christian an employment) those that by their own frequent practices and voluminous apologies, have defended a feparation from the Papacy, fhould now become fuch earnest perfecutors for it; not confidering, that the enaction of fuch laws as reftrain perfons from the free exercife of their confciences in matters of religion, is but a knotting whip-cord to lafh their own pofterity; whom they can never promise to be conformed to a National Religion. Nay, fince mankind is fubject to fuch mutability, they cannot enfure themfelves from being taken by fome perfuafions that are esteemed heterodox, and confequently catch themselves in fnares of their own providing. And for men thus liable to change, and no ways certain of their own belief to be the most infallible, as by their multiplied conceffions may appear, to enact any religion, or prohibit perfons from the free exercife of theirs, founds harfh in the ears of all modeft and unbiaffed men. We are bold to fay, our Proteftant ancestors thought of nothing lefs, than to be fucceeded by perfons vainglorious of their Reformation, and yet adverfaries to Liberty of Conscience: For to people in their wits it feems a paradox.

Not that we are fo ignorant, as to think it is within the reach of human power to fetter confcience, or to reftrain its liberty, ftrictly taken: but that plain English, of Liberty of Confcience, we would be understood to mean, is this; namely, The free and uninterrupted exercife of our confciences, in that way of worship we are moft clearly perfuaded God requires us to ferve him in, without endangering our • undoubted birth-right of English freedoms :' Which being matter of FAITH, we fin if we omit; and they cannot do lefs, that fhall endeavour it.

To tell us we are obftinate, and enemies to government, are but thofe groundless phrases the first reformers were not a little peftered with: but as they said, fo fay we, The being called this, or that, does not conclude us fo: and hitherto we have not been de

tected

tected of that fact, which only juftifies fuch crimi

nations.

But however free we can approve ourselves of actions prejudicial to the civil government; it is most certain we have not fuffered a little, as criminals, and therefore have been far from being free from fufferings; indeed, in fome refpect, horrid plunders: widows have loft their cows, orphans their beds, and labourers their tools. A tragedy fo fad, that methinks it should oblige them to do in England as they did at Athens when they had facrificed their divine Socrates to the fottifh fury of their lewd and comical multitude, they fo regretted their hafty murder, that not only the memorial of Socrates was moft venerable with them, but his enemies they efteemed fo much theirs, that none would trade or hold the leaft commerce with them; for which fome turned their own executioners, and without any other warrant than their own guilt, hanged themselves. How near a-kin the wretched mercenary informers of our age are to those, the great refemblance that is betwixt their actions manifeftly fhews.

And we are bold to fay, the grand fomentors of perfecution are no better friends to the English state, than were Anytus and Ariftophanes of old to that of Athens; the cafe being fo nearly the fame, as they did not more bitterly envy the reputation of Socrates amongst the Athenians for his grave and religious lectures (thereby giving the youth a diverfion from frequenting their plays) than fome now emulate the true diffenter, for his pious life, and great industry.

And as that famous common-wealth was noted to decline, and the moft obferving perfons of it dated its decay from that illegal and ingrateful carriage towards Socrates (witnefs their dreadful plagues, with other multiplied disasters) fo it is not lefs worthy observation, that heaven hath not been wholly wanting to fcourge this land, for, as well their cruelty to the confcientious, as their other multiplied provocations.

And when we seriously confider the dreadful judgments that now impend the nation (by reafon of the robbery, violence, unwonted oppreffion, that almoft every-where have not only been committed upon the poor, the widow, and the fatherlefs; but moft tenaciously juftified, and the actors manifeftly encouraged) in mere pity and concern for the everlasting welfare of fuch as have not quite finned away their vifitation (for fome have) we once more bring to public view our reasons against perfecution, backed with the plaineft inftances both of Scripture and Antiquity; if but one may be perfuaded to defift from making any farther progrefs in fuch an anti-proteftant, and truly anti-christian path, as that of perfecuting honeft and virtuous Englishmen, for only worshipping the God that made them in the way they judge moft acceptable with him.

