An Address Given in to the Late King James by the Titular Archbishop of Dublin / From the General Meeting of the Romish Bishops and Clergy of Ireland, Held in May Last, by That King's Order. Wherein Several Things Relating to the Popish Designs upon These Three Kingdoms, Are Discovered. The Original Whereof Was Found in the Late King James's Closet, in the Castle of Dublin, at His Leaving That City: And the Copy Whereof Was Found in the Titular Archbishop's Lodgings. Now Publish'd with Reflections on Each Paragraph.

by Unknown

Reflections.

What a Barrier the Penal Laws are against Popery here, the Papists themselves do witness; And what an Eye-sore they are to them, they fairly enough insinuate by their earnestness with King James, in this Paragraph, to have them Repeal’d. Here it is we have reason to admire and praise the wise and happy Conduct of the Church of England in the late Reign, who would not be impos’d upon to take off these Laws, which the Papists as well as they, knew to be a firm barrier against Popery, and a sure fence for securing the Protestant Religion; Whatever other glosses were put upon them by some of that time. This does sufficiently free that Church from the imputation of wilfulness and moroseness thrown upon them by their Enemies upon the account of their Refusal in this matter: since the Papists themselves acknowledge in the above-mentioned Paragraph, That these Laws were originally enacted to abolish the Roman-Catholick Religion, and to be the main hinderance of its advancement. And indeed they must have been very blind, that did not see through the Designs of the late Reign, in their Intriegues of repealing these Laws: And it were a great Reflection upon the Wisdom of the Dissenters, to think they had any other thoughts of the Court-Designs at that time, or that they could be brought to imagine, there was any real kindness meant towards them, either in the Toleration granted them, or in the Insinuations made them to take off the Penal Laws. For there was no Party of men more odious to the Papists, than the Dissenters, notwithstanding of all the Caresses made them, merely to juggle them into their own Ruine, and the Ruine of the Church of England.