FREE THOUGHTS of the PENAL LAWS, TESTS, and some Late Printed Papers touching Both. In a Letter from a Person of Quality.  
SIR,  
I HAVE carefully perused all your Private Reasons, as well as the Public Prints you sent, to convince me of the present Expediency, if not Necessity of Repealing the Penal Laws.  
As to the Prints, I cannot but stand amazed to see such inveterate Malice, and open-faced scorn, as most of those Papers carry in them, so confidently walk abroad, and that sent forth by Men of pretended Sanctity, Orthodoxy, and pure Christian Zeal; for such the Protestant Dissenters claim to be; and indeed I have known not a few of them, for the main, very exemplary in all those qualities. It is prodigious to think that men so implacably (and upon rational grounds many of them) set against the Corruptions of Rome, men who hold it as firmly as any part of their Creed, That the Papal Power and Church is the great Antichrist; who but as yesterday were with one mouth exclaiming and writing against many of the Church of England as Apostates from the Doctrine of the Reformation, for otherwise interpreting the Prophecies touching Antichrist; who since that, seeing the Constancy and Strength of the Church of England's Testimonies against Popery, have professed their sorrow for their late overcharging her Clergy as too nearly allied to Rome, and Popishly affected; who have some of them confessed the Episcopal Church to be the great Bulwark against the Power of Rome: It is prodigious, I say, to think that those men should in a moment turn tail, and with such Zeal and Indignation at the poor Church of England, offer themselves unanimously to join with Rome, to pull down their forsaken Mother; professing more liking of a Public Toleration of the just-now abhorred Popery, than of the English Constitution, and thereby verifying what they have so long complained was falsely and injuriously laid to their charge, that they were the People which would bring in Popery, if ever it came in. The incredibility that these men should act thus, makes me, I confess, rather believe that these Papers are generally writ by some Crafty men (of another persuasion), in their Writings, if not otherwise also, personating Protestant Dissenters, and that perhaps amongst other ends, to possess the world, there is, even in the best sort of the Dissenters, more Rancour and Uncharitableness than ever most of their Adversaries conceived to be in any of them. This the A-la-mode Smartness of the Style, the Relish of the Arguments, the want of a Sense of Religion, and the waving good Conscience throughout the whole management, together with several Marks, (which I will not now name) in most of the Papers, further induce me really to believe. Upon which belief I shall take no further notice of them, hoping all sober Nonconformists are sensible how abominably themselves are wronged by such dealing; and if I am in an Error touching them, that they accepting my Charity, will pardon my mistake; I choose to err on the best side; only this I must say of those Prints which I have seen, Besides Bitterness, and shameless Calumnies against the poor Church of England, there is little of moment in them for me to take notice of, or answer: There is not one writ with any tolerable Temper; nor can certainly the Blessing of Peace, or of any tolerable good success on their side, attend such virulent and unpeaceable Writings; Dominus increpet.  
As to your private Arguments, they are (God be blessed) quite of another vein; and for my own particular Sentiments, I had thought you well knew much less Argument needed to have persuaded me, how unmeet a Motive to Christianity any kind of Compulsion is. I ever was of the mind, not only that Faith ought not to be compelled, but that it cannot. You know my constantly avowed Maxim, It is not in men's powers to believe what they will: Penalties may make a man a Hypocrite, they can never of themselves make him a Believer or good Christian.  
Nor does it at all satisfy me, that some say, Men are only forced to the means of Faith, as to go to Church, to hear Sermons, and the like, but not to Faith itself; for besides, First, That this Plea is false, (to Swear, Abjure, take the Sacrament, etc. are the most solemn kind of Professions of Faith assignable, and not at all means to convince a man of Truth): Besides this, I say, Secondly, Even to come to Church itself (that is, to be present, and by Presence seeming to be communicable in the Liturgy) is what many judge in their Conscience unlawful, or are not satisfied of the Right thereof; it is therefore contrary to their Faith, or a kind of act, professing to believe what is not believed: The case is the same, if for Faith I had put Conscience; for Conscience, as it cannot be supposed subject to the attempts of force, being nothing but an inward sense or persuasion of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of Human Actions, differs little or nothing from Faith, in the acceptation wherein I have above used the name: And so in truth, neither can Conscience be forced, though a man may be forced to act against his Conscience; which as it is a sin of the most heinous nature in him who does it, so do I not see how we can excuse him from the breach of the Law of Charity, who compels it.  
