Reaſon I.

In ſtrictneſs of Law, becauſe one ſo qualified, hath wilfully diſabled or rendred himſelf uncapable of that benefit, which the Common Law (after the uſual courſe of Deſcent) doth poſitively require; for 'tis preſumable that he that ſucceds in the Office of the Crown, ſhould be Legally Adopted to execute ſo great a Truſt; and therefore if Minus, Idoneus, be not ſufficiently ballaſted with the Notion and Intrigues of State, others are to govern in aid of him, as in caſe of Idiocy, Lunacy, or the like, and the Parliament is bound (as intruſted to redreſs Grievances, and ſecure the Nation) to place it where Religion and Property ſhall be adjudged moſt ſafe.

There are ſeveral Preſidents of this Nature.

1. Edgar Atheling (as Stories agree) was the undoubted Heir, yet William the Norman, commonly called the Conquerer, was called in to oppoſe Harold, and inveſted with the Crown; and Atheling for ever an Exile, and diſ-inherited. 2. After him ſucceeded his Second Son William Rufus, and not Robert the Eldeſt. 3. King John not only laid aſide, after Plantaginet his Eldeſt Brothers Son; but likewiſe put him to Death. 4. In Sicily there was lately a great Conteſt between the two Sons of Charles the Second, Mortel • and Robert, and I find the Crown awarded to Robert the Younger, as Magis dignis ad Regnandum. 5. Alexander was demanded to whom he would bequeath his Scepter, he ſaid, The Worthieſt, and to him whoſe Sword had the ſharpeſt point; meaning, whoſe Vertues were moſt Luculent, and of the brighteſt Integrity: after the diſpoſition of Jacob, paſſing by Manaſſes, and conferring the Bleſſing upon Ephraim the Younger, as more deſerving, and acceptable to God. 6. The State of France rejected the King of Navarr, and appointed another to Reign over them, becauſe of his Religion. And when afterwards the ſaid King of Navarr came to be Henry the Fourth of France; it was by his forſaking God, and complying with the Church of Rome, by means of which he thought to ſettle the Crown upon his head, but was ſo much miſtaken therein, that he thereby loſt both Crown and Life together.

Reaſon II.

Can it be thought but that he that ſucceeds in the Crown ſhould not ſucceed Concurrent • bus his qui injure requirunt, as the Civil Law expreſſes it, that is in all the concerns thereof, which are the Laws, principally thoſe that relate to Religion, & not for one man led away with a blind perverſeneſs, renouncing the Religion he knows not why (and ſo wilfully attainting himſelf) to inthral the Nation in Superſtition and Tyranny; for regularly in all parts where Popiſh Lords are in the Church, there Tyranny (on courſe) rages in the State.

Reaſon III.

'Tis a maxim amongſt Lawyers, that Lex facit Regem, and maxims muſt not be denied; if ſo, then to ſpeak out after the true intendment of Law, he that comes not to the Crown ſatiatim, as the Laws notifies and preſcribes, 'tis no lawful ſucceſſion, but down right Uſurpation. And without ſcruple, 'tis the endeavour of every good Chriſtian to withſtand an Uſurper, it being undoubtedly more pleaſing to God to put one man by, who thus wifully diſables himſelf, and withal moſt ſhamefully uſurps, than expoſe millions of ſouls to damnation, and the ſtreets to flow with blood by ſuffering that Religion to creep in, whoſe reformation (at the mildeſt rate) will certainly prove Fire and Faggor.

For this very cauſe Maacha was removed (from being Queen) by her Son King Aſa, for making an Idol in a Grove, incited thereunto by the the Prophet Azariah.

Reaſon IV.

The Succeſſion of the Crown, and a common Deſcent much differ; for if an Heir that's a Subject prove looſe and debauched, it little damnifies the Publick, more deſerving perſons may happily perchance ſtep into his poſſeſſions, and be more ſerviceable to the Publick; the damage is ſtill but private to his own Family; but in caſe of the Crown, there is none ſo ſenſeleſs but muſt needs conceive the damage moſt fatal becauſe univerſal.

