IN Regard of the many Charms made use of, by a Virulent and Ill-designing Faction, there was never more need of the Wisdom of the Serpent, then now: One great part of which, is to stop your Ears against their Wheedle, and malitious Insinuations; or at least, to hear both Parties before you make a Judg­ment.

You know that His Majesty hath given us Li­berty by His Declaration and Promises, therein to Consult with His Parliament, about means, to make the same inviolable for the future: What Objection against it, and Opposition to it, is made by a Party of the Church of England, you are not ignorant of? And how they represent the Man­ner as Tyrannical and Illegal, though the same Power, and a greater, has been allowed by the Canons of their Church; several of their Greatest and Learnedst Arch-Bishops, Bishops and Doctors; as may be seen in Vox Cleri pro Rege, &c.

But herein His Majesty hath acted as a true Pater Patriae, and careful Master of the Flock, by putting a Clog upon such as have gored, and still would gore others, until he have a Conve­niency to cut their Horns. By the Judicial Law, the Master was to make good the Dammages done by his Goring or Pushing Cattle; and His Ma­jesty knowing himself answerable to God for it, if he suffered one party of His Subjects to ruine another upon a Religious Score, in preventing it, hath done nothing but what was incumbent upon Him, as a Christian, and as a King. I take it for a sure Maxim in Divinity, that we make our selves guilty of the Evil which we have Power to prevent if we do not; and by this Maxim, any Christian having Power, ought to have done for the Matter, though not in the Manner, what His Majesty has done: And therefore, to oppose him in so doing, is certainly Antichristian; becom­ing none but Ravening Beasts, who Roar and make a Noise, when the Prey is Rescued out of their Devouring Chaps. No wonder then, that a certain sort of men use all the Arts, that Wit or Malice can invent, to frustrate so good a Design; seeing it destroys their Antichristian Domi­neering over the Consciences of others, and their Trade of making Merchandize of the Souls of Men, and His Majesty's Laws.

Does not His Majesty propound to throw the Cudgels in the Fire, (with which the Church hath beat out your Brains) and offers a legal Security a­gainst all things of that kind, for time to come? But the Church Proposes only to lay them aside, (which if she could do) yet she may take them up again when she pleases, and then you have no Defence against them: Which Proposal then is most to be trusted?

Hath not the Church shamefully deceived you, in promising (upon your desisting to Plead for Continuance of the Declaration in 1672.) to pro­cure Ease for you in Parliament, and afterwards, instead of Rods, whipt you with Scorpions? Were not their Pretences for your doing so then, the same which they use to perswade you now? And have you seen any Reformation in them since? Or, Did they cease from Persecution, till His Majesty stopped it?

Did ever His present Majesty break Promise to you, or hath he not been kinder than you did expect, or could possibly have been, had he [Page 2] hearkened to the Suggestions of the Church against you?

Did ever the Church make a Canon, in your favour, and hath not His Majesty Emitted a De­claration for your Ease?

Did ever the Church Rescue you out of the Hand of the Civil Magistrate? And hath not His Majesty Rescued you out of the Hands of the Church?

Tender-hearted Mothers, use to plead in behalf of their Children, when their Father is threatning; and Rescue them out of his Hands when he is correcting: But instead of so doing, the Church endeavoured your Ruine, and flees on His Maje­sty's Face for preventing it.

Hath not His Majesty given good Evidence, that He is a compassionate Father, and the Church Demonstrated her self an Unnatural Mo­ther?

Will you then believe the Reproaches of her, from whom you never found Favour, and distrust the Promises of Him who hath shewed you so much Love? Are you not sensible, how falsly and maliciously they accused you to His Majesty? And will you believe them now, when they accuse His Majesty to you? Was it not their End then, to Exclude you from His Majesty's Favour, and is not the same Design now carried on?

Ay, but says the Church, We were put upon the Persecution by the Court, We did not engage in it voluntarily. Enquire of them, if King Edward the 6th. put them upon Opposing His Dispensation to Bishop Hooper; and how they will Reconcile that, and their Concurrence with Him, in disposing of the Crown by His Will, which was, perhaps, the most Stupendious piece of Arbitrary Power, ever assumed by a Sovereign; and yet, they not only concurred with Him in it, but put Him upon it, which makes it evident, that they always joyned with the Prerogative in its height, except when favourable to Dissenters, and then they opposed it. Enquire if King Charles the II. put them upon opposing His seve­ral Declarations for Liberty of Conscience, in May and October, 1660, July 1661. and Decem­ber, 1662. Repeated so often, that it may be e­vident His Majesty intended to fulfil the same, if they had not hindred him; which yet appears further, if you consider His Words in Declarati­on 25. October 1660. That No man shall be Disquieted or called in Question for Differences of Opinion in Matters of Religion, which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom; And if any have been Disturbed in that kind, since our Arrival here, it hath not Proceeded from any D [...]rections of Ours.

