The P. of Orange's engagement for maintaining and securing the Protestant religion & liberties of the people of England, according to his late gracious declaration humbly reminded to be performed by their most sacred Majesties K. William and Q. Mary, in their royal assent in Parliament, to the perpetual establishment of liberty of conscience.

The P. of Orange's Engagement For Maintaining and Securing the Protestant Religion, & Liberties of the People of England, According to His Late Gracious Declaration.

Humbly Reminded To be Performed by Their Most Sacred Majesties K. WILLIAM and Q. MARY, in Their Royal Assent in PARLIAMENT, to the Perpetual Establishment of Liberty of Conscience.

Moved in Ten Reasons for a Religious Freedom. With Allowance.

REASON I.

IT is not the Will of the Great and Wise God, to appoint any Forcible Ways or Courses to bring Men and Women to con∣form to his VVorship: But Christ was pleased to Commissionate his Apostles (to whom he committed the Keys of his Church) to Preach and Declare the Christian Doctrin: And they that succeed them in their Of∣fice, are not by Might or by Power, but by gentle Invitation, and the Influence of his kind Spirit, to inform the Judgment, convince the Conscience, and so to perswade the Children of Men to be Reconciled unto God. And who is Man, that he should take another course, and will not rest in God's wisdom? Now we are Ambass••dors for Christ, as though God did beseech you through us; we pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God.

REASON II.

THe using outward Compulsion in matters of Conscience, does only serve to make Men Hypocrites, but works no saving Conversion. If Men conform to any VVorship or way thereof, with an unwilling mind, they cannot serve God aright, though the VVorship be right, because the Heart of the VVorshipper is not right. God calls for the Heart, My Son, give me thy Heart. If it were not for compulsion, the Man would be in some other Practice or Profession; and when he Conforms only to save his Person or his Purse, he is the Servant of Man, and not the Servant of God, and this is not to save his Soul. Not by con∣straint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but a rea∣dy mind.

REASON III.

ALL sorts of Persons are for Liberty of Con∣science for themselves, even those that are most imposing upon others. They would account it hard measure to be constrain'd to perform, or forbear such and such things which concern their Religion, or to suffer unproportionable penalties. And why should not the Church-Protestants make the Presbyterians, the Independants, the Papists case their own in this point, seeing they are all Fellow-Christians. Therefore, whatsoever things ye would that men should do unto you, do ye so unto them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

REASON IV.

THe good Rules of Humanity, and common Civility, which is carefully observed in smal∣ler matters, are openly violated, by using of force in the matters of Conscience. Men abhor to thrust that Meat and Drink down their Neighbour's Throat, which will not agree with their Sto∣machs. They say commonly, Pray take that which best likes you: and why are they not as civil in the matter of Religion? Have compassion on one ano∣ther, love as Brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.

REASON V.

THe Church Protestants in England were sore distressed by hot doings heretofore in the Reign of Q. Mary, when they were accounted Criminals, for not conforming to that Worship which was then the Establisht Worship of the Kingdom; and whoever take up the same Spirit of Persecution against others, for Nonconformity to the present Worship now Establisht, doth not only justifie the violent proceedings under Queen Mary from their own principles and practices, but also, upon mounting that part of the Wheel at top again, (as lately endangered us, tho' now down) will leave themselves no Excuse nor Cause of Com∣plaint, if God bring the same severity to fall up∣on them. For with the same measure men me••e withal, it shall be meted to them again.

REASON VI.

THe Conforming and Nonconforming Prote∣stants, and the Protestants and Papists all do agree as to the substance of Christianity, in the same Articles of Faith, and the same Rule of Manners, in the Apostles Creed, and the Ten Commandments. There is one Body, one Spirit, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism. As a variety of Flowers may grow on the same Bank, so may Pro∣testants of all sorts, Church-men, Presbyterians, Independants, Anabaptists, Quakers, and Papists live in England. Union in Affection is not incon∣sistent with disagreement of Opinion. There is much more Reason to love one another for the many things wherein we agree, than to fall out for those wherein we differ; and though we cannot have communion in the same external worship, we can and have communion in the same internal Adora∣tion of the same Blessed Trinity, and in the one hope of our calling unto Life Eternal, through Je∣sus Christ. We cannot come together in the same Church, but may live together in the same Land; and as we are under the same Gracious King and Queen, they may protect both, and suffer no Par∣ty to persecute one another. The Woolf shall lie down with the Lamb, the Leopard with the Kid; they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain.

