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A51204 The Magistrates monitor, or, Several considerations & observations upon the Act against seditious conventicles humbly offered to the serious consideration of all judges, justices of the peace and other inferiour officers concern'd in the prosecution of Protestant dissenters and submitted to the judgment of all conforming and nonconforming Protestants. 1682 (1682) Wing M252; ESTC R26791 14,677 18

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The Magistrates Monitor OR Several Considerations Observations Upon the ACT against SEDITIOUS CONVENTICLES Humbly offered to the serious Consideration of all Judges Justices of the Peace and other inferiour Officers concern'd in the Prosecution of Protestant Dissenters And submitted to the Judgment of all Conforming and Nonconforming PROTESTANTS FOrasmuch as the aforesaid Act hath been and still is vigorously Prosecuted against the Protestant Dissenters to the very great damage of many good Families who are His Majesties peaceable Subjects of whom it may be truly said There is no matters against them except it be concerning the Law of their God as it was said heretofore concerning Daniel Therefore in order to a better understanding of the aforesaid Act let the several particulars thereof be warily and soberly considered with some Observations upon it First Consider the Title of the said Act which is called An Act to prevent and suppress Seditious Conventicles Now it is well known that Titles of Acts are as keys to open the said Acts and by the Title of the aforesaid Act it do●● plainly appear that any Assembly or every gathering together of People is not intended by the King and Parliament but such Assembly as in express words is mentioned viz. Seditious Conventicles and therefore whosoever stretches the Law beyond the express words thereof agreable to sound Reason will not only abuse His Majesties Subjects but the Law also and instead of looking on the Law as a rule to walk by make it an Engine of Ruine therefore let these words Seditious Conventicles be well inquired into least they be applyed unto such Meetings of His Majesties Subjects as are not guilty thereof especially considering that in Ages past such have been charged with Sedition when they were innocent of such a Crime as may be seen in the Holy Scriptures when the Jews went about to build the Walls of Jerusalem and the House of their God Rehum the Chancellor and Shimshai the Scribe or Secretary wrot to the great King Artaxerxes charging them with Rebellion and Sedition and they called Jerusalem the Rebellious and bad City see Ezra 4. 9 12 15. And the blessed Apostle Paul when he stood before most noble Faelix a certain Orator named Tertullus vehemently accused Paul that he was a pestilent Fellow and a mover of Sedition pray see Acts 24. 1 5. Whereas Paul did but Preach the way of Salvation to any number of People that would Assemble together and hear the Blessed Doctrine of the Gospel and this is the practise that the Dissenting Protestants desire to follow and therefore let it be soberly inquired into 1 Whether any number of people quietly and solemnly Assembled together to Preach and hear Salvation by the blessed Merits of Christ and a holy Conversation according to the Holy Scriptures can be indeed and in truth a Seditious Conventicle 2 Whether the aforesaid matters viz. Preaching and hearing of Salvation by the blessed Merits of Christ and a holy Conversation according to the Holy Scriptures be not the constant practice of the Protestant Dissenters in all their Meetings if any should say they cannot tell whether this be their practise because they do not go to any of their Meetings let such take heed they do not lay other things to their charge they being ignorant of their Meetings and let such as daily attend their Meetings be witness of the truth of these things either for them or against them as they will answer it before the God of Heaven and Earth And therefore from the Title of this Act these things being considered these Observations are humbly proposed Observ 1. That such Meetings of People as have no seditious speeches nor seditious practices are not Seditious Conventicles Observ 2. That Protestant Dissenters Promoting the Protestant Religion in their Meetings viz. Faith in a Crucified Christ Repentance for Sin against God and a godly Life in this World ought not to be charged with Seditious Conventicles Observ 3. That such as cannot be proved guilty of Seditious Meetings ought not to be Prosecuted by the aforesaid Act. Secondly Consider the good design of the aforesaid Act and that is To provide Remedy against the growing and dangerous practices of SEDITIOUS Sectaries and other DISLOYAL Persons who under pretence of Tender Consciences have or may at their Meetings contrive Insurrections page 1. From this part of the Act these things are to be observed Observ 1. That Seditious Sectaries and other Disloyal Persons are the only Offenders intended by this Act and the Protestant Dissenters do abhor to be such and can comfortably appeal to God and the King they are not such and have given sufficient Demonstration of this matter by a peaceable subjection to his Government in all parts of England in paying all Taxes levyed by Law and in a patient suffering for Conscience Sake being many times in Prison and have suffered the loss of their Goods Observ 2. Furthermore it is declared by this Act That the Persons intended as Offenders are such who at their Meetings CONTRIVE INSURRECTIONS Now all the Protestant Dissenters will with one voice say Him or them that are thus guilty let them suffer according to this or any other Law but it is denyed that they are at all guilty of this horrid Crime Observ 3. That as their Meetings are and have for a long time been publick and they desire they may be so still they are not in a Capacity to Contrive Insurrections for as much as all sorts of people Women as well as Men Young People as well as Old may come among them and see and hear all that they do and such as do attend the Dissenters Meetings day after day for a long time who are not joyned with them in their particular fellowship can witness for them that in all their Meetings they concern themselves only with matters of godly instructions and not at all with Disloyal Consultations Now if any should be so disingenious as to remember and repeat that desperate Insurrection by Venner's Party in the year 60. and so reflect upon and Reproach the Protestant Dissenters in general it is humbly desired they would Consider these few following things 1. That Action was done but by a few Men about thirty was the whole number 2. That Action and practise was and is detested by the Protestant Dissenters in all parts of England 3. They that were guilty of that bloody Crime have suffered the punishments of the Law 4. Consider that it is not fair dealing to charge a people in general for the folly and madness of a few it is well known that many of the Members of the Church of England are frequently guilty of horrid Crimes against the Peace of their Sovereign Lord the King as also against the God of Heaven and Earth viz. Robbing upon the Highways breaking open Houses in Towns and Cities and many horrid Murders for which they are Hanged but it would be very abominable to charge these abominable