The whole Nation muſt inevitably ſuffer; Religion ſubverted, and Popery deſtroyed, and the whole People in danger of their Lives. 'Tis well known in a private caſe, the Heir is uſually thrown off and diſinherited: if an entail, it may be deſtroyed: and if Law juſtifies it, the like in the Publick. And therefore the grand Inquiſitors of State, and Conſervators of the Liberties of England, the Parliament, may for weighty Cauſes refuſe the Heir preſumptive, and for the Safety of the Nation ſettle it where they in Honour and Prudence ſhall conceive moſt proper.

Reaſon V.

We read in Scripture (which is the Golden Rule that we muſt walk by) that Libnab revolted from Jehoram, becauſe he had forſaken the God of his Fathers; ſo we had better forſake man, and adhere to God in keeping our Religion, than truſt to man, and loſe God, to be unavoidably deſtroyed here, and hereafter irrecoverably damned in ſerving Baal, and parting with the Divinity now eſtabliſhed.

Reaſon VI.

When R • boboam had prepared a great Army to redude the Iſraelites, he was forbidden by the Prophet. Thus ſaith the Lord, Ye ſhall not go up, nor fight againſt your Brethren, for they are from me; mark, he calls them Brethren, not Rebels.

Paſſive Obedience therefore is ſimple, and fit for ſuch, that knows no better; now God has diſcovered the Snare and the Pit of Ruine that the Pope and the Devil has prepared for us, if we do not timely countermine it by Cautionary Laws, to ſuppreſs thoſe that digg'd it, we may in a ſhort ſpace be thrown into it headlong, and none pity us.

But the Right Line with ſome ſhallow pated Talkers, is a Noli me tangere, ſo ſacred (forſooth) that we muſt rather venture Body and Soul in ſubjecting our ſelves to all the Curſes imginable that Hell it ſelf can inflict on us, than in the leaſt alter or controul it; a very frivolous Cavear, and not to be heeded by us; for humane Examples (as I ſhewed before) have been noted againſt it, and the Scripture warrants it. Samuel foretold in the caſe of Saul, that he would be rejected for his diſobedience, though not his Perſon degraded or depoſed, yet that the Kingdom ſhould be removed, both from his Line and Tribe, which was done accordingly, and transferred on David: This proves very fully that the Heirs, or the next in Succeſſion, are not ſo immovably placed, but that they may lawfully (on juſt cauſe) be diſplaced, if not legally qualified, and other put up for God's Glory in their rooms. God raiſed Jehu to purge Idolatry againſt the Houſe of Ahab; all the Sons of Ahab were beheaded, and in a manner his whole Line cut off. For his good ſervice, he had a promiſe of a ſpecial Bleſſing for his Iſſue to continue the Throne to the fourth Generation. Several other Inſtances I could give, but this may ſuffice.

In brief, there's no Reformed Church, from the firſt Waldenſes of Lyons and Languedock, to this very day, but have held it lawful.

Reaſon VII.

It's conceited by half-witted States men, that reſtrictive Laws may prevent all miſchiefs, and ſecure the Proteſtants; a very vain Opinion, and moſt fallacious; for Laws will never bind, but more intage; thackle him as ye will, and load him with never ſo many Laws when King, he and his Parry will be reſtleſs, till they have ſet themſelves at Liberty, to have the Proteſtants under; for when King, he's not impeachable, and the Poſt Regni will be at his diſpoſal.

When the Wolf is Shepherd, the Flock is very ſafe indeed, and like to be well looked after, all may devour that will; for if his Party commit ſuch out-rages, that no Age can parallel, what will they do then? Now, no man is ſafe in his bed then none ſafe at all; they will adventure to murder people in their very houſes; for they hold it no more ſin than to kill a Dog.

Reaſon VIII.

In fine, be ſure he and his Party (which will increaſe daily, and the Proteſtants decline) will ſoon get an opportunity either by Stratagem, or open Force, to avoid all Laws, though they are never ſo ſtrong and wary, and therefore it will be impoſſible to be ſafe without a Proteſtant Succeſsor.