his Power and Authority over us nor diminish our Duty and Obedience to him God hath put this into the Heart of the King that all the Yokes and Bonds and Burthens that have been laid upon Conscience or on men for their Conscience sake towards God in the former Reigns to be broken and for ever removed Is not this a wonderful work of God to have all this done at once which could never be done before and we have reason to think that it would never have been done by any Prince but this O let no man say that there is a new King risen up that knew not Joseph or that there is a Joseph in the Land that will not know Pharaoh O let this Liberty be thankfully received and wisely improv'd that Gods glory may be advanced that the Justice wisdom kindness and goodness of the King may be acknowledged as the great instrument in the hand of God in a work so great and good as this is towards his People 3. Of the effects no man can say now in this our Israel that the Gates of Liberty are shut up against him The Righteous Nation that keeps the truth may now enter in Isa 26.2 No man can say now in these Kingdoms That the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence Mat. 23.13 Every Man may now enter into it that will. No Man can say now in City or Countrey that the evil Angels hold the Winds that they cannot blow that is Persecutors Every Man may now sit under the breathings of Gods Spirit in the Ministry of the Word Rev. 7.1 and serve him without fear Many hundreds have been let out of Prison that were before shut up many thousands that were before troubled and prosecuted are now quiet and in peace many hundreds are now Labouring in the Lords Vineyard preaching the Word of God up and down every where and there be many thousands of Souls that do attend and hear the Word of God preached to them Have not many thousands of the People in these Nations own'd and acknowledged this to be the Work of God in their Addresses to the King Now by all this you may see that it is the work of God then it is in love and kindness to the Dissenters let this then serve for an Answer to this Objection The second Objection is If these Penal Laws should be taken away then Popery will come in upon us By this Objection then I perceive the thing that you fear is the coming in of Popery and the way that you will take to keep it out is to continue the Penal Laws Now this being an evil way may bring that evil upon you which you fear Numb 13.28 to 33. This evil way the Israelites of old did take when they were afraid of the Canaanites And they said one to another Let us make a Captain and let us return into Egypt Num. 14 4. Verse 29. 1 Cor. 10. Now this being an evil way brought that evil upon them which they feared Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness This evil way did King Saul take when he was afraid of the Philistines Then said Saul unto his servants 1 Sam. 28.5 8 9. Verse 7. Seek me a woman that hath a familiar Spirit that I may go to her and enquire of her and his servants said unto him Behold there is a woman that hath a familiar Spirit at Endor Now this being an evil way brought that evil upon him and his Sons which he feared So Saul died and his three Sons and his Armour-bearer and all his Men that same day together 1 Sam. 31.4 5 6. This was the evil way that King Zedekiah did take when he was afraid of the Chaldaeans Jer. 38.19.20 he would not hearken to the word of the Lord by Jeremiah the Prophet But he fled and went forth out of the City by night by the way of the King's Gardens by the Gate betwixt two walls and he went out the way of the Plain Jer. 39.4 This being an evil way did bring upon him and his house all that evil which he feared Then the King of Babylon slew the Sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah and he slew all the Nobles of Judah and he put out Zedekiahs eyes and bound him in Chains to carry him to Babylon Jer. 39.6.7 This evil way did the Jews take in the days of our Saviour and in the days of the Apostles when they were afaid of the Romans John 11.48 The Romans shall come and take away both our Place and Nation To save themselves from the Romans they kept up Persecution and did slay Gods faithful Witnesses Mat. 23 35. Acts 7.32 and were betrayers and murderers and did endeavour to overthrow the work of God and the faith of the Gospel Luke 21 6 26. Now this being an evil way also brought all that evil upon them which they feared And are you still for the keeping up of compelling and persecuting Laws because you are afraid of Popery Is this the way to keep it out Never yet did any people take an evil way to save themselves from the evil they feared but it brought it upon them I have here shewed you this at large and I have also shewed you the evil of these Penal Laws Take heed therefore lest you bring upon your selves that evil which hath befaln others you must not keep up that which is bad for fear of worse you must not do evil that good may come of it you must not commit sin to keep out Popery you must not keep mens Consciences in Chains for ever that is the work of the next World and not this the Gospel will not allow that any man should suffer in his Body or in his Estate by persecuting Laws for the errors of his mind nor that any man should forfeit his Free-hold for being of a wrong perswasion He that spake as never man spake said Let the Wheat and the Tares grow both together until the Harvest Mat. 13.30 Mat. 15 13. John 16.8 2 Cor. 5.11 It is Gods work to pull up the Spirits work to convince it is mans work to perswade by sound arguments and to allure by a good Conversation men from a bad Religion to a better and from a wrong Religion to the right A man does not believe as others believe and cannot believe as others would have him believe but he believes as he sees cause to believe The question then is not so much what hath been done nor what some men would have to be done but what is best to be done to keep out Popery for that is your fear If I should give you counsel will you hearken to it and if I give you advice will you take it First then if you will keep out Popery do you amend your ways and your doings Jer. 7.3 and turn unto the Lord by a true and sincere repentance You have heard of the Judgments of God which have been
