'from ftrangers, to entitle them to freedom, was an acknowledgment to the Noachical precepts, (never ' denied by me); nor was it better with them in latter days, than whilft the Pharifees, Scribes, Effeans, Sadducees, &c. had the free exercise of their con'fciences, all differing among themselves. Neither 'was it otherwife amongst the infidels: who knows not that almost every family and tribe in Rome had its particular Sacra? nay, the Egyptian Ifis and Serapis obtained a place for publick temples, and di'vine honours, among thofe wife people. Nor can I ' omit the great candor of (that otherwise most inhuman) Tiberius to the Chriftians, who, if Eufebius Pamphilus be to be credited, not only made it death for any to perfecute the Chriftians, but had a rare good opinion of Chrift, and the Chriftian faith, though both were fo immediately deftructive of his religion and the whole world's. Nay, fince the 'Chriftian times, who is not a stranger to ecclefiaftical story, and doth not know the great variety of opi'nions that reigned in Egypt, Conftantinople, An'tioch and Alexandria; indeed, where not? nor do I 'read it ever entered into the hearts of any to moleft 'them. And had not fecular power been the Diana great goddess courted by the Arians and Anti

1

, they might have lived with great fecurity in ntiments, and not have troubled the whole and perplexed themselves for fo many ages. y who will reflect upon the carriage of both rties, may find reafons enough to dread the fions of a faction, and palpably discover 1 the natural, but fatal confequences that bly follow the exaltation of a single party, etriment of others, rather than to keep a and well-advised balance upon all. This tes Scholafticus reports to have been or wholly unpractised by the great peror Jovianus, firft fuggefted by nd philofopher Themiftius, whofe t, had a moft differing fuccefs

⚫ from

⚫ from all that went before, or followed after him, and more than a little confirms my prefent confideration. I fhall omit the recital of later and prefent teftimonies In Europe they are fresh, and in our fight. It is not the property of religion to perfecute religion; that fcorns to employ thofe weapons to her defence, that others have ufed to her depreffion. It is her privilege alone to conquer, naked of force or artifice and that person who hath not the election of his religion, hath none.

For my own part, I know not any unfit for political focieties, but thofe who maintain principles de<structive of industry, fidelity, justice and obedience, < in all matters relative of them, (wherefore the Romans exiled their Mathematicos) which neither myfelf, nor any Quaker living, can with any fhew of < reafon be charged withal. But to conceit that men • must form their faith of things proper to another world, by the prefcriptions of mortal men, or else they can have no right to eat, drink, fleep, walk, trade, be at liberty, or live in this, to me seems both ridiculous and dangerous. Since it is moft certain, the understanding can never be convinced by other arguments than what are adequate to its own nature; which force is fo remote from, that as it abundantly expreffeth paffion or ignorance in those who use it, fo experimentally do we find, that it is not only unsuccessful, by confirming perfons that really have reasons on their fide, but greatly ob<durates alfo the unreasonable, who forget their own weakness, by gazing on their perfecutors, being well affured, that whofoever is in the right, he always is in the wrong, that by club-law and corporal extremities thinks to illuminate and convince the understanding: it may make hypocrites, not converts; and if I am at any time convinced, I will < pay the honour of it to truth, and not to base and timorous hypocrify. Nor, indeed, are fuch inquiries material, as well as that it is unlawful to make fo diligent fearch for confcience, and that in cafe

they find her without the mark of publick allowance, and that the pays no custom, fhe must be there forfeited. For who loves to ask at any shop, ' of what religion the mafter is, and not rather what is his price for this or that commodity? It therefore 'greatly were the king's intereft to clear the prisons of all confcientious perfons, efpecially fince uniformity of mind is not lefs impoffible in all punctilios, than is exact refemblance in vifage, and men must be new-made in both refpects, before they can be 'changed to gratify fuch defires.

