1 'Tis true, they Addreffed the King upon the Liberty of Confcience; and might they not own the Note Favour of the Prince in reftoring their juft Rights, tho' not in the Way they could have defired? and fufpending Laws they always thought both unrighteous, and ill-defigned? I ask, by whofe Influence, and for whofe Gratification were they made? and when might they expect a Temper, or Legal Relief? If a Highway-man rescue me from a Foot-pad, I should not fcruple to give him my Thanks: And Popery would have been nevertheless dangerous,tho' the Diffenters had refused the Liberty, and continued under former Reftraints. The Papists would have had their Liberty, whether the Diffenters had or no: And was there not need of all Hands at work to preserve the People, and oppose the common Enemy? Tho', for my part, I confefs I fhould have taken the Liberty granted, without thinking any Addrefs of Thanks was due for it, on thofe Terms upon which it was granted. * However, if they were extravagant in any Expreffions, 'tis plain, the Church Addreffes far exceeded them; and they are upbaided with a very ill Grace. Something might reafonably be allowed to Men under long Oppreffion, efpecially if the Perfon † who drew up the Addrefs, which gave the greatest Occafion of this Reproach, was known to be a Perfon remarkable for Wit and Fancy, and had then received perfonal Obligations from that Prince in a very tender Point, the Pardon of his Son. 'Tis pretty fingular, the Schifm-At fhould be thought a great Security of the Proteftant Succeffion, and Peace of the Church, and an Excellent A&t. What Church this Gentleman may mean, I am not fo certain; but I am fure 'tis very ftrange an Act should * See the Vindication of the Learning, Loyalty, &c. of the Protefant Diffenters. Mr. Alfop. Remarks, p. 59, 60. be be a great Security of the Proteftant Succession, which was brought into each Houfe, and earnestly pushed by two Gentlemen fince attainted of High Treafon, and concerned in a Rebellion in Favour of the Pretender. Befides that, 'tis contrary to the most ancient and fundamental Rights of Nature, the patriarchal or Family Power; and is, I think, without a Precedent, not only in any Proteftant or Chriftian-Country, but among Turks and Pagans; any farther than the Tyranny of Julian, or Lewis XVI. may be pleaded in this Matter. Would this HighChurch-man think any Church or Power had a Right to deprive him of the Education of his own Children, or bringing them up as he thought beft? I'll venture to tell this Gentleman, upon this Occafion, if there were but two Books writ against Popery in the Reign of King James II. That there were twenty Church-men, of confiderable Note, among the Clergy, as well as Laity, who turned Papifts in that Reign, and fome of them followed the abdicated Prince; and that the late Rebels against King George, were Papifts and High-Church-men, without two Diffenters among them all. Sir, your impartial Regard to Truth, will allow a fair Hearing where that is pretended to be inju red, and will for ever oblige Feb. 7. 17199 Four Admirer and humble Servant. FINIS ADVERTISEMENT. Any kind of Letters, Effays, Extracts out of valuable Authors, or Intelligence of any Affairs which may serve the firft declared Intention of this Paper, will be thankfully received, if directed to the Author of the Occafional Paper, to be left at North's Coffee-house, Kingftreet, near Guild-hall, London. Poft paid. Lately Published with a Preface. Vol. I THE Occasional Paper on Bigotry. Price 3d. Number H The Character of a Proteftant, Price 3 d. Number III. Containing, 1. Proteftant Principles concerning Civil Government. 2. A brief Antwer to the Charge of Sedition, urged by the Papifts against the Proteftants in Germany. 3. An Attempt to ftate Matters truly, with reference to our 30th of January. To which is added a Supplement, being fome farther Thoughts on the 30th of January. Price 4 d. Number IV. An Expedient for Peace among all Proteftants. In a Letter to the Author of the Occafional Paper. Price 3 d. Number V. The Excellence of Virtue appearing in a Publick Character. Price 4 d. Number VI. 3 d: 3 d. The Danger of the Church confidered. Price Number VII. The Nature and Obligation of Oaths. Price Number VIII. Letters to the Author. Price 3 d. Number IX. Of Cenfure. An Effay. Price 3 d. Number X. An Expedient for Peace among all Proteftants. In a Second Letter to the Author of this Paper. By the fame Hand Hand that writ the Letter publifh'd in Number IV. Price 3 d. Number XI. The Danger of the Constitution confider'd. Price 3 d. Number XII. Some Remarks on a late Pamphlet, entitled, The Church of England the fole Encourager of Free Thinking, &'c. With a Letter to the Author of this Paper; fully Confu ting the chief Things infifted on in that Pamphlet. Price 3 d. Val. II. Number I. Of Orthodoxy. Price 3 d. All fold by J. Knapton at the Crown in St. Paul's Churchyard, J. Harvifon at the Royal Exchange, and A. Dodd without Temple bar, OCCASIONAL PAPER. VOL. II. NU M B. III. O F PLOTS What tho' the Field be lost? All is not lost; th' unconquerable Will, Confult how we may henceforth most offend What Reinforcement we may gain from Hope, If not, what Refolution from Defpair. Satan's Speech to Beelzebub. Milt. Parad. loft. B. I. LONDON: Printed for J. KNAPTON, at the Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard; J. HARRISON, under the Royal Exchange, and A. DODD, without Temple-Bar. 1717. Price Threepence. |