A letter from a gentleman in the city to a gentleman in the country, about the odiousness of persecution wherein the rise and end of the penal laws for religion in this kingdom, are consider'd : occasioned by the late rigorous proceedings against sober dissenters, by certain angry justices in the country.
         A. N.
      
       
         
           1687
        
      
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             A letter from a gentleman in the city to a gentleman in the country, about the odiousness of persecution wherein the rise and end of the penal laws for religion in this kingdom, are consider'd : occasioned by the late rigorous proceedings against sober dissenters, by certain angry justices in the country.
             A. N.
             Penn, William, 1644-1718.
          
           32 p.
           
             s.n.],
             [London? :
             1687.
          
           
             Attributed to William Penn. Cf. Smith, J. Friends' books.
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         eng
      
       
         
           Persecution -- England.
        
      
    
     
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           A
           LETTER
           FROM
           A
           GENTLEMAN
           in
           the
           CITY
           TO
           A
           GENTLEMAN
           in
           the
           COUNTRY
           ,
           ABOUT
           THE
           Odiousness
           of
           Persecution
           .
        
         
           WHEREIN
           The
           Rise
           and
           End
           of
           the
           Penal
           Laws
           for
           Religion
           in
           this
           Kingdom
           ,
           are
           consider'd
           .
        
         
           Occasioned
           by
           the
           late
           Rigorous
           Proceedings
           against
           Sober
           Dissenters
           ,
           by
           certain
           Angry
           Justices
           IN
           THE
           COUNTRY
           .
        
         
           It
           is
           the
           Part
           of
           the
           
           Christian-Religion
           to
           Suffer
           ,
           and
           not
           to
           make
           People
           Suffer
           for
           Religion
           ,
           
             Tertul.
             Apol.
          
           
        
         
           Printed
           in
           the
           YEAR
           ,
           1687.
           
        
      
    
     
       
         
         
         
           THE
           LETTER
           .
        
         
           
             SIR
             ,
          
        
         
           THE
           News
           of
           a
           Persecution
           meerly
           for
           a
           matter
           of
           Religion
           ,
           at
           this
           time
           a
           day
           ,
           when
           the
           whole
           Nation
           appears
           professedly
           to
           dislike
           it
           ;
           and
           the
           giving
           countenance
           to
           Informers
           (
           who
           are
           the
           Pest
           of
           every
           Nation
           ,
           and
           the
           common
           Enemies
           of
           Property
           )
           to
           the
           Prejudice
           of
           Peaceable
           and
           Trading
           People
           ,
           makes
           your
           Friends
           ,
           who
           have
           had
           notice
           of
           your
           late
           Troubles
           ,
           suspect
           that
           there
           is
           something
           in
           your
           case
           more
           than
           ordinary
           .
        
         
           Had
           this
           fallen
           out
           in
           some
           remote
           Country
           ,
           where
           no
           Informer
           had
           ever
           yet
           appeared
           ,
           we
           might
           have
           conceived
           ,
           that
           through
           Ignorance
           that
           sort
           of
           Devil
           might
           have
           been
           mistaken
           for
           an
           Angel
           of
           Light
           ;
           and
           that
           upon
           his
           bare
           Averrment
           ,
           some
           well-meaning
           Persons
           ,
           even
           against
           their
           own
           Experience
           ,
           might
           have
           been
           induced
           to
           mistake
           their
           Peaceable
           Neighbours
           for
           Dangerous
           Incendiaries
           ,
           and
           unworthy
           to
           enjoy
           their
           own
           proper
           Goods
           .
           But
           to
           see
           that
           sort
           of
           Creature
           concerned
           
           a
           Country
           so
           near
           London
           and
           Westminster
           ,
           as
           not
           to
           be
           capable
           of
           knowing
           what
           Informers
           are
           ,
           how
           detestable
           their
           Trade
           ,
           how
           inconsiderable
           their
           Power
           ,
           how
           generally
           indigent
           and
           dissolute
           ,
           how
           mean
           their
           Skill
           ,
           how
           little
           they
           know
           more
           than
           to
           subborn
           Witnesses
           to
           commit
           Perjuries
           ,
           which
           are
           discovered
           to
           their
           Confusion
           ,
           is
           that
           which
           raised
           Wonder
           in
           some
           of
           your
           Friends
           ,
           to
           so
           great
           an
           height
           ,
           that
           they
           generally
           request
           from
           your
           own
           hand
           the
           true
           state
           of
           your
           Case
           in
           all
           its
           Circumstances
           ,
           to
           the
           end
           they
           may
           know
           ,
           whether
           there
           be
           any
           thing
           which
           can
           differ
           it
           from
           the
           common
           Cases
           of
           Persecution
           meerly
           for
           Religion
           ;
           from
           which
           the
           generality
           of
           the
           Country-Gentlemen
           of
           England
           (
           and
           particularly
           those
           of
           the
           Country
           where
           you
           live
           )
           do
           commonly
           profess
           to
           have
           as
           great
           an
           abhorrency
           ,
           as
           they
           have
           from
           Depopulating
           of
           Countries
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           Effect
           that
           such
           Persecutions
           must
           of
           necessity
           produce
           .
           In
           the
           mean
           time
           ,
           do
           not
           I
           pray
           take
           me
           to
           be
           one
           ,
           who
           think
           it
           strange
           to
           hear
           of
           Troubles
           ;
           what
           hath
           been
           formerly
           ,
           may
           happen
           again
           without
           Astonishment
           ;
           and
           you
           are
           too
           well
           known
           to
           be
           thought
           to
           be
           surprized
           or
           afraid
           .
        
         
           Well
           did
           that
           Person
           consider
           the
           Creature
           Man
           ,
           who
           distinguished
           him
           into
           two
           parts
           ,
           viz.
           
             the
             Man
          
           ,
           and
           
             the
             Beast
          
           :
           But
           it
           were
           happy
           for
           Mankind
           ,
           if
           the
           Beast
           were
           less
           imperious
           and
           cruel
           :
           In
           truth
           ,
           it
           is
           rare
           to
           find
           where
           
             the
             Man
          
           is
           allowed
           to
           have
           any
           power
           in
           Acting
           ;
           every
           thing
           seems
           too
           much
           to
           be
           governed
           by
           
             the
             Beast
          
           ,
           and
           by
           the
           Tyranny
           of
           its
           inordinate
           Passions
           and
           Senses
           .
        
         
           And
           yet
           where
           shall
           one
           find
           a
           single
           Person
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           who
           calls
           himself
           a
           Christian
           ,
           or
           that
           Party
           of
           Men
           who
           desire
           to
           be
           esteemed
           Christians
           ,
           but
           he
           and
           they
           will
           readily
           grant
           that
           Principle
           ,
           Mat.
           7.
           12.
           
           
             All
             things
             whatsoever
             ye
             would
             that
             men
             should
             do
             to
             you
             ,
             do
             even
             so
             to
             them
             ;
             for
             this
             is
             the
             Law
             and
             the
             Prophets
             ?
          
           and
           that
           other
           Principle
           ,
           Rom.
           3.
           8.
           
           
             Let
             us
             not
             do
             Evil
             that
             Good
             may
             come
             ,
          
           to
           be
           Gospel-Principles
           ,
           and
           obliging
           to
           all
           Mankind
           ?
        
         
           There
           is
           not
           a
           Politician
           or
           States-man
           ,
           nor
           a
           Government
           any
           where
           ,
           that
           owns
           Christianity
           to
           be
           the
           true
           Religion
           ,
           but
           confesseth
           ,
           
           That
           in
           the
           Council
           of
           the
           Jews
           ,
           which
           was
           assembled
           in
           order
           to
           the
           Persecuting
           of
           the
           Apostles
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           Gamaliel
           advised
           prudently
           ,
           and
           according
           to
           the
           Principles
           of
           true
           Religion
           ,
           
             Acts
             5.
             
             Let
             them
             alone
             ,
             for
             if
             this
             Counsel
             or
             this
             work
             be
             of
             Men
             ,
             it
             will
             come
             to
             nought
             ;
             but
             if
             it
             be
             of
             God
             ,
             we
             cannot
             overthrow
             it
             ,
             least
             happily
             we
             be
             found
             even
             to
             Fight
             against
             God.
          
           They
           will
           all
           confess
           readily
           ,
           when
           pressed
           with
           these
           charitable
           and
           peaceable
           Principles
           ;
           that
           the
           Spirit
           of
           Persecuting
           for
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           is
           a
           Spirit
           of
           Injustice
           ,
           as
           not
           doing
           to
           others
           as
           our selves
           would
           be
           done
           unto
           ;
           and
           a
           Spirit
           of
           Diffidence
           and
           Incredulity
           ,
           refusing
           to
           trust
           God
           ,
           and
           his
           Providence
           ,
           with
           the
           Defence
           and
           Justification
           of
           what
           is
           Professed
           to
           be
           of
           God
           :
           And
           yet
           it
           is
           hard
           to
           find
           that
           single
           Person
           ,
           and
           much
           more
           to
           name
           ,
           tha●
           Community
           or
           Government
           amongst
           Christians
           ,
           now
           in
           being
           ,
           whose
           practice
           ,
           when
           they
           have
           opportunity
           and
           power
           ,
           are
           not
           contrary
           to
           their
           Principles
           .
           And
           not
           only
           so
           ,
           but
           they
           will
           take
           upon
           them
           to
           justifie
           such
           practices
           to
           be
           consistent
           with
           ,
           nay
           ,
           even
           duties
           ,
           unto
           which
           they
           are
           obliged
           by
           that
           pure
           Religion
           ,
           which
           they
           take
           upon
           them
           to
           profess
           to
           the
           whole
           World.
           
        
         
           But
           to
           the
           end
           I
           may
           not
           be
           esteemed
           presumptuous
           ,
           or
           uncharitable
           in
           what
           I
           here
           assert
           ,
           and
           in
           regard
           it
           is
           impossible
           to
           produce
           evident
           proofs
           for
           what
           I
           say
           ,
           as
           touching
           single
           Persons
           ;
           let
           us
           a
           little
           examine
           the
           matter
           ,
           as
           to
           Parties
           and
           Governments
           ,
           taking
           this
           for
           granted
           ,
           that
           every
           particular
           Party
           calls
           it self
           a
           true
           Church
           ,
           or
           the
           true
           Church
           of
           Christ
           .
           If
           what
           is
           here
           urged
           of
           differing
           Churches
           shall
           be
           proved
           true
           ,
           the
           presumption
           will
           stand
           very
           strong
           as
           to
           single
           Persons
           ;
           there
           being
           no
           single
           Person
           ,
           who
           would
           be
           esteemed
           a
           Christian
           ,
           but
           he
           is
           in
           communion
           or
           fellowship
           with
           some
           Church
           ,
           which
           he
           owns
           to
           be
           the
           true
           Church
           of
           Christ
           ,
           and
           by
           whose
           Judgment
           he
           is
           willing
           to
           be
           concluded
           ,
           as
           being
           a
           professed
           Member
           of
           it
           ;
           and
           as
           taking
           it
           for
           his
           Principle
           ,
           that
           every
           Member
           of
           the
           true
           Church
           of
           Christ
           ought
           to
           be
           of
           her
           Judgment
           ,
           because
           the
           Scripture
           says
           ,
           
             She
             is
             the
             Pillar
             and
             Ground
             of
             Truth
             :
          
           And
           though
           some
           boggle
           at
           this
           ,
           yet
           nothing
           is
           truer
           than
           that
           every
           Christian
           Society
           daily
           practiseth
           it
           .
        
         
           Now
           ,
           the
           better
           to
           prepare
           the
           way
           for
           this
           intended
           Tryal
           ,
           we
           will
           crave
           the
           Liberty
           first
           ,
           to
           consider
           Christianity
           in
           the
           World
           
           in
           general
           ,
           in
           its
           first
           Ages
           ,
           when
           it
           was
           under
           Persecution
           for
           meer
           matter
           of
           Religion
           ,
           and
           before
           it
           gained
           any
           civil
           Power
           and
           Dominion
           ;
           From
           them
           we
           shall
           know
           what
           the
           true
           Christianity
           did
           teach
           :
           We
           will
           then
           consider
           Christianity
           in
           England
           ,
           when
           divided
           only
           into
           two
           distinct
           Parties
           ,
           viz.
           The
           Protestants
           ,
           and
           the
           Papists
           :
           And
           in
           the
           last
           place
           ,
           We
           will
           consider
           Christianity
           in
           England
           ,
           when
           the
           Protestants
           were
           sub-divided
           into
           several
           Parties
           ,
           viz.
           The
           Episcopal
           ,
           or
           Church
           of
           
             England
             Protestants
          
           ,
           the
           Presbyterians
           ,
           the
           Independants
           ,
           the
           Anabaptists
           ,
           and
           the
           Quakers
           :
           and
           when
           the
           Papists
           were
           become
           so
           small
           ,
           that
           they
           were
           upon
           the
           matter
           inconsiderable
           ;
           and
           I
           suppose
           ,
           from
           these
           differing
           times
           ,
           we
           may
           hope
           for
           a
           reasonable
           Information
           .
        
         
           First
           then
           ,
           Suppose
           the
           question
           put
           to
           the
           Christians
           of
           the
           first
           and
           Primitive
           Times
           ,
           in
           those
           first
           and
           greatest
           Persecutions
           ,
           under
           which
           Christianity
           then
           suffered
           .
           
             Is
             it
             lawful
             to
             Persecute
             ,
             and
             to
             make
             and
             Execute
             Laws
             for
             the
             Inflicting
             of
             Pains
             and
             Penalties
             upon
             quiet
             and
             peaceable
             People
             ,
             for
             Matters
             meerly
             of
             Religion
          
           ;
           and
           in
           particular
           ,
           
             For
             meeting
             together
             meerly
             for
             matter
             of
             Religion
             ?
          
           Doubtless
           ,
           their
           Answer
           would
           have
           been
           given
           with
           one
           general
           Voice
           :
           
             That
             it
             was
             not
             Lawful
          
           ;
           and
           that
           it
           was
           against
           the
           Rule
           of
           Christ
           ,
           and
           the
           Law
           of
           Nature
           ,
           
             Quod
             Tibi
             non
             vis
             fieri
             ,
             Alteri
             non
             feceris
             ,
             Do
             not
             unto
             another
             ,
             what
             thou
             wouldst
             not
             have
             done
             unto
             thy self
             :
          
           And
           that
           true
           it
           is
           ,
           the
           Jews
           ,
           who
           Persecuted
           the
           Lord
           of
           Life
           ,
           and
           put
           him
           to
           Death
           for
           matter
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           did
           alledge
           for
           their
           Justification
           ,
           
             That
             they
             had
             a
             Law
          
           ,
           and
           
             that
             by
             their
             Law
             he
             ought
             to
             Dye
             :
          
           But
           that
           that
           Law
           ,
           and
           all
           Laws
           of
           that
           Nature
           ,
           were
           against
           the
           Law
           of
           God
           :
           And
           that
           the
           
             Christians
             had
             no
             such
             custom
             ,
             nor
             the
             Churches
             of
             Christ
             ,
          
           is
           I
           think
           ,
           a
           most
           undeniable
           thing
           .
        
