nothing more certain than that Qui sentit commodum incommodum sentire debet and therefore how much soever the King Exercises his Prerogative in this respect the Church-men must be silent and that in matters Ecclesiastical the King can dispense no Man of Learning that I could ever hear of but doth acknowledge it and others affirm that the King can in matters Civil dispense with whatever is but malum Prohibitum But for these things consult Nye's Discourse and the Replier to the Oxford Reasons against Addressing In a word if the King had been of the Church of England's Religion not only the Dispensing Power but the Legislative would have been as heretofore it has been affirm'd to be lodg'd in the King's Breast but if the King be of another Religion he must be depriv'd of all his Prerogatives But whatever the present sentiments of the Church of England are it 's very manifest that according to the frame of our Government as describ'd by the Church of England Men heretofore the King could not only dispense with Laws but the Prerogative is so very much above all Laws that even those Commissions granted by Prerogative against Statute-Law must be regarded more than that Law. It is not therefore the Prerogative that our Church-men are angry with but the Exercise of it to the Relief of others T is the Dissenters Liberty that vexes them For though it be known that the Dissenters lie under manifest Convictions of Conscience that it 's their Duty to worship God in their Way that their Privacy was but the Effect of a Violence laid upon them which is no sooner remov'd but they return to their Duty yet for the sake of Religion contrary to their Consciences they must lay aside the Public Worship of God and all this to gratifie their Persecuting Friends of the Church of England and must wait till a Parliament that is against Liberty of Conscience give 'em Liberty For the great thing the Dissenters desire is a Parliament that will concurr with the King in Establishing Liberty by a Law and for desiring such a Parliament they are expos'd by our Gentleman to the severest Censures But let us suppose that to gratifie their Persecutors the Dissenters would venture on one stretch of Conscience and tho when they could not Worship Publickly without Trouble yet were resolv'd to hold on in that Worship and will now whil'st they may be at ease leave off all Public Worship I say for once let us make the Supposition But then would not this be sufficient to justifie all the Clamors they have been loaded with above Twenty Years together of being the most giddy and obstinate People alive who know not how to live but in contradiction to the Government and would not this provoke the King to conclude that it 's not Religion but Faction and Sedition they are for And would not our Clergy have endeavoured to fix such Thoughts of the Dissenters on his Majesties Mind And might they not have continued their Privacy till Dooms-day for any Relief a Parliament would give ' em How then can any Man of Conscience or of mere Humanity be angry with this persecuted People because they thankfully accept of Liberty and are desirous that it may be Established by Law But this is not the worst part of the Pamphlet there remaineth what cannot but turn the Stomach of any Loyal Person against it for Reflexions of a more odious Nature cannot be cast on any Man of Honor than this Pamphleteer has cast on the King. In the First place he insinuates that the King gives not the Dissenter this Liberty of Inclination but of Necessity These New Friends saith he by whom he must mean his Majesty and those of his Religion did not make you their Choice but their Refuge they have ever made their first Courtships to the Church of England and when they were rejected there they made their Application to you in the Second place that the King being a Papist is not to be believed for the Papists are no more able to make good their Vows than Men married before and their Wife alive can confirm their Contract with another Besides he further suggests as if his Majesty would imitate a Neighbouring Prince in destroying all Protestants for he saith If in the Heighth of this great Dearness by comparing things it should happen that at this Instant there is much a surer Friendship with those who are so far from allowing Liberty that they allow no Living to a Protestant under them Let the Scene lie in what part of the world it will the Argument will come home and sure it will afford sufficient ground to suspect And in another Page the Prerogative is brought in retaining Counsel against Magna Charta and in answer to an Objection in which 't is said that the Church of England is never humble but when she is out of Power The Reply is That this is not so in FACT For whatever may be told the Dissenter at this very Hour and in the Heat and Glare of their Sun-shine the Church of England can in a moment bring Clouds again and turn the Royal Thunder upon their Heads blow 'em off the Stage with a breath if she