REASON VII.

THe French Protestants, who are the Dissenters from the Established Worship of that King∣dom, have been kindly received and succoured by England, even under both our late Kings: And when the French King is highly blamed by English Protestants, and perhaps too by most English Ca∣tholicks, for persecuting his peaceable Subjects, should we go to do the same things in our King∣dom which we condemn in another? God forbid. Therefore art thou inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art, for thou that Judgest another, dost the same things.

REASON. VIII.

THe prosecuting Dissenters and Recusants for matters of Conscience is of great disadvan∣tage to the Trade of the Kingdom, the Dissenters being a chief part of the Trading People of the Nation, considered as Merchants, Shop-keepers, Clothiers, Farmers, &c. by which many thousands of the Kings poor Subjects are maintained, and consequently Liberty of Conscience must be a most effectual means for the restoring of it.

I will mention a story or two, which may be easily attested, if they be called into Question. One Thomas Peard about 19 Years since of West Dean near Barnstable, who kept many poor Peo∣ple at work in the Clothing Trade, was prosecu∣ted upon the Act for Twenty Pound a Month, so many Months for not coming to Church, that he was forced to quit his Habitation and Imploy∣ment. Upon this the poor People of many Pa∣rishes go a Begging, and the numbers presently were so great, that the Justices were sain to meet, and consulting together, conclude upon it to get the Man's Fines to be discharged. This being done, Peard returns to his business, takes the poor off their hands, and finds them again the same Li-

In like manner, about 17 Years since, the Bishop of Sarum sends forth Instructions into all the pa∣rishes of his Diocess for bringing them to Church, or citing them to his Court. There were Eighty Clothiers Nonconformists of several Judgments in the County of Wilts, who being Alarum'd by this Summons, think of withdrawing their Trade, (the time for provision of their Wool favouring such a suspention) but considering what a number of poor depended on them, some imploying 500, some 1000 people under them, who were capable of getting no other maintenance: Besides that, the Farmer was no less concerned than the Spinner and the Carder, who could have no Money for his Wool; fearing also, that if they should give over on a sudden, there might so much clamour ensue, as might turn into some uproar, they agree upon sending up eight or ten of their sufficient men to represent their Case to the King and Council. Or∣ders are taken hereupon that the Archbishop writes to the Bishop to desist, and assurance is given by both the Secretaries to the Clothiers, for their safety in keeping on their Imployment.

VVhat those Justices, and what the Council at that time saw convenient for that Shire, and those Towns, will be discerned (I doubt not) by the considerate to be of the like Emolument through∣out the Nation.

The Riches of a Nation are the Bodies of Men; for the greatness of a Kingdom certainly consists not in a vast continent of Ground, but in the mul∣titude of its Inhabitants; and the thriving of the People, lies in the encrease of Trade Manufacture

and Commerce, as is intimated. An Act for Ʋni∣versal Toleration (Stated rightly, that is, of All, so far as they are tolerable, whereof the wisdom of a Parliament is the fittest Judge) would produce both these; it would bring People that are perse∣cuted in our Neighbor-Nations about their Reli∣gion, to England, as it does or hath done to Hol∣land; and they must bring their Hands and Busi∣ness with them. Besides the infinite Encourage∣ment it would give to many, who of late have kept in their Moneys, by reason of their obnoxiousness to the Law, which they must bring forth most In∣dustriously into Imployment, as soon as they see themselves safe under settlement, and their Con∣sciences out of danger. And when Issachar saw that Rest was good, and the Land that it was pleasant, he bowed his Shoulder to bear, and became a Servant unto Tribute.

REASON. IX.

IT hath pleased our most Gracious Soveraign K. WILLIAM the Third (whom God bless still with a gentle mind and good days) to declare to the Nation at his coming to the Kingdom, that these two things, Comprehension and Indulgence, (which he expresses by A good Agreement between the Church of England and Protestant Dissenters, and the covering others that will live peaceably from Per∣secution, even the Papists themselves not excepted) was one end or certain Intention of his Underta∣king, which therefore in repeated words he con∣firms; [And we for our part will concurrin every thing with a Parliament, to procure the Happiness of the Nation; since we have nothing before our Eyes in this our Ʋndertaking, but the Preservation of the Prote∣stant Religion, the covering all men from Persecution for their Conscience, and Secure to the whole Nation the free Enjoyment of their Laws, Rights, and Liber∣ties, under a Just and Legal Government.] Then af∣ter five daies Ananias the High Priest descended with the Elders, and an Orator named Tertullus, who when he was called forth, spake thus, Seeing that by thee we en∣joy great quietness, and that by thee very worthy Deeds have been done for this Nation, we accept it alwaies, and in all places, most Noble Felix, with all Thank∣fulness.