However my cafe is fingular, fince wholly guiltlefs of what was charged against me; and if the obfervation of Tacitus on Lingonius's various cafe ' be of any force, who, though he did deserve punishment inflicted, yet because it was done without examination, and due conviction, faith Tacitus, " He "fuffered unlawfully;" then for a greater reason muft my confinement feem injurious, who have been up above these fix months, under a strict and clofe imprisonment, from many common comforts and neceffary concerns of life, without the leaft formal caufe or reafon why exhibited against me, ' contrary, I conceive, to the natural privilege of an • Englishman.

My hopes are, I fhall not longer continue a prifoner, merely to affure the world I am not innocent of what in very truth I am not guilty; nor yet that matters of lighter moment be fought to prolong my restraint, because as yet there is no law to deprive an inoffenfive Englishman of fo great and eminent a right as liberty: fince this were too near→ ly to resemble the lamentable cafe of the innocent daughter of guilty Sejanus, who, because the Roman laws allowed not virgins to be ftrangled, was < first deflowered, that the might be. My life fhall < go before my chastity, let men contrive what they will. But, above all, methinks the name Christian imports fo holy, fo juft, and fo condefcending a • difpofition, that these severities can have no plea Vol. I. ‹ from

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from fuch as have truly entitled themselves unto it. For my own fhare, as it is my principle (as I have declared) to live myself, and encourage others, in the purfuit of juft, fober, and induftrious courfes (which are the true grounds of all civil focieties, and only ways to their profperity) fo in whatever I differ from the publick establishment, it fhall never find me ' remifs therein.

<

But I beseech thee to intreat the king, on my account, not to believe every man to be his enemy, that cannot shape his confcience by the narrow forms and prefcripts of mens inventions; and the perfonal obligations, befides the publick refpect that I owe him, but above all, the holy forgiving TRUTH I profefs, will never admit, of fuch a thing; nor do we own one principle that will not, inftead of acting us to his prejudice, at all times in our ftations fit us to difpute with any (in civil matters) the first place of obedience to his commands, our confciences being left unprescribed.

To conclude: fince my adversaries have overfhot the mark, that the accufation is fictitious, and many of them have publickly retracted their first opinions of the matter, after fo ftrict an imprisonment, without any legal caufe, or juft procedure, contrary to the privileges of every Englishman, as well as the 'meeknefs, forbearance, and compaffion infeparable from true Christianity; I think it is time, and I defire I may be ordered a release, to follow my ordinary employments: but if it fhould yet be fcrupled, or denied, upon the leaft diffatisfaction unremoved, I intreat the favour of access to the king, where I fhall freely and juftly answer to all fuch interrogatories as may concern my prefent cafe: or if that will not be allowed, that it would please thee to give me a full hearing to all fuch objections as may be thought to carry any weight; that fo if I must remain a prifoner, it may be known for what; and in the mean time that fuch liberty may be granted me, as is customary for other prifoners to enjoy, after the first

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or fecond month of their imprisonment, the season especially confidered.

I make no apology for my letter as a trouble, the • usual stile of fuppliants; because I think the honour that will accrue to thee, by being just, and releasing the oppreffed, exceeds the advantage that can fucceed to me worthy and generous minds gladly embrace occafions to affift the helplefs, and then are most ready to afford them their affiftance, when nothing is to be got befides the hazard of expreffing it. And I am well affured the kindness and justice it fhall please thee to employ on that account, can never mifs of a plentiful reward from God, and praise of all virtuous men.

Thy true friend, who fuffers wrongfully, which the Lord God forgive, if he so please,

And in order to clear himself from the afperfions caft upon him, in relation to the "doctrines of the Trinity, the incarnation and fatisfaction of CHRIST," he published a little book called, "Innocency with "her open face," by way of apology for the aforefaid

Sandy Foundation fhaken.' In this apology he fo fuccefsfully vindicated himself, that foon after the publication of it, he was difcharged from his imprifonment, which had been of about feven months continuance.

On the 15th of the 7th month this year, he fet out again from London for Ireland, took shipping at Briftol on the 24th of the 8th month, and on the 26th arrived at Cork. In his paffage thither, we think the following occurrence worth relating: At his former ⚫ coming from Ireland, the converfation and fociety ⚫ of a perfon called a Quaker, who came over in the fame veffel, was a ftrengthening and encouragement to him then newly convinced. This man now hap

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'pened