THE Principle of Religion, is Inward, Spi­ritual and Divine, not contained in Books, nor taught by the Precepts of Men, being before Books, and the Precepts of Men were inwented, and is in it self Sacred, Pure and Undefiled; Grounded, Planted and Placed in the Heart of Mankind, by the Sacred, Pure, Ʋndefiled God, who hath given unto all Life, Breath and Being: And in all Nations upon the Face of the Earth, all Peo­ple therein, who fear God, and worketh Righteousness are accepted by him; being in the Exercise of true Re­ligion, doing Justly, loving Mercy, and walking uprightly with God.

Now tho' God hath sown this Seed, laid this Foun­dation of Equity, Justice, Righteousness, Mercy and Fear towards him, in the Hearts of all Men; yet they are greatly Degenerated therefrom; those plants of his own Right-hand planting, are greatly overgrown with that which is quite contrary, viz. with the Weeds and Plants of Iniquity, Injustice, Ʋnrighteousness, Cruelty, Vio­lence, Disobedience, Rebellion against God, and one ano­ther; [Page 6]so that almost the whole World of Mankind is now become Enemies to God, Nature and their own selves, in all Nations, Countries, and Kingdoms, according to the degree of their Degeneration from the Law, Light, Love, Dread and Fear of the Almighty God, which he at first Placed, Planted, and Engraved in the Heart of Mankind.

Some in most Nations (from the effect of what still remains) have been made sensible of their Loss, Na­kedness and Degeneration from the likeness and Image of God, viz. Ʋprightness, Holiness, Equity, Justice, and Mercy, &c. And they have been greatly concerned in their Thoughts, Wills, and faln understandings, how to gain the same again, and have therein invented and set up, among Jews, Turks, and Indians, as in Chri­stendome, various sorts and manners of VVorships, and Ceremonies of Religion (so called) thinking thereby to please God, profit themselves and others, by teach­ing and compelling (if they have Power) the obser­vance thereof, tho in so doing they can go no further than Adam and Cain. did, hide and make a Covering with fig-leaves, offer a Sacrifice with one hand, and Murther with the other, and are no more accepted therein than they were; and the infallible reason and cause of it is, because, all the Righteousness, and VVickedness, proceeding from Mankind in this Degenerate State, are both evil in the sight of God.

Mankind through his Fall and Degeneration, is so Polluted, so Defiled, so Corrupted, with the stinking Leprosie of Sin, that whatever he puts his hand to in things relating to Religion, and the service of God, is abomintion in his sight; yea, the very Prayers of the Wicked are sin: and out of this Estate he cannot help himself, he cannot Purge nor Purifie himself, nor re­deem, [Page 7]nor deliver himself, by all his working, willing, and running, the Serpent is too Strong, too powerful, too Subtile, and cunning for all Mankind in this Estate, with­out a Saviour, without a Redeemer, without a Re­storer, and Deliverer all Perish, &c.

Therefore God in his infinite Love and Kindness, did promise, and hath performed, hath given, and laid help upon one that is mighty to Save, to Redeem, to Purge, Purifie, and Restore lost Man, Defiled, Corrup­ted, Captivated Man into the Image of God again, in­to Righteousness, Purity, and Holiness again, and the first name this Redeemer and Saviour hath in the Holy Scriptures, is, the Seed of the Woman, and his first work is, to bruise the head of the Serpent.

Now this promis'd seed, this precious gift of God, hath many other names throughout the Holy Scriptures; and hath many other works to do, in and for Mankind, the Serpents head must not only be bruis'd by him, but he and all his works destroyed and cast out of the heart of Mankind. And this was and is the blessed end of his coming and appearing, even to destroy the Devil and all his Works, finish sin and bring in everlasting Righteousness in the room thereof: Even into the heart and mind of Mankind, which is Gods Throne tho the Serpent the Devil hath usurped it, my desire is, that all may come to enjoy that blessed Estate through Je­sus Christ the Saviour.

