Objection I.

'TIS the Policy of every King, to see that there be but one Religion in his Kingdom.

Answer I. Princes who formerly afflicted the Church, which served God uprightly according to his Gospel, proposed likewise to themselves to Abolish the Diversity of Religions in their States, but Happiness never attended that Conduct

II. In the States, where all the People hath imbraced the Reformation, good provi­sion is made against the Establishing of the Roman Catholick Religion: but where there is some Roman Catholicks already Established, as in England, Scotland, Ireland, and in the United Provinces, they are not molested; and 'twas never known that Protestant States used any Violence to force the Roman Catholicks to imbrace the Reformation, that Conduct being contrary to the Spirit of Christianity: God alone is the Ruler of Consciences.

III. The Wisest, even among the Heathen Emperors, were sensible that it was the Interest of the State not to trouble Consciences, and to let all People live in the free ex­ercise of their Religion.

IV. The Protestants of France have Edicts and Treaties granted or confirmed by Prancie II, Charles IX, Henry III; Henry IV, Lewis XIII, and Lewis XIV; the Observation of which hath often been solemnly Sworn throughout the whole Kingdom; and the said Treaties are Sacred and Inviolable Obligations.

Object. II. Every King being persuaded his Religion to be the best, he is not to be blamed for enaeavouring as much as possible to Induce his Subjects to imbrace it.

Answ. I. He may for that purpose use Instructions, but not Violence.

II He ought to allow his Subjects to justifie their Doctrine by the Scripture, but that is not suffer'd in France; even when those are put to Death, who assemble to serve God according to the Gospel, Drums are order'd to beat, to the end the Martyrs-may not declare their Innocence and Piety when they are a Dying. This Conduct will always be very much suspected by Persons who are not prepossessed with Passion.

III. 'Tis not enough to say, that they had a good Intention: The Egyptians, the Famous Antioches, the Jews and the Heathens pretended they had a good Intention when they oppressed the People of God, but that did not excuse them. Jesus Christ himself hath foretold, That they who would put to Death the Faithful, should think to do God a [...]ervice, John 16.2. nevertheless that does neither excuse them before God nor Men.

Object. III. The Diversity of Religions, occasions Divisions in a State.

Answ. I. Mans was accused of causing Trouble in the Kingdom of Israel: Such like Crimes were imputed to Jesus Christ himself, to his Apostles, and to the Primitive Christians.

II. When the Diversity of Religions is already established in a Kingdom, the put­ting of all in Trouble and Confusion by forcing Millions of Souls to imbrace a Religion which they believe to be plainly against the Word of God, is not the way to secure the Publick Tranquility.

III. 'Tis not in the power of Men to hinder the Diversity of Religions: It's God alone that can hinder it by his Grace; but especially, when he is pleased to Establish his Kingdom of Light and Grace in the World; Men cannot destroy his Work, and they that undertakes it, must have a care they be not found making War against him.

Object. IV. When Princes in France are dissatisfy'd, they always find a Party ready formed against the French Protestants.

Answer. When the Duke of Orleans, sustained by the Duke of Montmorenci, was wil­ling to Dethrone Lewis XIII, the Franch Protestants by their Inviolable Fidelity render'd his Design abortive. When the Prince of Condé attempted afterwards to take away the Crown from Lewis XIV, the Protestants of France render'd all his Endeavours in­effectual, notwithstanding all the advantageous Promises he made them. When the whole Province of Languedock was in a very dangerous Uproar, by reason of some new Taxes, the Protestants have likewise put a stop to it by their Fidelity: So that it may be said, That of all the Subjects the King of France hath, the Protestants are the most Faithful, and most Zealous for his Service.

Object. V. All the Protestants of France, have imbraced the Roman Catholick Religion.

Answer. Violence forced from their Mouth, some Word contrary to the meaning of their own Heart: [...]ut all the World knows already, That all that People hath long ago renounced the Roman Communion, which they were forced to imbrace; and that they groan continually in the Captivity they are now in, not having the liberty to meet to serve God according to his Word. When the Ministers go to preach in France, of an hundred Persons overcome by the Violence of the Persecution, there is hardly one to be found that does not repair to the Holy Assemblies; of which, the great number of People that have been, and are still from time to time Massacred, condemned to be Whipt, to the Galleys, or to Die, is a convincing Testimony.

Object. VI. The Edicts have occasioned abundance of Law Suits.