THE Present Interest OF ENGLAND IN Matters of Religion Stated Wherein is clearly demonstrated that the Protestant Religion may be fully secured from Popery though the Penal Laws be taken away By W. D. a Lover of Liberty for Conscience sake Rev. 2.7 He that hath an ear to hear let him hear With Allowance LONDON Printed by T.S. and sold by most Booksellers 1688. The Present Interest of England in matters of Religion stated c. BOoks are now written to instruct the present Age and to inform the future that this may know what ought to be done and that may see what has been done and in this lies the great skill and wisdom of good men to know and understand the work of God in their day that they may be labourers together with God and workers together with him 1 Cor. 3.9 and serve their generation by the will of God. 2 Cor. 6.1 Sometimes men do not know nor understand the work of God in their day Jacob staid so long in Canaan till he wanted bread God sent a Famine upon that Land that Jacob and his Family might go down to Egypt and to eat bread to the full God remembred him in his low estate but he remembred not the mighty works of God that he had seen nor that experience he had of his love and grace his mercies and goodness that had followed him all along he looked upon the providences of God and they seem'd to run cross to the promises he looked upon the work of God and that seem'd to be so dark that he could see no beauty nor glory in it He looked upon the things that then befel him and they seem'd to work together for his hurt And Jacob said All these things are against me Gen 42.36 He look't upon Simeon that was left behind in Egypt to be a dead man Joseph is not and Simeon is not and the going down of Benjamin with the rest of his Brethren to be nothing but a trick and a design of the Egyptians to get all his Sons into their hands that they might be Bondmen and Slaves at the least And he said Me have ye bereaved of my Children When Jacob saw the glory of God's work appear then he rejoyced but the way to that glory he did not understand Now that which God intended and designed by all this was the fulfilling of his word the glory of his holy name the increase of his Church that he might make of them a great Nation as he had promised And the Lord said unto Abraham Know of a surety that thy Seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them four hundred years and also that Nation whom they shall serve will I judge and afterwards shall they come out with great substance Gen. 15.13 14. When men do not understand the work of God in their day then they censure and arraign and condemn that wisdom and power that love and grace that goodness and mercy that is moving towards them and breaking in upon them God can do whatsoever he pleaseth and he will do whatsoever he hath promised Sometimes men leave the work of God and forsake it and turn their backs upon it after they have been ingaged in it Numb 13.26 So did the Children of Israel when they were in the Wilderness of Paran God had taken them out of the Iron Furnace and had brought them up from the House of Bondage and saved them from the Swords of the Egyptians and seal'd his truth to them by Miracles and Wonders in the Wilderness as they past along And now they being come near Canaan the Lord commanded them by Moses to go in and possess that good Land Ezek. 20.6 a Land that flowed with Milk and Honey the glorious Land and the glory of all Lands And this was the work of God in that day but they rebelled against the Lord and would not hearken unto his voice And all the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron and the whole Congregation said unto them Would God that we had died in the Land of Egypt or would God we had died in this Wilderness and wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this Land to fall by the Sword that our Wives and our Children should be a prey Were it not better for us to return into Egypt And they said one to another Let us make a Captain and let us return into Egypt Numb 14.2 3 4. You see here they were for Egypt and not Canaan For a new Captain to lead them and not Moses For Bondage and Slavery and not Liberty and Freedom And God Almighty took them at their word As truly as I live saith the Lord as ye have spoken in mine Ears so will I do to you Your Carcases shall fall in this Wilderness and all that were numbred of you according to your whole number from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me verse 28 29. Their Egypt was the Wilderness their Captain was their punishment and forty years was the time of their misery But with many of them God was not well-pleased for they were overthrown in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10.5 They that will not hear the word of God that is spoken to them shall feel the wrath of God that is spoken of them There is a way of flying to God but there is no way of flying from God. Sometimes men despise the work of God and look upon it as a very small thing not worthy of their acceptance this did the Jews that were in Captivity which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from the land of Judea to Babylon And after they had been there threescore and ten years 2 Chron. 36.21 the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia that he made a Proclamation thoughout all his Kingdom and put it also in Writing saying Who is there among you of all his people His God be with him and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and Build the House of the Lord God of Israel he is the God which is in Jerusalem And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth let the men of his place help him with Silver and with Gold and with Goods and with Beasts besides the Free-will Offering for the House of God that is in Jerusalem Ezra 1.1 3 4. Now what did these Jews do after they had seen the Kings Proclamation which was so full of Love and Goodness Did they go up to Jerusalem and Build the House of God Their Yokes were now broken their Bands were loosed their heavy Burdens were removed Liberty was proclaimed a Door was opened of Mercy and Grace the Call of God was clear the Work of God was great and glorious Ezra 7.7 Ezra 1 5â— Some of them did go up They were only them whose spirits God had rais'd to go up but the most of them did not as
