their Pofterity; and does be deferve the name of an English man, or good Chriftian, that will give ир his Pofterity to fave himself; and much less. can be pretend to it, who will facrifice his Country and Religion to the will and pleasure of his Prince.

How must be diveft himself of all manner of humanity, that implicitly will execute such unreafonable Commands King James will lay upon every man that must expect any quarter from him, for every man that will not be aiding and affifting to his bu finefs, willcertainly be treated as an Enemy.

There are a fort of people who may well be sufpected, if not already ingaged, yet very wel difposed to joyn with any thing that will destroy this Government, and they are First, fuch as refufe the Oaths.

Secondly, Such as have taken the Qaths, but fwear to this King, as only King de facto, and to live peaceably under the Government

Give me leave to think that both these are much more to blame than the Papifts for the Papifts, pursue their intereft, whileft they indeavour to reftore King James, and destroy this Government, but thefe other profeffing themselves Proteftants, may be compared to Solomon's foolish Woman, that pulls down her House with her hands.

As to those who have not taken the Qaths, I fuppofe they will not fay in their own excufe that they have not, because like the Quakers they Scruple the taking of any Oath, and therefore it must be because they don't believe this to bec lawful Government; and if fo, tho I won't call it a down right oppofing of it, yet I will prefume

to say that the next step beyond this can be no other than directly to fall upon the Government; and I cannot comprehend why they have done this, if they don't intend to go further, if herein they have acted like rational Creatures, that is, to do it for fome end, and fince they have thus feparated themselves from the intereft of the Government, they must confefs if, they have any ingenuity, that this is a very mild Government; and that the King is a very merciful Prince that will afford them his protection, who will not own him, for they will not find in their celebrated Doctrine of the divine right of Kings, and Paffive-Obedience, that they ought to expect the common protection and priviledge of the Government, when they won't ingage to defend it, and therefore it is not easily comprehended, wherefore they do behave themfelves with so much affurance, and even to glory in what they do, unless they expect fome fuddaen turn of Affairs, or that they think themselves so very much in the right, and have fo much vertne and refolution as to indure the utmost extremity that can befall them but as the first is not much to be feared, fo their infolent behaviour does not argue that they are altogether acted by a Principle of Confcience; and I will not condemn all of· them, fince I believe they may make it matter of Confcience to refuse the Oaths; but if they would have the world to think so, they should bebave themselves fo quietly and modeftly as men that are guided purely by their Confciences.

As to those that have taken the Oaths, but Swear to the King, as being only King de facto.

They

T

They foem not much honefter than thofe that have refufed the Oaths, and are equally dangerous; for the taking the Oaths in that fenfe, is a juggling with the Government; for it is to make the King a King and no King, to make him a King for a rime, and paying of him a temporary Allegiance, for it is exprefly to declare that fome body elfe has a better right to the Crown than be, and whenever that other perfon comes in fight, their Allegiance to this King ceafes, and their living peaceably under the Government, amounts to no more than that they will live peaceably till they have an opportunity to do otherwife, and no longer fo that they don't fubmit to this Government, because they believe it to be a lawful one, but that they may ferve themselves of it, and be fure, which fide foever is uppermost, and by this principle they may wear to any Government, tho never fo unlawful.

Upon the whole matter, Gentlmen, you fee how watchful an eye ought to be kept upon this fort of men, notwithstanding they have the Church much in their mouths.

The French had lately a defign to land upon us, and I believe they still hover about our Coafts, for fome fuch purpofe, but they will not make fuch an attempt, without the expectation of being take by the hand, and who are fo likely to joyn with them as those who don't allow this to be a lawful Government; and it fo falls out, that those who are now Secured upon this occafion, are either fuch as have not taken the Oaths or elfe have worn to this King as King de facto.

But

But fince these men talk fo much of the Church, I would be very glad to be informed how it comes to be in danger, and why they are fo much the more concerned for it, than the rest of mankind.

I know not well what Church they mean, but the Proteftant Church of England is not fo much in danger'd by any thing as by them, for till its dues and rights are withheld from it, or other violence is offered to it, I cannot imagine why any one fhould fay it is in danger. But nothing is fo dange rous to the Church, as when men of loofe debauched lives, fet up for its chief fupporters, and when the name of the Church is made ufe of as a Stalkinghorfe to ferve the defigns of a felf-feeking Party? for when this party of men have nothing else to urge against those things that tend to our Jettlement, they generally cry out it's against the Church, fo that it's hard to know what Church they mean; and this I am fare of, that I will never be of that Church, that is to be supported by King James and

a French Govenment.

In fhort, Gentlemen, if you know of any that have spoke contemptuously of this Government; have faid the King is only King de facto, and have fworn to this Government only to live peaceably under it, or have faid that within fuch a time there will be a change, or any other thing that tends to difturb the Government, you ought to, prefent it. If any Parfon or Vicar, not having taken the Oaths, has officiated at his Benefice fince the 2d of Feb. laft, you ought to prefent them for it is as much an offence, in them to officiate when they have not qualified themfelves, as if they had never been prefented, and their contempt is very great.

Gen

Gentlemen, The I have not mentioned any other parts of your business, yet I know you will not neglect them: that which I have spoke to, does fo immediately concern us, that I thought it neceffary to inlarge upon it. And fince God has fo wonderfully delivered us, we could never answer it, if we do not our parts; for if we perish through our own neglect, our blood lyes at our own doors, and we deferve the burial of an Afs,if we dye like Fools: but I trust we shall not, nor do I fufpect you will be remifs in your parts, and therefore I will trouble you no further, but difmifs you to your bu finefs, and I pray God direct you in it.

A PER