to give up our selves and relation to God and the Gospel as for English Queens we may in time have Protestant Queens In the mean time we know our gracious Queens will not impose upon us the publick practice or indulgence at least of their Religion no more then we impose our Religion upon them they had rather few then whole Kingdoms should suffer they had rather see you suffer for your conscience then force us to allow your way against our consciences however to avoid some supposed inconveniences we will not commit sin which is a real and the greatest inconvenience in the World To your eighth ninth and tenth Reason we say if you are true to the Popes Supremacy you cannot be true to the Kings Government if you deny that as you seem to do you deny the foundation of your Religion yea the sum of Christianity as Bellarmine saith Whether you speak as you think in the eighth and ninth Reason we know not for you can equivocate we know your Brethren will never say so when they have obtained a Toleration and we know it is no new thing to have a few moderate men offer that in adversity which their Brethren will never own in prosperity Indeed you can juggle so as that some shall write for Supremacy and others against it and laugh among your selves to see how you cheat the world we know what the Sorbonistâ— stand upon at this time however you are punished here onely for actual disobedience upon what principle soever you disobey if some of you think loyally you all live disobediently to the Ecclesiastical Laws of this Realm II. Reason You say you are forced to be dangerous by fleeing to forreign Embassadours and parts for safety Answ. 1. It 's well we know your designe 2. If you did not go to Forreigners for Religion you need not go to Forreigners for Protection if you will worship with them you may live with them 3. If you keep correspondence with our enemies and practise against us when you are in danger of punishment what will you do when you are tolerated If you deal with Forreigners now to secure your selves from us much more will you deal with them hereafter that you may have power over us what you do now for liberty you will do hereafter for power this threatning insinuation will signifie little with us who measure our Religion by our Consciences and not by Interest whatever inconvenience follows upon your punishment we will not displease God to tolerate you To your twelfth Reason we can say upon sad experience that you may do more harm by creeping into houses then we can do good by preaching in Congregations To your last we say Our Bishops can prove their Consecration they will make their authority eminent in awing you if they cannot make their perswasions eminent in converting you and that when they are the severest enemies to your corruptions they are the most hearty well-wishers to your persons and you may hear them as such Sirs As you did your duty in serving the King in his just War so he will allow you all just priviledge in time of peace but you must not think that the reward of your obedience to him in some things shall be a liberty to disobey him in other Although we have been as you say fellow sufferers with you we will not sin with you You say you hazarded much to restore the King to his Throne To what purpose I pray you if every man shall do what is good in his own eyes as when there was no King in Israel And you must know his sacred Majestie makes Laws against you not to satisfie any mans passion or revenge but to satisfie his own conscience Whereas you speak of his Majesties mercie and word from Breda 1. Let me tell you That Toleration would be the greatest cruelty in the world 2. You know his Majestie promised no more at Breda but that he should condescend to such provisions for tender Consciences as his Parliament would think fit May it please therefore the wisdome and goodness of both Houses of Parliament setting aside those plausible insinuations which undermine the principles of Government to see that the permission of Roman Catholicks is not onely contrary to the peace quiet and union of the subject but also dangerous to the constitution and threatning to the welfare of this Church and Kingdome and not let that be promoted upon shallow and fallacious suggestion of any interest and advantage especially since the wisdome of France The Duke of Rhoan hath made it appear to the world and your wisdom makes it clear to your selves That the Protestant Religion is the Interest of England FINIS The excellent Reasons of the Honourable House of Commons against Indulgence with Historical Observations thereupon BUt to what end do we trouble the World with our inconsiderable Reasons now we are all concluded by the common reason of the Kingdome at least that part of it wherein we are included represented by the most Honourable the Commons of England assembled in Parliament then whom the Sun scarce beheld a more noble a more resolved a more unanimous a more loyal and Orthodox Assembly and Assembly as that excellent Bishop said quo nihil videt orbis augustius their famous Vote which may satisfie all your Reasons their Vote at which your conclave at Rome may tremble all the Conventicles in the World shake a dejected and forlorn Church raiseth up its selfe decayed Religion is recovered the soules of the first reformers if they have any sence of things here below rejoyce O if there be joy in Heaven at the recovery of one sinner what is their at the Recovery of a Nation millions of unstable Soules are setled the many breaches of our Church are close that threatning evill of schisme