fions. Hence, new acts to explain and amend former laws.

Should the wisdom of the legislative powers deign to reduce the oath to a few plain words, whereby we should fwear allegiance to his majefty, renounce any to the Stuarts,-fwear never to maintain nor abet any doctrine inconfiftent with the rights of fovereigns, the fecurity of our fellow-fubjects, nor ever to accept of any difpenfation to the contrary,―all the ends of government would be fully answered, and the few fcrupulous Catholics, who caval about words, would join the great numbers who have proceeded upon more enlarged and liberal principles.

Should our neighbours doubt the delicacy of our confciences, when we fwear, we have no argument to convince them, but the following.

We groan under the yoke of mifery and oppreffion, throughout the long and trying periods of fix fucceffive reigns. We fuffer for crimes we have never committed. The punishment, which according to all laws fhould finish with the delinquent, is entailed on the innocent pofterity to the fourth and fifth generation, by a rigorous severity, fimilar to that of thofe Tufcan princes, who used to faften living men to dead

bodies.

bodies. The laws which in other countries are the refource and protection of the errant pilgrim, are here the mortal enemies of the fettled natives. These abortives of the Stuart race reign uncontrouled a long time after the death of their inaufpicious progenitors. On every part they spread penal bitterneffes, with an unwearied hand; deal out tranfportation to the clergy; poverty and diftrefs to the laity. They continually hang as fo many fwords, over our heads. The lenity of the magiftrates, with the humanity of our Proteftant neighbours, are the only clouds that intercept the fcorching influence of those blazing comets, kindled in times of turbulence and confufion. Were it a principle of our religion to pay no regard to the dictates of conscience,—were our paftors and clergy fuch as they are described, "people who difpenfe with

every law of God and man, who fanctify re"bellion and murder, and even change the very

nature and effential differences of vice and "virtue."* Were we people of this kind, the penal restraints would be foon removed. One verbal recantation of Popery, backed with a falfe oath, would diffolve our chains. In three weeks you would fee all the Catholics at church, and their clergy along with them. Licensed guilt

would

Leland, b. 5. ch. 3.

would foon kick in wantonnefs, where flarving innocence shivers without a covering. A remedy neglected from motives of confcience, is a proof of the patient's integrity. Our sufferings and perfeverance plead aloud in favour of our abhorrence and deteftation of perjury: and though our Proteftant neighbours, may laugh at the feeming errors of our minds, yet they will do justice to the integrity of our hearts.

Now, as in the primitive ages of the church, it is our principle and duty to pray for our kings, "that God would be pleafed to grant them a "long life, and a quiet reign; that their family 66 may be safe, and their forces valiant; their "fenate lawful, their people orderly and virtu

..

ous; that they may rule in peace, and have "all the bleffings they can defire, either as men or princes.'

A N

ADDRESS

то THE

COMMON PEOPLE

OF THE

ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIGION,

CONCERNING THE APPREHENDED

FRENCH INVASION.