Nonconformity Not Inconsistent with Loyalty, Title page – To the reader
NONCONFORMITY Not Inconſiſtent WITH LOYALTY: OR, Proteſtant-Diſſenters NO SEDITIOUS OR DISLOYAL SECTARIES: EVIDENC'D IN A SOBER DISCOURSE upon thoſe STATUTES, by which the Proteſtant-Diſſenters are Proſecuted at this Day. Humbly offered to the Candid Conſideration of all Proteſtants, whether Conformiſts or Nonconformiſts.
By JAMES JONES, a Proteſtant-Diſſenter, and now a Priſoner in Wood-Street-Compter for Nonconformity.
Eſther. 3.8, 9.
And Haman ſaid unto King Ahaſuerus, There is a Certain People Scattered abroad, and Diſperſed among the People, in all the Provinces of thy Kingdom, and their Laws are divers from all the People, neither keep they the Kings Laws; Therefore it is not for the Kings profit to ſuffer them: If it pleaſe the King, let it be written, That they may be Deſtroyed.
Iſa. 42.22.
But this is a People robbed and ſpoiled, they are all of them ſnared in holes, and they are hid in Priſon-Houſes: They are for a Prey, and none delivereth; and for a Spoil, and none ſaith, Reſtore.
LONDON, Printed for the Author, and are to be Sold by William Bateman, and moſt Bookſellers. 1684.
To all Sincere Proteſtants, whether they be Conformiſts, or Nonconformiſts.
Fellow Proteſtants,
I Do humbly preſent to your ſober conſideration, a Brief Diſcourſe concerning ſeveral Statutes by which they Proteſtant Diſſenters are Proſecuted, to the very great dammage of multitudes of Families, who are his Majeſties Faithful Subjects, and can Appeal to God and the King, that they are perſons of Loyalty, notwithſtanding their Nonconformity. And as it is Recorded concerning Holy Daniel, who was the great Nonconformiſt of that day, Dan. 6.5. That he could not be fairly accuſed of any matters to make him a criminal, except it were concerning the Law of his God; Even ſo it may be truly ſaid of the Nonconformiſts in England, however they may be Reproached and be ſpattered as a Seditious and Rebellious People. But it is well known, that it is no new thing for ſuch as fear God, and are greatly favoured by God, to be miſcalled. Jeruſalem, which was the City of the Great King, viz. God, the King of Kings, Mat. 5.35; was called the Rebellious and Bad City, Ezra 4.12. and in verſe 19. A City of Inſurrection, Rebellion and Sedition. And Jeſus Chriſt was charged with Blaſphemy, Mat. 26.56. and called a Deceiver, Mat. 27.63. And the Apoſtle Paul was called a Poſtilent Fellow, a Mover of Sedition, and a Ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazareens, Acts 24.5. and his way of Worſhip was called Hereſie, verſe 14. And no marvel if it be ſo in thoſe our days. But now it will be Replyed by ſome, that the Proteſtant Diſſenters are in a Conſpiracy and Bloody Plot againſt the Kings Perſon and Government.
Ʋnto which let this anſwer be Conſidered:
That although ſome particular perſons that have been counted Diſſenters, may be ſo wickedly concerned, yet that is no proof that this is the Diſſenters Plot, no more then, (becauſe ſome of the Church of England, may be proved to have been in ſuch a Conſpiracy) it can be called the Church of England's Plot; which to affirm would be very wicked and abominable; for it would render the Church-Proteſtants no better than Traytors.
However, if either any of the Diſſenters, or of the Church-men, ſhould be ſo wicked as to be really guilty, let them ſuffer the Juſtice of the Law, that others may bear, and fear, and do no more ſo wickedly. But God forbid that a whole Party of any ſort of People ſhould be charged with the wickedneſs of ſome of the ſame Party: Simeon and Levi were guilty of a horrid and Bloody Fact, in cutting off Hamor and Shechem, which was the Prince of that Land, and his Son, and they alſo cut off the Inhabitants of that City where they Ruled, becauſe that Shechem the Son of Hamor, had defiled Jacobs Daughter. See the whole Story in Gen. 34. But it would be a very unrighteous thing to charge good old Jacob with this Bloody Crime, becauſe he it as their Father; or to charge the reſt of his Sons, becauſe they were Simeon and Levi's Brethren. It is enough, that they who be really guilty of any Crimes, be charged with them, and be Proſecuted ſo as to ſuffer justly for them.
