions: And surely this should be reputed no unfriendly Office by them to remind them of such things as are chiefly wanting in them, when 'tis a most excellent and seasonable Memento Authorised by that great Apostle St. Paul himself, put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey Magistrates.  
But Gentlemen, lest whilst I am preaching Memento's to others I forget myself to you, give me leave to declare, that how plain soever the design was in Preaching, the Publication of this Sermon is chiefly owing to that absolute power which your commands have with me, where it will be as impossible for me to resist their force, as to deny those manifold obligations so frequently devolved upon me: And if it meet with any frowns of the Fanatic Tribe it will be a sufficient compensation that it hath passed the Pikes with you, whose candid and unbiass'd Judgement will be able to buoy it up against the blackest aspersions: In a just deffiance to which I humbly lay it at your feet, with a due acknowledgement that I am  
Gentlemen, Your most humble and most obliged Servant, JAMES BROME.   

THE ORIGINAL OF PLOTS, etc.  Psal. 37. v. 12. 
The wicked Plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.  
IT hath been truly observed in the revolutions of the World, that those Persons who have been realy the most professed Enemies to all Religion, themselves have been for supplanting its true Professors, and for hindering its further growth and entertainment with other men; and this is little to be wondered at, that they who are only guided by the principles of Atheism should push forward Irreligion; and endeavour to undermine all opposers of it: But for men who pretend to the height and purity of Religion, at the same time to strike the greatest blow against it by their practices, is such a rank piece of Hypocrisy as never any but this age could pretend to Parallel.  
Indeed 'tis too too common with the Pope and his cunning Emissariss, to consult the Interest of the Triple Diadem above the Crowns, and make the Laws of Religion no further useful and obliging than they are subservient to the designs and Policies of his State-Engineers; 'tis no news to hear him quarrelling with the greatest Emperors and Princes, and thundering out his severest Bulls and anathemas against them, if they will not tamely submit to his Usurpations and Encroachments: To depose Kings, and absolve Subjects from their Allegiance, to promote Sedition, and cause Insurrections, to set Kingdoms in Flames, and draw People into Arms; this is a meritorious piece of service amongst Jesuits.  
But then for True Protestants to quarrel at the Pope for his Bloodiness and cruelty, and yet write after his Copy in the same Charactars' of Blood, to affright People out of their senses with the hideous noise and amusement of Popish Massacres and Conflagrations, and yet at the same time privately to ferment the Nation into Rebellion, and to prepare Presbyterian Blunderbusses to do the same bloody Execution with Popish Knives and Daggers; I say, to make a mighty splutter and huge outcry against Popery, and yet at the same time to take the very same Popish measures of Ruin and Destruction: This is a new way of supplanting and beating down Popery, which was never known in the World, till the Saints of the last Edition Chalked out the ready way for it, and proved by such practices as these, That their only means to become the best Christians was first to commence the most flagitious and bloody villains.  
And that this was not true either in Theory or Practice, it were well for them that have of late been Styled publicly, not only the briskest and tightest part of the Nations Friends, but even the very Anti-Papal Guardians and Saviour's of it: but (alas) these are the Demure and Sober party amongst us, who have sowed together the Fig-Leaves of Sanctimonious pretences to cover the most Horrid and Execrable Impietys', and under Holy Samuel's Prophetic Mantle have fobbed of all their Satanical delusions amongst the Multitude.  
These are they, who under a design of destroying all those whom they are pleased to call Baal's Priests, have approved themselves zealous for those of Jeroboam, and by the most poisonous Libels that were ever hatched by a brood of Sanguinary Conspirators, have been promoting the true interest and wellfair of the Nation: These are the men who with lift up Eyes and sanctified Lips; call God a Thousand times to witness the Integrity of their Hearts, and the Loyalty of their Intentions, whilst upon pain and peril of another Meroz-Course, they were secretly calling out the People to the help of the Lord; to the help of the Lord against the Mighty: Nay, whilst they were solemnly protesting with the most bitter Asceverations, both in their Pamphlets and Discourses against all Protestant-Plotts, and Associations against the Government, they were even at that time more eager and hit upon the Sent of it.  
Thus whilst they were wheadling us into a good Opinion of their Actions, they were then at work with the most Hellish Contrivances, and the Saints in the Conventicle proved Devils in the Cabal. For King and People were there appointed as Sheep for the Slaughter, and Church and State both designed a Sacrifice to their Cruelty and Revenge: And what Malice so implacable, what Rage so inexorable as Fanatic Rage? Nunc Cinna pius Cinna & Sylla, Marius and Catiline were men of Mercy to these, Maugre all their Republican Principles and Massacres at Rome; and even Turks and Infidels, had these men's villanies succeeded, would have abhorred their very memories as the prodigies of Humane Nature, and a shame to all Mankind.  
