Considerations touching the true way to suppress popery in this kingdom by making a distinction between men of loyal and disloyal principles in that communion : on occasion whereof is inserted an historical account of the Reformation here in England.

A PREFACE.

THE Reader will find this Book to be of a mixt nature, and in some places of a different stile; as being compos'd at distant times, and by two several hands. One part of it is a Proposition for securing the Civil State against the danger of Popery, by making a di∣stinction between them of the Roman Communion. The other part, which is inserted into the former, concerns the chief and original controversies be∣tween ours and the Roman Church.

For that Part which belongs to the Civil State, it was most of it printed about a year since, as ap∣pears by several Instances a 1.1, of which the Reader is desired to take notice, that there may be no mistake in the timeing of some things.

The Model of this Part was drawn up by a worthy Gentleman, who thought it a design, not only agreeable to his known Moderation, but really Practicable; and likely to be exceedingly beneficial toward the safety of this Kingdom at home, and the honour of it abroad; to which no∣thing would more conduce, and yet nothing is more wanting, than some kind of general unity of the English Nation within it self.

But what is here said on this Argument, the Reader is intreated to interpret with the same candor with which it was intended. For the things proposed being only spoken Problemati∣cally, it cannot be expected they should be deli∣ver'd with great exactness; and it is but reason that every little expression should not be called to a severe Account, in a Treatise, where the whole design it self is not imposed, but only offer'd to be fairly consider'd.

If any one think that even this is a boldness, which private men should not allow themselves, in matters which belong to the Government, the Author could wish all men were of that mind, though it put him to the cost of an Apology for

himself in this particular. But he is not so ig∣norant of the Age we live in, as not to know that this Liberty is commonly taken; and that none is censured for it, that does not much exceed the bounds of Modesty. And if others can ex∣tend this Liberty so far, as to write Books that tend directly to disturb the publick settlement; he does not see what need he can have for an excuse for writing that which can have no other end but to promote it. To speak plain, he has seen divers pieces of late, whereof some go about from hand to hand, to disswade men from ta∣king the Oath of Allegiance; others, and those not a few of late years, have been printed and sold publicly in behalf of a General Toleration. What is, if this be not, to assault the publick settlement? and either to force our Governors to alter it, or to set the people against them for con∣tinuing it? Not to mention the Reproaches that are thrown upon the Memory of them by whom the settlement was made. Whereas, here, is no design to alter any thing of it, any farther than may be needful to make it the more practicable in our times. To a people that is always prone to Compassion, and of late so much discomposed by a Civil War, no doubt the extreme severity

of Laws is likely to hinder the Practicableness of them. And it is not the Severity of Laws, but the Practice, that tends to the Security of the State. And therefore the Alteration here proposed is so far from having any Reflection on the Wisdom of our Legislators in former times, that there is no reason to doubt that they would have made it themselves if they had lived in our present Circumstances. If the Author commit any error in judging thus; he is not obstinate in it, but submits this together with the rest to the Iudgment of wise and good men; and especially to the Publick Wisdom, which must be Acknowledg'd to be the most proper, and it were well if it were the only Iudg in these matters.

The other things b 1.2 contained in this Book were added by another Person; who, being well persua∣ded of the usefulness of the foregoing design, was desirous to Improve it to farther Advantage. And therefore he thought it would be an useful Labour, and prudent Counsel; not only to ren∣der the Civil State easie to the peaceable Roma∣nists among us, but to make them also well dis∣posed to our Church, as well as State. He is of opinion, that, if many of their Nobility and

Gentry, and some of their moderate Clergy, shall once come to live amicably with us, on the terms here mentioned, or on any other that shall be thought more discreet and seasonable; they would by degrees suffer themselves to be calmly instructed in the Iustice of our Cause, and they would without Prejudice examin which side is to be blam'd for the Divisions between us. And then he doubts not but many of them would in time discover how much they have been mis∣informed concerning the State of our Diffe∣rences.

To this purpose, hoping to find the most In∣genuous of their Laity, and even some of their well-meaning Priests, in good humour, while they are reading a Book which pleads some∣thing in their favour; he has taken this oppor∣tunity to give them some light into the occasion and progress of the first breach between us and them. This he knows to be a Subject, in which the Generality of their Laity and Clergy are most confident, and seem most to triumph. But they are much mistaken in matter of Fact; as here the Reader will see it evidently prov'd, out of Unquestionable Records, and Impartial Wri∣ters,

many even of their own side. From whence it will appear that the whole business of the Schism was begun and continued on the Popes side for their Secular Interests and Passions; whilest the Reformation, on the part of our Church and State, was managed all along with great Iustice and prudent Moderation.

After all that has been said, it is more than possible, that of one sort of men, there may be some (I hope not the wisest among them) who upon other Accounts may take offence at both Parts of this Book.

In the Political part, perhaps offence may be taken at the Liberty of this Proposal; as seeming too favourable to them of the Roman Communi∣on, without the like Consideration for any other Dissenters. But the favour here proposed in behalf of the Romanists, is not more than they enjoy among Protestants abroad at this day: nor so much as the Generality of those who are most zealous against them have thought fit heretofore to allow to persons differing only in opinion. They did not think it fit that even Heretics themselves should suffer any Capital Punishment, barely upon

Account of their Opinions, how dangerous so∣ever they might be to mens Souls. Some, even of themselves, have written of late that no pu∣nishment should be inflicted on men for opi∣nions that are not dangerous to the State. They who are of this mind have no reason to take offence at this Book, because the favour desired in it is for Persons as Innocent in that Respect as themselves. And for them that think Errors are punishable by the State, on Account of the hurt that they do to mens Souls; they will not find so great occasion of Offence as they may possibly expect. For the Author does not plead for any other Exemption of Ro∣man-Catholick, than such as will leave them still liable to as much severity, as themselves, if they are obnoxious to the Laws, can think fit to be inflicted on men barely for Differences in Opinion. Here is nothing proposed for their Exemption from any Incapacitating Laws, or from the Penalties against saying Mass pub∣lickly, or against their endeavouring to make Proselytes; which last thing is Death to Ro∣man-Catholicks, and not at all penal to any other. These things being considered together, their Condition will not be to be envied by any

other Dissenters, if they should have all the fa∣vour that is propounded for them in this Book. But the Common Protestant Religion will be better secured by it, which ought to satisfie any one that pretends to that Name.

For that Part which concerns the Contro∣versies, it is suggested by another, (which other∣wise the Author could scarce have expected,) that some may think him too favourable to the Romish Opinions, or too much unconcerned for the Defence of other Protestant Churches. He does not see how any one, that minds what he reads, can suspect him of favour to the Princi∣ples of the Roman Communion; having given sufficient reason, why he cannot embrace them, without losing his hopes of Salvation. In the ma∣naging of the Controversie, if he seem not to write in the Defence of any other Reformed Church; his Answer is, that he does not write to the Adversaries of the Reformed Religion, in any other than in his Majesties Dominions. And if his Defence of our Church be sufficient, it will overthrow that Infallibility of the Roman Church, by which she pretends a Iurisdiction over all others, and by which alone all her par∣ticular

Impositions are Iustifiable. Which will afford an easie Apology to other Churches who do not think themselves oblig'd to submit to those Impositions.

Notes

• a 1.1

  P. 44. these ten years. P. 50. March was twelve month. P. 66 M. Lu∣zance's case.
• b 1.2

  Chiefly from p. 80. till the Conclusion.