The great Case of Liberty of Conscience so often Debated and Defended (however dissatisfactorily to such as have so little Conscience as to Persecute for it) is once more brought to publique view, by a late Act against Dissenters, and Bill of an additional one, that we all hop'd the wisdom of our Rulers had long since laid aside, as what was fitter to be pass'd into an Act of perpetual Oblivion. The Kingdoms are allarum'd at this Proceedure, and Thousands greatly at a stand, wondring what should be the meaning of such hasty Resolutions, that seem as fatal as they were unexpected: Some ask what Wrong they have done; others, what Peace they have broken; and all, what Plots they have form'd, to prejudice the present Government, or occasions given, to hatch new Jealousies of them and their Proceedings, being not conscious to themselves of guilt in any such respect.
For mine own part, I publickly confess my self to be a very hearty Dissenter from the establish'd Worship of these Nations,
However, all conclude that Union very Ominous, and Unhappy, which makes the first discovery of it self, by a John Baptists Head in a Charger, They mean that Feast some are design'd to make upon the Liberties and Properties of Free-born English-men, since to have the I[gap: extent: one or two letters]ail of those undoubted hereditary Rights cut off for matters purely relative of another World) is a severe beheading in the Law; which must be obvious to all, but such as measure the justice of things only by that proportion they bear with their own interest.
A sort of men that seek themselves, though at the apparent loss of whole Societies, like to that barbarous Fancy of old, which had rather that Rome should burn, then it be without the satisfaction of a Bone-fire. And sad it is, when men have so far stupified their Understandings with the strong doses of their private interest, as to become insensible of the Publicks. Certainly such an Over-fondness for self, or that strong inclination, to raise themselves in the ruine of what does not so much oppose them, as that they will believe so, because they would be persecuting, is a malignant Enemy to that Tranquility, which all Dissenting Parties seem to believe, would be the consequence of a Toleration.
In short we say, there can be but two ends in Persecution, the one to satisfie (which none can ever do) the insatiable appetites of a decimating Clergy (whose best Arguments are Fines and Imprisonments) and the other, as thinking therein they do God good Service; but 'tis so hateful a thing upon any account, that we shall make it appear by this ensuing Discourse, to be a declar'd Enemy to God, Religion, and the Good of humane Society.
The whole will be small, since it is but an Epitomy of no larger a tract then fourteen sheets; yet divides it self into the same particulars, every of which we shall defend against Imposition, Restraint, and Persecution, though not with that scope of Reason (nor consequently Pleasure to the Readers) being by other contingent disappointments, limitted to a narrow stint.
First, By Liberty of Conscience, we understand not only a meer Liberty of the Mind, in believing or disbelieving this or that Principle or Doctrine, but the Exercise of our selves in a visible Way of Worship, upon our believing it to be indispensibly required at our hands, that if we neglect it for Fear or Favour of any Mortal Man, we Sin, and incur divine Wrath: Yet we would be so understood to extend and justifie the lawfulness of our so meeting to Worship God, as not to contrive, or abet any Contrivance distructive of the Government and Laws of the Land, tending to matters of an external nature, directly, or indirectly; but so far only, as it may refer to religious Matters, and a Life to come, and consequently wholly independent of the secular affairs of this, wherein we are suppos'd to Transgress.
Secondly, By Imposition, Restraint, and Persecution, we don't only mean, the strict requiring of us to believe this to be true, or that to be false; and upon refusal, to incur the Penalties enacted in such Cases; but by those tearms we mean thus much, any coersive let or hindrance to us, from meeting together to perform those Religious Exercises which are according to our Faith and Perswasion.
For Proof of the aforesaid Tearms thus given, we singly state the Question thus.
Whether Imposition, Restraint, and Persecution, upon persons for Exercising such a Liberty of Conscience, as is before expressed, and so circumstantiated, be not to impeach the Honour of God, the Meekness of the Christian Religion, the Authority of Scripture, the Priviledge of Nature, the Principles of common Reason, the Well-being of Government, and Apprehensions of the greatest Personages of former and latter Ages.
First, Then we say that Imposition, Restraint, and Persecution, for matters relating to Conscience, directly Invade divine Prerogative, and Divest the Almighty of a Due, proper to none besides himself. And this we prove by these five Particulars.
1. First, If we do allow the honour of our Creation, due to God only, and that no other besides himself has endow'd us with those excellent Gifts of Understanding, Reason, Judgment, and Faith, and consequently that he only is the Object as well as Author, both of our Faith, Worship, and Service, then whoever shall interpose their Authority to enact Fa ith and Worship, in a way that seems not to us congruous with what he has discover'd
2. Secondly, such Magisterial determinations carry an evident claim to that infallibility, which Protestants have been hitherto so jealous of owning, that to avoid the Papists, they have denied it to all, but God himself.
Either they have forsook their old Plea, or if not, we desire to know when, and where they were invested with that divine excellency, and that Imposition, Restraint, and Persecution, were deem'd by God ever the Fruits of his Spirit: However, that it self were not sufficient; for unless it appear as well to us, that they have it, as to them who have it, we cannot believe it upon any convincing Evidence, but by Tradition only; an Anti-Protestant way of believing.
3. Thirdly, It enthrones man as King over Conscience, the alone just claim and Priviledge of his Creator, whose Thoughts are not as mens Thoughts, but has reserv'd to himself, that Empire from all the Caesars on Earth; for if men in reference to Souls, and Bodies, things appertaining to this and to'ther World, shall be subject to their Fellow-Creatures, what follows? but that Caesar (however he got it) has all, Gods share, and his own too; and being lord of both, both are Caesars, and nothing Gods.
4. Fourthly, It defeats the Work of his Grace, and the invisible Opperation of his eternal Spirit, which can alone beget Faith, and is only to be obey'd, in and about Religion and Worship, and attributes mens conformity to outward force & corporal punishments. A Faith subject to as many revolutions as the powers that enact it.
5. Fiftly and lastly, Such persons assume the Judgment of the great Tribunal unto themselves; for to whomsoever men are
Thus and in many more particulars are men accustom'd to entrench upon divine Property, to gratifie particular Interests in the world (and at best) through a misguided apprehension, to imagine they do God good service, that where they cannot give Faith, they will use force, which kind of Sacrifice is nothing less unreasonable, then the other is abominable: God will not give his honor to another, and to him only that searches the heart and tries the reins, it is our duty to ascribe the gifts of Understanding and S[gap: extent: two or three letters] without which none can please God.