An answer to Mr. Henry Payne's letter concerning His Majesty's declaration of indulgence, writ to the author of the Letter to a dissenter Burnet, Gilbert, 1643-1715. 1687 Approx. 15 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 3 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A30323 Wing B5760 ESTC R15369 12651178 ocm 12651178 65283 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A30323) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 65283) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 346:3) An answer to Mr. Henry Payne's letter concerning His Majesty's declaration of indulgence, writ to the author of the Letter to a dissenter Burnet, Gilbert, 1643-1715. 4 p. s.n., [S.l. : 1687] Caption title. Signed: T.T. [i.e. Gilbert Burnet]. Cf. Halkett & Laing (2nd ed.). Date of publication from Wing. Reproduction of original in Union Theological Seminary Library, New York. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Payne, Henry Neville, fl. 1672-1710. -- Answer to a scandalous pamphlet entituled, A letter to a dissenter concerning His Majesties late declaration of indulgence. Halifax, George Savile, -- Marquis of, 1633-1695. -- Letter to a dissenter. 2003-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-10 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-01 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2004-01 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion An ANSWER To Mr. Henry Payne's LETTER , Concerning His Majesty's DECLARATION of INDULGENCE , Writ to the Author of the Letter to A Dissenter . Mr. PAYNE , I Cannot hold asking you , how much Money you had , from the Writer of the Paper , which you pretend to Answer : for as you have the character of a man that deales with both hands , so this is writ in such a manner as to make one think you were hired to it , by the Adverse Party : but it has been indeed so ordinary to your Friends , to write in this manner of late , that the Censures upon it are divided , both fall heavy : some suspect their Sincerity others accuse them for want of a right Understanding : for tho all are not of the pitch of the Irish Priests Reflections , on the Bp of Bath and Wells's Sermon , which was indeed Irish double refined ; yet both in your Books of Controversy , and Policy , and even in your Poems , you seem to have entred into such an intermixture with the Irish , that the thread all over is Linsey-woollsey . You acknowledge that the Gentleman whom you answer has a Polite Pen , and that his Letter is an Ingenious paper , and made up of well-Composed Sentences and Periods . Yet I believe he will hardly return you your Complement . If it was well writ , your Party wants either Men or Judgment extreamly , in allowing you this province of answering it . If the Paper did you some hurt , you had better have let the Town be a litle pleased with it for a while ; and have hoped that a litle time or some new paper ( tho one of its force is scarce to be expected ) should have worn it out , then to give it a new luster by such an Answer . The Time of the Dissenters Sufferings , which you lengthen out to 27 years , will hardly amount to seven . For the long Intervals it had , in the last Reign , are not forgot : and those who animated the latest and severest of their sufferings are such , that in good manners you ought not to reflect on their Conduct . Opium is as certain a poison , tho not so violent , as Sublimate ; and if more corrosive Medicines did not work , the Design is the same , when soporiferous ones are used : since the Patient is to be killed both ways : and it seems that all that is in debate is , which is the safer : the accepting a present ease when the ill intent with which it is offered , is Visible , is just as wise an action , as to take Opium to lay a small Distemper when one may conclude from the dose , that he will never come out of the Sleep . So that after all , it is plain on which side the Madness lies . The Dissenters for a little present ease , to be enjoyed at Mercy , must concur to break down all our hedges , and to lay us open to that Devouring Power , before which nothing can stand that will not worship it . All that for which you reproach the Church of England amounts to this , that a few good words , could not persuade her to destroy her self ; and to Sacrifice her Religion and the Laws to a party that never has done nor ever can do the King half the service that she has rendred him . There are some sorts of propositions that a man does not know how to answer : nor would he be thought Ingratefull who after he had received some Civilities from a person to whom he had done great service , could not be prevailed with by these so far as to spare him his Wife or his Daughter . It must argue a peculiar degree of confidence to ask things , that are above the being either askt or granted . Our Religion and our Government are matters that are not to be parted with to shew our good breeding : and of all men living you ought not to pretend to Good Manners , who talk as you do , of the Oppression of the last Reign . When the King's Obligations to his Brother , and the share that he had in his Councils , are considered ; the reproaching his Government , has so ill a grace , that you are as Indecent in your Flatteries as Injurious in your Reflections . And by this gratitude of yours to the Memory of the late King , the Church of England may easily Infer , how long all her Services would be remembred , even if she had done all that was desired of her . I would fain know which of the Brethren of the Dissenters in forreigne Countries sought their Relief from Rebellion . The Germans Reformed by the Authority of their Princes , so did the Swedes , the Danes , and like wise the Switsers . In France they maintained the Princes of the Blood against the League : and in Holland the Quarrell was for Civil liberties ; Protestant and Papist concurring equally in it . You mention Holland as an Instance that Liberty and Infallibility can dwell together : since Papists there shew that they can be friendly neighbours , to those whom they think in the wrong : It is very like they would be still so in England , if they were under the lash of the law , and so were upon their good behaviour , the Goverment being still against them : and this has so good an effect in Holland , that I hope we shall never depart from the Dutch Pattern : some can be very Humble Servants that would prove Imperious Masters . You say that Force is our only Supporter : but tho there is no force of our side at present , it does not appear that we are in such a tottering condition , as if we had no Supporter left us . God and Truth are of our side : and the indiscreet use of Force , when set on by our Enemies , has rather undermined than supported us . But you have taken pains to make us grow wiser , and to let us see our Errors , which is perhaps the only obligation that we owe you ; and we are so sensible of it , that without examining what your Intentions may have been in it , we heartily thank you for it . I do not comprehend what your quarrell is at the squinting Term of the next heir , as you