THis People hath been every where spoken against, as those that turn the World up-side down, and are dif­ferent in life and manners from the people of the Na­tions: but time and experience hath made many to know them better, for they begin to be understood, and only to be hardly thought of in those places, and by those persons that know them not; it being alwayes incident to man, to speak evil of things he knows not, because he cannot endure to have any to outshine or go beyond his knowledge; and therefore what he wants in Worth and Virtue, he strives to make up by Force and Wrath, though thereby he can never work the Righteousness of God. But as Cain thought to get up by removing Abel out of the way, and to establish his Form, by taking away his life that was in the Power; so have all done ever since that have gone in the way of Cain. And yet, though Abel was killed, Cain could not enter into God's savour, while sin lay at his door: for, Form with­out Power will never be accepted with God, however it may be cryed up by men.

This Peoples Principles are now well known; and the more, because they have been so much opposed and often tryed, even from the Miter-cap unto the Curats-coat, besides the lashes by the way from by-standers and lookers-on, as well as from those that esteem themselves unquestionably Orthodox in their Judg­ments and Practices. Yet have this People stood when many have fallen, and by their tryals both their Principles and Pra­ctices come to shine the more, and the better to be approved; as if to them to dye were gain, and to live were Christ.

That this People deserve to have the Liberty of their Consci­ences, to worship God according to his perswasion in their hearts, may appear by what hereafter follows.

First, Because of their Principle, which is Light, and that leads them to do unto all men as they would be done unto. And this Principle and Grace, they affirm, appears unto all men, though few follow it; yet is it every man's duty to be subject unto its re­quirings: [Page]and those that are faithful unto it, it keeps them in all tryals, whereby they are upheld when others fall.

2dly, Because of their Practices, being such as become the Go­spel; not vain-talkers like many others, but holy livers; not hearers only, but doers, their words being Laws unto them, pro­ceeding not from a vain customary form, but from a considerate and pondrous spirit, first weighed and then spoken forth: and such words never become a burden to the speakers of them, though hard to be digested by an unsavoury mind in the hearers. But their Practices are so well known, that Fairs and Markets proclaim them, as well as Shops and Trades, besides the expe­riences of Landlords from their Tenants, as well as Relations both near and more remote, with their demeanour both in sick­ness and health, poverty and riches, liberty and restraint, without murmuring at the hand which strikes. I need say no more to manifest their Practices, they being known from the hoary head unto the youthful dayes, and from the chiefest Ruler unto the meanest Subject, it being all one to them, with whom they have to do, either child or experienc'd age, Righteousness being the girdle of their loins, and Truth and Uprightness the square and line of all their actions.

3dly, They deserve Liberty, because of their faithful Testimony against the Wickedness, Injustice, Oppressions and Cruelties of the per­sons, places and times in and among whom they have lived, even ever since they have been a People unto this day; though hitherto they have suffered deeply for the same, as the Righteous have alwayes done, who, by departing from iniquity, and bearing wit­ness against it in whomsoever it appeared, made themselves a prey.

4thly, If Liberty should be denied them, experience teacheth that they will meet to worship God, (which argues that both their Faith and Constancy comes from him) unless hindred by Banishment, Death, or Imprisonment: and experience shew­eth, by what of this kind hath already been exercised towards them, how their number is encreased, and a spirit of pity and compassion is raised up in the hearts of people towards them, Besides, their usefulness in the Common-wealth, they being known to be both laborious themselves, and encouragers of others [Page]thereunto, may be another reason why they deserve Liberty. For may it not well be supposed, that the denying of Liberty of Conscience unto Quakers and others, is one cause why Trade is so decayed, and Discontents encreased? and can that place or Country be long-liv'd where Trade decayes, Trade being unto a Kingdom or Country, as meat is unto the stomach? And what danger England is in upon this account, it concerns the Rulers to look unto, before the disease be incurable.

5thly, They deserve Liberty, because they both answer the Principles of the Law, and the Ends of Government.

The main Principles of the Law are these three; Honeste vi­vere; Tribuere suum cuique; Neminem laedere: i. e. To live well; To pay every man his own; And to hurt no man.

For their living well, it is manifest unto all that know them, and have to do with them, of which I have spoken before: And therefore the Law is abused, when Liberty is given to Crows, and Doves punished.

And this practice doth make Laws like Spiders webs,

For their paying to every man his own, let Landlords speak for their Tenants, and Masters and Servants each for other, with all others with whom they deal or have to do.

For their hurting no man, it is as manifest, in that they are hurt by all; and the more, because they follow Christ's example, When they are reviled, not to revile again: and there­fore can they not be justly charged unto this day with hurting any, either in their Persons, Estates, or Liberties, though many have watched for their halting.

The chief Ends of Government are these four:

First, To prevent Oppressions, To limit and restrain the exces­sive Power and Violence of Great-men, To open the passages of Justice, with indifferency towards all.