should give but a smile or a kind word the least glimps of her Compliance would throw them back into the State of Suffering and draw upon 'em all the Arrears of Severity which have accrued during the Time of this Kindness to them But this is not all for it is further insinuated as if the next Parliament shall be chosen by the King and not by the People that no Liberty of Debate shall be left the Members of either House but the Roman Consistory shall be made Lords of the Articles All this and much more is to be found in the Pamphlet and what can be the meaning of all this But that the Bigotted part of the Church of England if ever they were Loyal are faln from their Loyalty and have out-done the most Seditious Scriblers For what can be said worse of any Prince What was ever said worse of Charles the Second by any Factious Party Or what can be said worse of any Man living The Lashes given our King are most severe and look like an Interpretation of their Doctrin of Non-resistance And if a Fear that others shall enjoy but a like Ease with themselves stir up all this Choler against their Sovereign may we not fairly conclude that if they had been in that Suffering Condition the Dissenters have been for Six and Twenty Years together they would have stirred up many a Rebellion And what shall we think of those who so very much applaud all this as too many of the Church of England Communion have done But do these Gentlemen think that this is the way to take with Dissenters Will they who by their Sufferings for many Years together could never be provok'd will they I say now their Sorrows are removed
AN ANSWER TO THE Letter to a Dissenter Detecting the many UNJUST INSINUATIONS Which highly Reflect on His Majesty As likewise the many false Charges on the DISSENTERS Published with Allowance LONDON Printed by Henry Hills Printer to the King 's Most Excellent Majesty for His Houshold and Chappel And are sold at his Printing house on the Ditch-side in Black-Fryers 1687. AN ANSWER TO THE LETTER to a DISSENTER SIR THE Letter to a Dissenter upon occasion of his Majesty's late Gracious Declaration of Indulgence I have in obedience to your Command carefully perus'd and must assure you that the returning an Answer tho' very easie is yet unpleasant For as its Author has not offer'd any thing that is close and nervous yet he has larded his Discourse with so many unjust Insinuations of what highly reflects on his Majesty and with so many false Charges on the Dissenter that a rehearsal of 'em which is necessary for the Answerer to give cannot well be unless with such smart Repartees as may look over-severe at least to some of the Author's Admirers There is nothing more hateful unto me than the dropping one word in any Concertation that may look hard and finding it impossible to give a full Answer to this Letter without expressing those just Resentments the whole Contexture of his Harangue have made necessary I should have been very glad to have been Dispens'd with But the Consideration of the Service I may do his Majesty and the whole Kingdom by detecting the Vanity and Folly of the Author in connexion with your Injunctions hath emboldned me to Resolve on as calm a Discussion of this Letter as the Subject matter of it will admit The whole of this Letter I find may be reduc'd to these Heads False Charges against the Dissenter Vile Reflections on his Majesty and An Intimation of the Church of Englands Repentance with some little Artifices made use of to inveagle the Dissenter to act contrary to his avow'd Principles and real Interest This I take to be a full Account of the Pamphlet to all which I will give my Replies distinctly To begin with his Charge against the Dissenter as what is of least moment and at which the Pamphleteer would only glance and introduce it by way of Supposition that if possible whenever occasion should make it necessary he might by saying he did not positively affirm it fetch himself off from the reproach of being a False Accuser but this way of reproaching the Innocent is so common that by wise Men the very Insinuation where the Charge cannot be made good is look'd on as very Unjust and Abusive However after this manner the Exclusion and Late Rebellion is laid at the Dissenter's Door and their Ministers suppos'd to have Mony sprinkled amongst them to engage the People first one way and now another and therefore their Reasonings are not to be regarded especially if they preach up Anger and Vengeance against the Church of England That their Addresses don't flow from a Sense of his Majesty's Kindness but from the Persuasions or Threatnings us'd to obtain 'em that tho' the Dissenters are against SET-FORMS of Prayer yet are now content the Priests should indite for them and instead of silently receiving the benefit of Indulgence they set up for Advocates to support it and become voluntary Aggressors and look like Counsel Retain'd by the Prerogative against their old Friend MAGNA CHARTA This is one part of the Gentleman's