But God who sets bounds to the Tempestuous Waves of the Sea, and saith, Hither shall ye go and no further, hath put a Hook into the Nostrils of our Republican Leviathan's, and hath as yet stopped them in their Career by discovering their Conspiracy; and though the Wicked plotteth against the Just, and gnasheth upon him with his Teeth, yet God, who sitteth in the Heavens, shall Laugh him to Scorn, for he seeth that his day is Coming.  
The Greek word in the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate plotteth is more significantly rendered by the Latins, Contra jus & fas superstitiose observat, which implies an illegal and unlawful, or any overcurious and even superstitious observing and taking notice of, and misconstruing the Actions of another to his detriment and prejudice, a prying so far into them as to be able to Obviate and Countermine them, and hinder them from pursuing those ends to which they were directed: So that the malicious design of the wicked against the just, which David seems to decipher, is this, That he is still making it his business privately to do the Righteous Man the greatest mischief, by misrepresenting his Actions to the Public, by taking such malicious Courses and Methods against him as may render his life very Dangerous and uneasy.  
And from the Words thus explained, I shall branch out my Discourse into three Heads.  
First, To show you that it hath ever been the fate of all Virtuous and good Men to be Exposed to the malicious Plots and Contrivance of wicked Miscreants.  
Secondly, I shall consider from what Grounds and Causes such Plots and Contrivances do most usually proceed.  
And Thirdly, I shall deduce such practical conclusions as may be sufficient to deter men from such vile and infamous practices.  
First, For good and virtuous men to be exposed to the Malicious Plots and Contrivances of those that are wicked hath ever been an hard fate which hath attended them in the World: 'Tis no new thing for Religion to meet with opposition from such Persons whose passions and interests are inconsistent with it; Christian Religion, we know, is the most Rational and Excellent Institution that can be imagined; it lays a great restraint upon the passions, and bridles all irregular and disorderly affections, it limits men's unbounded and extravigant desires, and puts them off from all base and unworthy projects and pursuits, it teacheth them to be just and honest, simple and open, candied and upright in all their Actions, and would have them to be as innocent as Doves, though it allows them likewise the wisdom of Serpents; and where these are not the visible effects of its Holy Doctrine and Precepts, it meets with a very strange Reception and Entertainment in the World.  
For where men once give up themselves to the conduct of their passions, and indulge themselves entirely in all the common prejudice of Humanity, where they Sacrifice to their interest as the greatest of all Deitys, and measure all Religion by complying with such a party, or adhering to such a faction, or espousing such an interest; if Religion do in such cases exert its vigour and zeal to beat down such palpable Irregularitys amongst such People, it shall be sure to be censured and dealt withal as an enemy, because it is resolved so fairly to tell them the Truth.  
And hence arise evil thoughts, and false surmizes, and wrangling debates, and perverse dispute by men of corrupt minds, who turn Faith into Faction, and Religion into Rebellion, and all Government must be Abolished that is not of their Mould and all Humane Appointments Abrogated that are not stamped with their Mark; and if Governors will not be huffed out of their Authority by their demands, than all their Actions must be immediately misrepresented to the Crowd, and the People must be forthwith harangued into mutiny and sedition, and Plots and Arms must be the last refuge of the Saints to set up Christ's Kingdom in opposition to Caesar's.  
That these have been the proceedings for some years in this Kingdom, I think none so great a Recluse to be ignorant of at this day; for who ever more persecuted by seditious Boutefeus' then our most Gracious King? What ever more harasted by Factious Spirits than our Apostolical Church? Was not our Sovereign's Restauration very wonderful and Miraculous, and hath not God attested his care and protection over him ever since that time by such a series of Deliverances, as might convince his Enemies (one would think) that he is above the reach of their malice, and the very darling and favourite of Heaven itself? And yet for all this, have they not taken all advantages to stuff the Pillow of his Crown with Thorns, and to make the Throne totter, and become uneasy to his Majesty? Did not an ungrateful Absalon endeavour to steal away the Hearts of his People from him, whilst a false and trecharous Achitophel did form and marshal them into Clubbs and parties against him? Did not the railing Shimeiss and bawling Rabshakahs of the party endeavour to blast his reputation with his Subjects, whilst the canting Sheba's by blowing the Trumpet of sedition did Alarm them all into another Holy War? And whilst they were conjuring up such Hurricanes against the King, was not the Church to be involved in the same general calamity, and both his and the Church's Friends doomed to the same portion of sufferings, under which for so many years together they had once so fondly smarted?  
Alas, these tenderhearted and purely conscientious Persons, could by no means away with the harmless Rites of the Church, but were preparing their Swallows again for its goods and revenues, and though one poor small Ceremony might by no means go down for fear of choking them, yet a Bishopric would certainly have been a very pleasant morsel for a breakfast, for Church-lands never yet came within their motion of Sacrilege; and though decimating and sequesting and plundering was out of fashion, it had been a Trade which proved formerly so beneficial to the Saints, that they began to grow big with hope of renewing the Monopoly.  
