A SERMON Preach'd to the People, At the Mercat Croſs of Edinburgh.

DEarly Beloved Country-Men and fellow Citizens, ſuffer me to ſtop you a little in the furious Car⯑reer of your Paſſion, to hear a few Words of ſo⯑ber and unprejudiced Reaſon; I hope they will not be the leſs gratefull, if I accoſt you in that manner of Rhetorick, which your Ears are moſt accuſtomed to: I have choſen an Apocryphal Text, becauſe my Subject is not Sacred, but Secular, but if it has not the Stamp of divine Inſpiration; it is taken from a Book, which of all that are not Canonical, contains the moſt ſublime, moſt uſeful, and moſt approved Maxims of Wiſdom, whether private OEconomical or Political; and as all Wiſdom and Truth cometh from God, in that Senſe my Text may be ſaid to be of divine Authority.

[4] Dearly beloved Country-Men, a Generous, Power⯑ful and Victorious Nation, invites you to an intimate Union with themſelves, a Nation whoſe Laws are more Juſt, whoſe Government is more Mild, whoſe People are more Free, Eaſy and Happy, than any other in Europe; a Nation who by their Wealth, Wiſdom and Valour, have broke the moſt formidable Power that ever threa⯑tned Chriſtendom; To whoſe victorious Arms even you your ſelves owe your preſent Security; this Nation I ſay, invites you to a Co-partner-ſhip of all the Advan⯑tages they preſently Enjoy, or may reaſonably hope for: A gracious Queen of the ancient Line of our own Mo⯑narchs, deſires nothing more than that the People from whom ſhe derives her Blood, ſhould enjoy the ſame Li⯑berty and Plenty with others whom Providence has cal⯑led her to Govern. It might juſtly have been expected, that ſuch a generous Propoſal would have been well⯑com'd with the univerſal Acclamations of all Ranks and Degrees of People, inſtead of that you have received it with Riots, Mobs and Tumults; if the offer had not been Profitable, it was at leaſt Civil, and deſerv'd a friendly Reception, and a courteous Anſwer: A Treaty that was enter'd into at the deſire of your own Parlia⯑ment, as well as that of your Neighbours, and carried on by the Authority of the common Soveraign of both, ſuch a Treaty I ſay, was a matter of that weight as made it a very unfit Subject for the Judgment (much more for the Scorn and Contempt) of Boys, Apprenti⯑ces, and Tradeſ-men: But ſince the tranſcendent Wiſ⯑dom of your Leaders have thought otherways, let me beſeech you in the words of my Author, Eccleſ. 11. & 7. Blame not before thou haſt examined the Truth, under⯑ſtand [5] firſt and then Rebuke: To enable you in ſome mea⯑ſure to make ſuch an Enquiry, I have choſen the words of my Text, Better is he that Laboureth and aboundeth in all Things, than he that boaſteth himſelf and wanteth Bread.

From the words you may Obſerve, a very intimate Conjunction betwixt three diſmal Companions, Pride, Poverty and Idleneſs; this is a worſe Union a great deal than that which we are to Diſcourſe of at preſent, theſe three love extreamly to keep Company, and I could never gueſs for what reaſon, unleſs it be to Teaze and Vex one another: Poverty does what ſhe can to ſtarve Pride, and Pride eats out the Heart, Blood, and Gutts of Poverty, and Lazineſs will not ſtir an Inch to relieve either: That theſe three fatal Siſters may not only be ſeparated, but eternally Baniſh'd this Kingdom, it ſhall be the Subject of my following Diſcourſe to ſhow, that it's better to Encreaſe our Trade, Manufacture, and Riches, by an Union with England, than to boaſt of our Soveraignty and Starve; For better is he that Labou⯑reth and aboundeth in all Things, than he that boaſteth himſelf and wanteth Bread.