         
           These
           Ages
           (
           by
           the
           Agreement
           of
           all
           )
           were
           esteemed
           the
           purest
           Ages
           of
           Christianity
           ;
           Religion
           being
           then
           most
           Pure
           ,
           when
           the
           Professors
           of
           it
           were
           most
           Poor
           .
           And
           if
           any
           one
           shall
           conceive
           ,
           that
           the
           Christians
           of
           those
           Ages
           would
           have
           given
           any
           other
           Answer
           ,
           contrary
           to
           what
           I
           have
           here
           framed
           for
           them
           ,
           and
           shall
           give
           a
           convincing
           Reason
           for
           such
           his
           Apprehension
           ,
           I
           shall
           confess
           my
           mistake
           .
           In
           the
           mean
           time
           I
           must
           say
           ,
           That
           I
           cannot
           see
           what
           other
           answer
           they
           could
           have
           given
           
           but
           what
           must
           have
           justified
           the
           Persecutions
           against
           themselves
           to
           have
           been
           innocent
           ,
           on
           the
           part
           of
           the
           Persecutors
           ,
           who
           believed
           those
           first
           Christians
           to
           Err
           in
           Religion
           ,
           and
           to
           be
           Disturbers
           of
           the
           Peace
           ,
           and
           Government
           of
           their
           Countries
           ,
           and
           their
           Meetings
           to
           be
           unlawful
           Assemblies
           :
           And
           much
           more
           Innocent
           on
           the
           part
           of
           the
           inferiour
           Magistrates
           ,
           who
           took
           care
           to
           put
           those
           Laws
           in
           Execution
           ;
           they
           being
           as
           much
           obliged
           in
           all
           civil
           Respects
           ,
           to
           put
           in
           Execution
           the
           Laws
           of
           their
           Superiours
           ,
           as
           our
           Inferiour
           Magistrates
           are
           obliged
           to
           the
           Execution
           of
           our
           Laws
           ;
           and
           they
           gave
           the
           same
           Reasons
           .
           And
           the
           same
           is
           to
           be
           said
           in
           the
           Case
           of
           the
           Persecution
           of
           our
           Lord
           Christ
           ,
           as
           seems
           very
           clear
           from
           that
           Prayer
           ,
           which
           he
           offered
           for
           his
           Persecutors
           :
           
             Father
             ,
             forgive
             them
             ,
             they
             know
             not
             what
             they
             do
          
           ;
           here
           then
           is
           a
           Principle
           of
           Christianity
           undivided
           .
        
         
           In
           the
           next
           place
           ,
           We
           are
           to
           consider
           Christianity
           in
           England
           ,
           when
           divided
           only
           into
           two
           distinct
           Parties
           ,
           
             viz.
             Protestants
          
           and
           Papists
           ,
           and
           when
           the
           Protestants
           had
           made
           a
           Sub
           division
           amongst
           themselves
           here
           .
           This
           I
           take
           to
           be
           in
           the
           times
           of
           K.
           
             Hen.
             8.
          
           K.
           
             Edw.
             6.
          
           
           Q.
           Mary
           ,
           and
           part
           of
           the
           Reign
           of
           Q.
           Elizabeth
           ;
           for
           though
           there
           were
           diversities
           of
           Opinions
           amongst
           Protestants
           ,
           as
           well
           here
           as
           in
           other
           Countries
           ,
           even
           in
           the
           first
           beginnings
           ;
           yet
           they
           were
           not
           divided
           into
           Parties
           ,
           being
           every-where
           upon
           the
           Defensive
           .
           In
           the
           time
           of
           K.
           
             Hen.
             8.
          
           which
           I
           intend
           to
           instance
           in
           ,
           both
           Parties
           were
           persecuted
           .
        
         
           The
           Case
           stands
           thus
           :
           That
           King
           at
           his
           coming
           to
           the
           Crown
           ,
           found
           the
           whole
           Nation
           in
           a
           quiet
           possession
           of
           Popery
           ,
           and
           holding
           it
           as
           an
           Article
           of
           their
           Faith
           ,
           and
           the
           Principle
           whereon
           they
           believed
           the
           Unity
           of
           their
           Faith
           depended
           ,
           that
           ,
           
             The
             Pope
             was
             the
             Supream
             Pastor
             ,
             and
             visible
             Head
             of
             Government
             next
             under
             Christ
             ,
             of
             the
             Catholick
             Church
             of
             Christ
             ,
             of
             which
             the
             then
             National-Church
             of
          
           England
           
             was
             a
             Member
          
           :
           The
           King
           had
           defended
           this
           Article
           by
           Writing
           so
           vigorously
           against
           
             M.
             Luther
          
           ,
           that
           the
           Pope
           had
           for
           that
           very
           work
           conferred
           upon
           him
           the
           Title
           of
           
             Defender
             of
             the
             Faith
          
           ,
           to
           be
           enjoyed
           and
           used
           by
           him
           ,
           and
           his
           Successors
           for
           ever
           .
           After
           this
           ,
           by
           
             Act
             of
             Parliament
          
           ,
           this
           Supream
           Pastor
           ,
           this
           Visible
           Head
           was
           thrown
           off
           ,
           and
           this
           King
           put
           in
           his
           place
           ,
           so
           far
           as
           concerned
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           by
           
           the
           Title
           of
           
             Supream
             Head
             of
             the
             Church
             of
             England
             ,
          
           annexed
           to
           the
           Crown
           ;
           and
           this
           by
           a
           Law
           ,
           
             26
             Hen.
             8.
          
           
           C.
           1.
           
           And
           then
           by
           another
           Law
           ,
           
             26
             Hen.
             8.
          
           
           C.
           13.
           it
           was
           Enacted
           ,
           
             That
             if
             any
             by
             Word
             or
             Writing
             ,
             should
             attempt
             to
             Deprive
             the
             King
             of
             the
             Title
             of
             His
             Royal
             Estate
             ,
             he
             should
             be
             adjudged
             a
             Traytor
             :
          
           This
           change
           of
           the
           Headship
           of
           the
           Church
           ,
           was
           ,
           and
           is
           truly
           (
           at
           least
           in
           England
           )
           a
           Protestant
           Doctrine
           ;
           and
           undoubtedly
           there
           is
           no
           Protestant
           whatsoever
           ,
           but
           approves
           the
           casting
           off
           the
           Popes
           Headship
           ,
           as
           conformable
           with
           the
           Doctrine
           of
           Protestants
           .
           And
           upon
           the
           latter
           of
           these
           two
           Laws
           ,
           divers
           suffered
           Death
           for
           their
           denying
           the
           Kings
           Supremacy
           .
           This
           was
           the
           first
           step
           made
           in
           England
           ,
           from
           Popery
           towards
           Protestancy
           .
        
         
           And
           the
           Vigorous
           Execution
           of
           this
           latter
           Law
           ,
           encouraged
           several
           Protestants
           from
           Forreign
           parts
           to
           come
           into
           England
           ,
           not
           doubting
           but
           to
           have
           a
           Liberty
           to
           Exercise
           their
           Religion
           here
           ;
           and
           it
           gave
           confidence
           to
           many
           of
           the
           Subjects
           of
           England
           to
           receive
           and
           to
           others
           ,
           to
           entertain
           good
           thoughts
           of
           Protestancy
           ;
           being
           perswaded
           ,
           that
           after
           the
           shedding
           of
           so
           much
           Blood
           ,
           as
           had
           been
           shed
           here
           upon
           that
           Occasion
           ,
           England
           would
           never
           any
           more
           admit
           of
           the
           Article
           of
           the
           Popes
           Supremacy
           ;
           and
           consequently
           ,
           would
           every
           day
           make
           greater
           steps
           from
           that
           Church
           ,
           of
           which
           the
           Pope
           was
           owned
           to
           be
           the
           Supream
           Pastor
           .
        
         
           And
           certain
           it
           is
           ,
           that
           Protestancy
           upon
           this
           Occasion
           also
           made
           its
           entrance
           into
           England
           ,
           and
           gained
           Ground
           here
           ,
           and
           such
           (
           if
           not
           by
           open
           application
           to
           the
           King
           for
           that
           purpose
           ,
           yet
           )
           at
           least
           in
           their
           Hearts
           desired
           a
           Toleration
           ,
           and
           to
           be
           admitted
           to
           Preach
           ,
           and
           Exercise
           their
           Religion
           here
           ,
           without
           being
           Persecuted
           for
           their
           so
           doing
           ;
           so
           that
           their
           Principle
           was
           at
           that
           time
           (
           at
           least
           )
           against
           Persecution
           for
           meer
           Religion
           .
           But
           Protestancy
           being
           now
           taken
           notice
           of
           to
           grow
           ,
           another
           Law
           was
           made
           ,
           
             31
             Hen.
             8.
          
           for
           setling
           unity
           of
           Opinion
           in
           the
           six
           Articles
           therein
           named
           ,
           by
           which
           the
           denyal
           of
           Transubstantiation
           ,
           and
           several
           other
           Doctrines
           therein
           named
           ,
           are
           Enacted
           to
           be
           punished
           with
           Death
           .
        
         
           And
           now
           Persecution
           in
           England
           ,
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           grew
           sharp
           and
           high
           ▪
           so
           that
           it
           is
           observed
           by
           our
           Historians
           ,
           that
           upon
           one
           and
           the
           same
           day
           ,
           some
           who
           were
           Professed
           Papists
           ,
           were
           put
           to
           Death
           for
           denying
           the
           Kings
           Supremacy
           
           which
           was
           a
           Protestant
           Article
           :
           And
           some
           who
           were
           professed
           Protestants
           ,
           were
           put
           to
           death
           for
           denying
           Transubstantiation
           ,
           which
           was
           an
           Article
           of
           the
           Papists
           :
           So
           that
           at
           this
           time
           ,
           the
           Government
           could
           neither
           be
           said
           to
           be
           Popish
           ,
           nor
           Protestant
           ,
           but
           both
           Parties
           were
           Persecuted
           most
           severely
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           :
           And
           he
           who
           should
           then
           have
           said
           to
           either
           Party
           ,
           in
           justification
           of
           the
           Proceedings
           of
           the
           Magistrate
           in
           the
           Execution
           of
           either
           of
           those
           Laws
           ,
           That
           that
           Party
           did
           not
           then
           suffer
           for
           any
           matter
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           but
           for
           breaking
           of
           the
           Peace
           ,
           in
           breaking
           of
           the
           King's
           Laws
           ,
           would
           certainly
           have
           been
           taken
           not
           to
           have
           understood
           those
           Laws
           ,
           or
           the
           cause
           of
           their
           then
           Suffering
           .
        
         
           And
           now
           ,
           suppose
           each
           of
           these
           Parties
           separately
           interrogated
           ,
           when
           thus
           under
           Persecution
           (
           for
           
             Afflictio
             dat
             intellectum
             ,
          
           )
           Is
           it
           lawful
           to
           Persecute
           ,
           and
           to
           make
           and
           Execute
           Laws
           ,
           for
           the
           Inflicting
           of
           Pains
           and
           Penalties
           upon
           quiet
           and
           peaceable
           People
           ,
           for
           matters
           of
           
             meer
             Religion
          
           ?
           (
           for
           it
           seemed
           a
           time
           to
           teach
           both
           Parties
           an
           Eternal
           temperance
           and
           moderation
           )
           most
           certainly
           each
           Party
           in
           their
           then
           present
           Circumstances
           ,
           would
           have
           answered
           in
           the
           Negative
           ,
           That
           it
           was
           not
           lawful
           :
           They
           would
           not
           have
           fallen
           into
           the
           debate
           to
           consider
           what
           Religion
           their
           Persecutors
           were
           of
           ,
           whether
           of
           the
           Popish
           or
           Protestant
           ,
           to
           the
           end
           ,
           to
           have
           fixt
           the
           Cruelty
           and
           Injustice
           of
           Persecuting
           for
           a
           matter
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           upon
           that
           Party
           ,
           as
           a
           Principle
           of
           their
           Religion
           ,
           which
           their
           Fancies
           should
           have
           perswaded
           them
           to
           have
           been
           the
           Religion
           of
           their
           Persecutors
           .
        
         
           The
           Papists
           would
           not
           have
           then
           stood
           formalizing
           that
           ,
           because
           the
           first
           Persecution
           was
           occasioned
           upon
           the
           denyal
           of
           the
           King's
           Headship
           over
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           which
           was
           a
           Protestant
           Doctrine
           ,
           in
           opposition
           to
           the
           Pope's
           Headship
           ,
           which
           was
           the
           Popish
           Doctrine
           ;
           therefore
           the
           Protestants
           were
           the
           Aggressors
           in
           the
           Persecution
           ;
           and
           therefore
           the
           Principle
           of
           Persecution
           was
           a
           Protestant
           Principle
           ;
           and
           the
           Persecution
           of
           the
           Protestants
           afterwards
           ,
           was
           no
           other
           than
           a
           just
           Judgment
           of
           God
           drawn
           upon
           the
           Protestants
           by
           themselves
           ,
           as
           a
           Consequence
           of
           that
           Principle
           of
           Persecution
           ,
           which
           gave
           them
           the
           first
           occasion
           of
           introducing
           their
           Religion
           nationally
           into
           England
           .
           Nor
           would
           the
           Protestants
           ,
           
           by
           way
           of
           Recrimination
           ,
           have
           charged
           the
           Papists
           then
           ,
           that
           because
           that
           King
           and
           the
           then
           Government
           were
           of
           the
           Popish
           Religion
           in
           every
           point
           ,
           save
           only
           in
           the
           Article
           touching
           the
           Supremacy
           ;
           therefore
           the
           Principle
           of
           Persecution
           must
           necessarily
           be
           a
           Popish
           Principle
           :
           No
           ,
           they
           would
           most
           certainly
           ,
           each
           Party
           ,
           have
           disclaimed
           the
           Principle
           ,
           as
           unwarranted
           by
           the
           Principles
           of
           true
           Christianity
           ,
           which
           each
           of
           them
           claimed
           to
           be
           theirs
           ,
           and
           each
           of
           them
           would
           have
           agreed
           ,
           that
           it
           was
           their
           common
           Principle
           ,
           To
           do
           unto
           others
           as
           they
           desired
           others
           should
           do
           unto
           them
           .
           Here
           we
           see
           the
           Principle
           of
           Christianity
           in
           England
           ,
           when
           divided
           .
        
         
           The
           Persecutions
           before
           mentioned
           ,
           being
           quieted
           by
           the
           Death
           of
           K.
           Henry
           the
           Eighth
           ,
           and
           the
           Crown
           descending
           unto
           K.
           Edward
           the
           Sixth
           ,
           an
           Infant
           of
           such
           tender
           Years
           ,
           as
           made
           him
           uncapable
           of
           Exercising
           the
           Government
           in
           his
           own
           Person
           ,
           not
           being
           come
           to
           the
           use
           of
           right
           Reason
           ;
           the
           Duke
           of
           Somerset
           took
           upon
           him
           the
           Administration
           of
           all
           things
           ,
           under
           the
           Title
           of
           Protector
           ,
           and
           with
           him
           the
           Protestant
           Party
           had
           their
           sole
           Interest
           .
        
