church is both fuperftitious and idolatrous. And all this I do acknowledge, intend, profefs, and declare without any equivocation, or referved or other fenfe, than the plain and ufual fignification of these words, according to the real intention of the lawmakers, and the common acceptation of all true Proteftants.

This is the teft I offer; large in matter, because comprehensive of oaths and test too, yet brief in words.

The next thing is the ways of taking it with most aggravation upon the refufers or violaters of it.

1. That in all cities and great towns, notice be given by the magiftrates thereof to the inhabitants of every ward or parish to appear on fuch a day, be it New-years-day, or Afh-Wednesday rather (when the pope curses all Proteftants) at their publick hall, or other places of commerce, where the magiftrates shall firft openly read, fubfcribe, and feal the teft. Then that it be read again by the proper officer of the place to the people, and that thofe that take it, do audibly pronounce the words after him that reads it; and when they have fo done, that they fubfcribe and feal it. That fuch fubfcriptions be registered, and copies of each parifh fubfcription tranfmitted to the parish, and affixed upon fome publick place for all that will to fee.

2. That in the countries, the parishes of each hundred or rape may be likewife fummoned to appear upon the day aforefaid, at the head market-town in the faid hundred or rape; and that the juftices of the peace within that part of the county fhall first read, fubscribe, and feal the faid teft, in view of the people; and then that the people fay, fubfcribe, and feal the test, as is before expreffed. Which being done, let the faid fubfcriptions be collected into one volume, and kept in the county-court as a book of record; and that to each parifh be tranfmitted a - VOL. IV.

Copy

copy of the faid parish subscription, to be affixed upon fome publick place within the faid parish, for all to

fee.

Laftly, Let this be done annually, that is, upon every New-year's-day, or Afh-Wednesday, as a perpetual teftimony of the people's affection to the king and government, and their abhorrence of the practices of Rome.

The abufe of this difcrimination fhould be very penal for it is a great lie upon a man's own confcience, and a cheat put upon the government: your wisdom can beft proportion and direct the punishment; but it can scarcely be too fevere, as our business ftands.

But as, in cafe of fuch hypocrify, a fevere penalty fhould be inflicted, fo pray let provifion be made, that if any person fo fubfcribing, fhould be afterwards called by the name of Jefuit or Papist, without very good proof, it should be deemed and punished in open feffions, for a flander and breach of peace; yet so as that the penalty may be remitted at the request of the abused party.

I fhould think that this bufinefs, carefully done, might render needlefs my answer to the last objection, viz. Which way fhall we be able to prevent Papifts from paffing for Proteftant Diffenters, that fo the fecurity propounded to the government be not baffled by difguife? For no Papist can subscribe this, but he will lie in the face of the government and country, and that yearly, and upon record too; which is ten times more than a tranfient oath, muttered with one word spoken, and another dropt. However, that we may carry it as far as human prudence can go,1 yet offer two expedients:

Firft, That upon jealoufy of any perfon's being a Papist, or popishly inclined, who is known to frequent the affemblies of Proteftant Diffenters, four of that party, of most note and integrity, unto which he pretends to adhere, fhould be fummoned to appear before

before those juftices of the peace unto whom the complaint is made, to teftify their knowledge of the perfon fufpected, his education, principles, and manner of life: which way of inspection, as it goes as far as man can reach, fo can it fcarcely fail; for those perfons will not only difcover their own hypocrify if they conceal him, but expose themselves and their friends to ruin. So that to fay true, the government has the interest and fecurity of an entire party, for the discovery of every fuch fufpected person.

But if this will not do, then,

Secondly, Be you pleased to refer the difcrimination of fufpected perfons to the good old way of the government, that is, The enquiry and judgment of

twelve men of the neighbourhood;' to wit, a jury: provided always, that they be fuch as have taken, or will themselves take, the teft; elfe, that they may be excepted against by the party fufpected.

Indeed a good expedient may be made out of both, for the first may be the evidence to the laft, and I think you will hardly fail of your ends.

I fhall conclude with this requeft, firft, to Almighty God, that he would please to make us truly and deeply fenfible of his present mercies to us, and to reform our hearts and lives to improve them thankfully. And, fecondly, to you, that we may be loving, humble, and diligent, one to and for another: for as from fuch amendments we may dare promife great and fudden felicity to England, fo if loofenefs in life, and bitterness in religion, be not speedily reprehended and reformed, and the common civil intereft maintained entire, God will, I juftly fear, repent he has begun to do us good, adjourn the day of our deliverance to that of our repentance and moderation, and overcaft thefe happy dawnings of his favour, by a thick and difmal cloud of confufion and mifery: which God avert!

These things that I have written, are no wild gueffes, or may-be's, but the disease and cure, the danger and fafety, of England: in treating of which, that

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God

God who made the world knows, I have not gratified any private spleen or intereft (for I am forry at the occafion) but fingly and confcientiously intended his honour, and the lafting good of England, to which all perfonal and party confiderations ought ever to fubmit.

Amicus Plato, amicus Ariftoteles, fed magis amica veritas, i, e. Anglia.

Your own faithful and most affectionate

PHILANGLUS.

A BRIEF

EXAMINATION AND STATE

O F

LIBERTY SPIRITUAL,

BOTH WITH RESPECT TO

PERSONS in their PRIVATE CAPACITY,

AND IN THEIR

CHURCH SOCIETY and COMMUNION.

Written for the Establishment of the Faithful, Information of the Simple-hearted, and Reproof of the Arrogant and High-minded.

By a Lover of TRUE LIBERTY, as it is in JESUS. WILLIAM PEN N.

To go amongst the People of the Lord called Quakers.

"If the SON make you FREE, ye fhall be free INDEED." John viii. 36.

"If we walk in the Light as he is in the Light, we have Fel"lowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ ❝ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin.” 1 John i. 7.