And here indeed it muſt be Prov'd, that an Union with England will Encreaſe our Trade and Manufacture, in order to which, I will ask the greateſt Zealote againſt the Union, a few Queſtions, and let him anſwer me if he can. Whether the great difference betwixt the Wealth of Scotland and England is entirly Owing to the Natural Advantages of England, as of fruitfulneſs of Soil Situation, &c. Or, if it does not in ſome meaſure proceed from political cauſes? Scotland is equal at leaſt in Extent to a Third of England, its People more health⯑ful, more Prolifick and more Temperate, why has [6] England then ſeven times the Number of People, every Acre in Scotland is not Barren, nor every Acre in Eng⯑land fruitful, how comes it then that England has Fifty times the Riches of Scotland? For Example; why does Oxford-Shire, not ſo big as Fiffe, pay to a Land-Tax; near as much as all Scotland? Are there not many places on each ſide the Firth of Forth which exceed the Town of Newcaſtle, in Soil, Situation, Products Natur⯑al and Artificial; How comes it to paſs then that the Town of Newcaſtle has more Trade, more Rich Mer⯑chants and pays more Cuſtoms, than all the Towns in Scotland put together. It is plain, theſe great differ⯑ences do not proceed meerly from natural, but likewiſe from Political Cauſes, nay lt's eaſy to Aſſigne a piece of England equal in extent, much Inferior to the Gifts of Na⯑ture of ſome part of Scotland, and yet Triple in Value, I know Wales is brought by ſome as an Inſtance to Prove that an Union will not encreaſe the Trade and Riches of a Mountanous Country, that their Condition is not bettered by an Union with England: To this I Anſwer, that the matter of Fact is falſe, if the Objecti⯑on has any Strength, it ought to Prove, that Wales would not be the worſe to be deprived of the Benefite of the Trade of England, a Paradox too ſublime for any Welch-Man, but moſt obvious to the Elevated under⯑ſtandings of ſome of our worthy Patriots. 2dly, I ſay, the Compariſon is not fairly ſtated betwixt the worſt part of England and the beſt of Scotland, Wales in many places does not Exceed the Highlands of Scotland, in any thing except the height of the Mountains; But ſet⯑ting aſide all theſe things, let us State the Compariſon; The Twelve very ſmall Countys of Wales contain 917 [7] Pariſhes, 58 Market Towns, 316000 People, and Pay 43752 lib. ſterl. to the Land Tax, which ſhows they are almoſt Equal to half the Number of People in Scot⯑land, and Pay near as much Taxes as the whole, And it's known, that Wales is more Under-Rated in their Taxes, and eaſier in the Exciſe than Scotland, Thus you ſee it would be hard to find 12 of the Richeſt Coun⯑ties in Scotland to compare with an equal Number and leſs extent of the worſt in England, which is, as I ſaid, a Demonſtration that the Riches of England is the Effect of Policy as much as of Nature; And is it not as plain, that the Protection of the ſame Laws, the influence of the ſame Government, the partnerſhip of the ſame Plan⯑tations, and of all other Priviledges, Foregin and Dom⯑eſtick, will much Better the Condition of Scotland, There is hardly any ſubject of Trade of the Growth of England, which we are totally deprived of, and we have one Peculiar, which kind Providence and Nature has af⯑forded us, tho we never had the Grace, nor Induſtry to make uſe of it, I mean our Fiſh, thus we ſtarve with that Commodity at our Doors, from which our Neighbours the Dutch draw the very Foundations of their Wealth and Maritime Power; Will you then ſtill be fond of that ill Government and Management which even deprives you of the Proviſion that Indulgent Nature has thrown into your Mouths, But ſome will ſay, has not our Con⯑vention of Burrows Choſen Men, Skil'd in the deepeſt Myſteries of Trade, of Eminent Abilities and greater In⯑tegrity, have not they told us that the Trade of Eng⯑land is Unſupportable, that is, Untollerable, not to be endured, which is as much as if they had ſaid, we have not Grandeur of Soul to Support ſo great Wealth and [8] Proſperity, we muſt be Contented to Live like Pedlers, whil'ſt Engliſh Merchants Live like Princes? Where is now your Pride? Where is now your boaſtings? But ſay you again, the ſame Convention of Burrows, not not leſs Skilled in Politicks than in Trade; have told us that the Trade of England is Precarious. It is hard to Anſwer