and separation is checked the loose hopes of dangerous men are bounded the callapsed Honour of England is restored former miscariages are expiated for which our gracious King the Defender of the true Ancient and Apostolick Faith heartily thankes them In which the Nobles if they have any sence of their Ancestors Honour will concur with them the reverend Clergy will be bound to pray for them and we with our posterity that are yet unborn will stand up and call them blessed their famous Vote to which we must submit is this The Vote That it be presented to the Kings Majesty as the humble advice of this House That no Indulgence be granted to the Dissenters from the Act of Vniformity And that you may know that this is not an Act of power but of reason not what they think they may but what they think they ought you have added their reason too Ordering That a Committee be appointed to collect and bring in the Reasons of this House for this Vote upon the present Debate to be prescuted to his Majesty and that the nominating of the Committee be adjourned till to morrow morning But reason is not
reason untill it be resolved on it was therefore resolved c. That in the close of the Reasons to be presented to His Majesty for the Vote of advice it being also added That this House will assist His Majesty with their Lives and Fortunes and That the Comittee appointed to bring in the Reasons do pen an Address for that purpose to His Majesty Do you observe their reasons against your suggestions 1. As to the promise of Breda you urge they say you should not trouble his Majesty further with it Reas. 1. Because it is not a Promise in it selfe but only a Gracious Declaration of your Majesties Intentions to do what in You lay and what a Parliament should advise Your Majesty to do and no such Advise was ever given or thought fit to be offered nor could it be otherwise understood because there were Laws of Vniformity then in being which could not be dispensed with but by Act of Parliament They who do pretend a Right to that supposed Promise put the Right into the hands of their Representatives whom they chose to serve for them in this Parliament who have Passed and Your Majesty consented to the Act of Vniformity If any shall presume so say that a Right to this Declaration doth still remaine after this Act Passed It tends to dissolve the very Bonds of Government and to suppose a disability in Your Majesty and the Houses of Parliament to make a Law contrary to any part of Your Majesties Declaration though both Houses should advise Your Majesty to it Against Indulgence that most Honourable House saith 1. That it will establish schisme by a Law In the 24.25 and 26. year of Queen Elizabeth the Non-conformists especially of Kent bestired themselves and procured the Lords of the Councell to write to Arch-Bishop Whitgift to take charitable consideration of their causes that the people of the Realme might not be deprived of their Pastors being diligent learned and zealous though in sâ—me points Ceremoniall they may seeme doubtfull onely in conscience not in willfulnesse Upon this though onely an intercession of the Councell they are incouraged to separate from the Church and upon the Earle of Leicesters Interest what would they do if they had a Law of their side they are hardned to hold a solemne Councell at Cambridge I think to answer our Convocation wherein they made decrees as they call them of such things as do seeme may stand with the peace of Gods Church see Bishop Bancrofts danger pos p. 46. they have a conference at Lambeth before the Lords of the Councell with the Arch-Bishops of Canterbury and York and the Bishop of Winchester Cambdâ—el 1584. and finding but favour no Law all this while on their behalfes in Parliament they erect a Presbytery at Wandsworth in Sunrey Bishop Bancroft Engl. scot 3. b. c. 1. Full. Cent. xvi p. 30 where Offices and rules are agreed on by 24. Presbyters in as much authority as our 26. Arch-Bishops and Bishops this way they settle in London a while after Altar against Altar Post against Post they became violent Anno 1575. and left the sober men Humphrey Fox c. they set up prophesying Anno 1580. and private meetings fasts and conferences they meet at Cuckefield in Suffolke threescore Ministers almost enough to make a convocation where they resolved what was to be Tolerated and what was to be refused again they meet at Cambridge where were many things very solemnly enacted in the year 1585. 1. A Parliament meets 2. Convocation sits 3. an Assembly of Ministers vying with the Convocation gets together they admonish they threaten they plot they get a 16. fold Petition drawn up for them Anno 1587. el 30. they Libel they met at a Synod in Coventry 10th of the 4. Moneth as they write where they resolved thirteen points against the Church Full. xvi Cent. 194. and drew up a discipline and form essential at all times which was tendered to all the classes far and near in England they humble themselves at Northampton for their former Conformity to the Church John test p. 6 Full. p. 196. they refuse Oaths tendred to them they talke of a bickering and then a battle as one Wiggington words it they sollicit the King of Scots assistance May 2. 