PAPER.

Knowing that I muſt immediately give an Account to God of all my Actions, and that I ought to be eſpecially careful of what I ſay in theſe laſt hours, I do ſolemnly profeſs, that what I here deliver is from my very Soul, with all the heartineſs and ſincerity of a dying Christian.

ANSWER.

Now, Gentlemen, it is not doubted but Sir John might believe this to be a very good thing, and ſo recommend it to the World, from his very Soul, but there's not one word that he delivers it as his own compoſure, nor does he publiſh it any otherwiſe than as men commonly do their Laſt Will, tho drawn up by a Scrivener, yet perhaps it might be his own Opinion as far as he was capable of underſtanding it, and for the reſt, he would truſt you who were his Spiritual Guides; but, Gentlemen, if you will take a little pains to compare what Sir John and his Witneſſes ſaid at his Tryal, and what he own'd himſelf to the Committee of Parliament, with what you make him ſay in this Paper; you will find that there's but little reaſon to boaſt of his Sincerity either as a living or a dying Chriſtian.

Sir John at his Tryal, when certainly he could not but have Death in View, did ſolemnly declare in the face of the Court, that he was as Innocent of the things Charg'd upon him, as the Child unborn, and ſome of them he diſown'd, as in the preſence of God, particularly his giving Money to Capt. Blair on any other Account but Charity, or that he ſhow'd the Captain any Letter, which he ſaid he had Writ to King James, and yet the Captain faſtened both thoſe Particulars upon him by ſuch undeniable Circumſtances as ſatisfied the Court, and confounded Sir John. In the next place, Sir John own'd to the Committee of Parliament, that he was at thoſe Meetings, where it was agreed to ſend Charnock over to France to invite King James, to make a Deſcent with Ten Thouſand Men, and that he engaged to raiſe 200 of the 4000 Horſe, which were to Joyn King James at his Landing, tho at his Tryal he ſolemnly declar'd, that there was no ſuch thing diſcours'd at any of thoſe Meetings, and that Sir John Fenwick invited him only to take part of a Diſh of Meat with him—Sir John at his Tryal brought a long train of Witneſſes to prove his having ſaid frequently, that he would live peaceably under the preſent Government, and never be concern'd in any Plot againſt it, and that if they catch't him in the Corn, they ſhould put him in the Pound, and in the mean time when he made theſe frequent Proteſtations, that he would live Peaceably under the Government, he accepted of a Commiſſion from King James to be Colonel of Horſe, choſe his Inferiour Officers, and paid Mony to encourage men to Liſt themſelves under him; and in this Paper you make him ſay, that to aſſiſt King James in the Recovery of his Right, is Juſtifiable and our Duty: So that it is plain and evident, that the whole Tenour of Sir John's Converſation ever ſince the Revolution, hath been far from ſincerity, ſeeing he talk't and proteſted ſo ſolemnly againſt what he owns now to have been both his Principle and his Practice. Then as to his ſincerity when a dying, it appears every whit in as bad Colours. You cannot but perceive, Gentlemen, that Sir John was Guilty of Horrid Diſſimulation, in his Repeated and ſolemn denials of his being concerned in that, which you and he do both look upon as the Cauſe of God and Religion, yet there's not one Syllable of his Repentance for ſuch a ſhameful denying of that Cauſe, nor does he make the leaſt Apology for it; I need not tell you, Gentlemen, how unlike this is to the Practiſe of the Antient Martyrs, who would own their Religion in the face of their Perſecutors, and ſay, Ego etiam ſum Chriſtianus, and if any of them had through weakneſs made a ſlip, what hard terms they were forced to ſubmit to, before they could be re-admitted into the Boſom of the Church, and if afterwards they were honoured to Die for the Truth, they would be ſure to bewail their having formerly diſown'd it; then pray, Gentlemen, How could you ſuffer this poor man to Die with ſuch Proteſtations of his Sincerity, without obliging him to leave a Teſtimony againſt his having ſo ſhamefully denied that, which he now calls the Cauſe of God, when 'tis Notorious that he did deny it, by appealing to God himſelf in the Face of the Court, ſaying, God knows my Heart I am as Innocent as the Child unborn; and producing Witneſſes to prove, that he had always proteſted he would never be concerned in that which now you make him own to be his Duty—Certainly you have forgot that threatning of our Saviour, that he will deny them before his Father and his Angels, who deny him before Men, otherwiſe you durſt never have offered to Abſolve Sir John Friend all his Sins, without a Publick Repentance, for his Publick Denial of that which to you and him is the Cauſe of God and Religion. You make Sir John to ſay in the next place.

PAPER.

The cauſe I am brought hither to ſuffer for, I do firmly believe to be the Cauſe of God, and true Religion, and to the beſt and utmoſt of my Knowledg and Information, agreeable to the Laws of the Land, which I have evermore heard, do require a firm Duty and Allegiance to our Soveraign, and that as no Forreign, ſo neither any Domeſtick Power can alienate our Allegiance.

ANSWER.

Now, Gentlemen, It is manifeſt that the Cauſe for which Sir John ſuffered, was his accepting of a Collonels Commiſſion from the late King; his agreeing to invite him over with a French Popiſh Army, his Promiſing to Joyn him with two Hundred Horſe for his own Part, chuſing inferiour Officers for his own Regiment, and paying out Mony for their ſubſiſtance, and therefore if Sir John did firmly believe; that this Cauſe, and the Cauſe of God and Religion, were one and the ſame; it was plainly that which Divines call, Caſus Confeſſionis, wherein all good Chriſtians cannot, without Horrour, do any otherwiſe than Anſwer in the Affirmative, ſo that inſtead of his ſhameful denial of the thing, and ſolemn Proteſtations of his Innocence, as to the matters charg'd upon him; he ought to have own'd it in the Face of the Court, and to have told them boldly, with the Heroick Courage of the Primitive Chriſtians, that he did firmly believe it to be the Cauſe of God, and Religion, whereof he ſtood Indicted, and that he rejoyced to be counted worthy to ſuffer for the ſame.

