THE Case to be put is this. A Nation is Pro­testant in the main Body of it: He that is like to succeed in the Throne is a Roman Ca­tholick. What shall be done in such an Affair? The Case does belong to the Divines, and to the Law­yers, though it be the Parliament alone must deter­mine it: Nay, the matter indeed is what every-body think themselves engaged in, and every body speak their minds of. There is no Coffee-house, and few private houses, but their Table-talk is of these things. I see no reason therefere why I may not speak my mind also, so long as I do it of my self, and with this sig­nification, that no others (how much soever else con­cern'd with me) have any hand in the publication of it. For I am perswaded, that if the Parliament shall take the liberty (every one of them, as English-men and Protestants) to speak the same things in the House, as we do abroad, they would be less afraid of one ano­ther, [Page 2]and more secure in their Counsels, (whatsoever they talk) in providing for the safety of the King­dom, and Religion.

It is decreed in the Council of Lateran, That all Princes shall Exterminate the Hereticks out of their Dominions, upon pain of Deposition, Excommunica­tion, and Damnation. The Papists believe the Do­ctrines of their Church to be infallible, and what is decreed by a Pope and Universal Council is unquestio­nably received as a Doctrine of their Church; and consequently if any thing be decreed to be done by any man, upon pain of Damnation, they must do it first or last, by such means as they can, if they intend to be saved. Where a person then is a Roman Catholick, and true to his Religion, he cannot enter upon the Throne of a Protestant Kingdom, but he must resolve to Exter­minate his Subjects. To enter so, is to enter Hostili animo, with the mind of an Enemy, as Hostis & Ho­stis Publicus. But to be Hostis and Rex, a King and an Enemy; a Shepheard and Father of his People, and one that comes to make havock of them: To destroy, and to rule or govern; are things utterly incompati­ble.

The resolution of this Case therefore in point of Reason and Conscience is open. That such a person must on necessity either renounce that Religion, or else he must relinquish the Government, and be con­tent that the next rightful Heirs or Successors do pos­sess it.

Upon these terms now, if there be any person so pious and devout as not daring to hazard the Salva­tion of his Soul, he does purpose if he be King (what­soever comes of it, seeing he must) to make his people [Page 3]turn Papists, or execute that Decree of the Church upon them; and if he be also so generous and brave, as that rather than do such a thing as to persecute his Country, and make the Nation miserable, he will free­ly decline a Crown to avoid that intollerable incum­bent duty: What is there under the whole cope of Heaven so worthy to canonize a mans name to poste­rity as such an action? And what can be said why the Representative of a Nation might not make an humble and yet confident Address to such a one, to offer him Reasons for his voluntary condescension to such a Re­quest made to him, when a forced deposition by an Act of Parliament, before any such tryal be attempted, may look exceeding hard, and also be ill taken? Nei­ther were it a thing less elegible, as it must certainly be more happy, to remain a Duke and Father of the next Successor taking the Throne and reigning in quiet, than to be himself a King, and reign only in Blood, and with the Confusion of his Subjects.

And to render this matter yet more glorious and ne­cessary to such a Royal person, he shall moreover by doing thus provide security for the sacred life of a So­veraign, and a Brother, which so long as a Papist is sure to succeed, must be still exposed to Plots and Treason, Poyson and Assassination: For there cannot be wanting a Clement, a Ravilliack, or some such Villain, as is capable to be perswaded, that by a feat so highly ad­vantagious to their Religion, he shall both expiate the sin, and merit life eternal.

As for the Case in point of Law I undertake not; Only it appears to me (I must confess) from the Statute of the thirteenth of the Queen, that though this Go­vernment be Hereditary, it is so Hereditary as the [Page 4]Laws or Statutes of Parliament do bind the descent of the Crown. And if it be as it appears, I have nothing else to say, but to desire of God to give to those who are now in expectation to be Assembled, the modera­tion and understanding of the Heads of the Children of Issachar, that they may know at such a time as this what Israel hath to do.