         
           Several
           Penal
           Laws
           were
           made
           in
           this
           King's
           Reign
           ,
           for
           the
           Inflicting
           Pains
           and
           Penalties
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           which
           gave
           occasion
           to
           the
           Papists
           to
           charge
           upon
           Protestants
           the
           Principle
           of
           Persecution
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           as
           their
           Principle
           .
           It
           is
           true
           ,
           the
           Papists
           were
           at
           that
           time
           Sufferers
           ,
           and
           were
           actually
           Persecuted
           by
           the
           then
           Government
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           :
           But
           true
           Charity
           might
           easily
           have
           found
           other
           Reasons
           ,
           unto
           which
           those
           Persecutions
           might
           warrantably
           have
           been
           Assigned
           ;
           and
           there
           was
           certainly
           no
           necessity
           of
           Assigning
           them
           to
           any
           Principle
           of
           the
           Protestants
           .
        
         
           The
           first
           Law
           which
           was
           made
           ,
           relating
           to
           these
           matters
           ,
           was
           
             1.
             
             Edw.
             6.
             
             C.
             1.
          
           touching
           the
           Lord's
           Supper
           ,
           Entituled
           ,
           
             The
             Penalties
             for
             speaking
             against
             the
             Sacrament
             of
             the
             Body
             and
             Blood
             of
             Christ
             ,
             or
             against
             the
             receiving
             thereof
             in
             both
             kinds
             .
          
           This
           seems
           to
           have
           no
           other
           tendency
           than
           barely
           to
           keep
           both
           Parties
           from
           falling
           together
           by
           the
           Ears
           ,
           and
           the
           Protestants
           were
           more
           likely
           to
           fall
           under
           the
           Punishment
           of
           this
           Law
           ,
           than
           the
           Papists
           :
           None
           could
           say
           ,
           That
           it
           was
           the
           effect
           of
           Intemperate
           Spirits
           ;
           for
           though
           it
           directed
           Communion
           in
           both
           kinds
           ,
           to
           such
           as
           defired
           to
           Communicate
           ;
           yet
           it
           compelled
           not
           any
           person
           to
           communicate
           .
           And
           it
           had
           a
           
           Clause
           of
           great
           Temperance
           in
           the
           very
           close
           of
           it
           ,
           in
           these
           words
           ;
           
             Not
             condemning
             hereby
             the
             usage
             of
             any
             Church
             out
             of
             the
             King's
             Majesties
             Dominions
             .
          
        
         
           The
           next
           Law
           of
           this
           Nature
           ,
           was
           made
           in
           the
           same
           Parliament
           ,
           
             viz.
             1.
             
             Edw.
             6.
             
             C.
             12.
          
           it
           is
           Entituled
           thus
           ,
           
             viz.
             Statutes
             concerning
             Treasons
          
           ,
           &c.
           repealed
           :
           and
           this
           cannot
           be
           denyed
           to
           be
           sharp
           against
           the
           Papists
           .
           It
           makes
           it
           highly
           Penal
           to
           affirm
           ,
           
             That
             the
             King
             is
             not
             ,
             or
             ought
             not
             to
             be
             Supream
             Head
             on
             Earth
             of
             the
             Church
             of
          
           England
           and
           Ireland
           ,
           
             or
             any
             of
             them
             immediately
             under
             God
             ,
             or
             that
             the
             Bishop
             of
          
           Rome
           ,
           
             or
             any
             other
             Person
             or
             Persons
             ,
             other
             than
             the
             King
             of
          
           England
           
             for
             the
             time
             being
             ,
             is
             ,
             or
             ought
             to
             be
             ,
             by
             the
             Laws
             of
             God
             ,
             Supream
             Head
             of
             the
             same
             Churches
             ,
             or
             any
             of
             them
             :
          
           But
           there
           is
           no
           necessity
           or
           reason
           of
           ascribing
           this
           neither
           to
           any
           Protestant
           Principle
           ,
           though
           it
           is
           supposed
           to
           be
           made
           in
           affirmance
           of
           a
           Protestant
           Principle
           .
        
         
           Another
           penal
           Law
           was
           made
           1.
           and
           
             3.
             
             Edw.
             6.
          
           
           Entituled
           ,
           
             The
             Penalty
             for
             not
             using
             Vniformity
             of
             Service
             and
             Administration
             of
             Sacraments
             .
          
           And
           in
           3.
           and
           
             4.
             
             Edw.
             6.
             
             C.
             10.
          
           was
           made
           an
           Act
           ,
           
             For
             the
             abolishing
             and
             putting
             away
             of
             divers
             Books
             and
             Images
             .
          
           Both
           which
           were
           severe
           against
           the
           Papists
           in
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ;
           yet
           do
           I
           not
           find
           any
           necessity
           ,
           why
           the
           Persecutions
           ,
           which
           these
           Statutes
           occasioned
           ,
           should
           be
           imputed
           to
           any
           Protestant
           Principle
           .
        
         
           During
           the
           whole
           Reign
           of
           this
           Infant
           King
           ,
           it
           is
           clear
           ,
           that
           the
           Papists
           in
           some
           degree
           suffered
           Persecution
           from
           the
           Hands
           of
           the
           Protestants
           ,
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           :
           And
           without
           doubt
           ,
           had
           it
           been
           then
           demanded
           of
           the
           
             Papists
             ,
             Whether
             such
             Persecutions
             and
             such
             Laws
             Enacting
             such
             Persecutions
             ,
             were
             lawful
             ,
             and
             agreeable
             with
             the
             Principles
             of
             true
          
           Christianity
           ,
           
             which
             they
             pretended
             to
             maintain
          
           ?
           their
           Answer
           would
           have
           been
           in
           the
           Negative
           :
           And
           they
           would
           then
           with
           one
           accord
           have
           readily
           agreed
           ,
           
             That
             Persecution
             for
             matters
             of
             meer
             Religion
             ,
             was
             no
             more
             consistent
             with
             the
             Rule
             of
             Christ
             ,
             requiring
             us
             ,
             To
             do
             unto
             others
             ,
             as
             we
             would
             that
             others
             should
             do
             unto
             us
             ,
             than
             Murder
             and
             Robbery
             .
          
        
         
           But
           the
           Persecutions
           Inflicted
           upon
           the
           Papists
           ,
           by
           the
           Law
           made
           in
           the
           time
           of
           King
           Edward
           the
           Sixth
           ,
           did
           not
           last
           long
           ;
           they
           ended
           with
           his
           Life
           ;
           and
           by
           the
           descending
           of
           the
           Crown
           to
           Queen
           Mary
           ,
           the
           Papists
           were
           rescued
           from
           all
           their
           Sufferings
           .
           All
           the
           Laws
           made
           against
           them
           in
           the
           Times
           of
           
             Hen.
             8.
          
           and
           
             Edw.
             6.
          
           
           were
           Repealed
           .
           But
           the
           case
           was
           altered
           with
           the
           poor
           Protestants
           ,
           whose
           Sufferings
           were
           so
           great
           ,
           and
           are
           so
           sharply
           and
           justly
           reflected
           on
           ,
           even
           to
           this
           day
           ,
           that
           I
           ,
           who
           love
           not
           to
           aggravate
           any
           thing
           ,
           especially
           that
           carries
           its
           own
           aggravation
           with
           it
           ,
           will
           say
           no
           more
           of
           them
           ,
           but
           beg
           of
           our
           good
           God
           ,
           to
           fill
           us
           with
           mercy
           in
           place
           of
           revenge
           ,
           and
           to
           forgive
           them
           as
           we
           would
           be
           forgiven
           .
           Sure
           I
           am
           ,
           had
           any
           Protestant
           been
           asked
           his
           Judgment
           in
           that
           Age
           ,
           touching
           the
           Principle
           of
           Persecuting
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           he
           would
           have
           disclaimed
           it
           ,
           as
           absolutely
           contrary
           to
           the
           Principles
           of
           his
           Religion
           ,
           which
           is
           the
           point
           that
           I
           am
           labouring
           to
           Evince
           .
           And
           after
           all
           this
           ,
           shall
           any
           one
           take
           it
           ill
           ,
           if
           upon
           a
           Principle
           of
           Charity
           I
           shall
           profess
           ,
           that
           I
           could
           never
           as
           yet
           see
           any
           thing
           offered
           ,
           which
           in
           my
           poor
           apprehension
           did
           necessarily
           Evince
           ;
           
             That
             Persecution
             for
             meer
             Religion
             ,
             was
             even
             an
             avowed
             Principle
             of
             either
             side
             .
          
        
         
           The
           Bloody
           Fury
           of
           Persecution
           ,
           under
           which
           the
           Protestants
           suffered
           so
           miserably
           in
           Q.
           Maries
           time
           ,
           did
           end
           with
           her
           Reign
           ,
           which
           was
           but
           short
           .
           And
           after
           that
           ,
           the
           Protestants
           never
           suffered
           more
           from
           the
           Papists
           .
           But
           upon
           the
           death
           of
           Q.
           Mary
           ,
           the
           Crown
           coming
           to
           Q.
           Elizabeth
           ;
           and
           she
           thereupon
           declaring
           her self
           a
           firm
           ,
           a
           zealous
           ,
           and
           to
           all
           intents
           ,
           religiously
           a
           Protestant
           ,
           the
           Edge
           was
           turned
           against
           the
           Papists
           ,
           before
           any
           differences
           were
           discerned
           to
           be
           among
           the
           Protestants
           .
           Several
           of
           the
           Popish
           Clergy
           suffered
           Persecution
           ,
           some
           even
           unto
           Death
           in
           several
           parts
           of
           the
           Kingdom
           :
           And
           new
           Laws
           were
           from
           time
           to
           time
           framed
           and
           multiplyed
           for
           those
           purposes
           .
           And
           if
           now
           we
           ask
           the
           Opinion
           of
           the
           Papists
           ,
           as
           to
           Penal
           Laws
           ,
           either
           Sanguinary
           or
           others
           ,
           and
           Persecutions
           ,
           for
           meer
           matter
           of
           Religion
           ;
           they
           will
           tell
           you
           ,
           (
           and
           they
           continue
           in
           that
           protestation
           even
           unto
           this
           day
           )
           
             That
             all
             such
             Laws
             and
             Persecutions
             are
             unlawful
             ,
             and
             against
             the
             Principles
             of
             the
             Gospel
             .
          
           And
           though
           the
           Protestants
           under
           several
           changes
           ,
           have
           been
           in
           the
           possession
           of
           those
           Laws
           ,
           and
           have
           at
           times
           more
           or
           less
           Executed
           them
           ;
           yet
           (
           so
           far
           as
           I
           can
           find
           )
           they
           do
           not
           own
           Persecution
           for
           matters
           meerly
           of
           Religion
           to
           be
           their
           Principle
           ,
           or
           so
           much
           as
           lawful
           .
        
         
           After
           the
           Papists
           had
           some
           time
           continued
           the
           alone-Persecuted
           Party
           for
           Matters
           of
           Religion
           ,
           several
           Differences
           ,
           in
           Matters
           meerly
           of
           Religion
           ,
           happened
           to
           divide
           the
           Protestants
           
           into
           distinct
           and
           separate
           Parties
           ,
           during
           some
           part
           of
           the
           Reign
           of
           
             Queen
             Elizabeth
          
           ;
           and
           also
           during
           the
           several
           and
           successive
           Reigns
           of
           King
           James
           ,
           and
           King
           Charles
           the
           First
           :
           And
           about
           the
           beginning
           of
           the
           Reign
           of
           King
           James
           ,
           some
           few
           desperate
           Male-contents
           ,
           professedly
           of
           the
           Popish
           Religion
           ,
           being
           found
           Guilty
           of
           a
           wicked
           Plot
           ,
           whereby
           they
           had
           designed
           the
           Destruction
           both
           of
           that
           King
           ,
           and
           of
           his
           Parliament
           ,
           by
           Gun-Powder
           (
           for
           which
           they
           were
           deservedly
           Executed
           )
           several
           new
           and
           more
           severe
           Laws
           were
           then
           ,
           and
           at
           several
           times
           after
           ,
           made
           against
           the
           Papists
           in
           general
           ,
           by
           which
           several
           Punishments
           were
           Inflicted
           on
           them
           for
           Matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ;
           and
           several
           Penal
           Laws
           were
           also
           made
           ,
           by
           which
           the
           then
           Governing
           Protestant
           Party
           ,
           (
           then
           ,
           and
           still
           distinguished
           by
           the
           Name
           of
           the
           
             Church
             of
             England
          
           ,
           or
           the
           
             Episcopal
             Party
          
           )
           persecuted
           Them.
           
        
         
           The
           Dissenting
           Protestants
           of
           all
           sorts
           were
           Prosecuted
           under
           the
           general
           Name
           of
           Non-conformists
           ,
           who
           cryed
           aloud
           for
           
             Liberty
             of
             Conscience
          
           ,
           and
           declared
           it
           absolutely
           Unlawful
           to
           Punish
           any
           ,
           for
           Matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           :
           The
           refusal
           of
           which
           ,
           bred
           bad
           Blood
           in
           the
           Kingdom
           ,
           and
           we
           all
           know
           what
           followed
           .
        
         
           During
           the
           continuance
           of
           the
           War
           ,
           and
           after
           King
           Charles
           the
           First
           was
           not
           able
           to
           make
           Head
           against
           the
           Non-conformists
           ,
           the
           Non-conformists
           Retaliated
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           and
           not
           a
           little
           crusht
           the
           Popish
           Party
           ,
           both
           having
           engaged
           on
           t'other
           side
           ,
           and
           being
           of
           other
           Religions
           ,
           esteemed
           themselves
           Persecuted
           for
           matter
           of
           Religion
           .
        
         
           That
           War
           being
           ended
           with
           the
           Death
           of
           King
           Charles
           the
           First
           ,
           and
           the
           expelling
           of
           our
           late
           King
           out
           of
           his
           Dominions
           ,
           and
           the
           Ruine
           of
           Episcopacy
           ,
           and
           the
           Suppression
           of
           the
           Papists
           ,
           and
           the
           total
           Change
           of
           the
           Government
           ;
           the
           Non-conformists
           under
           the
           several
           Forms
           ,
           took
           upon
           them
           and
           kept
           the
           Government
           ,
           until
           the
           late
           King
           was
           by
           the
           Divine
           Hand
           of
           Providence
           restored
           to
           his
           Crown
           :
           During
           all
           which
           time
           ,
           the
           Episcopal
           Party
           and
           the
           Papists
           Suffered
           ,
           more
           or
           less
           ,
           for
           matters
           (
           at
           least
           in
           their
           Apprehension
           )
           meerly
           of
           Religion
           .
           But
           these
           two
           Parties
           were
           not
           alone
           in
           their
           Sufferings
           ;
           for
           during
           those
           Bloody
           contests
           ,
           there
           appeared
           another
           Party
           ,
           which
           from
           its
           very
           first
           rise
           in
           this
           Kingdom
           ,
           hath
           been
           severely
           Persecuted
           ,
           
           and
           that
           only
           for
           Matters
           of
           Religion
           .
           This
           Party
           was
           the
           People
           called
           Quakers
           .
           They
           did
           at
           their
           first
           shewing
           themselves
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           go
           under
           the
           name
           of
           the
           
             Children
             of
             Light
          
           ,
           because
           they
           assert
           ,
           as
           their
           main
           and
           first
           Principle
           ,
           That
           Christ
           
             is
             the
             True
             Light
             that
             Enlightens
             every
             Man
             and
             Woman
             with
             a
             measure
             of
             saving
             Light
             ;
             which
             all
             ough●
             to
             obey
             on
             pain
             of
             Damna●ion
          
           ;
           but
           by
           one
           Bennit
           ,
           an
           Officer
           ,
           in
           1650.
           were
           nick
           named
           Quakers
           .
           They
           Professed
           themselves
           to
           adhere
           to
           the
           plain
           Principles
           of
           the
           first
           Christians
           ,
           and
           particularly
           to
           hold
           it
           as
           their
           Principle
           ,
           
             That
             all
             Persecution
             whatsoever
             ,
             against
             any
             Party
             ,
             People
             or
             Person
             whatsoever
             ,
             for
             matters
             meerly
             of
             Religion
             ,
             is
             absolutely
             Vnlawful
             ,
             Vnrighteous
             ,
             and
             against
             the
             Spirit
             and
             Will
             of
             God
             ,
             and
             Doctrine
             of
             true
             Christianity
             .
          