But, Gentlemen, we ſhall come yet cloſer to the Point, and make it Evident, that both you, and your pretended Martyr have baſely betray'd that which you call the Cauſe of God and Religion. Sir John at his Tryal did prove it by many Witneſſes, that he frequented the Publick Worſhip, and attended the Prayers in his own Family, where King William was pray'd for, which was certainly a piece of the greateſt Hypocriſy that any Man could be guilty of, for if Sir John did firmly believe that King James's Cauſe, was the cauſe of God, as his paper pretends he did, it was certainly a mocking of the Almighty to his very face, to Countenance Prayers himſelf, for that which was againſt his own Cauſe. And your pretending to abſolve that wretched Criminal without a publick Repentance, for having ſo publickly diſown'd, and ſeemingly pray'd againſt that which you and he did firmly believe to be the cauſe of God, proclaims you Traytors to Heav'n as well as to our Country; but Gentlemen, to make it as eaſy for you as the caſe will beat, King William has no reaſon to be angry with you, for not obliging Sir William Perkins to expreſs his ſorrow for being concerned in the horrid deſign of Aſſaſſinating his Royal perſon, before you pronounc'd your abſolution over him, ſeeing you did alſo abſolve Sir John Friend, without any profeſſion of Publick Repentance for having Renounced the cauſe of God.

Gentlemen, I ſhall only add on this head, that you, and the reſt of the abſolving fraternity, ſeem really to have acquir'd as much Dominion over the Conſciences of your Diſciples, as is falſely aſcribed to the Pope by thoſe who worſhip the Beaſt, viz. That he can make Vice Vertue, and Vertue Vice, otherwiſe thoſe poor deluded Creatures could never be ſo ſtupid, as to think they ſuffered for the cauſe of God, when they are actually puniſh'd for endeavouring to bring in a French Power, to eſtabliſh a Prince on the Thone; who during the whole Tenor of his Life, hath ſhown himſelf an Irreconcileable Enemy to the Proteſtant Religion, appear'd at the head of an horrid Plot againſt it, when a ſubject, and endeavouring its ſubverſion when a Soveraign, contrary to his Coronation Oath.

As to Sir John's Knowledge and Information of the Laws of the Land; It was very well known, and appear'd at his Trial to be ſo very little, that if his Father Confeſſors had conſulted either his Credit, or their own, they would certainly have ſtruck out this part of his Paper, but that our Laws require a firm Allegiance to our Soveraign, and aſſert that no Forreign or Domeſtick power can alienate our Allegiance: I believe Sir John might have ventured to ſwear it, tho he had never ſeen a Statute-Book. For the Queſtion is not, whether we own unalienable Allegiance to our Soveraign, but whether or not, one who has been our Soveraign can forfeit his Title to our Allegiance? which I am ſure, conſidering Sir John's Education and Qualification, was a queſtion too knotty for him to reſolve.

And therefore Gentlemen Abſolvers, the following propoſitions are recommended to your Conſideration, viz. That all Lawful Soveraigns, have either their Commiſſion from God or the People, or to ſpeak better ſenſe, God and the Peoples Commiſſion to their Soveraign, is, or ought to be one and the ſame, Gods Commiſſion to the Soveraign; both in the Old and New Teſtament, is to encourage the Good, and to puniſh and be a Terror to the Evil doers, as appears from Deut. 17. 15. &c. and Rom. 13. 1. &c. And certainly the Commiſſion of all people, who are not fitter for Bedlam and Bridewell, than humane Society, is, that the King ſhould make uſe of his Authority, for the benefit and preſervation of the Community, over whom he is conſtituted Soveraign, ſo that if he either invert his Commiſſion, or Act contrary thereunto, by encouraging the Bad, and afflicting the Good, and declares that he will continue to do ſo, it's plain, that in ſo doing he neither Acts by the Authority of God, nor the Authority of the People, and that when they reſiſt him as Acting thus, they do not reſiſt Authority, but only the Extravagancies of an Uſurper; and that if God ſhall think fit to Claim the forfeiture of his Commiſſion, either by his own immediate hand, as by Frenzy, or any other Moral incapacity, or m • diately by the Repreſentatives of the joyned people, he becomes thereby, ipſo facto, diveſted of all Right to our Allegiance. Which I think is plain from this familiar inſtance: If an Husband violate the Marriage-Contract, and upon his Reſolution of continuing to do ſo, his Wife ſue out a Divorce, let him pretend what he will, he has no further Right to the Duty of a Wife, from the injured Matron, nor can ſhe be ſaid to be guilty of Diſobedience to her Husband in refuſing it, but doth juſtly forſake him as a Divorc'd Adulterer.

Or to be yet more plain, you may take it thus, That whatever Prince refuſes to Govern according to God's Commiſſion, has no poſitive Divine Right to Govern at all; and by Conſequence, the people are under no Divine Command to obey him; And that whatever Prince refuſes to Govern according to the Conſtitutions of the Government which he enters upon, and ſuch as are then agreed on, or generally ſubmitted unto by the People over whom he is to Rule, hath no Civil or Humane Right to Govern the People at all.

Or ſuppoſing, That on his coming to the Throne, he obliges himſelf by his Coronation-Oath to Govern according to the Laws of God and the Land; and afterwards breaks his Promiſe to God and the People, and will Govern them Arbitrarily, according to his own Humour, the people can be under no Obligation to obey him, but if they pleaſe.

But leſt this ſhould be miſ-underſtood, to open a Door to Tumults and Inſurrections againſt all Governments, ſeeing it is impoſſible for any to be ſo equally Adminiſtred, but that ſome will be diſſatisfied. It's replied, That as every froward Humour, Fits of Paſſion, or Groſs Irregularity in either of the Parties, is not ſufficient to diſſolve the Marriage-Contract, ſo neither is every Male-adminiſtration, nor groſs Miſtake, or Abuſe in Government, ſufficient to diſſolve the Original Contract betwixt King and People; but as in the one Caſe there muſt be evident and full proof, a manifeſt Alienation of Affections, and a Legal Divorce, before the Relation can be lawfully diſſolved; ſo in the other, the breach muſt be upon the Fundamental Conſtitution, which is like the defiling of the Marriage-bed; the Proof uncontroverted, and the Forfeiture openly claim'd and acquieſc'd by the Generality of the People, or their Repreſentatives, before the Relation betwixt them and their Soveraign can be warrantably diſſolv'd— And if this was not the Caſe betwixt the Late King James and his People, when he took upon him to diſpence with the Laws of England, and to caſſe and annul thoſe of Scotland, let the World bear Witneſs.

