HIS MAJESTY'S Reasons for Withdrawing Himself from ROCHESTER, Wrote with His own Hand and Ordered by Him to be PUBLISHED.  
REASON'S Why in this Conjuncture no Alteration should be made in the GOVERNMENT of the CHURCH of SCOTLAND, BY A SINCERE PROTESTANT AND A LOVER OF HIS COUNTRY.  
Printed in the Year, 1689.   

HIS MAJESTY'S REASONS, FOR Withdrawing Himself from Rochester.  
Wrote with his own hand, and ordered by him to be published.  
THE World cannot wonder at my withdrawing myself, now this second time, I might have expected some what better usage, after what I wrote to the prince of Orange, by my Lord Feversham, and the Instructions I gave him; But instead of an Answer, such as I might have hoped for, What was to expect after the usage I received by the making the said Earl a prisoner against the practice and Law of Nations?  
The sending his own Guards at eleven at night, to take possession of the posts at White hall, without advertising me in the least manner of it, The sending' o me at one a clock, after midnight, when I was in Bed, a kind of an Order by three Lords, to begun out of my own palace, before twelve that same Morning. After all this how should I hope to be safe, so long as I was in the power of one, who had not only done this to me, and invaded my Kingdoms, without any just cause given him for it? But that did by his first Declaration, lay the greatest Aspersion upon me, that malice could invent, in that clause of it which concerns my Son: I appeal to all that know me, nav even to himself, that in their Consciences, neither he nor they can believe me in the least capable of so unnatural a Villainy, nor of so little common sense, to be imposed on in a thing of such a Nature as that. What had I then to expect from one, who by all Arts hath taken such pains, to make me appear as black as hell to my own people, as well as to all the World besides? What effect that hath had at home, all Mankind have seen by so general a Defection in my Army, as well as in the Nation amongst all sort of people.  
I was Born Free, and desire to continue so, And though I have ventured myself very frankly, on several Occasions for the good and honour of my Country, and am as free to do it again, (and which I hope I shall yet do, as old as I am, to redeem it from the slavery, it is like to fall under;) Yet I think it not convenient to expose myself to be secured, as not to be at Liberty to effect it; and for that Reason I withdrew, but so as to be within call, when soever the Nations Eyes shall be opened, so as to see how they have been abused, and imposed upon by the specious pretences of Religion and property. I hope it will please GOD. to touch their Hearts, out of his infinite mercy, and to make them sensible of the ill condition they are in, and bring them to such a temper, that a Legal Parliament may be called; and that amongst other things which may be necessary to be done, they will agree to Liberty of Conscience for all Protestant Dissenters; And that those of my own persuasion may be so far considered, and have such a share in it, as they may live peaceably and quietly, as Englishmen, and Christians ought to do, and not to be obliged to transport themselves, which would be very grievous, especially to such as love their own Country: And I appeal to all, who are considering Men, and have had Experience, Whether any thing can make this Nation so great in flourishing, as Liberty of Conscience? Some of our Neighbours dread it. I could add much more to confirm all I have said, but now is not the proper time,  
ROCHESTER, December 22d. 1688.   

REASON'S Why in this Conjuncture no Alteration should be made in the GOVERNMENT of the CHURCH of SCOTLAND By a Sincere PROTESTANT and a Lover of His COUNTRY.  
BEcause the present i. e. the Episcopal Government has not only the Advantages of Apostolic Institution, and universal reception by all Churches, since the first propagation of Christianity, (it being impossible in all the Authentic Records of the Church, to find so much as one single Church, Governed by mere Presbyters, till the 16th. Century;) but also by Experience it is found to be the best Adapted for the preservation of Order, Peace, Unity, etc.  
1. The Tyranny of presbytery is unsupportable, as is evident from all the Histories of the late times, many man are yet alive who knew this by Experience.  
3. The most part of the Nobility, Gentry and Burgesses of this Nation have taken the Test, and thereby sworn against presbytery, by consequence, such can never consent to, or vote for the Introduction of Presbytry or the Abolition of Episcopacy, nor choose such Commissioners, as will probably Vote so, without the evident hazard of Perjury; especially considering,  
4. That it Presbytry be Established, the Covenants must be renewed, as is evident not only from the present proceed of the Presbyteterian Preachers, who refer manifestly to them in their Address lately designed for the Prince of Orange, and have made the breach of them one of the principal Arguments for their late Fast, but also from the Natural Exigencies of the Thing, it being hardly imaginable upon what other Foundation the Restitution of Presbytry can be claimed. Briefly, Presbytry cannot be settled but upon the Acts of the General Assemblies Anno 1638. and downward, and the Acts of the Correspondent Resciended Parliaments? or else it must begin on a new Foundation. It it begin on a new Foundation, than the present separation of the Presbyterians from the Church: as by all Law established must needs be condemned, if being made on no tolerable pretences, a thing which by all means they must avoid. If it stand, upon the old Found, than all these Acts of Parliaments and General Assemblies from the 38. to the 61. must revive; and by Consequence these Acts that oblige all Persons under the highest penalties, Civil and Ecclesiastical, to swear the Covenants. But if the Covenants revive (besides the Material iniquities, particularly of the Solemn League) it will unavoidably make the most considerable part of the Nation either perjured or Miserable. All these must be perjured who have taken the Declaration, Test, etc. and yet shall take the Covenants, and all such must be miserable, who will not take them.  