VVhich Jesus Christ the Saviour is the Author and Founder of the Christian Religion in the Purity and Power of it; which Religion excels all other Religions upon the Face of the Earth, who are Impure, Imper­fect, and VVeak, made up of Mens Inventions, Pre­cepts, and Traditions, Carnal Ordinances, VVorldly Rudiments, and Beggarly Elements; which had a be­ginning [Page 8]and must have an end, together with all Hatred and Persecution about them, for it hath been, and i [...] about these things, that those who lived in and under them, have made Laws to force, and compel observance and Conformity thereto, for nothing of that fort or na­ture ever did, or can proceed from the Christian Reli­gion, in the Purity and Power of it: Its Fundamental Principles, Precepts, Doctrines and Examples are quite the contrary. Love your Enemies, Bless them that Curse you, Do good to them that hate you, Pray for them that dis­pitefully use you and persecute your: As you would that Men should do unto you, Do so likewise unto them. Be like your Heavenly Father, who maketh his Sun to shine on the Evil, and on the good, and sendeth Rain on the Just, and on the Ʋnjust: Love one another, as I have loved you, love ye also one another: By this shall all Men know, that you are my Disciples, if you have love to one another. Do good to all, &c. This is the Tenure of the Gospel of Christ: Peace on Earth, and good will to Men. And they only were and are Disciples indeed, who did and do observe those divine Precepts and Commands of Christ. And all that profess love to him, and a knowledge of him, and keepeth not his Commandments, are Lyars, and the Truth is not in them, let them profess what they will.

There is no ground nor foundation for Sangunary Laws, nor for any sort of Persecution, Violence or Cru­elty about Religion, in the lovely, meek, quiet, and in­nocent Spirit of Christianity, nor in the Precepts, Prin­ciples, and Discipline of it, they have certainly arose in Christendom from another Spirit, that hath assum'd the Name, and Usurp't the Throne of God, the Heart and mind of Man, which hath come to pass, through the working of the Mistery of Iniquity, Serpent, and An­tichrist, under the Name of God Almighty and Christia­nity; [Page 9]the Nature thereof being wanting in all that have been concerned therein.

For according to the Testimony and Phrase of Holy Scripture, and the experience of Thousands in this Age, Men have been, are, and may be so intoxicated in their Minds, and understandings, so mistaken, and Captiva­tedunder that Monster falt Opinion; so corrupted by Tradition, and Superstitious Education, &c. that they have been, and are said to be made bewitched given up to believe strong Delusions, made drunk with the VVine of Fornication, which by the VVhore (the false Church) is held forth in a golden Cup to all Nations, according to that not able Vision of the Divine Apostle St. John, in his Revelation: read the 17th. Chapter, in a Measure of the same Divine Spirit of Revelation, or else you will mistake, as all Sectarians hath done, &c.

Now seeing People may be Spiritually Drunk, mad, bewitched, deceived, mistaken, blind, and intoxicated so far, as to take Truth for Error, and Error for Truth, good for Evil, and Evil for good, Light for Darkness, and Darkness for Light, true Religion for false, and false for true, &c. And proceed in their Conversation and do­ings accordingly, towards their Neighbours and Coun­trymen, when they have power and opportunity in their Hand.

Its therefore wisdom to know these distemper'd Peo­ple, and what means and medicine is to be used towards such people, and how far the Christian Magistrate and Law-maker, are concerned about such things.

[...] There are two Infallible Signs that people are in the State above: first when they are prone to or put for­ward in a Blind Zeal, to hate, or hurt their Neighbours, or Country-men, because they are not of the same opi­nion in matters of Religion; nor do not Worship after [Page 10]the same manner, or in the same form and fashion as they do.

2ly. When they make it matter of conscience and du­ty to deal with such as are not of their Church and way, as with Weeds and Vermine, and think they do God good Service therein. These are two infallible Signs, that People are Religiously mad and mistaken.

Paul, when a Persecutor (tho by the Authority of the wisest men, greatest Schollars, highest prosessors of Reli­gion, chief Priest, &c.) was one of the Religious mad men, and they were no better that imployed him, and gave him Commission for the same: Notwithstanding they thought and believed otherwise; saying, God was their Father, and that they were Abraham's Children, tho at that very time they were doing the Works of the De­vil, and persecuting the Seed, and true Children of God and Abraham; yet knew not themselves, what they did, nor what they were, while they were breathing out threatnings, slaughter, and Death punishing in every Synagogue (or Parish) and compelling to Blaspheme; being as Paul said of himself (before King Agrippa) exceeding mad against the poor Christians, persecuting them even unto strange Cities: all this in his mad Zeal and Ignorance, he with those of his (Religion or rather) opinion, thought was very well done.