1591. Hacket and Coppinger grow outragious and threaten the Queen and the Privy Councell at last they grew so odious at Court as Mr. Fuller writes that none durst appear in their behalfe and so they continued all King James his time and King Charles when we had peace untill at last this Schisme in the Warre was established by a pretended Law and England knowes very well what it is to establish Schisme by a Law In the latter end of King James his Reign there was a Toleration propounded and immediately the Popish policy and Government was set up in opposition to ours they had Archbishops to our Archbishops Bishops to our Bishops their meeting of Priest to our Convocation their Masse to our Common Prayer And so Cromwell told his Cronies in a thing called a Parliament in his loose time that they had their Hierarchy setled and that they had an orderly Government within his Government this this it is to have a Schisme established by Law 2. The Honourable House of Commons are against Indulgence to dissenters because it will make the Government of the Church precarious and Contemptible What can a Bishop do if there be parties to which all the guilty will betake themselves to elude his Authority he excommunicates they seperate and excommunicate themselves He cites they undervalue him He threatneth they as the Church wardens of Saint Anne Aldersgate say they will try it with him he would turn out a Parish-clark like him of Black-fryers he goeth to Law with him The Indulged Party will be the receptacle of all the discontented ambitious turbulent and guilty Persons which the Law threatneth discipline correcteth and justice punisheth 3 The Honourable House of Commons are against Indulgence Because It will no way become the Gravity or Wisedome of a Parliament to pass a Law at one Sessions for Vniformity and at the next Sessions the reasons of Vniformity continuing still the same to pass another Law to frustrate or weaken the execution of it The most happy constitutions are they that are maturely debated resolvedly enacted and not without great reason and much time repealed The first Parliament that ever was in England ordered that the same Assembly should not repeale and make Laws A Parliament Hen. the thirds time refused to alter a most inconvenient Law because they thought no inconvenience greater then Alteration of Laws so in K. Hâ—n 7. Hen. 8. Q. Eliz. Reign 4 The Honourable House of Commons are against indulgence Because It will expose His Majesty to the restless Importunity of every Sect and Opinion and of every single Person also who shall presume to dissent from the Church of England It will be a cause of increasing Sects and
must we needs have these among us that may persuade people too much inclined of themselves to sit in ignorance among us who after all our pains to instruct an ignorant world now persuade poor souls to be still alienated from the life of God to have their understanding still darkened to retain still the blindnesse of their hearts and can the enemy of mankind do any more shall we have those in the midst of us who notwithstanding all our endeavours to teach the world a saving knowledge of God shall yet and alas the murderer from the beginning desires no more persuade mankind that it is a vein thing to be filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding no Christian state can Tolerate those people whose Religion is to keep the world in ignorance of all Religion who know we must love God yet will not suffer us to know him who know we must obey him yet wil not suffer us to know his will Reason 2. That way that persuades men to believe and live by the traditions of men and to make the word of God of none effect is not to be tollerated how can a King who must give an account of himself to God answer for his connivance at that profession which teacheth men to live not by the will of God that made them but by the will of men like themselves How can Kings answer it if they suffer men to live by the Law of men and not of God will God endure that the world should be governed by the Creature and not by the Creator But Popery takes men off from the wil of God they say we have no Scripture but what the Pope allow do not they teach and that among Christians too that we must think the Scripture the word of God no longer than the Church saith it is so do not they write and that among us that waite upon God to hear the Scripture weekly and dayly that their customes and opinions are to be the Rule and foundation of our faith as well as the Scripture do not they equal the Popes decrees to Gods word and say their Church may impose new Articles of faith upon poor Souls every day prefering the judgement of the Church before the counsel of God that say the authority of the Church in its Laws is above the authority of God in the Scripture and yet the authority of the Pope in his decrees is above the authority of the Church in her Laws that say God in his word did not say enough to save men did not speak cleerly enough to instruct them in the knowledg of the truth Be wise O ye Kings be instructed O ye Judges of the Earth to what end hath he set up you but to see that men should walk according to his will to what end hath God advanced you but to see that men lived according to his Law hath God raised you up and will you suffer Anti-Christ to advance himself above every thing that is called God doth not God see this doth not he observe it Reason 3. That way which buildeth the salvation of men upon the Infallibility of one man is not to be tolerated Popery doth so therfore c. O Princes do you not watch over your people for good have you any care of precious Souls will you endure those men that will not suffer us to rest upon the foundation of God which standeth sure and allure us to trust in the foundation of men that wil fail wil you indulge men that delude your people to rely upon man that is a lye and the son of man that may