THere being lately dispersed a Pamphlet , entituled . Better Late then Never . Wherein the Author acknowledgeth Hereditary Monarchy can only quiet and render Happy the Minds of English-Men : That Monarchy is and ought to be Limitted : And that considering the divided Sects of England , as well upon Principles of Policy , as Religion , an Universal and Impartial Toleration ought to be Establish'd : And he likewise has an English dread of an Arbitrary and Military Government . All which Topicks of his Discourse savour of a moderate & English temper . And since his friendly Admonitions seem more particularly to be directed to the State-Whiggs , and he out of a more peculiar kindness to that set of Men ( of which I suppose he is ) lays before them some of their Faults , I who wish well to every Opinion of mankind , beg their leave to represent Candidly and Calmly to each of them the Causes of those Misfortunes of which they complain , and of which they can , humanly speaking , see no End.

I desire I may not be thought an Enemy to Kings , nor disrespectful to the Church of England , if I say , Passive Obedience is next to an impossible Doctrine , unless the flattering Divines would preach Original Contracts to Kings . This Belief in the Church has proved a Sandy Foundation for the State to build upon ; and those very Men that have so largely filled the History of it , have not only overlook'd their own Writings , but all the Stated Laws which would have secured King James , and us from Lancastrian Convulsions . The King can do no wrong , the King is unaccountable in his own Person , &c. would not serve the turn of those that were to preach Court-Sermons , or solemnize the Aniversary of King Charles's Murther . Not only those who had a hand in his Blood , but every body who was in the War against him , were never to be forgiven in this , or the World to come . St. Robert Fillmore's Patriarcha was the only Model of Government . And Sr. Roger's Observators , the Guides of all our Clergy . Our Judges and Juries determined that all Insurrections , whether made , or only intended , must end in the Civil or Natural Death of the King , tho' we are beholding to some in Popish Times for Magna Charta , &c. which had a happier Accomodation . These Church of England Homilies , and Episcopal Judicial Proceedings , nauseated all Men of severer Reasonings ; & whilst the People were Harangued and punish'd into Non-Resistance , our Divines were better Bred then to teach their duty to Princes . They forgot to tell what Common Care belongs to a Common Father . The Coronation ●ath was Unmention'd , lest it should smell of Compact ; and Kings were to be Jure Divino , that Bishops might be so too . And for those Notions , how difficult soever , they are to be maintained ; they persecuted the Puritans and Fanaticks into Rebellion , and the Papists into Plots : Whilst to speak the truth , the Penal Laws and Sacramental Tests , have been all along but formal Combinations against them ; And the greatest Sticklers for Uncontrolable Power have cozened , deserted , and fought against their Rightful and Lawful Soveraign , as soon as ever they fancyed their own Church Property , their Great Diana was in danger , and that their fellow Subjects might share in Places . But a King has lately seen that these Men have not the Patience of Job , as much as they brag'd o● their Passive Vertue , for they did not serve the King for Nought ; and therefore , I hope , if he is Restored , he will know that mankind are Governed by their Interest , he will believe that since most men are guilty of all Riot and Debauchery , are Ambitious , Covetous and Prophane , contrary to the more evident Principles of their Religion ; he can't expect they will be ravag'd in their Fortunes , and hazarded in their Liberties and Lives , upon such a Contested Principle . I hope our former Beautefeux will be more modest upon the thirtieth of January , and the fifth of November ; and tho' they have their Churches , that they will keep the Peace there , they not being able now to throw the first stone . And further , I hope , with their good leave , tho' I am not an Enemy to Church ones , we may settle a Civil Comprehension .