In fine Dagon must down, for Kingly Power grew burdensome, and the Lords were become useless, and the Bishop's dangerous, and we had nothing left amongst us but through paced Judges, and Evil Counselors, and Flattering Divines, buisy and designing Papists and French Councils; and since the Ministers of State were inexcusable, and deserved all the fury (as one of the Hellish 
* Plate Redivivus.  Agents speaks) which must one time or other be let lose upon them; now was the time for the True Protestant Flails and other new Instruments of Torture to fly about their Bones, and take Vengeance of Gods, because their reputed Enemies.  

Psal. 24. v. 5, 6, 7.  But Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us over as a Prey unto their Teeth, Our soul is escaped as a Bird out of the Snare of the Fowler, the Snare is broken, and we are delivered, and our help standeth yet in the Name of the Lord, who hath made Heaven and Earth.  
And so from the Plot itself, I shall proceed to the second thing, and consider the grounds and Original of this and all other Plots and Conspiracies in the World; which I shall resolve into three general Causes.  
And first they are occasioned by spreading dangerous Positions and Seditious Principles amongst the Multitude: For when the People are taught that they are the Supreme Power, and all civil Authority is derived originally from them, that there is a mutual compact between a Prince and his Subjects, and that if he perform not his Duty they are discharged from theirs; why, 'tis only giving out that the Prince hath forfeited his Trust, and is accountable for the breach of that power with which he was Entrusted; and then the next thing by course follows to depose or Murder him, and he falls justly too by the Sword for those, which they call, his Crimes and Misdemeanours.  
Again, what greater Encouragement can possibly be given to conspire against a Government, and contrive its utter Subversion, then when men are told publicly that self preservation is such a fundamental Law of Nature as superseeds the Obligation of all others which stand in competition with it, and that it is Lawful for their own defence, and the defence of their Religion to enter into what Leagues, Covenants, or Associations they please, even against the will and consent of the Supreme Magistrate? And can there be any higher incentive to Rebellion in the world, then to Preach amongst the Rabble, that the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning patient suffering of injuries is not incompatible with taking up Arms against our Government, and that Resistance of Superiors is a thing very lawful, where our Rights and Liberties are invaded by them?  
Nay once more, when Rebellion grows prosperous, and Conspiracies are Crowned with success, when Victory flies to the sides of Oppressors, and Kings are led in triumph for a spectacle to the Multitude, tell the People but then, as it was taught them in the late Wars, that Possession and Strength give a right to Govern, and success in a cause or enterprise proclaim it to be lawful and just, and to pursue it is to comply with the will of God, because it is to follow the conduct of his Providence; and I defy any better method to instigate them afresh then this will prove, for it pusheth them forward upon new attempts, and it makes them so daring and desperate in that Cause, which they believe God himself hath owned so providentially, that they will Cabal and Plott, and Mutiny and Fight against all who shall oppose them in their Resolves and Designs, being still flushed with hopes of a glorious success; and than t God will never desert that People or that cause, for which once he did so signally interpose his mighty Providence.  
Thus where men have once sucked in such dangerous principles as these, they scruple not to act according to those Principles, and they must needs prove very pernicious in order to the undermining the Peace and prosperity of that State where they are entertained, because they are the very bane of all Obedience and Loyalty, and transform men into such horrid monsters of Anarchy and Rebellion, as are unfit to live in any Christian Community, being like the Plague that poisons all places with their infectious Contagion; as we have felt by too woeful experience in these three flourishing Kingdoms.  
Secondly, nothing doth more occasion mischieveous Plots and Conspiracies then needless fears and jealousies about Religion and Government: till but the People in plausible cant, that the King is setting up for Tyranny and Arbitrary Government, and that he is resolved to Sacrifice all their lives and liberties to his unbounded ambition and avarice; though above twenty years' experience doth fully attest the contrary (a Reign where Law and Justice were never stretched unless to mercy, and indulgence; a Reign where too easy forgiveness, and receiving his pardoned Enemies the warm ungrateful snakes too near into the bosom of Majesty, and too high into his trust and honours has been the only fault in his Throne) yet this imaginary Leviathan of arbitrary power shall raise such panic fears, that those very shadows and Chimaeras like so many Igens fatui shall misled deluded ignorance into distraction and rebellion, whilst the great Knaves trail the Carrion, and the little Fools hunt after, as one Phraseth it wittily to this purpose.  