           And
           to
           give
           them
           their
           due
           ,
           they
           have
           been
           true
           Contenders
           for
           their
           Principle
           ,
           both
           by
           their
           frequent
           Apologies
           and
           Remonstrances
           on
           the
           one
           hand
           ,
           and
           Invincible
           Patience
           in
           Suffering
           on
           the
           other
           hand
        
         
           Upon
           the
           Restauration
           of
           the
           King
           ,
           the
           Episcopal
           Party
           was
           also
           Restored
           .
           The
           
             Presbyterians
             ,
             Independants
          
           and
           Anabaptists
           ,
           expected
           a
           general
           Toleration
           in
           matters
           of
           Religion
           ,
           according
           to
           some
           of
           the
           King
           's
           Gracious
           Letters
           ,
           as
           a
           Reward
           for
           their
           helping
           or
           not
           opposing
           His
           Restauration
           .
           The
           Papists
           also
           expected
           the
           same
           thing
           ,
           as
           a
           reward
           for
           their
           Loyalty
           in
           adhering
           to
           the
           Crown
           .
           The
           Quakers
           ,
           now
           a
           great
           People
           ,
           grew
           confident
           of
           the
           like
           Freedom
           ,
           because
           of
           their
           Inoffensiveness
           to
           Government
           .
           But
           instead
           of
           this
           expected
           Liberty
           ;
           all
           the
           former
           Penal
           Laws
           made
           in
           the
           time
           of
           Q.
           Elizabeth
           ,
           K.
           James
           ,
           and
           K
           Charles
           the
           First
           ,
           were
           Revived
           ,
           and
           ordered
           to
           be
           put
           in
           Execution
           ,
           as
           well
           against
           all
           Non-conformists
           ,
           who
           were
           Protestants
           ,
           as
           against
           the
           Papists
           .
           And
           new
           and
           more
           severe
           Laws
           were
           made
           against
           them
           all
           :
           And
           by
           these
           respective
           Practices
           we
           see
           ,
           what
           all
           these
           Parties
           have
           done
           when
           they
           had
           Power
           .
        
         
           I
           think
           such
           as
           understand
           the
           Transactions
           of
           our
           Country
           ,
           will
           clear
           me
           from
           having
           made
           any
           mistake
           as
           to
           matters
           of
           Fact
           ,
           in
           any
           thing
           that
           I
           have
           here
           said
           ,
           touching
           past
           Persecutions
           ;
           though
           I
           believe
           there
           will
           not
           want
           some
           ,
           who
           will
           either
           think
           me
           mistaken
           
           in
           the
           point
           of
           Charity
           ,
           when
           I
           profess
           to
           believe
           that
           I
           do
           not
           think
           there
           is
           any
           one
           Party
           now
           in
           England
           ,
           who
           holds
           it
           as
           a
           Principle
           of
           their
           Religion
           ,
           
             That
             it
             is
             Lawful
             to
             Persecute
             ,
          
           or
           to
           make
           or
           Execute
           Laws
           for
           the
           Inflicting
           of
           Pains
           or
           Penalties
           for
           any
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           :
           Or
           else
           they
           will
           supect
           ,
           I
           do
           not
           in
           Truth
           believe
           what
           I
           here
           profess
           to
           believe
           in
           this
           point
           ,
           since
           even
           what
           I
           have
           said
           as
           to
           matters
           of
           Fact
           before
           urged
           by
           my self
           ;
           it
           plainly
           appears
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           not
           one
           Party
           now
           in
           England
           (
           the
           People
           called
           Quakers
           only
           excepted
           )
           who
           profess
           themselves
           Christians
           ,
           but
           have
           been
           notoriously
           Guilty
           (
           more
           or
           less
           )
           of
           the
           very
           Fact
           ,
           or
           (
           at
           least
           )
           of
           a
           publick
           allowing
           ,
           if
           not
           abetting
           of
           it
           :
           And
           every
           Party
           will
           be
           apt
           to
           censure
           me
           of
           Singularity
           (
           at
           least
           ,
           )
           since
           each
           Party
           thinks
           that
           they
           have
           Arguments
           drawn
           from
           Facts
           ,
           sufficient
           to
           six
           this
           ugly
           Doctrine
           ,
           as
           a
           Principle
           ,
           upon
           that
           Religion
           which
           they
           hate
           most
           .
           O
           that
           the
           Man
           could
           prevail
           against
           the
           Beast
           !
           and
           that
           we
           would
           permit
           our
           Passions
           to
           give
           way
           to
           our
           Reason
           ,
           to
           consider
           things
           nakedly
           ,
           and
           as
           they
           truly
           are
           ,
           
             Si
             satis
             est
             accusasse
             ,
             Quis
             erit
             Innocens
             ?
          
           If
           to
           accuse
           be
           a
           sufficient
           Conviction
           ,
           what
           Party
           shall
           be
           able
           to
           clear
           it self
           ?
           And
           who
           knows
           not
           ,
           that
           't
           is
           a
           Christians
           part
           to
           Suffer
           ,
           but
           never
           to
           Persecute
           ?
        
         
           I
           very
           well
           know
           ,
           That
           the
           Protestants
           in
           general
           ,
           who
           look
           upon
           the
           Papists
           as
           their
           common
           Enemies
           ,
           do
           in
           their
           Pulpits
           ,
           in
           their
           Writings
           ,
           and
           in
           all
           their
           Addresses
           to
           the
           People
           ,
           charge
           them
           with
           those
           Rivers
           of
           Blood
           which
           streamed
           in
           the
           times
           of
           Q.
           Mary
           ,
           and
           with
           the
           Bloody
           Intentions
           which
           those
           i●l
           Men
           had
           in
           their
           Hearts
           ,
           who
           were
           engaged
           in
           the
           wicked
           powder-Plot
           :
           That
           the
           first
           was
           done
           by
           Authority
           ,
           and
           chiefly
           by
           the
           Popish
           Bishops
           :
           That
           the
           other
           ,
           though
           the
           Fact
           but
           of
           private
           Persons
           ,
           was
           never
           condemned
           by
           Authority
           ;
           and
           Silence
           is
           an
           implyed
           consent
           and
           approbation
           .
           Do
           we
           well
           consider
           ,
           what
           the
           Papists
           offer
           by
           way
           of
           Extenuation
           in
           answer
           to
           these
           Charges
           ?
           they
           justifie
           none
           of
           these
           Facts
           :
           But
           as
           to
           the
           first
           ,
           they
           recommend
           to
           us
           to
           be
           considered
           ,
           the
           circumstances
           that
           Q.
           Mary
           was
           in
           ,
           when
           she
           came
           to
           the
           Crown
           .
           All
           the
           chief
           Heads
           of
           the
           Protestant
           Party
           ,
           had
           set
           up
           and
           Proclaimed
           the
           Lady
           June
           
           duly
           Queen
           ,
           in
           opposition
           to
           Q.
           Mary
           ,
           their
           Lawful
           Soveraign
           .
           They
           had
           raised
           an
           Army
           against
           her
           :
           She
           was
           compelled
           to
           gain
           her
           Right
           by
           Force
           :
           She
           was
           a
           Conqueror
           :
           And
           if
           we
           will
           believe
           them
           ,
           she
           had
           not
           given
           any
           Articles
           ,
           which
           might
           have
           obliged
           her
           to
           Pardon
           any
           who
           were
           guilty
           of
           this
           Usurpation
           ,
           and
           Treason
           :
           She
           was
           told
           ,
           It
           was
           a
           Confedracy
           of
           the
           whole
           Party
           of
           the
           Protestants
           ,
           which
           gave
           her
           a
           ground
           to
           suspect
           ,
           that
           the
           Protestants
           held
           it
           for
           a
           principle
           ,
           That
           it
           was
           lawful
           for
           them
           to
           take
           up
           Arms
           against
           ,
           and
           Depose
           their
           Lawful
           Soveraign
           ,
           if
           of
           a
           Religion
           contrary
           to
           him
           .
        
         
           She
           might
           ,
           by
           the
           Laws
           then
           in
           being
           ,
           (
           the
           same
           which
           we
           have
           to
           this
           day
           in
           force
           amongst
           us
           )
           have
           taken
           away
           the
           Lives
           of
           all
           who
           were
           any
           ways
           Guilty
           of
           endeavouring
           to
           Depose
           her
           :
           She
           did
           not
           make
           any
           one
           new
           Persecuting
           Law
           (
           which
           is
           considerable
           )
           by
           which
           any
           of
           those
           were
           taken
           off
           who
           were
           put
           to
           Death
           .
           But
           being
           put
           into
           fears
           by
           her
           Council
           ;
           that
           without
           making
           great
           Examples
           of
           Justice
           in
           all
           parts
           of
           the
           Kingdom
           ,
           she
           would
           be
           in
           danger
           of
           having
           new
           Insurrections
           made
           by
           the
           Protestants
           against
           her
           ;
           she
           was
           perswaded
           that
           the
           only
           way
           to
           prevent
           the
           sheding
           of
           more
           Blood
           for
           the
           Future
           ,
           was
           to
           punish
           considerable
           numbers
           of
           those
           who
           had
           then
           actually
           broken
           the
           old
           Laws
           of
           her
           Kingdom
           .
           Her
           Bishops
           (
           and
           that
           is
           the
           chief
           and
           justest
           ground
           of
           the
           charge
           )
           had
           their
           Fears
           and
           Revenge
           also
           ,
           in
           particular
           :
           They
           were
           newly
           restored
           to
           their
           Bishopricks
           ,
           and
           Religion
           ,
           of
           which
           they
           had
           been
           dispossessed
           in
           the
           Time
           of
           King
           Edward
           the
           Sixth
           ;
           They
           were
           afraid
           of
           being
           again
           disturbed
           ;
           and
           these
           fears
           and
           passions
           made
           them
           take
           wrong
           measures
           .
           They
           perswaded
           the
           Queen
           ,
           that
           she
           might
           as
           well
           make
           Examples
           of
           Justice
           ,
           and
           prevent
           future
           Insurrections
           ,
           by
           punishing
           those
           for
           their
           Religion
           ,
           who
           had
           been
           Guilty
           of
           Treason
           ,
           as
           if
           she
           had
           punished
           them
           for
           Treason
           :
           And
           they
           urged
           ,
           that
           by
           this
           way
           she
           should
           do
           her self
           the
           greater
           right
           :
           and
           give
           a
           proof
           to
           the
           World
           ,
           that
           she
           was
           more
           offended
           with
           Treason
           committed
           against
           Heaven
           ,
           (
           for
           so
           they
           esteemed
           Protestant
           Religion
           )
           than
           with
           Treason
           committed
           against
           her self
           ,
           which
           might
           be
           interpreted
           Revenge
           .
           They
           had
           forgotten
           the
           Principles
           of
           the
           true
           Christian
           Religion
           ,
           which
           required
           to
           leave
           unto
           God
           to
           Revenge
           whatsoever
           
           Injuries
           are
           done
           to
           him
           ,
           and
           to
           leave
           it
           to
           God
           to
           judge
           ,
           what
           Injuries
           were
           done
           to
           him
           ;
           
             They
             did
             not
             now
             think
             of
             doing
             unto
             others
             as
             they
             would
             that
             others
             should
             do
             unto
             them
             :
          
           They
           did
           not
           remember
           the
           wise
           advice
           of
           Gamaliel
           ,
           before
           mention'd
           ,
           but
           giving
           Ear
           only
           to
           their
           own
           Fears
           ,
           and
           preferring
           Humane
           Policies
           before
           Gospel-Rules
           ,
           they
           misled
           the
           Queen
           ,
           and
           took
           away
           the
           Lives
           of
           vast
           numbers
           of
           such
           ,
           against
           whom
           nothing
           could
           be
           charged
           ,
           but
           what
           was
           matter
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ;
           thereby
           giving
           a
           Just
           occasion
           to
           charge
           upon
           their
           own
           Religion
           the
           Principle
           of
           Persecution
           for
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           which
           those
           who
           now
           profess
           that
           Religion
           here
           ,
           do
           pretend
           to
           disown
           and
           abominate
           .
        
         
           And
           as
           to
           the
           business
           of
           the
           Powder-Plot
           ,
           they
           pray
           us
           to
           observe
           ,
           that
           it
           was
           the
           Treason
           ,
           not
           of
           the
           Papists
           of
           England
           ,
           but
           of
           a
           few
           ,
           particular
           persons
           of
           Desperate
           Fortunes
           and
           worse
           Consciences
           ,
           and
           not
           without
           suspition
           of
           being
           drawn
           into
           the
           Snare
           by
           their
           Enemies
           :
           That
           upon
           the
           most
           severe
           Scrutiny
           which
           could
           be
           made
           into
           that
           business
           ,
           it
           clearly
           appear'd
           ,
           that
           the
           number
           of
           the
           Offenders
           was
           not
           greater
           than
           what
           happens
           sometimes
           to
           be
           engag'd
           in
           a
           particular
           Burglary
           ,
           and
           not
           so
           many
           as
           make
           up
           the
           fourth
           part
           of
           a
           Foot
           Company
           of
           Souldiers
           :
           That
           the
           Villany
           of
           that
           design
           hath
           been
           as
           fully
           and
           generally
           ,
           yea
           ,
           and
           as
           publickly
           decry'd
           ,
           condemn'd
           and
           reprobated
           by
           the
           whole
           party
           of
           
             English
             Papists
          
           of
           that
           Age
           ,
           and
           of
           all
           succeeding
           Ages
           ,
           as
           any
           thing
           can
           be
           by
           a
           Party
           in
           Persecution
           ,
           who
           have
           not
           ever
           had
           any
           opportunities
           or
           allowances
           to
           act
           in
           any
           case
           otherwise
           then
           each
           person
           of
           the
           party
           only
           in
           his
           private
           Capacity
           might
           do
           :
           and
           they
           Appeal
           to
           the
           Justice
           of
           those
           who
           profess
           to
           have
           the
           greatest
           Aversion
           of
           all
           others
           against
           the
           Religion
           of
           the
           Papists
           ,
           whether
           they
           will
           admit
           it
           as
           a
           rule
           ,
           that
           the
           Villanies
           of
           some
           private
           persons
           ,
           who
           profess
           themselves
           to
           be
           in
           Fellowship
           or
           Communion
           with
           any
           Church
           or
           people
           ,
           calling
           themselves
           Christians
           ,
           may
           in
           Justice
           ,
           and
           ought
           in
           Reason
           to
           be
           charged
           as
           proceeding
           from
           the
           Principles
           ,
           Doctrines
           ,
           or
           Religion
           of
           that
           Church
           or
           people
           with
           which
           private
           persons
           profess
           to
           be
           in
           Communion
           or
           Fellowship
           !
           They
           cry
           out
           ,
           God
           forbid
           any
           such
           Rule
           should
           have
           credit
           in
           the
           World.
           
