The Absolution of A PENITENT, According to the DIRECTIONS of the Church of England, With Respect to Sir W. Perkins, Sir J. Friend, and Mr. Cranburne, lately Executed for High Treason.  
Against Mr. COLLIER.  
In a Letter from the Country to a Friend in London.  
SIR,  
I Have received Mr. Collier's Defence of himself, against the Remarks that have been printed upon his Absolving of Sir William Perkins, and shall give you my thoughts of it, with the same freedom that you desire them. I am sorry (since you seem in some degree to be possessed with a favourable Opinion of his Behaviour) that I am forced to say, that my Sentiments are, That he has neither acted Wisely, nor defended himself modestly upon this occasion; and as in the Fact he proceeded without due Consideration, so in his Vindication he has prosecuted it with Confidence and ill manners. You know my way, and therefore will, I hope, take the less offence at the roughness of the Expressions; the rather, because the Paper I writ against, has given such provoking occasion. But to proceed, as he says, let us hear how he be speaks the matter.  
And First, He complains that his Presence and officiating at Tyburn, has been too hotly censured, and very much misunderstood; he should have said, Misrepresented for the sake of Friendship, and for a Token of Agreement between the Old Church and the New. I cannot imagine in the name of Goodness, what he means, by endeavouring to possess us, that we are mistaken. Would he persuade us, That Sir William was Innocent of the Crime for which he suffered? Or, will he inform us, That he did acknowledge the Blackness of it to him, with his willingness to make all possible Reparation, and the Justice of his Execution, particularly with regard to that Crime for which he was condemned, as Mr. King had done before, to his Reputation be it remembered? Or, in fine, Would he deny that he gave him Absolution? for this was the occasion of the Censures he complains of, and that at which the Offence was taken. That a Man who stood sentenced not barely as an Instrument, but also as a Contriver, and prime Manager of the most Barbarous and Ungenerous Design of Assassinating the King in cold Blood, should, without making a Public Abhorrance of the Wickedness of the Intention, and showing the most sincere Disposition to give Satisfaction to those he had endeavoured to Injure; I say, here lay the Stumbling Block, that such a Man, tho' he had done none of all this, should nevertheless, obtain so easy and so glorious an Absolution! Surely this, whatever he may think, could not but seem something Extraordinary.  
But let us hear now his Report of the Case, for the better juding of the Matter.  
By which he acquaints us with his Visiting Sir William from time to time, and at last, of his being refused that liberty from Wednesday till Friday at the Place of Execution; from whence he infers, the Necessity of his Absolving of him there. And now for my life, I cannot see why this must necessarily follow, that because he could not Absolve him at Newgate, therefore he was obliged to do it at the Gallows: This looks as if he was resolved to do it Right or Wrong, in despite of all Opposition. But Sir William, he says, had Qualified himself for Absolution, and therefore it could not be denied him. But how does that appear? Let us see what Qualifications the Church of England requires of such as desire to receive that Benefit from her Ministers, which consists in the following particulars. First, That he be of a right Faith. Secondly, That he repent him of all his Sins, which Repentance made known by his forgiving freely from the Bottom of his Heart all Offences against him; That he ask forgiveness of whosoever he hath Offended; And if he hath done Injury or Wrong, that he make Amends to the uttermost of his Power, etc. (For if the Injured Person cannot be Forgiven of God, unless he remits that injured him, how shall he that Wrongs others, and makes not Restitution hope for Pardon? And this Restitution ought to be such, that to the extent of his Capacity, the Injured Person may no Loser, nor in Danger of Suffering, either in Body or Estate by him.) These things the Minister ought to exhort him to; if Mr. Collier did so, it seems Sir William made little Account of his Exhortation, or else the Misunderstanding was extraordinary between them.  
For if Mr. Collier did set before him the Horridness of the Design to Murder the King, and the Unnaturalness of his Assisting to introduce a Foreign Power upon us, how came it that he did not press him to publish his Sorrow and Repentance for having engaged therein, by inserting a Declaration of it to the World, in that Paper which he believed he intended to leave behind him? Why did not he urge him to make amends, by the Discovery of those Men, who he knew were disposed through his means, to execute so great a Villainy? Must Compassion for such Miscreants, overbalance the Consideration of the Life of a Prince left to hazard, and the Embroiling of a Kingdom in War and Bloodshed? This may seem to some Men, something like a Hero, but I am sure it is no Virtue to qualify a Christian for the Pardon of his Sins. Sure Mr. Collier was so tender of his Penitent as to omit these things; which yet, if we may judge by the visible Effects, we have but too much Reason to fear he did. God deliver us from such Compassion, as Sacrificeth the Innocent to the Guilty, and gives Advantages to such as would bring Ruin upon the Nation.  
