A Seasonable Remonstrance, by Way of Address from the Church of England, to both Houses of Parliament.  
My Lords and Gentlemen,  
HIS Majesty so soon as he came to the Throne, (his undoubted Right) having been pleased Graciously to declare in Council, that he would maintain Me, as by Law Established; I cannot without injury to that Justness, which he has always shown, give consent to the least doubt of his non-Performance of it: Yet notwithstanding, seeing You my Children are here Assembled to Consult, and Advise about the most important matters of the Kingdom, both as to Church and State: I hope it may be Lawful for Me to Represent to Your Wise Considerations, my Serious Thoughts concerning the Means to establish my Tranquillity; not doubting but Your ready Compliance, joined with His Majesty's Royal Care and Vigilance, will sufficiently secure the quiet of the State.  
You cannot be ignorant, how I for many years have been on all sides attaqu'd by those, who Dissent from my Government; These may all of them be reduced to two Heads, the Papist and the Fanatic. My Fate, in this Encounter, resembles that of a City Besieged by Two different Armies, who Fight both against It, and one another; where, if the Garrison make a Sally to Beat off the one, the other presently takes the Advantage to make an Attaque: In like manner, whilst I set myself Vigorously to oppose the Papist, the Puritan seeks to undermine me; And whilst I am busied to oppose the Puritan, the Papist gains ground upon me. If I tell the Church of Rome, I did not forsake her, but her Errors, which I Reformed; My Rebellious Subjects tell me the same, and that they must make a Through Reformation: And let me bring what Arguments I please to justify my Dissent, the same are always produced against me. If on the other hand, I plead against the Puritan Dissenter, that he ought to stand to Church Authority, where he is not Infallibly certain it commands a Sin: The Papist catches at that Advantage, and tells me, I destroy my own Grounds of Reformation, unless I will stand to that Infallibility, which I condemn in them.  
Matters standing thus betwixt Me and my Adversaries: Why would it not be a part of Prudence in Me (as I doubt not but you would esteem it in a Governor of that City I now mentioned) to make Peace with one of my Enemies, to the end I may with more ease resist the On-sets of the other?  
I am the casilier induced to believe this is Feazible, because my Enemies are at Mortal Feudes with one another, and would much rather join with Me, than against Me. And the Advantages such an Union would bring to Me and to this Nation, are so great, I need not offer them to your view, who cannot but at the very first see them.  
Our next Consideration than must be, to find out whether of these two Parties may be the sooner brought to sign Articles of Peace, and will give the best Security for the exact performance of them.  
In order to which, if I cast back my Eye upon the Transactions, which have happened in this Kingdom these last 50 years, I cannot but see my Puritan Dissenting Adversaries to be a company of People most of them without Honour, Honesty, Conscience or Religion, though they pretend them all for a Cloak to their wicked Villainies. I cannot but look upon them as Implacable Enemies, and Tyrannical too, where they once get the upper hand: And if I admit Them into my bosom, I may assure myself of being Stung by them, when they are once Warm, and have recovered Strength.  
I need not mention all their Hellish practices against Me, and all my Loyal Children from 1641, till 1648. nor by what Wiles they Undermined Me first, and then never ceased till they had Ruined the Three Kingdoms, and Embrued their Hands in the Blood of the Best of Kings. It is apparent enough what favour I may expect from them, if once again (which God forbidden) the Power should come into their Hands, by the Liberty they gave Me in the Usurper's wicked Reign. Have they not endeavoured to play the same Game over again, and to disturb mine and the Kingdoms quiet, by Plots hatched in their own Brains? What was the Popish Plot, but a blind for a Presbyterian one, as is now apparent to the whole World? Were not all their Endeavours to Trepan us into an Ambush they had laid for us, whilst we, with blind heat were in pursuit of that Chimerical Fantasme? Had they not at that time all their Machine's at work to involve us all in a common ruin? Did they not under pretence of securing the King from a Popish Gun and Silver Bullet, endeavour to let fly at him with a True Protestant Blunderbush? What did they aim at under pretence of Securing the True Protestant Religion, but to strike at Episcopacy; So that no person, who was either Dutiful to Me, or Loyal to the King, but was presently branded with the name of Papist, Popishly Affected, Papist in Masquerade, French Pensioner, or the like. Had they not made a Catalogue of all Persons any ways Eminent in the Kingdom, and ranked them under two Heads, of Worthy Men, and Men Worthy; meaning by the latter, Men worthy to be made away, because True to their King and County? And (which is still worse) when they were caught in their Villainies, did they Repent, or did they not rather testify their Approbation of the intended Conspiracy with their dying words? What Security can we therefore hope for; If we strike up a Peace with those, whose Practices show their Principles?  