Enquire at them further, who puts them upon Opposing His present Majesty's Declaration for Liberty; And if they were so obedient to the Court in Persecuting, why do they not testifie their Obedience now, when the Court Com­mands them to throw away the Instruments of their Persecution? And you will find, the case is so plain, that we may reasonably conclude, that if His Majesty was at any time displeased with us, they stirred Him up to Persecute, by their Mis-representations, who accused us as Dis­loyal and Seditious, and not fit to be Tole­rated.

Do they not justifie their Rigour against us, by Alledging the same to be a Retaliation for what we did against them in the late Times? Can any thing be more Disingenuous? Will they justifie what they condem? Did not they begin with Bishop Hooper, though the King op­posed it? And Persecute their Brethren at Franck­fort, when there was no Court to put them upon it? And continue the same in Queen Elizabeths, King James, and King Charles the I. Time, till they had so enraged the Nation, that they could no longer bear it; and yet they would insinuate, that they were not the first Aggressors.

Is it possible then, that you can be imposed upon by their Apologies, and pretences of Mo­deration? Let them produce Instances. Yes, they give you a famous one in their Apology, of their Moderation towards the Papists after Queen Mary's Persecution: But we are sure, Pro­testant Dissenters found none of it; they made cruel Laws against them, and put those Laws in Execution, even to Death it self; they need not tell us of their Moderation towards Papists; we always told them of their Partiality towards them, against whom they pretend now to be so zealous, to have the Penal Laws continued; perhaps, they have reserved the Dregs of the Cup for them; but they are like to be disappointed if that were their Design. But because they know we would not be such Fools to joyn, in conti­nuing them against our selves, they tell us, It is only to be a Curb upon the Papists, that they desire to have them continued; Credat Judaeus Appella. Let their former Carriage witness the Truth of this.

Think with your selves, what a Mercy it is, not to be under a necessity of complying with such [Page 3] Worship as you thought, neither appointed by, nor acceptable to the Divine Majesty of God; or else, endure all the Miseries, that invective and irreligious Men could affl [...]ct you with. What a Blessing is it not to be under an Obligation of owning such for your Ministers, as were im­posed upon you, whom in your Conscience you did not believe called of Christ to that Work; whose whole Practice from their Youth up, was Estranged from Piety; whose Design in entring the Sacred Function, was no other, than such as men have in entring upon an ordinary Trade, to get a Livelihood; whose way of entring into the Church, was by the Patrons Presentation, a­gainst which you have complained as Unscriptural; he (as alas it happens too often) having no care of his own Soul, and therefore, very unfit to chuse a Pastor for the Souls of others; all that he de­signed in it, being perhaps, to gratifie a Ten­nants Son, his own Chaplain; or oblidge a Re­commending Friend, which you have always look­ed upon, as not coming in by the Door, but climbing up some other Way. The great Num­ber of Scandalous and Ignorant Preachers, shows also how remiss they have been, who were intrust­ed to Examine their Qualifications; that as to often it happens, being the Province of Dome­stick Chaplains, who concert the Matter with the Youngsters, over a Glass of Wine; and thus he becomes a Minister to have a care of Souls, who never took any of his own; and he must be in­trusted with Spiritual Affairs, when you would not trust with the over-sight of your Temporal.

These, and many other, though not charge­able upon all of the Church, yet are too well known to be Spots in the Church, and stand in need of Reformation. Can you then believe, ei­ther the Flatteries or Reproaches of such a Gene­ration of men, who so tenaciously adhere to these things, which they confess to be no where com­manded, and yet persecute others with the utmost Severity for their Non-compliance?