But not to lose our Defence-Maker, where he is now among his Particulars, says, Some are offended at the Performance with Imposition of Hands, which he justifies to be an Innocent and Ancient Custom. To which I reply once again, that it was neither the Matter nor the Form, nor the Circumstances of Place considered in themselves, that were so Offensive, but the unqualifyed State of the Man, as appeared after by his Speech more plainly, to receive so Frank and Pompous an Absolution. From such unworthy Prostitution of the Office of the Church, arose the Scandal. Others, says he next, are shocked at the thing itself. The Presumption of admitting a Person charged with so high a Crime, to the benefit of Absolution; which, he says, is concluding too fast. And Answers by the way of Query, Are all Damned that are cast in a Capital Indictment? If so, continueth he, then why are they Visited by Divines, exhorted to Repentance, and have time allowed them to prepare for Death, and so forth. But if this Gentleman be not too much in haste, I would fain know of him, for what sort of People be designed this wise Query? Does he really think, that there are any such as believe, that a Man condemned by the Law, is thereby made utterly incapable of Repenting, and of receiving Mercy in the other World? I defy him to point out to us any such; and in return I must tell him, that he does not put the Question fair, but seems rather to shun it by a disingenuous Evasion. He knew well enough, that the Offence Was taken, as I said before, at the small or no appearance, that there was of Sir Williams being in a State to receive the Benefit of Pardon. Here he repeats again, That he had qualified himself, and insinuates, that he had Recollected, Repent, and Resigned himself. The consequences of which Acts, we afterwards saw manifestly by his Behaviour, with respect to one of the chief, if not the greatest Crime that he could ever be guilty of; which he Recollected with an Excuse, repent of without ask Pardon, or making any Reparation for, but what he was forced to, which made up his Resignation, and completed his Penitence. And where now shall we find Reason to conclude, that Sir William was released in Heaven? Where are, I ssay once again, those Marks of that deep sorrow, & hearty contrition which are requisite on such Occasions? 'Tis true, we may and do hope, almost against Hopes; but to be so positive in such Circumstances, was to conclude too fast by his Favour. This I can assure Mr. Collier, that even some of his own Friends think, the best they can say for him in this matter, is, that he has been imposed upon, and that his Good Nature had in this Juncture, gained the Ascendant over his Reason.  
Pag. 4. He repeats again the Reason why he gave it him in Public; but this is little to the purpose. The Grand Question is not so much, Why he did not give it him privately? As, Why he gave it him at all? Hic Labour, hoc Opus. The rest is mere Evasion, and a sly Eluding of the Difficulty. It is objected, says he, That Sir William confessed himself acquainted with (he might have said, Privy, however) to the intended Assassination. And here we have him fencing again with his Queries; Did he tell it to me? If he did, say we, the Satisfaction he made thereupon, was but very Indifferent: If he did (continues Mr. Collier,) Have I revealed it, or any part of his Confession? Oh no: Then he had been within the reach of the Cannon, and in danger of being made utterly Irregular: And he that falls under that Curse, is for ever incapable of officiating, or giving any more Absolutions. But let us see what the Canon itself says, for this Man is endeavouring to make Black White to us, for all his show of Modesty. The Canon is the 113, where it is provided, that Ministers may present Scandalous Offenders: There is this Exception, That if any Man confess his Secret, and hidden Sins to the Minister, for the unburthening of his Conscience, and so receive spiritual Consolation and Ease of Mind from him; we do not any way bind the Minister by this Constitution, but do straight charge and admonish him, That he do not at any time reveal and make known to any, the Crime committed to his Secrecy, except they be of such Crimes, as by the Laws of this Realm, his own Life may be questioned for concealing, under pain of Irregularity.  
