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gence are of no fmall Confideration. And this way of Procedure, that each fingle Sect should speak by and for its felf, and state its own particular Cafe, is methinks the fairest Course which can be taken; and fuch a one as those Diffenters, who are conscious to themfelves of no ill meaning, should look upon as highly advisable for their own fakes: It being very obvious to the most ordinary Prudence, that it may be frequently advisable upon divers particular and material Confiderations, to indulge fome kinds of Liberty to fuch and fuch forts of Diffenters, which is by no means fit to allow to others; much lefs to allow promifcuoufly to all. But to take that courfe which they have always done fince his Majesties Restauration, that they should all joyn in a common Cry,as if they had one common Cause, is very fufpicious; efpecially confidering that they are divided among themselves in this very point of Liberty of Confcience, notwithstanding their Unanimity in calling for it.

Some Rumours have of late been
Spread

spread indeed all over the Town concerning fuch a kind of Comprehenfion as fhould leave no room for Toleration: how well grounded fuch Reports have been I will not undertake it is but in vain to make an uncertain guefs at what kind of Proposals may poffibly be offered by fome Perfons, and to fancy at all adventures who they are or may be who are in any likelihood to be concluded by them. But because it is faid publickly enough and by no mean Perfons, That the Prefbyterians, at least the chief and leading Men among them, are ready now to enter into the Church, upon fome reasonable Abatements to be made unto them: And when they are once gained, the other Sects will not be confiderable enough to expect, that any Toleration fhould be allowed unto them. If this be the Cafe, as it is by fome of themselves pretended to be, then the Cafe is much altered from what it lately was: Reformed Christianity in its Latitude, which came out in 1667. and the Defence of it in 1668. are exprefs, not

only

only for Comprehenfion but likewise for Toleration, and befides that for a Connivence alfo. And a later Treatife entituled, Indulgence not to be refufed; Comprehenfion humbly defired, which came out 1672. is exprefs for Toleration; and against that part of his Defign he makes this Objection: The Prefbyterians in former times wrote and preached against Toleration and Indulgence, and if they do now fall in with it, they contradi& themselves. To this he answers, That Some did, fome did not ; and there was a Reafon then which ceaseth now : and befides, many of those who declared against fuch a Toleration are dead and gone, and there are others poftnati to thofe times who now fuffer, p. 11, 12. So that it feems, thefe Two Advocates for the Comprehenfion were for a Toleration. If the minds of these men be changed fince that time, it were not unfit that they should give Pub. lick notice of it, especially for this Reason It is well known, that in the private Difcourfes and in their printed Books, the People have been moved to exprefs much pity

toward

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toward the Diffenters and not a few exasperated against the Government by the perpetual noife of Perfecution, Liberty, Confcience Moderation, Forbearance, Tenderness, Compaffion,Indulgence; and that this hath not been the peculiar Phrafes of fuch or fuch a particular Sect, but the common language of all of them. Now if this device of Comprehenfion do take place,then all thofe Pleas as to all Parties but one will remain as formerly

But if the Presbyterians do really intend to come into the Church now,upon fuch & fuch abatements to be made unto them, and finally and for ever to shake Hands with their old Brethren;it were but reasonable to expect thatthey. fhould do these two things: Firft,that. in their present Meeting-Houfes they fhould use fo much of the Common-> Prayer as they can lawfully, and mean hereafter to use, and obferve fo many of the Orders and Ceremonies of the Church, as they are perfwaded of the Innocency of and take the firft oppor+. tunity of declaring to their Hearers their Refolutions of Conformity thereby to prepare them to conform

likewife: Secondly, they should declare, as formerly, against Liberty of: Confcience, as a thing which they do by no means approve, and are refolved never hereafter to have any thing to do with. If, I fay, these men do defire that any publick diftinction should be made between them and other Diffenters, they themselves fhould do well to own fuch a diftinction; if we go into their Conventicles we cannot find any fuch great difference in the way of Worship between the Pref byterians and others, as thence to be able to diftinguish them. If we go into their Company their Complaints are much of the fame ftrain, and not feldom in the fame Syllables.

If there are any among them (as it is to be hoped there are) who are fincere, modeft, and peaceable, who mean better than their Neighbours ; The Law cannot help it if they fuffer for being taken in bad Company : It is not unlikely that they might have fared much better themselves if they had not had fuch Partakers; their own Cafe might have been looked upon as pitiable,if they had not joyn

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