Again let it be but given out though with all the incoherencies and absurdities imaginable that the Pope is advancing with his Holy Banners into this Kingdom, and is resolved to make a reprisal of all his lost ground amongst us; tell them that the Bishops are Pensioners to his Holiness, and are resolved to open both their Churches and Treasuries to readmit his Sacred Train; 'tis not all these men's Protestations, or Tests, discourses, writings and Sermons can be able to undisguise the deluded rabble, or gain them any reverence from these their professed Enemies; but they must be hollowed out of the World with the common cry of the multitude, Away with these fellows it is not fit that they should live: thus Christ must suffer by the decree of the Pharisees, least Heathen Rome prevail, and the Romans come and take away both their place and Nation, though the very death of Christ brought in the Romans to destroy them; and the Church of England must be voted down by our Pharisaical Dissenters, lest that proving an inlet to Popery the modern Romanists by that means take an occasion to root them out; when indeed the case is plain, that if ever they should again prevail to the subversion of our Established Church, Rome would pay them quickly in the very same coin, and they but hasten their own Ruin, by the contrivance of ours.  
Let not then any foolish fears or jealousies, that are conjured up, affright us out of our Loyalty and Obedience to our Governors, for those are only the State-Tools of Hot-spurd Bigots and Incendiars, and are always used as Boys do Vizors to fright every body but themselves that wear them: And though there is not the least shadow or appearance for such surmizes, and all is rank Forgery which they scatter amongst the Multitude; yet because they know the Temper of most English men, that they fear nothing which they see, but all things that they hear, which if unpleasing, and ungrateful do presently set them a kicking and madding against the Government; they gratify their foolish humours in this affair, and after they have mustered up a whole legion of public Grievances in the Nation, they magnify these very Annusances with such artifices of Faction, that the People are induced to believe these imaginary Castles and Scare-Crows to be real and substantial Truths, and so run into confusion and an opposition of that Government, which were it not for these men they would quietly acquiesce in, and think it the greatest happiness to live quietly under, withal Obedience and Submission.  
But a third thing which makes men associate in Leagnes, and Plots, and Conspiracies, is an uneasiness under Government, and an itching desire after new changes and Alterations: Though after all the mighty heats and debates amongst Politicians Monarchies have at last been Voted for the best of Governments, and one Tyrant (if so it happen) more tolerable than thirty at Athens, or a greater number in England; Yet so besotted are some Bigors to Commonwealth principles and practices that a Solomon upon the Throne shall be made impeaceable at their tribunal, and they who perhaps Alphonsus like could have contrived the World better, had they been admitted Privy-Counsellors with God Almighty at the Creation, no doubt are so opinionative as throughly to be persuaded that they can Govern the World better too then God's Vice-gerents who are at the Helm, might their measures be taken in the administration of Government.  
But what are the measures which these men of Policy propose? Why, if the Prerogative was but little more paired, and Church-government new modelled, and squared more exactly to the Presbyterian cut, you should perhaps have these men's wits leave off working for a while, till the next Moon caused a new Fermentation in the Brain; and when their Lunacy did return, new projects must be set on Foot, and down goes Presbytery as too severe and Tyrannical, and a Jus divinum must be enstamped with a Nemine Contradicent upon Independency; till at length the Moon changeth again, and then it being thought too much to Monopolise true Christianity to any one particular sect of Men, at last comes out a Toleration, and like Noah's Ark takes in all clean and unclean Creatures within the Pale of the Church, till our Heresies grow as numerous as the very Letters of our Creeds, and the Church itself become realy, what Julian once falsely traduced it to be, a Sanctuary for all the greatest Villainies, and most horrid Diabolical illusions in the World.  
And these are the true Fruits and mischiefs of unnecessary changes in Government, which should make us utterly detest all Abettors of them, and to dread the very thoughts of any further Reformation, until they could all agree upon a better than is established: For 'tis the duty of Reformers to provide themselves of a sure remedy before they take notice of the wound, and that Chirurgeon deserves to be punished who first opens the sick Man's Vein and then runs for things to close it: And they that would bleed the Kingdom in the Basilick Vein, (as in their own Phrase to their eternal infamy hath been once done already,) and would heal the distempers of the Nation without having better remedies at hand, which are more necessary and expedient then at present are applied, is such an impracticable way to cure it, as none but State-Quacks, and Bloody Empirics would pretend to, and are therefore to be punished as such unskillful miscreants whose proper work is not to cure but to ruin that Kingdom.  
And now having Briefly acquainted you how far the malice of wicked Men prompts them forward to commit the greatest outrages by their cursed Plots and Conspiracies; and what is the source of all such Devilish Machinations; it will be requisite in the third place to deduce from thence such practical conclusions as may be sufficient to deter men from such vile and infamous practices against either Church or State.  
In order to which I desire it may be considered,  
First, that nothing is more detestable in the sight of God, than such evil projects and treacherous designments against Governors: All obedience to Man is for the sake of God, and they who by any contumelious Act vilify their Superiors, reproach God himself who gave them their Authority: 
Prov. 8. v. 15.  If by God Kings Reign, and Princes do decree Justice, to wound their Persons is to stab God in Effigy, nor can their Honour be Eclipsed without lessening Gods too: He that quarrels with his Prince quarrels with God who hath bestowed upon him all his Regalia of Kingly power, and he that endeavours to undermine or betray his Sovereign out of any selfish principle, or secular interest and design, was our Blessed Saviour now upon Earth, would Judas like venture his Soul to betray him too, was he but sure to come to a good Market for him.  