Nor are generally the Authors or Maintainers of Penal Laws, I suppose, ignorant of this: for all such Laws allow unto men the Option of Suffering, or the choice of the Penalty, which the Law inflicts, in case of non-performance of its positive part; by which choice men may preserve their Consciences inviolate: And forasmuch as there is and will be to the end of the world, different Judgements amongst men, that is, all men's Consciences touching the several Rites or Modes of Worship, and other controverted Points in Religion, will never agree: Whether therefore the Civil Government, and common Peace can be preserved, by leaving all sorts of men to the free exercise of their Conscience, without some Laws to restrain some of them (which Laws if effectual to the aforesaid Ends of Peace and Government, must be Penal) is the great Question, upon the resolving of which, the having or not having Penal Laws, must be determined.  
And that which increaseth the difficulty of resolving this Question, as some would have it resolved, is, That Faith and Conscience signifying things invisible, and not to be known but by the Searcher of all hearts, it is impossible always to discern between them, and the pretences of them. Now Factious, Turbulent, and Wicked Men, though they may be, and commonly are Atheists, having indeed no Faith or Conscience, yet they never will want most specious Pretences of both, and those suitable and accommodate to their own ends: From whence it follows, that though it should be possible to preserve Peace and Government, allowing Liberty to the Exercise of Conscience truly so called, yet it will be utterly impossible to preserve either Peace or Government, allowing Liberty to all pretences of Conscience; for this is to allow Liberty to Faction and Villainy: And by reason of the aforesaid invisibility of Conscienee, it will be also impossible to allow perfect Liberty of Conscience, except we together allow Liberty to the pretences of Conscience.  
From hence it seems necessarily conclusible, that they who will consult the public safety, and the Interests of Government (even abstracted from the interest of Religion) must allow some restraint upon the exercise of Conscience, and consequently some standing Penal Laws.  
But to take in a little the Interests of Religion; whether a Christian Prince, allowing such a qualified Liberty to the Exercise of Conscience, as may consist with the security of Government, aught to allow men Liberty to have no Conscience, or to be of no Religion, or even to be of such an one, as does overthrow the Common Christianity, will be another Question worthy of Consideration; which yet I think every Christian man will resolve in the Negative. Distinctly, I mean, that though we grant men are not to be compelled to the exercise of any one Religion, yet may they not be allowed openly to profess Atheism (that is, no Conscience) nor to Blaspheme, and in the same breath allow Religion to be true, and yet endeavour to scoff it out of the World; nor yet to Profess or Practice, that is, to propagate such a Religion, which is apparently inconsistent with the Common Christianity, as Judaisme, Mahometanism, Paganism; and if there be any other like them, as I think Muggletonism, and somewhat a kin to it.  
The sum then of what we have said, is this, That some Penal Laws ought to stand against Irreligion, Blasphemy, and such apparently ill Religions, as these mentioned.  
Again, If there be any Sect of Christian Religion (at large so called) the Fundamental and Characteristical Principle of which consists not with the Security of Civil Government; such as I think, is the Doctrine essential to the Fifth-Monarchy-men, of the Reign of King Jesus, and his Saints alone, which is also the Opinion of several of the Anabaptists, and was of many of the Quakers in the year 1660. and will be struck for, whenever these Sects are powerful enough; and how desperately, Venner with his forty men against the Train'dbands of the City, and His Majesty's Lifeguard, will be an eternal Instance. Such Sects ought not to be allowed the free Exercise of their Conscience (for that, as before said, is the propagating their Religion;) and therefore, against these Sects, Penal Laws ought to stand, at least in some measure, for the restraint of their free Exercise of their Conscience, as they will pretend, or call it: I mean for the restraint of their assembling to hold forth, and propagate these accursed destructive Doctrines.  
And now we are come to the Point that has long pinched, and perhaps still does; Whether the Religion of Thorow-papists (as some distinguish them) that is of those, who hold the Pope's full Supremacy over Princes, even within their own Dominions, be any more consistent with the Security of Civil Government, generally taken, (that is, let the Prince be of what Religion he shall) than that of the Millenaries, or of any other like sort; and consequently, whether Penal Laws ought not to stand against such Papists or Catholics, as they will call themselves?  
It seems to me, that those of them who think their Religion well consistent with Civil Government in general (be the Prince of whatsoever Christian profession he shall be, suppose a Protestant;) those I say, should not be against, or contend for the laying aside, or not having an Oath of Supremacy, as to Temporals at least; for whosoever appears against such an Oath, manifestly professes thereby his Religion will not suffer him to be obedient even in Temporals, to that Governor, whose Supremacy in Temporals he avows he cannot, or which is the same, refuses to acknowledge.  
