I am heartily sorry I must say that to the end of his Answer he hardly fails of his usual way of Construction For after having made Tolleration as ill a thing as he could and as such the Duke to be the Patron of it He falls on with a whole Volly of hard words asking the Duke p. 27 28 29 If he would give Tolleration to a Rebellious Associating Sanguinary Inhumane Blasphemous Murdering Conscience such as that of Calvanists that Decrees Damnation without free Conditions Kill'd his Master Father and Brother and that particularly used him so ill But this is so far from determining that in ill Language it miserably begs the question by the reflection of false and Scandalous Consequences upon what the Duke said in favour of Indulgence Is there no such thing as Conscience because it may be falsly pretended Or shall a Sober and Moral Conscience be deny'd Indulgence because some or other may or do misuse it And that He may have something to think on I ask if those Calamities were the effects of a Tolleration If so pray when was there one to do us so much mischief The difficulty I know he will have to find one makes me ask him another question If Ease to men in that respect were not the way of greatest Safety to the Publick at least fit to be tryed I must say this Gentleman takes too many things for granted and needs a very merciful Adversary One that will do less then not exact the uttermost Farthing though he himself will reap where he hath not Sown and Compel Conformity where he cannot convince The very point he says His Grace has with so much Justice lasht the Calvinists for and that he himself did but just now call Inhumane and Blaspemous Good-Nature with all that little prudence that falls to my share makes it easier to me to believe that a Christian Tolleration were the best way to prevent the Mischiefs that are said to be the effects of it I say by all means Secure the Government But withall pray let us see if that may not be done by some other and easier method It is pity that it should cost the Liberties or Estates of so vast a People as do Dissent and I would hope without so much as an ill Thought to the King or his Government But he is so in love with the Chase that without any more to do he sends us to the French King p. 29. To take measures for England in point of Religion Which is pretty well for an English-man and a Protestant and perhaps a Doctor too This in any Man had not been well but in an English Protestant with his leave is Impious since it is to draw that Kings Severity into Example and render it a Prudence to be imitated here A Notion he has taught me to call in him Atheistical because it cannot be done by a Protestant Whose Conscience as he says will not let him be of any and of all Religions This yields little Consolation to the French Protestants And if he would but think well upon it not too much to the English Church For if he says true That Lewis the Fourteenth does well to Compel an Vnion of his Subjects in his own Religion He has recommended a Policy that goes a great way to discharge the King of His Promise and make us all of his I don't know whether Coleman's Letters say so much as this that were made the Proof of the Plot. This may make Roman Catholicks amends for p. 27 28 29. To Conclude he is so fond of the Instance that he Appeals to Crowned-Heads in General If a Tolleration be not Inconsistent with their Safety A man had need be well assured at least as far as an Invulnerable Conscience to try his Appeal but that I am and therefore joyn Issue with him submitting with all my heart to their Royal Evidence in the Decision of the Point But because it requires more Room then agrees with the success of this Reply in an Age that loves not length I have chosen to make it a Discourse of it self and refer him thither The Title A Perswasive to Moderation And shall conclude this with the Wise and Christian Judgment of King CHARLES the First in His Advice to the late King Take head says he of abeâ—â—ng any Factions your Partial Adhering to any one side gains you not so great Advantages in some Mens Hearts Who are Prone to be of their Kings Religion as it looseth you in Others Who think themselves and their Profession first Dispised and then Persecuted by You. A Christian Tolleration often Dissipates their Strength whom Rougher Opposiâ—ion Fortifies This was the Councel of a Crowned Head The Judgment of his Adversity Always the Soundest Resentments could not Blind it nor Revenge of wrongs Precipitate it In which he Acted the Christian Prince and not the Amilcar Let us then Remember his Councel with his Afflictions and the one the more endear the other to us least we despise some of the best Fruit of the Autumn of his Life to wit his Wisdom and Goodness that the Gusts of Time and Troubles he lay under did not shake and which he has Recommended to us for a Guide in Future Times to prevent them FINIS
Errors p. 15 Now methinks out of meer pity I am not willing to allow his Rule For if I should first this showing Rule will infallibly shew him that the Dukâ—s Instinct and the Pensilvanian's Doctrine to his unspeakable grief has the hope to be Establish'd by it For there is nothing more Antient more Universal more constantly credited at all times in all places by all Nations then a Divine Instinct in the Natures of Men And then if this attempt upon the Duke has not been Unreasonable as to the Pensilvanian an Honour as much above his hope as his Adversary's intentions let Him Judge My second Reason of unwillingness is this he says p. 16. This Rule would have taught the Duke to avoid the cruel Divinity of Calvinists which his Grace lashes with so much Truth and Justice where besides the non-sence of teaching a Man to dislike a thing he already is allow'd to have lasht with Justice he confirms the Judgment of his Instinct by which he was lead to lash that Doctrine for a Golden Rule But lastly as he has Establish'd the thing he would overthrow so it 's to be fear'd he has overthrown the thing he would Establish And would not a well