all the Unreaſonable Fears and Jealouſies of Peo⯑ple. Has Wales ſince their Union, ever Complained of the Breach of one Article? Is there any one Privilege that an Engliſhman Enjoy's, which a Welchman is De⯑prived off? Do all the other Counties Unite to Oppreſs Yorkſhire? There are indeed ſome unequalities of Taxes amongſt themſelves, wherein they have thought fit not to depart from a Rule once Eſtabliſh'd; But this is ſo ſar from being a Diſcouragement to Scotland, That 'tis their greateſt Security, it ſhows how unwilling and un⯑capable a Parliament is, to Recede from Quota's already Settled, tho' unequal: Beſides Matters in a free Go⯑vernment never go with that Unanimity, nor in a Bri⯑tiſh Parliament, will Parties ever be ſo unequally trim'd, that it will not be in the Power of a leſſer Num⯑ber than the Scots Members, to Caſt the Ballance, and if neceſſary, ſo to preſerve themſelves from Oppreſſion, and 'tis highly probable, that the Party of the North and Weſt who are under Tax'd, after an Union will be much Strengthn'd. I ſhall add no more on this head, but that England has Oppreſſed Scotland Ten times more, ſince the Union of the Two Crowns, than ever they will be able to do after the Union of the Two Parlia⯑ments, But ſays the ſame Ingenious Convention to ſhow their Skill in Political Arthmetick, the Taxes of England are Unſupportable; To this I Anſwer, That it was hard⯑ly [9] ever known, that a Nation was affraid of high Cu⯑ſtoms upon their Import and Conſumpt; when did that ever ruin any People? That is juſt as if a Man ſhould complain that he could not be Rich becauſe he has not leave to ſpend his Money; or that he will not accept of a Lairdſhip for fear of paying two Months Ceſs. With thoſe intolerable Cuſtoms the Engliſh Merchants live higher, and acquire much greater Riches than ours do. As for the Land Tax, it can hardly ever be higher, and will be often nothing or much lower than what we now pay. Indeed the Encreaſe of Trade will be attended with an Encreaſe of Exciſe, and the Benefit of the one will be much greater than the Damage of the other; but then the Effect will not exceed the Cauſe, with this advantage, that all that is raiſed by the Publick be⯑yond the preſent Sum, by the Articles of the Treaty, is to remain in the Country: If after all you ſhould want Money to pay your Taxes, I can propoſe no better Ex⯑pedient than that of the Goſpel, Launcb out into the Deep and let down your Nets, and you may fetch your Tribute Money out of your Fiſhes; for after an Union you will have Stock to Employ your People to Catch them, and Vent for them when they are Catched.

Another Objection is, That an Union with England will draw our People out of Scotland, to the Metropolis of the Government, and to the Plantations; To which I an⯑ſwer, That after an Union there are many Reaſons, and Inducements for our People to ſtay at Home, that do not ſubſiſt in the preſent State, but not any one (ſaving their attendance in the Britiſh Parliament) to draw them Abroad; how many People at preſent leave their Country for want of Employment, (I may ſay for want [10] of Bread) is evident to every body that knows either Scotland, or other Countries where multitudes of Scots are to be met with; nay I appeal to every Family in the Kingdom, if they have not Relations abroad, ſome where, or another, and this is the chief Cauſe, why Scotland, notwithſtanding the Health, Temperance and Fruitfulneſs of the Inhabitants, is under Peopled: Now is it not extreamly probable that the Encreaſe of Trade, would employ and keep many at Home, that are now forc'd to ſeek their Bread in foreign Countries, and not only ſo, but when the reſtraint of the Laws of Trade, is taken off, the cheapneſs of Living and Manufacture, will invite People from other Parts into Scotland; par⯑ticularly the Scots who are now ſettled in the Weſt-In⯑dies, would chuſe to purchaſe and eſtabliſh their Fami⯑lies in their own Country, not being any more reſtrai⯑ned by Acts of Navigation, from the returning their Effects thither. 