Hence the Giants of old who warred against Jupieter are a very true Emblem of all Seditions Rebels; for to raise commotions against Kings is to wage War with Heaven, whose Vice-Gerents they are, and what greater affront can be given? what more open violance offered to the King of Kings? To be still carping and repining at all Public administration of affairs is to question God's wisdom in the choice of his own Ministers, and in plain Terms to tell him, that he is much to blame in bestowing Crowns upon Fools or wicked men: But methinks what Luther said concerning Philip Melancthon who was more disquieted in his thoughts than he needed to have been concerning the confused state of things in his days, Monendus est Philippus desinut esse Rector Mundi, is very applicable to our purpose at this present time: Every hot-brained Fanatic is duly to be admonished that he would cease to take upon him the Government of the World, as if he knew how to dispose of it to a better Lieutenancy than the Almighty; and consequently that the Brethren would once be persuaded to leave all their Mutinuss and Seditious Practices, their raillery, and detraction, their Plots and Associations against Kings and all that are in Authority, because God looks upon it as a contempt and a defiance given to himself, and therefore doth assure them, 
1 Sam. 15. v. 23. Rom. 13. v. 2.  that as Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft. So they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation.  
Again God is pleased to declare his utter distaste and abhorrence of all such practices by the Providential discoveries he so frequently makes of the greatest conspiracies in the World: And indeed there is no greater argument for the Providence of God against the rankest Atheists living, that he doth continually take cognizance of all affairs of Sublunary beings; nor is there any surer Testimony of God's mercy and lovingkindness to the Sons of Men, than the great care he hath taken for the preservation of his People, and the wonderful deliverances which in all ages of the World he hath wrought for the Church, maugre all the powerful and Politic attempts of Men or Devils to undermine and destroy it.  
And if upon this account God owns any cause by making it successful, which I showed you before it was the Doctrine of fanatics, what may they judge of our cause now, by the success and happiness of the late discovery? For if this argument be true, the Gates and Turrets of the City, who now groan under the Heads and Quarters of the late Executed Rebels, will Proclaim to all the World the gracious Success on our side, and that God hath visibly espoused our Cause against those antimonarchical and anti-episcopal Zealots who did oppose it?  
Secondly, nothing is more inconsistent with the design of true Religion, and the doctrine of Christianity then such vile Plots and Conspiracies, which make resistance against Superiors a thing Lawful; and consequently that can be no true Church were such Practices are allowed of or countenanced by the chiefest members: Now that these things have been ever justified by the Fanatic Fraternity is as demonstrable as to show you where they have been looked upon as Antichristian, and I defy any one to point me out the time where ever they were yet publicly disowned by a joint concurrence of all their Sanctified Tribes.  
Read over, if you can think it worth your while to puddle in so much filth and impiety, some of the Books or Sermons of Calamy or Baxter, Owen or Goodwin, Jenkyns or Marshal, and of divers others who were the Heads and the very Oracles of both the Sectarian parties, and you will find the greatest Villainies countenanced, the horrid'st Blasphemies vented, the deepest Treasons encouraged, and the most execrable murder of the late King himself justified in their Pulpits and Presses, which have been the accursed Fountains of all our deplorable calamities: Or if you please to take an infallible Antidote against them all, read over the Dissenters sayings, published on this very account by the true Heroic Atlas of our established Church, and you will meet there with such a Farrago of wicked principles and opinions flowing all immediately from the same sink of Fanaticism, as indeed is no where else to be met withal but in Hell itself: For what false and horrid Stories do they there tell God Almighty of the King and the Church, as the same Incomparable Author observes, and then what Blasphemous Commissions, in the Name of the High God, do they shame upon their Congregations? They tell the people on the one hand that it is the will of God to have Kings put to death, Altars profaned, Temples demolished; whilst they treat the dreadful Majesty of Heaven on the other hand as if he himself was to come in for a share in the next Crown or Church-lands that fell: They bless God for successes, and pray for blessings that carry damnation along with them, imputing the motions of Hell to the very breathe of the Holy Ghost.  
Now all these things were not done privately in a Corner, or shrouded up closely in the shades of darkness, but were published boldly and openly in the face of the Sun, as doctrines fit to be propagated and espoused by all true Christians; nor were these the particular sentiments only of some private men, but the approved opinions of all their principal Teachers, some of which were Assembly-men, urged with all the Zeal, and inculcated to their People with all the vigour imaginable, and some of these Persons are alive at this very day, and we find them Men of the same Kidneys still, for they have not yet retracted any of these Seditious principles, nor recanted for their dangerous opinions and tenants, nor given the State any reasonable satisfaction to believe that they are sorry for what they have done, nor declared any visible reluctancy or regret for all their former misdemeanours, repentance in a Fanatic being as great a Miracle as conversion in a Jew.  