But that our Dissenting Brethren may be fit for it , I must humble them a little with the Repetition of their Faults ; The Parsons have told them enough of carrying the late Civil Wars beyond an honest and National Design , have enough reproach'd them with the Murther of King Charles the first , &c. But I will reproach them only with their Follies in the two last Reigns , since it is base to triumph too much over them who are an oppressed People still ; And besides , that the Late discourse touches something upon them . I will not , tho' they practise the contrary , tax them with what they have Writ against Deposing Princes when they have managed the Controversie against the Roman-Catholicks ; but that which I will with the late Author blame them for , is that they are so easily gull'd into Discontents and Faction against such Princes of whose Inclinations , or Circumstances they might make use for the good of themselves & Country . King Charles the Second was forced from the Liberty which he promised at Breda ; but when he put out his Declaration of Indulgence , the Church-Whispers , and secret Promises made the Dissenters soon fly in his Face . They should have lest him and his Church-Parliament to dispute the Prerogative , and been glad he made use of it in favour of them ; by this means they would have proved that it is only Persecution that made them Disloyal ; and though I would not have had them flatter a Dispensing Power , they might lawfully have Exercised that Liberty that is the Right of Mankind . And tho' Roman-Catholicks might have been the better for it , an Incorporation of all our Sects into the National Interest will in all times be the Natural consequence of an Universal Liberty of Conscience , and that would have been for England's Welfare , as well as for the Dissenters Ease . You must either Banish , or expect Conspiracies from any Sect you will not be equal to . But hitherto I have blamed the Dissenters for too little Manners , in the next Reign they have too much , and turn Tory-Conventiclers , and Court-Parasites ; my Lord Plausible could not be no more Civil to a Roman-Catholick then many of tha Phanatic●s in King James's time , and their Addresses to the King were affected and Canting Adulations . They drew in a King to venture all upon their narrow Bottom , and then left His Interest , as soon as the Disobliged Church had call'd over a Champion to Invade him . Tho' the Bishops ( as it hath been affirm'd to me ) when he was coming , would have Compounded for all other Miscarriages , if they might have been Restored to their Power of Persecution : For they offered to put out an Abhorrence of such The Author would by no means have this Story reflect upon those Reverend Bishops , who have since to preserve their Consciences , sacrificed all their Preferments ; For to their Eternal Honour be it spoken , they repent their having at any time stood upon Nicities , their having refused their word to the Council for their Appearance , ( which occasioned their being sent to the Tower ) I say , I am satisfied they repent ; and I wish those who advised the reading the Declaration , would as much repent : And I dare say those good Bishops at tbis day are very willing to comply with any Liberty of Conscience that is lawfully established , and is consistent with the Liberties of England . an Invasion , provided the King would call in his Declaration of Liberty . He offered to call a Parliament , and settle it by Law ; but sure the Bishops thought Liberty it self unlawful , since that would not serve their turn ; Yet with the Clamours of those Swearing Church-men , the Dissenters , joyn'd , and were very easily engaged in their Conspiracy , against a King who Released twelve Thousand of them at his coming to the Crown , and kept many others out of Goals , and preferred some , tho I allow too few . In In this King's time you had the greatest opportunities of Establishing Religious and Civil matters upon Just and Lasting Foundations , upon Solid Securites , and to have been Immixed with all the Rights & Priviledges of the rest of your fellow Subjects . But some sawn'd , and some Rail'd , and all contributed to destroy , what might have made us the Envy of the whole World . You are not much the better for the Change ; you are not let into the Government , the Sacramental Test is still in Being . And therefore I will be more tender upon your Faults .