2dly. If any Scotſman at preſent has a mind to ſettle in England, the minute he ſets his Foot on Engliſh ground, he has the Privileges of an Engliſh⯑man: What then can intice him to leave his own Coun⯑try after an Union, more than before? I ſhould imagine he would be leſs tempted to do ſo, becauſe he can then have the ſame Privileges of Trade, and all other Immu⯑nities in ſtaying at Home, which now he cannot have without going into England. If you ſay, that after an Union, his acceſs to Preferment in the publick Stations of the Government, and conſequently his Temptations to go to London, will be greater? That, is an advan⯑tage, for then he goes to get an Eſtate, and not to ſpend one, and he will readily Purchaſe in his own Country. If our Gentry and Nobility have a mind to [11] ſpend their Eſtates at London, I know no Law at preſent that reſtrains them, only neceſſity which has no Law? That indeed after an Union may be leſs, many of our Nobility and Gentry, are now continually at London, a few to Govern, ſome to Oppreſs, many to Complain, and all for Strife and Contention; and ſuppoſe by their attendance on a Britiſh Parliament, the Numbers of thoſe ſhould be doubled, Scotland gets little by an Uni⯑on, if it is not able to diſcharge the Expence of Thirty Noblemen and Gentlemen, at the rate of 2000 l. ſterl. a Man, and perhapes the times may not be ſo hard, but ſome of them will carry more down than they brought up

Thus, I think, I have fully Anſwered this Objection, which is ſo far from being of any weight, that I muſt entreat you, by the Kindneſs and natural Affection you bear to your dear Children and Relations, by the Com⯑fort of their Society, and having them eſtabliſhed a⯑mongſt your ſelves in a flowriſhing Condition; by the Caſualties and Dangers, and by the unfortunate and fatal End, which their ſtrowling into foreign Countries often expoſes them to: By all theſe moving Arguments, I beſeech you to Embrace ſo fair an Opportunity of ma⯑king them and your ſelves Happy for Ages to come; for as the wiſe Man ſays, Eccl. 29. & 24. It is a miſe⯑rable life to go from Houſe to Houſe, for where thou art a Stranger thou dareſt not opea thy Mouth; thou ſhall Enter⯑tain and Feaſt and have no Thanks: Moreover thou ſhall hear bitter Words, theſe things are grieveous to a Man of Underſtanding. Thus I have gone throw my firſt Head, and have prov'd that as clearly as the Sun ſhines at Noon⯑day, and I call the ſame Sun to Witneſs againſt your [12] matchleſs Ignorance and Stupidity, if you reject ſo fa⯑vourable an offer of Liberty, Peace and Plenty.

I proceed now to the ſecond Part of my Text, which is, your boaſting of your Soveraignty, muſt we looſe That? muſt we be no more a Kingdom? In the firſt place, I would ask any reaſonable Man, Do we loſe our Soveraignty in any other Senſe, than England does? Is there not a new Title, new Seal, new Arms; and the ſame chan⯑ges for them as for us: For I take an Incorporating Uni⯑on to be, as if two pieces of Mettal, were melted down into one Maſs, neither can be ſaid to retain its former Form or Subſtance, as it did before the Mixture. We can never be ſo unreaſonable as to pretend to an equal Number of Repreſentatives in a Britiſh Parliament, when two Na⯑tions join in a common Aſſembly, the moſt Powerful and moſt Numerous, ſtill will be the moſt Powerfull and moſt Numerous; whatever Mettal exceeded before the Mixture, the ſame will exceed in the Maſs. It is impoſſi⯑ble to change the Nature of Things; according to this way of reaſoning, it is not only impoſſible for Scotland ever to Unite with England, but for any leſſer Nation ever to Unite with a greater: Why is it more Diſhonourable for Scotland to Unite with England, than it is for Eng⯑land to Unite with Scotland? What is it that Scotland looſes? The Country, the People, are not Annihilated, nor does an Union cauſe that all the worthy Deeds, that have been done at any time by the Scots Nation, or Scotſman, are undone. A Welchman, would take it ve⯑ry unkindly, if we ſhould tell him that by his Union with England, he has ſulli'd the Glory and Antiquity of the ancient Britiſh Race: None can have a greater va⯑lue for noble Atchievements and Honour of our Ance⯑ſtors, [13] than I have; but as for our Independency, ſo much boaſted of, tho it be moſt certainly true in it ſelf, and undeniable in Law, as well as juſtifiable from Hi⯑ſtory, yet at preſent, it is in effect only Precarious Ima⯑ginary and Fantaſtical, and is no more than the Privi⯑lege to be Govern'd by a Miniſtry under foreign Influ⯑ence; which I ſay not to inſinuate the leaſt Reflection on our preſent Miniſtry, who have the Honour to Act a great part, in putting an end to a