THE Declaration of Indulgence was receiv'd by us with all imaginable Expreſſions of Joy and Thankfulneſs; for we are well aſſur'd, that by it Relief is given to the Body of the Nation, which of late Years has been expos'd to ſeveral ſorts of Miſery: And therefore we cannot but be amaz'd to hear, That any of our Clergy (as you write) have expreſſed themſelves indecently about his Majeſties granting it, and reproachfully of the Diſſenters thankful receiving it.

When in the Declaration, we obſerv'd his Majeſty in the Firſt place, to publiſh to the whole Kingdom his Royal Reſolution to protect and maintain the Archbiſhops, Biſhops and Clergy, and all others of the Church of England, in the free Exerciſe of their Religion as by Law Eſtabliſh'd, and in the Quiet and full Enjoyment of all their Poſſeſſions, without any Moleſtation or Diſturbance whatſoever, we doubted not but that our Clergy, as in Duty bound, would have made it their Work to poſſeſs the People with the Greatneſs and Tranſcendency of His Majeſty's Grace towards them, and of the neceſſity of their rendring to his Majeſty their humbleſt and moſt hearty Thanks; for it might be reaſonably expected, that as Edward VI. and Queen Elizabeth, on their aſcending the Throne, did immediately ſuſpend the Execution of thoſe Penal Laws that were againſt Men of their own Religion, and made all the haſte they could to Eſtabliſh the Church of England: So His preſent Majeſty might not only give an Indulgence to the Roman Catholic, but with the ſame ſpeed make that Religion the eſtabliſh'd Religion of the Nation.

But the King, as many of His Royal Predeceſſors of the ſame Communion with him, being greatly concern'd for the Welfare of all his People, is reſolv'd to do his utmoſt that they may live at Eaſe and Quiet under Him. And having the Advantage of making his Reflections on the Conduct of the Four laſt Reigns, he finds no means more likely to obtain this End, than an entire Liberty of Conſcience. And altho our Clergy are ſo diſturb'd at the Thoughts of the Diſſenters Eaſe, yet, if they would impartially conſider it, they muſt needs ſee, that the King in giving Liberty to all, proceeds on the only Principle, by which he can give it them. For had it not been His Majeſties Senſe and Opinion, That Conſcience ought not to be conſtrain'd, nor People forc'd in Matters of meer Religion, His Majeſty muſt neceſſarily Judge it His Duty to Almighty God to endeavour an Eſtabliſhment of the Roman Catholic Religion, to the Subverſion of the Church of England. To this Principle then, viz. That Conſcience ought not to be conſtrain'd, are the Church of England owing for this Protection His Majeſty is pleas'd to give 'em, and this Principle is of ſuch a kind, as extends it ſelf to every Man of Conſcience throughout the Kingdom: So that the Matter will at laſt iſſue here, The Clergy muſt Thank His Majeſty for His Granting to all His Subjects Liberty of Conſcience, or, by their not doing it, plainly intimate, That Conſcience ought to be conſtrain'd, and conſequently, that it's the King's Duty to alter His Reſolution of Protecting the Church of England, which in His Majeſties Opinion is almoſt, if not altogether ſo Heretical, as the Fanaticks are.

Beſides, it may not be amiſs to obſerve, that the Church of England her ſelf dares not diſſent from His Majeſty touching Liberty of Conſcience: For as King James, and Sir Edward Coke, affirm, the Papiſts were never puniſh'd for their Religion; nor, as others ſay, have the Fanaticks, ſince 1662. ſuffered for their Conſciences; ſo that tho the Religion of the One Party has been made the Overt-act of Treaſon, and that of the other of Sedition, yet none are puniſh'd for Matters of meer Religion, whereby the Principle, that Conſcience ought not to be compell'd, is yielded; and ſo long as the divers Religions in the Kingdom do not encourage, nor countenance a practiſing on the Civil Government, no Man ought to ſuffer for his Religion. And Experience aſſures us, that it's not Liberty, but Reſtraints laid on Conſcience, that has been moſt prejudicial to the Nation and its Government. And if we do compare the Reigns of thoſe Princes that have been on the Throne ſince the Diſſenters have been numerous, with the Reigns of thoſe that have been long before, we may ſee Reaſons ſtrong enough to conclude, that the indulging Diſſenters from the eſtabliſh'd Hierarchy, is become an effectual Mean to keep the Mitre in Subjection to the Crown. It's well known, that anciently the Intereſt of Six and Twenty Biſhops in this Nation was ſo very great, that they were a Terror unto Kings. The Barons were not then ſo Potent, but the Biſhops made as great a Figure; and as the Barons then having many Tenants, who all ſwore Homage to their Lords, did oft raiſe ſturdy Rebellions; in like manner ſo the Biſhops, to whom all the Inferiour Clergy ſwore Obedience. But 'tis the Alteration made on the Baronies that hath put an end to Baron-Wars; and ſeeing no Alteration hath been yet made on the Hierarchy, what, unleſs a great Part of the Clergy (now call'd Nonconformiſts) had withdrawn their Obedience from the Biſhops, thereby making it the Intereſt of the Biſhops to Submit unto their Prince, as well as by weakning 'em, put 'em out of a Capacity of Reſiſting, what elſe has put a check to Prelatic Inſolence? For the conformable Clergy are as much oblig'd now to ſwear Obedience to their Biſhops, as heretofore; and had there not been Diſſenters from the Eſtabliſh'd Hierarchy, Six and Twenty Biſhops, by the Help of their Inferiour Clergy, and the Aid of their Attendants and other Adherents, might have been as able, and no doubt as willing, not only to confront the Nobility, but even to Inſult over their Prince.