would but walk by this rule do as they would be done by do as they would have others do unto them mete that measure to others as they would have others to mete unto them and to love their Neighbours as themselves for upon this hangs the Law and the Prophets it is a fulfilling the Law For the Law is fulfil'd in one word even in this thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Gal. 5.14 If men did but duely observe and keep this then they would not be so fond and desirous to keep up compelling and persecuting Laws But I proceed to the fifth and that is this 5. That these Penal Laws have destroyed Love and Charity among Men a thing much to be desired and highly to be valued When these Laws lay asleep and were not put in force how peaceably and quietly did one Neighbour live by another how sweetly and friendly did one man converse with each other But no sooner did that Brat of Hell and of the Devil Persecution come amongst us but it put the whole Nation in a flame like Sampson's Foxes that did set all on fire they came near Judg. 15.4 5. then it was nothing but Whig and Tory Trimmer and Papist in Masquerade And in this firmentation was the Nation in till the King 's Gracious Declaration for Liberty of Conscience came forth flying amongst us That quench'd and put out these fires that the Penal Laws had kindled It brought peace to them that were in trouble ease to them that were weary and relief to them that were in distress It loosed the bands of them that were bound over and open'd the Prison doors to them that were shut up and sent Labourers into the Lord's Vineyard that stood still it put violence out of the hands of them that destroy'd and it filled the hearts of many with joy and their mouths with praises and thanksgiving First to God Almighty and then to the King for his great Wisdom Justice Mercy Goodness and Kindness towards his poor Subjects The good effects of this all good men see and rejoyce in Now if these Penal Laws were the great Make-bate amongst the People then the taking of them away will slay that enmity and bury all these reproachful names and terms that men have cast upon one another 6. In the sixth place Persecution is that which discourageth Trade and greatly destroys it It was that which brought the Trade into England and it is that which will carry the Trade out of England The Persecution that was heretofore in other Lands made the Trading-people flie over into these Lands who shewed the people here the way of making these Manufactures that are now made in such abundance and have proved so profitable and beneficial to these Kingdoms This is so well known that it cannot be denyed Now the same way that brought the Trade to us will certainly carry it from us When these Penal Laws were put in force did not many Trades-men leave the Land and Merchants and others in several Cities in this Kingdom did leave their habitations and were forced to remove to other places because of the Persecution that was then This is well known to most men Now as Righteousness exalts a Nation so Trade enricheth a Nation A proof of this you may see if you look over into Holland they granting Liberty of Conscience to all Persuasions this brought them a Trade and that Trade hath made them so great and rich that as it were from a small Worm they are become a great Mountain and from being Poor Distressed States they now call themselves the High and Mighty from begging and craving help of others to support them their Trade hath so supported them and encreased their wealth and strength that they strive to grasp the Trade of Nations into their own hands Now all these blessings they suck'd from the Breast of Liberty of Conscience Trade is a great part of the glory of a Nation It fills the King's Coffers with Treasure the Custom being one of the Jewels of his Crown It encreaseth Merchants and makes them great It enricheth the Shopkeepers and makes them wealthy It encourageth Shipping and Navigation that carries out the Manufactures of England and returns with rich Commodities and with Gold and Silver It sets thousands of hands at work and imploys the poor of the Land it encourageth Strangers and Forreigners to come and dwell amongst us to shew us their art and skill It advanceth the price of Land that the Nobles and Gentry have so great a part of This shews the great advantage of Trade that extends its benefits to every man. Now they that are for the keeping up of the Penal Statutes are not the Friends of the Common-wealth but Enemies to Trade because they are for Persecution Now he that runs may read and he that reads may see the evil of these Penal Laws I shall now come to the Objections that are usually made against the taking away of these Laws and answer them The first Objection is this Do you think that this Liberty and Toleration which you now enjoy is granted and given to you in love and kindness is it not to serve a turn and to bring about another thing Now my answer to this Objection is this If this work be of God then it is in love and kindness to the Dissenters But this work is of God as will appear to all men that do but consider well these three things that is the time the way and the effects First then of the time when this King came to the Crown what were mens thoughts then The Sufferers they thought that their condition would have been worse the Persecutors they thought that their Trade would have been better The Sufferers they did not expect to have enjoyed that which they now enjoy it was above their Faith and beyond their hopes The Persecutors they did not believe nor fear that they should have seen and beheld the things they now see This great disappointment hath filled the one with joy and gladness and the other with rage and madness God hath overtaken his People with preventing mercies and hath reproved his enemies in the way he hath opened the mouths of this people to bless God and the King for this Liberty granted to them and hath tyed up the hands of Persecutors and this makes them blaspheme O let men praise the Lord for his wondrous works and let them know that the most High God doth whatsoever he pleaseth in the Kingdoms of men Psal 135.6 2. Of the way other Kings have given Liberty of Conscience to their Subjects because they were of their persuasions but this King gives Liberty of Conscience to all his Protestant Subjects though himself be of another persuasion and in this he out-shines in glory all the Crowned Heads that were before him The King thinks that our perswasion is the wrong and we believe that his is not the right nevertheless this does not lessen