Grievance ſo much complain'd of, a Bleſſing perhaps in vain to be expected or lookt for at another time: Can any Man be ſo deſti⯑tude of common Senſe, as to think his Liberty and Pro⯑perty, more ſafely and more honourably lodg'd in ſuch Hands, than in thoſe of a Britiſh Parliament: Now in lieu of this titular Soveraignty, and imaginary Inde⯑pendency, by an Union you acquire true and ſolid Po⯑wer and Dominion, to have Sixty Members in a Britiſh Parliament; the twelfth ſhare of diſpoſing of 6000000 l. of Money, which is the ſame with the ſole Power of diſpoſing of 500000, to have your Fleets and Armies Conquering Abroad, the Arbitration of the Affairs of Europe, your ſelves Repreſented in foreign Courts and Aſſemblies; when had Sixty Scotſmen Affairs of that Im⯑portance laid before them? To have your Nobility Peers of Great-Britain, with their Perſons and Reputations Sacred over the Iſland, and their Lives only ſubject to the Inqueſt of a Britiſh Houſe of Lords; to have your Quota of the moſt eminent Poſts of the Government of Great-Britain; are not theſe things Subſtantial, Power and Dominion, preferable to the Triffles you now en⯑joy, beſides that the value of thoſe will be encreaſed, and is it not more eligible to have ſuch a ſhare, both of [14] the Government of your ſelves, and of England, than to be managed by Favourites, often contrary to your moſt apparent Int'reſts.

But all theſe Advantages may be obtain'd by a Faederal Union ſome ſay; it is an amazing thing, to conſider how People are Banter'd out of their Common Senſe, with meer Names and Chimeras, to avoid Multiplicity of Words, by a Faederal Union, I ſuppoſe is meant that the Engliſh ſhould Barter their Trade, for our Settling of their Succeſſor, I would deſire any Man who thinks ſuch a bargain feazible to make the following Reflecti⯑ons; in any Vote that ever paſt yet in Scotland againſt the Settling the Succeſſion, whether he thinks that England could not Purchaſe the Majority of that Differ⯑ence, at a Cheaper Rate, than the Liberty of their Trade and Plantations, let them ask the Conſciences of thoſe who Voted againſt the Settlement of the Succeſſi⯑on, if the hopes of a Faederal Union, was the Motive that induc'd them to do ſo? Let them ask thoſe that Vo⯑ted for it, if they will Vote ſo no more till they have obtain'd it, to ſhow how un-ſincerly they deal, who make this their pretence. Many of theſe very Gentle⯑men will be Contented to Settle the Succeſſion on any Terms; But 2ly. Where is there ſuch a Faederal Uni⯑on betwixt two Nations, without a Common Aſſembly? The Confederated Provinces, and the Confederated Can⯑tons have one where the Repreſentatives of all the par⯑ticular Bodies meet, 3dly. Can any Man believe, that the Engliſh will mantain Plantations, Garriſon them, and Defend them with their Fleets and Armies, to let Scots who are at none of theſe Charges reap the Pro⯑fite of the Trade, will they Eſtabliſh Cuſtoms and Du⯑ties, [15] as the Rule of their Export Abroad, and Conſum⯑ption at Home, and ſuffer the Scots to Trade without any Rule of Cuſtoms, or no Cuſtoms, High, or Low as they pleaſe, if they would do this, it were no hard matter to have the Monopoly of their Trade, this were a moſt Precious Jewel indeed, and very well worth contending for. But if ſuch a Conceſſion ſhould be thought unreaſonable, I would deſire in the next place to know, how a commone expence, in Mantaining and Providing for Forts, Plantations and Factories, can be Carried on, without a common Theſaury and Govern⯑ment. And Laſtly, if the Engliſh ſhould allow us ſuch a Priviledge, can we be ſecure of it, without we have our Repreſentatives in their Parliament, to take care of our Intereſt? And can any man of Senſe think, that we ſhould be more unſecure of our Priviledges, when we have Members in their Aſſembly, than when we have none, when we are Domeſticks, than when we are Strangers? In the former caſe, nothing deſtroies our Privileges but what diſſolves the Union, for it is hardly poſſible to conceive, that all the other Counties ſhould Unite to hinder a York Shire Man to Trade to the Plan⯑tations, when the Riches he acquires by his Trade, goes to the Support of the Government, of which they them⯑ſelves are Members, in the caſe of one Nation, and one People, it is indifferent to the Supreme Power, in what part of Great Britain their Riches ly.

