FOR THE King and both Houses OF PARLIAMENT. Who are desired to read over this following Treatise, and in the Fear and Wisdom of the pure holy God to consider, and lay to heart what is contained therein. And in tender Bowels of Compassion to Repair the great Breaches that are made all over the Nation. And to grant a Speedy Redress, now, while it is in your power.  
Given forth in the Spirit of Love and Meekness; And written by John Stubbs.  Blessed are the Merciful, for they shall obtain Mercy, Matth. 5. 
Printed in the Year, 1670.   

For the King and hoth Houses of Parliament.  
ALL ye that go under the Name of Christians, which are after Christ, and not after Old Adam in the Fall; Christ's command to such is to love Enemies, Matth. 5.44. than not to destroy them: So not one Christian to destroy another about Religion; for Christ came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them, Luke 9.54.55. And God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son into the World, not to destroy the World, but that the World through him might have life, John 3.16, 17. The Devil is called a Destroyer, Rev. 9.11. and Jesus a Saviour, Matth. 1.20. And was not Cain the first that persecuted his Brother about Religion, Gen. 4. And are ye not all Brethren, Matth. 23.8. first, as you are in Adam; secondly, as you are in Christ Jesus; and Sons of God by creation, and Sons of God by adoption; and therefore, why should you destroy one another, who are of the Image of God? for all look upon Cain, that he was a wicked man, that persecuted his Brother to death, about Religion: And you know the Scripture saith, He that envies his Brother is a , 1 john 3. and no  hath Eternal Life abiding in him; and therefore love one another, for love is of God; and he that loveth not, is not of God; and he that hateth his Brother abideth in death; so he cannot be in Christ the Life, see the Epistles of John. And he that is born of the Flesh will persecute him that is born of the Spirit, Gal. 4.29. and therefore cast forth that birth that will persecute; for he that is born of the Spirit cannot join with that Spirit that is born of the Flesh; for if he could, he should not be persecuted.  
It's mighty strange that Christ Jesus and his Apostles should command so much for Christians to love one another, who saith, If they have the gift of Healing, and Prophecies, and divers kinds of Tongues, and interpretation of Tongues, etc. 1 Cor. 12.10. And if they have not love, they are but like sounding Brass, or a tinkling Cymbal.  
So what is all Christendom, that doth hate and persecute one another about Religion, but like the sounding Brass and tinkling Cymbals, though they have Gifts, and Tongues, and want love. And though they give their goods to feed the poor, and their bodies to be burned; yet if they have not love, they are but tinkling Cymbals, 1 Cor. 13.  
And doth not Christ say, Let the Tares and the Wheat grow together until the Harvest; he knew men would be busy to meddle with that they should not do; and therefore he forbids to meddle, lest they should pluck up the Wheat with the Tares, Matth. 13.30, 38, etc.  
And also you know, how Christ in that Parable reproved him that took his Brother by the Throat, Matth. 18.28. and tells the Jews in Matth. 21. of their perfecution, in that Parable of the Housholder, how that he had sent out his Servants to the Husbandman; and how they beat one, and killed another, and stoned another; and at last he sent unto him his Son, saying, They will reverence my Son: But they caught him, and cast him out of the Vineyard, and slew him also: and so what became of those Husbandmen.  
And are not the Sheep on the right hand, but the Goats on the left hand, that persecutes, and that doth not visit Christ in Prison in his Members, who were sick, & who were hungry & who were naked, and they did not visit him: And if they went into everlasting Punishment that did not visit him in Prison, what will become of them that casts into Prison where he is made manifest, and suffers for his Sake. See Math. 25.  
And so in the Light and Fear of God consider these things, before it be too late, in your day; and in the Bowelsand Mercies of Christ Jesus, lay things to Heart.  
And be not spurred on by the chief Priests and Bishops to Persecution; for was it not the Priests and false Prophets that stirred up the Kings and Princes against Jeremiah, to cast him into Prison, and into the Dungeon? And what became of those Priests and false Prophets? And also, What became of the King and Princes, that were stirred up by them, when Nebuchadnezar came and found Jeremiah in prison. See Jeremiah chap. 37, 38. and 43.  
