to astonishment, how it fhould be poffible, that in the turn of fo few years, there fhould be fo numerous a party of men in thefe Kingdoms, who (as if the remembrance of all those difmal days between Forty and Sixty, were utterly erafed out of the Minds of Men, and ftruck out of the Annals of Time) are still prepared and ready, nay, eager and impetuoufly bent to act over the fame Tragical Scene again. Witnefs, first of all, the many virulent and bafe Libels fpread over the whole Nation against the King and his Government. And in the next place, the defign of feizing his Royal Perfon, while the Parliament was held in Oxford in the Year 1682. And likewife. the Rye-Confpiracy, formed and intended for the Affaffination of the King, and of the Duke his Brother, in the Year 1683. And lastly (though antecedent in time) the two famous City-Cavalcades of Clubmen in the two Years of 1679 and 1680, countenanced and encou raged under that filly pretence of Burning the Pope, but carry'd on with fo much infolence and audacious fury, and fuch an open barefaced contempt of all authority; as if the Rabble had in plain terms bid the Govern * R. C. Jaid he bad toffed up the Ball, and his Succeffor P. W. faid he would keep it up. That is to fay, Extortion began the Dance, and Perjury would carry it on. ment ment do its worft, and touch, or meddle with them, if it durft. So hard has the Experience of the world found it, for the Pardon of a Guilt (too big for the common measures of Pardon) to produce any thing better than the fame practices, which had been pardoned before. But fince nothing can happen without fome cause or other, I have been farther confidering with myself what the Cause of this terrible Evil, which still looks fo grim upon the Government, fhould be. And to me it seems to be this. That as the forementioned Rebellion and Civil War brought upon the Nation a general diffolution of Order, and a Corruption and Debauchment of mens manners, fo, the greatest part of the Nation by much now alive, has been born, or at least bred fince that Fatal Rebellion. For furely those who are now about, or under Fifty years of age, make a much greater number in the Kingdom, than those who are above it; efpecially fo much above it, as to have paffed their Youth before the Time of the Late Confufions; which have fince fo perfectly changed and new model'd, or rather extinguished the Morality, nay, the very Natural Temper of the English Nation. For this is certain, that Wife and Thinking Men obferve with forrow, that the Change is so very great and bad, that there is no Re B 4 lation lation in Society or common Life but has fuffered, and been the worse for it. For look into Families, and you will find Parents complaining, that their Children pay them not that Duty and Reverence, which they have heard and read, that Children used to fhew their Parents heretofore. Mafters alfo complain, that Servants are neither fo obedient, nor fo trufty as in former times. And lastly, for the Conjugal Relation (a thing of the greatest and most direct influence upon the Weal or Wo of Societies,of any other thing in the world befides) it is but too frequent a complaint, that neither are Men fo good Husbands, nor Women fo good Wives, as they were, before that Accurfed Rebellion had made that fatal leading breach in the Conjugal Tye between the Best of Kings, and the Happiest of People. But now, how comes all this to pafs? Why, from the exorbitant Licence of mens Education. They were bred in lawless, ungoverned Times, and Conventicle Fanatick Academies, in defiance of the Universities, and when all things were turned topfy-turvy, and the Bonds of Government quite loofed, or broken afunder. So that as foon as they were able to obferve any thing, the first thing which they actually did obferve, were Inferiors trampling upon their Superiors; Servants called by Vote of Parliament out of their Mafter's fervice to fight a gainst their Prince, and fo to complete one Rebellion with another; and Women running in whole fhoals to Conventicles, to feek Chrift (forfooth) but to find fome body elfe. By which Liberties having once leap'd over the severity and ftri&tness of former Customs, they found it an eafy matter with Debauched Morals, and Defloured Confciences, to launch out into much greater. So that no wonder now, if in an age of a more grown and improved Debauchery, you fee Men spending their whole time in Taverns, and their Lives in Duels; inflaming themselves with Wine, till they come to pay the reckoning with their Blood. And Women spending both Time and Fortune, and perhaps their Honour too, at Balls, Plays and Treats. The reafon of all which is, that they are not now Bred as they were heretofore: For that which was formerly their Diverfion only, is now their chief, if not Sole Business ; and in cafe you would fee or fpeak with them, you must not look for them at their own HouJes, but at the Playhouse, if you would find them at home. They have quite cashier'd the Commandment, which enjoins them fix days Doing what they have to do, and substituted to themselves a new and very different one in the room of it; according to which they are for fix days to go to Plays, and to make Vifits, setting apart a feventh, to go to Church . Church to fee and to be feen. A blessed improvement doubtlefs, and fuch as the Fops our Ancestors (as fome ufe to call them) were never acquainted with. And thus I have in fome measure shown you the True Grievance, which this poor and diftracted Kingdom groans under. A Grievance, (without the help of a Vote) properly fo called. A Grievance springing from a boundless, immenfe, and abfurd Liberty. For though the zealous Outcry and Republican Cant ftill used to join those two Tinkling Words Liberty and Property together, (in a very different fenfe from what belong'd to them) to make a Rattle for the people; yet I am fure the Intolerable Excess of Liberty has been the chief thing, which has fo much contributed to the curtailing their Properties; The True, if not Only cause, which of late years has made fuch numbers fo Troublesome to the Government, as they have been. Well, but if it be our Unhappiness, that the mischief is become almoft General, let us at leaft prevent the next degree of it, and keep it from being Perpetual. And this is not to be done but by a remedy, which fhall reach as far and deep, as the Distemper: For that began early, and therefore the Cure must do so too, even from the Childhood of the Patient, and the Infancy of the Disease. There must be one Inftauratio |