Letter and these are the chief Reasons he presses the Dissenters with to engage them against an accepting the Liberty his Majesty has most Graciously given them It 's this that is at bottom for saith he It might be wish'd that they would have suppressed their Impatience and have been content for the sake of Religion to enjoy it within themselves without the Liberty of a Public Exercise till a Parliament had allow'd it But I 'll appeal to any considering Man of the Church of England Communion whether the Method this Gentleman has taken to wheedle the Dissenter be either Christian or Prudent For what of Christianity is there in charging the Innocent as being guilty of the most odious Crimes or what of Prudence in railing on those whom they would ensnare into a Compliance with them In the first place the Exclusion is charg'd on the Dissenters and as another Pamphleteer has it it 's the Nonconformists that by their medling in the Matter of the Exclusion drew a new Storm upon themselves And why must the Matter of the Exclusion be charg'd on the Dissenters Was not that thing manag'd in the House of Commons by the Sons of the Church of England Were not the chief Speakers in that House Church of England-men and those who made up that House ten to one of her Communion It has been I confess a common Practice for the Church of England to do a bad thing and throw the Odium on 't on the Dissenter but is this fair or just If going ordinarily to the Common-Prayer and taking the Sacrament according to the Usage of the Church of England be a Test by which we may know one of her Communion the Matter of the Exclusion must lie at her Door And if thus much be not enough to Characterize a Churchman what is She 'll not I hope insist on the Doctrin of Non-resistance as what is peculiar to Men of her Religion lest thereby the new Masters of the Ceremonies that are for a Repeal of the Test-Laws be included within her Pale The same may be said of the Rebellion but the Replier to the Oxford Clergies Reasons against Addressing having fully clear'd up this Matter I will wave it being assur'd that the Church of England hath no reason to Glory as if none of her Sons nor Clergy had any hand in it Ay but the Dissenting Ministers have Moneys given 'em to carry on the Design But where is the Man who has receiv'd one Farthing from the Roman-Catholic for carrying on any Popish Intrigue This looks like an old Story which some Years ago was spread by a Dignifi'd Clergy-man within the Line of Communication who was so bold as to fasten it on a worthy Gentleman now dead but who at that time gave Challenge which was not during his Life nor to this hour taken up And what is it that tempts this sort of Men to talk after the old rate Have they any new Instances that makes 'em so brisk in their Accusations Let them make it out against one Nonconforming Minister or forbear this Invidious way of casting Reproach on the Guiltless However for once let us suppose that some Dissenting Ministers have receiv'd Mony from those in Authority for some Service they did the Government What is this to the promoting a Popish Design Multitudes of the Church of England have been raised to great Preferments for the Services they were supposed to have done the Government but was it in good earnest because they promoted Popery This Letter
insinuates as if the Papists also promoted the late Persecution against Dissenters and yet we remember well who Preach'd up Persecution before the Lord Major of this City and who also was made a Dean But was it because he designed Popery Moreover it 's well known that a certain Bishop in the World if one under a suspension still bears that Name who procur'd at least 200 l. to encourage a Church of England Doctor to persecute the Non-conformists and was this for the sake of Popery In a word we give the Challenge to any Man to prove that the Papist did at any time give one Farthing to a Dissenting Minister or that the Dissenters did Receive from the Government the fortieth part that Church of England Ministers have received If any Church of England Men have been sensible of the Miseries they have by their severe Laws expos'd the Dissenters unto and in compassion have given some Relief the Dissenters no doubt will thankfully acknowledge it but then they must add that unless the Church of England Men must be esteemed Papists because of the Alliance there is between their Principles this is not a receiving Mony from Papists But let the Truth be brought to Light and let the Church of England Charity to Dissenting Ministers be discovered and 't will appear that it 's not to be compared with what the Church of England hath taken from ' em Moreover it 's well known that when some Gentlemen on their Dying Reds to express their Affection to Dissenting Ministers have given 'em Legacies they have been depriv'd of ' em And where is the Dissenting Minister who Preaches up Anger and Vengeance against the Church of England Name the Man that we may know who