Now 'tis impossible that Men who are poisoned with such Unchristian sentiments as these can ever be Members of a Church truly Christian: And I never read of any Rebels that were Canonised for Saints by those who did believe themselves to be the best and Truest Protestants, till Mr. Baxter first placed them in his Saints Everlasting Rest; for Christiaanity truly primitive, never owned any such principles or Persons in the World, but lays down other Maxims of another stamp and nature; it commands us Love and Peace, Unity and Obedience, and abhors all Schisms and Factions and Dissensions as Plagues and Firebrands; it obligeth us to be subject to the higher powers and to obey for conscience sake, and to submit ourselves to froward and cruel as well as to mild and Gentle Governors; it allows us not, though surrounded with Storms of persecution, to take our measures of obedience from our strength or our numbers, for the primitive Christians were more in number and greater in power then their Persecutors, and yet nunquam conjuratio erupit, faith the Father, there never was any uprour or hurly-burly amongst them, but in reverence to their Master and his example, Interimi se a paucioribus quam interimere patiebantur, they rather suffered themselves to be killed by a smaller number than themselves are: And St. Cyprian cries out, Nemo nostrum quando apprehenditur reluctatur, quamvis nimius & copiosus noster populus; none of us when we are apprehended strive or endeavour to revenge your unjust violence, although our People are very many and more numerous than you are; and Tertullian gives the reason, Occidi licet occidere non licet; God hath made it Lawful for us to suffer ourselves to be killed, but not Lawful for us to kill.  
And indeed the doctrine of Resistance was never taught in the Christian School, till the Pope and his Jesuits laid down plainly the Text, and our True Protestant Scotch and English new upstart Theologico-politici began to lick up the Venom, and were pleased to raise their Holy comments upon it; and it was quite beaten out of countenance, till of late an Apostate Julian, almost as bad as Julian whose life he writes, did endeavour again to bring it into reputation with the Mobile: Sure I am that the whole life of our Saviour was a confutation of such vile Practices, his rebuking St. Peter for rashly 
St. Mat. 25. 52.  using the Sword, was a plain discountenancing such unevangelical principles, the sufferings of all the Apostles and primitive Martyrs are a sufficient comment upon the doctrine of our Saviour in this particular, and in short Erasmus was much in the right when he lays down this for one of the greatest of Truths, Nulla haeresis perniciosior, etc. No heresy is more pernicious than this doctrine of Resistance, the whole Stream of Apostolical Men running quite counter to it, both in their principles and practices.  
So that till men learn to be more peaceable and quiet, more submissive and obedient, less mutinous and refractory, less censorious and seditious, till they leave off pleading conscience, for not doing that which a Gospel-conscience tells them they are obliged to do, and never take up Arms, raise any insurrections, or confederate in any private leagues or associations against their Governors; let them list themselves in what Congregations, and Church themselves in what Assemblies, and pretend to what measures of Saintshipp they please, I darr assure them (if the Gospel be true) that they are not yet enroled in the Catalogue of God's true Saints, who never as yet held up one hand in adoration to God Almighty, and with the other rebelled against and endeavoured to murder his Anointed.  
Thirdly, nothing is more destructive to the peace and welfare of all humane Society, than such damnable Plots and Conspiracies against Government: With what pleasure do men enjoy all the Fruits of their labour, and live with the greatest satisfaction under their Vines and their Figg-trees, where these common Incendiaries do not set Kingdoms in Flames? On the other side where these get the upper hand, what Massacres and Murders, what Blood and Rapine, what Ravages and Sacrilege do immediately ensue? No respect then to Persons, no reverence to Grey Hairs, no tenderness for Children, no piety for Infants, no compassion to the most lovely and charming Flowers of beautiful youth itself. The Streets shall be filled with the dreadful Spectacle of mangled Carcases, and the Skies rend in sunder with the bitter cries and Ejaculations of poor Widows and Orphans, whose dearest Relations have fallen Sacrifices to revenge and cruelty; the Rivers shall be Died with Purple Gore, and the Air become infected with the contagion of the slain; the most stately Cities shall be disrobed of all their glory, and the very Woods and Mountains of the Country shall want caves and receptacles for wand'ring Exiles and Pilgrims: Nobility is then no bar against oppression, and Birth and Family do but at that time make the condition more deplorable; nor will Sacred places meet with better usage than any other, and will prove but very weak Asylums and insignificant Sanctuaries to those that have been employed therein; 'tis no news then to behold the abomination of desolation standing in the most holy place, and the House of Prayer made in the most literal sense a Den of Thiefs; and it will be less matter of wonder for a fat Benefice to become a crime and witness too against its Incumbent, and he to be voted unorthodox, that is worth the plundering.  
