A

PERSUASIVE TO MODERATION

то

CHURCH DISSENTERS,

IN

PRUDENCE and CONSCIENCE.

Humbly fubmitted to the KING, and his Great COUNCIL.

Published in the Year 1686.

THE EPISTL E.

AVING of late time obferved the heat, averfion,

Hand fcorn with which fome men have treated all thoughts of eafe to Church-diffenters, I confefs I had a more than ordinary curiofity to examine the grounds. thofe gentlemen went upon: for I could not tell how to think moderation fhould be a vice, where Chriftianity was a virtue, when the great Doctor of that religion commands, that "our moderation be known "unto all men;" and why?" for the Lord is at "hand:" and what to do, but to judge our rancour, and retaliate and punish our bitterness of fpirit. And, to fay true, it is a fevere reflection we draw upon ourfelves, that though Pagan emperors could endure the addreffes of primitive Chriftians, and Christian Cæfars

receive

receive the apologies of infidels for indulgence, yet it fhould be thought, of fome men, an offence to feek it, or have it of a Chriftian prince, whofe intereft I dare fay it is, and who himself fo lately wanted it: but the confideration of the reason of this offence will increase our admiration; for they tell us, It is dangerous to the prince to fuffer it,' while the prince is himself a Diffenter: this difficulty is beyond all skill to remove, that it fhould be against the interest of a diffenting prince to indulge diffent. For though it will be granted there are Diffenters on differing principles from thofe of the prince, yet they are till Diffenters; and diffent being the prince's intereft, it will naturally follow, that thofe Diffenters are in the intereft of the prince, whether they think on it or no.

Intereft will not lie: men embarked in the same veffel, feek the fafety of the whole in their own, whatever other differences they may have. And felf-fafety is the highest worldly fecurity a prince can have; for though all parties would rejoice their own principles prevailed, yet every one is more folicitous about its own fafety, than the others verity. Wherefore it cannot be unwife, by the fecurity of all, to make it the interest as well as duty of all, to advance that of the publick.

Angry things, then, fet afide, as matters now are, what is best to be done? This I take to be the wife man's question, as to confider and answer it will be his bufinefs, moderation is a Chriftian duty, and it has ever been the prudent man's practice. For thofe governments that have used it in their conduct, have fucceeded beft in all ages.

I remember it is made in Livy the wisdom of the Romans, that they relaxed their hand to the Privernates, and thereby made them most faithful to their intereft. And it prevailed fo much with the Petilians, that they would endure any extremity from Hannibal, rather than defert their friendship, even then when the Romans discharged their fidelity, and fent them the defpair of knowing they could not relieve them. So

did one act of humanity overcome the Falifci above arms: which confirms that noble faying of Seneca, Mitius imperanti melius paretur; the mildeft conduct is best obeyed: a truth celebrated by Grotius and Campanella; practised, doubtlefs, by the braveft princes: for CYRUS exceeded, when he built the Jews a temple, and himself no Jew: ALEXANDER aftonished the princes of his train with the profound veneration he paid the high priest of that people: and AUGUSTUS was fo far from fuppreffing the Jewish worship, that he fent betacombs to Jerufalem to increase their devotion. Moderation filled the reigns of the most renowned Cafars: and story says, they were Neros and Caligulas that loved cruelty.

But others tell us that Diffenters are mostly antimonarchical, and fo not to be indulged; and that the agreement of the church of England and Rome in monarchy and hierarchy, with their nearness in other things, fhould oblige her to grant the Roman Catholicks a fpecial eafe, exclufive of the other Diffenters. But, with the leave of thofe worthy gentlemen, I would fay, nobody is against that which is for him: and that the averfion apprehended to be in fome against the monarchy, rather comes from intereft than principle: for governments were never deftroyed by the interefts they preferve.

In the next place, it is as plain that there is a fundamental difference between thofe churches in religion and interest. In religion, it appears by a comparison of the thirty-nine articles with the doctrine of the council of Trent. In intereft they differ fundamentally, because our church is in the actual poffeffion of the churches and livings that the other church claims. What better mixture then can these two churches make than that of iron and clay? Nor do I think it well judged, or wife, in any that pretend to be fons of the church of England, to feek an accommodation from the topick of affinity, fince it is that fome of her Diffenters have always objected, and she as conftantly denied to be true, VOL. IV.

X

I fay

I fay, this way of reconciling or indulging Roman Catholicks ftumbles far greater numbers of people of nearer creeds, and gives the church of England the lie. But fuppofe the trick took, and they only of all Diffenters had indulgence, yet, their paucity confidered, I am fure, a pair of Sir Kenelm Digby's breeches would fit with as good a grace upon the late lord Rochester's dwarf. Upon the whole matter, let men have eafe, and they will keep it; for thofe that might plot to get it, would not plot to lofe it. Men love the bridge they need and pafs: and that prince who has his people faft by intereft, holds them by the ftrongest human tie; for other courfes have failed as often as they have been tried. Let us then once try a true liberty: never did the circumftances of any kingdom lie more open and fair to fo bleffed an accommodation than we do at this time.

But we are told, The king has promifed to maintain the church of England!' I grant it: but if the church of England claims the king's promife of protection, her Diffenters cannot forget that of his clemency and as they were both great, and admirably diftinguished, fo by no means are they inconfiftent or impracticable.

Will not his juftice let him be wanting in the one? And can his greatnefs of mind let him leave the other behind him in the ftorm, unpitied and unhelped? Pardon me; we have not to do with an infenfible prince, but one that has been touched with our infirmities more than any body fit to judge our cause, by the share he once had in it. Who fhould give cafe like the prince that has wanted it? To fuffer for his own confcience, looked great; but to deliver other mens were glorious. It is a fort of paying the vows of his adverfity, and it cannot therefore be done by any one else with fo much juftice and example.

Far be it from me to folicit any thing in diminution of the just rights of the church of England: let her reft protected where she is. But I hope none will be thought to intend her wrong, for refufing to under

ftand