And have you forgot, how at the same time, when the Flood of Persecution overflowed you, a Deluge of Impiety overflowed the Nation, and few, or very faint endeavours used by the Church, to oppose the same? No, Majus Opus Morebant, they had a greater Work to do; they were so taken up in Persecuting those of tender Consci­ences, that they had no leisure to look after them, who made Shipwrack of good Consciences: They were so busie to disperse the Meetings of those who seriously sought God, that they could not Animadvert to those that Blasphemed the Name of God; They were so taken up in searching for Conventicles, that they could not punish the Revels, in Taverns and Bawdy-Houses: They were so eager to hinder us from Worshipping God on the Sabbath, that they could not look af­ter those, who did shamefully Prophane that day: They were so zealously employed in forcing Obe­dience to the Doctrines Commandments, and Traditions of men, that they had no leisure to press Obedience to the Commands of God: And yet these Men, at this time, would have themselves looked upon, as the only Champions of Religion: But, O my Soul! Come not thou into these their Secrets; unto their Assembly be not thou Ʋni­ted: Cursed be their Anger, for it was fierce; and their Wrath, for it was Cruel.

Do you think their present strugling for preser­ving Penal Laws, under pretence of Religion, can be sincere, when you consider the Conversa­tion of many of them? Do you think their pre­tended Tenderness is sincere, who refuse to Read the King's Declaration for Liberty to you; but greedily swallowed down the Presentment of Grand Juries against you? Do you think that they will consent to Abrogate the Penal Laws against you, which they have formerly said, were too easie and gentle for you? Upon what G [...]ound are you now induced to believe them, who have formerly entertained such Observations of them, viz. That such as had most Zeal for the Cere­monies, had least for the Substance? Those who were most Zealous for Observation of Holy-days, least careful of keeping the Sabbath: Those who were most for Excommunicating Conscientious Dissenters, were most for Embracing Unconsci­entious Livers: Those who were eagrest to de­liver others up to Satan, were the most usual In­vokers of his Name. In a word, Those who were most for observing the Commands of Men, were least for observing the Commands of God: Those who were the most Prophane, were the most eager for putting the Penal Laws in Exe­cution; insomuch, that it can be Instanced when, and where those Instruments of the Churches Fury, being in search for Dissenters; and Appre­hending others by Mistake, as soon as they heard them swear, dismissed them, with the Character of an Honest Man, and no Phanatick; as if such Practices had been the Shibboleth of the Sons of the Church: Then as you regard your Religion, and would preserve the Credit of the Protestant Name, so much aspersed by the Practice of such; [Page 4] say not a Confederacy to whom such say a Confe­deracy; and joyn not with the People of those Abominations, to keep up those Wicked Laws: But listen to the Voice of God's Dispensations, which call upon you aloud to joyn Heartily with those that are resolved to acquit themselves, and the Land, of this GƲILT; lest you be Par­takers of these Sins, and of the Plagues justly due for the same. Neglect not this favourable Providence which God hath put in your Hands, of ridding your selves from this Slavery; for a long Practice of such Courses Unrepented of, must needs Accelerate Divine Vengeance.

The Terms upon which you may be delivered from the Fury of those Men, are very easie, be­ing only a willingness to shake off your Bonds; and that others may have a share in the same Li­berty with your selves, which you cannot in Con­science, honour; nor Gratitude, deny; it being Consonant to the Rule of your Great Master, to Do as you would be done by; and due in Honour and Thankfulness to His Majesty, who so unexpe­ctedly hath delivered you, who were Represented to Him as His greatest Enemies, out of the Mouth of the Lion, and out of the Paw of the Bear.

Ay but say you, The Church Ʋpbraids us with concurring to procure a Liberty to Idolaters, who as soon as they find themselves in a Capacity, will Ruine us?

Answ. 1. Of all People in the World, it be­comes the Church of England least to make such Reflections, whose Votes brought the Popish Lord into the House of Peers, to Answer a Turn, which now is made the great Danger they so labour to possess the Nation with the fear of, if the Parlia­mentary Test be taken off: And is it not at rea­sonable for us to conclude, that the Popish Lords, will be True to their Interest now, as they suppo­sed they would be then, and consequently Adhere to such Laws as shall be made to Secure themselves and others against the Violences of an Ʋngratefnl Church, who after they had done her such Service, threw them out again by their Act of Ʋniformi­ty.

2. Have they not many times pronounced it from their Pulpits, That they would rather join with the Papists, than the Presbyterians? And though there is not the least Inclinations in either of these to join with the other, except in what concerns their common Safety; how can they for shame, who have used such Expressions, Upbraid us with it?

3. Whence comes this so sudden and vehe­ment Zeal in the Church of England, against the Church of Rome, whose Symphony in Rituals, and Exteriour Form of Worship, was made use of by Secretary Waslingham, to prevent Queen Elizabeth's Excommunication by the Pope; and whose advances thither ward, have been observable this many years, (though now their Irreconcilable Interest makes them Halt and Clamour,) as long since observed by Dr. Du Moulin.

