An answer to Mr. Henry Payne's letter concerning His Majesty's declaration of indulgence, writ to the author of the Letter to a dissenter

An answer to Mr. Henry Payne's letter concerning His Majesty's declaration of indulgence, writ to the author of the Letter to a dissenter

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An ANSWER To Mr. Henry Payne's LETTER, Concerning His Majesty's DECLARATION of INDULGENCE, Writ to the Author of the Letter to A Dissenter.

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An ANSWER To Mr. Henry Payne's LETTER, Concerning His Majesty's DECLARATION of INDULGENCE, Writ to the Author of the Letter to A Dissenter.

Mr. PAYNE,

I Cannot hold asking you, how much Money you had, from the Writer of the Paper, which you pretend to Answer: for as you have the character of a man that deales with both hands, so this is writ in such a manner as to make one think you were hired to it, by the Adverse Party: but it has been indeed so ordinary to your Friends, to write in this manner of late, that the Censures upon it are divided, both fall heavy: some suspect their Sincerity others accuse them for want of a right Understanding: for tho all are not of the pitch of the Irish Priests Reflections, on the Bp of Bath and Wells's Sermon, which was indeed Irish double refined; yet both in your Books of Controversy, and Policy, and even in your Poems, you seem to have entred into such an intermixture with the Irish, that the thread all over is Linsey-woollsey. You acknowledge that the Gentleman whom you answer has a Polite Pen, and that his Letter is an Ingenious paper, and made up of well-Composed Sentences and Periods. Yet I believe he will hardly return you your Complement. If it was well writ, your Party wants either Men or Judgment extreamly, in allowing you this province of answering it. If the Paper did you some hurt, you had better have let the Town be a litle pleased with it for a while; and have hoped that a litle time or some new paper (tho one of its force is scarce to be expected) should have worn it out, then to give it a new luster by such an Answer.

The Time of the Dissenters Sufferings, which you lengthen out to 27 years, will hardly amount to seven. For the long Intervals it had, in the last Reign, are not forgot: and those who animated the latest and severest of their sufferings are such, that in good manners you ought not to reflect on their Conduct. Opium is as certain a poison, tho not so violent, as Sublimate; and if more corrosive Medicines did not work, the Design is the same, when soporiferous ones are used: since the Patient is to be killed both ways: and it seems that all that is in debate is, which is the safer: the accepting a present ease when the ill intent with which it is offered, is Visible, is just as wise an [Page] action, as to take Opium to lay a small Distemper when one may conclude from the dose, that he will never come out of the Sleep. So that after all, it is plain on which side the Madness lies. The Dissenters for a little present ease, to be enjoyed at Mercy, must concur to break down all our hedges, and to lay us open to that Devouring Power, before which nothing can stand that will not worship it.

All that for which you reproach the Church of England amounts to this, that a few good words, could not persuade her to destroy her self; and to Sacrifice her Religion and the Laws to a party that never has done nor ever can do the King half the service that she has rendred him. There are some sorts of propositions that a man does not know how to answer: nor would he be thought Ingratefull who after he had received some Civilities from a person to whom he had done great service, could not be prevailed with by these so far as to spare him his Wife or his Daughter. It must argue a peculiar degree of confidence to ask things, that are above the being either askt or granted. Our Religion and our Government are matters that are not to be parted with to shew our good breeding: and of all men living you ought not to pretend to Good Manners, who talk as you do, of the Oppression of the last Reign. When the King's Obligations to his Brother, and the share that he had in his Councils, are considered; the reproaching his Government, has so ill a grace, that you are as Indecent in your Flatteries as Injurious in your Reflections. And by this gratitude of yours to the Memory of the late King, the Church of England may easily Infer, how long all her Services would be remembred, even if she had done all that was desired of her.

I would fain know which of the Brethren of the Dissenters in forreigne Countries sought their Relief from Rebellion. The Germans Reformed by the Authority of their Princes, so did the Swedes, the Danes, and like wise the Switsers. In France they maintained the Princes of the Blood against the League: and in Holland the Quarrell was for Civil liberties; Protestant and Papist concurring equally in it. You mention Holland as an Instance that Liberty and Infallibility can dwell together: since Papists there shew that they can be friendly neighbours, to those whom they think in the wrong: It is very like they would be still so in England, if they were under the lash of the law, and so were upon their good behaviour, the Goverment being still against them: and this has so good an effect in Holland, that I hope we shall never depart from the Dutch Pattern: some can be very Humble Servants that would prove Imperious Masters. You say that Force is our only Supporter: but tho there is no force of our side at present, it does not appear that we are in such a tottering condition, as if we had no Supporter left us. God and Truth are of our side: and the indiscreet use of Force, when set on by our Enemies, has rather undermined than supported us. But you have taken pains to make us grow wiser, and to let us see our Errors, which is perhaps the only obligation that we owe you; and we are so sensible of it, that without examining what your Intentions may have been in it, we heartily thank you for it.

