darling Argument prevail, we have already an Ocular Experience of our Profit; Men will not be more studious of tranfmitting a clear Title of their Poffeffions to their Children, than they will be of leaving an undoubted Inheritance of Trade, Society and Brotherly Affection. but In the First Place therefore, on our Knees we thank the God of Heaven for your Majefty; and in the next, with all Humility we thank your Majesty, who as a true Father of your People, have provided for them fo rich a Patrimony of immortal Happinefs: 'Tis a Portion put out to use for Pofterity, which in every Seven Years will double and redouble the Principal. God Almighty, as we Hope and Pray, will grant you, an Heir Mafculine of your Body; you have already given us one of your Mind in your Gracious Declaration; 'tis to your felf alone, O Sacred Majefty! that we stand oblig'd for it: We own it not to be the Council or Procurement of any other; none but a wife and gracious King could have found it out; none but a Catholick King has been able to effect it. We hope a Parliament will concur and ratifie this Bleffing, for this Bleffing has, in a manner, ratified it felf by its own Succefs. Tis an Act already paft in the Hearts of all your Loyal People, and what it wants in formality of Law, is fupply'd in the concurring Votes of all uninterested Men. It will Spread like the Tree in the Vifion of Holy Daniel, till it overshadow the Three Nations; and the Birds of the Air hall not only build in it, but also the Beafts of the Foreft shall be fecure beneath it. May your Majefty long enjoy the Fruits of fo happy a Plantation; may it be fenc'd about by the Care of the preSent Age; and made Sacred to all future Time, as fet by your anfpicious Hands: And as it is in our Power, fo we folemnly engage our felves to return your Majefty two fuch Members to ferve in Parlia ment, as Shall Vote for Repealing, the Teft and all Penal Laws in matters of Religion; Laws which were begot under a doubtful Title, were bred up in Perfecution, and would fubvert the fundamental Freedom of the Confcience, which is God's Magna Charta to all his reafonable Creatures. I 3 1687. 1682. Befides the foremention'd Methods to introduce Popery, the Jefuits publish'd every Day fome Book or other to bring their Religion into Efteem; fuch as The first and fecond Vindication of the Bishop of Condom's Expofition of the Catholick Church; A Chriftian Doctrine compos'd by Bellarmine; The Mafs triumphing; The Mafs vindicated; The Catechism of Penance; The Catechism for the Curates, compos'd by a Decree of the Council of Trent; An Agreement between the Church of England, and the Church of Rome; Vane's loft Sheep return'd bome; Veron's Rule of Faith: The Guide in Controverfies, &c. A Defence of the Doctrine and Rule of the Roman Catholick Church, &c. This obliging the English Divines to draw their Pens likewife in the Defence of the Proteftant Religion, the Jefuits were foon overmatch'd; for the famous Stilling fleet, Sherlock, Tillotson, Tennifon, Wake, &c. befides a deeper Stock of Learning, and a greater Force of found Reasoning, had also a far better Cause to maintain; whereas the Errors of the Church of Rome, being only palliated by frivolous Arguments, falfe Quo tations, and trifling Equivocations, were the more eafily expos'd, and their Affertors fhamefully defeated. The People, who are generally fond of Controverfies, read greedily all those polemical Writings, fo that the Church of Rome was fo far from getting Ground, that the Proteftants were daily convinc'd of her Idolatry, and look'd upon it with Horror. If the English Millionaries, and thofe who were fent over from France, had been wife, they would not have follow'd a Course in which they have always mifcarry'd; for nothing lefs forcible than armed Troops is able to perfwade fo monftruous Tenets as thofe of the Worfhip of Images, the Invocation of Saints, and the Tranfubftantiation. But the Jefuits were fo daring and prefuming, that they must needs try this Method, which however they foon abandon'd, when they found it prejudicial to their Defigns. Yet, left the Proteftants fhould take Advantage of their Superiority, His Majefty was prevail'd with to regulate the Prefs, and under Pretence that the 1 the feveral Parties in the Kingdom maintain'd a 168.7 out t, grounded upon a Statute made in the + Procla &c. While the Popish Project was going on to abro- The Prince gate the Teft and Penal Laws, and the Prote- of Orange's ftants were in amaze what to expect, an Accident Opinion confell out that contributed to buoy up the finking cerning the Spirit of the Nation. King James meeting eve- repealing of the Teft, ry Day with Difficulties, which he plainly faw he could never furmount without having Recourfe to violent Methods; the tutelar Genius of England, and his own ill Fate. fet him on to make a trial of the Inclinations of the Prince and Princess of Orange; not doubting but if he could engage them to fide with him in his Defign, it would find lefs Oppofition in the enfuing Parliament: But becaufe His Majefty did