call it ; tho I do not wonder that squinting comes in your mind whensoever you think of HER ; for all people look asquint at that which troubles them : and her being the next heir is no less the delight of all good men , than it is your affliction : all the pains that you take to represent her dreadful to the Dissenters , must needs find that credit with them , that is due to the Insinuations of an Enemy . It is very true , that as she was bred up in our Church , she adheres to it so Eminently , as to make her to be now our chief Ornament as we hope she will be once our main Defence . If by the strictest form of our Church you mean an Exemplary Piety , and a shining Conversation , you have given her true Character : But your designe lies another way to make the Dissenters form strange Ideas of her , as if she thought all Indulgence to them Criminal : But as the Gentleness of her nature is such , that none but those who are so guilty , that all mercy to them would be a Crime , can apprehend any thing that is terrible , from her , so as for the Dissenters , her going so constantly to the Dutch and French Churches shews , that she can very well endure their Assemblies , at the same time that she prefers , ours . She has also too often expressed her dislike at the heats that have been kept up among us concerning such Inconsiderable Differences , to pass for a Bigot or a persecutor in such matters : and She sees both the mischief that the Protestant Religion has received from their subdivisions , and the happiness of granting a due Liberty of Conscience , where she has so long lived , that there is no reason to make any fancy that she will either keep up our Differences , or bear down the Dissenters with Rigor . But because you hope for nothing from her own Inclinations , you would have her terrified with the strong Argument of Numbers , which you fancy will certainly secure them from her recalling the favour . But of what side soever that Argument may be strong , sure it is not of theirs who make but one to Two hundred : and I suppose you scarce expect that the Dissenters will rebel , that you may have your Masses , and how their numbers will secure them , unless it be by enabling them to Rebell , I cannot Imagine : this is indeed a squinting at the Next Heir , with a witness , when you would already muster up the Troops that must rise against her . But let me tell you , that you know both Her Character and the Prince's very ill that fancy , they are only to be wrought on by Fear . They are known to your great grief ; to be above that : and it must be to their own Mercifull Inclinations , that you must owe all that you can expect under them , but neither to their fear nor to your own Numbers . As for the hatred and Contempt , even to the degree of being more Ridiculous then the Mass under which you say Her way of Worship is in Holland , this is one of those figures of speech that shew how exactly you have Studied the Iesuites Moralls . All that come from Holland , assure us , that she is so Universally beloved and esteemed there , that every thing that she does , is the better thought of even because she does it . Upon the whole matter , all that you say of the Next Heir , proves too truly that you are that for which you reproach the Church of England , a Disciple of the Crown only for the loaves ; for if you had that respect which you pretend for the King , you would have shewed it more upon this occasion . Nor am I so much in love with your stile , as to imitate it , therefore I will not do you so great a pleasure , as to say the least thing that may reflect on that Authority , which the Church of England has taught me to reverence even after all the Disgraces that she has received from it : and if she were not Insuperably restrained by her Principles , instead of the Thin Muster with which you reproach her , she could soon make so thick a one as would make the Thinnes of yours , very visible upon so unequall a division of the Nation : But she will neither be threatned nor laughed out of her Religion and her loyalty : tho such insultings as she meets with , that almost pass all humane Patience , would tempt men that had a less fixed principle of submission , to make their Enemies feel to their cost , that they owe all the Triumphs they make , more to our Principles , than to their own Force . Their laughing at our Doctrine of non resistance , lets us see , that it would be none of theirs under the Next Heir , at whom you Squint , if the strong Argument of Numbers made you not apprehend that Two Hundred to one would prove an Unequal Match . As for your Memorandums , I shall answer them as short as you give them 1. It will be hard , to persuade people , that a Decision in favour of the Dispencing Power , flowing from Iudges that are both made , and payed , and that may be removed at pleasure , will amount to the recognising of that Right by law . 2. It will be hard to persuade the world , that the Kings adhering to his Promises , and his Coronation Oath , and to the known Lawes of the land , would make him Felo de se. The following of different methods were the likelier way to it , if it were not for the Loyalty of the Church of England . 3. It will be very easy to see the use of continuing the Test by Law ; since all those that break thro it , as well as the Iudges , who have authorised their Crimes , are still liable for all they do : and after all your huffing , with the Dispencing Power , we do not doubt but the apprehension of an after reckoning sticks deep somewhere , you say , it may be supposed , that the aversion of a Protestant King to the Popish party , will sufficiently exclude them , even without the Test. But it must be confessed , that you take all possible care , to confirm that Aversion so far , as to put it beyond a it may be supposed . And it seems you understand Christs Prerogative , as wel as the Iudges did the Kings , that fancy the Test is against it : it is so suteable to the nature of all Governments , to take Assurances of those who are admitted to Places of Trust , that you do very ill to appeal to an Impartial consideration , for you are sure to lose it there . Few English men , will believe you in earnest when you seem zealous for publick liberty , or the Magna Charta : or that you are so very apprehensive of Slavery : And your Friends must have very much changed both their Natures and their Principles , if their conduct does not give cause to renew the like Statutes against them , even tho they should be repealed in this Reign , notwithstanding all your confidence to the contrary . I will still believe that the strong Argument of Numbers will be always the powerfullest of all others with you : which as long as it has its Force , and no longer , we may hope to be at quiet . I concurre heartily with you in your Prayers for the King , tho perhaps I differ from you in my Notions , both of his Glory and of the Felicity of his People : and as for your own particular , I wish you would either not at all Imploy your Pen , or learn to write to better purpose : but tho I cannot admire your Letter , yet I am YOUR HUMBLE SERVANT T. T.