5. I he Restitution of Presbyters, will evidently have these further deplorable Effects among many others. First, No man who has been any ways active in the execution of the Laws, or in the King's service, or for the present Church's interest: but will be in eminent hazards of sinning, and being rendered uncapable of all public Trusts, either Civil or Ecclesiastical, or else he must do public penance for what he has done. This is already Condescended on, and vented by the Presbyterian party. 2dly, All that have taken the Test will be obliged to renounce it, and submit to Ecclesiastical Censures (perhaps to Civil too) for having taken it. 3dly, All that have received Episcopal Ordinations or (being Laymen) have at any time Acted by virtue of Episcopal Commissions, must expect the same measures; for all these things are not only naturally consequent upon the Restitution of Presbytry, but are actually resolved upon by that party. But above all these, whether Noblemen or Gentlemen, who have at any time appeared in Arms, for Quashing the late Rebellion; in the West, Pictland Hills, Bothwel Bridge, etc. are threatened with the severest corrections, and reckoned the Arch-heretics. None of these things be, not only a great part of the Laity of the Nation, must be reduced to sad straits, both in relation to Conscience and Interest: but also, all the present conforming Clergy most be quite turned out it being unpresumable that they can submit to these impositions. But if they shall be turned out (besides the evident straits and necessities, so many Families must be Redacted to, wherein yet the Gentrey of the Nation are Generally concerned) the Church will be left almost entirely Destitute of Pastors, there being not so many tolerable Qualified Men of the Presbyterian persuasion as can fill the 5th. or 6th. part of the Churches of the Nation.  
6. It Presbytry shall not be thus established in its Integrity, but all the alteration shall be a Non-Episcopacy, and the present Incumbants' shall be permitted to continue in their Offices and Stations, our deplorable Schisms and Divisions, will continue without Remedy, as is evident to any considering Person, or else the Magistrate must entirely take upon him the Government and Discipline of the Church, and we must instead of true Church Government, have down right Erastianism.  
7. The establishment of presbytry or Erastianism in this Kingdom, will naturally tend to have a most pernicious influence upon the Protestant Interest within this Island of Britain, if ever popery shall offer again to set up its Head. The Church of Scotland, and the Church of England will stand on different bottoms, and so will be obliged to defend themselves upon different principles, and by different Arguments, which ('tis to be feared) will prove hard for Scotland. We find by experience that the English Clergy have kept their ground bravely against popery. In point of Argument, no Protestant Church has ever justified herself so well upon so solid grounds, and that upon the account of her Episcopal constitution, by which her Ordinations are clear, and the Mission of her Officers unquarrellable by the papists. By defending Herself, She hath hitherto defended us likewise because we are built upon the same. Foundation. But if we shall now begin upon another Foundation, we must divide from her, and that will weaken her affection towards us, and her concern in us, and we must stand by ourselves: Yet God knows how unable we are to subsist without her assistance. The papists love extraordinarly to Fish in troubled watter's, and to see protestants divided, if therefore we cast out with England (as we must needs do if we turn down Episcopacy) we shall give the Papists more advantage than most people are ware of.  
8. To endeavour the Restitution of Presbytery at this Juncture will undoubtly disoblidge the Princess of Orange, who has from her Intancy been Educate in the Communion of the Church of England, and still has professed herself of Episcopal principles. It will disoblige the Prince of Orange, who (as we are uncontravertibly informed) has no inclinations at all that the Government of this Church should be changed. Our Scotish Nobility who are now at London are generally (4 or 5. Lords only excepted) resolved to stand by the present establishment of the Church. Very many of the Gentry who are there, who at their first coming thither, were cold and careless seeing now further into the Presbyterian designs than they did before, find it their concern to Espouse the present Church's interest, I hose of the Presbyterian persuasion are not the 5th. or 6th. part of the people of the Nation, and generally people of mean both knowledge and Quality. These things laid together may persuade any Ingenious Man to befriend the present establishment.  
9 And what tho' it be true that some of our present Bishops have done things, and made condescensions, perhaps not entirely becoming their Character? any man can easily distinguish between the Order and the Persons, Let the Persons who have been guilty smart for it in God's Name, but why should the Order be rumed for their Miscarriages? Let all possible care be taken to prevent such failings; for the Future; Let there be a Convocation of the Clergy in due season, let us have Canons for regulating the exercise of the Government and Discipline of the Church; Let the Explanatory Act be rescinded and the Church be made a little more indeperdent on the Crown. So that Bishops may not be turned out of their Chairs without a Legal Trial: Let convenient Restraints be laid upon them, that they meddle not too much in Secular Affairs. Let these and such other usual Regulations be made, but let the Order be preserved.  
FINIS.