entire confidence in his Majesty and the present Government then we do on whole Justice and Goodness we can chearfully rely tho some Mens Ill-will shou'd obstruct this Effect of it Answer For we consider our mutual Agreement in the same Articles of Faith and are glad to find this Author is pleased to declare That the suppressing of Protestant Dissenters by the strict Execution of Penal Laws is a practice that has a just Odium left upon it But are sorry that the just Odium left upon iâ— among us shou'd be wholly confin'd to us and that this practice shou'd have no Censure nor Reflection cast upon it among our Neighbours And 't is strange the Author shou'd say that there is so apparent Contrariety in it to the Mild and Merciful Genius of our Holy Religion seeing he cannot but know the time when 't was an avowed doctrine and a general practice among the Presbyterians and Independents to barr the members of the Church of England from the free exercise of divine Worship according to their Consciences And 't is strange that this practice shou'd be so apparently contrary to our holy Religion and have so mischievous Effects upon the publick peace here in this Kingdom and yet he thought so great an Evidene of But what does the Answerer mean by those Misdemeanors which be would have it in their Power to repress If he mean Matters of meer Non-conformity which he wou'd have still a Power left to repress then we have but too just occasion to suspect the Designs of those that wou'd obstruct the Indulgence If he mean any other Misdemeanors a Legal Indulgence will not disable the Civil Magistrate from Repressing 'em much less from securing the Establisht Religion from any Danger that a Toleration of Protestants can expose it to Answerer Lastly As to what he saith concerning His Majesties Declaration I desire this Author to consider more seriously whether there be not some others in the Three Kingdoms besides the Protestant Dâ—stenters of Ireland to whom one great End of His Majesties Declaration is yet unaccomplisht and whether there be a Law made to cover the Protestant Episcopal Clergy in Scotland from Persecution on the account of Religion Reply I doubt not the Answerer is by this time satisfied to how little purpose this Question is askt and what Repâ—y may be given to it For no Protestants are Persecuted in Scotland on the Account of Religion either by the Civil or Ecclesiasticals â—overnment Nay the Meetings of the Episcopal Clergy have long been undisturb'd tho they refused 〈◊〉 own he King's Authority But sure our Answerer cannot expect there should be 〈◊〉 Low to Tolerate those that will not own the Civil Authority by which they are Tolerated And were the Dissenter here so disaffected to the Government they cou'd have 〈◊〉 presence to desire a Legal Toleration The Second â—â—â—â—g desir'd by Protestant Dissenters is That there be no such Clause◠〈◊〉 next to this Bill as wou'd disable 'em from serving their King and their Country As to this The Answerer saith That in plain Terms 't is no more than this That where Eâ—â—e to Tender Consciences is the only thing they formerly desired They now claim it as their due to be adâ—â—â—ed also into all honourable and profitable Employments and without these whatever Ease be given to their Consciences 'T is to be 〈◊〉 they will have no quiet in their minds Reply The Protestant Pâ—stâ—â—â—rs of Ireland do not as the Answerer seems to insiâ—nate here seek any 〈◊〉 Priviledg or Favour but only are unwilling to have a New Yoke put upon 'em They claim nothing as their due in Reference to the Civil Government but to be Treated at Dutiful Subject without having any Mark of publick Infamy and distrust put upon 'em by a New Law And if any shou'd attempt to do so they may well forgive the Protestant Dissenters That tho' they have ease to their conscience yet they shou'd have no great quiet in their 〈◊〉 for they have their Lives and Fortunes to Secure of which 't is no wonder if they shou'd be fearful when they see some â—â—en so unwilling to consult our common Saâ—eâ—y in a Kingdom liable to so frequent Returns of fatal Irish Rebellions The Author of the Case propos'd several Arguments to shew the â—expediency of any such Test as shall disable Protestant Dissenters from serving their King and their Country As First The Sacrament Test in England was chiefly design'd against the Pâ—pists To which the Answerer Replies That the Dissenters aâ—e included in the Body of the Act. Reply None doubts but that Act enjoyns the Sacramental Test But â—â—e Preface as well as Title of the Act shews That the End propos'd was the preventing Dangers from Popish Recusants which End wou'd be sufficiently attain'd by the Declaratory Test against Popery in that Act tho' the Sacrament Test were left out But the Answerer adds If the Zeal of the English Dissenters against Popery in the late times has not exempted 'em from a Sacramental Test our Dissenting Brethren in this Kingdom cannot with modesty expect that their late Services should entitle 'em to any such Immunities Reply Even the Zeal of English Dissenters did in His Majesties Judgment deserve such a Favour as the Removal of that Test there which he mov'd his first Parliament to in his Speech to 'em But the Protestant Dissenters of Ireland who were noâ— hamper'd with this Clog as those of England were had the opportunity of shewing their Zeal more Remarkably And 't were hard to put that very Clog on 'em now to our freedom