So that in ſhort, the Power which he aſſum'd, was none of the Power in being, and by conſequence none of the Powers ordain'd by God; for moſt Commentators agree, that by the Powers that be, to which we are commanded to ſubject our ſelves, Rom. 13. 1. are meant ſuch ſorts of Government, as are agreed, or generally ſubmitted unto by Societies or Nations; and therefore called the Ordinances of men, 1 Pet. 2. 13. Now that the Theocracy, or Kings of God's immediate Appointment and Nomination, are ceas'd; and therefore ſeeing K. James aſſumed to himſelf a Power which had not a Being, viz. That of Annulling and Diſpenſing with Laws, when by our Conſtitution the Parliaments of both Kingdoms have a Power equal to, and in order before that of our Kings, in Making or Reſcinding Laws; the Reſiſtance made to him, whilſt purſuing ſuch a Courſe, was no Reſiſtance to the Ordinance of God, and by conſequence did not Merit Damnation, as you Gentlemen and your Fraternity do Maliciouſly ſuggeſt. The next thing which you make your Martyr ſay, is▪

PAPER.

For it is altogether new and unintelligible to me, That the Kings Subjects can Depoſe and Dethrone him on any account, or Conſtitute any that have not an immediate Right in his place. We ought, I think, not to do this, and ſurely when it is done, to aſſiſt him in the Recovery of his Right, is Juſtifiable and our Duty; and however things do ſeem at preſent, I do believe, I am ſure I heartily pray, that he ſhall be one day Reſtored to his Rightful Throne and Dominions.

ANSWER.

In truth Gentlemen, you ſeem to have impos'd as much upon your Penitent in his Politicks, as you have done in his Divinity; and I do not at all wonder, that this matter was Ʋnintelligible to the Schollar, when his Maſters ſeem not ſo much as to underſtand the State of the Queſtion themſelves, but firſt Beg the Queſtion, and then take it for Granted. For the Queſtion is not, Whether the Kings Subjects, but whether the Kings Equals, or if you will not be angry Gentlemen, his Superiours, can do it?

Now Gentlemen, I ſuppoſe you will Grant, That according to our Conſtitution, the Parliament muſt firſt draw up, and then give their Conſent to a Law before the King can make it One; and if the Original of this Power of the Kings be duly enquired into, it will be found to be likewiſe the People's Creature, and ſettled upon him by their Conſent; but however that is, this is certain, That the Parliament are the Kings Equals as to the Legiſlative Part; And this, Gentlemen, muſt not ſound harſh in your Ears, when the Lords, who are but one of the Conſtituent Parts of the Parliament, are in our common Dialect, called The Peers of the Kingdom, which is as much as to ſay in plain Engliſh, The Kings Fellows, and in the Style of the Scriptures, and the Original Charter of Kings, Deut. 17. they are plainly ſaid to be Brethren to their Subjects, and forbid to have their Hearts lifted up above that of their Brethren, tho' at the ſame time we ſhall not Grudge them the Title and Priviledges of Elder Brethren. Then, Gentlemen, as to the Executive part, wherein their Superiority over their People doth more appear, it's evident, that herein they are alſo regulated by the Laws of their People, which is no more then a Truſt to put the Commands of the Body in Execution upon the particular Members; and certainly he by whoſe Commands and Directions I am to Govern all my Actions is my Superiour; ſo that this Maxim will remain Uncontrovertibly True to the end of the World, That the King is Superiour to any of his particular Subjects, but Inferiour to the whole; For common Senſe will inſtruct you, that if the whole Nation refuſe to Obey, there's no Man whoever that can Govern them, nor is there any particular Subject who is not in a poſſibility of withdrawing himſelf from under the Dominion of any Prince, by going into another Country; But no Prince can ſet himſelf over a People againſt their Wills; for even in Caſes of Conqueſt, Submiſſion is taken for an Aſſent, otherwiſe the People would reſiſt, either till they were utterly deſtroyed, or till they had expell'd the Conqueror; And therefore when the Alternative is Submiſſion or Deſtruction, its allowed, that Salus Populi & Suprema Lex, they ſubmit not for the good of the Conqueror, but for their own good; and thoſe very Men who aſſiſt the Conqueror, or their Offspring at leaſt, when once they come to be Imbodied with the Conquered People, do always join with them for Aſſerting their Antient Liberties at one time or other, as is plain from the practice of this very Nation; which being ſubjected to the Norman Yoak, and moſt of the Eſtates divided amongſt the Conquerors Followers, yet the Norman Offspring join'd with the Nation afterwards in Aſſerting their Liberties againſt the Tyranny of the Conqueror's Succeſſors. For Liberty is ſo much the inſtinct of pure Nature, that they are juſtly to be accounted Creatures of a Courſer than Human Alloy, who are fond of their Chains, or do unconcernedly ſubmit to them. Nay, if thoſe very Perſons who are the Advocates and Tools of an Arbitrary Government, will but look within themſelves, they will find that the cauſe of their being ſo, is the proſpect of their own enjoyment of a greater Liberty ſome one way or other than they think they can enjoy without it. I ſhall finiſh this Point with one Obſervation more; which is, That all Civiliz'd Nations allow the Subjects a Liberty of Defending their Titles to their Eſtates by Law, againſt the Pretenſions of the Prince and his Miniſters, which is Examplified every day in our Courts, and ſcrupled at by none of the Diſciples of Paſſive Obedience. Then, Gentlemen, let me ask you this Queſtion, Whether you think it reaſonable that every particular Man ſhall have the priviledge of defending his Eſtate againſt the Pretenſions of his Prince, and yet that the whole Nation ſhall not have the priviledge of defending their Poſſeſſion of all that is near and dear to them as Men and Chriſtians, againſt the Prince's Uſurpation? If you object, that they may defend them by Law, but not by Arms; It ſhall be granted, that War is the Ʋltimum R • fugium; but the ſame Argument which warrants one Prince to make War upon another for Injuries Received, and not Redreſſed, viz. becauſe the Criminal Prince cannot be otherwiſe called to an account, will Warrant the Parliament, or the Body of the People, making War againſt their Kings, when they cannot otherwiſe have their Liberties and Properties ſecur'd. I have inſiſted longer upon this ſubject than perhaps is ſuitable for my preſent deſign, but I was willing to make it appear, that thoſe who are of a contrary Opinion to your Party in this Point, are not acted by a blind Impulſe or Brutiſh Fury, but by reaſonable Principles: And if my Arguments be Weak, pray excuſe my Zeal to Obviate your Pernicious Principles, which have brought thoſe Two poor Gentlemen, and many more, to their Unhappy Exit; and have oftner than once endangered the Civil and Religious Liberties of theſe Nations.

