Reflections upon the present state of the nation

p^rfon; then can there hereafter be no manner of Certainty of him, fb as to
induce the Nation ever to corifider any Pretence of that kind.
Thele things being cpnfidered j
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■ Firftj Whether will not the;declaring her Royal Highneis Queen of Eng¬
land, as next in Succeffion, be the furefl: and beft Foundation to begin our
Settlement upon 5 rather than upon a groundlels Conceit of the Government
being devolved to the People, and fo they to proceed to Eledl: a King ?
Secondly,- ff that Conceit of devolving to the People be admitted, Whe¬
ther muft we not conclude, that the Mifgovernment of King JAMES the
Second, hath not only determin’d his Royalty, but put a period to the Mo¬
narchy it felf ? And then tis nor only a lofs as to his Perfbn, but to the whole
1 Royal Family., T
,/jThirdly, Whether thole perfons that have flatted this Notion, upon pre¬
tence of giving the Nation an opportunity of gratifying His Highnefs the
P r i n e e of;# in proportion to His Merits ( which it mull be
apknpvvledged no Rew;ard can exceed ) if they were fearched to the bottom,
did not do it rather to undermine this Ancient and Hereditary Monarchy,
and:to give ran Advantage to their Republican Principles, than out of any
Affection and Gratitude to His Highneis ? For if the latter was that they
jha4itherchi§f;-relppft tp^would^it not be the more proper wayjiv declare
hft.Qgeen wbi^:w^l..immediately. - put ’.the Nation under a
regular Conftitution and polture of^Government ? Then it will be capable
of exprefSng its Gratitude to the P r i n c e of 0 tfQJttC/ E, in matters touch¬
ing even the Royal Dignity it felf, without making filch a Stroke5 upon the
Government,‘ as the Electing of a King, or majkmg any other immediate
Alteration in the right of, the Monarchy (before the Parliament is compleat-
ed and conftituted in aU its parts ) muft amount unto.
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