from which we must in part ascribe it that this whole Kingdom was not then entirely lost Secondly The Author of the Case Argues That such a Test for disabling Protestant Dissenters for any Publick Services is against the common Protestant Interest of Ireland This Argument the Author more largely insisted on than the Answerer seems willing either to Repeat or Consider However Let us hear what he Objects Answerer Our Circumstances indeed vastly differ as he says from those of England For here the Establisht Church is more in danger then there by Protestant Dissenters as well as by the common Enemy In England one unmixt People doe compose the Body of the Nation c. Here we are made up of several Nations and there is a daily Accession of great Numbers from a Neighbouring Kingdom of whom the meaner sort are generally of a different Communion tho the Gentry and Nobility c. are generally Conformists Reply The Author of the Case Argues from the common Protestant Interest of Ireland That since the Papists in this Kingdom are Ten or perhaps twenty to one Protestant 't is therefore necessary to give the Protestant Interest the widest Basis here by excluding no Protestants from Publick Service That is if a thousand Men have ten or twenty thousand Enemies to secure themselves against 'T is against their Interest to divide their Strength
THE Case of the Dissenting Protestants of IRELAND In Reference to a Bill of Indulgence Vindicated from the Exceptions alledg'd against it in a late Answer THE Author of the Case had mention'd two things desir'd by Protestant Dissenters in reference to a Bill of Indulgence viz. First That it give 'em a full security for the free Exercise of their Religion Secondly That there be no such Clauses annext to it as may disable 'em from serving their King and their Countrey The Answerer undertakes to shew that tho the Author of the Case have truly represented their desires he has but weakly argued for granting of ' em Now tho the Author is so conscious to himself of his own mean abilities as to be ready to suspect that so just a Cause may have suffer'd by being in so weak hands yet he does not see any such strength in the Answerer's Replys as shou'd discourage him from the defence even of those weak Arguments from any thing the Answerer has alledg'd to take off the force of ' em Whether this opinion be founded on reason or on that partiality to his own Cause which all men are prone to must be left to the Reader 's Judgment First The Protestant Dissenters desire such a Bill of Indulgence as shou'd give 'em a full security for the free Exercise of their Religion As to this the Answerer indeed tells us That he believes there are few or none but will agree to it Tho he thinks it plain the Author's Arguments do not evince the necessity of it I might therefore justly satisfy my self that there are some considerations or other for which the generality even of those of the Establish't Church are willing to grant to Protestant Dissenters the free exercise of their Religion But since the Answerer thinks the former Reasons alledg'd for it to be insufficient and speaks of such a Toleration as rather in it self a very inconvenient thing which they are inclin'd to grant more out of compliance with the importunity of those that desire it then any sense of it's reasonableness as Parents humour their Children in giving 'em things that are pleasing to their palats tho prejudicial to their health only because they eagerly desire ' em I shall a little examine what he has offer'd against those Arguments alledg'd for the Necessity and Reasonableness of it and I do this the rather because those Answers of his suggest several common prejudices against Protestant Dissenters which are of late industriously spread and I fear very deeply rooted in the minds of many tho founded on very unhappy mistakes and misinformation about 'em so that the Removal of 'em will probably tend to promote a more charitable temper in Protestanâ—â— towards one another And this is a design fit to be pursued at all times and never more seasonable then now when there are so earnest endeavours us'd to heighten our differences in order to obstruct the happy effects of our mutual confidence and affection The First Argument alledg'd in the Case is That since the security of the Protestant Interest in this Kingdom consists in the Number and Union of Protestants this Bill will promote both by drawing Protestant Dissenters from abroad by uniting all Protestants at home and by giving the Goverment a more rooted Interest in the affections of Protestant Dissenters the guilt of many intemperate hearts or shou'd not any unchristian severities that are chargeable 〈◊〉 either in former times serve as Sea marks to warn both of the danger of relapsing into those excessâ—s oâ— misguided Zeal which all unprejudic't and moderate persons condemn 'em for And should not all that wish for a better understanding between Protestants rather study to bury such ungrateful passages oâ— both hands if possible in perpetual silence Answerer 3dly Whether those that are the most moderate among 'em can with any reason expect but that with the same measure they have meeted to their Brethren the Episcopal Clergy in their own Countrey It shou'd be measured to them again when they come to settle in this Kingdom Reply I perceive the Answerer did not well understand matters of Fact when he propos'd this dangerous Question For if according to