REASON. X.

THese are some Reasons (among Multitudes) that have slown abroad for Toleration, and they are no pickt chofen••••nes, but the most ready and ordinary to the meanest Capacity, such as I have catch'd upmost easily, from the Papers only of one or two that were mean men, only changing a little their stile, to avoid the baldness and ••••••∣lixity: I will now add some Testimonies out of my own former Reading, and these Testimonies, which are Argumentum ab Authoritate, shall be my tenth and last Consideration, or Reason.

It is not like in the three first Centuries of the Church, that any thing is to be found in the Chri∣stian writings, for the use of the Sword in Religi∣on, whilst themselves were under it. In the next ensuing, we have Constantine, Constantine, Jovian, Val••ntinian, Valens, Theodosius, and after those, Ho∣norius and Arcad••us may be cited for their larger permissions, especially towards the Jews, by those that will be at the pains to do it.

In the Year 386. Idacius and Ithacius were con∣demned by the Gallican Bishops for being Authors of bringing the Priscillianists to Execution. And St. Augustine no doubt with the Fathers general∣ly are against any Sanguinary Laws in this mat∣ter. Nullis bonis in Catholica Ecclesia hoc placet, si usque ad mortem in quemquam Haereticum saeviatur. Contra Cresconium, Lib. 3. Cap. 50. Hence were they called Ithacians, and held for Hereticks, who main∣tained, That those who erred in Religion, ought to be put to Death. And it is observed, it was Dominick was the first that brought up the Fire among Christians upon that account. Withdraw from them, avoid them (says the Scripture) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but not bea•• or persecute them as the Heathens do, saies Ignatius. For it is an unheard-of, strange kind of preaching the Gospel (says Gregory) to exact Belief (as the Egypti∣ans their Bricks) with Stripes. Docere arbitramur (says Theodosius and Valentiman) nostrum imperium subditos nostros de Religione commonefacere; They chose not to say (imperare) but (commonefacere) signifying thereby, that Religion ought not to be forced. Nihilenim (says Lactantius) tam volunta∣rium quam Religio, in qua si animus est Sacrificantis aversus, jam sublata, jam nulla est. Religio imperari (says Cassidore) non potest. And, Suadenda est, says St. Bernard, non imperanda. Praecepit Sancta Syno∣dus, (says the Tole••an Council de Judaeis) nemini de∣inceps ad credendum vim inferre. And The New Law (says Tertullian) does not vindicate it self Ultra Gla∣dio. The Jews took no such course (as pestilent as their Doctrine was) with the Sadduces, nor Christ with the Samaritans, See Luke 9.35. Mat. 13.28, 29. John 18.36. John 6.67. And will ye also go away, says Christ to the Twelve? Which

are words removing all force and necessity from Man in the choice of his Religion. So Chrysostom, Athanasius, Cyprian, I may also add Aug. & Sa••••i••n.

We may read in the Life of J••seohus, when some of the Trachonites came in f••r Rescue to the Jews, where himself was Governo••r and the Jews would thereupon constrain them to be Circumcised, or else not let them abide with them, he would not permit that injurious Zeal, alledging, That every Man ought according to his own mind, and not by Mans compulsion to serve God. In our English Sto∣ry (to suit this) by Bed••, when Ethelbert the first prince that received Christianity of the Saxon Heptarchy, was converted by Austin, sent hither by Grego••y, and many thereupon came into the Church, it is said, He espicially embraced those that came in, but Compelled none; for he had learned that the Faith and Service of Christ ought to be voluntary and not of constraint.

"It helpeth much, says the Imperial Edict of Constantine and Licinius, to esta∣blish the publick Tranquility, for every man to have liberty to use and chuse what kind of wor∣shipping himself pleases; and for that intent is this done of us, to have no man enforced to one Religion more than to another.