natured Man be sorry for that For most evident it is that the Church of England is not every where there 's for His Vbiques And some tell us that She was not always what She is there 's for His Semper And that every Body is not of Her Communion this Gentlemans Invectives against Dissenters iprove the Roman Church charges Novelty She flies to Scrâ—pture The Roman Church disputes the Sense the Church of England appeals to the first Doctors of the Church the Romanists to the Sense of the Church upon the Doctors Now says He The Society of Christians must be Judge p 15. Not the Few that seperate from the Many For then they will be Judge in their own Cause and the Dissenters at Home will expect the same Priviledge If the Church they Dissent from they are gone If the Scripture 't is the Subject to be Judge This must issue therefore or in no Judge or in an External Judge or in an Internal Judge If no Judge we are left without Decision till the last Judgment If an External Judge it must either be the Church or Civil Government If the Church the Romanists think they carry it If the Civil Government to be sure the Church of England has it here If lastly an Internal Judge that every Man should try fast and examine for himself the Dukes Instinct much against this Gentleman's mind will come in for a share in the choice of a Man 's own Religion and that within the Rule too The next point he falls upon is the Dukes Maxim about Persecution he does not think it Antichristian at home but the Duke under a mistake of the Reason Nature and necessity of those Humane Laws Dissenters are prosecuted by p. 17. And upon this he bestows eight Pages which in a Lump comes to thus much That though he allows punishing the Professors of a True Religion purely for Religion living otherwise inoffencively to the Civil Government is Persecution and truly Antichristian which was the Primitive Christians case under the Heathen Emperours of Rome yet the Laws against Papists and Dissenters are out of a Political not Religious necessity to secure the Peace and Safety of the Government And if this be Antichristian the whole World all Ages Times Governments and Governors must have been and are Antichristian and it turns his Admiration into Wonder that his Grace should be of this mind that had his share in passing those Laws I perceive his dis ingenuity continues to the Duke For besides that he loves Wondering he might know that the Dukes share was to Vote against them and so that he did not Espouse Tolleration a cast Mistress The Dukes Discourse relates to Men of â—onscience not Rebellion And to conclude more or less than the Question contains is not fair or sound The Duke says 't is Antichristian to Persecute His Answerer says 'T is truly so of the true Religion And pray where does the Duke say it of the false But I am ready to think that if Persecution in all the World were stopt till that were determin'd we should at least gain one Age of Peace And to have any of it before is at least in this Author unaccountable and a begging of the Question But he would not have Danger ensue to Government and therefore draws upon the Duke this un-natural Consequâ—nce That the whole World and all Governments and Governors are Antichristian whilst that Noble Peer meddles not with Government nor Solicits freedom for them that diâ—turb it He declares himself for Mens having Liberty to Worshâ—p God according to their Perswasion and the Reason of it If Men will call Consciene this Plea is no shelter Currat â—ex His Argument is safe the Consequence is the partial application of hâ—s Answerer The Duke thinks perhaps 't were mâ—re easie and Honourable to let ill Men not have that to say against good Government You trouble us for our Consciences since in its self there is no Real and Proper Overt-Act of Sedition meerly in performing a differing sort of Worship and that there are or may be Laws enough provided to secure the State from those civil disorders that any such Man might attempt under that pretence Here such People would not only justly suffer but without a cover too The Disgrace and Odium in the opinion of all as well as Penalty falling only upon the Criminals head I do with the last duty and defference a Man can bear to his King and Countrey Wish and Pray for their Prosperty I would by no means that any Man should be indulg'd to their detriment I should besides my civil obligations cancel those of Conscience before Almighty God if I thought it But I cannot prevail with my self to believe that the Government may not be safe by some civil Provision with the most suspected Dissenter Else 't were past a scruple with me that his Liberty should at all times purchase the publick safety This Gentleman allows all Dissenters may not be Guilty if so it must be a dangerous Execution Especially when the Justice of our humane Laws had rather an hundred Criminals should escape then that one Innocent should perish But he says he has not Momus ' s Windows to see and know them by I am sure he has too much of his mind or he had not troubled the World with such a bundle of Exceptions But if he can't distinguish them will that excuse his destroying them I am sorry this Gentleman's Divinity has no more Bowels nor better sence for if Mankind be left without the knowledge of Guilt from Innocence They must punish in the lump They must be unjust This is Judging without Overt acts by guess and jealousy A way that may make an Innocent Guilty and a Guilty Person Innocent
