"Peace. Deare Truth, I know thy birth, thy nature, thy delight. They that know thee, will prize thee farre above themselves and lives, and sell themselves to buy thee! Well spake that famous Elizabeth to her famous attorney, Sir Edward Coke-Mr. Attorney, goe on as thou hast begun, and still plead not pro Domina regina, but PRO DOMINA VERITATE!' “Truth. 'Tis true, my crown is high, my sceptre's strong to breake downe strongest holds, to throw down highest crowns of all those that plead (though but in thought) against me. Some few there are, but, oh! how few are valiant for the Truth, and dare to plead my cause as my witnesses in sackcloth, (Rev. xi. 3.) while all men's tongues are bent like bows to shoot out lying words against me! "Peace. O how could I spend eternal days, and endlesse dates at thy holy feet, in listening to the precious oracles of thy mouth! All the words of thy mouth are Truth, and there is no iniquity in them. Thy lips drop as the honeycombe. But, oh! since we must part anon, let us (as thou saidest) improve our minutes, and (according as thou professest) revive me with thy words, which are sweeter than the honey and the honey-comb.' وو The Author then proceeds with his work to an extent of upwards of two hundred and forty pages, small Quarto, with an endless variety of illustrations. The conclusion runs thus "Peace. We have now, deare Truth, through the gracious hand of God, clambered up to the top of this our tedious discourse. "Truth. O'tis mercy unexpressible, that either thou or I have had so long a breathing time, and that together! "Peace. If English ground must yet be drunk with English blood, O! where shall Peace repose her wearied head and heavy heart? "Truth. Deare Peace, if thou findest welcome, and the God of Peace, miraculously please to quench these all-devouring flames, yet where shall Truth finde rest from cruell persecutions? "Peace. Oh! will not the authority of Holy Scriptures, the commands and declarations of the Sonne of God therein produced, by these, together. with all the lamentable experiences of fortune, and present slaughters, prevaile with the sons of men (especially with the sons of Peace) to depart from the dens of lyons and mountains of leopards, and to put on the bowels, if not of CHRISTIANITIE, yet of Humanity, each to other! "Truth. Deare Peace, Habacucks' fishes keep their constant bloody game of persecutions in the world's mighty ocean, the greater taking, plundering, swallowing up the lesser. Oh happy he whose portion is the God of Jacob, who hath nothing to lose under the sun, but hath a state, a house, an inheritance, a name, a crown, a life, past all the plunderers, ravishers, murtherer's reach and furie! "Peace. But, lo! who's here? company "Truth. Our sister, Patience, whose desired is as needful as delightful. 'Tis like the wolfe will send the scattered sheep in one-the common Pirate gathers up the loose and scattered navie, the slaughter of the witnesses by that bloody beast unites the Independents and Presbyterians. The God of Peace, the God of Truth, will shortly seale this truth, and confirm this witness, and make it evident to the whole world "That the doctrine of PERSECUTION, for cause of Conscience, is most evidently and lamentably contrary to the doctrine of CHRIST JESUS, the Prince of Peace. AMEN." MR. WILLIAMS' truly Christian principle of universal or complete religious liberty, is thus illustrated towards the close of the volume. "Peace. Oh! that thy light and brightness, deare Truth, might shine to the darke world in this particular; let it not, therefore, be grievous, if I request a little further illustration of it. "Truth. In his season, God will glorifie himself in all his Truths, but, to gratify thy desire, thus-A Pagan or Antichistian Pilot, may be as skilful to carry the ship to its desired port as any Christian Mariner or Pilot in the world, and may perform that work with as much safety and speed, yet have they not command over the soules and consciences of their passengers or mariners under them although they may justly see to the labour of the one and the civil behaviour of all in the ship. A. Christian Pilot he performs the same work (as likewise doth the metaphorical Pilot in the ship of the Commonweale) from a principle of knowledge and experience, but more than this he acts from a roote of the feare of God, and love to mankind, in his whole course. Secondly, his aim is more to glorify God than to gaine his pay, or make his voyage. Thirdly, he walks heavenly with men and God, in a constant observation of God's hand in storms, calms, &c., so that the thread of navigation being equally spun by a believing or unbelieving pilot, yet is it drawne over with the gold of godliness and Christianitie, by a Christian Pilot, while he is holy in all manner of Christianitie. 1 Peter i. 15. But, lastly, the Christian Pilot's power over the soules and consciences of the sailors and passengers, is not greater than that of the antichristian, otherwise than he can subdue the soules of any by the two-edged sword of the spirit, the word of God, and by his holy demeanour in his place.” MR. WILLIAMS being accused of licentiousness of principle, happily replies— "That ever I should write or speak a tittle, that tends to such an infinite liberty, of conscience is a mistake, which I have ever disclaimed and abhorred. To prevent such mistakes, I at present shall only propose this case. There goes many a ship to sea with many hundred souls in ONE SHIP, whose weal and woe is common, and is a true picture of COMMONWEALTH or SOCIETY! It hath fallen out sometimes that both Papists and Protes 1 tants, Jews, and Turks, may be embarked into one ship. Upon which, suppose I affirm, that all the liberty of CONSCIENCE that ever I pleaded for, turns upon these two hinges-That none of the Papists, Protestants, Jews, or Turks, be forced to come to the ship's prayers or worship, nor compelled from their own particular prayers or worship, if they practice any. I further add, that I never denied that, notwithstanding this liberty, the commander of this ship ought to command the ship's course; yea, and also command that justice, peace, and sobriety to be kept and practised, both among the seamen and all the passengers. If the seamen refuse to perform their service, or passengers to pay their freight, if any refuse to help in person or purse towards the common charge or defence, if any refuse to obey the common laws and orders of the ship, concerning their common peace or preservation; if any shall mutiny, and rise up against their commanders and officers; if any should preach or write, that there ought to be no commanders nor officers, because all are equal in Christ, therefore, no masters nor officers, no laws nor orders, no corrections nor punishments; I say, I never denied, but in such cases, whatever is pretended, the commander or commanders may judge, resist, compel, and punish such transgressors, according to their deserts and merits. This, if seriously and honestly minded, may, if it so please the Father of Lights, let in some light to such as wil |