As for your Diſciples ſaying, That he thinks we ought not to Depoſe our Prince, and that when it is done, ſurely it is our Duty to aſſiſt him in the Recovery of his Right. I ſhall only obſerve, That his Premiſes will not bear his Concluſion; for he ought to have been as ſure, that the People could in no caſe Depoſe their Prince, as he pretends to have been, That it was his Duty to aſſiſt him in the Recovery of his Throne when Depoſed; but according to you, he only thought the one, but he was ſure of the other. As for his hopes of the late King's Reſtoration, we are told by the Divine Oracles, That the hopes of the Hypocrite ſhall periſh; and that Sir John did both Live and Die one, his own Trial, and his Father-Confeſſors Forged Paper make it but too too preſumable. As to his Prayers, we have little reaſon to dread their Succeſs; He Regarded Iniquity in his Heart, as you and he have made it plainly appear, by his going off the World without Repentance for the horrid Crime of Denying the Cauſe of God and Religion; and the Almighty hath told us, That if we regard Iniquity in our Hearts, God will not hear our Prayers. Sir John goes on thus▪

PAPER.

As for any ſudden Deſcent of his Majeſty upon theſe his Dominions, in order to the Recovery of 'em, I declare I had no certain Knowledge of it, nor can I tell what Grounds there was to believe it, ſo little Reaſon had I to be in a preſent Preparation for it.

ANSWER.

That he had no certain Knowledge of it, is without doubt true, for the late King never yet made the Deſcent, but we have juſt now heard that Sir John believed it; and I am afraid that was not the only thing wherein Sir John's Faith had no good Foundation; but however, it was prov'd at his Trial, that he had received a Commiſſion to Raiſe a Regiment of Horſe to further it; and that his Preparations for it depended on the arrival of the Thoulon Fleet in the Ocean, which muſt be allowed does ſtill belong to the time to come; and yet Sir John had made ſome preſent Preparation when he nam'd his Inferiour Officers, and paid out Money for Subſiſting his Men; and for him to have acted thus, and yet to declare, That he knew no of Grounds to believe the deſign of the late King's Deſcent, was to proclaim to the World, that he acted like a Fool, and to give ſome Uncharitable People ground to ſay, that he died one; and thus Gentlemen you ſee how little he is obliged to your Vindication of him in his Orphan Paper.

PAPER.

I ſuppoſe it is not expected I ſhould here endeavour to clear my ſelf of the Aſſaſſination, which was not the thing alledged againſt me; however it was mentioned, through what means I know not; as it was inſinuated to my Diſadvantage, I forgive ſuch that were therein Inſtrumental, and I do alſo from the bottom of my Soul freely forgive and beg of God to do ſo too, ſuch as were any ways acceſſary towards the taking away my Life, which I really look upon to be their misfortune more than mine.

ANSWER.

Gentlemen, the only thing Remarkable in this Paragraph, is the malicious Reflection, as if the Aſſaſſination had been mentioned on purpoſe, to influence the Jury againſt Sir John, but if you had either conſulted his Credit or your own, you would have forborn this, for it was poſitively ſworn againſt Sir John at his Trial, that he was acquainted with that horrid deſign, but on the other hand it was own'd by the Evidence, that he did not approve of it; but ſaid, that it would ruine King James's Intereſt. So that it ſeems Sir John had not the Conſcience to diſcover it, tho he was ambitious even at the paſſing of the ſentence upon him; of having the Honour of being thought to decline it. But, in ſhort, Gentlemen, Your Martyrs Reputation, as to this point, is not ſo fair as you would have the World to believe, for tho he refus'd to be concerned in the thing himſelf, yet its plain that he did not abhor it in others; ſeeing he did both conceal the deſign of thoſe concerned in the laſt Aſſaſſination, and paid an hundred Pound towards the Eſcape of Coll. Parker, who was accus'd of a former, which certainly Gentlemen, you, who are Divines by profeſſion, muſt needs know to be very near a-kin to the Crime it ſelf; for we are told by Holy Writ, that there are thoſe who may be called Partakers with the Thief and Adulterer, that are not guilty of the very Acts, and therefore if Sir John had been ſo very Charitably diſpoſed, to forgive thoſe who had injur'd him, as you make him ſeem to be, he would never have upbraided the Court with this, ſeeing he was ſo far guilty as we have mentioned above, and that they did actually declare that it was not prov'd againſt him, nor does he now deny but he heard of the thing, and to be plain with you, Gentlemen, there's-no body ſo much concerned to ſay Amen to Sir Johns Prayer, that God would forgive thoſe who had been Inſtrumental, or Acceſſary to the taking away of his Life as your ſelves, and thoſe of your kidney, who inſpir'd him with ſuch Principles as brought him to this hard fate.

PAPER.

I profeſs my ſelf, and I thank God I am ſo a Member of the Church of England, tho God knows a moſt unworthy and profitable part of it, of that Church which ſuffers ſo much at preſent, for a strict adherence to Loyalty, the Laws and Christian Principles.

For this I ſuffer, and for this I die.

ANSWER.