And was it not the false Prophets that stirred up Ahah against Micaiah? 1 King. 22.24. etc.  
And was it not Amaziah the Priest of Bethel, that stirred up Jeroboam King of Israel against Amos, and said he had spoken Treason against the King? Amos 7.10.  
And was it not the chief Priests and Elders, that stirred up the Magistrates and people against Christ, as you may read in the Evangellists: And how they persuaded Pilate to Crucify Jesus, the Son of the Living God, who is the Original of Christianity?  
And did not Christ say, That they should hale the Disciples out of their Synagogues? John 16.2. And the chief Priests and Pharisees should be against Christ Jesus?  
And did not Christ Weep over Jerusalem, and tell them, That the Blood of Abel to Zacharias would come upon that Generation? Mat. 23.35, 36, 37.  
And as you may read in the latter end of the four Evangelists, what Counsels the chief Priests had with the Elders, to raise up Accusations against Jesus, and said he was against Caesar. And was not the chief Priests his greatest Enemy, from his Birth, to the very day of his Crucifixion? and was it not the chief Priests that cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barrabas. John 23.18.  
And did not the chief Priests and the Scribes Mock him, saying, He saved others, himself he cannot save? Mark 15.31.  
And when they had Crucified him, was it not the chief Priests and Pharisees that came unto Pilate, Matthew 27.62. Saying, Sir, we remember that that Deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After Three Days I will Rise again. Command therefore that the Sepulere be made sure until the 3d day, lest his Disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the People he is risen from the dead; so the last error shall be worse than the first.  
And when he was risen, did not the chief Priests persuade the Soldiers to say, That his Disciples had stole him away by night, Matth. 28.13.  
And it was the chief Priests, with the Elders, that gave large money to the Soldiers to say so, vers. 12.  
And so all along throughout Matthew, Mark, Luke & John, you may see it was the chief Priests that were Christ's greatest Enemies; not the meanest of them, but the chief; and so it is now.  
Do not the Bishops, and prebend's, and chief of the Priests stir up Persecution now against the people of God.  
Did not Christ's words come to pass upon the Jews, and upon Jerusalem, when Titus came against them about forty years after Christ's Ascension.  
And was it not by the chief Priests Order and Authority that Saul went with his Packet of Letters to hale those that were Believers and Followers of Christ to prison, Acts 9  
And do they not do so now, with their Paraters and Informers, by order from their Bishops and chief Priests.  
Now consider these things in the tender Bowels and Mercies of God, for we would not have the Magistrates ridden upon, nor spurred up by the chief Priests nor Bishops to persecution; but we would have them provoked to love and good works, that they may be a praise to them that do well, and a Terror to the Evil Doer, Rom. 13.  
And was it not the high Priest that examined Stephen when the false Witnesses came against him, where you know he was stoned death, Acts 7.  
And was it not the chief Priests and Elders that caused the Apostles to be whipped so, as you may see in the Acts all along.  
And you may see there how much the chief Priests were against the Apostle Paul, after he was converted and had forsaken them, and followed Christ Jesus who is a Priest for ever made higher than the Heavens, Hebr. 7.26.  
And so all along you may see in every Age, since the Pope got up; how Persecution hath been stirred up by the Priests.  
In the other Powers days, Did not the Priests give Oliver high titles; and the Presbyterian Priests, and Independants made Petitions and Addresses to him for Pesecution.  
And then in his Son Richard's days, Did not the Presbyterian Priests and Independants petition against us, that we might be persecuted; and called him their joshua: So that many thousands of our Friends in his time were imprisoned; besides the unreasonable havoc they made, in spoiling of their goods; and about forty suffered Death in that day, by cruel imprisonments; but the Lord hath been our Preserver and Helper, who had no Helper in the Earth; whom (ever since we were a People) the Priests of all sorts would have rooted us out of the Earth.  