So as hath been said, its wisdom to know these distem­per'd people, which if any lack, let them ask it of God, for it is his own Gift, that makes known persons and things as they are, in the Ground and Nature, and en­ables to give them Names according thereto and to judge righteously, and not by appearance, and without this gift of God, no man can know himself, nor judge his Brother aright.

If Education, Tradition, Academical Learning, or a [Page 11]profession and imitation of that Religion, which God himself commanded, could teach a Man the knowledge of God, or himself, those Jews, Doctors and Rabbies would have had it: none in those Ages exceeding them in those things; yet all they attained to thereby, was just as if we should see a Man believe and declare him­self to be the Son of some great Prince, or that some mighty Monarch was his Father, who had given him Power and Authority as his Vice-gerent, to correct, or­der, amend and govern, in his Kingdom, when he is no other than the Son of a Vile Butchery Executioner, and is assisting his Father in his filthy Drugery; for Christ told them they were of their Father the Devil, and his Works they did, even at that very instance, when they believed and declared themselves to be the Children of God and Abraham, &c.

Now those that are, and would be doing the same sort of work; let their pretence be what it will, they are in the same condition; tho they may not be sensi­ble thereof, nor see themselves to be such; for why is a Man said to be mad Spiritually, is it not because the God of this World (that lies in wickedness) hath blinded the Eye of his mind, darkned and vayled his Understand­ing and Judgment, that he cannot see, understand, nor judge aright of the things of God, and yet believes and perswades himself he can, and by his will and power would force, and compel others to believe the same, and to receive his understanding and judgment therein, under pains and penalties, &c. This is the Nature and Property of a blind mad Zealot.

Most in Christendom are ready to sensure Paul and the Jews, for their rage and madness, cruelty and violence against Christ and his harmless Disciples, and also the Gentiles for their Brutish Inhumanity against the primi­tive [Page 12]Christians, in the Ten Persecutions, though they have been and are doing the same work, even against those that prosess the same Name together with them, and yet justifie themselves therein, and think they do God good Service thereby, which is an evident Token they are of the same sort, for Persecutors were always blind.

And Persecutions under the Name of Christ and Chri­stianity, and under pretence of the Propagating and pre­serving the Christian Religion, are far worse, and under a greater degree of madness, blindness, and ignorance, then either Jews or Heathen: they are not only blind and mad, but Drunk also, Infatuated, Stupified, Intoxi­cated, and less excuseable then all other Persecutors up­on the Face of the Earth, because they do profess and account themselves to be Disciples of that Imaculate Lamb Christ Jesus, who was always loving, meek, gentle, tender, and kind to all mankind, going up and down, doing good, never harming any, laying down his life for his Enemies, and praying for them, and gave forth those divine Heavenly Precepts and Commandments before mentioned, for all his Disciples and Followers to observe, keep and obey. Now wherever people are found mak­ing profession of Christ Jesus and his Religion, and do­ing those things which are not only Repugnant to it, but inconsistent with it: certainly such are in a farther de­gree of blindness and madness, and more inexcuseable, than either Jew or Heathen, for they had no such Hea­venly example, nor no such divine Precepts and Com­mandments in their Religion, but rather the contrary.

Therefore a Christian Persecutor (if such a thing could be) would be as a Monster in Nature; that which is in its self most mild, loving, gentle, harmless and innocent, would become the most wild, cruel, ravenous and de­vouring, if this could be, not only Nature, but Religi­on [Page 13]it self would be turned quite out of course. Lillies would tear the Thorns, and Lambs devour the Wolves, and the Sheep prey upon the Tygers, Bears and Lyons, and the innocent Dove would devour the Birds of prey.

But these things cannot be; therefore it may cer­tainly be concluded, and infallibly believed, that whoever is found promoting or acting Cruelty or Vio­lence, against any under the name and profession of the Christian Religon, are Wolves in Sheeps cloathing, painted Sepulchres, and professing Hypocrites; neither truly loving God nor their Neighbour, which Love is the Foundation of true Religion, and by their works and doings (not by their words) they may be, and are known.