That this is all Romance or but barely speculation I wish our late unhappy times did not fully contradict, but (alas) we then so dearly experienced the mischiefs of Sedition, and what direful consequences ensued when the Rebels were in the Saddle, that the least apprehension of such dismal revolutions may reasonably affect as at the greatest dread and horror, and the burnt Child may justly fear the Fire a second time.  
Fourthly, All Plotters are to be reckoned the very worst sort of sinners, they are the wicked with an Emphasis, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of Eminency: Hence the sins of rebellion and stubborness are by God himself ranked in the same File, with those horrid and crying sins of Witchcraft and Idolatry; Nay, they are rather the worse of the two, because they who are guilty of them feldom or never blush for that guilt, and have any inward Checks or remorse of conscience for the commission of such crimes; they can swear without perjury, because an Oath obligeth not in the Imposers sense but in the Takers; they can Rebel without Treason, because Kings being only the People's Creatures, 'tis lawful to unmake what themselves Created; and they can Kill without Murder, because what the Word cannot, the Sword may lawfully do: For there is such a strange kind of bewitching infatuation in Rebellion, that it many times so far imposeth upon their Reason as to make them believe themselves innocent, when they are Devils Incarnate, or hellish Agents walking in humane shapes: This was very evident in the Regicides that suffered for the Barbarous Murder of that Glorious Martyr Charles the first, their eyes were so blinded even to the very last, that they could not see their Error, but justified what they had done with so much boldness and pertinacity, as if they had seen a Vision of Christ holding forth to them a Crown of Glory for their perseverance in their Villainy: and the Scotch Rebels were so far from being sorry for their Crimes, that they cry up that Rising for a very meritorious Act, and Canonize the chief Ringleaders at Pentland-Hills for Martyrs: And it is to be heartily wished that they who lately suffered for their too apparent Treasons had died with a deeper sense of them then they are apprehended to have done.  
Again, Rebellion and Disobedience are much the worse sins, because (as it hath been truly observed by a Reverend and Learned 
* Dr. Pierce.  Divine) they are Luciferian Crimes, sins which can never attend men to Heaven, having brought down the Angels of Heaven to Hell: There are some sort of sins, such as Drunkenness and Whoredom (however Damning) that the Devil cannot possible commit; but Envy, and Malice, Shism and Sacrilege, hypocrisy and Rebellion and Intoxicating Pride are peculiar to him, and they are the Devils sins so properly, that they are properly called Devilish in men or Christians where ever found: And as these of all sins are the most diabolical, so they are the most damning, which is very evident from the terrible emphasis and force St. Peter puts upon the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2. 9 saying of them, who despise Government, that they are chiefly or more especially reserved by the Lord unto the day of Judgement to be punished: And certainly then it will be to great a hazard for a Christian to be so foolhardy as to venture his immortal Soul in the point of Resistance upon the bare assurance of Mr. Bridges or any of his Fry, that St. Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13. 2. signifies only a Temporal Mulet, and not Eternal damnation without Repentance.  
Let none then who know themselves guilty of these damning sins value themselves a rush the more because they can boast with the proud 
* Luke 18. v. 11▪  Pharisee, I am no Extortioner, Adulterer, Drunkard, or the like▪; for as Rebellion is a sin of the highest magnitude, which erases all the common notice of Duty and Loyalty, and even humanity too out of the mind, so it hurries a Man down to Hell seared and hardened in his Villainy, where no doubt the preeminence of the hottest place is reserved for those who die in that condition without repentance.  
Fifthly, since all such seditious Practices are so abominable to God, so pernicious to Church and State, and the Abettors of them are of all men the most Vile, Wicked, and Diabolical, let this be a means to persuade you cordially and sincerely to abjure and avoid all such Horrid principles and projectors: Now in order to this it will be requisite to take notice who these Plotters are, at this time, and by what Eminent Characters they are signalised to the World.  
And here we shall find Gebal and Ammon, and Amalek with the uncircumcised Philistines, all in a confederacy against the established Government; Presbyterians and Independents, Ana-Baptists, and Fifth Monarchy Men, all joining issues to make the King Glorious, that is in their sense a Martyr as his Father was; as if the Royal Ghost was still Haunting their Conventicles, and no Blood could still propitiate him but that of his own Son: Those who are off as different Interests as opinions all engage in this, and those whose affections are as much alienated from one another (singly considered) as from us, all agree upon this account in an unjarring Harmony: Herod and Pontius Pilate are made Friends that Christ may suffer, and those who are the most bitter and implaceable Enemies to one another (when time serves) in their Principles, Doctrine and Government; all unite in a league against their common Enemy's King and Church.  
And ought not such Men to be avoided with the greatest horror and detestation? Or shall these any longer find favour from us, who desire only to be so kind as to cut our Throats out of courtesy? Oh, let us not only shun them as we would do Fire or Plague, or Wild or Ravenous Beasts, but let us pray too against theirwickedness, as Holy David did in the like case. 
