leave and forsake them 't is no very good sign or token of their Ministerial Gifts and Abilities But it is a presumptuous and too bold comparison he here makes between the Success of Christs Ministry while he exercised it in his own Person upon Earth and that of the Clergy of England For though taking on him the form of a Servant he was made in the likeness of men yet couâ—d he have Converted Millions of sinners as well as have commanded Legions of Angels if it had so pleased him The Cases of Elijah and of Athanasius he instances in are not at all to the present purpose for we do not say that Peoples leaving or forsaking their Pastors is an Argument of their having lost all spiritual Power and Authority But Pastors leaving or forsaking the Spiritual means by Christ appointed for the Rule and Government of his Church and applying to and using of other means than he appointed and commanded them to the subversion and ruine of his Discipline is an Argument of it And here I cannot but take notice of the great Pique our Answerer hath against liberty in Religion in that he would have the Prophets apprehension That the whole Israel of God had forsaken his Covenant to proceed from the general indulgence granted by Ahab to all kinds of Religion as well as Impieties when though there may be reasâ—n enough to believe he indulg'd all kind of Impieties in that it is said He did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger then all the Kings of Israel that were before him there is not the least evidence of his indulging all Kinds of Religions in that though there were 7000 who had not bowed the knee to Ball the Prophet knew not of one true worshipper besides himself which is no great Argument of their being indulged among the all kind of Religions he talks of But to conclude whoever as he says shall seriously consider the depraved Nature of Man how much more prone it is to embrace Vice than Vertue Error than Truth and the Novel rather than the good old way of Religion will not be much startled or wonder that the greatest part of mankind should forsake the Truth and true Religion which have Persecution and outward sufferings usually accompanying them to embrace those Religions which not only indulge them in their Lusts but have the greatest worldly Interests and advantages attending them Query XXV Whether are not they Strangers to the Power and efficacy of the Divine Spirit or distrustfull of Gods Providence to be always with his Church who think Christianity which both began and spread it self over the world for several hundreds of years under Heathen and Persecuting Emperours cannot stand or continue supported by the same Divine Presence and Protection to the Worlds end without the Aid and Assistance of the Civil Magistrate Reply to the Answer to this Query WE do not say nor did we ever think the first Reformers of Religion in this or any other Nation were Strangers to the Power and Efficacy of the Divine Spirit or distrustful of Gods Promise to be always with his Church Because the whole Reformation was not without the Aid and Assistance of civil Magistrates But bless God rather for their Cooperating in so good a work And yet we shall not scruple to say They had been strangers to the Power and Efficacy of the Divine Spirit and its operations on the Souls of men had they believed the Reformation could not have been effected without them And to ask what Archbishop Cranmer Hooper Ridly c. could have done to restore Religion to its Purity and Truth had they not been seconded and Assisted by the civil Magistrate would have better become a Turkish Mufti then a Gospel Minister Does he think the Power and Efficacy of Gods Spirit in the mouths of his Preachers not sufficient to convert the most obstinate and to bring into Captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ How then did not only Peter and Paul with the rest of the Apostles but the Primitive Christians for several Ages after them propagate Christianity and the Truths of the Gospel not only without the assistance but even against the greatest opposition of civil Magistrates And what can be more to the disparagement of the then Englishâ— Clergy and derogatory to the Spirit of God then to say as he does they might as well have attempted to have pull'd the Sun out of its Orb as ever to have Reformed Religion by the Aid and Assistance of the Holy Spirit without the Aid and Assistance of the civil Magistrate Does he think things were then amongst them as he would have them thought to be amongst us That the Presence of God and Assistance of his Holy Spirit were to be look't upon as miraculous concurrences with the Clergy in the management and Exercise of their Ministerial Office I trust they are not and that he judges both of the one and of the other but by himself But so far I agree with him That as Kingdoms and States so Religion and the Church are to be secured and npheld by the very same means and methods by which they were established And so the Church of England as founded in Prelacy by the Kings and Nobles of England as hath been shown must be secured and upheld by the same means and methods or it will not long so continue but as Christian wherein it was founded by the mouths of Preachers with the Aid and Assistance of the Holy Spirit it will I trust be so secured and upheld to the worlds end Yet that God will withal vouchsafe her so great a blessing That Kings and Queens may ever be her Nursing Fathers and Nursing Mothers to protect and defend her from the rage and violence of wicked and unreasonable men since all men have not Faith is my hearty desire But our Clergy man