Now when these poor deceived distemper'd people are known, evidently by the Signs of their disease aforementi­oned, what course is to be taken with them, what means and medicine doth Humanity and Christianity call for? And how far is the Christian Magistrate and Law-mak­ers, concerned about such things?

Ans. First, they are greatly to be pitied, because the Cause of their distempers generally is Hereditary, they are born of Jews, Turks or Mahometans, Infidels or Christians, and are trained up, and educated in their Va­rious ways and worships, beliefs and opinions about Reli­gion, by their Parents and Tutors; so that they are Tinctured, if not possessed with Hereditary traditional Religion, or the Opinions of their Fore-fathers, before they know they are men, and become so bound with the Chains of Tradition, Custom and Opinion, in the things relating to Religion, that they give up their Wills, Judg­ment, Ʋnderstanding, Conscience, and all for the forced Maintenance and Propagation thereof, tho it be to their [Page 14]own hurt, and the ruin of others, not knowing nor right­ly understanding what they do, being captivated as above, and the cause in the beginning chiefly from others.

Therefore even as Humanity teacheth to pity and take care of poor blind people, and such who are under a great Lunary, or Distraction naturally as to provide for, and prevent their hurting themselves and others; so it leadeth to do the same for those that are blinded and distracted, through Tradition, Custom, Superstitious Education, and opinion: and Christianity teacheth a far­ther Lesson, even to pray for them; and with all mild­ness, gentleness, tenderness and love, to endeavour their better information, in order to their deliverance and redemption from under those sinful customs and false opinions, whose Tyranny and oppression makes not only Fools, but wise men mad.

And for so doing, Christ himself hath left Example, not only in his divine Precepts and Commandments be­fore mentioned, but in his own person, when he prayed for those great professing people the Jews, whom he al­so wept over, and expressed as much tenderness towards them, as a Hen hath towards her Chicken; and when they were upon the point of Executing their utmost of envy, rage, blindness and madness upon him, he said, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do; and his Apostle Paul said, if they had known him, they would not have Crucified the Lord of Glory: this he knew to be true by woful experience himself, being blind and igno­rant, while a mad zealous Persecutor: ignorance and envy hath been, and is the cause of all violence against the Righteous, and about Religion throughout all former Ages, and let the pretence be what it will, it hath no other foundation in this Age.

All the Inventers of Creeds, Articles of Faith, Mass­books, [Page 15]Common-prayer-books, Directories, and other Pre­scribers of set forms of worship in whole Christen­dom have been prone to Curse persecution against such as comply not therewith: especially when any one of them becomes National, and are possessed of great Revenues for the maintenance of the same; that is as Oyl to the Flame that hath devoured many, and di­sturbed the whole Christian World.

Therefore it concerns the Christian Magistrates, and Law-makers, to take care that none of those people have power and opportunity to force and compel un­der corporal pains and penalties, the observation of their inventions and prescriptions; for such things pro­ceeds not from true Religion, but from the opinion and imagination about it, and as hath been said, is inconsistent with it.

Now the great men of this Island of Great Brittain, who are and may be concerned to make and execute Laws, may in the first place see it absolutely needful to abrogate and demolish all such Laws about Religion, as have proceeded from people in the State above: as all Laws to banish, hang, burn, Stigmatize, whip and im­prison the Bodies of people for matters of meer Religion and Conscience are; and to make and establish such Laws in the room thereof, as may prevent any sort, or Sect of people to hurt, rifle and spoil their Neighbours and Country-men, because they may disser in their un­derstanding and practice in matters of worship and reli­gion, and that may command and enjoyn morality and good Neighbourhood, among men of different perswa­tions about forms of worship, &c. herein the Nation would be made happy, even in your imitating the great God of Love, Peace and Ʋnity, in the midst of all vari­ety, and the light of his countenance would shine in you, and upon you.