On the other hand, if with an Impartial Eye we look upon the Papists, we shall find them Honest, Just, Conscientious, and Loyal in their Practices, though we are frequently told their Principles are otherwise: But this, they say, is not the only Calumny falsely laid upon them. And, for my own part, as I cannot think a man's Principles Good, when I see his Practice otherwise: So am I easily induced to believe, that a Good Practice comes from Good Principles. Did they not in King Charles the First's time hazard their Lives and Fortunes for the Support of Monarchy? Were not We as Loyal Subjects, so equal Sufferers in those sad Times? Did they not stand my Friends in that my Distress, till they were utterly dis-enabled themselves? Did not We and They live together in great Union like common Sufferers when Banished by the Usurped Power? And since His late Majesty's Happy Restoration, how Peaceably did we live together, till those Wicked Emissaries of Hell had filled our minds with strange Jealousies, and Fears of I know not what Plots and Conspiracies? With what Patience did the Romanists then suffer all those Injuries, Contumelies, loss of Goods, yea and of Life itself, whilst those Perjured Villains breathed out Bloody Oaths against them? They went like Sheep to the Slaughter, and scarce bleated, unless it were to declare their Innocence, to Pray for the King and Kingdom, and to forwarn Us of our approaching Ruin: In which certainly they were our best Friends, if we could have been Friends to ourselves, and hark'ned to their Advice, which we found too true, though it had like to have been too late.  
Let us consider likewise how they behave themselves at present, now they enjoy the greatest Advantages they have had this many years, and we shall find it to be with unexpected moderation. We who were formerly almost frighted into Bedlam for fear of a Popish Successor, find under JAMES the Just, our Liberties, our Properties, our Rights, and our Religion secured, and may expect to see our Kingdom become Glorious, and the old English Bravery once more flourish under such a King.  
We see (My dearest Children) that our Fears were vain, and our Jealousies without ground. This very stone, which was once rejected by the Architects, is now become the chief stone in the Corner: We may truly see in It the Hand of God, and look upon it with Admiration, and may expect (if our accustomed Fears and Jealousies hinder not) the greatest Blessings we can wish for, an Union betwixt those two Walls thus long separated, but now in a fair way to be linked together by this Cornerstone, after which, how Glorious a Building may we hope for upon such Foundations?  
Shall we then (my Lords and Gentlemen) still wage a War against these our Brethren, who would live Peaceably amongst us, and seek by all means to Endear us? Shall we Exasperate two Enemies, when one alone gives us sufficient employment? Shall we continue to put the rigour of the Laws equally in Execution against these our Generous Adversaries, and those our Implacable Enemies? Let it not be said we delight in Blood, or that our Cause is not to be sustained but by Rigorous Penalties, as if we had neither Truth nor Justice on our side. I cannot think those to be good Foundations, which must be cemented with Blood. Neither can I think those who are reduced to my Embraces, or retained in them by Rigour, will be Faithful to me in the Onset. Such are rather Slaves than Children, Hypocrites, not Sons, who will forsake me upon any occasion. Let Truth sustain me, not Rigour. Truth is of such a nature, it will shine in the midst of Darkness: It cannot suffer Shipwreck in the greatest Tempests: No Persecutions could ever hinder the growth of it: 'Tis like a Diamond that casts its Luster in the dark, resists the File, the Hammer, and the Fire, but yet may be softened with the Blood of Goats: The Gospel flourished in the greatest Persecutions: Truth prevailed when the Professors suffered all sorts of Torments: And their Blood which was shed, made the Church more Fruitful: But should the Church once begin to propagate her Truth by Bloodshed, that Blood would Tarnish all its Luster, and being bathed with it, it would lose its Solidity, its Splendour and its Value all at once. Let Truth then be my Solid Foundation, and let Us leave the Sanguinary and Penal Laws to those, who are not built upon it.  
If we cannot expect a perfect Peace and Union with Rome, yet we may hope for a Truce, a Cessation of Arms, a Happy Correspondance, and Mutual Commerce.  
Some Overtures of Peace have been frequently made from the Romanists, and I may truly say, if it had not been for some  Zealots, and other ignorant polemics, our breaches had never been so wide, but on the contrary, long since healed.  
