TOLERATION, for these ten years past, has

not been more the cry of fome, than persecution has been the practice of others, though not on grounds equally rational.

The present cause of this address, is to folicit a conversion of that power to our relief, which hitherto has been employed to our depression, that after this large experience of our innocency, and long since expired apprenticeship of cruel sufferings, you will be pleased to cancel all our bonds, and give us a possession of those freedoms, to which we are intituled by English birth-right.

This has been often promised to us, and we as earnestly have expected the performance; but to this time we labour under the unspeakable pressure of nafty prisons, and daily confiscation of our goods, to the apparent ruin of intire families.

We would not attribute the whole of this severity to malice, since not a little share may justly be ascribed to mif-intelligence.

For it is the infelicity of governors to see and hear by the eyes and ears of other men ; which is equally unhappy for the people.

And we are bold to say, that suppositions, and mere conjectures, have been the best measures that most have taken of us, and of our principles; for whilst there have been none more inoffensive, we have been marked for capital offenders.

(iv) It is hard that we should always lie under this undeserved imputation; and, which is worse, be persesecuted as such, without the liberty of a just defence.

In short, if you are apprehensive that our principles are inconsistent with the civil government, grant us a free conference about the points in question, and let us know what are those laws, essential to preservation, that our opinions carry an opposition to ? And if upon a due enquiry we are found so heterdox as represented, it will be then bui time enough to inflict these heavy penalties upon us.

And as this medium seems the faireft, and most reasonable ; so can you never do yourselves greater juftice, either in the vindication of your proceedings against us, if we be criminal; or if innocent, in disengaging your service of such as have been authors of so much mif-information.

But could we once obtain the favour of such debate, we doubt not to evince a clear consistency of our life and doctrine with the English government; and that an indulging of Dissenters in the sense defended, is not only most Christian and rational, but prudent also; and the contrary (how plausible foever insinuated) the most injurious to the peace, and destructive of that discreet balance, which the best and wisest states have ever carefully observed.

But if this fair and equal offer find not a place with you, on which to rest its foot; much less that it should bring us back the olive-branch of TOLERATION; we heartily embrace and bless the providence of God; and, in his strength, resolve by patience to outweary persecution, and by our constant sufferings seek to obtain a victory, more glorious than any our adversaries can atchieve by all their cruelties.

VINCIT QUI PATITUR.

From a prisoner for conscience sake, Newgate, the 7th of

W. P. the 12th month, called February, 1670.

THE

ERE some as Christian as they boast them

selves to be, it would save us all the labour we bestow in rendering Persecution so unchristian as it most truly is. Nay, were they those men of reason they character themselves, and what the civil law ftiles good citizens, it had been needless for us to tell them, that neither can any external coercive power convince the understanding of the poorest ideot, nor fines and prisons be judged fit and adequate penalties for faults purely intellectual; as well as that they are destructive of all civil government.

But we need not run so far as beyond the seas, to fetch the sense of the Codes, Institutes, and Digests, out of the Corpus Civile, to adjudge such practices incongruous with the good of civil society ; since our own good, old, admirable laws of England have made such excellent provision for its inhabitants, that if they were but thought as fit to be executed by this present age, as they were rightly judged necessary to be made by our careful ancestors, we know how great a stroke they would give such as venture to lead away our property in triumph (as our just forfeiture) for only worshipping our God in a differing way from that which is more generally professed and established.

And indeed it is most truly lamentable, that above others (who have been found in so unnatural and antiA 3

christian an employment) those that by their own ffequent practices and voluminous apologies, have defended a separation from the Papacy, should now become such earnest persecutors for it; not considering, that the enaction of such laws as restrain persons from the free exercise of their consciences in matters of religion, is but a knotting whip-cord to lash their own pofterity; whom they can never promise to be conformed to a National Religion. Nays since mankind is subject to such mutability, they cannot ensure themselves from being taken by some persuasions that are esteemed heterodox, and consequently catch themselves in snares 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 concessions may appear, to enact any religion, or prohibit persons from the free exercise of theirs, sounds harsh in the ears of all modest and unbiaffed men. We are bold to say, our Protestant ancestors thought of nothing less, than to be succeeded by perfons vainglorious of their Reformation, and yet adversaries to Liberty of Conscience : For to people in their wits it seems a paradox.

Not that we are so ignorant, as to think it is within the reach of human power to fetter conscience, or to restrain its liberty, strictly taken : but that plain English, of Liberty of Conscience, we would be understood to mean, is this; namely, “The free and un

interrupted exercise of our consciences, in that way

of worship we are most clearly persuaded God re• quires us to serve him in, without endangering our

undoubted birth-right of English freedoms :' Which being matter of Faith, we sin if we omit; and they cannot do less, that shall endeavour it.

To tell us we are obftinate, and enemies to government, are but those groundless phrases the first reformers were not a little pestered with : but as they said, so say we, The being called this, or that, does not conclude us fo: and hitherto we have not been detected of that fact, which only justifies such crimi. nations.

But however free we can approve ourselves of actions prejudicial to the civil government; it is most certain we have not suffered a little, as criminals, and therefore have been far from being free from sufferings; indeed, in some respect, horrid plunders : widows have lost their cows, orphans their beds, and labourers their tools. A tragedy so sad, that methinks it should oblige them to do in England as they did at Athens :' when they had facrificed their divine Socrates to the sottish fury of their lewd and comical multitude, they so regretted their hasty murder, that not only the memorial of Socrates was most venerable with them, but his enemies they esteemed so much theirs, that none would trade or hold the least commerce with them; for which some turned their own executioners, and without any other warrant than their own guilt, hạnged themselves. How near a-kin the wretched mercenary informers of our age are to those, the great resemblance that is betwixt their actions manifestly shews.

And we are bold to say, the grand fomentors of persecution are no better friends to the English state, chan were Anytus and Aristophanes of old to that of Athens; the case being so nearly the same, 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 diversion from frequenting their plays) than some now.emulate the true diffenter, for his pious life, and great industry.

And as that famous, common-wealth was noted to decline, and the most observing perfons of it dated its decay from that illegal and ingrateful carriage towards Socrates (witness their dreadful plagues, with other multiplied disasters) so it is not less worthy obfervation, that heaven hath not been wholly wanting to scourge this land, for, as well their cruelty to the çonscientious, as their other multiplied provocations.