And why muſt the Fanatick, of all Men in the World, be guilty of that Ingratitude that's worſe than Brutiſm? Has not the King, by His Indulgence, brought 'em out of a Fiery Furnace, and made 'em Partakers of the Comforts of ſitting down under their own Vines? Let's but conſider the Uſage they have had from the Church of England ſince Sixty Two, and ſee whether they have not reaſon to rejoice and be thankful for what the King has done for them.

You cannot but remember, that when we return'd with His late Majeſty, how ſevere ſome of the Clergy were againſt the Fanaticks, aſſuring us, that they were but few, and theſe very illiterate, inconſiderable, and obſtinate; though ſince we find 'em to be Men of ſome Senſe, Moderation, and Candor, and, in good earneſt, the Trading part of the Nation. However, we being poſſeſs'd with an Idea of their being unworthy of the leaſt Favor of the Government, the Terms of their Communion with our Church were made ſo very ſtrict, that ſuch as would at firſt have ſubmitted unto moſt of our Ceremonies, and to our Biſhops too, as the King's Miniſters, were neceſſitated to become Nonconformiſts, for not ſubſcribing Aſſent and Conſent to the Divine Right of Epiſcopacy; a thing our Nobility and Gentry never lik'd: And becauſe they could not abſolve thoſe, who voluntarily took the Covenant, and ſtill think themſelves oblig'd in Conſcience by it, from the Obligation of that Oath, which no doubt was enjoyn'd the Clergy, not ſo much to ſecure our Church, as to make Fanaticks; for, 'twas exacted but for Twenty Years, and our Church, ever ſince that time expir'd, firmly enough eſtabliſhed.

And whereas theſe Nonconforming Miniſters, either becauſe they judged themſelves conſecrated to that Holy Function, or becauſe they being depriv'd of all their Promotions, had no other way to preſerve their Families from periſhing, continued to preach; an Act was made againſt their Conventicling, in which that Sanguinary Law of the Thirty Fifth of Eliz. was declared to be in force againſt them, and on the Third Conviction for Preaching at a Conventicle, they were to be baniſh'd: And by the Oxford-Act theſe Miniſters were actually baniſh'd from all Cities and Towns Corporate; ay, and from the Houſes of their Friends or Relations, as well as their own Families, if convicted for Preaching in either of thoſe Places, and could not take that Teſt, which ſince has been caſt out of the Houſe of Lords, when brought in with a Deſign of being more univerſally impos'd. Beſides, the 22 Car. 2. by which one Man ſuffers for anothers Fault, according unto which, Men have been convicted, diſſeis'd of their Property, and impoveriſh'd without a Jury, or their being call'd forth to ſpeak for themſelves. For, on theſe clandeſtine Convictions, Warrants have been granted out for Six, Eight, Ten, or Fourteen Conventicles at a time; ſo that many, before they could in the leaſt imagin, that they lay expos'd to the Penalty of the Law, have had their Houſes broken open by the Informers, Conſtables, and other Officers, who, like ſo many Dragoons, have for a long time kept the Poſſeſſion, plundring and ſtealing, as well as diſtreining their Goods, And what was taken under colour of Law, though of greater value than the Fine amounted to, yet no return has been made of the Overplus, nor were any by the Statute required to do it. And after the Clergy had by their many Pulpit-Invectives inſtigated the Inferior Magiſtrate to Severity, this Statute is judg'd too mild, and the Meetings of the Fanaticks, when only for a Civil Viſit, are by an Innuendo made to be with an intention to worſhip God, and that Intention interpreted to be an unlawful Act at Common Law, and adjudg'd to be a Rout or Riot, which has been contrary to what the Learned in the Laws have with much boldneſs affirm'd, who ſay, That to worſhip God, is no Fault at Common Law; it is but malum prohibitum, and therefore cannot be made Routs or Riots. But this is not the whole of theſe Mens Miſery; for ſo common were the manifeſt Perjuries of Informers, and ſo great the Reputation given 'em, that when the Diſſenters have been in a Journey from home, they have been convicted for being at Routs or Riots ſeveral Miles diſtant. To all which let's add the many Deſolations that have proceeded from the proſecuting 'em on the 23 Eliz. under the Laſh of which, as many worthy Lawyers declar'd, they fell not, and (what muſt not eſcape our Obſervation) when ſeveral great Lawyers were prepar'd to argue on the Diſſenters behalf, they were denied it, becauſe one of the Juſtices then on the Kings Bench told 'em, That he had ſeen an old Queen Elizabeth's Proclamation that had fully decided the Caſe, and ſo without an Hearing were over-rul'd. And tho by this Law they were condemn'd to no leſs • han 20 l. per Menſem for not coming to the Common-Prayer, this was too little; the Doctors Commons Gentlemen therefore muſt have an Hand too in this Matter, who exceeding all Bounds, have been the Ruine of many Families. But theſe Methods not ridding the Land of 'em, the 35 of Eliz. which iſſues either in the Death or Baniſhment of all thoſe who were convicted for being at a Conventicle that Month in which they went not to Church, (notwithſtanding the great Doubts that many have of its being in force) is put afreſh into Execution, and on it many are Indicted, and ſome Baniſhed.