Therefore we would desire, for your eternal good to consider these things: For Caesar, that is, the Magistrate must have his due, which is the Tribute and Custom; and God must have his due, that is, the Rule in the Conscience, and in the heart, and his Worship that is in Spirit and Truth, john 14.24.   

Now concerning Liberty:  
MOses, who was a Magistrate, and a Judge, and a Prophet, he did not restrain others from Prophesying. but said, Oh, that all the Lords People were Prophets, Numb. 11.29. He did not say, It would destroy the Government, if they did preach in the Camp: He did not say, It would make Riots, and Routs; but said, Oh, that all the Lords People were Prophets!  
Abraham dwelled among the Canaanites a long time, yet contrary to them in Religion, Gen. 13.7. and 16.13. again he sojourned in Gerar, and King Abimeleck gave him leave to dwell in his Land, Gen. 20.21, 23, 24.  
And also Isaac had Liberty to sojourn in those parts, Gen. 26.  
But you do not read that they were forced by them with whom they sojourned, to be of their Religion.  
Jacob lived twenty years in one House, with his Uncle Laban, yet differed in Religion, Gen. 31.  
Neither was Lot forced to the Sodomites Religion.  
Neither do you read any of the Pharaohs, during the Children of Israel's sojourning there, Exodus 12. forced them to be of their Religion; but it was his own oppressing mind, to set them at work, that made him to keep them there; and so he would not let them go forth, to worship God, till the Ten Plagues came upon him.  
Neither did any of the Emperors compel the Israelites to be of their Religion during their seventy years' Captivity.  
And 〈◊〉 he encouraged the Jews to build a Temple though he was different concerning their Religion.  
And Darius and Cyrus, see their tenderness, though they were Heathens; they were tender to the Jews, and gave them Liberty to worship the God of Heaven, though there were many that did inform against them; and said, Their City had been a Rebellious City. Ezra 4.12.15.  
And the three Children in Nebuchadnezars' time were persecuted, because they would not join, nor fall down to worship that great Image they made; read Daniel.  
So what was of man, and man's making, man was not to fall down to that, because it was the work of man's hands; and have they not been making Religions ever since the Papists got up.  
And doth not the pure Religion come down from above from God, which all is to fall down to, and worship, which is in Spirit and Truth, Jam. 1.27.  
And Daniel he had Liberty to worship God in Babylon, though his worship were contrary to the Emperors; and and prayed, as at other times, notwithstanding the Emperor's Decree, till those wicked Informers risen up against him, but mark their end, see Daniel 6.  
And so its very much how people that are called Christians can say the Lords Prayer, that are so full of envy, and say Forgive us as we forgive them that trespass against us, and have so much enmity and hatred in their hearts one against another? Do they think to be forgiven that do not forgive? Doth not Christ say, they must be reconciled to their Brother before they can offer their Gifts to God? Matth. 5. And what have they against those people called Quakers, but in matters concerning their God? and because they pray to God, and worship him in Spirit and Truth, in that Worship that Christ himself set up above sixteen hundred years ago, see J●● 4.20, 21, etc.  
Do not the Quakers love Enemies? Matth. ●. 44.  
Do they not bear all things, 1 Cor. 13.7.  
Are they not the best Tenants that the great men in the Nation have. And do they not deal truly with you in their Shops, and Merchandizing? and in than Commerce are they not at one word with you?  
Why should they be chased and coursed up and down, like a Partridge upon the Mountains.  
And why should the Priests and Bishops be against them? Is it not only because we cannot pay them Tithes?  
And is not the Priesthood changed that took Tithes; and the Commandment disannulled that gave him his Tithes? read Hibrews 7.  
And doth not Christ say to his Ministers, Ambassadors, Teachers and Disciples; Freely ye have received, freely give? Matth. 10. And he bids them Go into all Nations, and he would be with them; and if he be with them, that's enough; then they need neither to seek for Bag nor Scrip.  
Now where are there any of your Bishops or Priests that goes freely, and preacheth freely? Is not this Command of Christ's with them thrown away; because it brings in no gain? who saith, Freely ye have received, freely give.  