        
         
         
           On
           the
           other
           side
           ,
           I
           am
           not
           ignorant
           ,
           that
           the
           Papists
           who
           Esteem
           the
           Protestants
           in
           general
           as
           their
           mortal
           Enemies
           ,
           by
           whom
           they
           apprehend
           themselves
           to
           have
           been
           depriv'd
           of
           what
           is
           most
           dear
           unto
           them
           ,
           from
           the
           time
           that
           the
           Protestant
           Religion
           first
           gain'd
           a
           Preheminency
           in
           England
           ,
           are
           as
           highly
           Uncharitable
           towards
           the
           Protestants
           ,
           as
           these
           are
           severe
           in
           their
           Censures
           towards
           them
           .
           They
           have
           almost
           look'd
           upon
           the
           Protestants
           ,
           as
           the
           Israelites
           did
           upon
           the
           Egyptians
           ;
           They
           charg'd
           upon
           them
           the
           guilt
           of
           all
           Blood
           that
           hath
           been
           shed
           ,
           of
           all
           the
           Persecutions
           which
           have
           hap'ned
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           since
           the
           first
           Act
           of
           Parliament
           of
           that
           nature
           ,
           made
           by
           King
           Henry
           the
           VIII
           unto
           this
           hour
           :
           Insmuating
           ,
           that
           what
           was
           so
           Cruelly
           Acted
           by
           Q.
           
           Mary's
           Bishops
           ,
           was
           occasion'd
           by
           the
           Provocations
           given
           in
           the
           time
           of
           King
           Edward
           the
           VI.
           and
           warranted
           (
           as
           far
           as
           ill
           Acts
           can
           be
           warranted
           ,
           )
           First
           ,
           by
           the
           Non-conformists
           Retaliations
           towards
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           when
           subdu'd
           by
           them
           upon
           the
           Death
           of
           King
           Charles
           the
           I.
           and
           then
           by
           the
           Retaliation
           made
           to
           the
           Non-conformists
           by
           those
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ,
           since
           the
           Restoration
           of
           our
           present
           Soveraign
           .
        
         
           In
           short
           ,
           as
           the
           Protestants
           in
           general
           ,
           to
           excuse
           and
           justifie
           themselves
           ,
           labour
           to
           cast
           Persecution
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           upon
           the
           Papists
           ,
           as
           a
           Principle
           of
           Popery
           ;
           so
           the
           Papists
           are
           as
           Industrious
           to
           perswade
           the
           World
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           a
           Principle
           of
           Protestancy
           .
        
         
           I
           might
           here
           by
           way
           of
           Apology
           and
           Extenuation
           refer
           the
           Papists
           ,
           as
           they
           do
           the
           Protestants
           ,
           to
           consider
           of
           Circumstances
           of
           times
           and
           things
           which
           occasion'd
           their
           Severities
           against
           them
           ,
           as
           the
           unruliness
           which
           might
           probably
           be
           amongst
           the
           people
           in
           the
           time
           of
           K.
           Edw.
           the
           VI.
           to
           see
           their
           Religion
           alter'd
           as
           they
           conceiv'd
           ,
           by
           the
           Protector
           .
           And
           in
           Q.
           
           Elizabeth's
           time
           ,
           besides
           the
           rensentment
           which
           the
           Protestants
           had
           of
           the
           Cruelties
           which
           were
           exercis'd
           against
           them
           in
           Q.
           
           Mary's
           time
           ,
           It
           is
           certain
           ,
           the
           Papists
           did
           not
           look
           upon
           Q.
           Elizabeth
           to
           have
           any
           Right
           to
           the
           Crown
           ;
           she
           having
           been
           declar'd
           by
           the
           Judicial
           Sentence
           ,
           and
           judgement
           of
           Arch-Bishop
           Cranmer
           to
           be
           Illegitimate
           ;
           and
           the
           Marriage
           between
           K.
           Henry
           VIII
           .
           and
           Anne
           of
           Bullen
           her
           Mother
           ,
           being
           by
           the
           same
           Sentence
           declar'd
           absolutely
           
           void
           
             ab
             Initio
          
           ,
           and
           that
           Sentence
           confirm'd
           by
           Act
           of
           
             Parliament
             ,
             28
             Hen.
             8.
             c.
             7.
             
          
           So
           that
           the
           Papists
           took
           Q.
           Mary
           of
           Scotland
           to
           be
           the
           Rightful
           Heir
           to
           the
           Crown
           ,
           and
           Rightful
           Queen
           ,
           and
           Q.
           Elizabeth
           was
           constrain'd
           by
           great
           necessity
           to
           keep
           them
           under
           ;
           but
           Apologies
           are
           not
           proper
           to
           be
           made
           on
           the
           behalf
           of
           those
           ,
           who
           have
           the
           Authority
           towards
           those
           who
           are
           subjected
           .
        
         
           
             And
             as
             the
          
           Protestants
           
             in
             general
             ,
             and
             the
          
           Papists
           ,
           
             reproach'd
             each
             other
             ,
             reciprocally
             charging
             upon
             each
             other
             ,
             that
          
           Persecution
           
             for
             matters
             of
             meer
          
           Religion
           
             was
             a
             Principle
             of
             each
             others
          
           Religion
           ;
           
             so
             did
             the
          
           Episcopal
           Protestants
           ,
           
             and
             the
          
           Non-Conformists
           :
           The
           Episcopal
           Party
           ,
           
             who
             first
          
           Persecuted
           the
           Non-conformists
           
             under
             the
             general
             Name
             of
          
           Puritans
           ,
           or
           Presbyterians
           ,
           affirm'd
           ,
           That
           their
           first
           beginners
           in
           Scotland
           ,
           from
           whence
           they
           deriv'd
           themselves
           ,
           did
           more
           than
           any
           Party
           upon
           Earth
           Persecute
           others
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           and
           had
           gain'd
           a
           Power
           by
           their
           Vsurpation
           ,
           Oppression
           and
           Persecution
           ;
           being
           a
           sort
           of
           people
           who
           wanted
           the
           very
           Essentials
           (
           as
           they
           said
           )
           of
           Religion
           ,
           viz.
           A
           Right
           Ordination
           ,
           without
           which
           (
           as
           they
           alleadged
           )
           there
           could
           be
           no
           True
           Church
           ,
           no
           True
           Ministery
           ,
           or
           True
           Sacraments
           :
           And
           that
           ,
           therefore
           they
           ought
           by
           Penal
           Laws
           ,
           timely
           made
           ,
           to
           be
           prevented
           from
           making
           Disturbances
           in
           
             England
             .
             The
          
           Puritans
           
             to
             justify
             themselves
             ,
             denying
          
           Persecution
           
             for
             matters
             of
             meer
          
           Religion
           
             to
             be
             their
             Principle
             ,
             or
             to
             be
             lawful
             ,
             labour'd
             to
             fix
             it
             upon
             the
             Church
             of
          
           England
           
             as
             their
             Principle
             ,
             and
             as
             taken
             up
             by
             them
             from
             the
          
           Papists
           .
           
             And
             as
             to
             the
             particulars
             charg'd
             upon
             those
             of
          
           Scotland
           ,
           
             they
             said
          
           ,
           That
           whatsoever
           those
           of
           the
           Reformation
           had
           done
           in
           Scotland
           ,
           was
           approv'd
           and
           abetted
           by
           Queen
           Elizabeth
           and
           the
           Protestants
           of
           England
           ,
           without
           whose
           Advice
           nothing
           in
           Scotland
           had
           been
           Transacted
           ,
           and
           without
           whose
           Assistance
           things
           had
           not
           been
           so
           Effected
           :
           
             They
             further
             said
             ,
             as
             to
             the
             point
             of
          
           Ordination
           ,
           That
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           ought
           not
           in
           Reason
           ,
           to
           account
           
             Episcopal
             Ordination
          
           to
           be
           such
           an
           Essential
           of
           Religion
           as
           they
           charged
           ,
           for
           that
           if
           no
           Ordination
           could
           be
           valid
           but
           by
           Bishops
           ,
           that
           then
           it
           would
           follow
           ,
           that
           no
           Ordination
           could
           be
           valid
           but
           from
           True
           and
           Rightful
           Bishops
           of
           the
           True
           Church
           of
           Christ
           ;
           and
           then
           the
           Ordination
           of
           the
           Church
           of
           England
           would
           be
           as
           invalid
           as
           
           the
           Ordination
           
             of
             those
             of
          
           Scotland
           ;
           
             for
             the
             Church
             of
          
           England
           
             could
             make
             out
             no
          
           Succession
           
             of
             Bishops
             ,
             but
             through
             the
          
           Popish
           Church
           ,
           
             which
             both
             parties
             (
             as
             well
             those
             of
             the
             Church
             of
          
           England
           ,
           
             as
             those
             of
          
           Scotland
           )
           
             had
             condemned
             and
             agreed
             to
             be
             a
          
           False
           Church
           ,
           
             and
             no
          
           True
           Church
           
             of
             Christ
             ,
             but
             an
          
           Harlot
           and
           Anti-christian
           .
        
         
           Thus
           the
           
             Episcopal
             Protestants
          
           and
           the
           Puritans
           charged
           and
           recriminated
           each
           other
           ;
           the
           Episcopal
           Party
           nevertheless
           making
           good
           their
           ground
           ,
           so
           long
           as
           they
           had
           the
           Civil
           Power
           to
           support
           them
           ;
           but
           when
           upon
           the
           Death
           of
           K.
           Charles
           the
           I
           ,
           the
           Non-conformists
           gain'd
           the
           
             Civil
             Power
          
           into
           their
           Hands
           ,
           the
           
             Church
             of
          
           England
           Party
           (
           like
           all
           Parties
           oppress'd
           )
           being
           under
           Persecution
           ,
           together
           with
           the
           Papists
           ,
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           
             Religion
             ,
             Did
             absolutely
             condemn
             all
             such
             Persecutions
             as
             Vnlawful
             .
          
           And
           then
           the
           Non-conformists
           (
           who
           were
           at
           that
           time
           sub-divided
           ,
           and
           branch'd
           out
           into
           several
           other
           Parties
           )
           gave
           occasion
           to
           charge
           them
           with
           the
           Principle
           of
           Persecution
           for
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           and
           put
           them
           to
           use
           the
           same
           Arguments
           to
           clear
           themselves
           ,
           as
           the
           Episcopel
           Party
           and
           Papists
           had
           respectively
           before
           made
           use
           of
           ,
           when
           the
           Government
           was
           in
           them
           ,
           to
           prevail
           with
           the
           World
           to
           believe
           that
           they
           abhorr'd
           the
           Principle
           of
           Persecution
           for
           meer
           Religion
           ;
           and
           that
           the
           Persecutions
           us'd
           by
           them
           ,
           were
           not
           for
           any
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           nor
           in
           Truth
           Persecutions
           ,
           but
           purely
           Acts
           of
           Prudence
           ,
           and
           doing
           right
           to
           themselves
           by
           a
           just
           care
           to
           keep
           the
           
             Episcopal
             Party
          
           and
           the
           Papists
           out
           of
           all
           possibility
           of
           Persecuting
           them
           any
           more
           for
           the
           future
           .
        
         
           But
           none
           of
           them
           could
           find
           any
           reason
           of
           that
           Nature
           to
           excuse
           the
           Persecutions
           ,
           which
           they
           us'd
           towards
           the
           people
           called
           Quakers
           ,
           they
           could
           not
           charge
           them
           with
           ever
           having
           Persecuted
           any
           Party
           or
           Person
           :
           Yet
           in
           Fact
           ,
           both
           the
           Non-conformists
           and
           the
           
             Episcopal
             Party
          
           did
           Persecute
           them
           in
           their
           turns
           ;
           and
           therefore
           to
           prevent
           being
           charged
           for
           persecuting
           a
           quiet
           People
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           They
           pretended
           sometimes
           ,
           that
           the
           Quakers
           were
           all
           Mad-men
           ,
           and
           that
           they
           Imprison'd
           them
           only
           to
           keep
           them
           out
           of
           the
           way
           ,
           and
           to
           preserve
           them
           in
           peace
           :
           And
           those
           who
           had
           gotten
           the
           Government
           ,
           would
           upon
           that
           Title
           claim
           the
           right
           of
           judging
           what
           persons
           were
           Mad
           ,
           as
           
           they
           did
           always
           of
           judging
           what
           was
           Truth
           and
           what
           Errour
           .
           At
           other
           times
           they
           pretended
           to
           punish
           the
           Quakers
           as
           Blasphemers
           ,
           and
           the
           Persecutors
           being
           the
           only
           Judges
           of
           what
           was
           Blasphemy
           under
           their
           Government
           ,
           they
           might
           make
           what
           they
           pleas'd
           Blasphemy
           .
           When
           they
           grew
           asham'd
           of
           this
           Charge
           ,
           they
           then
           pretended
           ,
           that
           the
           Quakers
           were
           conceal'd
           Papists
           ,
           and
           that
           every
           one
           who
           spoke
           or
           utter'd
           any
           thing
           in
           their
           Meetings
           (
           whether
           Man
           or
           Woman
           )
           was
           a
           Jesuit
           Disguis'd
           .
           It
           was
           clear
           ,
           that
           the
           Quakers
           suffer'd
           highly
           ,
           and
           it
           was
           as
           clear
           ,
           there
           could
           not
           with
           any
           shew
           of
           Truth
           be
           any
           thing
           charg'd
           against
           them
           ,
           but
           what
           was
           matter
           of
           meer
           Religion
           .
        
         
           Now
           upon
           the
           whole
           Business
           ,
           what
           shall
           such
           a
           person
           judge
           of
           these
           matters
           ,
           who
           esteems
           himself
           in
           danger
           of
           being
           judged
           by
           God
           ,
           if
           he
           shall
           make
           any
           rash
           Judgment
           ?
           Shall
           we
           take
           for
           a
           sufficient
           solid
           Proof
           ,
           the
           Charge
           of
           an
           Exasperated
           Enemy
           ,
           against
           an
           Enemy
           who
           hath
           provoked
           him
           ,
           and
           this
           in
           a
           matter
           of
           so
           great
           a
           Concernment
           ,
           as
           to
           render
           not
           a
           single
           Person
           ,
           but
           a
           whole
           Party
           unworthy
           to
           live
           ?
           This
           were
           to
           judge
           against
           the
           Rules
           of
           common
           Justice
           and
           Righteousness
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           to
           Sin
           against
           Charity
           :
           And
           this
           way
           of
           judging
           would
           render
           each
           Party
           (
           the
           Quakers
           only
           excepted
           )
           to
           be
           Guilty
           ,
           and
           to
           give
           a
           just
           Title
           to
           each
           Party
           ,
           where
           it
           hath
           the
           possession
           of
           Power
           and
           Government
           to
           put
           to
           Death
           all
           of
           the
           other
           Parties
           .
        
