THE CASE OF DIVERS roman-catholics: As it was lately stated to a Person Eminent in the Law; and thought not unfit to be made public.  
VEry many of such His MAJESTIES Subjects( both Priests and Laymen) are fully persuaded and satisfied in Conscience  
That, under God, belongs( only) to his Sacred majesty, the Supreme coactive Jurisdiction, sovereignty and Rule over the Persons of all his Subjects within any his Dominions, of what estate or condition soever they be,( ecclesiastics or laics) to take Cognizance in his external Judicatories of Offenders for punishment of them, with Civil and corporal punishments, according to the nature and quality of their respective crimes and offences so deserving, whether committed in any Spiritual or Ecclesiastical thing or cause, or temporal and civil. Which said Supreme coactive Jurisdiction is, and was of Ancient right( in virtue of the Civil Sword) due to the Imperial Crown of this Realm.  
That neither the Pope, nor any other foreign Person, State or Potentate whatsoever, hath, or ought( of right) to have, over any His MAJESTIES Subjects within his said Dominions, any superiority repugnant to the same, to exercise any external Power of Coercion, by civil and corporal punishments, as aforesaid, for any matter or cause, spiritual or temporal whatsoever, other then by or under His MAJESTIES Permission or authority.  
That the Crown of England is immediately subject to God in all things touching the Regality of the same, and to none other, and consequently, that neither directly nor indirectly, the Pope hath power to depose the King, for any matter, or cause whatsoever; Or to absolve any his Subjects from their natural Allegiance to their sovereign, though differing in Religion; Or from the Obligation of an Oath by them taken, or to bee taken, for Recognition and Assurance thereof accordingly, which they will faithfully and constantly maintain, notwithstanding any Excommunication, Bull, or other Ecclesiastical Censure to the contrary.  
But, by such His MAJESTIES sovereignty and Rule, as above-mentioned, it is not meant, that He hath power to preach the Word of God, minister the Sacraments, Ordain and Consecrate persons to Holy Orders, Excommunicate notorious stubborn Offenders, Absolve Penitents, Or to exercise any power of the keys, Or any Act of Jurisdiction purely Spiritual or Internal, over the Soul and Conscience. All which( being merely spiritual) the Exercise and Cognizance thereof, as such, belong properly to those, whom the Holy Ghost hath placed to rule the Church of God, to punish Offenders in the same, with spiritual Censures, and Ecclesiastical Sentences.  
Quaere,  
If, upon due Consideration of the Preambles, Grounds, and Intent of several Statutes, Enacted against Popish Recusants, it may not clearly be collected, that persons of the abovesaid persuasion, were not meant to be comprehended under that notion. And consequently, that the severe penalties in the said Acts mentioned, were not intended to be put in execution against them: If the said persons make public Profession of such their belief, and confirm the same by Oath, which they are ready to do, in full, plain, and express words, without any Equivocation, or mental Reservation whatsoever; Hoping that for some particular Tenets( no way derogating from the Reverence due to the Divine Majesty, or sincere faithful dealing with their neighbours) they shall not be excluded from the general Indulgement to tender Consciences; since their dissent is not in any the least point that concerns the Civil government.   

LONDON, Printed for Anne Seile, over against Saint Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet. 1662.