THE WILLIAMITES CATECHISM.  
OR, INSTRUCTIONS to be learned of all those who are Wellwishers to the Protestant Religion, and the English Liberties.  
By Benjamin Bird, Rector of Wotton fits Pain, near Lyme Regis in the County of Dorset.  
Licenced according to Order.  
Printed at London, and reprinted at Edinburgb in the Year 1691.   

ADVERTISEMENT,  
THere is lately Published the Jacobites Catechism, that is to say, An Instruction to be learned of every Person, who either desires, or expects to be confirmed by the late Bishop of ELY. by Benjamin Bird, Rector of Wotton fits pain, near Lyme Regis in the County of Dorset.   

THE WILLIAMITES CATECHISM, OR, INSTRUCTIONS to be learned of all those who are Well wishers to the Protestant Religion, and the English Liberties.  
Quest, WHat is your Name?  
Ans. WILLIAMITE.  
Quest. Who gave you this Name?  
Ans. A Person of Quality, who wrote our Character last year.  
Quest. Why did he give you this Name?  
Ans. For our sincere Aflection to our Royal Master, King William.  
Quest. Why do you bear such affection to King William?  
Ans. For several Reasons as 1. for his great Virtues of Temperance, Chastity, Magnanimity, Veracity, etc.  
2. For his great Affection to the English Nation expressed in putting in for our timely Relief in 88 plucking us out of the Jaws of that Hellish Monster of Rome, who had got us between his Teeth to devour us.  
3, For exposing his Royal Person to great danger in Ireland, to recover the poor Protestants in that Kingdom out of that lost condition they were in, being outed of all their strong Towns and Fortresses, but one, by Popish Treachery, and at the mercy of those Bloody Assassinates, who had murdered 200000 Men Women and Children of that Profession in Cold Blood in 1641.  
4 For appearing in Flanders to head the Confederates Forces raised to Chastise the insolency of the French King▪ who hath for a long time made his Sword drunk with the Blood of Papists and Protestants, whose innocent Blood Cries to Heaven for Vengeance.  
5. For that his Majesty and his Ancestors have ever since the Reformation appeared more in the behalf of oppressed Protestants than any Prince in Europe besides.  
Quest. How can you own King William for your King seeing King James is yet living?  
Ans The Lords Spiritual and Temporal together with the House of Commons voted, That King James had Abdicated the Government, and left the Throne vacant, which they thought fit and necessary to fill up with the next in Blood, K. William and Q Mary; and accordingly did set the Crown upon their Heads.  
Quest. How doth this make King William King de jure, though▪ he be King de facto?  
Ans. We look upon him that is King de facto to be King de jure; for we are told by a good Historian (in his Answer to Varillas) of a Law made by Henry the 7th. That whoever is in Possession of the Crown, is to be acknowledged as the Legal King▪ and the Author of the late Farce called the Royal Flight, or the Conquest of Ireland, tells us, that to distinguish between a King de jure and de facto, is a Jesuitical Nicety, and works like Butter in a Cows Tail.  
Quest. But if King James hath Abdicated the Government, how can this Prejudice his Son the Prince of Wales? doth not his Right continue good still?  
Answ. We have no good Assurance that there was ever any such Prince of the late Queen's Body, the whole Management of that Affair looks like a Popish Juggle and Cheat, put upon the Nation. Father Peter's giving out that 'twould be a Son long before the pretended Birth; a plain Evidence that it was a Jesuitical Contrivance to carry on Popish Designs, because Rome they saw would not be built in a day they thought to take two days about it.  
Quest. But why did you pray for him as Prince of Wales in your Parish Churches for some considerable time?  
Answ. We knew not but that he was born of the late Qeens' Body, till we were informed by the Protestants Remonstrance that no Protestant Lady was at his Birth, and that the whole business was managed by some French Madams whom we can no more believe, than we can their Master Lewis ●e Grand.  
Quest. But may not this entail a War upon the Nation?  
Answ We have had War with France before now, and may have again more than once tho' this had never been; and if we must all turn Quakers for fear of a War with France, 'tis as much as Monsieur looks for.  
Quest. But may he not have too much Advantage against us, by reason of a Party that may be made amongst us for this pretended young Prince?  
Ans. The Papists and Popishly affected may be troublesome, but a little wholesome severity will make them pluck in their Horns and be glad to be quiet.  
Quest. But what if any through tenderness of Conscience conceive themselves obliged to this young Prince, and that he ought to have all their good Wishes?  
Ans. Wishers and Woulders are no good House holder's; let them hold there and not disturb the Peace of the Nation, and no body will mollest them for the Tenderness of their Consciences.  
Quest. But will not this reflect upon the Protestant Religion, that Princes of a different Persuasion should be barred from their Right, merely because of their difference from us in Religion?  
Answ. 1. A Popish Prince is not qualifyed by the Laws of this Land to govern, nor so much as to live amongst us, if the Law be followed against him. Now the Protestant Religion doth not oblige us to abandon our Laws and privileges, (which we enjoy as English men) and hold up our Throats to a Popish Executioner, as long as we are sufficiently secured by the Laws of this Land from Popery and Tyranny.  
2. A Popish Prince can give us no Security to govern us according to the known Laws of the Land; for the Popish Clergy will absolve him from his Oath, and make him their Tool wherewith to ruin both us and of our Religion  
3. This cannot in the least reflect upon our Religion: For here a great Prince apprehending a surreptitious Prince set up by Papists to debar Him and his Princess of their Rights, comes in with his Sword in his Hand in his own Vindication, and the Lord of Hosts came in before him, which struck such a Terror into his Enemies, that they fled, and carried Young Perkin into another Land, a sufficient Argument of their guilt; for it could be no Crime in the Midwife to deliver the Queen of a Son; neither had the pretended Young Prince been in any danger among Protestants, who hate the Popish ways of sending Young Princes out of the World by Italian Arts.  
4. We have no reason to repent, that we suffered this brave Prince to enter quietly, according to our Doctrine of Nonresistance; for we have changed Masters to our better Advantage, having now a King that governs by Law, that invades no man's Property, that hath no Jesuits in his Council to beard the Reverend Bishops of the King, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have right to sit there that doth not waste the Treasure of the Kingdom upon his Lusts, but adds all his own to it to promote the public welfare that seeks the good of the whole Nation, and to this end, hath endeavoured to unite Protestants, which would be a great disappointment to Popish Designs, who catch most Fish by troubling our Waters; a Prince that doth not side with one Party against another, as some have formerly doubt, to the ruin of both. Therefore let JACOBITES, and WILLIAMITES, Protestants, and Protestant Dissenters, join together to Bless God for such a King, and let them all meet together half way in order to a good Agreement, that they may love as Brethren, and keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace, which will no doubt be a rejoicing to the heart of our good King and Queen and all the Protestants beyond the Seas, and add much to the Infelicities of King Lewis who must needs be much cast down already to hear of the ill success of his Brother's forces in Slavonia, and of his own in Irel●●d, and a little more such News out of Flandars, Piedment, and Catalonia may make him as weary of the World, as the World hath been a long time of him.  
FINIS.