with them."[1] Smith's statement is strictly true, and Birch must be regarded as a calumniator of the deprived Bishops and Clergy, in imputing to them such a wish. It is an undoubted fact, that they used their utmost exertions to prevent the contemplated alterations.
Burnet's conduct was, in many respects, as will be gathered from a preceding chapter, more open to animadversion than Tillotson's: and his Funeral Sermon on the Archbishop was the occasion of renewed attacks upon him, for the part he had acted in the Revolution. He had formerly preached strongly against the power of the people, and in favour of non-resistance. "Less disorder," said he on one occasion, "was to be apprehended from the pretensions of the Roman Bishops, than from those maxims of judging and controlling the magistrate, and which opened a door to endless confusion, and set every private person in the throne." To these passages from his own writings, "they opposed," says Ralph, "his own practice in persuading the Princess of Orange to the unnatural invasion of her father's crown."[2] Thus, we are told, "he was engaged in aid of the deepest and most heinous treason, that subject ever was engaged in: I mean in persuading the Princess of Orange to consent to the unnatural invasion of her father's kingdom, by the Prince, which then was resolved upon, and with him to take his crown, if the invasion should succeed. This he