sensible it seems how things are now amongst them is distrustful of Gods continuing his Church with us and therefore would have the Gentleman consider in what Scripture he hath promis'd that either Christianity in general or Protestantism in particular should for ever continue the Establisht Religion of this Kingdom We know indeed of no particular promise concerning the Establisht Religion of this Kingdom but this we know That where two or three are gathered together in Christs name he hath promised to be in the midst of them and that he told his Disciples while they taught the observation of all things which he commanded them he would be with them to the worlds end So that if Christianity continue not with us it is by oâ—r own default in forsaking Christ and disobeying his commands He is pleased to acknowledge here what could not well be denied That Christianity spread it self over the world under Heathen and Persecuting Emperours only by the Power of the Divine Presence and Protection without the Aid of the civil Magistrate But looks upon it as miraculous
all the words of the Book of the Covenant that was found in the House of the Lord was it not by convincing them it was their duty so to do for it reacht no farther then to those who were present And who denies the like Power unto Christian Magistrates Nor needs there any great search in the Annals of time and History of Ages to know that Princes and People never more prosper'd then when Religion was countenanc't Idolatry punisht and the great Causes and occasions of Schism the requiring other Terms and Conditions of Church-Fellowship and Communion then God requires were unknown or removed Nor is there ought in the Instances before mentioned That needs any such constructions or evasions as this Answerer speaks of to reconcile them to the liberty in Religion pleaded for For who did ever deny unto Magistrates Power to command and require their People to serve God as God hath exprest and declar'd he will be serv'd or to remove such outward appearances and Monuments of worship as are evidently and apparently false and Idolatrous which in both instances was but the Case of the before-mentioned Kings of Judah But that which is excepted against Is the prohibiting any to worship God in such a way as none can say to be against the mind and will of God or displeasing unto him or the compelling any to worship God in such a way as they Judge sinful or are not satisfied in the lawfulness of And though the State of Religion under the Gospel be far differing from what it was under the Law yet surely Princes are not as he says in a worse condition by the coming of Christ then they were in the Jewish Commonwealth where they had no power to command ought in Religion but what God willed or commanded and so they may do still by all the ways and means appointed by God and useful thereunto But what is it this Answerer hath found in the 49 chap of Isaiah to prove the Magistrates Coercive Power in Religion Gods affectionate answer to his peoples complaint promising never to forget them will not do it neither his promise of delivering them from their Enemies and adding to their numbers nor yet that Kings should be nursing Fathers and Queens nursing Mothers to his Church For Nurses do not use to force and coerce their Children but nourish and cherish them But this place does indeed imply or promise that there should be Soveraign Princes who should nourish and cherish the People of God and take care that no hurt or violence be offer'd unto them or to his Church which is as much as the Metaphor will bear since true Religion cannot be forc't or upheld by Secular power 'T is Antichristianism that is so supported and maintain'd by those who give their power and strength unto the Beast And they carry the Metaphor too farr who would have Princes like Nurses to feed their Children Christ having appointed other Overseers of his flock for that works whom the Magistrate ought indeed to protect and defend in the performance thereof but not to dictate nor prescribe to them therein There may not be wanting expositors who as he says may conceive this Prophesie to have been fulfilled when Emperours and Kings became Christians and enacted Laws to secure the Faith of Christ from all Enemies c. though they have no great Reason for it it being but too well known that Christian Religion hath suffer'd more then ever it gain'd by pretended Christian Magistrates For if Constantine protected the Truth his Successor Constantius with divers others after him persecuted it Yea the generality of Christian Magistrates for above a thousand years together by the instigations of the Bishop of Rome were its great opposers and oppressors and though for several years past God hath blessed this Nation beyond most of the Nations of the Earth with Kings and Queens who have protected and defended the Truths of the Gospel and the people of God from the Tyranny and opprssieon of that great Enemy to both yet in respect of Christendom there is little cause to say that this Prophesie was fulfilled when Kings and Emperours became Christians As there have been Laws enacted by Kings and States in behalf of the Truth so there have been infinitely more enacted against it error too soon and generally prevailing over the Christian world which for a Protestant to Question were to deny his Faith He cannot be thought a Friend to Truth who shall oppose any means conducive unto its promotion But whoever shall consider how few of the Mighty and Noble of the Earth to whom wordly Power and Authority is committed are called unto the knowledge thereof must acknowledge