not think proper to addrefs himfelf directly to their Highneffes, he employ'd Mr. James Stuart, a Lawyer, whom he had pardon'd and receiv'd into Favour after a long Banifhment, and who pretended an intimate Acquaintance with Mr. Fagel, Penfioner to the States of Holland, a wife Minifter, in whom the Prince repos'd an intire Confidence, and for whom he had a particular Efteem and Affection. To him Mr. Stuart writes a Letter upon this Subject; but fo averfe were the Prince and Princefs of Orange to meddle in fo nice an Affair, and fo unwilling to allow Myn Heer Fagel to return an Answer, which they knew would not be pleafing, that Mr. Stuart was oblig'd to repeat feveral times his preffing I 4 Inftances 168. Penfioner Fagel's Letter, Nov. 4th, 1687. Oct. 24th, $687. Inftances, owning in his Letters, that he writ them by the King's Direction. 'Tis certain His Majefty flatter'd himself that Their Highneffes would not contradict his Intentions; efpecially in a Conjuncture, when fo many Reafons feem'd to oblige them blindly to concur with him in every thing; other wife he would not have been fo eager to have their Opinion. But as their Royal Highneffes were Strangers to Diflimulation, and incapable of a Condefcenfion that might prove fatal to thofe Laws, which the English Nation juftly looks upon as the Bulwark of their Liberties againit the Attempts of the Papifts; and for which, as prefumptive Heirs to the Crown of England, they always exprefs'd a great Tenderness; they were at latt in a manner forc'd to direct Mr. Fagel to write an Answer to Mr. Stuart, through the Reports that were induftrioufly fpread in Eng. land by the Emiffaries of the Court, as if the Penfioner had acquainted Mr. Stuart, that the Prince and Princefs agreed with the King, in the Design of taking off the Penal Laws and Teft; which Report was malicioufly confirm'd by feveral Let ters, which the Marquis of Albyville, the English Envoy at the Hague, was put upon to write; intimating, That the Prince of Orange had told him the very fame thing; which Letter was alfo made publick. To diffipate thofe injurious Reports, the Penfioner wrote to Mr. Stuart to this Purpose: That understanding be carneftly defired to know of him what the Prince and Princess of Orange's Thoughts were concerning the Repeal of the Penal Laws, and more particularly of the Telt; he would deal very plainly with him in that matter, and without referve, fince Mr. Stuart had faid in his Letters, that they were Written by the King's Knowledge and Allowance. Firft, He moft pofitively affured him, That their Highnes had often declar'd, as they did in a particular manner to the Marquifs of Albyville, that it was their 0pinion, that no Chriftian ought to be perfecuted for his Confcience, or be ill ufed because he differ'd from the publick and established Religion, and therefore that that they could confent, that the Papifts in England, 1687. Scotland and Ireland, fhould be fuffer'd to continne in their Religion, with as much Liberty as is allow'd them in the United Provinces, where it cannot be denied but they enjoy full Liberty of Confcience. And as to the Nonconformists, their Highneffes did not only confent, but did heartily approve of their having an entire Liberty for the exercife of their Religion, without any trouble, binderance or moleftation upon that Score; and that their Highneffes were ready to concur at any time with His Majefty in the fettling and confirming this Liberty, and to protect and maintain it, as far as in them lay, according to the Language and ufual Form of Treaties, and likervife to confirm it with their Guarantee, which Mr. Stuart bad mention'd in kis Letters. And if His Majefty thought fit to have their Concurrence in Repealing the Penal Laws, their Highneffes were ready to give it, provided thefe Laws ftill remain'd in their full vigour by which the Roman Catholicks are fhut out of both Houses of Parliament, and out of all publick Employments, both Civil and Military; as likewife all thofe other Laws which confirmed the Proteftant Religion, and which fecur'd it against all the Attempts of the Roman Catholicks. But their Highneffes could not by any means agree to the Repeal of the Teft, and thofe other Penal Laws laft mention'd, that tended to the fecurity of the Proteftant Religion: Since the Roman Catholicks receive no other prejudice from thefe, than their being excluded from Parliament and publick Employments and that by them the Proteftant Religion is shelter'd from all the Defigns of the Roman Catholicks against it, or against the publick Safety. That neither the Test nor thefe other Laws can be faid to carry in them any Severity against the Roman Catholicks upon account of their Confciences; being only Provifions qualifying Men to be Members of Parliament, or to be capable of bearing Office; by which they must declare before God and Men, that they are for the Proteftant Religion. So that indeed all this amounts to no more, than a Securing the Proteftant Religion from any Prejudices that it may receive from the Roman Catholicks. More |