         
           For
           though
           we
           in
           England
           should
           refuse
           to
           admit
           the
           Charge
           of
           the
           Papists
           here
           to
           be
           a
           sufficient
           proof
           against
           the
           Protestants
           in
           so
           great
           a
           matter
           ;
           yet
           let
           us
           not
           deceive
           our selves
           so
           far
           ,
           as
           to
           suppose
           that
           in
           
             Popish
             Countries
          
           ,
           the
           Charge
           of
           Papists
           against
           Protestants
           would
           not
           be
           taken
           to
           be
           at
           the
           least
           as
           valid
           ,
           as
           the
           Charge
           of
           Protestants
           will
           be
           taken
           to
           be
           against
           Papists
           here
           .
           Shall
           we
           go
           another
           way
           ,
           and
           say
           ,
           that
           in
           regard
           every
           Party
           takes
           it self
           to
           be
           the
           only
           good
           and
           true
           Christian
           ,
           and
           in
           regard
           we
           see
           every
           Party
           ,
           when
           in
           Power
           ,
           practising
           this
           thing
           ,
           and
           persecuting
           the
           other
           (
           when
           in
           their
           Power
           )
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           that
           therefore
           every
           Party
           agrees
           in
           this
           ?
           
             That
             it
             is
             Lawful
             for
             those
             who
             are
             the
             true
          
           Christians
           ,
           
             to
             Make
             and
             Execute
             Penal
             Laws
             against
             such
             as
             are
             Erroneous
          
           Christians
           ,
           
             and
             to
             Inflict
             Pains
             and
             Penalties
             upon
             them
             for
             matters
             of
             meer
             Religion
             ,
             
             that
             is
             ,
             for
             Errors
             held
             by
             them
             as
             Doctrines
             of
             Religion
             :
          
           But
           neither
           will
           this
           be
           reasonable
           or
           convenient
           ;
           for
           this
           will
           also
           give
           Title
           to
           those
           who
           have
           the
           
             Actual
             Power
          
           ,
           and
           are
           in
           the
           possession
           of
           each
           respective
           Government
           in
           the
           Christian
           World
           ,
           to
           put
           to
           Death
           ,
           and
           destroy
           all
           within
           their
           respective
           Jurisdictions
           ,
           whom
           they
           judge
           to
           be
           
             Erroneous
             Christians
          
           :
           And
           this
           will
           be
           also
           to
           Entitle
           the
           Civil
           Magistrate
           in
           every
           
             Christian
             Country
          
           ,
           to
           the
           absolute
           and
           uncontroulable
           right
           of
           judging
           between
           Truth
           and
           Error
           ,
           so
           as
           to
           have
           no
           appeal
           from
           his
           definitive
           Judgment
           ;
           and
           to
           entail
           against
           common
           Sense
           an
           Infallibility
           in
           the
           
             Civil
             Magistrate
          
           of
           every
           Country
           of
           determining
           in
           matters
           of
           Faith
           and
           
             Religion
             :
             I
             say
             ,
             against
             common
             Sense
             ;
             for
          
           Christianity
           
             teacheth
             us
             ,
             that
             there
             can
             be
             but
             one
             true
             Faith
             ;
             and
             if
             this
             Power
             of
             judging
             should
             be
             allow'd
             to
             the
             Civil
             Magistrate
             ,
          
           there
           would
           be
           as
           many
           Faiths
           as
           there
           are
           Governments
           amongst
           Christians
           :
           That
           would
           be
           true
           Faith
           in
           one
           Country
           ,
           and
           the
           denyal
           of
           it
           punishable
           with
           Death
           ;
           which
           in
           another
           Country
           would
           be
           an
           Error
           and
           a
           
             False
             Faith
          
           ,
           and
           the
           affirming
           of
           it
           punishable
           with
           Death
           .
        
         
           
             It
             would
             also
             be
             to
             justify
             not
             only
             what
             the
          
           Papists
           in
           England
           ,
           
             but
             what
             both
             the
          
           Papists
           and
           Protestants
           
             in
             all
             other
             parts
             cast
             as
             a
             Charge
             upon
             our
          
           Nation
           ,
           That
           the
           only
           Rule
           of
           Faith
           in
           England
           ,
           is
           the
           Parliament
           of
           England
           ;
           that
           nothing
           is
           true
           
             Christian
             Doctrine
          
           in
           England
           ,
           nor
           any
           Translation
           or
           Sense
           ,
           or
           Interpretation
           of
           Scripture
           ,
           a
           true
           Translation
           or
           Sense
           ,
           or
           Interpretation
           of
           Scripture
           in
           England
           ,
           but
           what
           is
           judg'd
           so
           to
           be
           by
           the
           Parliament
           of
           
             England
             .
             Whereas
             ,
             though
             in
             the
          
           Statute
           made
           2
           ,
           3
           Edw.
           6.
           
             c.
             1
             Entituled
          
           ,
           An
           Act
           for
           the
           Vniformity
           of
           Service
           and
           Administration
           of
           the
           Sacraments
           throughout
           the
           Realm
           :
           
             It
             was
             affirm'd
             by
             that
             Parliament
             ,
          
           That
           the
           Book
           of
           Common-Prayer
           enjoyn'd
           by
           that
           Statute
           to
           be
           us'd
           ,
           was
           made
           by
           the
           Aid
           of
           the
           Holy
           Ghost
           :
           
             Yet
             that
             very
          
           Book
           
             was
             by
             that
             very
          
           Parliament
           
             alter'd
             and
             amended
             ,
             as
             appears
             by
             Statute
          
           5
           Edw.
           6.
           
           
             C.
             1.
             
             And
             it
             hath
             received
             several
          
           Reformations
           and
           Amendments
           
             since
             ,
             and
             was
             in
             and
             by
             a
          
           Parliament
           
             in
             Q.
          
           Marys
           
             days
             ,
             judged
             to
             be
          
           Heretical
           .
        
         
           As
           to
           my
           own
           Judgment
           in
           this
           particular
           Affair
           ,
           it
           leads
           me
           to
           another
           way
           of
           reasoning
           and
           discoursing
           ;
           I
           do
           ,
           and
           I
           think
           I
           
           am
           bound
           in
           Charity
           to
           believe
           that
           every
           Person
           and
           Party
           who
           professeth
           Christianity
           ,
           do
           at
           least
           intend
           to
           be
           what
           they
           profess
           ,
           and
           that
           they
           do
           all
           in
           their
           Hearts
           fully
           give
           consent
           unto
           all
           those
           common
           Doctrines
           of
           Christianity
           ,
           which
           ,
           as
           standing
           Principles
           of
           that
           pure
           Religion
           ,
           were
           never
           question'd
           or
           deny'd
           by
           any
           sort
           of
           Christians
           ,
           such
           as
           are
           those
           which
           I
           have
           before
           observ'd
           ,
           
             Of
             doing
             unto
             others
             ,
             as
             we
             would
             have
             others
             do
             unto
             us
             ,
             and
             of
             not
             doing
             Evil
             ,
             that
             Good
             may
             come
             of
             it
          
           ;
           and
           those
           others
           of
           
             Loving
             our
             Neighbours
             as
             our selves
             ;
             yea
             ,
             and
             of
             Loving
             our
             very
             Enemies
             ,
             and
             doing
             good
             to
             them
             that
             who
             hate
             us
             and
             use
             us
             despightfully
             :
          
           All
           which
           ,
           when
           soberly
           consider'd
           ,
           without
           Passion
           or
           Humane
           Interest
           ,
           are
           expresly
           against
           all
           Persecutions
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           and
           do
           not
           only
           tye
           up
           Protestants
           from
           destroying
           of
           Protestants
           ,
           but
           even
           from
           Persecuting
           of
           any
           sort
           for
           any
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           :
           as
           those
           Commands
           ,
           
             Thou
             shalt
             do
             no
             Murther
             ,
             Thou
             shalt
             not
             Steal
             ,
             Thou
             shalt
             not
             commit
             Adultery
             ,
          
           and
           against
           and
           tye
           up
           all
           Christians
           from
           shedding
           of
           Blood
           Unlawfully
           and
           Malitiously
           ,
           and
           against
           Rapine
           and
           Vncleanness
           .
           And
           such
           do
           also
           in
           their
           Hearts
           believe
           ,
           that
           whatever
           Counsel
           or
           work
           is
           of
           man
           ,
           will
           fall
           of
           it self
           ;
           and
           that
           what
           is
           of
           God
           will
           stand
           Maugre
           all
           the
           Persecutions
           and
           Oppositions
           of
           man
           ;
           and
           that
           there
           is
           none
           of
           them
           do
           intend
           to
           fight
           against
           God
           ,
           or
           would
           willingly
           be
           found
           so
           doing
           .
           All
           this
           being
           taken
           by
           me
           in
           my
           own
           Thoughts
           ,
           to
           be
           most
           certainly
           true
           ,
           when
           ever
           I
           come
           to
           enquire
           ,
           How
           then
           can
           these
           things
           be
           ?
           How
           can
           all
           these
           Parties
           (
           among
           which
           there
           are
           great
           numbers
           of
           Good
           ,
           Sober
           ,
           Judicious
           and
           Sincere
           persons
           )
           offend
           against
           these
           common
           Principles
           of
           the
           common
           Faith
           of
           all
           Christians
           ,
           by
           making
           and
           Executing
           
             Penal
             Laws
          
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           
             Religion
             ?
             Immediately
             adjoyning
          
           to
           this
           another
           Question
           ,
           which
           is
           ,
           And
           how
           can
           so
           many
           persons
           ,
           professing
           to
           be
           Christians
           ,
           take
           revenge
           by
           Blood
           ,
           usurp
           the
           Goods
           of
           their
           Neighours
           ,
           and
           commit
           the
           Sin
           of
           Vncleanness
           !
           Yet
           all
           these
           were
           once
           done
           by
           that
           great
           and
           good
           King
           ,
           and
           Prophet
           ,
           who
           was
           
             a
             Man
             after
             God's
             own
             Heart
             .
          
           That
           which
           to
           me
           Answers
           this
           latter
           Question
           ,
           seems
           clearly
           to
           solve
           the
           former
           ;
           That
           the
           Beast
           gets
           the
           better
           of
           the
           Man
           ;
           The
           Passions
           commit
           a
           force
           upon
           Reason
           ;
           And
           Humane
           Frailty
           ,
           being
           too
           weak
           ,
           brings
           the
           best
           of
           men
           
           sometimes
           (
           though
           but
           for
           a
           time
           )
           and
           careless
           men
           oftentimes
           to
           contradict
           their
           Faith
           by
           their
           Practice
           ,
           until
           by
           Afflictions
           they
           gain
           understanding
           ,
           and
           come
           to
           Repentance
           for
           the
           Saving
           of
           their
           Souls
           .
           This
           to
           me
           seems
           so
           evident
           a
           Truth
           ,
           that
           ,
           until
           something
           more
           evident
           shall
           convince
           me
           of
           my
           being
           mistaken
           in
           this
           ,
           I
           should
           think
           it
           as
           great
           a
           Sin
           against
           Charity
           ,
           for
           me
           to
           charge
           it
           as
           a
           Principle
           of
           the
           Religion
           of
           any
           Party
           (
           professing
           to
           be
           
             Christians
             )
             That
             Persecution
             for
             meer
             Religion
             is
             Lawful
             ,
          
           because
           I
           see
           it
           practis'd
           by
           those
           who
           have
           Power
           amongst
           that
           Party
           ,
           as
           to
           charge
           the
           same
           Party
           ,
           to
           hold
           it
           as
           a
           Principle
           of
           their
           Religion
           ,
           that
           Murther
           ,
           Theft
           and
           Adultery
           are
           Lawful
           ,
           because
           great
           numbers
           of
           that
           Party
           ,
           are
           too
           often
           guilty
           of
           the
           practice
           of
           those
           Sins
           .
        
         
           If
           this
           way
           of
           considering
           things
           be
           not
           found
           unreasonable
           ,
           but
           upon
           due
           reflection
           ,
           shall
           appear
           to
           be
           conformable
           to
           the
           true
           Principles
           of
           Christianity
           ,
           and
           the
           
             Holy
             Rules
          
           and
           Doctrines
           of
           Christ
           ,
           I
           hope
           those
           who
           are
           publick
           persons
           ,
           will
           forgive
           me
           when
           I
           wish
           they
           would
           lay
           it
           to
           their
           Hearts
           ,
           and
           think
           well
           ,
           whether
           it
           would
           not
           be
           of
           use
           to
           preserve
           this
           poor
           Nation
           ,
           from
           the
           further
           guilt
           of
           those
           additional
           Injustices
           ,
           and
           Cruelties
           ,
           which
           the
           contrary
           way
           of
           rash
           Judging
           must
           involve
           ,
           and
           daily
           do
           involve
           us
           in
           .
        
         
           
             Is
             it
             not
             more
             calm
             Judgment
             to
             say
             ,
          
           That
           the
           
             Disordinate
             Passions
          
           of
           K.
           Henry
           the
           VIII
           .
           hurried
           him
           into
           those
           Cruelties
           which
           he
           committed
           ,
           than
           to
           impute
           them
           to
           the
           Principles
           of
           any
           Religion
           which
           he
           profess'd
           ?
           Is
           it
           not
           more
           becoming
           us
           to
           say
           ,
           that
           an
           over-zealous
           Passion
           of
           Fears
           which
           our
           first
           Reformers
           had
           in
           the
           time
           of
           K.
           Edw.
           the
           sixth
           ,
           made
           them
           apprehend
           ,
           that
           they
           could
           not
           put
           Popery
           out
           of
           its
           Possession
           otherwise
           than
           by
           force
           ,
           and
           consequently
           led
           them
           unwarily
           into
           practices
           ,
           which
           were
           contrary
           to
           their
           
             True
             Faith
          
           ,
           then
           to
           admit
           the
           Charge
           laid
           on
           them
           by
           the
           then
           Persecuted
           
             Papists
             ,
             That
             Persecution
             for
             meer
             Religion
             ,
             was
             the
             first
          
           Protestant
           Principle
           ,
           
             upon
             which
          
           Protestancy
           
             laid
             its
             first
             Politick
             Foundation
             in
          
           England
           ?
           Were
           it
           not
           more
           Ingenious
           ,
           to
           attribute
           the
           Cruelties
           ,
           which
           were
           inflicted
           in
           Q.
           
