When

with immediate and utter deftruction. the interefts of true religion are in danger; when attempts are made by the enemies both of the civil and religious liberties of mankind, which, if they fucceed, muft iffue in the fubverfion of the free profeffion of true religion, as well as of the other valuable interests of a nation; this puts men to the trial, how far their religion is dear to them, how far they are difpofed to remain firm and refolute in maintaining and defending it; or if they hold their religion cheap, are ready, for the fake of fome apprehended worldly intereft, or for gratifying fome particular humour, to let their religion take its chance, and can easily be foothed into the belief of its being in no danger, in oppofition to all likelihood, and the ftrongest degree of probability. Such times give occafion to fhew, whether mens public fpirit is of the right kind, fuch as regards the real and fubftantial interests of their country. There is a certain kind of it which leads people to prefer a whimsical and imaginary glory of their country to the most folid public advantages. A remarkable inftance of this we have in the people of Ifrael, 1 Sam. viii. who, weary of the liberty and happiness they enjoyed under that government which God himself had inftituted, wanted to have the glory of an abfolute monarch at their head, like the natians around them, and perfifted in this defire, even after they had been divinely warned, that he would make himself rich and great at

their expence. The like whimfical countryfpirit appears remarkable in fome at this day, who would prefer a race of tyrants, whom they reprefent as belonging to their own country, and fpecially related to them, to the enjoyment of liberty, property, the free exercife of their religion, and all those blessings which can make a nation happy, — under what they infolently call a foreign ufurpation. This is the name they prefume to give to the mild, peaceable, and aufpicious reigns of princes the nearest in blood of the Proteftant heirs of the crown. With this name do they reproach our happy deliverance from Popery, flavery, and arbitrary power, brought about by that glorious inftrument of providence, who was called over to our relief by the general voice of the nation groaning under oppref fion. The happy fituation following upon this, and the fubftantial bleffings of a free government, which we now enjoy, they would needs exchange for an imaginary honour of their country, to be ruled by what they call their natural prince, that is, one who claims. them as his abfolute indefeasible property, though the confequence of this would be to render the nation as truly defpicable as miferable, and in reality the flaves or mean dependents of a foreign power. When an attempt is made towards fuch a fatal change, this gives particular occafion of discovering what fort of country-fpirit men are poffeffed of; if it turns only on the pride of a name,

of

of boafted antiquity, of a pretended ancient race of kings; or if it is a spirit enlivened with a juft fenfe of public intereft, and may be depended on for fubstantial service to their country.

7. In the last place, In fuch a time of diftrefs as we now fuffer, when a set of men are com bined together, to carry on the most pernicious defign againft their country, its conftitution and government, and most important concerns; there are fpecial circumftances of trial which fome will be expofed to beyond others. Particular connections of intereft, relation, friendship, or dependence, with those who are engaged in the wicked attempt, the force of their perfuafions, the influence of their example; thefe are fpecial trials of a man's firmness and conftancy of mind. Such enticements are apt to prevail on men, either to join altogether in the rebellious enterprise, or at leaft to think favourably of it, fo far to embrace the corrupt flavish principles which fupport the cause, as to argue in defence of it, and endeavour to make profelytes to it, and prepare others for receiving the fatal change intended.

IN all these refpects are times of public diftress and danger, times of trial. To pursue this view of them further in the confequences of fuch a trial; it ferves,

1. To discover men to the world, to make them appear in their true colours, to lay open

their real tempers and characters to the obfervation of mankind. And this is of great ufe to mankind. It makes way for distinguishing fincere goodnefs, with its due reward of praise and honour from the world, and for excluding bad men, when thus difcovered, from fharing any longer in this proper reward of goodness, by the help of a specious appearance of it. It makes way for the juftice of mankind, in rewarding true virtue with due marks of esteem, and punishing real vice with contempt. So far as men are brought to a juft difcovery, this puts a stop to the deceitful arts of bad men, to the further carrying on of their wicked, felfifh, and ambitious designs, under an hypocritical difguife. It enables us to diftinguish who are worthy of the truft and confidence of mankind; who deferve to have their valuable and important interefts committed to them, and may be depended on henceforth, as thorough and ftedfast friends to a public intereft. It gives us opportunity of diftinguishing with greater certainty, whom we may rely on as fincere and faithful friends, who will ftand by us in every change of circumftances, will love at all times, and fhew themfelves born for adverfity, Prov. xvii. 17. As it gives thofe of true and honest hearts a more perfect knowledge of one another, it makes way for their enjoying one another's friendship and fociety with greater fatisfaction.

2. Such times of trial ferve to difcover us to ourfelves. And this is of the greateft importance:

portance: the whole art of true wifdom and virtue, the beginning and progress of it, our continued improvement in it, depends on knowing ourselves. This neceffary piece of knowledge is beft promoted by the trial of adverfity. While we are in eafy circumstances, we can hardly judge how far the principles of goodness prevail with us, what degrees of ftrength they have acquired. There may be weakneffes and imperfections in us, which we hardly observe, for want of a proper opportu nity of fhewing them to us: there may be feeds of bad paffions lurking within us, till we meet with fomething to awaken them. When therefore we meet with the trial of severe and threatening difpenfations of Providence, and are fet to act our parts in these, this gives us occafion to know ourselves more thoroughly, what command we really have of our own temper. When we are expofed to hardships and fufferings in the cause of truth, goodness and honesty, or in adhering to the public intereft, then we come to know by experiment the strength and the weaknefs of our minds. If the trial fhews us in a favourable light, as maintaining our ground, and conquering difficulties and temptations, this makes way for the greatest joy and fatisfaction, in the approving teftimony of our own hearts. concerning our bravery and conftancy, and the reality and ftrength of good principles in If we discover inftances of weakness and imperfection, this makes way for correcting

them,