Time would fail us to tell you of the many caſt into Newgate in the Viſitation time, when the Contagion was within thoſe Walls; that there periſhed; of the ſeveral Hundreds, that in this and ſeveral other Gaols, have ſince miſerably ended their Days; as alſo to acquaint you with the Endeavors that our Clergy have uſed to encreaſe their Bonds; and when ſome in Parliament were diſpoſed to favour 'em, what Methods were taken to hinder a Bill of Comprehenſion and Indulgence. To write an Hiſtory of the Practices of ſome of our Zealots, the fair Promiſes they made to enſnare the Presbyterian Parliament-men to a Compliance with them, in oppoſing His late Majeſty's Gracious Indulgence, and their forſaking 'em as ſoon as the Declaration was recall'd, the Crafts us'd to cajole the poor Fanatick the laſt Parliament that was at Weſtminſter in the late King's Reign, by thoſe who in the Houſe, would ſpeak as if their very Souls were for the Relief of Tender Conſciences, but yet would Boat it over to Lambeth to conſult how to ſpoil all: Even Shaftsbury himſelf was ſuch an Enemy to the Diſſenters, that when he was deſired by a Gentleman of that Parliament, and from whom I had it, not to poſtpone the Bill of Comprehenſion and Indulgence to that of Excluſion, his Reply was, Let the Fanatick alone, what need we concern our ſelves ſo much for them? For if we firſt indulge them, they'll moſt undoubtedly relinquiſh us, and we ſhall hear no more of their being for the Secluding Bill. To write a full Hiſtory of all this, would require more Paper than is now allotted us; and ſeeing theſe Hints are enough to ſhew the Miſery the Fanatick has been expos'd unto, we may with the leſs regret wave it, and immediately draw to this Concluſion, That A Deliverance from all theſe Miſeries deſerves the greateſt Thanks. What leſs can the Diſſenters do? In a word, if they accept of His Majeſty's Grace, are they not worſe than Brutes if they preſent not their Addreſs of Thanks? And, unleſs they accept of His Majeſty's Grace, they muſt reſolve to be fond of Miſery. They muſt not only ſubmit to Church of England Severity, but muſt ſcorn and deſpiſe all offer'd Relief, and be wheedled by one part of the Church of England into the Sin of Unthankfulneſs, that the other part may have juſt cauſe of Complaint againſt them to His Majeſty; that, if poſſibly, while in this Life, they may put themſelves out of all hopes of Eaſe. Have they not ſufficiently felt, in His late Majeſty's Reign, what 'tis to reject Royal Grace, that they muſt make a freſh Experiment of it once more? If not, why trouble you them with the noiſe of the Law, the Law? Muſt they all be good Lawyers, before they can be good Chriſtians, or good Men? Some of 'em remember, that within a few Years, ſome Noble Lords, no Friends to Arbitrary Government, were for petitioning the King to Suſpend Penal Laws, rather than Repeal 'em; and, they have met with a Vote of a late Parliament, That the Penal Laws ought not to be put in Execution againſt Diſſenters; and, for ought they know, on very good Reaſons of State: And, if they muſt be Suſpended, who muſt do it, the King, or a Juſtice of Peace? Think on theſe things, and conſider them well, and we doubt not but you'll be of our Mind.