his own Rule the Dissenting Ministers from Scotland may expect the same measure here that is allow'd to the Episcopal Clergy there Then they might preach in Parish-Churches and enjoy the Revenues that belong to 'em on no other teâ—â—s then the Oath of Fidelity to the King and their behaving themselves worthily in Doctrine â—â—â—e and Conversation without ever declaring their Judgment in the matters of Church-Government For on these very terms do all the Episcopal Clergy in Scotland that were possest of publick Churches when the Kâ—ng accepted that Crown continue and are by Act of Parliament secured in the exercise of their publick Ministry except those that were turn'd out for crimes wherein their Judgment as Episcopal is not concern'd But of these matters I shall have farther occasion to inform the Answerer more fully who I perceive is under strange misapprehensions about ' em Whereby it will evidently appear how little occasion there was for the Answerer's concluding this Paragraph with those sharp words So that if any Indulgence be granted 't is purely the result of our own Charitable inclinations and a plain evidence to the World that our just Resentment of their severity to others has not alâ—â—nated our affectious from ' em For he will find 't is not their severities in Scotland but his mistakes about 'em that have kindled these warm Resentments in the Answerer and in too many others that have been impos'd upon by groundless reports Answerer Neither will this Indâ—lgence probably tend to the uniting of Protestants at home as â—s too fully prov'd by Experience in England where the present Tolleraâ—â—on has not had that good effect neither can we in reason expect it shou'd be more successful here For if it equally extend to all parties and denominations of Protestont Dissenters their mutual jealousies of one another and their respective endeavours to propagate their opinions and to promote then temporal interests will naturally create great heats and animosities But if the benefit of the Indulgence be unequally distributed it will be so far from being a means of supporting theâ—â—t will considerably weaken the Goverment by disobliging all but those that are particularly encourag'd and caress't Repl. The Author of the Case in his Argument evidently speaks of an union between Conforming and Dissenting Protestants which he supposes this Bill wou'd promote And herein he suppoâ—eâ— no more then what the Parliament of England did who brought in this Bill there as the most effectual means to unite all Protestants in affection And sure this Bill must be a proper means to attain that end if mens affections be best united when they have no reasonable ground to apprehend any danger from one another But the Answerer seems to mistake him as if he spake of the
worse Circumstances then they are now in when the Dissenters desire no more then that things may continue in the same peaceable and amicable posture they are in or what is the same that a Legal Tolleration may secure to 'em what they now enjoy through the favour of the Government And I wou'd fain know what Rights of the Church have been hazarded since this Revolution unless the Answerer supposes it the peculiar Right of Conforming Protestants that none shou'd serve the Government but themselves But why may not the Government employ a few Protestant Dissenters in a few inferior Offices as they now do without admitting them into so many and so Important ones as should give 'em any power or opportunity to alter the present Church-Government These things are easily consistent And the answerer knows well enough There is no ground to fear lest the Government here shou'd so fart Deviate from the measures of England as to be guilty of so great a mistake as to put the Dissenters into any Capacity of overturning the Establisht Church Much less need the Answerer fear that the Conformist Officers at Derry Iniskillen Crum c. should apprehend themselves wrong'd that those who were embark't with 'em in the same Cause should have some small share with 'em in the Rewards of their Courage None that are generous enough to value true merit wou'd envy the just recompence of it And I perceive the Answerer himself has so much of that good quality as not to think it altogether inconvenient that such Persons shou'd be excepted from the proposed Test But I am sorry that he should think it Convenient to disable all Dissenting Protestants for the future from Imitating the Commendable Zeal and Courage of their Bretheren as if he either envy'd the Reputation they have acquir'd or Imagin'd there would never be any more occasion for their assistance 〈◊〉 preserve their Country For the Argument drawn from the unfitness of the Sacrament Test I need only suggest the following particulars to invalidate the Answerer's Replys 1. The Government may have occasion to employ many in publick Offices especially military oneâ— and apparently does employ many that shou'd be rather according to the Rubrick debarr'd from the Sacrament then thus driven to it 2. If those be the fittest to be employed by the State that give the greatest Evidences of their Piety to Almighty God Then I suppose the Answerer will allow us to estimate the Piety of the Establisht Church by that of those who enjoy Civil and Military preferments in it And then I hope also that such shou'd not be excluded from this Priviledg who give equal Evidences of their Piety with any of their Fellow subjects 