deceive will your God keep silence when he observes you looking on men making one another a God and yet keep silence will you stand by and see God robbed of his honour and vain man indeavouring to be as God and use not that power God gave you to punish hath he pulled down the usurpers of your throne and will you not keep under the usurpers of his attributes hath he overturned them that would be Kings as well as you and will you encourage them that would be infallible as well as he can you stand still and see so many perish and led away in that great Errour of the wicked That man is Infallible O suffer not that way which leadeth us to man bottometh us upon man and leaveth us short of God Reason 4. That way that leaves men no certain way to be saved is not to be Tolerated Popery is that way c. When poor Souls would know how to be saved They say hear the Church If he say how shall I know wether the Church is infallible They say by the Scripture how shall we know the Scriptures they say by the Church O wil you suffer your subjects O ye Kings to be thus led in a maze to be thus perplexed in a circle for eternity is this your kindness to give them leave to be utterly at a loss for another world Is this Indulgence to let them live and dye they know not how besides its a cruel Favour to let people throw away their Souls upon these uncertain traditions decrees c. that the most learned can hardly understand if you love them keep them to the Law of God which is perfect converting the Soul the Testimoney of the Lord which is sure making wise the simple the commandement of the Lord which is pure enlightning the eyes the fear of the Lord which is clean enduring for ever the judgements of the Lord which are true and righteous altogether however be not so unmerciful us to let Christians cease to hear the Scripture that they may hear the Pope cease to be Christians that they may be Papists Reason 5 Being there is but one safe way to Salvation do you think that the Protestant way is that way or is it not If it be not why do you live in it If it be how can you find in your heart to give your subjects liberty to go another way can you in your Conscience give them leave to go on in that course in which in your conscience you think you could not be saved Reason 6. A way to serve God which no man can know must not be Tolerated O we must not be Indulged to worship we know not what Popery is a way that no man can certainly know For the Papists way is to believe as the Church believes Now a man knoweth not whether he believe a right in that way if he is not sure 1. That the Church of Rome is the true Church 2. That this Church is by the promise made to St. Peter infallible 3. That the Pope is Peter's true successor 4. They must know that he is rightly qualified duly well-chosen to his place 5. Whether the Cardinals the People or the Emperour have the right power to make a Pope For there have been Popes chosen by all these at one time 6. They must know which of
danger the Papists disturbed us indeed formerly but their Estates secured us they threatned us and their Estates maintained those forces by Sea and Land that protected us shall we now increase our danger in allowing their liberty and yet quit those two parts of their Estates by which we weathered out the danger what at once let in an enemy and weaken our selves Reason 12. Blasphemy must not be tollerated he that blasphemed was to be put to death you know Popery is Blasphemy do not your ears tingle to hear them say that God in the Scripture is not infallable but the Pope in his decrees is 2. That they can make a God of a piece of bread 3. That that God may be eaten by the most wicked man yea the most vile creature by a Dog or a Mouse c. Shall the name of God through you be blasphemed God forbid Reason 13. That way which brings to an uncertainty is not to be tollerated c. Will you suffer men to live among us that perswade us we must not believe our eyes that are so deceitful that when we see a piece of bread must needs insinuate to us that we see a God a Saviour if we cannot trust our eyes how shall we live if we cannot trust our sences how can we know you and obey you how can we know the Scripture and believe it O suffer not those men among us that are about to perswade us that we must not believe our eyes and that we can know nothing Reason 14. They are not to be tollerated who turn all Religion to interest and formality will you endure them that teach poor men no more religion then 1. the advancement of one to be head of the Church For let us believe what we will if we deny that the Pope is head of the Church we are damned 2. then a few formalities and ceremonies will you suffer poor men to rest in a form of Godliness denying the power thereof will you let Christianity turn a piece of Pagentry and all Christians walk in a vain shew will you not once appear before that God that is to be worshiped in Spirit and in truth and can you forbear 't when you look abroad and see the Holy and Blessed God mocked with histrionical gawdy vain bablings childish canting saying and hearing they know not what God forbid we should countenance that in the world by a Christian Religion whose businesse is to mock God with an unreasonable Service and to set up man in an unreasonable pomp greatnesse dominion and tyranny over the world O shall the spiritual and inward frame and power of Religion be turned to an outward shew Reason 15. That Religion that allows men the greatest liberty to sin is not to be tollerated c. Shall you who have power given you to restrain