Gentlemen, I do verily believe that there's no Chriſtian Church, of what Denomination ſoever, that would be fond of ſuch a Member, as you have made Sir John appear to be, and in the mean time you have done that, which you call your Church, the greateſt Injury in the World, for ſome people were apt to be Charitable to the Nonjurant party, as thinking that they might have really ſcrupled the taking the Oaths, from a principle of Conſcience, but if it be true as you make Sir John ſay, that it is your Church he ſuffered and died for, then its plain that your Church is engaged in a Rebellious deſign to Dethrone his Majeſty, and to invade his Dominions with a French Popiſh Army, ſo that by Conſequence all true Proteſtants muſt look upon you, as a Synagogue of Satan, and no Chriſtian Church, becauſe you are actually in a Confederacy with the Turk and French King, the Sworn Enemies of the Chriſtian and Proteſtant Religion; and endeavour to aſſiſt the latter at leaſt, as much as in you lies, to overthrow the Proteſtant Intereſt in Europe, for ſo much and no leſs is the Language of your practice, whatever you may pretend otherwiſe in your ordinary Cant. As to that Arrogant part of your Martyrs Paper, that your Church ſuffers ſo much at preſent, for a ſtrict adherence to Loyalty, the Laws and Chriſtian Principles, It is truely Extraordinary, that ſuch an handful of Men, as your party is, ſhould take upon them to determine Loyalty, Laws, and Chriſtian Principles, contrary to the ſenſe of the Legiſlative power of the Nation, the National Church, and indeed the greateſt part of Chriſtians in the World, methinks that the very conſideration of this, ſhould have obliged you to ſuſpend your Judgment at leaſt, till you had fairly examin'd, what the far greater part of your Proteſtant Brethren have to ſay in defence of their Loyalty and Chriſtianity; certainly if their practiſe be compair'd with the practiſe of your ſelves, and your adherents, you will find that they have as fair a Title to Piety, Loyalty, and every thing elſe that is good, as you can poſſibly have, and would be as loath to offend God, and their own Conſciences as you would be, and therefore you cannot be the only party, with whom Loyalty and Chriſtianity is to be found. Do but caſt an Eye on the practiſe of your followers, and you will find that they are generally the worſt, and moſt Immoral people of both Sexes; and then if you conſider your fellows and aſſociates, you will find them to be Turks, and either Engliſh or French Catholicks, who are the very worſt of Papiſts, and that their deſign is the ſubverſion of our Laws and Religion. And ſeeing you pretend to be Men of Conſcience, examine the matter ſeriouſly betwixt God and your own Souls, whether or not the Voice of his word and providence, does not call on you to come out of Babylon; and not to joyn Iſſue and Intereſt with her, If you have any ſenſe of the Religion which you profeſs, or any Remembrance of things paſt, do but reflect upon the Danger which all the Proteſtants in Europe, and particularly thoſe of Britain and Ireland, did apprehend their Religion to be in, when Lewis XIV. was ſwallowing up his Neighbouring Princes and States without Controll, and when James the Second ſat upon the Engliſh Throne, ſupported by a Numerous Army under the Conduct of Popiſh Officers. Look back upon the Language of the Church of England then, when her Biſhops were Impriſoned, her Univerſities in danger of being filled with Papiſts, and the Laws which Defended her overturned by an Illegal Diſpenſing Power, and Anſwer from your Conſciences, whether you think a Deſign to Reinthrone K. James, who will certainly purſue the ſame Meaſures, can be the Cauſe of God and Religion. Or in ſhort, take it into your ſerious Conſideration, whether a Queſtion of State and meer Politicks, ſuch as this is, Whether the Parliament or People of England can ſet another Prince upon the Throne, inſtead of one who did actually leave it, becauſe he could not be ſuffered peaceably to overturn our Laws and Religion? can properly be called the Cauſe of God and Religion; and whether you or the Convention and Parliament are the beſt Judges of our Civil Conſtitution; or, becauſe you are high Pretenders to Religion: Anſwer, Bona Fide, How you can Reconcile your Principles and Practice with the Injunction of the Apoſtle, who Commands, Subjection to the Powers that be, Rom. 13. 1. and Submiſſion to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords Sake, whether it be unto the King as Supream, or unto Governors, as unto them that are ſent by him for the puniſhment of evil doers, and for the praiſe of them that do well, 1 Pet. 2. 13? Call your Conſciences to an account before God, and Examine, Whether the Sufferings of that which you call your Church, be not as buſie Bodies in other Mens matters, and whether it be yours, or the Parliaments Buſineſs to determine, whether the late K. James did Abdicate or not, and whether His preſent Majesty has a good Title to the Crown by our Laws or not, and don't entitle your particular Notions about Civil Government, which is none of your Province, the Cauſe of God and Religion, to enſnare ſilly weak People, and bring them to the Gallows, and to Embroil Nations in Foreign and Inteſtine Wars, as you would not be anſwerable for all the Blood that has been or may be ſhed on that account.

Magiſtracy is God's Appointment, but the Species as well as Perſons intruſted are Ordinances of Men, elſe it were unlawful for any Chriſtian to be ſubject to a Republick, or a King choſen by the People, as in Poland, &c. and the Apoſtles Rule to ſubmit our ſelves unto the King as Supream, or unto Governors, ſhould be falſe, which no Man in his right Wits will aſſert; And conſidering the Inſtability of the Roman Government at the time when this Injunction was given, viz. when Emperors were ſet up and caſt down, as the Army and the Senate, or ſometimes as the one, and ſometimes as the other thought fit, we ſhall find that its none of our part as private Chriſtians, to meddle with the Deciſion of thoſe Affairs, but to ſubmit unto that which the Nation thinks fit to Acquieſce in, eſpecially in a Caſe ſo clear as ours, when the Prince exceeded the Boundaries of his Commiſſion both from God and Man, endeavoured the Subverſion of our Laws and Religion, the Deſtruction of the Good, and the Incouragement of the Bad, things Diametrically oppoſite to the End of Magiſtracy: And this I think enough to make it evident, that the Church for which you make Sir John Friend to have been a Martyr, and a Sufferer, is none of that Church which was built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apoſtles, and that by conſequence it's no Sin to be a Separatiſt from it.

PAPER.

Though I have a perfect Charity for People of all Pr • feſſions, and do heartily wiſh Well, and would endeavour ſo to do to all my Fellow Subjects of what Perſwaſions ſo ever; and indeed I have met with a great deal of Ʋprightneſs and Sincerity among ſome People of very different Opinions in Religious Matters.

And I hope and deſire, it may not be taken as an Ʋncharitable Cenſure, or undue Reflection, That I objected to the Legality of Popiſh Evidence, being advis'd ſo to do for my better Security, upon the Foundation of a Statute Law.

ANSWER.

Charity is better manifeſted by Actions than Words, and truly, Gentlemen, you will have much ado to perſwade the World that there can be any thing of Charity in your Deſign, and Sir John's, to involve your Proteſtant Brethren in Three Nations in Blood and Ruine, and to endanger the Proteſtant Intereſt all over Europe, by countenancing a French Invaſion; And if it were not Ignoble to rake into the Actions of the Dead, there are many of your Martyr's Actions which might be inſtanced that favoured nothing of perfect Charity.

