Yhe HIS T 0 RY of the PuRITANS. VoL. II. J;(~~m Orange to come to the relief of their religion, but the fl:orm being ap– and queen pea:ed, the~ t~ough~ it not incumbent on the~ wholly to depart fr.om J\1.;!ry. th~Ir old p:mciples, a~d therefore VOted for a regency ; but the quefl:ion 1688. bemg earned (G1ys b1!bop Burnet), Nature was .fo flrong in tbem, that ~ it was too hardfor their dotlrine. And a declaration being prepared for afferting and vindicating the antient rights and liberties of the fubj eCI:, the crown was offered to the PRINCE and PRINCESS of ORANGE, the latter of whom arrived fromHolland the day before; and BOTH having declared their acceptance, were proclaimed KING and QYEEN of England, &c. Feb. q, 1688 -g, and crowned at Wijtmhifler, April r r following, amidfl: the joyful acclamations of all the friends of the protefl:ant religion and liberties of their country. · Remarks~ Thus a wonderful revolution was effeCted, with little or no effufion of blood ; and it is furprizing to refleCt on the remarkable appearances of di– vine providence, in the rife, progrefs, and confummation of this impor– tant event; how the court of E11gland and the roman catholic powers were all infatuated or afleep, while the defign was forming; and when it was carrying into execution, how the winds were fublervient, and the hearts of the people united, till it was brought to maturity: And it will amaze all pofl:erity, to read the inconfifl:ent and dilhonourable part, which the high church clergy and their friends aCted on this occa– fion ; for after they had preached their · hereditary prince into a belief of their unlimited loyalty, and aiiured him in numberlefs addrefie,, that their lives and fortuges were abfolutely at his lervice; and after the nniverfity of Oiford, by a folemn decree, had declared all manner of refiflance damna– ble, and infamous to the chriflian religion, they appeared among the firfl: who re/ifled him ; and by opening A REsERvE which lay hid under their un– bounded profeffions of duty and allegiance, let him fall into that pit, out of which he could never efcape. As foon as the jure diw'no king, invad– ed the properties of the univerfities, and threatenecl to take down the fen– ces of their ecclif;qftical preferments, they invited the prince of Orange with an armed force to their refcue; they figned an ojfociation to fupport and ailifl him ; they offered him their plate, and declared for him in a bo– dy, even while their fovereign was on the throne. Neverthelefs the mo– ment they thought their power and preferments fecure, they would have retraCted, and made up matters again wi th king James; they oppofed the motion in the convention parliament for declaring the throne vacant; and when. the government came to be fettled upon king WILLIAM and queen MARY, great numbers of them would not fubmit, and thofe who did, aCted a treacherous and di(honourable part to their GREAT DELIVERER, throughout the courfe of his reign. What inconfifl:encies are thefe! What oaths and declarations can hold men who burft fuch bands, and cut
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=