And in Matth. 10.12. Christ tells them, When they enter into any House, they are to salute it, saying, Peace be unto this House, and what they set before them that they may eat, etc. He doth not say, You shall send Constables, Parrators, and Informers to ransack and spoil the House; neither doth he say, You must give me two or three hundred a year.  
And doth not the Apostle say, 1 Tim. 3. That a Bishop must be Blameless, not given to Wine; no Striker; not greedy of 〈…〉 not a 〈◊〉 not Covetous, and he must be Gentle, and apt to Teach.  
And he must not covet men's Silver, nor Gold, nor Apparel, Acts 20.33. but to keep the Gospel without charge: was not this the practice of the Apostles, to keep the Gospel without charge, 1 Cor. 9.18.  
But do these Priests and Bishops so, that cast into prison for Tithes, and such things? Do not those mind earthly things; and such seek not the Lord Jesus, but their own Bellies, Rom. 16.18. which have from a hundred a year, to a thousand; and the Bishops have several thousands.  
Do you think the Priests and Bishops will leave those fat Benefices, and preach the Gospel to the Heathen, freely, in Sheepskins, and Goatskins, as some of the holy men have done, spoken of in Hebrews 11.37. they were not gotten so high then as White-Sleeves, Tippits and Hoods.  
Now those which have cast into prison, and spoiled, and ransacked Houses; and made havoc of people's Goods; and made many Widows, and Fatherless; and Imprisoned many unto Death: this is not glad Tidings; for the Gospel is Glad-Tidings: such do not keep the Gospel without charge; these do not obey the commands of Christ, nor the Apostles, which saith, Freely ye have received, freely give, Matth. 10.8.  
And unto such we cannot bid God speed, 2 Jo. 10: 1. For while we put into the Priests and Bishops Mouths, they preached Peace unto us, and blessed us; but when we see they were out of the Doctrine of Christ, and could not put into their Mouths, than they prepared War against us, than they came to biting of us with their Teeth, like Men eaters, and gnawing our flesh and Bones to the very Marrow, see Mic. 3.  
And also Jer●m. 5. who said, The Priests bear Rule by their means, etc. which was a horrible and filthy thing, committed in the Land: So consider what became of them in Jeremiah's days, how they went into Captivity.  
And see in Isaiah 56. how they fought for gain from their Quarter; and he calls them greedy Dogs, and dumb Dogs, and Dogs which cannot bark; and you know Dogs are subject to by't; for I never read that a Sheep bitten a Dog, and they were such as sought for their gain from their Quarter.  
And do not the Priests now seek for their gain from their Quarter? when a Bishop is dead, will not another quickly seek for his Benefice? yes, it will not be long vacant, another will say he hath a call, and a motion to go and get another's Benefice that is dead; and so will the Priest do, for another Priest's Benefice that is vacant; especially if it be a fat one, and bigger than his own.  
And doth not the same Prophet, in the same chapter call the Watchmen Time-servers? as in Junius and Tremelius Translation: and how many Priests, in this day, are guilty of this? let Cities and Countries speak?  
And see Ezekiel 13.14, 33, and 34. chapters, and there you may see now the false Shepherds preached for handfuls of Barley, and pieces of Bread; and feeds themselves; and eats the Fat; and clothes with the Wool; and kills them that are fed; but feeds not the Flock; but he speaks in that thirty fourth chapter, how the Lord would gather them from their Mouths, and set one Shepherd over them, even Christ Jesus.  
Christ did not set up Tithes nor Augmentations, nor Easter Reckon, nor Midsummerdues; nor Gleab-Lands in the Worship of God, for his Ministers nor Appstles; but said, Freely you have received, freely give.  
And the Apostles charge was, to keep the Gospel without charge; and rebuked them that did it, as you, may see in his Epistles; for God is as free to you in his Spiritual Gifts and Graces, as he is in the things that are Temporal in the Creation.  
And so as I said, Christ hath ended that Law which held up Tithes for the Priests amongst the Jews, Hebrews 7.  
