The P. of Orange's Engagement For Maintaining and Securing the Protestant Religion, & Liberties of the People of England, According to His Late Gracious Declaration.  
Humbly Reminded To be Performed by Their Most Sacred Majesties K. WILLIAM and Q. MARY, in Their Royal Assent in PARLIAMENT, to the Perpetual Establishment of Liberty of Conscience.  
Moved in Ten Reasons for a Religious Freedom. With Allowance.  

REASON I.  
IT is not the Will of the Great and Wise God, to appoint any Forcible Ways or Courses to bring Men and Women to conform to his Worship: But Christ was pleased to Commissionate his Apostles (to whom he committed the Keys of his Church) to Preach and Declare the Christian Doctrine: And they that succeed them in their Office, are not by Might or by Power, but by gentle Invitation, and the Influence of his kind Spirit, to inform the Judgement, convince the Conscience, and so to persuade the Children of Men to be Reconciled unto God. And who is Man, that he should take another course, and will not rest in God's wisdom? Now we are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you through us; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.   

REASON II.  
THe using outward Compulsion in matters of Conscience, does only serve to make Men Hypocrites, but works no saving Conversion. If Men conform to any Worship or way thereof, with an unwilling mind, they cannot serve God aright, though the Worship be right, because the Heart of the Worshipper is not right. God calls for the Heart, My Son, give me thy Heart. If it were not for compulsion, the Man would be in some other Practice or Profession; and when he Conforms only to save his Person or his Purse, he is the Servant of Man, and not the Servant of God, and this is not to save his Soul. Not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but a ready mind.   

REASON III.  
ALL sorts of Persons are for Liberty of Conscience for themselves, even those that are most imposing upon others. They would account it hard measure to be constrained to perform, or forbear such and such things which concern their Religion, or to suffer unproportionable penalties. And why should not the Church-Protestants make the Presbyterians, the Independants, the Papists case their own in this point, seeing they are all Fellow-Christians. Therefore, whatsoever things ye would that men should do unto you, do ye so unto them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.   

REASON IU.  
THe good Rules of Humanity, and common Civility, which is carefully observed in smaller matters, are openly violated, by using of force in the matters of Conscience. Men abhor to thrust that Meat and Drink down their Neighbour's Throat, which will not agree with their Stomaches. They say commonly, Pray take that which best likes you: and why are they not as civil in the matter of Religion? Have compassion on one another, love as Brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.   

REASON V.  
THe Church Protestant's in England were sore distressed by hot do heretofore in the Reign of Q. Marry, when they were accounted Criminals, for not conforming to that Worship which was then the Established Worship of the Kingdom; and whoever take up the same Spirit of Persecution against others, for Nonconformity to the present Worship now Established, doth not only justify the violent proceed under Queen Mary from their own principles and practices, but also, upon mounting that part of the Wheel at top again, (as lately endangered us, tho' now down) will leave themselves no Excuse nor Cause of Complaint, if God bring the same severity to fall upon them. For with the same measure men me●e withal, it shall be meted to them again.   

REASON VI.  
THe Conforming and Nonconforming Protestants, and the Protestants and Papists all do agree as to the substance of Christianity, in the same Articles of Faith, and the same Rule of Manners, in the Apostles Creed, and the Ten Commandments. There is one Body, one Spirit, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism. As a variety of Flowers may grow on the same Bank, so may Protestants of all sorts, Churchmen, Presbyterians, Independants, Anabaptists, Quakers, and Papists live in England. Union in Affection is not inconsistent with disagreement of Opinion. There is much more Reason to love one another for the many things wherein we agree, than to fall out for those wherein we differ; and though we cannot have communion in the same external worship, we can and have communion in the same internal Adoration of the same Blessed Trinity, and in the one hope of our calling unto Life Eternal, through Jesus Christ. We cannot come together in the same Church, but may live together in the same Land; and as we are under the same Gracious King and Queen, they may protect both, and suffer no Party to persecute one another. The Wolf shall lie down with the Lamb, the Leopard with the Kid; they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain.   