evil allow a Religion that gives the greatest liberty to it In vain are you Kings if you allow that way which can dispence with all oaths and obligations of Subjects unto Kings In vain will you make Laws against prophanesse if you indulge a Religion if I may so call it which may give indulgence to all prophanesse In vain will you punish if you suffer men to think the Pope may pardon In vain do you trust your Subjects upon their oaths and promises if you countenance that Religion that teach men to equivocate to speak one thing to mean another In vain do you professe the Protestant-Religion if you allow that Religion that gives men liberty to dissemble any Religion to be Anabaptists to be Quakers to be any thing to promote their own cause Will you permit that way which leads men to these abominable courses My soul come not thou into their secrets Shall the poor people be given over to believe Lyes and Legends and when they have seen their ridiculousnesse and folly at last come to believe nothing their holy frauds and cheats making most of the antient writings uncertain a mischief as we cannot expresse so they cannot repair Reason 16. A way that engageth poor souls in certain perjury contradiction and impossibility is not tollerable c. The Papists Can you O ye tender hearted Princes see poor souls perplexed thus with impossibilities amazed with contradictions and plunged in perjury and consider that posterity will write that these things were done in your days and that the poor souls will complain at the last day Alas woe is us we were undone under your government O most excellent Governours we hope better things of you Reason 17. A Party whose businesse it is to puzzle people in their Religion and debauch them in their lives is not to be tollerated The Papists are such c. they puzzle us with divisions that we know not what to do but return to Popery where though we do err yet they bear us in hand that we cannot err They debauch poor souls with Licenciousnesse that when they are troubled in conscience and upon their death-bed know not how to be saved they may in dispair throw themselves into Popery for that pardon and indulgence which no other Religion can afford them In vain do you set up an Ecclesiastical government if you endure another way to take in those whom your Discpline cast out when we have taught the people faithfully admonished them sincerely reproved them severely censured them justly and excomunicated them solemnly They in Contempt of you and us can turn Papists and laugh at us for Popery and Schism is the sinne and channe that receives the excrements and filth of our Church when we tell men of their sins they run to the Papists and they tell them they are venial when we restrain men they run to them of the separation and there are at liberty to do what they please it is in vain to make Laws if a party of dissenters be tollerated with whom loose men may find Refuge against all Laws Reason 18. What destroyes your Government most Excellent Prince under which we lead peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty secure in our lives estates and libertie is not to be tolerated Popery destroyeth your Government they set up one whom they must obey for conscience sake while they obey you onely for conveniency theire Priests may do what they please you have no power over them Sr. if the Question between us were whether we should be holy or prophane whether we should obey Christ or not whether we should be good Christians and Subjects or not we should be ashamed to come behinde them but when we consider that all this stir is to set up one man above the world shall we gratify his ambition and promote his designe against our own Interest and welfare now they care peaceable indeed but let a Priest be discontented and what State can promise to please them alwayes and they will let you know what it is to let Priests and Jesuits into England they will incense the people promote discontents conviegh
whispers occasion misunderstandings and make you weary of your Government and life Reason 19. You must not tolerate Popery unless you will withal tolete all these heresies which are contained in Popery viz. 1. That the word of God I tremble to write it is obscure imperfect and insufficient to lead us to all truth that may save us and to keep us from all error that may damn us 2. That men must rest upon the judgement of men for salvation 3. That some if not all are born without sin which one opinion may undoe the world by keeping it in ignorance of is misery and in a neglect of the way of safety 4. That man works out his salvation by the power of nature and is saved by the merit of his works 5. That some sins are venial and deserve not death though the Law saith the man is accursed that continueth not in all things commanded in the Law to do them 6. That the sin against the holy Ghost is not unpardonable 7. That Christ is not God of himself and that bread and wine is God 9. That there are many Mediators as the Virgin Mary c. besides that one Mediator Jesus Christ by whose merits we are saved That Saints are to be worshipped 10. That we must still offer sacrifice that preaching is the way of hereticks 11. That the vertue of Sacraments depend upon the intention of a Priest 12. That the observation of outward Ceremonies is the essence of divine worship 13. That mingle so many Ceremonies with the pure worship and holy Sacraments 14. That the grace of God depends upon these Cereâ—onies and the outward observance of them 15. That some meats are unlawful 16. That priests marriages are unlawful 17. That a few words turn the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. 