And now you have a Season for so doing: The King in his late tender gracious Declaration, hath out-done all the Princes of Christendom, and set them a glorious ex­ample, by following which they may make themselves and all their people happy: He is a Prince of great ob­servation and experience, and hath thereby made him­self a Throne in the Hearts and affections of his people: And if you do but cast an impartial Eye void of preju­dice and opinion you will find none throughout the Na­tion, but such who are captivated thereby, and have been, and would be again persecutors about the mode and man­ner of Religion, and Church Ceremonies (it being the Nature of every Sect, private Spirit and opinion, to use force and compulsion when able) because false opinion, blind Zeal, and traditional Faith, is some of the Wine, with which the Whores cup is filled, whereby those that drink freely thereof, supposing it to be the Wine of the Kingdom, are made Drunk, intoxicated and mad therewith, as hath been said, you will find none but such that are for the continuation of such Laws, as would spoil men of their lives, liberties, and Estates in this World, about the things of another, about mat­ters of meer Religion and Conscience, about humane inventions, carnal ordinances, and circumstances of Reli­gion and Worship, to the great shame and scandal of Chri­stian Religion, which never came into the World at that Door; neither did it ever use or prevail by such means, nor ever will; being certainly true, that all that are found in that way and work, under the profession of Christianity, they are in the Degeneration from the Na­ture thereof, and they are but a Sect, though they may call themselves Universal or National Church; have a care of Jealousies, and false Suggestions; and take heed of making conclusions, that the design of the Kings Decla­ration, [Page 17]is only to introduce the Roman Catholick Sect; herein you may abuse the best of Kings, for tho he hath declared himself to be of that perswasion, as to the man­ner of worship, &c. yet it is most apparent, that his understanding is so far divinely illuminated, that he owns it not in the worst parts of it, viz. force, violence and per­secution, declaration.

‘We cannot but heartily wish, as it will eafily be be­lieved that all the people of our Dominions were Mem­bers of the Catholick Church, yet we humbly thank Almighty God it is, and hath of a long time been our constant sence and opinion (which upon divers occasi­ons we have declared) that Conscience ought not to be con­strained, nor People forced in matters of meer Religion. It has even been contrary to our inclination, as we think it is to the interest of Government, which it destroys by spoiling Trade, Depopulating Countries, and discouraging Strangers, and finally that it never ob­tained the end,’ for which it was imployed, &c.

Here is as much said in so many words, as can well be, to signifie that they proceed from a profound Judgment, a true and constant Sence, a right opinion, great reason, a perfect sight of the true interest of Government, and all confirm'd by observation and experience, with thanks to Almighty God for the same.

Now for any to surmise and imagin, that there is a Snake in this fair Grass, and that there is some grand evil design to be ushered in thereby, is great Ingratitude, the effect of bad Jealousie, and the Fruit of some fear­ful Sect, that cannot live at ease while their Neighbours are free from trouble.

Indeed if the King acted without any of those excel­lent qualifications before mentioned, barely as a Roman Catholick, moving only by the Dictates of that Church, [Page 18]you and the Nation might have ground to fear, that there is an Adder in the Grass, which is much more dangerous than a Snake, and that it is with design not only to gain equal liberty for the Roman Catholicks, but also to make them capable in time to suppress all others, as the Nature of that Sect is with cruelty and vi­olence, as this and many Nations can witness; but to think that this is the design of the King, is the worst in­terpretation that malice and envy can put upon the words and doings of so great and just a Prince, whom none can justly charge with playing the Hypocrite, and dissem­bling with God and Man, as such thoughts would insi­nuate, and he hath been a Sufferer for Conscience sake himself, while a Subject (tho of the greatest Rank) and when in the greatest power, who can say that ever he moved or put forward the making or executing those Penal Laws about Religion, by which many mens lives, Liberties and Estates, have been destroyed in this Na­tion.

Let all such thoughts and jealousies be laid aside, and with the King give humble thanks to Almighty God, that he hath placed such a one upon the Throne, whose Heart he hath enclined to imitate his divine Majesty in being kind, merciful and just to all, without respect to Persons, or Opinions, and be ready to concur with him in his just design, and Christian intentions of abolishing all Penal Laws, about that which is accounted Religion, but indeed is more properly Opinion, for the Christian Religion, and Penal Laws to enforce it, were always inconsistent, as hath been hinted; 'tis Opinion and not pure Religion that hath devised, and set up Penal Laws to defend and propagate it.