But the deſign of this part of the Paper is obvious, viz. That you and your Martyr may do all that you can to conciliate the good opinion of the Papiſts, whom you and he are ſo very careful not to offend, that he muſt die with an Apology to them in his Mouth; but it ſeems it was not worth either of your whiles to make the leaſt Apology for the offence which he had given to God, and the Profeſſors of the ſame Religion with himſelf, by concealing the deſign of the horrid Aſſaſſination, which his own Conſcience told him was ſo great a Crime, that he was very careful of having himſelf not ſo much as thought to be concerned in it: but this I ſuppoſe he thought could be waſht off by your Cheating Abſolution; and truely it had been more for the credit of your Cauſe, to let this Apology alone too, and put it upon the ſame ſcore, for it only aggravates his own Guilt, and that of your party; for, if he had been a Man of any manner of Conſcience, he could not have reflected ſo in open Court upon the Religion of a Prince, whoſe Reſtitution he eſteem'd the Cauſe of God and Religion: and if he did really believe what he ſaid in his Defence, That Papiſts think they Merit Heaven by deſtroying Proteſtants; his Conſcience muſt needs have told him, if he was really a Proteſtant, that it could not then be his duty to endeavour the Reſtitution of ſuch a Prince, who thought ſuch a Work Meritorious, and had indeed acted as if he did firmly believe ſo, both before and after his Coming to the Throne, which is certainly inconſiſtent with the very end of Government, as well as with the Coronation-Oath, by which he was Sworn to Govern us. But notwithſtanding all the precaution you have taken, to have it thought, that thoſe Principles are only an Uncharitable Imputation upon the Papiſts, that Character will cleave to them, as being founded upon better ground than your Martyrs Aſſertion, which, conſidered in its ſelf, is indeed none at all: ſo that his Vindication of 'em, is of as little weight, as 'twas poſſible for the Vindication of any Man to be.

PAPER.

Having own'd my ſelf a Member of the Church of England, I muſt take this Opportunity, and I do it for God's Glory, to apply my ſelf to you that are Royaliſts of that Church, and of the ſame Faith and Principles with my ſelf: And I beg of you for God's ſake, and the love of your Souls, to be very conſtant and ſerious in all Religious Offices, and holy Duties of Divine Worſhip and Service, which I have too much neglected, as I own to my great Sorrow: Let no Excuſe, no Dangers, prevent or hinder you in theſe moſt neceſſary and ſerious Matters; and be, I beſeech you, very careful and circumſpect in all your Actions, Behaviour, and Converſation, as I earneſtly exhorted all that came to me.

ANSWER.

This is a piece of extraordinary application, and concerns the Honour of the Church of England ſo much, that ſurely the Governing part of it are obliged to think of a Grateful Reward to the Abſolvers, for telling the World, that thoſe of the Church of England are Divided in their Faith and Principles; for it ſeems, ſome of them are of Sir John Friends Faith and Principles, and others are not; Sir John's Faith we have heard is, that to Reſtore K. James by a Popiſh French Army, is the Cauſe of God and Religion; and, in truth, if there be any part of the Church of England of his Mind, they muſt be the Children of the Bond-woman, and are fitter to be ſent to the Wilderneſs, then entertain'd in the Boſom of the Church.

Your Martyr, in ſtead of Royaliſts, ſhould have plainly ſaid Jacobites, ſeeing others are for Kingly Government as well as your Party. But this is not the only thing wherein his partiality appears; for, as he will allow none but Jacobites the Name of Royalliſts, ſo he Addreſſes his Exhortation to none but them, which is no great Argument of his Perfect Charity; but the Matter I ſuppoſe would not bear it, for we muſt underſtand this Exhortation to be a Perſwaſive to Jacobite Conventicles, there being now no danger to hinder any Man's performance of Divine Duty and Worſhip, except Sir John underſtood thoſe Unlawful Meetings, and no others to be ſuch. For the other part of his Exhortation, I ſhall only ſay, That your Martyr ought to have given better Satisfaction of his own Repentance, before he could reaſonably ſuppoſe that his Exhortation could have any weight upon others.

PAPER.

I have, I thank God, a great deal of Satisfaction in my preſent Sufferings, and have found it ſo ever ſince I have been under them, And bleſſed be God it doth continually increaſe upon me. And I do now lay down my Life with all Chearfulneſs and Reſignation, in ſure and certain Hope of a Reſurrection to Eternal Life, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, through whoſe Merits alone I hope for the Pardon of my Sins, and the Salvation of my Soul.

ANSWER.

Gentlemen, I cannot but expreſs my apprehenſions of your Groſs Hypocriſie in this laſt Article. And I am confident that it will appear very evident by the following Reflections. Don't you know that your Martyr did not only diſown, but in a manner Forſwear the Cauſe of his Sufferings before the Court, at his Trial? How is it poſſible then that he ſhould have ſo ſhamefully denied it for fear of Suffering, if he had really found ſo much Satisfaction in his Sufferings as here you make him expreſs? Or is it ſuppoſable, if it had been ſo, that the very remembrance of his having ſo unworthily Diſown'd the Cauſe of his Sufferings, wherein he had found ſo much Satisfaction, ſhould not have melted him into Tears and Contrition, and made him Glorifie God, and Redeem the Honour of the Cauſe, by teſtifying a Publick Sorrow for his Weakneſs in Denying it? Sure I am, Gentlemen, this was St. Peter's Practice, who made his Repentance as Publick, as his Denial of his Maſter; and ſeeing St. John ſays, That his Cauſe was that of God and Religion, his denial of it was as groſs as that of St. Peter's; but you don't make it appear that Sir John's Repentance was any thing like that Bleſſed Apoſtles. God knows whether theſe be the Words of your Martyr or not, but ſuppoſing they are, we can look upon them as no other than the effect of thoſe Deluſions with which you had poſſeſt his Soul, and that they were put into his Mouth on purpoſe to ſtrengthen your declining Cauſe: In the belief of which I am the more confirm'd, by the aſſurance I have that one of your number told him with an unwarrantable Confidence, when he mounted from the Sledge to the Cart, That the next ſtep was to Heaven; which, Gentlemen, if you do really believe to be ſo, its a loſs to the Nations, as well as to your ſelves, that there are ſo many of your Party who have not yet taken the firſt Step.

PAPER.

And ſo, O Lord, into thy Hands I commend my Spirit, for thou haſt redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of Truth.