likewise that where one Law bath been enacted in behalf of the Truth hundreds have been enacted to its prejudice It is not therefore in opposition to Truth but for the Truths sake that we plead for its standing upon its own Bottom and prevailing by its own strength and efficacy For as the Truths of the Gospel were at first planted and propagated throughout the world by the Ministry of the Gospel and influence of the Divine Spirit without the aid and assistance of the secular Power so by the same means and methods they are best secured and preserved nor is secular force and power a means by God appointed or in its nature conducive to the promoting of Truth since 't is conviction and not force must induce assent And though some Hereticks may have seem'd to retract their opinions upon the severity of penal Laws against them there is little reason to believe that any of them thereby became real converts for though force may make an Hypocrite it can never make a true Believer If we believe not the Donatists and Independants so nearly related as this Answerer tells us having but his say so without other proof and if we are not Convinc't That Austins changing his mind proves second thoughts to be always best it will not we hope be thought any violation of the Law or light of Nature 't is not unknown how that Pious Father was molested by that petulant Faction no wonder therefore he should approve of what ever delivered him from them But would it not be very pleasant for Magistrates to change their Laws as oft as Doctors change their minds and that every new opinion should be the ground of a new Statute And yet I fully approve of what this Learned and Pious Father That Kings as is commanded them from Heaven serve God in that Office when in their Kingdoms they Command what is good and Prohibit what is evil and that not only in things that belong unto humane Society but also unto Divine Religion So they command but what is known and allowed to be good and in mens power to do and Prohibit no more then what is by the light of Nature or some positive Law of God apparently evil And if there be more passages to the same purpose as this
Ratiocinium Vernaculum OR A REPLY TO Ataxiae Obstaculum Being A pretended ANSWER To certain QUERIES Dispersed in some parts of Gloucester-shire Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods Mark 12. 17. For so is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the Ignorance of Foolish men 1 Pet. 2. 15. LONDON Printed for A. B. MDCLXXVIII THE PREFACE IT is now near Seven years since the Ensuing Queries grounded most of them on Holy Writ or on the Writings of Learned and Judicious men of the Church of England were one Morning Cursorily written Vpon the sight of certain Queries that had been delivered to and answer'd by a neighbour Minister and to him only privately sent without the least Design or Intention of their ever being made publick but to Convince him with such others of his Judgement to whom he should think good to communicate them of the unreasonableness especially on Protestant Principles of exercising Force and Compulsion in Religion with the danger of Persecuting any on the account thereof But no answer by him was ever return'd unto their Author who so little concern'd himself in them that they were as much out of his thoughts as if they had never been written by him When about Michaelmas 1676. he was surprised with the news of a weak and unadvised Parson's having taken them up into the Pulpit with him and there made them the Subject of his Mornings Exercise to the Amazement of some and Derision of other of his Parishoners who had never before heard of them and then understood not his Descant on them But the noise hereof soon made them which for some years had been buryed in silence now the Discourse of the Country and they were not only oppugn'd from the Press the Pulpit and the Pens of divers Adversaries but their Author Prosecuted at the Assizes as Criminal though 't will perhaps be difficult shewing as they were written and disposed of by him what Law of God or Man he therein Transgress'd or what Civil or Religious Interest was thereby injur'd since upon the severest Examination and Scrutiny they will be found to have no worse aim or design than to manifest how Irrational it was and how Ineffectual it must needs be to all good purposes as well as inconsistent with the Precepts of the Gospel and Principles of Christianity to Force Religion and how dangerous to Persecute any on the account thereof And herein he is satisfied to have the Concurrent opinion of the most Learned and Judicious Divines of all Parties though the Practices of too many of them have not been answerable thereunto who indeed say and do not Nay may be said some of them to make themselves Transgressors in building again the things which they destroyed And though 't would not be difficult to Compose a Volume in but Transcribing what they have Written to this purpose I shall here content my self with a single Citation yet it being from one who having had the Approbation and Applause of the Famousest Vniversity of Christendom as well as of the Generality of Learned and Judicious Men of the Reformation may pass for more then a single Testimony and this is the Eminently Learned and Acute Mr. Chillingworth who in his Treatise Entituled the Religion of Protestants a safe way to Salvation thus speakes I have learnt saith he from the Ancient Fathers of the Church that nothing is more against Religion then to Force Religion And of St. Paul The Weapons of the Christian Warfare are not Carnal And great Reason for humane Violence may