The Christian Religion came into the World without the approbation, consent, or assistance of the great Scho­lars, [Page 19]Doctors and Rabbies, and other great men of the World, they were all disturbed at the appearance of Christ the Author of it, and consulted how to destroy him, and the highest professors of God and Religion in that Age, studied and sought all ways and means how to suppress and prevent the setting up and spreading the Christian Religion, but it being founded in the Truth in the inward parts, which God loves it grew and prevailed in the Hearts of people, amidst all opposition working powerfully in the Minds, Hearts, and understandings of Jews, Greeks, Barbarians, Schithyans, bond and free, making a real chaing in the inward man, not in the opinion or notion of things only, but they were renew­ed in the Spirit of their minds, their Hearts were purified, consciences rectified, their understandings illuminated, and their Conversations was such as became the Gospel of Christ, Brotherly love, Kindness, patience, long Suffering with Innocency, and other Fruits of the Spirit abounded among them; this was their State when Laws and Edicts of Men were against them, who had neither Sword, nor Penal Laws on their side; they were far degenerated from the Nature, tho not from the Name Christian, when they called to the civil Magistrate for Penal Laws, they were then run into Sects, Sides and Opinions, and into disputes and quarrellings with one another about them, envying, hating and persecuting one another, becoming as they got power as cruel to each other, as the Heathen had been to them, forcing and imposing their Faiths, Forms and Opinions, by banishments, Torments and Death, to the great shame of the Christian Religion; the foun­dation of which is love, peace and good will to all men, and the means it prevailes by, and the Weapons it con­quers with, are not carnal but spiritual, Domonstration, Perswasion and Conviction, whosoever hath, or desire to use any other Weapons about the Christian Religion, are [Page 20]certainly deceived and mistaken so far as to take false opinion for true Religion.

Now the chief end of Magestracy, Laws and Govern­ment among men, is to preserve and defend their proper­ties, liberties and lives, from such as would spoil and rob them of either, and among all the Beasts of prey, blind Zeal, misguided Conscience, private dark selfish opini­ons are most ravenous, this Wolf in Sheeps cloathing hath sharp Teeth and cruel Claws, and a wild untamed de­vouring Spirit. Notwithstanding his pretence of Zeal and Conscience for the Christian Religion, 'tis the Spirit of Cain and Saul, that murtherer and Persecutor about Sacrifice and Worship.

But whosoever is led by his religious, or rather irreli­gious opinions, to endeavour the hurt or ruin of his Bro­ther or Neighbour, about matters of meer Religion and Conscience, if he accomplish and effect the same, he is an evil doer and ought to suffer as an evil doer: And he that hath good will to all, and seeks the good of all, and hurts no man (tho he be of a contrary mind and judgment to him, and erroneous opinions) he is a well doer; and the Laws of God and all good men, who are appointed to judge and rule for God, are a Terror to the one, and a praise, defence and encouragement to the other.

Now as you are English men, your very Native Hu­manity (where it is not spoiled with false opinion) leads you to be sociable, kind and neighbourly, but where the principle and the precepts of the Christian Religion prevailes upon you, and possess your Judgments, As to do to others, as you would have them do to you, do good to all, overcome evil with good, love thy Neighbour as thy self, &c. I say, where these universal precepts of Christianity prevailes in you, (from the principle there­of) [Page 21]it makes you excel your Native Humanity, and will incline your Hearts to concur with things that are suta­ble thereto, and to abrogate the contrary.

Did you and the Princes, and great Monarhs of the World but know, and experience, what ease, what peace, what pleasure, what profit, what true honour, glory and greatness, doth and would attend the true observation of these Christian precepts, beyond all that can be other­wise invented, or devised, you and they would be in love therewith, and seek only the advancement thereof, because tending to the universal good of mankind, not only in this Nation, but throughout all Nations up­on the Earth. It is but a little while ago, since most of the Courts and Magistrates of England, were troubled with people about Non-conformity, their Houses brok­en up, their goods seized and taken away; not leaving some a Bed to lye on, nor a Pot to dress their Food in, nor a Stool to sit on, nor Tools to work with; some places, their Trades destroyed, and their Bodies impri­soned: And if any Magistrate did but incline to kindness and moderation, people of the baser sort called Infor­mers, who lived upon the Prey, would threaten them with 100 l. damage, so that many that were not willing to make havock of people, and their Goods, were forced to please those Beasts of prey, which was a trouble and exercise to many, even of those called the Church of England-men themselves, whose Humanity was not quite destroyed with their Christianity.