Answer. If the Chambers of the Edict had been preserved, and any Inclination shewn to see the Edict of Nants religiously observed, there would have been no Law Suits on account of Religion; and if there had been any, they might have been repress'd by Ju­stice: But when the Clergy saw there was a design formed to subvert and annul the E­dicts, by making a shew of observing them, and taking the way of an apparent Justice, the Law Suits, Litigious Pleading, Calumnies, Perjuries and Injustices filled the whole Kingdom with trouble.

Object VII. The Edicts were obtained during the Troubles of the Wars.

Answ. I. The Protestants were not the cause of these Troubles, but they who reme­ved Heaven and Earth to exterminate them with Fire and Sword.

II. When there is some trouble in a State, if it could not be pacified by Edicts and Treaties, and one could not rely on the observation of them, even when they have been solemnly sworn to throughout the whole Kingdom, the evil would be without remedy, and things forced to be carried on to the last Extremities.

III. When the like Misfortunes happens, the Aggressors ought to be severely pu­nish'd; but as soon as the Troubles are pacified by respective Words, Edicts and Trea­ties, they ought to be faithfully observed. A Maxim contrary to this Principle, cannot be but very pernicious to a State.

IV. The Gabaonites obtained by Fraud the Treaty granted them by Josiah; and tho' Sedacias King of Juda was forced to treat with Nebuchadnezzar, who was an Oppressour, yet God punish'd in a most dreadful manner the Infraction of each of these two Trea­ties. The Edict of Nants was given in time of Peace, as appears by History, and by the Edict it self. And,

• 1. This Edict was just in it self, and necessary for the publick Tranquility, and for the good of the State, as the event hath demonstrated.
• 2. Since it supplied the stead of the precedent Edicts, which were grounded on Trea­ties signed on both sides, and solemnly Sworn to through the whole Kingdom, it was not to be revok'd.
• 3. It appears by the Preface of the said Edict, That it was made when the Roman Catholicks and the Protestants had conferred and agreed together of the Just, Reasona­ble and Necessary Things for the Publick Good: So that it was a Transaction between them, as well as a Solemn Obligation of the Royal Promise.
• 4. In effect in the same Preface, Henry IV. promises to see it Inviolably observed. These are not Terms of Edicts revocable by their Nature.
• 5. In the 91st Article, that Edict is expresly declared Perpetual and Irrevocable.
• 6. The Observation of the said Edict was solemnly Sworn to by all the Bodies Civil and Politick of the Kingdom.
• [Page 6]7. Lewis XIII. confirmed it afterwards in time of Peace by his Declaration of 1610, and 1614.
• 8. The said Edict was also confirmed by the first Article of the Treaty of Peace 1626, of which the King of Great Brittain was Guarantee with the consent of France.
• 9. It was likewise confirmed in full Peace by Lewis XIV. in his Declarations of 1643 and 1652, as a very Recompense of the great Services he received from his Protestant Subjects when the Crown was in danger, as appears by the last of the said two Declara­tions, which gives an Authentick Testimony of their Fidelity.
• 10. Finally His Most Christian Majesty promised the late Elector of Brandenbourg, That he would cause it to be Inviolably observed, as appears by the Letters he wrote on that Subject to His Electoral Highness in the Year 1666. If after all these solemn In­gagements, the Repose of a great Nation was not secured, nothing would for the future [...]e Sure, Sacred and Inviolable.

Object. VIII. The Roman Catholicks are excluded from Offices in the Protestant States.

Answ. I. If they had Edicts and Treaties, and the same were violated, they would have reason to complain; but there is no such thing.

II. 'Tis very well known how often the Jesuits have Plotted in England, in order to Subvert the State, and to Reign themselves in it, which they have likewise done some times in the chief places of Holland; and that's the reason 'tis not thought fit to put in Offices of State Roman Catholicks, who have such Directors of Conscience; but the Protestants of France are always satisfied when they are permitted to pray to God; and when the State wants their Assistance and Fidelity, they never fail of performing their Duty. In a word, their Edicts are Irrevocable, and even necessary for the good of the State, as Experience hath always justified it.

Object IX. The Kings of England, who endeavoured to Establish the Roman Catholick Reli­gion in that Kingdom, have drawn themselves into great Misfortunes.

Answer. If any hath attempted the Subversion of the Laws of the Kingdom, which [...] promised to observe, and hath not had a happy Success in his Enterprize, he ought to blame none but himself.

But finally, That's no reason why Sacred and Inviolable Edicts should be trampled down, the Observation of them being necessary in France for the Tranquility of a Great People, and even for the good of the State.

Object X. The Roman Catholicks in France, would be dissati [...]fied if the Protestants were [...].