3. To make the different Mode of Receiving the Sacrament such a Test is to make it the Engine of a State-party and consequently a means to divide the affections of those whom the Sacrament it self shou'd unite in mutual Love 4. It will no way justifie the reasonableness of making the different Mode of Receiving the Test of all Offices in the State because the Interest of Religion is little concern'd in it and 't is but comparatively a trivial thing For the more trivial it is The less weight shou'd any wiâ—e Government lay upon it and the more willing shou'd they be to leave Men to their Liberty about it But says the Answerer Why shou'd any separate for so trivial a matter and why shou'd the State employ those that refuse to give so trivial and inconsiderable a mark of their complyance with it's Orders Repl. The Answerer sure cannot be ignorant that when these different Modes of Worship are call'd trivial 't is in respect of their Intrinsique Importance not in respect of the Consciences of those that scruple ' em Now that may be in it self an inconsiderable thing which yet the Conscience of a wiâ—â— Man may for fear of sinning not dare to comply wiâ—h For instance The Eating or not Eating of Blood is comparatively a small and trivial matter And yet many Men no way inferior to the Answerer in either Learning or Wisdom have thought the Eating of blood unlawful among Christians themselves Now let us suppose the number of such were as considerable in the Kingdom as that of Protestant Dissenters is Wou'd it be any way becoming the prudence of the Government to make this trivial difference the Test of a State-partyâ— Wou'd it be a fit Law for the wisdom of a Nation to enact That none shou'd be admitted to serve their King and their Countrey that scruples the Eating of a black Pudding And yet the Interest of the State wou'd be as much concern'd in the decision of this Question as that of the Church and of real Religion in the other There are indeed some whose judgment has that latitude that they cou'd Receive the Sacrament either Kneeling Sitting or Standing But there are many no way inferior for Wisdom or Integrity whatever the Answerer insinuates to the contrary who think themselves oblig'd to Receive in the posture most suitable to a Religious Feast and really scruple Kneeling in the Act of Receiving tho they either kneel or stand at the solemn worship offer'd before and after I shall not here either espouse their Opinion or examine the grounds of it but only infer how unreasonable a stress those lay on a dubious Rite that is comparatively of so small moment who wou'd render all those unserviceable to their Country and thereby debar 'em from the common Rights of all Dutiful and Well-affected Subjects who cannot comply with it Whereas often the best of Men are pronest to scruple what the worst can without any difficulty swallow Lastly The Author argues That the Establish't Church will be no way endanger'd by the Indulgence To which the Answerer replys That tho the Horors Revenues of the Clergy are secur'd to 'em yet none can foresee the difficulties the Conforming Clergy may possibly contest with in asserting the Rites of the Church if Non Conformist's were qualâ—fied for Civil offices Reply the Non Conformist's have been both before and ever since the Revolution qualified for 'em and yet the Clergy have met with no opposition in asserting the Rites of the Church and I agree with the Answerer that no wise man can foresee any difficulties they are in danger of meeting with for the future But the Answerer adds besides we are far less concern'd for the security of our Temporal Interest then for the Establishment of our ancient holy and peaceable Religion Reply If the Establishment of their ancient holy and peaceable Religion be the great matter the Answerer is concern'd for Those who desire the Toleration will openly declare their embracing the same Religion and Faith with ' em And for the other matters in difference we must beg the Answerers pardon if we think that 't is chiefly Temporal Interest has hitherto rendred some men so deaf to all Proposals for an accommodation of ' em I
am glad to find that the Answerer not only owns the good services of the Dissenters in this Kingdom but declares he wou'd not exclude 'em from a capacity of concurring to preserve their Countrey again But 't is strange how he shou'd think they wou'd be in the same circumstances if a like juncture shou'd happen to serve their King and Countrey tho not legally qualifi'd for Offices For they did not then run any risque of severe penalties by commanding the forces they rais'd as now they wou'd do Their hands were then loose whereas now they will be ty'd up and a Legal Padlock clapt on the swords of all that have interest enough to bring men into the Field For what was said of the peaceable behaviour of Protestant Dissenters in this Kingdom since the Answerer does not deny it Why shou'd he go about to detract from it by imputing it to their want of opportunity to shew their turbulency and disaffection to the Government For Scotland I have already shewn him his mistakes about their present practice there For England if he refer to the Civil Wars he has been often told they were begun by Conformists with whom it was no wonder if the persecuted Non-Conformists did concurr to be shelter'd from their Persecutors And for their Principles in reference to Civil Government I wou'd desire the Answerer to shew