And beſides this, it muſt be conſidered that ſuch as have been innocent perſons have been Accuſed of high Crimes, and have ſuffered death; as for instance, Naboth was accuſed that he had Blaſphemed God and the King, and was ſtoned to death for it; when indeed it was a Plot invented by Jezebel, and managed by the Elders of the City where Naboth dwelt. See 1 Kings 21. v. 9, 10, 11.
And thus we find it concerning our Bleſſed Saviour, he was Accuſed that he ſaid, he would deſtroy the Temple, which was made with hands, and within three days build another without hands, Mark 14.58. Now Chriſt had ſpoke of Deſtroying and Raiſing of a Temple in three days, ſee John 2. v. 19. Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto them, Deſtroy this Temple, and in three days I will raiſe it up, v. 21. But he ſpoke of the Temple of his Body.
Thus we have two famous Inſtances of falſe Accuſations concerning words; Naboth was Accuſed of words that he never ſpoke; Chriſt was Accuſed of ſome words he had ſpoke, but the Accuſation was not juſt as the words were ſpoken: for though he ſpoke of a Temple, and deſtroying of it, and raiſing of it, he did not ſay the Temple that was made with hands, neither did he ſay that he himſelf would deſtroy any Temple, but he ſpoke to the Jews, who he knew would deſtroy his Body, and ſaid to them, Deſtroy this Temple, and as for Raiſing of it up, that he ſaid ſhould be his own work; And I will Raiſe it up in three days. But he was Proſecuted for ſaying he would deſtroy the Temple of Solomon, and build it in three days, when it was no ſuch thing. And in our Engliſh Chronicle, it is ſtoired of a good Houſekeeper or, (in the Reign of King Edward the Fourth) that told his Son, who was a Child, ſaying, Thou art Heir to the Crown, meaning his houſe, which was the ſign of the Crown in Cheap-ſide. But the Honeſt Citizen was Accuſed of Treaſon, and ſuffered Death as a Traytor. See bakers Chron. However, it muſt be confest that Trayterous Deſigns have been too many times managed againſt the Kings of ſeveral Kingdoms, and againſt the King of England in particular; and whoſoever can be proved really guilty thereof, ought to ſuffer according to their Crimes.
But as for my own part, who do profeſs my ſelf a Proteſtant Diſſenter, I do ſolemnly profeſs, before Almighty God, that I do with my Soul, abhor all acts of violence to the meanest of the Kings Subjects; and do deem it ten thouſand times worſe to offer any violence to the Perſon of the Kings Majeſty: 1. Becauſe of the Greatneſs of his Perſon, he being by the Providence of God the Head of the Nation: 2. Becauſe the ſhedding of his Blood, and taking away of his Life, is the ready way to make the Kingdom ſwim in Blood, by reaſon of theſe Diſtractions that would attend ſuch a bloody action. Beſides the greatneſs of the Sin in the ſight of that God who will make inquiſition for Blood.
And therefore though perſons of contrary minds to the Government in matters of Religion, may be greatly oppreſſed becauſe of Laws made againſt them, yet it is their duty to walk by theſe Following Rules.
1. To be ſubject to the Higher Powers, Rom. 13.1.
2. To Render to all their Dues, viz. Tribute, Cuſtom, Fear and Honour, Rom 13.7.
3. To be patient in Tribulation, Rom. 12.12.
4. To Recompence to no man Evil for Evil, Rom. 12.17.
5. To Pray for them that Perſecute them and deſpitefully uſe them, Mat. 5.44.
6. If it be poſſible as much as in them lieth, to live peaceably with all men, Rom. 12.11.
7. Not to be overcome of Evil, but to overcome Evil with Good, Rom. 12.21.
JAMES JONES.