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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A26455 Advice to Protestant dissenters shewing 'tis their interest to repeal the Test, upon the offer the King makes by a firm settlement of liberty. 1688 (1688) Wing A648B; ESTC R39886 5,050 12

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us therefore let us not refuse it least we be found dispisers of our own Mercies by waiting for that from the Church of England that they will not hold themselves obliged to perform for upon whom if we should confide can we rely or who is that Agent for them that they will hold themselves obliged when capable to perform that Engagement for my part I am at a loss to find that Person or Party But some may Object Let us be careful that we disoblige not them least they reckon with us another Day As to that let us consider what we are a doing and how we do it as to what 't is Liberty only to Worship our God securely without interruption either by Fines or Imprisonments next how that we do it legally and not with any prejudice or desire of infrlnging them of theirs Now if they are displeased at this we are sure 't is not from a Christian Spirit that they act and they will be found doing as they would not be done by for no Man that is Religious desires to be restrained from the exercise of it but I need not spend time to treat of Liberty of Conscience to Dissenters for that most Men either through Conviction or Pollicy will consent to but the taking away the Test is the great debate for say the Church of England and those that give ear to their Insinuations If that is gone there can be no securety o the Protestant Religion Now as to that in a Roman Catholick Raign what service is it are they keep for all that out of Offices and Places of Trust No but although we cannot prevent them of that yet the keeping them out of the Legislative Power is our Security but let me ask them one Question Have they not often charged them with these Doctrines viz. Not keeping Faith with Heriticks or that they are not obliged or don 't account that of any value or tye to them that they promise to us and farther what ever they do to us provided 'tis to serve Holy Church let the Act be ever so immorral 't is Meritorious if we consider this I cannot see that great Bulwark in the Test that many would have us believe for if they may have Indulgences for these enormities I cannot believe they will be so squemish at the Test when they find the Promotion of their Church so mightily depends upon taking it so that I have reason to believe the Church of England either to be short sighted or intends not well to Dissenters that endeavours so industriously to keep them from joyning with the King in Establishing a General Liberty for if the Papists finds that the Dissenters breaks with them upon this Civil Union will not they be obliged to betake themselves to the suerest way they can for their own security which I conceive will then consist in one of these two Points the first To get a Dispensation to take the Test or else to bring the Church of England into their Interest As to the first the Church of England tells us as above They can do things Tantamount but if they have abusied them in their Tenets and they should refuse that way but should fall in with them what Security can they give us that they will not accept of them into their Favour since our Prince is of that Perswasion who knows but their antient pretence to Loyalty may spring again if so from whom must we expect Kindness for of theirs we have had woful experience and for the Romanists 't is better joyning them when we can serve them then to expect Favour from them when we have deserted them Oh that Dissenters would but be wise and take Liberty upon their own terms and their own making rather then to depend upon those that have been and are our Enemies for whatever they promise now I look upon it but the effect of Policy not of Kindness that we may be wheedled out of our present certainty for hopes of Kindness when they may be capable to give it but if they should so prevail upon the easiness of Dissenters as to refuse the present oppertunity when suffering comes upon us again we shall be obliged to take it patiently first for Conscience next for our Follies sake I have for all this no ill will to the Church of England but do wish well to her also all that I desire is that their ill Nature together with the assistance of Penal Laws that have put them upon doing wrong to their Reproach that she would now consent to the taking away that that when the same ill Nature predominates again may disable them from doing what they have been so prone too for a Man that is convicted of an Evil will endeavour to shun the oppertunity of a Temptation and until the Church of England comes so far that is to be willing to part with that Pestilence they have been so infected with I cannot conceive any Reformation among them For a Man to tell me that has been given to Drunkenness that he is Reformed yet cannot forsake the Tavern and his Familiers that continued in that excess I should have but small hopes of his Reformation and although he might decline Drinking for the present I should only judg it some Indisposition for no Man loves to keep up that which he Loathes so it I would abandon Persecution I shall be willing to part with that which would tollerate me in it for fear of a Temptation and when we see the Church of England willing to part with all Penal Laws for Religion we may have hopes they are not in love with Severity and till then 't is in vain to pretend to the contrary for Actions speaks louder then Words and Performance is better then Promises I look upon it a meer wheedle in the Church of England to tell us they are for giving Liberty of Conscience and yet oppose the Tests being taken away for to be sure they conclude themselves safe in the offer for me to offer that which I imagine will not be accepted is almost the same with no offer which is the case of them As for Example If I proffer a Man Fifty Pounds to be received of a Person that 't is at his pleasure to pay it or no and 't is evident the doing it will prove inconvenient to his Affairs how unlikely would it be that he should comply with the payment Just so is the offer the Church of England makes to the Dissenters they promise to Repeal the Penal Statutes which they cannot perform but with the Concurrance of the King and is it likely it should be obtained that way without taking off the Test too for can we expect he should set us quite free and continue Bonds upon his one Communion 'T is easie for Men to offer that which is out of their power to give and hard to get such Men to part with what is in their power to keep but thanks be to God if the Dissenters will 't is in the Kings and their power under God to make themselves easie whether the Church of England will or no. With Allowance London Printed and Sold by Andrew Sowle at the Three Keys in Nags-Head-Court in Grace-Church-Street over-against the Conduit 1688.