But, alas! how soon would this happy scene have shifted, and a melancholy gloomy prospect have succeeded in its room, had the rebels gained their point, and a popish abjured pretender been forced upon the _British_ throne! For, supposing his birth not to be spurious, (as we have great reason to think it really was) what could we expect from one, descended from a father, who, when Duke of _York_, put all _Scotland_ into confusion; and afterwards, when crowned King of _England_, for his ♦arbitrary and tyrannical government, both in church and state, was justly obliged to abdicate the throne, by the assertors of _British_ liberty? Or, supposing the horrid plot, first hatched in hell, and afterwards nursed at _Rome_, had taken place; supposing, I say, the old Pretender should have obtained the triple crown, and have transferred his pretended title (as it is reported he has done) to his eldest son, what was all this for, but that, by being advanced to the popedom, he might rule both son and subjects with less controul, and by their united interest, keep the three kingdoms of _England_, _Scotland_, and _Ireland_, in greater vassallage to the see of _Rome_? Ever since this unnatural rebellion broke out, I have looked upon the young Pretender as the phaeton of the present age. He is ambitiously and presumptuously aiming to seat himself in the throne of our rightful sovereign King _George_, which he is no more capable of keeping, than _Phaeton_ was to guide the chariot of the sun; and had he succeeded in his attempt, like him, would only have set the world on fire. It is true, to do him justice, he has deserved well of the Church of _Rome_, and, in all probability, will hereafter be canonized amongst the noble order of their fictitious saints. But, with what an iron rod we might expect to have been bruised, had his troops been victorious, may easily be gathered from those cruel orders said to be found in the pockets of some of his officers, “Give no quarters to the Elector’s troops.” Add to this, that there was great reason to suspect, that, upon the first news of the success of the rebels, a general massacre was intended. So that if the LORD had not been on our side, _Great Britain_, not to say _America_, would, in a few weeks or months, have been an _Aceldama_, a field of blood.
♦ “arbritrary” replaced with “arbitrary”