4. How can they look upon the Ordination of that Church, which they esteem Idolatrous, as Va­lid, and yet disapprove of Presbyterian and others Ordination? And in so doing (though they charge others hotly as Schismaticks) make themselves such from all the Reformed Churches.

6. Why did they not put the Laws in Execu­tion against them, when it was in their power? Have they not thereby, according to their own Principles incurred, at least the Guilt of Idolatry? How many Presentments of their Grand Juries and Orders from their Bishops, to put the Laws in Ex­ecution against them, can they produce? Or when did they complain, that the Laws were too Gentle and Easie for them, as they have done against us?

6. Why did they Persecute us with more Ri­gour, and permit such whom they accounted Ido­lators, and now by continuing those Penal Laws and Tests, put us under a necessity to join with them to secure our own and their Liberty; and at the same time Reproach us for it, though they pretend now to be for Moderation?

7. Where do they find it Prescribed by Christ or the Apostles, to Punish any of a different Religi­on, as such? Did ever our Saviour or his Apostles require the help of Magistrates, to make Penal and Sanguinary Laws, to force People to the Commu­nion of the Church? Or, did they leave any In­junction to do so, when the Magistrate should be­come Christian? Was not their way of making Proselytes, by Preaching, and not Prisoning; Heal­ing, and not Wounding; Curing, and not Killing; Reasoning, not Ruining; Argument, and not Torment; his Command was, To take up the Cross and follow him; but not to lay it upon others backs that would not stoop thereunto; 'tis our Du­ty to keep our selves from Idols, though we are not to fall foul upon Idolators. The Apostle de­clares, that the Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal; but I an sure Dissenters have found the Churches Weapons such.

[Page 5] 8. Where do they find that ever Christ or his Apostles made use of such Instruments to press People to their Communion, as they have done? I do not remember any mention of Proctors, Ap­paritors, and Informers; nor of Booted Apostles, Armed with Weapons of Cruelty, as some of their Brethren of the Clergy were; and who obtained from the Magistrates, as Saul did from the San­hedrim, Authority to hale Men, Women and Chil­dren to Prison, that would not conform to their Church, which had no other effect, but to streng­then the People in their Dissent, who Argued thus: Can that be the Church of Christ, which acts so unlike Him; He commanded us to Love, Forbear, and Forgive one another; and said, By this shall men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye Love one another; and behold they Persecute to Banishment, Confiscation of Goods, and Death it self, for Non-conformity, to such things as they themselves grant he never commanded. Can these be the Suc­cessours of the Apostles, who declared the Wea­pons of their Warfare not to be Carnal? And lo, they came against us, as against Thieves, with Swords and Staves. Can these be Christians, who find our peaceable Assembling of our selves, for Worship­ing of God, to be Riots, and yet use no censure against those that are really such? Can that be the Church of Christ, which makes use of such Anti-Christian Instruments, as Perjured Informers, De­bauched, Swearing Proctors and Apparitors? Surely, if we may guess at their Design by their Practices, they have a mind to drive us to Hell, not to Hea­ven; for we cannot believe such men will lead us in a better way, than they walk in themselves. Thus do men discover their Nakedness, when pos­sesled with that furious Spirit of Persecuton, which drives them headlong into such absurd Practices.

As for the other part of the Objection, That when the Romanists find themselves in a Capacity, they will Ruine us.

Answ. 1. There is no probability that ever they should equal us for number, or in that respect, be any ways capable of working our Ruine; the very attempting whereof, by Violence, will In­fallibly issue in their own.

2. It is as improbable, that ever they should be able to do the same by Law, except the present Penal Laws remain in force, and then we know who have been their Tools hitherto; even the pre­sent Struglers for the continuance of these Laws; and are as likely to be their Tools in time to come, to work our Ruine.

3. We have his Majesty's Wisdom, and that of a Parliament to rely on, for finding out expe­dients to secure us; and why the breach of such Laws, as shall be made for Establishing Liberty of Conscience, may not be attended with, as dange­rous, or more fatal Consequences to the Romanists, as acting contrary to the present Laws, no man can Divine; and certainly, if you choose such men for your Representatives, as have any Conscience themselves, they will take care that it shall not be safe (if possible) for any party afterward to invade the Liberty of Conscience to be Established.