It is sure, both the Body of the 
* Distinct. 22. c. Omnes sive. Ubi etiam vide glossam. Er Dist. 96. Duo sunt. Et 1. Qu. 4. Quia Praesulatus.  Canon Law asserts, and some 
† Nicolaus, Gelasius, Leo iv ubi supra, aliique  Popes have expressly decreed the Supremacy of the Chair of St. Peter, even in Temporals, to be of Divine right and matter of Faith; so as that to believe the Contrary is Heresy and damnable Sin. And whatever some do believe or declare, (as I have heard some of them swear, that should their Father Confessor, or the Pope himself, command them to take Arms against their King, they would not obey;) yet it is also sure, that many Roman Catholics, and perhaps more Orders of their Religious than one, do to this day so believe; and though many of their Confessers may not press the Pope's Supremacy in Temporals on the Consciences of their Devotees, yet no doubt others, except they are for sworn, do it. Further, the said 
* XV Queen 6. c. Alius item. Et c. Nos Sanctorum. Et c, Jurator milites  Canon Law allows the Pope may Absolve Subjects and Soldiers from their Oath of Allegiance, and Duty to their Kings or Commanders; and several 
† Gelasius, Zacharias, Gregor. VII. Urbanus II. locis proximè jam citatis, aliique.  Popes have decreed as much, otherwise it could not have come into the Body of the Canon Law; nay, they have actually done it. Wherefore it would seem, though not for Religion's sake in general, yet for the sake of Civil Government, Penal Laws ought to stand against such a strain of Religion also; at least, against the free Exercise of it. Whether this will conclude Jesuits, and those whom some call Jesuited Popists, themselves best know; I will not now insist on their fourth Vow.  
The Result of all is, that an absolute Repeal of all Penal Laws in the case of Religion, or even of such Penal Laws which affect either Catholics, or pretended Protestant Dissenters, taking Catholics and Dissenters for all that call themselves so, is not safe for the Government, nor agreeable to Christian Conscience; but a Qualification of such Laws, or some explanatory and mitigative Act, which might secure all peaceable conscientious men of whatsoever Persuasion (those Antichristian and Turbulent ones before mentioned, being excepted) in their Estates, Lives and Liberties, while they Worship God according to their Conscience, were to be desired, and is to be endeavoured by all who would approve themselves genuinely Christians. And I am not without hopes, that those who declare themselves so much for the Repeal of the Penal Laws, will acknowledge this to be their Sense.  
But as I have hitherto endeavoured to be in general, just both to the King, Religion, and all Parties concerned in my impartial considering and stating the case of all, in reference to the Liberty desired; So I must be yet more in particular just to those who are in Possession of an Establishment by Virtue of the Laws; and consider while they concede so much, what is fit to be conceded and assured to them by the indulged Parties.  
First then, Seeing it is expected of the Church of England, that she consent to the Repealing all such Penal Laws which affect the Estates, Lives or Liberties of such Roman Catholics and Dissenters as before specified; therefore it must needs be judged but fit and equal, that the Church of Rome revoke all such Laws, which alike affect all peaceable Protestants. Those who pretend that Church has none such, may be excused if they speak it out of Ignorance; but they are unpardonable who go about to impose so impudent a falsehood upon the World. The Church of Rome has for many Ages not only had Sanguinary and Penal Laws; but also bound, and daily does bind by the most sacred Oaths, and under the severest Penalties, most of her Sons, Sacred as well as Secular, to the Execution of such Laws, to their utmost Power; Behold some of those Laws, and the legal Method to be proceeded in against all, who own not the Faith of the Church of Rome.  
We Excommunicate and Anathematise every Heresy which sets up itself against this 
* Of which Faith, as appears by the first Canon of the Lateran Council, out of whose Decree this Chapter is transcribed into the Body of the Canon Law (the Chapter being indeed the third Canon of the said Lateran Council under Innocent III.) of which Faith, I say, two Points amongst others were Transubstantiation, and that there is no Salvation out of the Roman Church.  holy Faith which we have above expounded, condemning all and singular Heretics, by what Names soever they are reckoned, having indeed their Faces different ways, but their Tails tied together, because as to matter of falsehood they agree in the same thing.  