And now SIR, What can any one see here, that should compel Mr. Collier to conceal what Sir William confessed to him of the Assassination? Nay rather, Does not this last Exception oblige him to make known what he revealed to him, it being provided particularly for the Security of the Realm; and when the Matter disclosed, is, concerning the Assassination of the KING, surely it falls under this Provision, without making so very large Suppositions. Sir William could not tell him This for so great a Secret; it was Notorious at his Trial, and all the World saw it proved against him. The Reserve in the Canon, was intended to prevent the hurting of men's Reputation, by Publishing such Faults; which when known, would serve only to increase uncharitable Censures among Neighbours; and for an Encouragement to a free and ingenuous Confession, and not to stifle such Crimes and Practices as, should they take effect, would invole us in the most miserable Confusion. If Sir William did confess ingenuously, and like a true Penitent, he must have revealed the whole Design to him; which had obliged Mr. Collier to press him to make a full Discovery, and upon Denial, to refuse him Absolution. This was the least that could be expected of him; and I appeal to any Man, Whether Mr. Collier acting so contrary, has not given too much occasion for the Accusation against him of Misbehaviour: But it seems it is necessary, That the Justice of the Nation be Arraigned in every particular, and that these Men are agreed to acquit one another. In fine, The whole Demeanour of Mr. Collier in this Affair, seems to me, to be most surprising and unaccountable, that he should have, as I said, so much Compassion for the Criminal, and so little Consideration of his Crime; that he should first act so very unadvisedly, and then defend himself with so much Shifting and Disingenuity. The best of his Defence, amounting to no more, than endeavouring to represent himself Ignoramus. Has he revealed to me? Did I see it in the Votes? Here I would ask Mr. Collier, How he came to be so indifferent on this occasion? The Expectations from that Transaction were great, and the News of it public beforehand. (The Report being made on Thursday.) Methinks he who had been debarred the Liberty of Visiting him, it may be upon that very occasion, should have had so much concern for his Care, as to use all possible means to be informed of the Deportment of his Penitent, in order to the great Work he was desired to perform for him, How did he know what he might say to them? But he seems to have acted on this Occasion, like those good humoured Fathers, who out of tenderness to their Children, are compliant, and soothe them in their Faults. Neglecting the more wholesome Rules of Discipline, give me leave to say Sir, That as Sir William gave little sign to the World of his Sorrow for his Gild, which yet he ought to have done, he having offended all; so in my opinion, Mr. Collier has in his Paper, done as little either for his own or Sir William's Vindication. For my part, I cannot perceive any thing in it, that should hinder us from being still of the opinion, That he has behaved himself ill, and given just occasion for the Bill against him. It is not the wiping of his Mouth, and saying with singular Modesty, Wherein have I done harm? 'Tis not an unreasonable Complaint of Hardships of his own procuring; 'tis not his disclaiming the Methods of Murder, while he absolves and defends the Conspirators, both without and against Authority, and the Laws of Common Justice and Humanity: Nor in fine, 'tis none of all These, together with his very civil Reflection of Railing, Mercinariness, and Malice, upon those that warn the World of the Evils of such Practices, that will justify him before God or Man. But we shall still continue to believe, That either Sir William learned his Behaviour of Mr. Collier, or that Mr. Collier has made his Defence by the Example of Sir William.  
And now Sir, I Suppose you think it high time, that I should recollect and make an end of this Letter, which that I may do the sooner, I shall pass over his Outcry of the Priesthood, the Religion, and the Liturgy; 'tis pity he has not joined the Cause for the greater Efficacy, together with his impertinent and saucy Advice to the Clergy, with his distinguishing note of Ignorance upon their People, and his Magisterial Menace, If for the future they do not teach them better.  
His canting Address to those in Power, i.e. they who bear the Temporal Authority, that they would rectify their Mistakes, calm their Resentments, and put a stop to their Severities. Paulo majora canamus. I suppose he would have them reverse the Judgement against Sir William, reduce things so their old Posture, that K. James might be replaced in the Throne, & the Bishops in the Tower; that the Laws which were made for the defence of the the People, might be dispensed with to their destruction, by virtue of which Prerogative, we might once again behold Jesuits the Privy Council, Popish Judges in Westminster-Hall, Officers unqualifyed in the Army, and our Colleges and Schools made Seminaries of Superstition and Idolatry, which by never to be forgotten Experience we know must follow, could these Men bring about what they are so zealous after. But I conclude, hearty desiring that they may see and acknowledge their Error, and that they would, while there is yet opportunity, unite with Us in our Common Defence, against the Public Enemy, which is the unfeigned Wish, and earnest Prayer of  
SIR, Your most Humble Servant, P. H. J.   

Lond. Printed by I. Dawks in Wardrobe Court in Carter-lane, 1696.