he is and what repute he has amongst the party and 't would be also an Act of Justice in him to direct us to the People who receiv'd their Addresses from a Priest and to the Priest that made ' em If the Gentleman cannot clear up these Points as I presume he cannot how specious soever his pretences may be his untruth won't much advantage the Church of England nor will that Church have much cause to Glory in such an Advocate who doth not only charge her for Persecuting the Dissenter but makes no other Plea but what leans on the â—eeblest Foundation even on Injustice and False Accusations And if this be her best Refuge her Quarrel with the King it 's hop'd cannot hold long for these generally are the last And what is it that provokes the good Man to persuade us that the Dissenters Thanks are Extorted Doth he think that the being deliver'd from a violent Persecution is so inconsiderable a kindness that the Dissenters can't be sensible of it Are grievous Imprisonments the spoiling 'em of their Estates the ruining of their Families such small matters that the Deliverance cannot Merit the Name of a favor Or are the Dissenters so used to such Calamities and made so Brawny that they are not capable of perceiving so much Is it impossible for them to distinguish Ease from Misery If so whose fault is that Is it not the Persecutors that have so ill intreated them It 's true the Church of England did by her Rigour so over-aw them that they durst not Petition the King for ease and after his Majesty most Graciously gave it them the Dread and Confusion they remained under was so very great that the Dissenters could not easily recover themselves and make that hast they should to render the King their humblest thanks But this is not for the Honor of the Church first to frighten the Dissenter and make him move slowly and then reproach him for not making more haste And this is not all for the Dissenters do no sooner Address but they become Voluntary Aggressors and look like Counsel retain'd by the Prerogative against Magna Charta This is a run from one Extream to another they are first charged for not rendring thanks willingly and yet then are made Voluntary Aggressors for rendring such unwilling thanks who look like Counsel retain'd against Magna Charta Are not the Dissenters then in a most deplorable condition If they do not Address they are a People that can never be oblig'd by benefits nor fit to be Tolerated as one Church Doctor assures them if they do Address they are for Prerogative against Magna Charta And why against Magna Charta Is it against the Great Charter of England that a good Subject enjoy his Civil Rights and Properties The Dissenters at least the greatest part of 'em take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and thereby shew themselves to be good Subjects and why then must they be depriv'd of their Civil Rights for the sake of a Religion that hurts not the Government Some say that by the Fundamental Constitution of our Government all Laws against the Law of God are ipso facto void and null and may not the King prevent the Execution of such vacated Laws Others tell us that to be of this or that or the other Religion is not a Crime at Common Law it is but Malum Prohibitum and yet Religious Meetings have been made Routs and Riots even the supposed Intention to serve God hath been thus interpreted which are mala in se And why may not the King prevent these abuses of the Law The Dissenter is also told that 't is against Magna Charta to disseise the Subject of his Free-hold or Liberty but by Lawful Judgment of his Peers and yet by the Conventicle Act and the Oxford Act the Dissenters have been disseised of both without any such Judgment of their Peers and may not the King hinder this There have been also great Lawyers who aver that the 23d of Elizabeth affects not a Protestant Dissenter and yet many have been ruin'd by this Act and may not the King put a stop to this Injustice and Violence on the Subject It 's also told them that 't is against Magna Charta to Amerce a Free-man any other ways than after the manner of the fault saying to him his Contenement and Free-hold and yet Convictions have been unknown to the accus'd party Recorded and Warrants have been granted out for 8 10 12 or 14 Conventicles at once to the Disseising the Free-man of all he has It 's true a great Lawyer declar'd that no Conviction could be Legally Recorded untill the party accused was summoned to shew cause but another yet living was of another Opinion and gave life to Clandestine Convictions as a Justice of Peace and a great Lawyer did grant out Warrants on Prophetic Oaths that a Meeting would be the next Day or Week following But the King has deliver'd them from all these Miseries and yet may they not give thanks unless they set themselves against Magna Charta Furthermore it must not be forgotten how much the Church of England have exalted the Prerogative when they were in hopes of having it employ'd against the Dissenter and