And being thus condemned, let them be left to the present Secular Power, and to their Bailiffs to be punished 
† Animadversione debita.  with due Severity or Execution; Clergymen being first degraded from their Orders, so that the Goods of such condemned Persons, if they be Laymen, be confiscate; but if Clergymen; be applied to the Churches whence they received Stipends.  
And as to those who shall be found 
* Solâ suspicione notabiles.  challengeable only by Suspicion, except according to the nature of the Suspicion, and quality of the Person, they shall clear their Innocency by a proportionable purgation, let them also be struck with the Sword of Excommunication [or, of an Anathema] and let them be avoided by all Persons till they give condign Satisfaction: So that if they continue excommunicate one whole year, they be from thenceforth condemned as Heretics.  
Further, Let the Secular Powers of whatsoever degree be admonished and induced, and if need be, compelled by Ecclesiastical Censures, that even as they desire to be reputed and accounted faithful, so they take publicly an Oath for the defence of the Faith, that they will endeavour 
† Bona fidê.  faithfully [or in good earnest] according to their power, to exterminate out of the Lands of their Jurisdiction all such as are pronounced Heretics by the Church: So that from henceforth, whensoever any one shall be assumed into Power Spiritual or Temporal, he be bound firmly to swear to this Article.  
And in case any Temporal Lord, being required and admonished by the Church, shall neglect to purge his Country from Heretical Pravity, let him be by the Metropolitan and Comprovincial Bishop innodated in the bond of Excommunication. And if he shall neglect to satisfy within a year, let them signify the same to the Pope, that he, from that time forth, may pronounce his Subjects absolved from their Allegiance, and may 
* Terram exponat Catholicis occupendam.  set forth his Country to be seized by Catholics, who, having exterminated the Heretics thence, may possess it without contradiction, and keep it in the purity of the Faith, with a saving to the right of the principal Lord: provided he have put no obstacle in this matter, nor given any other hindrance: The same Law nevertheless being observed as to them who have no Principal Lords.  
Further, Let all Catholics, who, having taken upon them the badge of the Cross, shall have applied themselves to the exterminating Heretics, enjoy the same Indulgence, and be possessed of the same Privileges as have been granted to them who went to secure the Holy Land.  
Moreover we decree, That all Adherers, Receivers, Defenders and Cherishers of Heretics lie under the same Excommunication; firmly ordaining, that after any such Excommunicate Person shall have, one whole year, neglected to make satisfaction, he from that time become in Law infamous, and be not admitted to any public Office, Councils, nor to choose any others, nor so much as to give his Testimony in any Case; that he also be intestable [or have no liberty or power to make a Will] nor be allowed 
None of our late Tests match the Severity of this Law.  to come in succession to any Inheritance. Furthermore, that none be compelled to answer him in any Suit or Business, but that he be compelled to answer all others. And in case perchance he should formerly have been a Judge, his Sentence shall have no strength, nor shall any Causes be brought to his Audience. Or if he were an Advocate, his Pleading shall be no-wise admitted. If a Public Notary, all Instruments made by him shall be of no force, but damned with their Author: The same also we command to be observed in like cases. If he be a Clergyman, let him be deposed from all Office and Benefice. And if any shall not forbear to avoid such Persons, after they have been pronounced Excommunicate by the Church, let them also by Excommunication be compelled to fit satisfaction. Further, let no Clerk administer the Church Sacraments to such Pestilent Persons, let them not presume to give them Christian Burial, nor let them partake of any Alms or Oblations: or in case they shall, let them [that is, such Clerks so offending] be deprived of their Office; to which let them never be restored, without a special Indulgence from the Apostolical See. In like manner, let all Regulars observe so to do: upon whom, otherwise, let this Penalty rest, that their Privileges be vold within that Diocese wherein they have presumed to commit such Excesses.  
Thus far the Lateran Council (under Pope Innocent the Third, An. Dom. 1215.) transscribed into the 
† Extra. De Haereticis Cap. Excommunicamus itaque, etc.  body of the Canon Law; which, with the Church of Rome, is above all other [at least Humane] Laws, and it were to be wished, that it were not too often observed above God's Law also.  
But though the Council stopped here; after another short Chapter the Decretals go on again thus under Gregory IX. 
* Cap Excommunicamas, etc.  We Excommunicate and Anathematise all Heretics, the Cathari [or Puritans] the Patarens, the Poor of Lions [and others there mentioned, now perhaps unknown] and all others, by whatsoever names they are reckoned, having Faces looking different ways, etc. as before.  