And if there be no Act passed by them concerning these matters, I must for the discharge of my Con­science superad thus much further, that although on the part of the Soveraign he that is a Papist cannot take the Throne where the Body of the people are Protestant, according to right reason and Conscience, as might be made to appear further, if what is said were not suffi­cient already; yet on the part of the Subject, let the Crown fall to any person, whatsoever he be, whether Papist or Protestant, if he have right to it according to the present Law in force, and the Constitution of the Nation, there is no good Protestant, or no Subject that fears God, can rise up in Arms against him upon the account of Religion. Evangelium (say our first Re­formers) non abolet politias.

We are taught this by the Primitive Christians all a­long during the Reign of the Heathen; who, whatso­ever their number was, in their Cities, Castles, Ar­mies (as some of the Fathers tell us) were ready to lay down their lives, and submit to a Decimation upon a Decimation, rather than they would draw their Swords upon the Emperour, or sin against Heaven. This we are taught more effectually by the Apostle, and are therefore never to be untaught it. Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers; for there is no Power but of God; the Powers that be, are ordain'd of God. Whosoever [Page 5]therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves Dam­nation. I speak it (I must acknowledge) not only in regard to the prevention of Blood and Mischief (if Providence should call us under such a Tryal) but in re­gard to the Parliament, that they may look the more about them, and consider, they have a season. And more particularly that they may beware of running into this Errour (upon which two Parliaments have split already) the neglect of doing what may be done through an over-reaching haste toward what they would have done (I mean in this point of Succession) and which will be better done (if it be at all done) to be last done.

As for the Plot, I fear not likewise to say thus much, that whosoever he be shall be found to have design'd the Introduction of Popery by the Murder of the King, or a Massacre of the People, I declare in the behalf of the publick, he ought to dye. Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey's innocent Blood cryes for Justice on such men: But if any person has had any hand in this Plot, no farther than to give his consent and assistance to the bringing in that Religion upon us by an Universal Liberty of Con­science, and no otherwise; which is consequently by Teaching and Argument in a gentle progress of Time, and Perswasion, not by Violence and Blood, or any hurt to the Subject in their Lives and Estates, or by con­version of the Civil Government from Regal to Despo­tical, as by many is imagined; and, being now con­vinced of the detestable Villany and Hellish Devotion of others, who were precipitating the Design with Re­gicide and a Common slaughter, shall be willing hereupon to make some remonstrance for the purging himself and [Page 6]his Conscience, and the testifying his abhorrence of proceeding further in such an Enterprise; I must de­clare with the like open freedom, that such a one ought to be Heard. And who can tell what might be the is­sue of such a piece of Ingenuity as this only? To say, Look you, Sirs, Thus it has been, I confess it, and thus: These are the Consequents; I see the evil, It shall be so no more.

In the name of God, let us but have a Gentleman­like Repentance, that is right English, without re­serve, and here is the way to the first, and consequent­ly the best and most desireable reconcilement that can be in the Case; to the most easie coming off from what is past, and for the giving the most Heroical Satisfacti­on that can be given to the Land.

By this means shall such a person engage himself to the strongest retractation of all that is ill, for recovery of his trust with the Nation; and the Plot be so laid o­pen, that the Parliament may proceed to the applica­tion of a perfect Remedy. By this means shall the in­nocent be put into safety, and the guilty (so far as any is guilty) into his right course of obtaining the forgiveness of his Country. For such is the nature of the English spirit, that when it generously prosecutes the obstinate Offender with vehemence and courage, as soon as he does but relent or comes to suffer, it is presently apt to commiseration, and to think the best of him.

I shall conclude with a Text of Scripture. If this great man shall neither come off from his way (which were to be first wished,) nor to a Compromise and Resig­nation (which were to be sought next); nor the Par­liament to some Act for Constraint; to make him chuse the one or the other (which is to be last attempted); [Page 7]or for Restraint, by ordering the Militia and other things so as it shall be equivalent, or as politickly good for England, as if he did either; I shall deliver my own Soul as a Watchman, and as an English-man, protest before God that I can see the appearance of nothing but evil, that is, Destruction, Misery, and Trouble, coming upon the three Kingdoms. Now it came to pass after this, that Amaziah brought the Gods of the Children of Seir, and set them up, and bowed before them. Wherefore Gods An­ger was kindled, and he sent to him a Prophet; and it came to pass as the Prophet was talking with him, he said, Art thou made of the Kings Council? Forbear, why shouldst thou be smitten? Then the Prophet forbore, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened to my Coun­sel.