And are not those people called Quakers more chaste in their lives and conversations than any; and kept out of Drunkenness, Swearing, Oaths, Theft, Fornications, Adulteries, Debaucheties, etc. more than any other people?  
And is not this an case to Magistrates?  
And should not the Magistrates be a praise to them that do well?  
And yet are not those that do well, as Sheap that are led to the Slaughter?  
And also consider there are many of those People that are Tradesmen, as Clothiers, etc. some it may be keeps two or three hundred at work; and some are Knitters, and other callings and Trades: Now you taking away their Goods, you make them uncapable to manage their Employments and Trades whereby they themselves are not only undone, but many hundreds of poor people are liable to famish, having no other way to subsist, but only their daily labour: and so what will become of those poor people they set at work, when their Masters are cast into Prison, and their Goods taken away. And besides, you make our Friends uncapable to pay the National Taxes; and so these things hinder the King of his Customs and deuce; when people grows poor, how can they pay them? for the Riches of a People is the honour of a Prince.  
And you know 〈…〉 than have 〈…〉 takes one part, and the King another, and the Poor another; how can the Rents be paid, when the Stocks are taken off the Land? must not they be necessitated to relinquish their Farms?  
And there are many Merchants and Shopkeepers, what encouragement have they to trade, when they know not but their goods may be taken from them, for worshipping and serving the Living God? and if they have no encouragement, what profit can come to the King?  
And so in the Fear and Wisdom of God consider these things, that there may be Liberty in the Gospel, the Power of God; every one should improve their Talon, and their Measures, Gifts, and Graces, as good Stewards, 1 Pet. 4.10. And they were not to quench the Spirit, nor despise Prophesying  
And is it not said, That in the last days the Lord would pour out of his Spirits upon all flesh, and Sons and Daughters should Prophesy; and young men should see Visions, and old men should dream Dreams; and on his Servants and Handmaids he would pour out of his Spirit in those days, and they should Prophesy, Joel 2 28. Act, 2.17.18  
And are not these the last days? here you see the Lord hath promised that every one should have something, both Sons and Daughters, Servants and Handmaids should prophesy; and young men see Visions, and old men dream Dreams: So let the Prophets and Prophetesses tell their prophecies; and let the young men tell their Visions, and the old men their Dreams, and do no hinder them.  
Did not Christ say, He that did not improve his Talon was to be cast into utter darkness, where should be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of Teeth, Matthew 25.28.  
And doth not Christ say, How the Word was sown upon all Grounds; and how far it sprang up in some, till Persection came; and how it sprang up in others, till the Cares of this life choked it; and upon the Highway ground, but the Fowls of the Air picked it up; and upon the good ground it was sown, and it only brought forth from it Perfection, Matth. 13.19. etc.  
So here Christ would let them see, and all men, that if they did not improve their Talents, and Gifts, and Graces which the Lord had committed to them, and given them to profit withal; and to live up to the Word of God in their hearts, that then they should be cast out and rejected, as unprofitable Servants and Stewards.  
And so I desire that the Lord may give you an understanding.   

Also you may see that Persecution for Conscience sake is against the Profession of Christian Princes, and likewise condemned by the ancient and latter Writers.  
FIrst, King James, in his Speech to his Parliament 1609. saith, It is a sure Rule in Divinity, that God never loves to plant his Church by Violence and Bloodshed.  
Also see the said King's Exposition on Revel. 20. in which he saith, The Compassing of the Saints, and the Besieging of the Beloved City, declareth unto us a certain Note of a false Church to be PERSECUTION; for they come to seek the Faithful, the Faithful are them that are sought; the wicked are the Besiegers, the Faithful are the Besieged.  
Secondly, Stephen King of Poland saith thus, I am King of Man, not of Conscience, a Commander of Bodies, not of Souls.  
Thirdly, the King of Bohemia saith, That men's Consciences ought in no sort to be violated, urged, or constrained.  
And further he saith, So that once more we do profess before God, and the whole World, that from this time forward we are firmly resolved not to persecute or molest, or suffer to be persecuted or molested any person whatsoever for matter of Religion, etc.  
By the ancient and later Writers, in short, thus.  