Psal. 83. y. 9,— 18.  Do unto them as unto the Midianites: as to Sisera, as to Jabin at the brook of Kison: Which perished at En-dor: They became as Dung for the Earth. Make their Nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: Yea all their Princes as Zebah and Zalmunna: Who said, let us take to ourselves the House of God in possession. O my God, make them like a Wheel: As the Stubble before the Wind. As the Fire burneth a Wood: And as the Flame setteth the Mountains on Fire: So persecute them with thy Tempest; and make them afraid with thy Storm. Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek thy Name, O LORD. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever: Yea let them be put to shame and perish; That men may know that thou, whose Name alone is JEHOVAH: art the most high over all the Earth.  
But if some will not do this, because they do not imagine things so bad as they are represented, and will still brazen it out against a True Protestant Plot, though the Treason is as apparent as if it had been wrote with a Sunbeam; should an Angle come now from Heaven, and attest the truth of these things, they would believe him too, to be only some misguided Tory Apparition; and it is to be feared, that those who give themselves over to such invincible scruples and obstinacy, have either a hand in these proceedings or hearts that wish well to them; and so nothing will be able to work in them better things, till public Justice brings them to open and Condign Punishment.  
But in the last place let me remind you to adhere immovably to that Church which remonstrats against, and utterly abhors all Rebellious Principles and Practices: Now what Church that is, is Conspicious to all the World by that indelible mark of Loyalty which is her proper badge and honour; I mean that truly Primitive and Apostolical Church, the Church of England as now Established; which never yet bestowed the King's supremacy on the Pope, nor huffed him out of his power to bestow it upon the People: It by no means can allow an entrenchment upon prerogative, and it as much desires that property should be secured by all honest and lawful means: It sues for mercy of the Prince, but it would not have the Subject abuse it to ill purposes; and though it doth allow them a liberty in a regular way to do that which they judge to be best for themselves, yet it by no means gives them leave to tell their Prince what he must do, or to thrust themselves in as spies upon, or judges over his Actions: In fine it enjoins us to obey him in all things that are lawful and honest, and if he commands us otherwise, it permits us not to Rebel, but bids us patiently suffer for what we cannot freely comply with.  
This is the avowed doctrine of over Church (for which her fame may be justly celebrated our all the Christian World) in which let us all with one consent resolve to live and die; for where can we be taught better, or in what Communion can we hope sooner to gain Heaven then in this, whose principles are so sound, whose doctrine so pure, whose Rites and Ceremonies are so few and decent, and whose practices are all so agreeable to the first and purest ages of Christianity. Which if once seriously considered would not only confirm us in this Faith, and make us firm to our Church, but persuade others too to enter again into the bosom of it, who have so perfidiously without any just grounds revolted from it.  
For why should they any longer suffer themselves to be deluded, and why should they not suspect that there may possibly be some corruptions in their Churches as well as any in ours? Now that there are both in principle and practice amongst them I have undeniably demonstrated, and would they but themselves weigh both sides impartially, and without prejudice lay things to Heart, they would be judges against themselves and embrace our Communion: For what corruptions can be greater than those that proceed from rebellious principles and Treasonable practices, which their Churches still do most certainly maintain, and never did yet by any public Assembly or Remonstrance disclaim or openly renounce: and why then should any be so scrupulous to hold Communion with our Church for fear of some imaginary corruptions, and yet cleave to such Churches as are visibly more corrupt?  
Return then, O Shulamite, return, and if there be any stragglers now amongst us, let me earnestly beg of them to return to this our fold, that we may be all but one Flock under one Shepherd Christ Jesus: For 'tis now high time for men to see their errors, and if such Treasons and Conspiracies as these, will not satisfy their consciences that those who are the Leaders and Abettors of them are false Teachers, and Wolves in Sheeps-clothing; Heaven itself cannot work such men's conversion.  
But we heartily entreat you for the King's safety, whose life you all pretend so highly to value, and yet can never be secure, whilst you so nicely distinguish betwixt his Person and his Authority; for the Interest of these Kingdoms, in whose welfare must needs consist your happiness, and yet your mutual Feres and Animosities do daily lessen and undermine; and for the peace and comfort of your own souls, and that Faith and conscience, which you lay so great a claim to, and yet so constantly Shipwreck by your obstinate Schifm and Separation, to believe these things to be really true▪ and to become at last sensible that by embracing these Loyal principles which our Church teacheth you, you will be certainly in the fairest way to promote your best and chiefest Interest, that is, to do well and prosper here, and to attain far greater degrees of felicity hereafter; whereas all other Seditious Tenants expose men to certain unavoidable dangers, penalties, and misfortunes in this life; and hazard their eternal Salvation in that which is to come.  
I shall conclude all with that of Moses, Deut. 30. 19 I call Heaven and Earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you Life and Death, Blessing and Cursing, therefore choose Life that both thou and thy Seed may Live.  
FINIS.