Now the Roman-Catholicks must expect their share , who had at least through Indiscretion , too much in bringing about the Revolution , as well as they have in keeping out King James They believe Miracles in Politicks , as well as in Religion ; and with their sew Hands and indifferent Heads , are for mighty Undertakings ; and tho' our Laws had not put them upon an equal , nor , to speak plainly , an equitable Foot , were for engrossing all things . I will not lay open their former Faults , by which they abused a King out of his Throne , and ran a Risk of their own extirpation : I fear these things are but too much remembred . But the greatest Folly of all , has been their foolish and villanous Project which they have talked as sillily over , of Conquering their Native Country , a Design too Barbarous for an Indian to dream of ; one would think too Visionary for any Mortal : And who can wonder that English Men hate these Noisy Sparks , who are avowedly in a Plot against their Liberties , their Properties , and their Lives ? These Wretches have a Zeal without Knowledge , without knowledge of the Strength of their Native Country , the united Resistance such a Project will find , or the Inclinations of the King , who upon all occasions , not only in private , reproves the hot and indiscreet talk of such People , but in his Publick Discourse daily discourages their Folly , by declaring how Disagreeable such things are to his Nature , Prejudicial to his Interest , and Inconsistent with his Resolutions , He hath often told them , that though in Italy and Spain railing against Protestants , and in Sweden and Denmark against Catholicks , may be more excusable ; yet in his Dominions it is false Policy , as well as salse Zeal , especially in Catholicks who are the lesser number , and not the National Church . There is hardly a Morning passes that he does not entertain them at his leave with the Accompts of the Services , and Sufferings of Protestants for his Father , Brother , and Himself ; nay , even with the former Services of many of those who are as he , willing to diminish their Faults , expresses it , deluded with Fear , and frighted with Force , to be his Enemies . There is no discourse more grateful to him , then what may furnish him with some excuse , not only for the defection of Protestants in general , but even for particular , and the worst of men . It is not many Weeks since he publickly discoursed the former Services of some so black in their Villany to him , that their very Names ' are not fit to be mentioned , and it was observed that he wanted some body to say something in excuse of them , which is often by Persons that know his temper , on purpose done to gratifie him . He is so far from encouraging those that upbraid Protestants and their Religion , because of their Rebellion , so contrary to their long professed Principles ; That he not only entertains them with Stories of Rebellion in France , and other Catholick Countries , but hath even sometimes taken Pains to let them see , that even Catholicks , and the Catholick Religion , have been as accessary to his Treatments , and received as great a Stain by their share in it , as Protestants and theirs . And there is no man can dispute this , when he considers the parts the Pope , and Emperor , the King of Spain , and other Catholick Princes , with their Countries , have acted , and still act towards it ; For they were the Turners , and are the Keepers of him out , and the People of England , who , some Catholicks will have thought only Criminal Overawed by their Force , and Cheated by their Contrivances , though they can't be excused , Acted but the second part in it . And to assure you that these are the Sentiments of your King — I will tell you what he did not long ago to discover them , for having daily Accompts of the impertinent , foolish and violent discourses of some People at St. Germaines , who were not reclaimed by all the pains he had taken ; He sent for all the English Confessors there , and after having first told them how much he was troubled , and his Service discouraged , and the Religion and Manners of Catholicks reflected upon by the Intemperance and Ignorance of those People , he injoyn'd and required of them as a Duty both to God , and Himself , that each of them should from him apply to their several Penitents , and let them know how angry he was at such things , what fair Methods he had hitherto used to prevent them ; that now seeing all others ineffectual , he had taken this particular one , to require of them upon pain of his highest displeasure , that they never more publickly , or privately Reflect upon the Protestant Religion , Protestants in General , or any Particular Protestant ; That they never more talk of the methods of his Restoration , or express their Wishes for it otherways then by the Concurrence of his People , and that they never more hope or expect any particular Favour or peculiar Regard , when it shall please God to restore him , upon the accompt of their being Catholicks . They should have no greater Claim upon the score of their Religion , nor should they say they have . But he told them , for that reason their Faults should be more , and sooner punish'd ; and their Services , though even not so much regarded , yet more punctually expected , for that he will always treat his Subjects of all Perswasions with equal esteem and tenderness , and Confer his Favours where he finds Vertue and Merit , without regard to the Religion of him that has them . And further required of the Confessors , That they should strictly observe and discover who neglect Obedience to those Commands , & bring him from time to time an Acount of them , that they might be Banish'd both his Court and Favour . He knows he is a King of Protestants , and that