make men Counterfeit but cannot make them Believe and is therefore fit for nothing but to breed From without and Atheisme within Besides saith he if this means of bringing men to embrace any Religion were generally used as if it may be justly used in any place by those that have Power and think they have Ttuth Certainly they cannot with Reason deny but that it may be used in every place by those that have Power as well as they and think they have Truth as well as they what could follow but the maintenance perhaps of Truth but perhaps only of the Profession of it in one place and the Oppression of it in an hundred What will follow from it but the preservation peradventure of Unity but peradventure only of Uniformity in particular States and Churches but the Immortalizing the greater and more lamentable Divisions of Christendom and the World And therefore what can follow from it but perhaps in the Judgment of Carnal Policy the Temporal benefit and Tranquillity of Temporal States and Kingdoms but the Infinite Prejudice if not the Desolation of the Kingdom of Christ And therefore it well becomes them who have their Portions in this life who serve no higher State then this of England or Spain or France nor this neither any further than they serve themselves by it Who think of no other Happiness but the Preservation of their own Fortunes and Tranquillity in this world who think of no other means to preserve Estates but Humane Power and Machivèllian Policy and believe no other Creed but this Regi aut Civitati imperium habenti nihil injustum quod utile Such men as these it may well become to maintain by worldly Power and Violence their State-Instrument Religion For if all be vain and false as in their Judgment it is the present whatsoever is better then any because it is already Settled an alteration of it may draw with it change of States and the change of State the Subversion of their Fortune But they that are indeed Servants and Lovers of Christ of Truth of the Church and of Mankind ought with all courage to oppose themselves against it as a Common enemy of all these They that know there is a King of Kings and Lord of Lords by whose will and pleasure King◠and Kingdoms stand and fall they know that to no King or State any thing can be profitable which is unjust and that nothing can be more evidently unjust then to force weak men by the Profession of a Religion which they believe not to loose their own Eternal Happiness out of a vain and needless fear least they may possibly disturb their Temporal quietness There being no danger to any State from any mans Opinion unless it be such an Opinion of which Disobedience to Authority or Impiety is taught or Licenc'd which sort I confess may justly be punisht as well as other Faults or unless this Sanguinary Doctrine be joyned with it that it is lawful for him by humane violence to enforce others to it This was the Judgment of this Learned and Judicious Divine of the Church of England concerning Force in Religion and of those Doubtless who Licens'd and Approv'd of this his Learned and Judicious Treatise in which they unanimously declare to find nothing contrary to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England
charge not this on the Church of England nor have we said That they who serve God according to her Liturgy were false-worshippers These are but the uncharitable Inferences and Surmises of a strangely ignorant or immeasurably malitious Person who wanting strength of Reason or Argument to oppose the Truths he likes not thus loads them with Reproach and Calumny And to what purpose does he tell us it being nothing still to this Query That there is no Congregated Independent Congregation in England but the respective Pastor of it assumes to himself more Power and Authority to Govern and Conduct the sworn Members of it in the ways and duties of Religion then the greatest Prelate in our Church does in his Province or Diocess unless to manifest how difficult it is for him to write one true Period there being amongst them no such sworn Members as he mentions and whether of them exercise most Power and Authority to Conduct and Govern their respective Members in the ways and duties of Religion let those concern'd determine But this he says He will not prove from their Practices the thing being apparent from the very Principles of Independency which aim at little else but Tvranny and Pre eminence as appears by the Independant Pastors excluding whom they please from the means of Salvation and making that a condition of their Communion which is impossible I hope he does not mean here that in making the conditions of their Communion impossible they exclude whom they please from the means of Salvation as if there were no Salvation out of their Communion and yet I know not what else he means by it and if that be his meaning they do not yet exclude any from the means of Salvation in making that a condition of their Communion which is impossible for if the condition were impossible the Communion which depended on it would be so too but the contrary is very well known and so in good time will the credit of this Reporter likewise be But as a farther instance of their Tyranny and Praeâ—eminence he tells us They pry into the very secrets of mens Souls Lives and Actions by severe Scrutinies and Examinations If they do it is not by the Oath c. we have heard much talk of But they will not he says admit of any to be Members of their gather'd Churches till they have satisfied the curiosity of their guides That is they will perhaps have no Communion with unbelievers nor Fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkness a great Crime and worthy this Answerer's rebuke But is it more then probable as he politickly observes That this and not meanness of Trade impoverishes City and Country or supposing they who having been made partakers of their Spiritual things should according to duty administer unto them in carnal things How should this occasion the Nations poverty What do they receive which they give not again Or which of them hath such plenty as to enable them to hoard up any thing No no we are told by a wiser and more pious Politician That a fruitfull Land is turned into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein And the Holy Prophet tells us The Land mourns and the Herbs of every field wither not for Peoples meeting together to pray for a blessing upon themselves their Governours and the Land of their Nativity but for the wickedness still of them that dwell therein thus we see how persons differ in Judgement according to the diversity of their spirits and passions But to return to the Query charged in the Rear with blind Leaders and Followers he wishes the Gentleman would not make such sly and unworthy reflections upon the conformable Laity and Clergy of this Kingdom And the Gentleman wishes likewise this Answerer would also forbear applying to particulars what is indefinitely spoken and was not by him intended to one party more than another But 't is a shrew'd sign of some very sore place in the Ass that kicks and winches upon every approach before he is touch't Query XX. Whether it be not most unreasonable in the concerns of Eternity to tie men by Temporal penalties to fallible guides whom to follow may be their Eternal to forsake their Temporal Ruine Reply to the Answer to this Query HE hath nothing it seems to say against it and therefore very advisedly sends his Reader he knows not whither for satisfaction in he knows not what Query XXI Whether the main inlet of all the Distractions Persecutions and Divisions in the Christian World hath not been by adding and requiring other conditions of Church-Fellowship and Communion than Christ or his Apostles did Reply to the Answer to this Query THe enquiry here is only into the original of the Distractions Persecutions and Divisions which have been in the Christian world i. e. among Christians or such as have made profession of Christianity not of the Persecutions raised against them by Heathens and Infidels The Ten Persecutions therefore against the Primitive Christians and the Inroads of the Goths and Vandals into Italy come not within this enquiry But says this Answerer If it be understood in this sense there are very great mistakes in it for that severe proceedings of Christian Emperours against Hereticks and of Hereticks against the Orthodox Christians were not for Innovations brought into the Church as conditions of Christian Communion but for the Truths of Christ c. That 's the Query and wherein â—y the great mistakes in asking it But he may be pardon'd this for so ingeniously professing himself Ignorant of any Distractions Persecutions and Divisions that were ever raised in the Christian World upon the account of adding and requiring new or unheard of conditions of Church Fellowship unless it were the difference between the Western and Eastern Churches about the Observation of Easter So that it seems he is ignorant of the Persecutions and Divisions that were amongst Christians in the Reigns of Constantine Constantius and some following Emperours upon the imposition of differing if not contradictory Creeds For it was not the Doctrine of the Trinity Three Persons and one God as exprest in Scripture that caus'd the breach of Communion and Church-Fellowship between the Arians and the Orthodox Christians but the Orthodox forcing the Arians to subscribe to their newly invented Homoousian as did afterwards the Arians where they prevailed requiring the Orthodox to subscribe to their Homoiousian whereas as a Learned Prelate hath well observ'd had both parties acquiesced in the very Scripture expressions without their own additions they might have lived peacably and quietly together and the Arian Heresie probably have soon expired Error divested of Secular Force and Support not being long able to withstand the â—ower of Truth He is it seems likewise Ignorant of the great Divisions which after arose in the Church about the Procession of the Holy Ghost whereas as the said Learned person likewise observes had they acquiesced also in what the
their duty to follow any farther then they are followers of Christ Christians being obliged to walk together so far only as they have attain'd To require more of any is indeed as the Apostle at large declares in his 14 chapter to the Romans to lay a stumbling-block in the way of their Christian Brethren and infallibly to involve those that so do in that dreadfull wo pronounc't by our Blessed Saviour in the Text cited But has this Answerer the vanity to think his Illogical and undue Inferences false suggestions Impertinent and Ridiculous Reasonings and nonsensical Answers should convince any of guilt yet if he know of any who are fallen from their first works or otherwise wanting in their duty let him not spare to charge and charge them home and if they cannot acquit themselves let not reproach and shame only befall them but whatever severity Law and Justice can inflict upon them 'T is very much That notwithstanding all so Learned and Judicious a Person hath written in the Churches vindication any should yet reply the Ecclesiastical Laws and Constitutions do little or no good and therefore were better for the reasons mention'd to be