REASON VII.  
THe French Protestants, who are the Dissenters from the Established Worship of that Kingdom, have been kindly received and succoured by England, even under both our late Kings: And when the French King is highly blamed by English Protestants, and perhaps too by most English Catholics, for persecuting his peaceable Subjects, should we go to do the same things in our Kingdom which we condemn in another? God forbidden. Therefore art thou inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art, for thou that Judgest another, dost the same things.   

REASON. VIII.  
THe prosecuting Dissenters and Recusants for matters of Conscience is of great disadvantage to the Trade of the Kingdom, the Dissenters being a chief part of the Trading People of the Nation, considered as Merchants, Shopkeepers, Clothiers, Farmers, etc. by which many thousands of the King's poor Subjects are maintained, and consequently Liberty of Conscience must be a most effectual means for the restoring of it.  
I will mention a story or two, which may be easily attested, if they be called into Question. One Thomas Peard about 19 Years since of West Dean near Barnstable, who kept many poor People at work in the Clothing Trade, was prosecuted upon the Act for Twenty Pound a Month, so many Months for not coming to Church, that he was forced to quit his Habitation and Employment. Upon this the poor People of many Parishes go a Begging, and the numbers presently were so great, that the Justices were said to meet, and consulting together, conclude upon it to get the Man's Fines to be discharged. This being done, Peard returns to his business, takes the poor off their hands, and finds them again the same Li-  
In like manner, about 17 Years since, the Bishop of Sarum sends forth Instructions into all the parishes of his Diocese for bringing them to Church, or citing them to his Court. There were Eighty Clothiers Nonconformists of several Judgements in the County of Wilts, who being Alarmed by this Summons, think of withdrawing their Trade, (the time for provision of their Wool favouring such a suspension) but considering what a number of poor depended on them, some employing 500, some 1000 people under them, who were capable of getting no other maintenance: Besides that, the Farmer was no less concerned than the Spinner and the Carder, who could have no Money for his Wool; fearing also, that if they should give over on a sudden, there might so much clamour ensue, as might turn into some uproar, they agree upon sending up eight or ten of their sufficient men to represent their Case to the King and Council. Orders are taken hereupon that the Archbishop writes to the Bishop to desist, and assurance is given by both the Secretaries to the Clothiers, for their safety in keeping on their Employment.  
What those Justices, and what the Council at that time saw convenient for that Shire, and those Towns, will be discerned (I doubt not) by the considerate to be of the like Emolument throughout the Nation.  
The Riches of a Nation are the Bodies of Men; for the greatness of a Kingdom certainly consists not in a vast continent of Ground, but in the multitude of its Inhabitants; and the thriving of the People, lies in the increase of Trade Manufacture and Commerce, as is intimated. An Act for Universal Toleration (Stated rightly, that is, of All, so far as they are tolerable, whereof the wisdom of a Parliament is the fittest Judge) would produce both these; it would bring People that are persecuted in our Neighbor-Nations about their Religion, to England, as it does or hath done to Holland; and they must bring their Hands and Business with them. Besides the infinite Encouragement it would give to many, who of late have kept in their Moneys, by reason of their obnoxiousness to the Law, which they must bring forth most Industriously into Employment, as soon as they see themselves safe under settlement, and their Consciences out of danger. And when Issachar saw that Rest was good, and the Land that it was pleasant, he bowed his Shoulder to bear, and became a Servant unto Tribute.   

REASON. IX.  
IT hath pleased our most Gracious Sovereign K. WILLIAM the Third (whom God bless still with a gentle mind and good days) to declare to the Nation at his coming to the Kingdom, that these two things, Comprehension and Indulgence, (which he expresses by A good Agreement between the Church of England and Protestant Dissenters, and the covering others that will live peaceably from Persecution, even the Papists themselves not excepted) was one end or certain Intention of his Undertaking, which therefore in repeated words he confirms; [And we for our part will concurrin every thing with a Parliament, to procure the Happiness of the Nation; since we have nothing before our Eyes in this our Undertaking, but the Preservation of the Protestant Religion, the covering all men from Persecution for their Conscience, and Secure to the whole Nation the free Enjoyment of their Laws, Rights, and Liberties, under a Just and Legal Government.] Then after five days Ananias the High Priest descended with the Elders, and an Orator named Tertullus, who when he was called forth, spoke thus, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that by thee very worthy Deeds have been done for this Nation, we accept it always, and in all places, most Noble Felix, with all Thankfulness.   