2dly, To preserve men in their Estates, and secure them in their lives and liberties: for if it were not for just Government, no man would have more certainly in his own, than power will al­low.

3ly, That vertue should be cherished, and vice suppressed.

4thly, That all accidents and events, all counsels and de­signs should be improved to the publick good.

All these ends are manifestly answered by the Lives and Pra­ctises of the Quakers; for they do not Oppress, nor Defraud, nor cherish Vice, but do good to all, their Principle leading them to do to all as they would be done unto. And therefore they do the Magistrates work for them, in giving good Example, both in Life and Doctrine, unto all People with whom they converse; whereby the Magistrates work is done to their hands: And therefore in Justice they ought to have Liberty of Conscience, the Ends of Government being answered by them, both in Do­ctrine and Practice; while the generality of People are either Oppressors, or by their Greatness and Violence do stop the Pas­sages of Justice, or do wrongfully take away the Estates and Li­berties, and sometimes the Lives of others, or that do cherish Vice and suppress Vertue; and it is the end and design of ma­ny to improve all Accidents and Events, Counsels and Contri­vances, to a selfish Interest, and not to the publick Good: all which encrease the Magistrate's Work that rules for God, and layes more burdens upon his back, as well as they imploy his hand to draw the Sword, if he bear it not in vain: All which is spared by the Quakers, and those that walk by their Princi­ple and Example; but contrariwise, vertus (as well as veritas) odium parit; vertuous Lives often gain Prisons, when Vice hath liberty. And this is made good in our day, Probitas laudatur, et alget; Honesty is praised by most, but practised by few.

By what hath been said, it may be seen, how the Quakers answer the Ends of Government, and therefore may justly challenge the Liberty of their Consciences, to worship God ac­cording to his perswasions in their Hearts.

Therefore all Magistrates and Rulers are to consider, with whom Prisons are or have lately been filled: Is it with those that live dishonestly contrary to Law, or honest Livers that answer [Page]the Law? Are hurters of men in Prison, or at Liberty in Ta­verns, Ale-houses and Play-houses? let Equity speak. Have you been as willing to turn honest Livers, and those that Answer the Ends of Government, out of Prison upon the Kings late Declaration, as you were to put them in upon his Proclamation before? Are you as indifferent in the Quakers Cases, when they come before you, and willing to do them Justice, and Release them, as Drunkards, Swearers and others that come before you at your Courts and Sessions? if so, What means the lowing of the Oxen, and bleating of the Sheep, whom, as appointed for the slaughter, many of you Fine and Imprison at pleasure, with­out any legal Tryal by Juries of the Neighbour-hood, which by your Oaths (according to Law) you ought to do. Nay do not many Magistrates now, as Israel did in those dayes, when there was no King in Israel, Every man what is right in his own eyes, as to this People? If he will be moderate he may, and if he will not, he may choose; as if the time were come, that He who is filthy may be filthy still, but he who is holy must be holy no lon­ger. O Examine, Examine whether it be not so or no; if true, How will you account for these things? or have you a belief that God sees not, and therefore say in your hearts, No evil shall come unto us? What, doth God take care for Oxen, and you, who ought to be his Ministers (to encourage them that do well, and to punish evil Doers) take no care of his People? Is it not true in this our day, that Lazarus finds more favour from the Dogs, than from Dives that's clad with Scarlet, and clothed with Purple? What, are Men become Beasts, and Beasts Men? Doth the common People every where cry for Liberty, and are their bowels open­ed with Compassions unto the suffering innocent People of God; and are your bowels locked and closed, who should be as nursing Fathers, and nursing Mothers to the true Children? but instead thereof, beat them as Vagrants, and commit them to Prison as the chiefest Offenders, only for exercising their Con­sciences towards their Father, who fees in secret, and will re­ward them openly, though others (that should be as Fathers) are without natural affection unto them. Can these things go unpunished, or pass without controul before God's Judgement. seat! nay sure: though [Page 7]

yet Rethorique will not cover Vice when God sits Judge.

Therefore, O ye Rulers and Magistrates, take heed what ye do, for God's People are as the apple of his eye, and he that hur­teth them, God feels the stroak: And if he punished them that wag'd the head, and cry'd Aha in the dayes past; how shall you escape, that give them up to be killed all the day long, and make them as the Butts for the Arrows of your displeasure to be shot against, although they are such as both answer the Principles of the Law, and ends of just Government, as before is shewed? O let them have Liberty therefore, and lay the Sword upon the Evil-doers, that Justice may flourish, and the King's Throne be established in Righteousness, before he comes, that shall come and will not tarry, from whose Presence no Rock nor Mountain, Cave nor Den shall be able to hide you; but then they, whom you now Oppress and Persecute, shall have their Cause pleaded by him, and receive Justice from him, and they shall ascend in Triumph, Power and great Glory, in the fight and veiw of their Enemies; Even so come Lord Jesus, come quickly, Amen.