repeal'd against which besides what he hath already said He adds the saying of a Roman when Rome as he says resembled England by the ill Government of Galba That it is far better to live where nothing is lawful then where all things are lawful which is such a reflection on the Government as those Queries with all their Sedition shall I hope never be found guilty of But what may be the instance of ill Government which is here so severely reflected on it will upon inquiry be found to be no other Than His Majesties late gracious Declaration of Indulgence to Dissenters in Religion the which though it secur'd to the Church all its Rights Priviledges and Emoluments was yet so intolerable to some Church-men in restraining them only from falling upon and ruining their poor peaceable and pious Neighbours that none have more and few I thinkâ— so much reflected on Authority as some of them have thereon done an evident demonstration what Loyal and Faithfull Subjects they would quickly be should Authority deal with them as it hath done with some others for who would not be Loyal to kind and bountiful Masters Wolves and Tygers are so to those who feed and favour them But they only are to be accounted Loyal Subjects who are so for Conscience-sake to severe and froward Governours as well as to the kind and courteous and not as their Benefactors but as Gods Ministers which is a Loyalty few of these Loyalists can boast of But he again tells us The Scripture compares the Church to an Army which it does for terror but not for being alike Officer'd And for an Army says he to be left to its own Liberty and every common Souldier to observe no Order nor live under any Discipline is the ready way to expose it as a prey to the first Invader It is so indeed who is it therefore that would have no common Souldier observe any Order nor live under any Discipline Not they certainly who would have both the Officers and Souldiers of this Army to observe all the Orders of the Chief Commander the Officers in commanding as well as Souldiers in obeying which will be found to be the Order and Discipline that ought to be observ'd But this Answerer tells us The little good that is done by the Laws of this Church and Kingdom proceeds either from the want of their due Execution which is still a reflection on the Government as is his elsewhere saying The vigorous Execution of one Law would do more good than a Million of Proclamations c. or from the indisposition of those Persons who expect Protection from Laws without paying any Reverence or Obedience to them c. 'T was never denyed but that in Civil and Secular Affairs and Concerns Force and Compulsion is and must be us'd or there can be no Rule or Government amongst men But in the Concerns of Religion abstracted from secular Interests and advantages it is otherwise men are therein to be gain'd and Govern'd by perswasion and conviction only Religion cannot be impos'd nor is any thing more absur'd than to endeavour to promote the Truths of the Gospel contrary to the Laws of the Gospel Virga Regum as Rupertus truly tells us Est virga Dominationis virga Discipulorum Christi virga est Dilectionis or as Hieron hath it Rex praeest nolentibus Episcopus volentibus And the Apostle tells us There is a way of bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ But the weapons whereby that Victory is atcheived are not Carnal which is indeed the cause of the little good that is therein done by Civil and Ecclesiastical Laws This Answerer may therefore very well ask What effect Ecclesiastical Laws can have upon Atheists and Infidels all the Ecclesiastical Laws in the world Seconded and Assisted by the Laws of the State not being able to Convince or Convert one Atheist or Infidel Hypocrities or dissembling Professors they may indeed make but can never make one true or sincere Christian Penal Laws therefore concerning Religion have ever respected more the Civil Peace and Interests of Kingdoms and Commonwealths That under pretence of Religion the Rights of Princes and Liberty of the People be not invaded or injur'd then the Truths of the Gospel which are not by those means or Methods to be preserved or propagated So a late great Minister of State speaking of penal Laws against Papists tells them 'T is not against their Opinions of Purgatory or Transubstantiation though errors but against their owning the personal Authority of the Pope within His Majesties Dominions as dangerous to the State that those Laws are provided disclaming therefore of that they should find themselves at great ease And it was the great business of the Chief Ministers of State in Queen Elizabeths Reign to satisfie the world that none ever suffer'd in England for Religion but for Treason or Treasonable practices under colour or pretence of Religion Nor can we believe some late Laws concerning Religion were ever intended to molest or punish any for the performance of any truly Religious duty but of such only as under pretence thereof met to contrive Insurrections and Rebellions and thereby became dangerous to the State and such certainly of all men ought to be the most severely dealt with as well for their Hypocrisie and abuse of Religion as for such their disloyal practices For none sure can imagine His Majesty would ever have indulg'd Dissenters the Exercise of their Religion had it been against that the Laws had provided and not rather against the danger that might from some meetings have accrued to the publick the preservation of the publick peace being the ground both of those Laws and likewise of His Majesties Declaration of indulgence upon the difference of times and