I ſhall conclude this Article, with the words of the wiſe Man, Eccl 54. 1. The hopes of a Man void of Un⯑derſtanding are Vain and Falſe, and Dreams lift up Fools. I have ſet before you to day, on one hand Induſtry and Riches, on the other Pride and Poverty, I have not required a blind aſſent, to what I affirm, I have not [16] Impos'd my opinion becauſe 'tis faſhionable, or becauſe ſuch a Lord who is my Friend and Patron thinks ſo, or becauſe Meſs. John or Meſs. James ſaid ſo, or becauſe my Drunken Companions Swear Damn them it is ſo? I deal with you as reaſonable Men, and have purpoſe⯑ly inſiſted on ſuch Arguments, as are obvious to the meaneſt Underſtanding. I Conclude with a general Ex⯑hortation to all Ranks and Degrees of People, to pro⯑mote this Good Work, it is manifeſtly the Intereſt of you Landed-Men for the Encreaſe of Trade and Manu⯑facture, will double, yea triple, the value of your Eſtates, by raiſing the Price of the Product, and the num⯑ber of the Purchaſſers; beſides, your Lands being gene⯑rally in the worſt Repair, that is, the moſt improveable Condition, and your Security by the uſe of a Regiſter, the beſt in the Iſland. No doubt after the reſtraint of Laws is taken off, Strangers will be encouraged to Pur⯑chaſe among you: Why then will you chuſe to live in a miſerable moyling Condition, paying high Intereſt for Money, which Land-Rents cannot Diſcharge, ha⯑ving no way to diſpoſe of your younger Children, but by ſending them abroad into the wide World to ſeek their Fortunes; whereas after the Concluſion of this great Affair, you will have opportunities to employ them in Trade and Buſineſs, and acceſs (according to Merit) to the beſt Poſts of Great Britain. As for you Tennents, the Neceſſity of your Maſters, is the occaſion of your Poverty, Trade will enable them to let longer Leaſes and you to take them, and conform you in time to Engliſh Cuſtoms, where Maſters govern a free People, and are duly payed their Rents, and Tennents enjoy what remains with equal Security. As for you Tradeſ⯑men, [17] the value of your Manufacture will be raiſed, you will have the opportunity to diſpoſe of it, not only over all the Iſland, but over all the World, you are Ingeni⯑ous, Induſtrious, and live Cheap; what then can hinder you to be more Rich, than thoſe who have leſs of all theſe Qualities? Where there are Hands to Work, and Simples to work upon, and Vent for the Manufacture, it is impoſſible but there muſt be Trade, if our own Stock is not ſufficient, you will be aſſiſted by that of England, the very novelty of the thing will in ſome meaſure contribute to this, for all the Branches of Traf⯑fique in England, being Traded bare, where there are new Subjects of Trade, Merchants will try new Pro⯑jects, their Intereſt will never ſuffer them to be partial to this, or that Country, but will ſend their Money where they can have the beſt Bargain. And you Poor Labourers, ſhall raiſe your Wages from Two-pence to Twelve-pence, from Ten Pounds to a Hundred Pounds.