they have faithfully served both him and his Predecessors , and doth not doubt their doing so again , so soon as their Eyes can be opened , and their Hands untyed . He knows England is not to be without utter Ruine conquered by a Foreign Power , and hopes , as he wishes , that he may never be forced to do so much Prejudice to himself ; he knows the Bodies of men are the Riches of a Country , that Conquest would be a revenging his Injuries upon his own Estate , it would make a Golgotha of these Kingdoms ; he has Paid too dear for your warm Politicks , and is weary of Experiment ; And by your twatling what can never be perform'd , you continue monstrous Bull-Beggars to the People , you hazard his Return , and your own Ruine . There are some of you that say , You are as well as if he Returns , unless he fills the Places of Trust and Profit with those of your Perswasion . And it is well for Protestants whose Disloyalty you upbraid , that you show your own founded upon Interest ; But such Mercenary Subjects , such Timmers , such Miscreants rather deserve to be Banish'd when He comes Home : I am glad there remain many Protestants more visibly Loyal , because they have less lyes of Interest , and that I am confident never project Gain by his Return . Those Church-men who have stuck to their old Principles , can never be enough Commended for their Honesty ; They stand in the first Rank of Worthy Minds , their Interest was not at all concerned , they have Acted by the meer motives of their Conscience , and I Reverence them as I would have done Aristides and Cato amongst the Heathens , and the Primitive Confessors and Martyrs of the Christian Church : I would willingly change my Stile for their sakes , and alter my moderate and wholsome Satyre into the sublimest Panegyrick ; But what they do , is not for the praises of men , nor can I indeed give them their deserved Character , no more then sufficiently applaud those Dissenters that are true to his Interest for their Gratitude to the King , and their clear understanding of the Nation's Interest , which is never secured by any Innovation where the Succession is interrupted , they and those who return to him by reason of the Male-Administrations of the Prince of Orange steddily , and like the Old Romans , shew their Disputes and Quarrels , have been for things , and not against men , and that they deserve more Power , since they would always use it for England , for the Preservation of the Rights and Priviledges we were Born to . And as to the Roman-Catholicks , I must aver , I personally know several of them , both here and at St. Germaines , that deserve to be made English-men for their Moderation , which they are not , whilst we have such violent Laws against them . These Catholicks prove , however Hereticks are to disposed of in the other World , they ought to be treated with all imaginable Charity , Candor , and Impartiality in this : They give Evidence that their Belief of a Foreign Ecclesiastical Head , will never make them Traytors to their King , or their Country ; And that they can distinguish between Religious and Social Vertue , and that they own the last is due to all Governments . I am entred into a pleasant Field , I could dwell upon Commendations ; finding Fault is not my nature , I never Reprove any man but for his own or the general good , not without galling my own Soul . I thank my God , I wish the good even of my Enemies , and would in imitation of the Holy Jesus , promote Peace upon Earth , and Good Will amongst Men . I wish that Religion that ought to sweeten our Natures , might not be matter of Strife ; nor the things of the other World make any distinction about the things that are meerly of this : I would not have our Politicks understand Creeds , nor meddle with different Perswasions , farther than to propagate Morality , Natural Religion , and a Good Life ; and that you may see this is the mind of your King , I will repeat you the Words of a Letter he lately writ , upon hearing that some in his Court had sent over Letters of a narrow and bigotted nature ; the words of his Letter are so Excellent , I think no man could invent Words better for the Conclusion of this Discourse ; The Words are these — Such as are truly my Friends , ought not to give credit to what my Enemies say ; and if any of my indiscreet Friends write foolishly , they should not have so ill an opinion of me , as to believe it is by my Order , or Connivance ; and they should remember what I have always said , and will always stand to , which is Impartial The Author can assure all the Members of the Church of England of his own knowledge , that the King does not design this Liberty shall let any sort of Dissenter , whether Catholick or Protestant , into any Church-Preferment ; and the King told the Author an Expedient which he would consent to , which must satisfie all the Ecclesiasticks of the Church of England , that their Churches , their Colledges and Schools will all be secure ; and perhaps the Author may in a short time be allowed to acquaint some of them with this Expedient . Liberty of Conscience to all my Subjects , and that I will always shew an Equal and Impartial Care of them all , and that faithful Service , true Honesty , and not Religion , shall be the Standard for those that serve me in all my Imployments , both in Court and Government .

The King sufficiently laments the Divisions of his Friends , he would have the Whiggs and Torys ; the Church of England Men , the Dissenters , and the Roman-Catholicks all agree ; if I may use the word again , in a Jacobite Comprehension . He thinks , as all wise men must , there is no coming Home : There is no Ruling upon any partial Bottom , and it is His earnest desire , as well as mine , that you would all come to Just Weights and Measures .