Being thus condemned, let them be left to the Secular Judgement to be punished with due severity, etc. as before.  
But if any of the aforementioned Heretics, after they are convicted, will not return to perform condign Penance, let them be kept in perpetual imprisonment. And as to them who adhere to their Errors, we adjudge them alike Heretics.  
The next Chapter is short, but Substantial. Let them know that they are absolved 
Cap. Absolutos se noverint.  from all Debt of Fidelity, Dominion, or Obedience, whosoever were bound by any Compact, howsoever strong, to any Persons fallen into Heresy.  
More of like nature might be easily collected out of the body of the Canon-Law. Now that by Heretics those Laws do not understand merely Manichees, Valentinians, Arrians, or some such gross People, but universally all such who submit not to the Roman Faith, or even to the Supremacy of the Roman Bishop, is, besides what was above-noted, plain from another Text of the said Canon Law. He [that is Christ alone] hath founded this [the Roman] Church upon a Rock, who committed to blessed Peter, the Keeper 
Distinct. XXII Omnes.  of the Keys of Eternal Life, the Rights both of the Earthly and Heavenly Empire— So that whosoever endeavours to take away from the Roman Church the Privilege given her by the Supreme Head of all Churches, such Person without doubt is fallen into Heresy; and whereas others [who violate the Privileges of other Churches] are to be called unjust, such Person is to be styled an Heretic.  
As to matter of fact, how these Laws have been Executed, and in some Countries how they still are, is disagreeable to my Design of public accord to insist: only because we are considering of terms of accord, I must not wave that point of matter of fact, that all Protestants are excommunicated afresh by the Pope every Maundy Thursday, 
Bulla Caenae.  and that every Prelate, which is consecrated, at his Consecration, amongst other things, severe enough against us, swears in these words, Hereticos, Schismaticos & Rebels 
Vide Pontisical. Roman.  eidem Domino nostro vel Successoribus pr aedictis, pro posse, persequar & impugnabo. That is, I will, according to my power, persecute and impugn all Heretics, Schismatics, or those who rebel against our Lord [the Pope] and his Successors aforesaid.  
I will not here meddle with the Doctrine of many Casuists, who tell us ordinarily, that all Heretics being the jure Excommunicate, any Catholic may safely kill them; Nor that in all Catholic Kingdoms the Consuetudins, Burning alive is the proper Legal Death for Heretics: for which last, it were to be wished, there were not yet Statute-Laws in force, in some of his Majesty's Dominions. I rub not, I say, on these Sores, but content myself to have mentioned the general Penal Laws above recited, which are sufficient to prove the Romanists have such Laws.  
And these being the Laws, and such the present obligation generally to all Catholics in power (whether Ecclesiastical or Secular) to observe them, it is reasonable, that before Fenal Laws against all men of this Religion be Repealed, they of the Religion obtain from his Holiness some Repeal of these and the like Laws; at least a Bull, exempting all the Protestants of England, Scotland and Ireland, from being comprehended in the number of such Heretics, who are thus to suffer; and together absolving all Persons, who have taken Oaths for Exterminating Heretics, from any obligation to perform those Oaths as to the Protestants of these Countries; For till then, we have just so much Reason to hope for security from such Catholics, as we have assurance that they will ever forswear themselves, or all their days live in wilful Perjury.  
There is another Law amongst the Roman Catholics, which though not Penal to us, it is to be feared may be one day most dreadfully Penal to as many of them as observe it, and which seems to oblige them to persecute us: I will call it the Law of uncharitableness, the revoking of which also, it seems fit, should be made a condition of Repealing our Penal Laws: The Law I mean is that, whereby every one, who will be of that Church, is required to swear to the Tridentine Creed, in the close of which Oath he avows, No one can be saved out of the belief of that the present Roman Catholic Faith. By this they plainly damn four fifth parts of all Christendom. I know there are some Gentlemen of that Communion, who are more merciful to us, and the better Catholics are they for it; God bless them, and increase the number of them: But I as well know, there are others so stiffly hold to this, that they frequently, and even in their ordinary conversation, as well as in their writings, use it as an Argument to persuade men of our Church to come over to their Religion. As to these, I crave leave to say only this one thing, That men can repose very little confidence in their kindness, who prejudging to God's judgement, have already damned them beforehand: Wherefore I conceive they who would have any kind offices pass between us and our Roman Catholic Countrymen, or intent we should live together as Christians, aught to abandon this rigour, and if possible to procure from the Head of their Church an abatement of it, as to the Protestants of these Countries at leastwise.  