Answ. I. 'Tis known on the contrary, That all the Roman Catholick People in the Kingdom owne, that the Evil inflicted to the Protestants, hath drawn upon France great Calamities, and that that Persecution is the Ruine of the Kingdom. 'Tis likewise known, That it is the Opinion of all Judicious Persons in France.

II. Let the King, who hath the Authority in hand, order those who shall act contrary to the Edicts, to be severely punished as Disturbers of the Publick I ranquility, and all will be quiet in a very little time.

III. But to deliver absolutely His Most Christian Majesty from the Importunities of the Jesuits, 'tis important, That the Protestant Powers do Intervene in the Re-establish­ment of the French Protestants, to the end their Intervention may hereafter serve as a [...] to curb the Malice of that Turbulent sort of People.

Object. XI. If France should Re [...]stablish the French Protestants, it would be just the Roman Catholicks should enjoy the same Advantages in the Protestant Staees.

Answ. I. The Protestants are not so much to be feared in the Roman Catholick Do­minions, as the Roman Catholicks are in the States of the Protestants. The Faithful­ness of the Protestants is sure; whereas the Poysoning, Assassinations, Plots and Conspi­racies of those that directs the Consciences of the Roman Catholicks, are known all the World over, and puts the Protestant Powers into a just mistrust of them.

II. The Roman Catholicks in England, Scotland, Ireland, and in the United Provin­ces, suffer neither Injustice, Persecution, nor Hinderance in the Exercise of their Re­ligion.

III. If the Protestants were reduc'd to meet privately in France, the Jesuits doubtless would induce the Rabble to Massacre them; it is necessary to make it appear, That they are authorized so to do, and that there be Chambers of Edict to punish the Contraventi­ons of the Edicts.

IV. In a word, The Edicts and Treaties granted to the French Protestants, are Ir­revocable Laws.

Object. XII. The French King, hath no occasion for the French Protestants Fidelity.

Answ. I. Tho' he should have no occasion for it, however a Prince ought in justice to protect his Subjects, and to procure them a peaceable Enjoyment of their Rights, their Liberties and their Priviledges, especially when the said Liberties and Priviledges tend, as in this case, to no other end but to render those, to whom they are granted, equal to their Fellow Citizens, who are not more Faithful than they, and who contri­bute no more than they do towards the Charges of the State, and the Encouragement of Trade.

II. It hath sufficiently appeared in time of need, that the French Protestants Fidelity hath not been useless to Henry IV, Lewis XIII, and Lewis XIV.

Object. XIII. The Court of Rome would take it ill, to see the French Protestants Re-established.

Answ. I. That's no business of the Court of Rome. The Court of Rome did not hin­der the Protestants, Lutherans and Reformed from being Re-established throughout all the Empire, by vertue of the Peace of Munster and Osnaburg, on Foot of the Ancient Treaties. France it self did procure this Re-establishment, and approved very much the Secularisation of several Archbishopricks and Bishopricks, in favour of the Prote­stants: Why then, now the Peace of all Europe is in hand, should several Millions of Innocent People be left in Trouble and Calamity, who hath a long time groaned in France, or where ever they are dispersed, to the prejudice of the most solemn and most sacred Edicts and Treaties that can be made between Men? Does not the very Interest of France require that so great a number of People be comprehended in the General Peace.

Object. XIV. The Mixture of several Religions is very apt to breed Scruples in Mens Souls, and to draw them into an Irreligious Life.

Answ. I. It is by forcing people to profess against their Will, a Religion which they condemn in their Hearts, that they are thrown into an Irreligious Life, and 'tis from thence also that arises many doubtful Thoughts in the Minds of the Roman Catholicks [Page 8]themselves, who have any understanding, since People does by force prophane those Mysteries, which they know to be contrary to the Spirit of Christianity.

II. There was ever wicked and ungodly People in the World, but we dare say, That the number of those that Leads an Irreligious Life, hath always been very small amongst the French Protestants.

III. The only means to put a stop to Prophaneness, is to preach the pure Doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

IV. Finally, If there were no Protestants in France, such measures might be taken as would hinder their coming in from abroad; but when the King was raised to the Throne, he found in France, a great number of people established there long before, who had in­violable Edicts and Treaties, which His Majesty himself promised to protect and main­tain, who wrongs no Body who lives in the Fear of God, who serves him purely accord­ing to his Word, and who hath not made himself unworthy of the Love and protection of his Monarch, seeing he hath given him on the most important occasions, signal proofs of his Fidelity.