The duty of subjects reinforc't, especially in the choice of their representatives to sit in Parliament in a letter to a friend, occasioned by His Majesty's most gracious declaration in Council.

The Duty of Subjects REINFORC'T, Especially in the Choice of Their Representatives To Sit in PARLIAMENT, IN A LETTER to a FRIEND. Occasioned by His MAJESTY's Most Gracious Declaration in Council.

SIR,

I Have sent you a Present here inclos'd; 'tis of small Bulk, but of great Importance: Had such a one been sent you some Years since, when the Peoples Ears were fill'd with nothing else but Popery and Exclusion; and could you have had it well attested for Genuine and Au∣thentick; you would have entertain'd it with a hearty Wel∣come.

'Tis a Copy of His Majesty's most Gracious Declaration; a Declaration so Mature and Seasonable, so Full and Well-ad∣vis'd, that we must not look upon it as the Crafty Artifice of a Politick Ʋsurper; nor as the violent Extortion of the Passionate and Mistaken Faction that oppos'd him; but as the Natural Emanation of His Princely Mind and Heroick Generosity, con∣descending to obviate the affected Weakness of some, and to cure that which was really so in others.

Herein his Majesty has done us the Honour to own our Affection to the Monarchy, and our Zeal in contending for the Government as now establish'd in Church and State: and he is

pleas'd to remind us, That in his own Practice, to the utmost hazard of Life and Fortune, he made himself our Grand Exem∣plar, when he was in the Station of a Subject. So that his Title to the Crown by Succession, has been rarely embellish'd by his Merits. And This the Gratitude of the Nation did once ac∣knowledge.

But what is more eminently remarkable, ev'n since the high∣est Providence has cloth'd him with the Sovereign Power, he has prevented our Expectation, and gone before us in protest∣ing his Pious Resolutions, to maintain those Interests of Religion and Property which we account the dearest to us.

Observe his own Words; where, after a most endearing Promise to follow his late Majesty's Example in Clemency and Tenderness to His People, he goes on: I have been reported to be a Man for Arbitrary Power; but that is not the onely Story has been made of me: And I shall make it my Endeavours to preserve this Government both in Church and State, as it is now by Law Establish'd. I know the Principles of the Church of England are for Monarchy, and the Members of it have shewed themselves Good and Loyal Subjects; therefore I shall always take Care to Defend and Support it. I know too, That the Laws of England are suffici∣ent to make the King as Great a Monarch as I can wish: And as I shall never depart from the Just Rights and Prerogative of the Crown, so I shall never invade any Mans Property; I have often heretofore ventured my Life in Defence of this Nation, and I shall still go as far as any Man in preserving it in all its Just Rights and Liberties.

His inflexible Justice, with the rare Complexion of his other Princely Vertues, have worthily been admir'd with equal Love and Reverence; and these have hitherto been the Support of our Just Confidence: But now he has vouchsafed to give us his Royal Word, which flowing from a Voluntary Inclination to be Gracious, has hitherto had the Honour to be esteem'd Inviolable and Sacred. We find that the most plausible Pretences of Jea∣lousie, in Men of honest Minds, do vanish into Dream and meer Delusion; and we cannot but in reason acquiesce in such As∣surance, with the Joy of a full and hearty Satisfaction.

We know the Suggestions of Designers had rais'd a Prejudice so strong in some Credulous and Well-meaning Persons, that they grew too obstinate to be driv'n to their Duty; but we doubt not such Encouragements as have been freely heap'd upon them, will in a little time melt the most Obdurate, and

make them grow so tractable, as to be won, and easily led by the Attractive of such Great and Wise Examples.

In short, We see, Sir, that the God of Peace and Order has been pleas'd to decide the great Point of Succession by his own good Providence, according to his own standing Law and Ordi∣nance: Herein, he never call'd upon his Royal Highness to enter a Caution for his Good Behaviour, which seems to be a sufficient Baffle to the Wit and Malice of all fierce Excluders.

His Royal Highness has not been very forward to declare himself in the matter of this Debate, and his Reservedness has been made a Riddle, and subject to as many Readings and De∣scants, as Mens Fancy or Humour can invent.

I shall only observe this in the Case. Some Men have their private Sentiments, which they will not generally be oblig'd to account for: thô such Men be singular in their Carriage, yet their Design may be very innocent, and free from mischief.

That the Protestant Party is of some moment in swaying the Ballance of Christendom, is no Secret; and if the Church of England be of any advantage to His Majesty herein, as no doubt it is (when Matters are duely weigh'd) we may be confident, he will not part with an Interest of that Importance for No∣thing: Besides, his great Experience tells him, that the Gates of Hell stand in the way to Rome, as well as to Churches of ano∣ther Denomination; and 'tis not a blind Fate that can secure us from the Danger that threatens us from thence, but our own Diligence, and a prudent Conduct in the Duties of a Christian Conversation. And we may take it for an infallible Maxim, That his Magnanimity, and the sense of his own Greatness, will never suffer him to sink so low, as to become a Vassal to his Holiness, as their Canon-Law does make him.

What Measures the Dissenters intend to take, we shall under∣stand more certainly by their ensuing Election of Representa∣tives; for in such voluntary and equivocal Generations, Men commonly follow the Fancy of their own Likeness, and we may say of such, as the Psalmist says of Idols, They that make them are like unto them, and so are all such as put their trust in them.

We are sure, such as are well affected to the King and Church, will not chuse their Enemies to vote in their Concerns; they will not be guilty of such a Soloecism in their Practice: And is it probable, on the other side, that such as have been in actual Rebellion against the Crown, and have made a Spoil of all Sa∣cred

Establishments in the Church, and embroyl'd their Native Country in a brutish Confusion; is it probable that such Men should be fit Instruments to settle us in that Splendour and Tranquillity which so Ancient and Renown'd a Monarchy may justly challenge? He that reflects upon the Havock such Men have lately made amongst us, if he be well in his Wits, can ne'r believe it.

I must not be understood of such as have seen their Errour, and retracted it; but of the hardy, and unrelenting: and you may assure your self, such whose Fingers are still itching at Church-Lands, and the Revenue of the Crown; such as can serve God by none but a Model of their own conceiving, and have Worldly Ends to serve by such Means; they'll still Sail as the Wind serves, by the same Compass.

Indeed the Scheme of their Principles is so legible in the Commentaries which they have put upon them by their Pra∣ctice; and their Hypocrisie is so grosly betray'd by their Con∣tradictions; and their Persons so expos'd to the shame and scorn of all Loyal and Honest Men; that in very Modesty, at least for one whole Age, they ought to retire behind the Curtain to fur∣nish themselves with new habits of Disguise, and dress up their Scenes of Sedition with fresh Pretences, before they venture to act the same Part over a second time.

But if their Zeal does so far out-run their Wit and Policy, that they must needs bring their old Actors upon the Stage, to reherse the Bloody Tragedy, and keep it still in memory; or if they will be wheadling a fresh Set of Proselytes to espouse their Good Old Cause, and set on their young Cubs to take the Scent of the late Rebellion, and hunt upon't dry-foot; there's little to be said to it: 'tis an evident Sign that the Republican Wheel is still in motion, and their Mystery of Iniquity very earnest at work amongst us; and our prudent and watchful Governours are highly concern'd to have an Eye open to observe it.

FINIS.