348 A Sermon on Occafon of a public Fall. SERM. confiftent with truth; but when an admi- XIII. nifiration is notorioufly corrupt, and the mif LevUchievous effects of it to the public are felt, or are molt apparent, then to acquiefce fluently, without complaint to God or man, is not a juft deference to civil authority, but a fervile ftupidity and infatuation, ,whereby we parti- cipate in the guilt. Nor have Britain and Ireland been without inftances , of this fort. The reigns before the late revolution were fo infamous for tyranny, cruelty, wickednefs, and hypocrify, that no true lover of his coun- try and of the proteftant religion, can reflect on them without deteftation. And in the later times which immediately preceded the acceffion of the prefent royal family, it is fcarcely doubted by any of us, but that wicked men, then exalted to great power, had formed pernicious fchemes for the utter fubverfion of our religious and civil rights, from which we efcaped by an almoft miraculous interpofition of providence. Nay, it may be juftly feared that the difmal effects of that unhappy mif- conduct 11111 hang over our guilty heads ; for it is certain great advantages were then trea- cheroufly given to the power, which of all others in Europe, is, and long has been, the molt dangerous to the protcftant intereft and the
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