A Prince who would draw his Subjects (divided into Sects and Fa∣ctions) to his Religion, should not (in my Opinion) use Force, says Bodin; I will enhance this from the example of Theodosius that eminently good Empe∣rour, who though he being offended with Euno∣••ius, did banish him upon a particular account, used no coertion or severity upon the person of any other Sect whatsoever. Reliquis ne{que} molestiae q••i••quam exhibuit, ne{que} secum communicare eoegit; sed singulis copiam fecit in locis separatis conventus ••••endi, & ita de Religione Christiana sentiendi, ut quis{que} de ea opinionem conceperat.

John Barclay (not William that wrote Adversus Monarcho∣••athos) hath a Discourse on purpose to this effect about the Calvinists (as it is thought) under the Name of the Hypere∣phanians, in one chapter of his Argenis. And Camerarius in his Historical Meditations, hath a chapter as Learned, Full, and Grave; as need to be on this Subject, lib. 3. cap. 18.

"It was observed by the Popes Council (says Guicciardine) that the Prosecution of Luther, since it was not accompanied with their own Reformation, did encrease his Reputation; and that it had been a less Evil to Dissemble the knowledge of such a matter, which would perhaps have dissolv'd of it self, than by blowing at the Brand, to make the Fire burn the more.

I here may be some Notes conferred with this out of Devilah, upon the deliberations of the Politick Katha∣rine, Regent of France, about the Pacification in her Son Henry the Thirds time; I will rest in one after Henry the Fourth succeeded. That great Prince thought fit to declare himself Catholick, but gets the fame Edict for Liberty to the Hugonots, to be renewed and passed the Parliament of Paris.

"By which means endeavouring to remove Suspicion from their minds, and confirming them by good Usage, together with some Guts and Promises to the chief Heads, he insensibly took away (says the Historian) the pulse and strength of that Party, so that those that are versed in the Kingdom, believe that a few years of such sweet Poyson (if he had not been disabled in this course through want of Money) would have extinguished that Faction, which so many years of desperate Wars had not, with the Effusion of so much Blood, been able to weaken.

Violent courses (says my Lord Cooke) are like hot Waters, that may do good in an Ex∣tremity, but the use of them doth spoil the Stomach, and it will re∣quire them stronger and stronger, and by little and little they will lessen the Operation.

They that love the Common wealth (says Judge Jenkins) will use means together with the Restitution of the King, to procure an A••t of Oblivion, and tender Consciences a just and reasonable sa∣tisfa••tion, else we must Perish first or last.

I will Crown these Testimonies with the experienced ad∣vice of CHARLES the First to our late Soveraign:

"Beware of Exasperating any Faction by the crosness and a∣sperity of some mens Passions, Humours, or private Opini∣ons employed by you, grounded only on the differences in lesser matters, which are but the Skirts and Suburbs of Re∣ligion, wherein a charitable Connivance, and Christian To∣leration, often dissipate; their Strength, whom a rougher opposition fortifies, and puts their despised and oppressed Party into such Combinations, as may most enable them to get a full Revenge on those they count their Persecutors, who are assisted by that vulgar Commiseration, which at∣tends all that are said to suffer under the notion of Religion-

There are two Rules in the Preamble of the Statute Primo Mariae; the one is, That the State of a King stand∣eth more assured by the love of his Subjects than in the dread and fear of Laws. The other is, That Laws justly made, without extream Punishment, are more often, and for the most part better obey∣ed, than those that are made with that extremity. Unto which my once before-named Lord Chief Justice Cooke Subjoyns this Sentence, Mitius imperanti melius Paretur.

I will close up all with the end of a Speech of Sir Orlando Bridgeman to the Parliament, when he was Lord Keeper.

"If any just grievances shall have happened, his Majesty will be as willing and ready to redress them, as you to have them Presented to him, and his Majesty doubts not, but you will give healing and moderate Counsels, and Imprint that known Truth in the Hearts of his Subjects, that there is no distinct Interest between the King and his People, but the good of one, is the good of both.

Now this is the Copy of the Letter which Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the Priest, I make a Decree, that all they of the People of Israel, and of his Priests and Levites in my Realm, which are minded of their own-free will to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

And Gamaliel stood up in the Council, and said, Ye Men of Israel, take heed to your selves, refrain from these Men, and let them alone, for if this Counsel or this Work be of Men, it will come to nought; but if it be of God, ye cannot Overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to Fight against God.