REASON. X.  
THese are some Reasons (among Multitudes) that have slown abroad for Toleration, and they are no picked chofen●●nes, but the most ready and ordinary to the meanest Capacity, such as I have catched upmost easily, from the Papers only of one or two that were mean men, only changing a little their stile, to avoid the baldness and prolixity: I will now add some Testimonies out of my own former Reading, and these Testimonies, which are Argumentum ab Authoritate, shall be my tenth and last Consideration, or Reason.  
It is not like in the three first Centuries of the Church, that any thing is to be found in the Christian writings, for the use of the Sword in Religion, whilst themselves were under it. In the next ensuing, we have Constantine, Constantine, Jovian, Val●ntinian, Valens, Theodosius, and after those, Honorius and Arcad●us may be cited for their larger permissions, especially towards the Jews, by those that will be at the pains to do it.  
In the Year 386. Idacius and Ithacius were condemned by the Gallican Bishops for being Authors of bringing the Priscillianists to Execution. And St. Augustine no doubt with the Fathers generally are against any Sanguinary Laws in this matter. Nullis bonis in Catholica Ecclesia hoc placet, si usque ad mortem in quemquam Haereticum saeviatur. Contra Cresconium, Lib. 3. Cap. 50. Hence were they called Ithacians, and held for Heretics, who maintained, That those who erred in Religion, aught to be put to Death. And it is observed, it was Dominick was the first that brought up the Fire among Christians upon that account. Withdraw from them, avoid them (says the Scripture) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not bea● or persecute them as the Heathens do, says Ignatius. For it is an unheard-of, strange kind of preaching the Gospel (says Gregory) to exact Belief (as the Egyptians their Bricks) with Stripes. Docere arbitramur (says Theodosius and Valentiman) nostrum imperium subditos nostros de Religione commonefacere; They chose not to say (imperare) but (commonefacere) signifying thereby, that Religion ought not to be forced. Nihilenim (says Lactantius) tam voluntarium quam Religio, in qua si animus est Sacrificantis aversus, jam sublata, jam nulla est. Religio imperari (says Cassidore) non potest. And, Suadenda est, says St. Bernard, non imperanda. Praecepit Sancta Synodus, (says the Tole●an Council de Judaeis) nemini deinceps ad credendum vim infer. And The New Law (says Tertullian) does not vindicate itself Ultra Gladio. The Jews took no such course (as pestilent as their Doctrine was) with the Sadduces, nor Christ with the Samaritans, See Luke 9.35. Mat. 13.28, 29. John 18.36. John 6.67. And will ye also go away, says Christ to the Twelve? Which are words removing all force and necessity from Man in the choice of his Religion. So Chrysostom, Athanasius, Cyprian, I may also add Aug. & Sa●●i●n.  
We may read in the Life of J●seohus, when some of the Trachonites came in f●r Rescue to the Jews, where himself was Governor and the Jews would thereupon constrain them to be Circumcised, or else not let them abide with them, he would not permit that injurious Zeal, alleging, That every Man ought according to his own mind, and not by Man's compulsion to serve God. In our English Story (to suit this) by Bed●, when Ethelbert the first prince that received Christianity of the Saxon Heptarchy, was converted by Austin, sent hither by Grego●y, and many thereupon came into the Church, it is said, He espicially embraced those that came in, but Compelled none; for he had learned that the Faith and Service of Christ ought to be voluntary and not of constraint. " It helpeth much, says the Imperial Edict of Constantine and Licinius, to establish the public Tranquillity, for every man to have liberty to use and choose what kind of worshipping himself pleases; and for that intent is this done of us, to have no man enforced to one Religion more than to another. A Prince who would draw his Subjects (divided into Sects and Factions) to his Religion, should not (in my Opinion) use Force, says Bodin; I will enhance this from the example of Theodosius that eminently good Emperor, who though he being offended with Euno●ius, did banish him upon a particular account, used no coercion or severity upon the person of any other Sect whatsoever. Reliquis neque molestiae q●i●quam exhibuit, neque secum communicare eoegit; sed singulis copiam fecit in locis separatis conventus ●●endi, & ita de Religione Christiana sentiendi, ut quisque de ea opinionem conceperat.  