18. That one and the same body of Christ is in heaven and in earth all one 19. That men must worship creatures 20. That none are saved by the Sacrament who communicate in both kinds against the judgement of the Church 21. That men can pardon sin 22. That Mass may save men after they are dead 23. That if man believes in Christ he cannot be saved unless he believe in the Pope That Kings may be deposed and murthered by their Subjects c. They that indulge Popery indulge almost all the Heresies that are in the world Popery being nothing else but a forrage of old errors heresies and superstition brought into the Church to serve the interest of men is it a light thing with us to suffer damnable heresies shall we hang men for injuries done to few men and shall suffer them that intend to damn all Reason 20. We ought not at this time to set up Popery when God seems according to the prophesies that went before of it to pull it down what when Babylon is falling shall we put an hand to uphold it when the Kings who have given their Kingdoms to her threaten her shall we Indulge her REV. 18.1 2 3 4 5. And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightened with his glory And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of of her fornication and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies And I heard another voice from heaven saying Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues For her sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembred her iniquities Reas. 21 That which we pray against we should not allow we pray against Popery c. shall we not deliver our selves from all false Doctrine and Heresie when we pray from all false Doctrine and Heresie good Lord deliver us Do we pray that Antichrist may be destroyed and yet do we uphold him do we set a solemn day viz. 5. of November to thank God that he delivered us from the superstition Idolatry Heresie Tyranny and cruelty of Rome and shall we admit them O do nothing against your Faiâ—h do nothing against your prayers Reas. 22. If the Papists may with a safe conscience conforme with us then we ought not to comply with them but they may conform with us therefore c. our Religion is the same it was in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reign but when they came to our Churches they heard our prayers and our Sermons why can they not do it now yea many of them come to our Churches now why may they not all do so the Pope forbids them they say and do they deserve an indulgence from our Magistrates who will rather obey a foreign Power then submit to our lawes they are not worthy of protection much less of favour among us that own a forreign power which they assert for disobedience to our own Reas. 23. If we had the happiest times for peace plenty prosperity and general satisfaction to all people when the severest Lawes against Papists were made then we ought not to mitigate those Lawes the restraint of faction is our security their indulgence is our danger O the happy yeares of Queen Elizabeth when Papists durst not shew their heads the blessed time of King James when a Priest durst not be seen we date our happinesse from that hour in Queen Elizabeths time that Popery was voted treason we date our miseries from that time in the last yeares of King James that it was declared Tolerable what calme what peace what quiet what unity order and uniformity before what feares what jealousies what troubles what dangers what divisions and disorders since Reas. 24. And what you think would our fore-Fathers say if they saw those whom they resisted unto blood enjoyning equal liberty with themselves methinks Reverend Cranmer's ashes stirre at the mention of the Toleration of Popery methinks the blood of Martyrs cryes aloud no Toleration of Popery the Millâ—oâ—s that have been massacred in Ireland c câ—y how long Lord good and true will thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth shall God avenge and will you indulge Reas. 25 And to say no more when I see Coutzen Campanella Allen c. laying this mâ—thod for the undermining of the reformed Religion and the promoting the Popish viz. 1. That seeing the Papists are so odious among Protestants they would put on the visors of severall Sects and factions and under that pretence oppose the established Religion in any Country privately with more successe then they did openly 2 They should endeavour to make the Sects so considerable as to gain an universall Toleration wherein they might be included by the benefit whereof they
fine is intollerable in England and doeth mens reason tell them that the inquisition is tollerable in Spain Be not partiall in your selves but judge righteous judgement desire no more in reason from us then you would in reason allow us Should not be persecuted alas for you how modestly you insinuate should not be persecuted you meane no harme only you would not be oppressed very good and how are you persecuted your Priests are safe your estates are intyre your way is connived at and yet what paines you take to prove you should not be persecuted will you never leave your trickes thus when you lived peaceably among us you perswaded the World we eate you up we oppressed we tormented you in so much that some of your people take us for Devils and not for men and think England is an Hell or a Purgatory as well for Papists as for Hoâ—ses Fye upon these Religious cheates and devout frauds is this the way to uphold an holy cause what will yee lye for