A POEM OCCASIONED BY His Majesty's most Gracious Resolution Declared in His Most Honourable Privy Council, March 18. 1686/ 7.  
For Liberty of Conscience,  

WHat Heavn'ly Beam thus Antidates the Spring,  
And Summer's Warmth with Autumn's Fruits doth bring?  
That spreads New Life throughout Great Britain's Isle,  
And making the most Sullen Tempers smile,  
Does all the Jarring Factions Reconcile?  
'Tis an Indulgence from the Royal Breast,  
More Fragrant than the Spices of the East;  
More Welcome, than to greedy Misers, Wealth;  
To Rebels, Pardon; or to Sick Men, Health.  
Sudden, yet Calm as the Blessed Angels fly,  
His Resolution comes for Liberty:  
Liberty in Things Sacred, that Each tread  
That Path which Safest him to Bliss may lead;  
That Elephants may swim, that Lambs may wade,  
And none each other worry or invade.  
In Heaven are many Mansions: And why then  
Not several Tracts (tho' but One Road) for Men?  
Keep the Foundations sure, join Holy Life,  
And what need Circumstantials cause such strife?  
So a kind Father does with equal Care  
Cherish his Children, tho' perhaps, they wear  
Each, divers Features; each, a different Hair.   

Religion is GOD's Work upon the Soul,  
Which Penal Laws may startle, not Control.  
Even Truth's-Profession, when enjoined by Force,  
Does rarely make Men Better; often, Worse.  
For once compelled unto Hypocrisies,  
The Sense of Virtue and Religion dies;  
And then, on next fair Opportunity,  
With greater Heats they to wild Furies fly.  
For True Religion never Faction breeds,  
Nor the Support of Impions Weapons needs.  
Let Mahomet prescribe his Koran  
To be advanced by Arms, fast as it can:  
Christ's Gospel is a Law of Peace and Love,  
And by Conviction on the Heart doth move.  
When Solomon of Old, God's Temple Reared,  
No noise of Axes was, nor Hammers heard:  
Hard upon Hard no lasting Work will make,  
Nor can one Flint another kindly break;  
But Moderation is a Cement sure,  
'Tis that which makes the Universe endure:  
'Tis that which makes these Realms a Temperate Zone,  
Betwixt the Torrid, and the Frozen One.   

More than One hundred years the State had Tried  
To Uniform those Sects that would Divide,  
But still the Teeming Hydra Multiplied  
Whilst one Resolve of Mighty JAMES, allays  
The Tempests of the Past and Following Days;  
Unites his Subjects, makes 'em Friends, and so  
All Seeds of Faction wholly does overthrow.  
Holland no longer shall Our People drain;  
No more our Wealthy Manufactures gain:  
Henceforth Rebellion can have no Pretence,  
To Arm the Rabble for their Faith's Defence.  
Since Each Mode of Religion now is Free,  
They'll All, I hope, conspire in Loyalty.   

Let no Bold Peevish Man (prone to Excess)  
Abuse this Favour to Licentiousness;  
Refine too much on Sovereign Decrees  
Of's God, or's King; but with true humbled knees  
Thank Both, for all the Freedom they enjoy,  
And Cheerfully Each follow his Employ:  
No Rivalship be found in any Sect,  
But who most Souls to Heaven shall Direct.    

This may be Printed,  
March 22. 1686. R. P.   

LONDON, Printed by George Larkin, at the Coach and Horses without Bishopsgate. 1687.