You ſee the Objections uſed by the Oppoſers of an Union, are either frivolous, founded upon groſs Falſ⯑hoods, or do plainly prove the contrary of what they are adduced for; and I have that opinion of the Under⯑derſtanding of ſeveral of the Anti-Uniters, that they do not ſo much as convince themſelves, they are only a Vail drawn over your Eyes to hide from you your preſent Poverty and Slavery, and the glorious Proſpect which an Union with England preſents you with; you are uſed only as Tools and Machines, to bring about their facti⯑ous and ambitious Deſigns: However I ſhall beſeech all ſuch Gentlemen and Perſons of Quality, to conſider that it is not a ſlight Matter to ſacrifice the preſent and future Proſperity of their Country, to an unreaſonable [18] Humor, to make a numerous People and their Poſterity, Beggars and Slaves for Ages to come, and perhapes their Country a field of Blood, by endeavouring to en⯑tall this upon their Neighbours, as well as themſelves; or if they are ſway'd with ſome Reaſon of leſs impor⯑tance, as the Treaty not being of their own Framing, I deſire them to conſider, that this is ſo very Childiſh, that a Senator ſhould be aſham'd to own it, if the pretty little Maſters, their Children ſhould take their Fathers places in Parliament, ſuch a Reaſon would hardly be allowed to paſs current among them: An Union is a Matter of great Weight and Importance, and very Good, or Bad, in it ſelf; if it is a bad Thing, our moſt intimate Friends the Treaters, can never recommend it? If it is a good Thing, it is ſo great a Good, that we ought not to refuſe it, from thoſe againſt whom our per⯑ſonal Reſentments run higheſt. Among the Oppoſers of the Union, I know a great many Perſons of Honour, who have as true a Senſe of Liberty, and as great a concern for the Well are of their Country, as any ſuch need, only lay aſide ſome ſew Prejudices and Reflections, their Judgments will quickly inform them of the true value of the Propoſal. To ſuch as are affraid of the Church and Religion, I ſhall only ſay, that the Religi⯑on of the Church of England is impos'd upon no Man within the Dominions of England; as for the ſqueemiſh⯑neſs of ſitting in Parliament with Prelates, and the fear of being Diſarm'd of all other Weapons but what are al⯑lowed by the Goſpel; theſe are ſuch unchriſtian Diſ⯑ſuaſives from an Union, that to mention them only, is to refute them. The putting an end to uncharitable and unreaſonable Diviſions about our triffling Differences in [19] Religion, is one of the great Benefites Scotland will reap by this Union: I am not ſo much terrified at the Viſion, of a noble Lord, as he is himſelf, but heartily wiſh to ſee a Plantation of as Rich Jews as any in Amſterdam, as Rich Independents, Quakers and Anabaptiſms, as any in England, ſettled in all the Trading Towns of the King⯑dom; not but that I think all Motives that are not Pe⯑nal, ought to be uſed for their Converſion, but would not have Church-Men affraid of the encreaſe of their Manufacture; for Hereticks are properly the Subject which they are to work upon, to be affraid to live among Hereticks, is to refuſe the Task their Maſter has impoſed upon them: Their Predeceſſors the Apoſtles uſed to go at the hazard of their Perſons, to Preach the Goſpel to the Jews; they are affraid the Jews ſhould come to them, where they run no riſque at all, in at⯑tempting their Converſion. In a word, if any unjuſt Tyranny over the Perſons, Eſtates, or Conſciences of Men, be the Motive, which prevail with ſome to op⯑poſe this Union, I would have ſuch conſider, that to Govern a free People, is a more noble and honourable Character, than to Inſult over Slaves and Beggars, and if any ſuch there be, who hug their Chains, and are fond of their Raggs, and as a wretched People once did by the Romans refuſe their Liberty when offered, they are unworthy of ſo generous and beneficial a Propoſal. Laſtly, if this is only a Scuffle raiſed by the conſede⯑rated Force of the Skillin and Louis d' Or; let ſuch con⯑ſider, that both of them are not to be put in the bal⯑lance with the Guinea, which they may get by their In⯑duſtry: Conſider then in this your Day, the happy Condition of your Neighbouring Nation; ſurvey their [20] verdant Fields, beautiful Plantations, and ſumptuous Gardens, where Culture, Art and Expences reign; their populous and flowriſhing Cities, view the Magni⯑ficence of their publick Structures; the neatneſs, clean⯑lineſs, conveniency and coſtly Furniture of their private Houſes; conſider the Liberty and Plenty of their mea⯑neſt Commons, the comfortable Eſtates which even the baſeſt of their Tradeſmen leave to their Families; the immenſe Riches of their Merchants, the Grandure and Magnificence of their Learn'd Societies; the prodigious Stocks of their Trading-Companies; the unconquerable Force of their Fleets and Armies; the Juſtice and exact Execution of their Laws, and the wiſe Adminiſtration of their Government: Ponder all theſe things, and then ſure you will not reckon them your Enemies, who offer you a Partnerſhip in ſo great Bleſſings; but will con⯑clude with the wiſe Man in my Text, Better is he that Laboureth and aboundeth in all Things, than he that boa⯑steth himſelf and wanteth Bread.