           Mary's
           time
           ,
           to
           the
           Passion
           of
           Fear
           in
           that
           Queen
           ,
           and
           of
           Fear
           and
           Covetousness
           in
           her
           Bishops
           ,
           that
           nothing
           could
           secure
           her
           against
           
             New
             Rebellions
          
           from
           the
           Protestants
           ,
           nor
           
           fix
           the
           Bishops
           in
           their
           re-gain'd
           Possessions
           ,
           but
           Examples
           of
           the
           utmost
           rigour
           ,
           then
           to
           labour
           to
           fix
           those
           Barbarous
           Cruelties
           as
           a
           Principle
           upon
           the
           Religion
           of
           the
           Queen
           ?
           Is
           it
           not
           more
           Charitable
           to
           assign
           all
           the
           harsh
           Laws
           made
           and
           executed
           in
           the
           times
           of
           Queen
           Elizabeth
           ,
           King
           James
           ,
           and
           in
           the
           several
           succeeding
           times
           since
           by
           the
           Government
           avowedly
           Protestant
           ,
           to
           the
           Fear
           ,
           Ambition
           ,
           Revenge
           ,
           or
           other
           frail
           Passions
           ,
           cover'd
           generally
           under
           the
           specious
           Titles
           of
           
             Reason
             of
             State
          
           ,
           then
           to
           give
           the
           World
           a
           just
           Ground
           to
           charge
           those
           Crueltie
           ;
           upon
           a
           Principle
           of
           Protestancy
           .
           This
           we
           must
           do
           ,
           or
           (
           which
           is
           as
           much
           to
           our
           Dishonour
           )
           we
           must
           give
           a
           just
           Ground
           to
           the
           most
           Civiliz'd
           Nations
           of
           the
           World
           ,
           to
           charge
           those
           past
           Barbarities
           ,
           exercis'd
           so
           long
           in
           England
           ,
           upon
           the
           People
           of
           our
           Nation
           ,
           to
           the
           Cruelties
           of
           our
           
             English
             Natures
          
           :
           For
           what
           other
           thing
           can
           
             Forreign
             Nations
          
           impute
           it
           unto
           ,
           when
           they
           shall
           observe
           the
           same
           Persecution
           continued
           for
           near
           one
           hundred
           and
           forty
           years
           ,
           under
           all
           the
           various
           
             Forms
             of
             Religion
          
           which
           we
           have
           had
           ,
           each
           Party
           renouncing
           the
           Cruelties
           to
           proceed
           from
           any
           Principle
           of
           the
           Religion
           own'd
           by
           that
           Party
           ,
           yet
           exercising
           in
           Fact
           ,
           what
           they
           renounce
           to
           be
           their
           Faith.
           
        
         
           But
           my
           Charity
           doth
           not
           rest
           here
           ,
           it
           compels
           me
           to
           make
           yet
           one
           step
           further
           ;
           and
           since
           it
           is
           not
           to
           the
           Dishonour
           of
           our
           Nation
           ,
           I
           hope
           none
           will
           be
           displeas'd
           with
           it
           .
           As
           I
           am
           verily
           perswaded
           ,
           that
           all
           those
           
             Penal
             Laws
          
           ,
           which
           have
           been
           made
           in
           this
           our
           Nation
           for
           the
           inflicting
           of
           Pains
           and
           Penalties
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           have
           not
           had
           their
           Original
           from
           any
           Principle
           of
           any
           of
           those
           Religions
           which
           have
           been
           profess'd
           by
           any
           of
           those
           Powers
           or
           Governments
           by
           which
           they
           were
           made
           ,
           but
           ought
           to
           be
           imputed
           to
           the
           Passions
           of
           those
           who
           made
           ,
           and
           caus'd
           them
           to
           be
           put
           in
           Execution
           :
           And
           that
           a
           false
           Reason
           of
           State
           ,
           or
           zeal
           in
           Church-men
           ,
           gave
           those
           Passions
           leave
           to
           work
           even
           against
           the
           Religion
           which
           every
           Party
           Persecuting
           ,
           Profess'd
           ;
           so
           do
           I
           most
           confidently
           believe
           ,
           that
           the
           True
           Principles
           of
           the
           common
           Christianity
           ,
           which
           every
           Party
           own'd
           ,
           and
           true
           Reason
           of
           State
           grounded
           upon
           those
           true
           and
           commonly
           own'd
           Principles
           ,
           restrain'd
           all
           and
           every
           the
           respective
           Parties
           ,
           by
           whom
           those
           Laws
           were
           made
           ,
           from
           all
           Intentions
           of
           having
           all
           ,
           or
           any
           of
           those
           Laws
           rigidly
           Executed
           ;
           so
           that
           
           those
           who
           had
           from
           time
           to
           time
           ,
           and
           who
           still
           have
           the
           Executive
           and
           Interpretative
           Power
           of
           those
           Laws
           vested
           in
           them
           ,
           have
           always
           understood
           ,
           and
           do
           still
           continue
           to
           understand
           those
           Laws
           not
           to
           have
           been
           intended
           by
           the
           Legislative
           Power
           to
           be
           strictly
           and
           rigidly
           or
           
             constantly
             executed
          
           :
           My
           Reason
           is
           ,
           that
           had
           this
           been
           otherwise
           ,
           All
           of
           All
           Parties
           ,
           except
           one
           ,
           who
           at
           some
           time
           had
           been
           in
           Power
           ,
           must
           have
           been
           e're
           this
           totally
           Butcher'd
           or
           destroy'd
           ,
           and
           our
           poor
           Country
           so
           far
           Depopulated
           as
           to
           have
           become
           a
           Prey
           to
           some
           of
           our
           Potent
           Neighbours
           :
           For
           even
           in
           Queen
           Mary's
           times
           ,
           thousandes
           escaped
           that
           never
           sled
           ;
           and
           had
           private
           Meetings
           ,
           but
           the
           most
           Eminent
           were
           Cruelly
           used
           .
        
         
           I
           know
           some
           there
           are
           who
           have
           imputed
           the
           remiss
           Execution
           of
           these
           unkind
           Laws
           to
           the
           Generous
           Good
           Nature
           which
           is
           found
           in
           the
           generality
           of
           our
           Nation
           ,
           which
           abhors
           Cruelty
           ,
           and
           hath
           always
           a
           compassion
           for
           those
           who
           are
           under
           Persecution
           ;
           and
           which
           well
           appears
           to
           any
           who
           reflect
           upon
           the
           tenderness
           of
           our
           Courts
           of
           Justice
           ,
           and
           of
           the
           generality
           both
           of
           our
           Magistrates
           ,
           and
           our
           Juries
           in
           all
           the
           Countries
           in
           England
           ,
           and
           how
           they
           have
           comported
           themselves
           under
           the
           several
           Circumstances
           of
           past
           Times
           ,
           when
           they
           have
           been
           call'd
           upon
           ,
           and
           Provok'd
           ,
           yea
           Threatn'd
           ,
           and
           endeavour'd
           to
           have
           been
           forc'd
           into
           a
           Spirit
           of
           Persecuting
           .
        
         
           Others
           there
           are
           ,
           who
           have
           taken
           the
           great
           unwillingness
           in
           all
           sorts
           of
           persons
           to
           be
           active
           in
           the
           Execution
           of
           these
           Laws
           to
           proceed
           from
           the
           innate
           zeal
           that
           is
           in
           every
           English
           man
           to
           preserve
           the
           Liberties
           and
           Properties
           of
           their
           Fellow
           Subjects
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           their
           own
           ;
           and
           that
           they
           have
           observ'd
           ,
           that
           Liberty
           and
           Property
           were
           never
           any
           way
           so
           much
           Entrench'd
           upon
           ,
           violated
           and
           destroyed
           ,
           as
           by
           these
           Cruel
           Laws
           of
           Persecution
           for
           meer
           Religion
           :
           So
           that
           every
           man
           considering
           when
           he
           sees
           his
           Neighbour
           (
           though
           differing
           in
           Judgement
           from
           himself
           )
           Persecuted
           and
           destroyed
           for
           what
           ought
           to
           be
           call'd
           rather
           his
           mistake
           then
           his
           Fault
           (
           for
           no
           man
           can
           believe
           against
           his
           Judgement
           ,
           or
           take
           an
           Oath
           against
           his
           Conscience
           without
           sin
           )
           that
           though
           this
           be
           his
           Neighbours
           turn
           this
           year
           ,
           it
           may
           be
           his
           own
           turn
           the
           next
           year
           ,
           or
           next
           Reign
           ;
           and
           no
           mans
           Life
           ,
           Liberty
           or
           Property
           can
           be
           secure
           in
           case
           such
           Laws
           be
           Executed
           ;
           
           but
           only
           such
           men
           ,
           who
           have
           a
           Conscience
           fitted
           for
           all
           Changes
           of
           Government
           ,
           and
           for
           every
           Religion
           that
           is
           uppermost
           ,
           and
           who
           for
           that
           reason
           are
           as
           unfit
           to
           be
           Trusted
           by
           their
           Neighbours
           as
           by
           the
           Government
           .
        
         
           But
           though
           I
           take
           it
           to
           be
           very
           true
           that
           this
           natural
           inclination
           to
           Mercy
           and
           pity
           ,
           and
           this
           real
           zeal
           which
           all
           men
           have
           for
           the
           preserving
           of
           Liberty
           and
           Property
           ,
           may
           have
           been
           great
           helps
           to
           keep
           off
           ,
           or
           mitigate
           the
           severe
           Execution
           of
           these
           Laws
           of
           Persecution
           for
           meer
           Religion
           ;
           yet
           when
           I
           well
           consider
           the
           great
           power
           and
           Influences
           which
           the
           Supreme
           Authority
           always
           hath
           upon
           the
           Subjects
           ;
           and
           particularly
           upon
           all
           the
           Magistrates
           in
           general
           ,
           who
           are
           always
           persons
           nominated
           and
           appointed
           by
           the
           Supreme
           Authority
           ;
           and
           must
           be
           therefore
           suppos'd
           to
           be
           such
           in
           whom
           the
           Supreme
           Authority
           always
           Confides
           ,
           as
           to
           the
           due
           Execution
           of
           what
           the
           Supreme
           Authority
           intends
           to
           have
           Executed
           ;
           I
           think
           it
           will
           Naturally
           follow
           ,
           that
           a
           forbearance
           of
           the
           rigid
           Execution
           of
           these
           Laws
           ,
           ought
           to
           be
           chiefly
           imputed
           to
           the
           Religion
           and
           true
           Christian
           policy
           of
           the
           Supreme
           Authority
           ;
           and
           we
           ought
           to
           believe
           ,
           that
           though
           a
           false
           Reason
           of
           State
           did
           sometimes
           permit
           Humane
           Frailty
           ,
           to
           make
           such
           Laws
           as
           were
           contradictory
           to
           the
           true
           Laws
           and
           Principles
           of
           that
           very
           Religion
           which
           those
           persons
           professed
           ,
           by
           whom
           those
           Laws
           were
           made
           ;
           yet
           true
           Religion
           ,
           and
           true
           reason
           of
           state
           always
           kept
           those
           persons
           from
           intending
           to
           have
           those
           Laws
           rigidly
           and
           severely
           Executed
           .
        
         
           I
           will
           confirm
           this
           by
           one
           single
           Instance
           of
           the
           highest
           Nature
           ,
           and
           that
           not
           in
           the
           best
           of
           times
           .
        
         
           The
           last
           
             Popish
             Priest
          
           that
           was
           put
           to
           Death
           in
           England
           for
           being
           a
           Priest
           of
           the
           
             Romish
             Church
          
           ,
           was
           put
           to
           Death
           in
           the
           time
           of
           Cromwel
           ;
           I
           suppose
           ,
           we
           are
           not
           to
           doubt
           of
           the
           Passionate
           heat
           which
           inflam'd
           those
           who
           were
           then
           in
           Authority
           against
           the
           Papists
           and
           Popery
           ;
           they
           look'd
           on
           the
           Papists
           as
           mortal
           Enemies
           to
           their
           Government
           ,
           and
           as
           fast
           Friends
           ,
           and
           devoted
           Servants
           to
           the
           Crown
           and
           Royal
           Family
           :
           Notwithstanding
           which
           ,
           when
           the
           said
           Priest
           came
           upon
           his
           Tryal
           at
           the
           Sessions-house
           in
           the
           Old-Baily
           in
           London
           ,
           and
           upon
           his
           Arraignment
           ,
           Pleaded
           that
           he
           was
           not
           Guilty
           of
           Treason
           ,
           but
           acknowledg'd
           himself
           to
           be
           a
           Priest
           of
           the
           
             Roman
             Church
          
           :
           It
           clearly
           appear'd
           ,
           
           that
           those
           who
           were
           his
           Judges
           ,
           did
           their
           utmost
           to
           preserve
           his
           Life
           ,
           and
           to
           prevent
           the
           Execution
           against
           him
           of
           those
           Laws
           upon
           which
           he
           stood
           Indicted
           :
           For
           they
           did
           for
           many
           hours
           suspend
           the
           Recording
           of
           his
           Confession
           ,
           making
           it
           their
           endeavour
           to
           prevail
           with
           him
           to
           Plead
           
             not
             Gluilty
          
           to
           the
           Indictment
           :
           They
           pressed
           him
           to
           this
           in
           the
           publick
           Court
           ,
           assuring
           him
           ,
           that
           if
           he
           would
           so
           Plead
           ,
           his
           Life
           should
           be
           safe
           ;
           and
           that
           they
           had
           no
           Evidence
           which
           could
           prove
           him
           to
           be
           a
           Priest
           .
           And
           when
           the
           Old
           Man
           (
           Aged
           about
           seventy
           two
           years
           )
           would
           not
           be
           drawn
           to
           deny
           himself
           to
           be
           a
           Priest
           ;
           (
           taking
           it
           to
           be
           a
           denying
           of
           his
           Religion
           )
           and
           that
           the
           Court
           was
           compell'd
           to
           give
           Judgment
           against
           him
           ;
           the
           Magistrate
           who
           gave
           the
           Sentence
           ,
           was
           so
           drown'd
           in
           Tears
           upon
           that
           sad
           occasion
           ,
           that
           it
           was
           long
           before
           he
           could
           pronounce
           the
           Sentence
           ,
           which
           the
           Law
           compell'd
           (
           as
           he
           profess'd
           )
           to
           give
           .
           Now
           I
           ask
           ,
           can
           it
           be
           presum'd
           that
           in
           those
           severe
           times
           against
           Popery
           ,
           those
           who
           then
           sate
           upon
           the
           Seat
           of
           Justice
           ,
           would
           ,
           or
           durst
           have
           proceeded
           thus
           in
           a
           publick
           (
           out
           ,
           and
           made
           it
           their
           business
           so
           openly
           ,
           so
           avowedly
           to
           have
           sav'd
           the
           Life
           of
           a
           Priest
           of
           that
           Party
           ,
           if
           they
           had
           not
           well
           consider'd
           that
           the
           Makers
           of
           those
           Laws
           ,
           and
           even
           Cromwel
           ,
           who
           had
           then
           taken
           upon
           him
           the
           Government
           of
           these
           Nations
           ,
           did
           not
           in
           Truth
           intend
           a
           rigid
           and
           severe
           Execution
           of
           those
           Laws
           ,
           which
           were
           for
           Inflicting
           Pains
           and
           Penalties
           for
           matter
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ?
        