Hillary against Auxentius, saith thus, The Christian Church doth not persecute, but is persecuted.  
Tertul. ad Scapulam, It agreeth both with humane Reason, and natural Equity, that every man worship God uncompelled, etc. neither beseemeth it any Religion to compel another to be of their Religion; which willingly and freely should be embraced, and not by constrant: forasmuch (saith he) as the Offerings were required of those that freely, and with good will offered, and not from the contrary.  
Jerom in pr●am. lib. 4. in Jeremiam. Heresy must be cut off with the Sword of the Spirit, etc.  
Bre●tius upon 1 Cor. 3. saith, No man hath power to make or give Laws to Christians, whereby to bind their Consciences; for willingly, freely, and uncompelled, with a ready desire, and cheerful mind must those that come, run unto Christ.  
Luther in Postil. Dom. 1. Post Epiphan. he saith, Let not Christians be commanded, but exhorted; for he that willingly will not do that whereunto he is friendly exhorted, he is no Christian: wherefore they that do compel those that are not willing, show thereby that they are not Christian Preachers, but worldly Beadles.  
Again, upon 1 Pet. 3. he saith thus, speaking of the Civil Magistrate; If you cannot bear it, that any should usurp Authority where you have to command; How do you think that God should suffer you to thrust him from his Seat, and to seat yourself therein.  
Chrysostom saith, It is not the manner of the Children of God to persecute others to death about their Religion, &c— Moreover (said he) The shedding of Blood about Religion, is an evident token of Antichrist. Relig. Uris. pag. 192.  
Haywardus said, That the best Writers of that time did agree in one Opinion, and with Tertullian, Lactantius, Cassidorus, and Josephus, etc. That People must inform men to embrace Religion, with Reason, and not compel them by Violence.  
Lactantius said, If you will with Blood, with Evil, and with Torments defend the worship, it shall not thereby be defended but polluted, lib. 5. cap. 20.  
Reinaldus said, That he who with Imprisoning, and Persecuting, seeketh to spread the Gospel, and greaseth his hands with Blood, shall much rather be looked upon for a Hunter, than a Preacher, or a Defender of the Christian Religion.  
The Prince of Orange saith, Anno 1579. That it was impossible that the Land should be kept in Peace, except there were a free Toleration in the Exercise of Religion.  
I might add the serious and ponderous Expressions of King Charles the first, concerning Toleration, and Liberty of Conscience; as also King Charles the second, that now is, his Speeches and Promises at Breda, with Speeches and Say of theirs, are more ample, copious and pertinent, concerning toleration of Religion, and liberty for tender Consciences, than any other King or Prince that I have here inserted; but for brevity sake I am constrained to omit them at present; because I hope King Charles the second, who now is, hath not forgotten his own Promises; neither's his Father's Counsel, in order to Toleration and Liberty in matters of Religion and Worship of God.   

A Postscript.  
IS it not a strange thing that the Turk should outstrip a Christian; for how many Religions are tolerated in several places in his Dominions, as Greeks, Jews, Armenians, Jacobites, Papists, and others. And also in Moguls ●s Country they do not force any. And in several places of Poland and Hungary they give Toleration.  
And you know the Jews in Christ's time were under the Roman Empire, where lived divers Sects of Religion, as Herodians, Scribes, and Pharisees, Sadduces and Libertines, Thadaeans and Samaritans, with others, besides the Religion of the Jews, Christ and his Apostles; all which differed from the common Religion of the State, which was like the worship of Diana, which almost the whole World then worshipped, Acts 19.20. All these several Religions lived under Caesar's Government, giving unto Caesar that which was his, and for their Religion and Consciences, he left them to themselves, as having no power over the Conscience; and when any Tumults were raised by the persecuting Jews, Priests and Professors of the Law, against the Christians; you may see the prudence of the Magistrate appeased them, Acts 18.14. and 19.35. I desire that the Lord would so compose and qualify the minds and spirits of the Christian Magistrates to do so now, as the Heathen Magistrates did then.  
J. S.  
THE END