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<DATE>2014-08-06</DATE>
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<NAME>TCP Staff (Michigan)</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B140611.apex.</ITEM>
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<STC T="W">P1753A</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">[ocn]625256517</BIBNO>
<VID>211302</VID>
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<DIV1 TYPE="petition">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="1" REF="2" MS="y">
<HEAD>A PETITION FROM THE COUNTRY, To the Honourable Hou&s;e of Commons, CONCERNING THE TOLERATION.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>Our Worthy Repre&s;entatives,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>HAVING long Meditated on the Dreadful Calamities, which threa|ten this Kingdom by tho&s;e Unhappy Divi&s;ions among&s;t us: We thought it our Duty to Communicate the be&s;t of our Thoughts to this <HI>Honourable&punc; Hou&s;e</HI> (the Fountain of Power and Redre&s;s) to|wards the preventing &s;uch Di&s;mal Con&s;equences: In doing of which, We crave leave to Premi&s;e the&s;e following A&s;&s;ertions, which Experience and Ob|&s;ervation &s;eem to have E&s;tabli&s;h'd, <HI>viz.</HI></P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>I. That though it is Nece&s;&s;ary <HI>in The&s;i,</HI> yet it is Generally True <HI>in Pra|ctice,</HI> That where there is Difference in Opinion, as to Religious Matters, there will be Difference in Affection.</ITEM>
<ITEM>II. That every Party is Ambitious of Civil Power, and would Rule Para|mount if they could.</ITEM>
<ITEM>III. That where the Civil Power is in the Hands of Different Parties, there will be continual Struggles and Conflicts, tending to the Ruine of each other, and the Subver&s;ion of any Government.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<PB N="2" REF="3">
<P> The&s;e few Undeniable Propo&s;itions, and the Con&s;equences that may fairly be Deduced from them, plainly prove, That We in <HI>England,</HI> do mo&s;t Un|wi&s;ely recede from the Politicks of our Neighbouring Nations, by putting the Sword into the Hands of every Enthu&s;ia&s;t, and encouraging each Party to Undermine the Settlement E&s;tabli&s;h'd.</P>
<P>Our Neighbours and Allies in <HI>Holland,</HI> admit none into Publick Tru&s;t, but &s;uch as profe&s;s the Religion of the State: And our <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Parliament, <HI>Stat.</HI> 2. 13. <HI>Carol.</HI> 2. <HI>cap.</HI> 1 Enacted, <HI>That none &s;hall bear any Office of Magi|&s;tracy, or other Employment concerning the Government of Cities, Corporations,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>not having within a Year before their Election Receiv'd the Sacrament according to the Rites of the Church of</HI> England, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>This they thought was a &s;ufficient Expedient to keep all &s;uch out of the Government, that were not of the National Church; and indeed, that great and &s;olemn Act of Communion with us, &s;eem'd to be an Effectual Bar at lea&s;t to a Tender Con&s;cience: But now we have to do with a &s;ort of Per&s;ons that can Prevaricate with God and Man, that can be Orthodox upon Oc|ca&s;ion, and Trifle with all that is Sacred, to Qualifie them&s;elves for an Office.</P>
<P>Thus we frequently &s;ee tho&s;e that have De&s;erted our Communion for ma|ny Years, as if Con&s;cious of their Hypocri&s;ie, &s;tealing a Qualification from &s;ome di&s;tant Altar: A &s;ort of Men that always act with Conformity to their Intere&s;ts, and never fail to Comply when it will &s;erve the Party. There|fore tho' Our Opinion is, That no Man's Con&s;cience ought to be forc'd in Matters purely Religious; and that <HI>Toleration</HI> is a ju&s;t Debt to tho&s;e Tender Con&s;ciences, which after <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ue Information, are Really and Sincerely &s;o; yet our Petition is, <HI>That this</HI> Toleration <HI>may be &s;o far Limited, as not to Exchange, or Offend Our E&s;tabli&s;hments.</HI></P>
<P>This We in all Humility leave to the Profound Wi&s;dom of this Great and Judicious A&s;&s;embly, begging leave to Hint, That perhaps it may be thought advi&s;eable to Explain the forementioned Act, 13 <HI>Car.</HI> 2. and Enacting, <HI>That if any Per&s;on be found Pre&s;ent in, or Joyning with any Di&s;&s;enting Conven|ticle, and be duly Convicted thereof, his Place, or Office, &s;hall be immediately Void.</HI></P>
<P>Hence it will probably happen, that many that have De&s;erted Our Church, will be con&s;tant to us; many and great Di&s;turbances in Corpo|rations cea&s;e; Divi&s;ions and Party-making be di&s;countenanc'd: And &s;ince Places of Tru&s;t are generaly rather an Expence and Trouble than Advan|tage to any but Knaves, the truly Con&s;cientious will not be Offended at &s;uch an Act.</P>
<P>The&s;e with all Submi&s;&s;ion, are our pre&s;ent Sentiments; and as this Parlia|ment &s;eems to be of a Temper particularly &s;uited to our pre&s;ent E&s;tabli&s;h|ments, &s;o We cannot but promi&s;e our &s;elves a Happy Re&s;ult of Your Councils.</P>
<CLOSER>For which you have the Hearty Prayers of your Humble Petitioners,
<SIGNED><LIST>
<ITEM>A. B.</ITEM>
<ITEM>C. D.</ITEM>
<ITEM>E. F, <HI>&amp;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI></ITEM>
</LIST></SIGNED>
<DATELINE><DATE><HI>Decemb.</HI> 15. 1699.</DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
<PB REF="3">
</DIV1>
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