A POEM OCCASIONED BY His Majesties most Gracious Resolution Declar'd in His Most Honourable Privy Council, March 18. 1686/7.
For Liberty of Conscience,
WHat Heavn'ly Beam thus Antidates the Spring,
And Summers Warmth with Autumns Fruits doth bring?
That spreads New Life throughout Great Britains Isle,
And making the most Sullen Tempers smile,
Does all the Jarring Factions Reconcile?
'Tis an Indulgence from the Royal Brest,
More Fragrant than the Spices of the East;
More Welcome, than to greedy Misers, Wealth;
To Rebels, Pardon; or to Sick Men, Health.
Sudden, yet Calm as the Blest Angels fly,
His Resolution comes for Liberty:
Liberty in Things Sacred, that Each tread
That Path which Safest him to Bliss may lead;
That Elephants may swim, that Lambs may wade,
And none each other worry or invade.
In Heav'n are many Mansions: And why then
Not several Tracts (tho' but One Road) for Men?
Keep the Foundations sure, joyn Holy Life,
And what need Circumstantials cause such strife?
So a kind Father does with equal Care
Cherish his Children, tho' perhaps, they wear
Each, diverse Features; each, a different Hair.
Religion is GOD's Work upon the Soul,
Which Penal Laws may startle, not Controul.
Even Truth's-Profession, when enjoyn'd by Force,
Does rarely make Men Better; often, Worse.
For once compell'd unto Hypocrisies,
The Sence of Vertue and Religion dyes;
And then, on next fair Opportunity,
With greater Heats they to wild Furies fly.
For True Religion never Faction breeds,
Nor the Support of Impions Weapons needs.
Let Mahomet prescribe his Alchoran
To be advanc'd by Arms, fast as it can:
Christ's Gospel is a Law of Peace and Love,
And by Conviction on the Heart doth move.
When Solomon of Old, God's Temple Rear'd,
No noise of Axes was, nor Hammers heard:
Hard upon Hard no lasting Work will make,
Nor can one Flint another kindly break;
But Moderation is a Cement sure,
'Tis that which makes the Ʋniverse endure:
'Tis that which makes these Realms a Temperate Zone,
Betwixt the Torrid, and the Frozen One.
More than One hundred years the State had Try'd
To Uniform those Sects that wou'd Divide,
But still the Teeming Hydra Multiply'd
Whilst one Resolve of Mighty JAMES, allays
The Tempests of the Past and Following Days;
Unites his Subjects, makes 'em Friends, and so
All Seeds of Faction wholly does o'erthrow.
Holland no longer shall Our People drain;
No more our Wealthy Manufactures gain:
Henceforth Rebellion can have no Pretence,
To Arm the Rabble for their Faiths Defence.
Since Each Mode of Religion now is Free,
They'll All, I hope, conspire in Loyalty.
Let no Bold Peevish Man (prone to Excess)
Abuse this Favour to Licentiousness;
Refine too much on Soveraign Decrees
Of's God, or's King; but with true humbled knees
Thank Both, for all the Freedom they enjoy,
And Chearfully Each follow his Employ:
No Rivalship be found in any Sect,
But who most Souls to Heaven shall Direct.
This may be Printed,
March 22. 1686. R. P.
LONDON, Printed by George Larkin, at the Coach and Horses without Bishopsgate. 1687.