To be cast without Evidence is wrong and what Witness is there of that which is only in foro Conscientiae then what Judge A piece of cruel Enthusiasm I know not what to call it Not only Christianity but Gamaliel ay our own Laws would have taught Him a better way of finding out Criminals yet His excels Well But the Laws against Papists He says are occasioned from their Vnchristian Machinations and King-killing Doctrine able to ruine the whole Earth and lay the Foundations of Eternal Mischief to Mankind And for those against Dissenters They were made because of their Rebellious Excluding Covenanting Associating Murdering Principles p. 15.16.21.22 Now though this Man would think it imprudent in me and I that it is none of my business to vindicate the Persons charged from His imputations yet I have so much Justice I confess as not to condemn Parties by Particulars and Charity as to be satisfied with their solemn disclaimings of such Practices For I did never love that one Man should have the making of another Mans Faith or Confession especially if He were His Adversary I must tell Him also I cannot admire His Wisdom Manners or Justice in his Reflection upon the Roman Catholicks after the assurances that so great an One of their Communion has given Him and His Friends of their Security and protection For if they are a People able to ruine the whole Earth and lay the Foundations of Eternal Mischief to Mankind believe me England is in an ill pickle and tho' I am an ill Judge He has in it put but a Scurvy Complement upon the King But if by the Kings promise p. 33. He means that the King is to destroy the Men of His own Faith to support and secure Theirs I shall only admire first His understanstanding and next His Charity For Dissenters I shall say no more than that it may be the Wars made Them rather than They made the Wars and that things older than the Act of Oblivion are in Law buried by it And with Submission this Gentlemans Conscience for ought I know might have done as well to let Them alone For the late occasion He takes let him be just and He will find the Excluders almost every Sunday at their Parish Churches And if three quarters of them were to Pray for their lives it may be they could better Read their Clergy then say their Prayers without the Publick Liturgy What follows Shall I recriminate the usuage of the late King about the Declaration of Indulgence And say that some Men lov'd Him well for their own ends And that when they were not humour'd exactly They would pout slack their Loyalty and grow passive let things go as they will for them A thing almost threaten'd by this Loyal Gentleman p. 33. May not this be aggravated and with as many harsh words by a Man of words and no Charity But I would be modest and that not of Prudence but Choice for I hope He would give His Replicant the Liberty He expects and takes with the Great Peer He answers And I must say I cannot but extreamly admire that less than twelve Lines so softly dropt by the Duke in favour of Liberty of Conscience should have almost as many leaves of little invectives to answer them Believe me it impeaches His pretences to Christianity and renders Him to have more of the Fire brand than of the Loyal Subject I should end here but there are two things more I think must be mentioned that nothing carrying any pretense to Weight may be omitted First That the reason of the Penal Laws is purely Political and not Spiritual to obviate the Overt-acts Acts of Treason and Rebellion for a man may be of any Religion to himself and privately exercise it too not exceeding such a number above their Families Secondly That Tolleration is the way to overthrow Religion and with it the Government especially as now Established and is a fatal Enemy to Monarchy To the first I say Fact must Rule us I would desire to know if the Act of Vniformity Printed with the Liturgy be purely Political and not Spiritual I hope without offence I may say it is not The Laws of the 23 and 28th of the Queen Requiring People to come to Church will not let People be of any Religion to themselves for unless they are at least once a Month at Divine Service and show to joyn in the Publâ—ck Worship by Law Establish'd he pays twenty Pounds Monthly and has two Thirds of his Real Estate expos'd to Sequestration And this is done in one place or another every day So that it is not true in Fact That People may have any Religion to themselves because both those that keep home and within the number allow'd by the Act against Conventicles and those that exceed it are notwithstanding presented upon the former Statutes of the Queen Nay I have known some persons Prosecuted by them all at one and the same time And with all due respect to the Wisdom of our former Legislators if this Gentlemans gloss be true I think Improprieties should no more have been Enacted then Impossibilities or Contradictions To make a man Dangerous to the State for not going to Church or a Breaker of the Peace for being at a Meeting of a hundred People when their persons were Naked their Entertainment meer Devotion and their Behaviour very quiet and Innoffensive sounds in the use of words very harsh It puts me in mind of a Wity Passage of the Lord â—hancellor Hyde when the Bill prohibiting the Importation of Irish Cattle was read in the Lords-house hearing it stiled a Nusance Pray says he let it for this time be called Adultery for one word is just as fit as t'other Inadiquate and unsuited Expressions are oftentimes of dangerous consequence No man knows where the practice may stop Religion should sweeten and humble the Spirits of men abate their Passions and exâ—ite their Obedience to their Superiors And it is one of the strangest things in the World that greater numbers may meet on twenty other occasions every day with less fear of the Breach of the Peace As that Religion cannot be good that makes any man the worse for having it So I am not for beheading any thing before it is born or punishing People for fear of what they may do I would hope the best and that if they had that freedom they desire in the exercise of their Religious Perswasion their Condition would teach their Wit it were too good to hazard that if their Duty or Gratitude did not oblige them their very Interest must and there is hardly one of them so stupid as not to understand and pursue the ways that preserve it For that of Colleration it is my Opinion he does ill to distinguish it from Liberty of Conscience For if he mean the same thing it needed not have had a fresh Head with other Consequences nor was it requisite that I did further consider it And