“The following Discourse was occafion'd by a Sermon preach'd Nov. 15. 1715. It was some time before I refolved upon the Publication of it, and then thought fit to add in proper Places, the Substance of several other Sermons which related to the same Subject; which with other Thoughts occurring, swell'd the Book to a much larger Bulk than I at first intended. The main Design is, partly to demonstrate the Unreasonableness, Impiety, and Wickedness of those who rife up in Rebellion against our only Rightful Sovereign King George, endeavour to dethrone him, and set up a Popish Pretender to his Crown” (From the preface to the present work).

The Jacobite rising of 1715 was the attempt by James Edward Stuart (or the Old Pretender) to regain the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland for the exiled Stuarts. The English Jacobites allied with Scottish Jacobites under the command of William Gordon they marched into England, where they encountered Government forces at the Battle of Preston on November 12–14. Initially, the Jacobites gained the upper hand, however, the arrival of Government reinforcements the following day turned the luck which lead to the eventual surrender of the Jacobite forces.

This main sermon/discourse of this present work was written on November 15^th, that is immediately after the fall of the Jacobites. Probably due to the instability and relatively insecure future  the author has wished to remain anonymous.

The document is structured to provide an analysis of the causes and consequences of the rebellion, underlining the author's position that the monarchy and the Church of England must be upheld to maintain social order and stability. The book criticizes the growing influence of dissenting religious groups particularly those associated with Calvinistic beliefs, arguing that their rebellion against the established order was both treasonous and destabilizing.

Terry: A BIBLIOGRAPHY of Jacobite History 1689-1788, P. 288.