And I do heartily and humbly beſeech Thee Almighty God, and my most Gracious Father, to forgive and bleſs this Sinful Nation; Deliver it from the Guilt of Rebellion, Blood, and Perjury, that is now on all ſides more than ever, and from all thoſe other hainous Sins which cry aloud. Preſerve and Bleſs this Church. Comfort our Diſtreſſed King; Reſtore him to his Right, and his Miſled Subjects to their Allegiance: Bleſs alſo his Royal Conſort, our Gracious Queen Mary; his Royal Highneſs the Prince of Wales, That he may grow in Stature, and in Favour with God and Man; Support and Strengthen all thoſe that ſuffer in any kind for a good Cauſe; give them Patience under all their Afflictions, and a happy Deliverance out of them. Forgive all mine Enemies.

Pardon my former neglect, and remiſsneſs in Religious Worſhip, and holy Duties, and all the Sins I have been guilty of to this very moment. Conſider my Contrition, Accept my Tears; And now Thou art pleaſed to take me hence, take me into thy Favour, and grant that my Soul may be without ſpot preſented unto Thee, through the Merits of thy most dearly Beloved Son, Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. Amen.

ANSWER.

Gentlemen, We have heard of thoſe who Faſt for Strife and Debate, and I think it may be ſaid without breath of Charity, that this Paper was Penn'd and put into the Hands of the poor Criminal for no other end. You had taught him Lies in the Name of God, and now you put Lies in his Mouth for a Prayer to the Almighty. Is it poſſible that you can hold up your Faces to God and call that a Rebellion which all the Proteſtants of Europe, beſides your own inconſiderable Crew, do look upon as a Lawful War, pour out their Prayers daily to the God of Heaven for its Succeſs, and Bleſſed be his Name not without gracious Returns? Have you ſo little obſerved the Courſe of Providence, as to accuſe that Prince as an Uſurper, on whoſe Family Heaven ſeems to have Entail'd it, to be the Champions of the Proteſtant Religion, and the Liberties of Europe? Do you think your ſelves better Caſuiſts then all other Reform'd Divines, who do univerſally approve his procedure, as agreeable to the Laws of God; And is your Judgment in State Matters ſo great, that you will venture to tell Heaven that this is a Rebellion, which moſt of the Soveraigns in Europe, and their Counſels, do approve, as agreeable to the Laws of Nations? In ſhort, Gentlemen, your peeviſh Eccleſiaſticks have aſſumed a Power to themſelves as great as ever was claim'd by the Pope and his Conclave; For you can Abſolve Men from their Sins without Repentance, and Bind that upon the Conſciences of your Diſciples as Law and Goſpel, which is directly contrary to the Tenor of both. But to return to your Prayer; Is it not enough that you Arraign your Country as Rebels at the Bar of Heav'n, but you muſt alſo pray for the Eſtabliſhment of a Succeſſion of Popiſh Princes, which muſt needs be attended with the Ruine of our Religion? And will no other terms ſerve you, to pray for our Counterfeit Prince of Wales without Profaning what was ſaid of the Bleſſed Child Jeſus? Is that the Reverence which you pay to his Name? But its true, Gentlemen, you make your Criminal act like himſelf: He own'd at his Trial that he us'd to mock Heaven in his life time by praying for K. William, when he thought K. James's Cauſe to be the Cauſe of God; and now you make him alſo to mock Heaven at his Death, by praying that God would Eſtabliſh a Race of Prince's amongſt us, whom the Poor Man confeſs'd, muſt by their Principles think they merit Heaven by deſtroying Proteſtants, God preſerve theſe Nations from ſuch a Generation of Scribes, Phariſees, and Hypocrites, as are the Tribe of Abſolvers. One thing I had almoſt forgotten to obſerve, viz. That Sir John, by his own Confeſſion to the Committee of both Houſes of Parliament, made void his Exception as to the Truth of the Evidence given in againſt him by the Roman Catholick Witneſſes, and hath made it appear, that whatever Latitude they may allow themſelves in their Evidence againſt Proteſtants as ſuch, that yet they may be very good Witneſſes againſt thoſe who take Indirect Methods to ſupport a Popiſh Cauſe, whether they be Papiſts or Proteſtants; and as it was well replied by the Kings Council to Sir John, their being Evidence in ſuch a Caſe will be one of the laſt things that the Prieſts will Abſolve them for.

Sir WILLIAM PARKYNS's Paper.

IT hath not been my custom to uſe many words, and I ſhall not be long upon this Occaſion, having Buſineſs of much greater Conſequence to employ my thoughts upon. I thank God I am now in a full diſpoſition to Charity, and therefore ſhall make no Complaints, either of the Hardſhips of my Trial, or any other Rigours put upon me. However one circumſtance I think my ſelf obliged to mention; it was Sworn againſt me by Mr. Porter, That I had own'd to him, that I had Seen and Read a Commiſſion from the King, to Levy War upon the Perſon of the Prince of Orange: Now I must declare, That the Tenour of the King's Commiſſion, which I ſaw, was general, and directed to all his Loving Subjects, to Raiſe and Levy War againſt the Prince of Orange and his Adherents, and to Seize all Forts, Caſtles, &c. which, I ſuppoſe, may be a customary Form of giving Authority to make War; but I must confeſs, I am not much acquainted with Matters of that nature: But as for any Commiſſion particularly levelled againſt the Perſon of the Prince of Orange, I neither ſaw nor heard of any ſuch.

ANSWER.

There's no Reaſon to doubt that this Paper was Sir Williams own Compoſure, his Education, and the defence he made at his Trial, do neither of them give it the lie, nor is there any thing in it which Savours of the Canting Bigotry of the other; So that I ſhall only conſider what's material for our purpoſe in it. He pretends to a full diſpoſition to Charity, and yet complains of Hardſhips and Rigours, put upon him at his Trial, which is not very conſiſtent with Charity; I was preſent at his Trial, and cannot imagine what ground he had for this Complaint, if it was not that the Court declin'd to put off the Trial any Longer, and that he was not allowed the benefit of the New Act for Regulating Trials in caſes of high Treaſon. As to the former, if the Government did not think fit to allow it, Sir William had no juſt Reaſon of Complaint, he had ſufficient time allowed him to prepare himſelf, and was treated with that Moderation and Calmneſs, which former Reigns were ſtrangers to. The Crime he was indicted for, was one of the blackeſt that is to be met with in any Record, and God knows that he and the reſt of the Aſſaſſins, did not intend to allow our Gracious Soveraign any time to prepare for Death. I Remember, indeed, that Sir William alledged he wanted ſome Material Witneſſes, but his Confeſſion of the Crimes with which he was charged, make it evident that his deſign in that was to elude Juſtice. And as to his being denied the benefit of the New Act, the Bench gave him a very good Reaſon for it, viz. That it had not then taken place, and that they were to govern themſelves by Law, and not to make Law, and if the equity of the thing be conſidered, there ſeems no great Reaſon that they who are guilty of this horrid deſign, before the making of the ſaid Act, ſhould have the benefit of it, tho the mildneſs of the preſent Government hath ordered it otherwiſe; and therefore Sir Williams Complaint of Rigour and Hardſhip, was but ill founded, and may juſtly be imputed to ſome bitterneſs of Spirit.