All which the King in his gracious Declaration hath eased you and the people of, for which he is worthy of all gratitude and thankfulness, from his Subjects of all degrees, but especially from his Non-conforming Sub­jects, who were a people designed for ruin, so that they are ingaged to pray, that he may receive from Almighty [Page 22]God a hundred fold ministred into his own Bosom.

So if you join with the King in laying aside all Penal Laws in matters Ecclesiastical, and set people free from danger of losing their liberty and property for Non-con­formity; and with him as your wisdom may devise, pre­vent the like to be made again in future Ages; you will not only please the King and the Nation, and all people therein, except those in whom corrupt Interest, false Opi­nion, and fearful Jealousies prevailes, but you will also go sar in answering and fulfilling those Christian divine Precepts, which are according to the just and righteous principle of God in all men, and where it is not Stifled, Crucified and Buried, it will arise and Answer to your just and righteous doings, and you will have the com­fort thereof in your selves, and will become examplary to the Nations round about, who when they shall hear, see and behold the blessed Fruits and effects, which cer­tainly will follow your so doing, may be stirred up to imitate and follow so glorious Example.

If you consult with any that are fill'd with Fears and Jealousies, especially such who have a corrupt Interest to secure, (which cannot stand in that pomp and power they would have it, without force and violence,) you will be discouraged in so good a Work, as the preventing people from hurting one another about the opinion of Religion is.

Have a care of men of that temper, your business is to shew forth a noble and generous Spirit, Eying the good of all without respect to persons, or opinions, and to concur with the King in providing so, that it shall not be in the power of the present and after Ages, to spoil and persecute one another about matters of meer Religion and Conscience.

It is an ancient Maxim, That the Truth is great and will prevail, and the Christian Religion and Worship that [Page 23]stands therein, requires neither Penal Laws, nor Arms to set it up nor defend it, if any shall call upon you or counsel you to continue and uphold such Laws, search them to the bottom, and you will find they have some private Belly Interest to carry on, and that there lies a venemous biting Adder in their Grass, and that their Religion is such, as cannot stand in the pomp of it with­out Penal Laws.

'Tis the Whore, (the false Church) that rides up­on the Scarlet colour'd Beast, she can't stand alone, nor walk upon her own Legs; and it is she that hath cryed to Kings, Emperors, Parliaments and great men, to force and compel people to bear her dead weight, un­der pains of Banishment, Hanging, Burning and Impri­soning, and the loss of all the good things of this World without conformity to her, wherever you find this cry, assure your selves that it is not from the Spouse of Christ, it is not the true Mother that would have the living Child divided or cut in pieces, because her own is smothered and dead.

You may infallibly conclude, that it is not the Apo­stolical and primitive Spirit of Christianity, that would have mens Liberties, Lives and Estates spoiled, and rui­nated about matters of worship and conscience, tho their worship was wrong and erronious, and their con­science desiled and misin-formed, and therein making conscience of things which they ought not, nor may not, when with tenderness and meekness, they are better in­form'd and instructed.

The true Churches power, as hath been said, was and is Demonstration, Perswasion and Conviction, and her Weapons Spiritual and not Carnal, if any dare say and affirm, that the New Testament way and means to con­vert or proselite the World to Christianity, was other­wise, or that the Christian principle, Doctrines and Pre­cepts [Page 24]of Christ, can admit of any other means in th [...] Christian Religion; let them come forth and shew the proof in the New Testament, or else let them not [...] regarded.

In this the Children of God are manifest, and [...] Children of the Devil, whosoever doth not Righteou [...] ­ness, are not of God, neither he that loveth not [...] Brother, 1 John 3.10.

If a Man say I love God, and hateth his Brother, he [...] a Lyar, for he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath see [...] how can he love God whom he hath not seen, 1 John 4.2 [...]