A Plea for succession in opposition to popular exclusion wherein it is evidenced, that an association, or any other such method, is a more immediate way to arbitrary power and a more certain road to popery than a standing up to the right of succession can in any reason be supposed to be : with some remarques on Coleman and his letters.

Then,

2. The Association, or any such Popular way; is a more certain, or ready way to Popery, than a standing up to the Right of Succession, can in any Rea∣son be supposed to be.

For the Persons, that must be supposed to Associate, are of many very dif∣ferent, and irreconcilable Opinions; therefore such Association, or Popular way of Exclusion, must be carried on, not only by a War, but by an Ʋniversal Tolleration too. For if any Party be debar'd its Liberty, it falls off from the rest; and the Exclusion of one will signifie nothing; as reaching no ends at all, without the Excluding more; and the whole dividing will be soon de∣stroy'd.

And if ever they gain the Government, an Universal Liberty must still continue: for no comprehension, nor any imaginable contrivance, can unite, and bring more than one Party to the same Rule; nor that one neither, un∣less that Rule be of its own making: and consequently Establish any one way, what you will, and all the rest fly off, and conspire the breaking those Methods. Nor can any one Party oblige all the rest; because the rest in con∣junction will ever be too strong for one. And yet to Establish a Tolleration by Universal consent is impossible too; for the Presbyterians, when uppermost, declared against this, as much as ever they did against Popery it self. There∣fore take which part you will, a Tolleration, or no Tolleration; and all the Fat is in the fire, either on this hand or that. In fine then this must be such a Liberty, which the People took, when there was no King in Israel; every one doing what seem'd good in his own eyes.

By which means every Party becomes a Body distinct of it self, and we have as many Scisms, and Separations, and Interests, as Parties: whence every one is against every one: and whilst they are all endeavouring to promote every Man his Way, and Party above the rest; they do hinder, and pull back one another, till they all fall together by the ears. Therefore such Popular Associ∣ations, have War, Liberty, and Confusion, their inseparable adjuncts. Which things do give the greatest advantage to Popery.

For which cause Oats tells you the Jesuits were stirring up the Scots against the Bishops, and in defence of their Covenant: and the spring following they did rise, and declare accordingly: and Fitz-Harys, who was an Irish Papist, made a disturbance the very design of that Libel, for which he suffered.

Nor doth the same Oats say any less of a Tolleration; but speaks it a great ad∣vance to the Popish Interest. And Coleman in his long Letter, saith, that the next Session of Parliament, They, viz. the Papists design'd the procuring a Liberty of Conscience; which, saith he, if we gain, will be half our point. In which last are many Authorities: for he was a Man, that understood the sense of that Party, as much as any; and consequently we have herein not his pri∣vate Sentiments only, but the Judgment of the Jesuits, who were ever ac∣knowledged well seen in Politicks. And truly they had both Reason, and Ob∣servation, to support this confidence.

1. Reason pleads that an Universal Toleration must be much more advan∣tagious to the Papists, than to Dissenters; because the Papists are kept clear, and firm to their Principles, and lie in no danger of receiving any thing con∣trary to the Doctrine of their Church: but Dissenters, being kept to no Rule, run into all extravagancy, and receive any wild conceptions, that are suggested to them: therefore while Dissenters are multiplying Opinions, changing, and opposing Parties; the Papists are gathering Proselytes from amongst them all. Therefore if such Toleration be advantageous to Dissenters, which yet they pre∣sume; and therefore received it so joyfully, that Wild returns a Ballad of Thanks, and his Wise was so transported, she leaves her Gridiron, and runs with an Herring tail hanging out at her mouth to hear the news; it must needs be much more advantageous to the Romanists: and therefore considera∣bly so.

But suppose such Liberty Exclude the Papists, yet it matters not much. For these creep into every Party, and under disguises of Mechanicks, and gifted Men, will have Liberty of maintaining old, and inventing what new Opi∣nions they please.

Among which they promote especially.

1. Such as set every Party against every one; and incline them, as much as may be, to the destroying one another.

2. Such, that dispose Men for the receiving the Romish Faith: in which the Jesuit hath went very far already: as in Doctrines of Resistance, Infallibility,

&c. which former, Dissenters have practiced beyond example: and the lat∣ter they as really attribute to their own Teachers, and Parties; as any Papists do to the Pope, and the Church. Now keep these Notions abstractedly, and change but the Persons, to whom they are attributed, that is, your Teachers for the Pope; your Parties for the Church, &c. and the work is none.

Therefore under such a Liberty, the Jesuite either moves such Parties to weaken one another, till himself becomes able to deal with them all: or else carries them on to a conceited Perfection, to sit above Ordinances, to dream of Visions, and Revelations, and a Light within 'em; which supersede, and ex∣clude the Scriptures. By which means every Man becomes a Guide, and a Rule to himself: and being beat off from all Religions, he is ready to receive that, which alone seems to promise him sure footing, and a quiet repose; and to which certain Opinions already received do dispose him. Then,

2. Observation, and Experience shew, that de facto, it hath been so al∣ready: for the last Rebellion, Ʋsurpation, and Liberty, that did accompany each, brought us so near the Gates of Rome, that we cannot imagine what (in those Circumstances) could have stoped our course, but the expedient Mercy gave us, viz. His Majesties Restauration.

Popery never made such advances from the first of Queen Elizabeth, to the beginning of that Rebellion, as she did from the Rebellion to the end of the Ʋsurpation: nor had she been near so considerable as now, was it not for the strength, she gain'd then.

Therefore the Association, or any Popular Exclusion, which necessarily in∣troduces a War, and Toleration both; is the very Bait the Romanists have been laying for us; the Game, they would fain have us at: and consequently had these Men design'd to turn all to Arbitrary Power, and Popery at once; they could not possibly have cut out apter Methods that way, than an Associati∣on is. Whence the Nation must justly suspect either the Wisdom; or good in∣tentions of such Men: however their Friends, who are Factors for another Rebellion, would persuade us they are True Protestants, and the King's most Loyal Subjects.

Whereas while we keep to the Right of Succession, we enjoy our Peace, our Liberties, Laws, and Religion; which every Wise, and sober Man, will hold, while he can: and not throw them away in a pet, because some Politick Pates, that would fain be making their own Markets, would persuade us to do so. And for the future there are so many hazards between His Royal Highness, and the Crown, from infectious Diseases, which seize the strong, and healthful; from decays of Nature, which the weak as well as age, are under; and from the many accidents, which the most careful, and reserved, are ex∣pos'd to; especially Persons of generous, and braving Souls, as His Royal Highness is. Besides Men's ignorance of his present sentiments; and the changes, that time, Reasonings, and Observation, may make upon the best, and most knowing Persons: that it is very highly uncertain, whether he ever come to the Crown such, as is here represented.