As to his declaring, that the Tenour of the Kings Commiſſion, which he ſaw, was General, and directed to all his loving Subjects, to levy War, &c. againſt the Prince of Orange and his Adherents, and that he neither Saw nor heard of any Commiſſion, particularly Levell'd againſt the perſon of the Prince of Orange. It does not at all affect Capt. Porters Evidence, nor deny that he inform'd the Captain ſo, which proves that Sir William was a very ill Man, to have put ſuch a Gloſs on the late Kings Commiſſion, both to the Capt. and Charnock, in order to perſwade them to the Aſſaſſination, if he did not believe that to be the Real meaning of it, however it may have been worded; And it argues the Abſolvers to be Traitors both to God and their King, pronouncing the abſolution over Sir William, before he had publickly begg'd pardon of that Prince whom he had injur'd, and teſtify'd his Repentance for drawing Charnock, and others to the Gibbet, by that falſe Interpretation; It hath been obſerved by another hand, that this Commiſſion which Sir William gives an account of, Looks liker a Proclamation than a Commiſſion, but if it was only ſuch a General Commiſſion as he talks of, what need was there of ſo much Secrecy, why was it not ſeen by Capt. Porter, and others, who deſired to ſee it, and why was it all writ with King James's own hand?

It is plain from the depoſitions of the Witneſſes, at the Trial of Charnock, &c. that a Commiſſion to attack the Prince of Orange in perſon, and to carry him over to France, at leaſt was ſent for, which to all Men of Common ſenſe muſt appear to be impracticable, to have been done with ſuch a ſmall Number of Men. Beſides, when the Commiſſion, whatever it was, arrived, we find that all of them prepar'd to Aſſaſſinate the King, and the deſign was chiefly managed by Sir Geo. Barclay, who brought over the Commiſſion, and muſt neceſſarily be ſuppoſed to have underſtood the meaning of it beſt. We find likewiſe, that he brought over a Sub-brigadeer, and 16 of King James's Guards with him, and that they were ſubſiſted privately in Town, and ordered to be in a readineſs for the horrid deſign, ſo that let the Commiſſion be couch'd in what Terms they pleaſe, the meaning of it is plain enough, and all their Art cannot vindicate the late King from being the unhappy Tool, to promote that execrable Murder: We all know what bloody deſigns againſt Proteſtants in General, and ſome of his own neareſt Relations in particular, he has been formerly accus'd of. Nor are we to ſuppoſe that one who makes his way to the Throne, by the Death of a Brother, would have any more tenderneſs for a Nephew, or that he who gives way to the impoſing of a Suppoſititious Son, to exclude his own Daughters from their Right to the Crown, will entertain any Scruple at the Murder of a Son-in-Law, whom God and the Nation have ſet up in his ſtead; and if I ſhould venture to ſay, that Sir William hath not been Ingenuous in his Confeſſion, there's no reaſon to call it a breach of Charity, conſidering that he hath not left the leaſt Evidence of his Repentance, for the Aſſaſſination behind him, tho he own'd to the Committee of Parliament, that it was a Crime.

PAPER.

It's true I was privy to the Deſign upon the Prince, but was not to act in it; and am fully ſatisfied that very few, or none, knew of it, but thoſe who undertook to do it.

I freely acknowledge, and think it for my Honour to ſay, that I was entirely in the Intereſt of the King, being always firmly perſwaded of the Juſtice of his Cauſe, and looked upon it as my Duty, both as a Subject, and an Engliſhmen, to Aſſist him in the Recovery of his Throne, which I believed him to be Depri • ed of, contrary to all Right and Juſtice; taking the Laws and Conſtitution of my Country for my Guide.

As for my Religion, I dye in the Communion of the Church of England, in which I was Educated.

And as I freely Forgive all the World, ſo whoever I may any ways have Injured I heartily ask them Pardon.

ANSWER.

Here's another Remarkable piece of diſingenuity, as if it were not all one for him to Act in it himſelf, as to prompt others to do it, and to furniſh Men, Horſes, and Arms, for the Execution, which was fully prov'd againſt him at his Trial, tho he takes no notice of it here, and does not at all deny it. And we have very great reaſon to think, that the Late King was one of the few that knew it, beſides theſe that undertook it, and do verily believe that they deſign'd to let as few more know of it before-hand as poſſible, and that in all probability, was the reaſon why the Commiſſion was kept up, even from moſt of theſe who were to have been Actors in it. In the next Paragraph, he ſeems to juſtify himſelf by the ſuppoſed Juſtice of the late Kings Cauſe, and values himſelf upon the Honour of having been always in his Intereſt; and yet to preſerve his place, he took the Oaths to his preſent Majeſty, ſo that it ſeems the late King allows that practice in his Adherents, and reckons them nothing the leſs intire to his Intereſt, becauſe they may thereby be the more Capable of doing him ſervice, and by this unhappy Gentlemans confeſſion, it would ſeem to be the Principles of the party, to aſſiſt the late King in the Recovery of his Throne, by all ſorts of means, how unlawful ſoever. Nay, even by abjuring him one day, and Murdering his preſent Majeſty the tother: As for his pretence to juſtify himſelf by the Laws and Conſtitution of his Country, enough has been ſaid on that head already, in Anſwer to Sir John Friend's Paper. And whereas Sir John and he both pretends to die in the Communion of the Church of England, it would ſeem neceſſary, if the Governing part of the Church find it meet, that an Authentick Explanation of the Churches Doctrine, as to paſſive Obedience and Nonreſiſtance, ſhould be publiſht to the World, that poor people may not be miſled to their own ruine, and the Nations involv'd in blood by thoſe who pretend to juſtify their adherence to the late King by the Doctrine of the Church of England.

FINIS.