me any difference between those contain'd in the 39 Articles and in the Assemblys Confession of Faith The Answerer concludes That no Motives ought to prevail on 'em to make such large Concessions to the Dissenters as will in all probability shake the foundations of the Establisht Church Reply Nor are any such large Concessions desir'd But I hope the Answerer does not take it for one of the foundations of the Establisht Church that none shou'd serve the Government huâ— themselves For if he do nothing can in this Kingdom so probably shake the Establisht Church as the making its foundation too narrow and nothing can so effectually strengthen it as the making it a little wider to comprehend those whom in this case interest as well as gratitude will oblige to support it All I shall add in reference to the Answerer and all others that are of his opinion in this matter is this If what is here suggested do not convince him of the necessity and reasonableness of granting to the Protestant Dissenters a Toleration without this Test yet the Protestant Dissenters do at least desire that a Toleration with it may not be obtruded upon 'em as a favour For to allude to the Answerer's Expressions concerning it such a Toleration they think wou'd be as prejudicial to their health as 't is distasteful to their palars and to force it on 'em wou'd be to act like those churlish Parents that when their children ask for Bread give 'em a stone and when they ask for fish give 'em a serpent Since the writing this Paper I have seen another which is only a Transcript of the 2d part of the Answer with Enlargements indeed but little or no amendments Entituled The Case of the Dissenters of Ireland considered in reference to the Sacramental Test But since there is little occurs in it that is material more than what has been already examin'd in the Answer I shall only add the following Reflections on it 1. The Establisht Church in Ireland can never be in any real danger from Protestant Dissenters while Ireland is in such entire dependence on England and nothing can be done here but under the conduct and controll of the Government there Nay the Establisht Church will be much more hazarded then secur'd by narrowing the common Protestant Interest here So that both the Answerer and the Considerer from their eager concern to obviate an imaginary and improbable almost wholly overlook a real and certain danger 2. The Considerer seems ill-employed in reviving these common but groundless jealousies concerning Protestant Dissenters here He does not indeed as the Answerer call those he is jealous of by their own name of Scots but out of a certain tenderness styles 'em Brittish But whereas he takes a peculiar pleasure in repeating the out-worn story of the Solemn League and Covenant as if the Answerer had not said enough of it I wou'd gladly for once ask him whether the most intemperate heats of the Scots Covenanters ever came to that extravagant height as the zeal of the Episcopal Party in that Kingdom when they made it death to Preach or even to Pray in a house with five more present then those of the Family And why shou'd these Gentlemen then delight to rake such matters as these out of the Grave of Oblivion in which they have lain so long when they know that Recriminations are so obvious and may be made to so great advantage Since Time and Experience have done so much to mature the Judgments and mellow the Tempers of men on both sides to more of Wisdom and Peace Why shou'd so much pains be taken to blow up those sparks that are almost wholly extinct And whereas the Considerer starts a new suspicion from the Assemblys Catechism which he tells us declares That a false Worship is not to be Tolerated and that they account that of the Establish't Church to be such To remove this bug-bear also out of the way I need do no more then acquaint him that 't is only a Toleration of a false Religion that the Assembly accounts a breach of the 2d Command But they never accounted that of the Establisht Church to be such as the Considerer here very groundlessly asserts Nay the Protestant Dissenters are ready to give the highest assurance of the contrary possible by subscribing its doctrinal Articles of Religion Nor do the Dissenters desire any other Toleration for their own Worship then what they wou'd think themselves oblig'd in Conscience to give to all their fellow-Protestants So that this Stumbling-block is easily remov'd out of the Considerer's way 3. The Considerer has discover'd the mystery of Church-politicks in the Framing of that Act in England which enjoyns the Sacrament-Test the specious Title whereof is only to prevent dangers from Popish Recusants but it seems the real intent was to choke the Dissenters as well as them 4. The Considerer need not have follow'd the Answerer in boasting of the inclination of French Protestants to their worship when in this Kingdom there are 4 or 5 Churches that adhere to their own tho under all possible discouragements and but one that embrace theirs tho drawn to it by the lure of publick maintenance 5. 'T is a new way of mercy to Dissenters to cure the Errors of their minds by laying the dangerous Temptation before 'em of counteracting their Judgment or their Interest But sure the Establish't Church wou'd have small ground to boast of those proselytes who flee to her only to repair their broken fortunes If the Considerer be for rousing us to the Consideration of our scruples by new