For it is not to be supposed, as some maliti­ously suggest by impertinent Queries, viz. That such Laws as shall be made for securing Liberty of Conscience, will be without Penalties, which would indeed make them not able to answer the End: But the Wisdom of the Nation is to be trusted to Annex such Penalties for enforcing them, that whoever attempts to violate the same, though it were even by Propositions in either House of Parliament, may thereby be Ruined: Which doth sufficiently answer the great Objection, That if Penal Laws and Tests were removed, the Pa­pists would be under no Awe to restrain them from such Methods, as they think best, to make theirs the National Religion; for that they can­not do without invading the Liberty of others; and consequently, rendering themselves Obnoxious to the Penalties of the Law, and Resentments of all Protestants, who will be sure to deal with them in that case, as Enemies to Humane Concord.

But you will say, What avails Laws, so long as His Majesty has a power to Dispense with them?

Answ. That Argues as much, and more against the present Laws, which are admired as an Impreg­nable Bulwark, than against such Laws as shall be made by his Majesty's Consent, and Act of his own Good Will; which for those very reasons, will be more binding upon him, than those of anothers making; and consequently, not the same reason for dispensing with them; nor will it be so easie to dispence with the Breach of such Laws, as se­cure every ones Birth-right, as with the Breach of such as deprive them of the same; which is the present case; the best at least, if not greatest part of Protestants concurring with the one; but they will all unanimously oppose the other; but that which is yet more, there have been proposals Printed with Allowance, That His Majesty reser­ving all the other Rights of His Prerogative Invio­late, may Renounce the only Right of Dispensing [Page 6] with this Law, or of Pardoning any Transgressor of it in any case whatsoever. And the same hath ne­ver been contradicted by the Court: The Third Letter tending to demonstrate the Security of this Nation against Persecution, &c.

In the next place Consider, how often you have poured out Prayers and Tears before God, to grant you a Liberty; and how you will be able to answer to him, if you do not concur with this Opportunity which he hath put in your Hands, of having the same Establish'd by Law: Do but think, how your Brethren who have been Exposed to Impoverishment, Imprisonment, Banishment, yea, Death it self, for want of such a Liberty, would have valued it; yea, at what Rate you your selves some years ago, would have purchased it, when you could not, without manifest Hazzard to your selves and Ministers, meet together to wor­ship God according to your Conscience; think on it; how then you used to be interrupted in your Worship, by Ruffianly Train-bands and others; and how in the midst of your Prayers, they would pour out their horrid Oaths and Execrations, hale you to Prison, abuse the Women, vent their Rage against your very Pews, and carry themselves like so many Savages. Consider how your Houses used to be Rifled, and your Goods Seized; your Fami­ly frightned, and made an Object of Gazing to all the Neighbourhood, upon the Oath of a Per­jured beggarly Informer: And how in an Instant, though in a Flourishing Condition, you were Re­duced to Beggary; having neither a Bed to lye on, nor Bitt to put in your own Mouth, or those of your Tender Wife and Dear Children, all in Tears about you: And all this for Nonconformity to such things, as your Persecuters themselves ac­knowledge to be indifferent, and which you reckoned absolutely Unlawful: Do but think how some have been treated on their Death-Bed, who could not have the Comfort of Christian Friends to assist them with their Prayers and Conferen­ces; yea, or to visit them in a Neighbourly Man­ner, without having a Conventicle sworn against them, the Bed in hazzard of being pulled from un­der them; and being disturbed by the Barbari­ties of ungodly Men, when they were wrestling with the Pangs of Death. Yea, the Informing Trade was grown to such a height, that some Dissenters could not have the Respects paid them, due from their own Children, when married into other Fa­milies, but had Meetings sworn against them; and this is the Churches Moderation. Can you then be perswaded of the Sincerity of these men, who have yet given no signs of their Repentance, but rather justifie their Practices? All their Argu­ments to prove their Moderation, are but such Sophisms as his, that would undertake to prove there was no such thing as Motion, but was an­swered roundly by one in the Company, who rose up and walked before him: Do but consult your own Sences, and you will be sufficiently able to answer them, that you know the Instruments of Cruelty are in their Habitations.

In the last place, consider how little Peace you will have to reflect upon it, if you lose your pre­sent Liberty, and be Reduced to the former Mi­series, upon believing the LIES of a Genera­tion; whom you could never hitherto credit; and for denying a share in the same Liberty to others, so agreeable to the Practice of other Protestant Countries; and Consonant to the Divine Com­mand, of Doing as you would be done to.