But if those who ought to think themselves obliged to weigh these affairs with the greatest deliberation, will obftinately clofe their eyes to thefe laft remonftrances, and flightly over-look the pinching case of fo many thousand families, that are by these severities exposed for prey to the unfatiable appetites of a villainous crew of broken informers, daubing themselves with that deluding apprehenfion of pleafing God, or at least of profiting the country; (whilft they greatly displease the one, and evidently ruin the other) as certain as ever the Lord God Almighty deftroyed Sodom, and layed wafte Gomorrah, by the confuming flames of his juft indignation, will he haften to make defolate this wanton land, and not leave an hidingplace for the oppreffor.

Let no man therefore think himself too big to be admonished, nor put too flight a value upon the Lives, Liberties, and Properties of fo many thousand freeborn English families, embarked in that one concern of Liberty of Confcience. It will become him better to reflect upon his own mortality, and not forget his breath is in his noftrils, and that every action of his life the everlasting God will bring to judgment, and him for them.

CHAP.

CHAP I.

That impofition, restraint, and perfecution for confcience fake, highly invade the Divine prerogative, and diveft the Almighty of a right, due to none befides himself, and that in five eminent particulars.

T'

HE great cafe of Liberty of Confcience, so often debated and defended (however diffatisfactorily to fuch as have fo little conscience as to perfecute for it) is once more brought to publick view, by a late act against Diffenters, and Bill, or an additional one, that we all hoped the wifdom of our rulers had long fince laid afide, as what was fitter to be paffed into an act of perpetual oblivion. The kingdoms are alarmed at this procedure, and thousands greatly at a ftand, wondering what should be the meaning of fuch hafty refolutions, that feem as fatal as they were unexpected. Some afk what wrong they have done? others, what peace they have broken? and all, what plots they have formed to prejudice the prefent government, or occafions given to hatch new jealoufies of them and their proceedings? being not conscious to themselves of guilt in any fuch respect.

For mine own part, I publickly confefs myself to be a very hearty Diffenter from the established worship of thefe nations, as believing Proteftants to have much degenerated from their first principles, and as owning the poor defpifed Quakers, in life and doctrine, to have espoused the caufe of God, and to be the undoubted followers of Jefus Chrift, in his most holy, ftrait, and narrow way, that leads to the eternal reft. In all which I know no treason, nor any principle that would urge me to a thought injurious to the civil peace. If any be defective in this particular, it is equal both individuals and whole focieties fhould anfwer for their own defaults; but we are clear.

However, all conclude that union very ominous and unhappy, which makes the first discovery of itself "by

"a

"a John Baptift's head in a charger." They mean that feast which fome are defigned to make upon the liberties and properties of free-born Englishmen : Since to have the entail of those undoubted hereditary rights cut off, for matters purely relative of another world, is a fevere beheading in the law: which must be obvious to all, but fuch as measure the juftice of things only, by that proportion they bear with their own intereft. A fort of men that seek themselves, though at the apparent lofs of whole focieties; like to that barbarous fancy of old, which had rather that Rome should burn, than it be without the fatisfaction of a bon-fire. And fad it is, when men have fo far ftupefied their understandings with the strong dofes of their private intereft, as to become infenfible of the public's. Certainly fuch an over-fondness for self, or that ftrong inclination to raise themselves in the ruin of what does not fo much oppofe them, as that they will believe fo, because they would be perfecuting, is a malignant enemy to that tranquillity, which all diffenting parties feem to believe would be the confequence of a toleration.

In short we say, there can be but two ends in perfecution; the one to fatisfy (which none can ever do) the insatiable appetites of a decimating clergy (whose beft arguments are fines and imprisonments); and the other, as thinking therein they do God good fervice: but it is fo hateful a thing upon any account, that we shall make it appear, by this enfuing difcourfe, to be a declared enemy to God, religion, and the good of human fociety.

The whole will be fmall, fince it is but an epitome of no larger a tract than fourteen fheets; yet divides itself into the fame particulars, every of which we shall defend against impofition, reftraint, and perfecution, though not with that scope of reafon (nor confequently pleasure to the readers) being by other contingent difappointments limited to a narrow stint.

The