John Barclay (not William that wrote Adversus Monarcho●athos) hath a Discourse on purpose to this effect about the Calvinists (as it is thought) under the Name of the Hyperephanians, in one chapter of his Argenis. And Camerarius in his Historical Meditations, hath a chapter as Learned, Full, and Grave; as need to be on this Subject, lib. 3. cap. 18. " It was observed by the Pope's Council (says Guicciardine) that the Prosecution of Luther, since it was not accompanied with their own Reformation, did increase his Reputation; and that it had been a less Evil to Dissemble the knowledge of such a matter, which would perhaps have dissolved of itself, than by blowing at the Brand, to make the Fire burn the more. I here may be some Notes conferred with this out of Devilah, upon the deliberations of the Politic Katherine, Regent of France, about the Pacification in her Son Henry the Thirds time; I will rest in one after Henry the Fourth succeeded. That great Prince thought fit to declare himself Catholic, but gets the fame Edict for Liberty to the Hugonots, to be renewed and passed the Parliament of Paris. " By which means endeavouring to remove Suspicion from their minds, and confirming them by good Usage, together with some Guts and Promises to the chief Heads, he insensibly took away (says the Historian) the pulse and strength of that Party, so that those that are versed in the Kingdom, believe that a few years of such sweet Poison (if he had not been disabled in this course through want of Money) would have extinguished that Faction, which so many years of desperate Wars had not, with the Effusion of so much Blood, been able to weaken. Violent courses (says my Lord Cook) are like hot Waters, that may do good in an Extremity, but the use of them doth spoil the Stomach, and it will require them stronger and stronger, and by little and little they will lessen the Operation.  
They that love the Common wealth (says Judge Jenkins) will use means together with the Restitution of the King, to procure an A●t of Oblivion, and tender Consciences a just and reasonable satisfaction, else we must Perish first or last.  
I will Crown these Testimonies with the experienced advice of CHARLES the First to our late Sovereign: " Beware of Exasperating any Faction by the crossness and asperity of some men's Passions, Humours, or private Opinions employed by you, grounded only on the differences in lesser matters, which are but the Skirts and Suburbs of Religion, wherein a charitable Connivance, and Christian Toleration, often dissipate; their Strength, whom a rougher opposition fortifies, and puts their despised and oppressed Party into such Combinations, as may most enable them to get a full Revenge on those they count their Persecutors, who are assisted by that vulgar Commiseration, which attends all that are said to suffer under the notion of Religion-  
There are two Rules in the Preamble of the Statute Primo Mariae; the one is, That the State of a King standeth more assured by the love of his Subjects than in the dread and fear of Laws. The other is, That Laws justly made, without extreme Punishment, are more often, and for the most part better obeyed, than those that are made with that extremity. Unto which my once beforenamed Lord Chief Justice Cook Subjoins this Sentence, Mitius imperanti melius Paretur.  
I will close up all with the end of a Speech of Sir Orlando Bridgeman to the Parliament, when he was Lord Keeper.  
" If any just grievances shall have happened, his Majesty will be as willing and ready to redress them, as you to have them Presented to him, and his Majesty doubts not, but you will give healing and moderate Counsels, and Imprint that known Truth in the Hearts of his Subjects, that there is no distinct Interest between the King and his People, but the good of one, is the good of both.  
Now this is the Copy of the Letter which Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the Priest, I make a Decree, that all they of the People of Israel, and of his Priests and Levites in my Realm, which are minded of their own-free will to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.  
And Gamaliel stood up in the Council, and said, Ye Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves, refrain from these Men, and let them alone, for if this Counsel or this Work be of Men, it will come to nought; but if it be of God, ye cannot Overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to Fight against God.    

Printed for R. Hayhurst in Little Britain, 1689.