And when we seriously consider the dreadful judgments that now impend the nation (by reason of the robbery, violence, unwonted oppreßion, that almost every-where have not only been committed upon the poor, the widow, and the fatherless; but most tenaciousy justified, and the actors manifestly encouraged) in mere pity and concern for the everlasting welfare of such as have not quite sinned away their visitation (for some have) we once more bring to public view our reasons against persecution, backed with the plainest instances both of Scripture and Antiquity; if but one may be persuaded to desist from making any farther progress in such an anti-protestant, and truly anti-christian path, as that of persecuting honest and virtuous Englishmen, for only worshipping the God that made them in the way they judge most acceptable with him.

But if those who ought to think themselves obliged to weigh these affairs with the greatest deliberation, will obstinately close their eyes to these last remonftrances, and slightly over-look the pinching case of so many thousand families, that are by these severities exposed for prey to the unsatiable appetites of a villainous crew of broken informers, daubing themselves with that deluding apprehension of pleasing God, or at least of profiting the country : (whilst they greatly displease the one, and evidently ruin the other) as certain as ever the Lord God Almighty destroyed Sodom, and layed waste Gomorrah, by the consuming flames of his just indignation, will he hasten to make defolate this wanton land, and not leave an hidingplace for the oppressor.

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

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That imposition, restraint, and persecution for conscia

ence fake, highly invade the Divine prerogative, and divest the Almighty of a right, due to none besides himself, and that in five eminent particulars. THE great case of Liberty of Conscience, so of

ten debated and defended (however dissatisfactorily to such as have so little conscience as to persecute 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 wisdom of our rulers had long since laid aside, as what was fitter to be passed into an act of perpetual oblivion. The kingdoms are alarmed at this procedure, and thousands greatly at a stand, wondering what should be the meaning of such hasty resolutions, that seem as fatal as they were unexpected. Some ask what wrong they have done? others, what peace they have broken ? and all, what plots they have formed to prejudice the present government, or occasions given to hatch new jealousies of them and their proceedings ? being not conscious to themselves of guilt in any such respect.

For mine own part, I publickly confess myself to be a very hearty Dissenter from the established worship of these nations, as believing Protestants to have much degenerated from their first principles, and as' owning the poor despised Quakers, in life and doctrine, to have espoused the cause of God, and to be the undoubted followers of Jesus Christ, in his most holy, strait, and narrow way, that leads to the eternal rest. 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 societies should answer 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 Baptist's head in a charger.” They mean that feast which some are designed 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 severe beheading in the law: which must be obvious to all, but such as measure the justice of things only, by that proportion they bear with their own interest. A sort of men that seek themselves, though at the apparent loss of whole societies; like to that barbarous fancy of old, which had rather that Rome should burn, than it be without the satisfaction of a bon-fire. And fad ie is, when men have so far ftupefied their understandings with the strong doses of their private interest, as to become insensible of the public's. Certainly such an over-fondness for self, or that strong inclination to raise themselves in the ruin of what does not so much oppose them, as that they will believe so, because they would be persecuting, is a malignant enemy to that tranquillity, which all difsenting parties seem to believe would be the consequence of a toleration.

In short we say, there can be but two ends in persecution ; the one to satisfy (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 service: but it is so hateful a thing upon any account, that we shall make it appear, by this ensuing discourse, to be a declared enemy to God, religion, and the good of human fociety.

The whole will be small, since it is but an epitome of no larger a tract' than fourteen sheets; yet divides itself into the same particulars, every of which we shall defend against imposition, restraint, and persecution, though not with that scope of reason (nor consequently pleasure to the readers) being by other contingent disappointments limited to a narrow stint.

The

The terms explained, and the question stated. First, By Liberty of Conscience, we understand not only a mere Liberty of the Mind, in believing or disbelieving this or that principle or doctrine ; but the « exercise of ourselves in a visible way of worship,

upon our believing it to be indispensably required at

our hands, that if we neglect it for fear or favour of any mortal man, we sin, and incur divine wrath.' Yet we would be so understood to extend and justify the lawfulness of our so meeting to worship God, as not to contrive, or abet any contrivance destructive of the government and laws of the land, tending to matters of an external nature, directly or indirectly; but so far only as it may refer to religious matters, and a life to come, and consequently wholly independent of the fecular affairs of this, wherein we are supposed to transgress.

Secondly, By imposition, restraint, and persecution, we do not only mean the strict requiring of us to believe this to be true, or that to be false ; and upon refusal, to incur the penalties enacted in such cases; but by those terms we mean thus much, any coercive lett «'or hindrance to us, from meeting together to perform « those religious exercises which are according to our • faith and persuasion.”

The question stated, For proof of the aforesaid terms thus given, we singly.state the question thus ;

Whether imposition, restraint, and persecution, upon persons for exercising such a liberty of conscience as is before expressed, and so circumftantiated, be not to impeach the honour of God, the meekness of the Chri. ftian religion, the authority of Scripture, the privilege of nature, the principles of common reason, the well being of government, and apprehensions of the greatest personages of former and latter ages ?

First, First, Then we say, that Imposition, Restraint, and Persecution, for matters relating to conscience, directly invade the divine prerogative, and divest the Almighty of a due, proper to none besides himself. And this we prove by these five particulars :

First, If we do allow the honour of our creation due to God only, and that no other besides himself has endowed us with those excellent gifts of Understanding, Reason, Judgment, and Faith, and consequently that he only is the object, as well as the author, both of our Faith, Worship, and Service; then whosoever shall interpose their authority to enact faith and worship in a way that seems not to us congruous with what he has discovered to us to be faith and worship (whose alone property it is to do it) or to restrain us from what we are persuaded is our indispensable duty, they evidently usurp this authority, and invade his incommunicable right of government over conscience : · For the Inspiration of the Almighty gives

understanding: and faith is the gift of God,' says the divine writ.

Secondly, Such magisterial determinations carry an evident claim to that infallibility, which Protestants have been hitherto so jealous of owning, that, to avoid the Papists, they have denied it to all but God himself.

Either they have forsook their old plea ; or if not, we desire to know when, and where, they were invested with that divine excellency; and whether imposition, restraint, and persecution, were ever deemed by God the fruits of his Spirit. However, that itself was not fufficient; for unless it appear as well to us that they have it, as to them who have it, we cannot believe it upon any convincing evidence, but by tradition only; an anti-protestant way of believing.

Thirdly, It enthrones man as king over conscience, the alone just claim and privilege of his Creator ; whose thoughts are not as mens thoughts, but has reserved to himself that empire from all the Cæsars on earth: For if men, in reference to souls and bodies, things apper

taining