A few short ARGUMENTS Proving that 'tis every English-man's Interest as well as Duty, AT ALL TIMES To endeavour the absolute and effectual Repeal of all the Religious Penal Laws and Tests, now in force against Catholics or Dissenters, so as they may never more be revived, and the rather because thereby Liberty and Property may be better secured, than at present they are.  
MOST of the Authors who have Written for the Repeal of the Penal Laws and Tests, tho' they fall short of the end they aim at in convincing their Adversaries, are yet too tedious for the generality to Read, and too difficult to be understood by their perplexing and obscuring the matter with divers collateral Controversies little to the point in hand, which briefly and yet plainly is comprehended in these two following Positions.  
First, That 'tis every Man's Duty as a Man, and every Christians, tho' they should suffer by it, to endeavour the Repealing of the said Penal Laws and Tests, how good soever they may be esteemed in themselves, so long as any tho' never so few, upon the account of Religion, are aggrieved by them and refuse to take them.  
Secondly, That if we please, no more Danger nor Damage, than we are at present subject to, will ensue to either Person or Party whatsoever in England by the said Repeal, in either Life, Liberty, Limb, Estate, or Privilege. If then it appears by the following proofs that we ought to Repeal them, and that it may be safely done without damage to any; It is hoped there is scarce a person so ignorant, obstinate, or imprudent in England, whether Conformist, or Nonconformist but will readily concur in such a work, tho' there were no other advantage to themselves but only their compliance with His Majesty in a settlement he so much desires; which may be the less doubted because the necessary consequences are general Quiet, by every Man's security and Interest to preserve it, the enlarging of Trade, the strengthening the King and Kingdom against Foreign attempts: In short, Ease and Riches with Liberty of being as Religious as we can or please.  
To prove then the first Position, there may be instanced that Golden and Everlasting Rule of God and Nature, To do as we would be done unto: If we fear a future Imposition from others, let us not impose at present our Tests and Penal Laws upon others, but so provide that none may impose or be imposed upon: But further as Christians we are obliged to do no Evil that Good may come on it, to Pray for our Enemies, and tho' formerly some may upon the score of Religion have been by others evil treated, yet must we return good for Evil and so heap Coals of Fire on the Head of our Adversaries, the only lawful Revenge permitted Christians; and this is a Duty from which none can be exempted before God or Man: To which may be further added, that the said Golden Rule is both a higher Law and greater good than our Test and Penal Laws are, and that 'tis as much a sin both against God and Nature to break the foresaid Natural and Gospel Rules, by afflicting a few, as if we injured multitudes, for an Erroneous Conscience or unbelief only.  
But secondly, we may by new Laws be as well if not better secured, in every particular circumstance, than we now are by the Penal Laws and Tests; so that 'tis our interest as well as our duty, for which some Specimens' follow, which may without question by the Wisdom of Parliament be higher improved.  
First, If His Majesty should please to consent to such Expedients as may be propounded in Parliament, to prevent for the future all false returns of Members to serve in Parliament, this would be a much better security than any yet provided, the Penalties be the same or the like as those of the Test, both for the Offending persons returning, returned, and assisting.  
Secondly, If no person be suffered to Enter either Houses of Lords or Commons, or any Civil or Military Employ, until he hath renounced the principle of Persecuting any for Religious Worship sake be it what it will, and likewise subscribes to undergo the Penalties already prescribed by the Test, if ever he moves or concerns in the repealing this new Magna Charta of Liberty: This is still much better security for every Religious party than any now in being.  
Thirdly, If all the Ecclesiastical Dignities and Preferments be by this new Law firmly Established to Conformists only, which now are but very precariously in the Possession of the Church of England, they will be thus much better than now they are, because they keep the same Possessions and Profits by a stronger Title, and are only deprived of a Power to do mischief.  
Fourthly, If all this be consented to before the Old Laws against Catholics and Dissenters are Repealed, or together with the same; what hazard do we run, or how is it possible the Catholics can do us any more hurt than at present, or obtain the whole or greatest share of the Government?  
Fifthly, Nor would it be the least security to the Nation to have such an Engine destroyed as the Penal Laws and Test are, which at some time or other may by the subtlety of the Lawyers Innuendos and Explanations be converted by the Government against any party whatsoever that displeaseth them, and the safety and satisfaction we now have by the Repeal of the Statute de Heretico comburendo may encourage us to Damn all of the like nature.  
Lastly, If this settlement prevents such mischiefs to the Nation, as desperation may inspire into a party not backward to preserve themselves, it will be a further Collateral security to the whole.  

POSTSCRIPT.  
There are lately Published, for the Information of the Curious, who are willing to be further satisfied, concerning the weakness of the Church of England 's Legal Establishment, and the Illegallity of the Penal Laws and Tests, according to our Common-Law, and Magna Charta, Three small Treatises; viz. A Reply to the Reasons of the Oxford Clergy, against Addressing, etc. Remarks on the several Sanguinary and Penal Laws made in Parliament against Roman Catholics. A Discourse for taking off the Tests and Penal Laws about Religion, to which and divers others lately Printed, I refer the Candid and Judicious Reader for better satisfaction.    

LONDON, Printed by Henry Hills, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty, for His Household and Chapel; And are sold at his Printing-house on the Ditch-side in Blackfriars. 1687.