This will appear yet the more reasonable, if we consider of what Communion they were that first introduced into these parts of the World Penal or Sanguinary Laws in cause of Religion. The Protestants in this matter can only be blamed for following an ill Example, which also they have industriously not come up to. They found Sanguinary Laws; and the severest of them, in England, they have repealed: If any other than those Penal-Laws were made, (as it is not to be denied there were) it was rather upon the score of the State, than of Religion. A Sanguinary Law made particularly against any sort of our Non-Conformists, I never yet knew any: Nor against those of Rome purely for Conscience sake. But the Laws above mentioned out of the Roman Canon-Law are Purely upon the score of Conscience; and even where they extend not to Blood, they are, as we see, much severer than any of our Laws or Tests against them. In a word all persons who will be just, must allow to others the Liberty and Security that they desire should be granted to themselves, which is the Height of this our first demand. I prae, sequar: Let those who were first in the guilt, first amend; certainly Protestant's will meet them in kindness.  
Secondly, Inasmuch as they of the Established Church do not in the least suspect the truth of their Religion (all the Writings of their Roman Adversaries discovering their Roman Faith, where differing from the Protestants, instead of a Rock, to be built only on Air) and inasmuch as it cannot be justly expected, that merely to gratify our Adversaries, we should at once betray both our Religion and our Interest; it is but just, that together with such Statute as shall take away the Penal Laws in Contest, there pass another for security of the National Religion, that it shall not be altered; and of the regular conformable Clergy and their Successors, that their Rights shall not be invaded. It is told us indeed, we have His Majesty's Royal word many times repeated. I humbly return, that I know no true Church-of-England- Man who does not rely upon His Majesty's Word, during his Reign (which God long continue) for the security of our Church. But Succession is a long Train; and Laws, if standing, may keep posterity in peace, when Promises with their Authors are fallen asleep. He is not just to the present Age, who is not to his power just to Posterity, however remote. It is therefore reasonable, fit and necessary that such a Statute, as is desired, pass.  
As to what you conclude with, That the Clergy of the Church of England are very ungrateful to His Majesty for his repeated Promises of Protection, and together uncivil to him, in not fully acquiescing in his Royal word so often given for the security of their Religion, Rights and Privileges; and not offering to concur, according to his desire, in the Repeal of the Penal Laws: I take the liberty to aver, that I know not one Clergyman of that Church who has not solemnly under his hand given His Majesty thanks for those Promises. All the Addresses we made in the year of His Majesty's accession to the Crown, were so many humble Testimonies of our Gratitude, and Zealous Vows of our Loyalty; and if Addresses of mere Thanks, and Vows of Loyalty would be accepted, there is not an English Bishop, Priest, or Parish in the Three Kingdoms, I believe, but would present them most gladly. But who sees not the Declaration, for which 'tis expected we return Thanks, consists of more parts than that private Subjects can justify their approbation of the whole? And as to the sacred Veneration we have for His Majesty's word, I have spoken already.  
Give me leave for a Conclusion to tell you a new and very true Story. A Friend and Neighbour of mine, being very intimate with an eminent person of a certain Religious Order, and knowing well the Principles of that Order, asked him in a good hour, what they meant by this furious driving on an Universal and Unlimited Toleration? The answer he received was, that they were now Scaffolding. My Friend understanding him not, desired he would explain himself; but could get no more out of him than this, that they were yet but Scaffolding. After further importunity for a more explicit resolution, the good Religious person answered, he would not tell him more; but bid him go to such a person (a Master-Bricklayer, or Mason, belike) and ask him what Scaffolding was? He went to the Man assigned, and received this Answer, Scaffolding is setting up Poles, and Board's, and such rough stuff, which serve us to build, and when we have built, we throw them aside.  
The Story I avow to be true, and leave the application of it to all those parties whom it concerns; very well remembering, that Scaffolds are ordinarily made for more uses than one: However according to the Interpretation given, the Toleration now promoted seems not by its Agitators designed to stand long.  
But to make an end: On what terms, I conceive the Penal-Laws in question may be Repealed with justice to the present and succeeding Ages, you may easily collect out of this long and hasty scribble; and so you have my Free Thoughts in this so hotly agitated Question. God preserve the King, and grant we may live to see the days, wherein all Laws Penal to Peaceable, Conscientious men, and together all uncharitable Laws, on all sides, may be for ever abrogated.  
I am your Humble Servant   

Printed in the Year 1688.