God and do so great an evil that any good may come thereof God forbid should not be persecuted A subtle yet a palpable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O sirs this is not the first time you meant more then you spoke i. e. should be tolerated and at full liberty to deceive and be deceived not be persecuted that is in the English that was spoken in Queen Maries dayes persecute we are not ignorant of your devices we know that an Indulgence to vice is a punishment to virtue that a toleration of errour is but a subtle oppression of truth and an indulgence to you is but a sly persecution of us you know we desire not to persecute you but to secure our selves we make no Laws against your Religion but for our own we onely establish the truth we apprehend and take care that we be not seduced to the errours we fear If you will needs oppose these Laws which you know will punish you undermine this truth which you know will prevail against you and promote those errours which you know will undo you blame us not your ruine is of your selves we may say that we desire not you misery if you suffer any but that you should turn from your evil ways and live among us Not be persecuted If we persecute you it is onely in part of your Estates which you can easily part with and live very well that we may save your souls we correct that we may reform you we give you over to some punishment that you may be saved in the day of the Lord. What you think severity is the greatest mercy what you call cruelty is the greatest kindness in the world as being a kindness to souls and that for Eternity Should not be persecuted and who of you is persecuted 1. Not your Priests for they are onely enjoyned to stay in those forreign parts whither they went against Law and Allegiance of their own accord and forbid their own Countries which they have of their own accord forsaken If they stay at home they may have the priviledge of Subjects if they will run beyond Sea for order and power to do mischief here they must be punished as fugitives for the world must know that the French Spaniards c. do not suffer with us onely such English men as must needs go abroad to learn that mischief which they may practice at home 2. Not your People for they onely pay little more then others towards that charge of the Government which they occasion you endanger our Government more then others you pay a little more towards the support of it then others It 's true you are charged two parts of three of your Estates but you usually come off with a slight composition which you may very well afford towards the security of the Government which you so much hazard Is it persecution to allow something of your superfluities for the Kings necessities especially when it is not so much as the Pope extorted from you when he called England Puteus inexhaustus You pay nothing now for Bulls Pardons Licenses Dirges obits Vestments Crosses c. You may have a cheap way of serving God and therefore I hope you may afford his Majesty the more that he may maintain that way Should not be persecuted You are not persecuted for Religion but punished for disobedience You say you disobey for conscience sake be that between God and you the Magistrates observe your actions and punish them your hearts they know not and therefore they judge them not There is no governing of Mankind if the Magistrate must not punish mens actions which he seeth but indulge them for their conscience which he seeth not Should not be persecuted You are not persecuted but onely disabled from persecuting us you are weakned in your Estates onely that you may not ruine us you are uncapable of power that you may not oppress us to live quietly soberly and honestly you have enough to live seditiously dangerously and factiously you have too much We are so indulgent to you that you want nothing which may be necessary for your livelyhood though we are so jealous over you that you want that which may be necessary for your designe we take away part of your Estates that you may not be capable of attempting that whereby you may forfeit the whole Here I observe two Rules 1. The one of Charity teaching not to do to others what we would not have done to our selves where we must distinguish what we would not in reason and what we would not in interest If I were a malefactor in interest I would not be punisht if I were a Judge in reason I would punish a malefactor so if I were in an errour self-love would distaste to me a desire of advancing my errour If I held the truth contrary to that errour conscience would suggest to me my duty to suppress that for the advancement of a truth to the case in hand if you should really think we were deceived and went astray we would have you by all means discover to us the errours of our waies and restrain us from them and now we really think you in damnable errors we would convince you of those errors and by all means restrain you from them 2. The other rule is of prudence teaching to bear with you the lesser inconveniences as coming neerest to us that we may be able to suppress other factions that go farthest from us 1. Of two inconveniences we may chuse the least but of two sins we may chuse none and really I think it sin in me to countenance any thing in which I judge against Gods truth and way if I can discountenance it 2. To bear with you is to bear wiâ—h all the errors in the World your way being a farrage of all the exploded heresies among Christians 3. Now you know we are under the disgrace of coming too neer your way we must say and will prove it that