         
           But
           I
           think
           ,
           I
           need
           give
           no
           further
           Instances
           for
           the
           proof
           of
           this
           my
           Opinion
           :
           Whosoever
           shall
           reflect
           upon
           the
           present
           Genius
           of
           our
           whole
           Nation
           ,
           and
           consider
           in
           what
           detestation
           all
           men
           have
           the
           Execution
           of
           Persecuting
           Laws
           of
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           how
           publickly
           Informers
           are
           Abhorr'd
           and
           Discountenanced
           ,
           when
           they
           labour
           to
           Persecute
           any
           upon
           any
           such
           Law
           ,
           will
           easily
           see
           that
           the
           whole
           Nation
           in
           general
           is
           Convinc'd
           ,
           that
           those
           Laws
           were
           never
           any
           of
           them
           made
           ,
           with
           intention
           to
           have
           them
           rigidly
           Executed
           .
           I
           have
           been
           told
           ,
           (
           and
           it
           seems
           to
           be
           grounded
           upon
           Reason
           )
           that
           it
           is
           a
           Principle
           of
           our
           Laws
           ,
           
             That
             even
             an
             Act
             of
             Parliament
             ,
             which
             is
             against
             the
             Law
             of
             God
             ,
             or
             against
             Reason
             ,
             is
             void
             in
             it self
          
           ;
           If
           this
           be
           true
           (
           as
           methinks
           it
           ought
           to
           be
           )
           I
           think
           we
           are
           very
           near
           the
           time
           ,
           wherein
           all
           our
           present
           Laws
           of
           this
           Nature
           ,
           by
           which
           
           any
           are
           subject
           to
           be
           in
           any
           measure
           Persecuted
           for
           matters
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           will
           be
           Repealed
           by
           the
           general
           Voice
           of
           the
           whole
           Nation
           ,
           and
           that
           when
           the
           particular
           Persons
           ,
           of
           which
           the
           great
           Body
           of
           this
           Nation
           is
           compos'd
           ,
           shall
           have
           considered
           something
           more
           deliberately
           ,
           than
           their
           Passions
           have
           yet
           permitted
           all
           to
           do
           ,
           that
           every
           Law
           of
           this
           Nature
           is
           against
           the
           Liberty
           and
           Property
           of
           the
           Subjects
           of
           England
           ;
           Unjust
           and
           Cruel
           ,
           in
           punishing
           men
           for
           not
           proceeding
           against
           their
           Consciences
           ;
           Expresly
           against
           the
           very
           Principles
           and
           Rules
           of
           the
           Gospel
           of
           Christ
           ,
           and
           Principles
           of
           that
           true
           Religion
           which
           every
           one
           of
           us
           pretends
           to
           own
           ;
           Destructive
           to
           the
           Trade
           and
           Well-being
           of
           our
           Nation
           ,
           by
           Oppressing
           and
           driving
           away
           the
           most
           Industrious
           Working
           Hands
           of
           our
           Nation
           ,
           and
           Depopulating
           ,
           and
           thereby
           Impoverishing
           our
           Country
           ,
           which
           is
           capable
           of
           imploying
           three
           times
           the
           number
           of
           People
           which
           we
           now
           have
           :
           Contradictory
           to
           the
           Rule
           of
           Justice
           ,
           grounded
           upon
           common
           Reason
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           Religion
           ,
           which
           requires
           ,
           
             That
             no
             man
             should
             do
             unto
             another
             ,
             what
             he
             would
             not
             have
             done
             unto
             himself
             ,
          
           And
           consequently
           void
           in
           it self
           by
           the
           Rule
           of
           the
           Laws
           of
           our
           Country
           :
           There
           will
           not
           be
           found
           a
           Magistrate
           ,
           nay
           ,
           a
           common
           Subject
           in
           England
           ,
           who
           will
           not
           as
           positively
           renounce
           the
           putting
           in
           execution
           ,
           or
           being
           accessary
           to
           the
           executing
           of
           any
           Law
           of
           this
           Nature
           ,
           as
           he
           will
           renounce
           the
           becoming
           guilty
           of
           those
           detestable
           Sins
           of
           Murder
           or
           Theft
           .
        
         
           But
           until
           Men
           are
           a
           little
           further
           convinc'd
           of
           these
           Truths
           ,
           you
           (
           Sir
           )
           ought
           not
           to
           be
           angry
           with
           ,
           but
           rather
           pity
           those
           Magistrates
           from
           whose
           Hands
           you
           have
           lately
           suffer'd
           for
           a
           Matter
           meerly
           of
           Religion
           :
           Peradventure
           they
           did
           not
           fully
           consider
           that
           the
           Matter
           with
           which
           you
           were
           charged
           ,
           was
           a
           thing
           of
           meer
           Religion
           ,
           but
           took
           your
           Meeting
           in
           an
           Assembly
           meerly
           for
           the
           Worship
           of
           God
           ,
           
             to
             be
             an
             unlawful
             Assembly
          
           ,
           because
           prohibited
           by
           a
           present
           Law
           ,
           as
           the
           poor
           Magistrates
           in
           the
           Apostles
           times
           took
           their
           Meetings
           in
           their
           Assemblies
           meerly
           for
           the
           Worship
           of
           God
           ,
           to
           be
           unlawful
           Assemblies
           ,
           and
           Breaches
           of
           the
           Peace
           ,
           because
           they
           were
           prohibited
           by
           their
           Laws
           :
           Or
           perhaps
           their
           fear
           that
           they
           should
           themselves
           be
           subject
           to
           a
           Forfeiture
           ,
           in
           case
           they
           should
           have
           deny'd
           their
           Warrant
           to
           the
           Informer
           ,
           made
           them
           fall
           under
           that
           Humane
           Frailty
           for
           securing
           
           of
           themselves
           .
           However
           it
           was
           ,
           I
           suppose
           you
           have
           no
           just
           Ground
           to
           believe
           the
           thing
           to
           be
           any
           effect
           of
           Malice
           against
           you
           or
           your
           Friends
           ;
           and
           if
           it
           be
           not
           ,
           then
           the
           same
           Magistrates
           ,
           now
           their
           fear
           is
           over
           ,
           may
           yet
           be
           instrumental
           to
           do
           you
           and
           themselves
           Right
           .
           It
           is
           Odds
           but
           upon
           a
           strict
           Reflection
           upon
           what
           the
           Informer
           hath
           sworn
           ,
           the
           Devil
           may
           have
           prevailed
           with
           him
           to
           swear
           something
           which
           may
           be
           proved
           untrue
           ;
           for
           Informers
           are
           not
           squeamish
           in
           swearing
           for
           their
           own
           profit
           ,
           as
           it
           hath
           appear'd
           in
           London
           and
           Middlesex
           ,
           and
           one
           point
           of
           Perjury
           proved
           ,
           will
           invalidate
           all
           his
           Testimony
           ,
           and
           reverse
           all
           that
           is
           done
           :
           At
           which
           I
           am
           very
           confident
           no
           Man
           (
           besides
           the
           Informer
           )
           will
           be
           displeased
           .
           And
           this
           is
           in
           plain
           Truth
           the
           great
           Reason
           why
           your
           Friends
           here
           desire
           to
           know
           all
           the
           Circumstances
           of
           your
           Case
           ;
           the
           certifying
           of
           which
           ,
           may
           be
           an
           Advantage
           to
           your self
           and
           your
           Friends
           there
           ,
           and
           will
           be
           particularly
           very
           welcome
           unto
        
         
           
             Sir
             ,
          
           
             Your
             Old
             True
             Friend
             And
             Humble
             Servant
             ,
             A.
             N.
             
          
        
      
       
         
         
           Postscript
           .
        
         
           I
           Have
           here-omitted
           many
           of
           those
           great
           Arguments
           ,
           both
           which
           others
           have
           used
           ,
           and
           which
           may
           yet
           be
           advanced
           from
           the
           Nature
           of
           this
           Subject
           ,
           partly
           because
           there
           are
           so
           many
           Discourses
           extant
           ,
           and
           partly
           because
           English
           mankind
           begins
           to
           be
           satisfied
           in
           the
           Matter
           .
           Yet
           this
           give
           me
           leave
           to
           add
           in
           general
           ,
           That
           Force
           upon
           Conscience
           ,
           and
           Corporal
           Penalties
           about
           Matters
           of
           Religion
           ,
           have
           not
           only
           no
           President
           or
           Example
           from
           Christ
           or
           his
           Apostles
           ,
           but
           are
           expresly
           against
           both
           their
           Precepts
           and
           Examples
           .
        
         
           This
           Coercion
           is
           the
           old
           Disturber
           of
           States
           ,
           the
           Destroyer
           of
           Property
           ,
           the
           Depopulator
           of
           Kingdoms
           ,
           the
           Enemy
           of
           Humane
           Nature
           ,
           of
           Kind
           Neighbourhood
           ,
           and
           of
           Conscientious
           Religion
           .
           At
           best
           it
           either
           maketh
           men
           
             Religious
             by
             Rote
          
           ,
           which
           is
           
             no
             Religion
          
           ,
           or
           
             Conformable
             for
             Fear
             and
             Interest
          
           ,
           which
           is
           Ir-religion
           ,
           and
           base
           Hypocrisy
           .
           But
           besides
           all
           this
           ,
           it
           corrupteth
           and
           distracteth
           the
           Nature
           of
           all
           
             Civil
             Government
          
           ,
           by
           making
           the
           measure
           of
           Loyalty
           ,
           nor
           
             Love
             ,
             Honour
          
           and
           Obedience
           to
           Caesar
           ,
           but
           Conformity
           to
           the
           Clergy
           and
           Religion
           in
           Fashion
           ;
           which
           destroys
           the
           true
           Dependence
           and
           Obligation
           in
           Government
           ,
           and
           subjects
           the
           Lives
           ,
           Liberties
           and
           Estates
           of
           the
           People
           to
           the
           frequent
           Revolutions
           of
           Religion
           ;
           which
           ought
           to
           stand
           fixed
           and
           Sacred
           upon
           the
           common
           and
           undeniable
           Principles
           of
           Civil
           and
           Just
           Government
           .
        
         
           I
           hope
           I
           shall
           be
           excus'd
           for
           
             this
             Conception
          
           ,
           since
           of
           all
           others
           ,
           
             This
             renders
             to
          
           Caesar
           
             the
             things
             that
             are
          
           Caesar's
           :
           And
           would
           to
           God
           ,
           all
           the
           Caesars
           of
           the
           World
           saw
           the
           Truth
           of
           this
           Notion
           :
           They
           would
           not
           then
           suffer
           themselves
           to
           be
           
             grown
             upon
          
           ,
           not
           only
           by
           another
           Power
           then
           Caesar's
           ,
           but
           by
           a
           Power
           contrary
           to
           
           Caesar's
           and
           which
           in
           the
           tendency
           of
           it
           leaves
           Caesar
           nothing
           but
           
             His
             Name
          
           .
           Let
           Him
           be
           felt
           King
           of
           all
           His
           People
           ,
           by
           His
           Goodness
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           by
           His
           Power
           .
           Optimus
           went
           before
           Maximus
           among
           Infidels
           ;
           and
           shall
           Pretenders
           to
           the
           best
           of
           Religions
           
             (
             Christianity
          
           I
           mean
           )
           decline
           it
           ?
           All
           Creatures
           Nourish
           and
           Defend
           their
           Young
           :
           We
           are
           the
           Children
           of
           the
           Government
           ,
           and
           should
           be
           Conforted
           and
           
           Defended
           under
           the
           Magistrates
           Wing
           of
           Just
           Power
           and
           Favour
           :
           He
           should
           Endeavour
           our
           Encrease
           ,
           Encourage
           our
           Industry
           ,
           and
           thereby
           Enrich
           and
           Replenish
           the
           Kingdom
           ,
           not
           Impoverish
           and
           Depopulate
           it
           .
           For
           
             the
             Glory
             of
             a
             Prince
             is
             in
             the
             multitude
             of
             his
             People
             :
          
           Not
           Beggars
           ,
           but
           
             Men
             of
             Industry
          
           .
           But
           who
           dares
           to
           be
           Industrious
           ,
           that
           would
           not
           have
           his
           Labours
           made
           the
           Forfeit
           of
           his
           
             Sober
             Conscience
          
           ?
           VNHAPPY
           AGE
           !
           Come
           !
           't
           is
           time
           for
           Humane
           Nature
           to
           remember
           from
           whence
           she
           came
           ,
           for
           Mankind
           to
           Love
           ,
           for
           
             Caesar
             to
             be
             kind
             to
             all
             His
             People
          
           ;
           To
           let
           his
           Rain
           fall
           upon
           all
           ,
           his
           Sun-shine
           upon
           all
           ,
           that
           he
           may
           justly
           render
           Himself
           Master
           of
           the
           Affections
           of
           all
           ;
           and
           not
           serve
           Factions
           nor
           Interest
           ,
           nor
           imbroile
           his
           Government
           with
           the
           Opinionary
           Differences
           about
           Religion
           ,
           which
           doth
           not
           Enlarge
           ,
           but
           Narrow
           His
           Empire
           :
           And
           those
           that
           put
           him
           upon
           such
           Measures
           ,
           let
           their
           Pretences
           be
           what
           it
           will
           ,
           they
           are
           too
           narrow
           for
           his
           Glory
           ,
           and
           do
           
             Ill
             Offices
          
           in
           the
           great
           Family
           of
           the
           Kingdom
           .
           They
           set
           the
           
             Father
             against
             the
             Son
          
           ,
           and
           excite
           him
           to
           Dis-inherit
           his
           Children
           ,
           and
           those
           
             Virtuous
             too
          
           ,
           meerly
           for
           the
           sober
           Exercise
           of
           a
           Dissenting
           Conscience
           ,
           about
           matters
           relating
           to
           t'other
           World
           :
           This
           is
           
             Practising
             Reprobation
             for
             Opinion
             ,
             and
             sacrificing
             Nature
             and
             Morality
             to
             Modes
             of
             Religion
             :
          
           Nay
           ,
           this
           is
           to
           Engross
           Caesar
           
             by
             a
             Party
             ,
             and
             to
             Monopolize
             Him
             from
             the
             rest
             of
             His
             People
          
           ;
           A
           sin
           against
           the
           very
           Nature
           and
           end
           of
           Government
           .
           God
           grant
           us
           all
           more
           Wisdom
           ,
           more
           Honesty
           ,
           and
           more
           Charity
           ,
           and
           that
           we
           may
           yet
           live
           to
           see
           
             all
             Industry
             encouraged
             ,
             the
             Poor
             employed
             ,
             the
             Kingdom
             in
             Love
             with
             its
             own
             Growths
             ,
             Virtue
             only
             rewarded
             ,
             Vice
             only
             punished
             ,
             that
          
           Righteousness
           ,
           Peace
           and
           Plenty
           
             may
             yet
             vouchsafe
             to
             dwell
             amongst
             us
             .
             So
             be
             it
             to
          
           Caesar
           
             and
             His
             people
             ,
             while
             the
             Sun
             and
             Moon
             endures
             .
          
        
         
           THE
           END
           .