Our Zealots cry perpetually against the Idolatry of the Church of Rome, and yet the Romanists cry as much against Idolatry as we. If they would paint a Papist, they besmear him with the ugly colour of Equivocations, Mental Reservations, Dispensations to Lie, Forswear, and Massacre their Neighbours: When on the contrary, the Roman Catholic recommends Simplicity and Godly Sincerity, as truly Christian Virtues necessary to the conservation of Justice, Truth, and Common Society: And tell us that all Pardons and Dispensations granted, or pretended to be granted, in order to any such ends or Designs, have no other Validity or Effect, then to add Sacrilege and Blasphemy to the  Crimes.  
And as for our common Controvertists, how often are we told by the Papists, that they mistake their Tenants,  their Doctrines, fight against Chimaeras of their own Brains, and most commonly either spend whole Volumes in refuting Errors, they condemn as well as we, or establishing Truths which they affirm? How often have they told us we must separate their Articles of Faith, from their Theological Questions, and take their Doctrines from their Councils, not their Schools? And yet how little have our polemics profited by this Admonition? How often have they urged us in former Times either to an Oral or Pen Combat, upon condition freedom and security might be given them, and the common Laws of Disputation observed; but still either the Interest of State, or some other accident hindered it; Insomuch that in their public Writings they have told us, we behave ourselves like persons Diffident of our Cause, who decline a Dispute on equal Terms, and either  their Tenants (as appears manifestly in their Doctrines of Justification and Merit, Satisfaction and Indulgences) or else play the Buffoons in Joaking, Scoffing or relating Stories, which if true, would not touch Religion. I must confess many of our Pen-feathered Divines are too blame in this, who after a year or two's time spent in the University, many times step into the Pulpit, where, (for want it may be of matter,) they confute Bellarmine with thou Liest, and rail at Rome and Hell, the Pope and the Devil, as if linked together in one Chain; for which being cried up by their Zealous and Ignorant Auditors, and moved with an Itch of being in Print, they publish these their Conceptions to the World, and flatter themselves as if from thence, the Down-fall of Popery, and the Destruction of the Whore of Babylon would ensue.  

Upon these Considerations, My Lords and Gentlemen,  
MY humble request to you in this Assembly, is, that You would appoint some means for our Quiet, Concord and Agreement; and that whatever may widen our Breaches, may be laid aside; and what may close them, embraced. The best way to effect which, in my thoughts are these,  
I. That a cessation of Arms be proclaimed: That is, that the Penal Law's, and especially the Sanguinary, may be, if not quite taken off, at least suspended, and those who are known to be Friends to the King and Kingdoms good, may with Us enjoy part of those Blessings, which we may hope for, under so Great, and so Just a King, and a Kingdom so United.  
II. That for the healing our Animosities, both sides be strictly prohibittd in their Sermons, to touch upon matters of Controversy, or to use Animating Reflections; But that those Discourses may tend wholly to Peace and Piety, Religion and sound Morality. And that in all public Catechisms, the Grounds and Principles of Religion be clearly, and solely explicated, without Reflecting Animosities.  
III. That some Learned, Devout, and Sober persons, may be made choice of on both sides, who may truly state matters of Controversy betwixt us; to the end each one may know the others Pretensions, and the Tenants they cannot abandon without breaking the Chain of Apostolic Faith. And if we find (notwithstanding we are told by them, that the difference betwixt Them and Us, is not so great, nor their Tenants so ' Pernicious, but if we saw them Naked, we should, if not embrace them as Truths, at least not condemn them;) If (I say) notwithstanding all this, we cannot come to an Agreement in some Nice points, let us endeavour to agree to live together in the Bonds of Love and Charity as becomes good Christians, and Loyal Subjects, and join together to oppugn those known Maxims and Errors, which destroy the Essence of Religion and good Government.  
This is (My Dearest Children) the Remonstrance I thought good to make you, and I doubt not but your Wisdoms will so order it, that, if not by this Method, at least by some Efficacious Means, all our Differences may be soothed; and when heats about Religion cease, we may hope for a future stable quiet in the Nation. This is what I shall daily Pray for, and that God would by his Grace so guide this great Assembly, that all their Acts, Votes and Councils may tend to his Honour and Glory, the good of his Church, and the Prosperity and lasting Peace of the Kingdom.  
Amen.  
God Save King JAMES the Second.