I do not comprehend what your quarrell is at the squinting Term of the next heir, as you call it; tho I do not wonder that squinting comes in your mind whensoever you think of HER; for all people look asquint at that which troubles them: and [Page] her being the next heir is no less the delight of all good men, than it is your affliction: all the pains that you take to represent her dreadful to the Dissenters, must needs find that credit with them, that is due to the Insinuations of an Enemy. It is very true, that as she was bred up in our Church, she adheres to it so Eminently, as to make her to be now our chief Ornament as we hope she will be once our main Defence. If by the strictest form of our Church you mean an Exemplary Piety, and a shining Conversation, you have given her true Character: But your designe lies another way to make the Dissenters form strange Ideas of her, as if she thought all Indulgence to them Criminal: But as the Gentleness of her nature is such, that none but those who are so guilty, that all mercy to them would be a Crime, can apprehend any thing that is terrible, from her, so as for the Dissenters, her going so constantly to the Dutch and French Churches shews, that she can very well endure their Assemblies, at the same time that she prefers, ours. She has also too often expressed her dislike at the heats that have been kept up among us concerning such Inconsiderable Differences, to pass for a Bigot or a persecutor in such matters: and She sees both the mischief that the Protestant Religion has received from their subdivisions, and the happiness of granting a due Liberty of Conscience, where she has so long lived, that there is no reason to make any fancy that she will either keep up our Differences, or bear down the Dissenters with Rigor. But because you hope for nothing from her own Inclinations, you would have her terrified with the strong Argument of Numbers, which you fancy will certainly secure them from her recalling the favour. But of what side soever that Argument may be strong, sure it is not of theirs who make but one to Two hundred: and I suppose you scarce expect that the Dissenters will rebel, that you may have your Masses, and how their numbers will secure them, unless it be by enabling them to Rebell, I cannot Imagine: this is indeed a squinting at the Next Heir, with a witness, when you would already muster up the Troops that must rise against her. But let me tell you, that you know both Her Character and the Prince's very ill that fancy, they are only to be wrought on by Fear. They are known to your great grief; to be above that: and it must be to their own Mercifull Inclinations, that you must owe all that you can expect under them, but neither to their fear nor to your own Numbers. As for the hatred and Contempt, even to the degree of being more Ridiculous then the Mass under which you say Her way of Worship is in Holland, this is one of those figures of speech that shew how exactly you have Studied the Iesuites Moralls. All that come from Holland, assure us, that she is so Universally beloved and esteemed there, that every thing that she does, is the better thought of even because she does it. Upon the whole matter, all that you say of the Next Heir, proves too truly that you are that for which you reproach the Church of England, a Disciple of the Crown only for the loaves; for if you had that respect which you pretend for the King, you would have shewed it more upon this occasion.

Nor am I so much in love with your stile, as to imitate it, therefore I will not do you so great a pleasure, as to say the least thing that may reflect on that Authority, which the Church of England has taught me to reverence even after all the Disgraces [Page] that she has received from it: and if she were not Insuperably restrained by her Principles, instead of the Thin Muster with which you reproach her, she could soon make so thick a one as would make the Thinnes of yours, very visible upon so unequall a division of the Nation: But she will neither be threatned nor laughed out of her Religion and her loyalty: tho such insultings as she meets with, that almost pass all humane Patience, would tempt men that had a less fixed principle of submission, to make their Enemies feel to their cost, that they owe all the Triumphs they make, more to our Principles, than to their own Force. Their laughing at our Doctrine of non resistance, lets us see, that it would be none of theirs under the Next Heir, at whom you Squint, if the strong Argument of Numbers made you not apprehend that Two Hundred to one would prove an Unequal Match.

As for your Memorandums, I shall answer them as short as you give them

1. It will be hard, to persuade people, that a Decision in favour of the Dispencing Power, flowing from Iudges that are both made, and payed, and that may be removed at pleasure, will amount to the recognising of that Right by law.

2. It will be hard to persuade the world, that the Kings adhering to his Promises, and his Coronation Oath, and to the known Lawes of the land, would make him Felo de se. The following of different methods were the likelier way to it, if it were not for the Loyalty of the Church of England.

3. It will be very easy to see the use of continuing the Test by Law; since all those that break thro it, as well as the Iudges, who have authorised their Crimes, are still liable for all they do: and after all your huffing, with the Dispencing Power, we do not doubt but the apprehension of an after reckoning sticks deep somewhere, you say, it may be supposed, that the aversion of a Protestant King to the Popish party, will sufficiently exclude them, even without the Test. But it must be confessed, that you take all possible care, to confirm that Aversion so far, as to put it beyond a it may be supposed. And it seems you understand Christs Prerogative, as wel as the Iudges did the Kings, that fancy the Test is against it: it is so suteable to the nature of all Governments, to take Assurances of those who are admitted to Places of Trust, that you do very ill to appeal to an Impartial consideration, for you are sure to lose it there.

Few English men, will believe you in earnest when you seem zealous for publick liberty, or the Magna Charta: or that you are so very apprehensive of Slavery: And your Friends must have very much changed both their Natures and their Principles, if their conduct does not give cause to renew the like Statutes against them, even tho they should be repealed in this Reign, notwithstanding all your confidence to the contrary. I will still believe that the strong Argument of Numbers will be always the powerfullest of all others with you: which as long as it has its Force, and no longer, we may hope to be at quiet. I concurre heartily with you in your Prayers for the King, tho perhaps I differ from you in my Notions, both of his Glory and of the Felicity of his People: and as for your own particular, I wish you would either not at all Imploy your Pen, or learn to write to better purpose: but tho I cannot admire your Letter, yet I am

YOUR HUMBLE SERVANT T. T.

Information about this book

Title statement

An answer to Mr. Henry Payne's letter concerning His Majesty's declaration of indulgence, writ to the author of the Letter to a dissenter

Burnet, Gilbert, 1643-1715.

Edition statement

1687

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2004-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A30323

ID [STC]

Wing B5760

ID [STC]

ESTC R15369

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12651178

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12651178

ID [VID]

65283

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A30323)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 65283)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 346:3)

Source

— An answer to Mr. Henry Payne's letter concerning His Majesty's declaration of indulgence, writ to the author of the Letter to a dissenter, Burnet, Gilbert, 1643-1715..

Extent

4 p.

s.n.,. [S.l. :: 1687]. (Caption title.) (Signed: T.T. [i.e. Gilbert Burnet]. Cf. Halkett & Laing (2nd ed.).) (Date of publication from Wing.) (Reproduction of original in Union Theological Seminary Library, New York.)

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