I have never heard such words from any nor have I heard by Report that any did speak them and I assure the World that if any among us were heard to utter such words they could not escape a severe Censure He saith the Creed is not mentioned at Baptism This we deny not but was it ever forbidden by our Church or were any ever Censured for using it We take Parents bound to Educate their Children in the Knowledge of the Chief Truths contained in the Scriptures And do often mention the Confession of Faith of this Church as containing a more full and plain System of Scripture Doctrine than the Creed doth though not differing in any Point from it For our National Engagements they are rarely mentioned at Baptism and but by few But if they were I know no Hurt in it except it be offending some tender Ears who love not to hear of the Ties which they have so little regarded after they had taken them on What he imputeth to Mr. Rule in denying this we regard not I am guilty of the same Dishonesty in saying what he or who ever that Writer is saith in the place cited by our Author For these other honester Presbyterians whatever be their Honesty we are not of their Opinion Nor are the Sentiments of Presbyterians to be judged of by what they say who had lest the Presbyterians and stood in opposition to them when the Papers he mentioneth were written His Imputation on Mr. Dickson that He called the Lords Prayer Creed and Ten Commandments rotten Wheel-barrows to carry Souls to Hell I am not foreward to believe it having nothing for it but this Author's Word But if he said so it was ill worded at best And if he meant any more than to express the danger of Peoples resting on having these by Heart as if that were to be Religious He deserveth to be Censured None of us disswade People from Learning them but do seriously press it and labour to make them understand them That we have abolished Publick Reading of Scripture is a Calumny It is true in stead of Reading by a private Person we have the Scripture Read and Expounded by the Minister and that a Chapter or Psalm at once And if any Read but two or three Verses it is an Abuse not allowed by us That the Precenter Readeth a Sermon in stead of Reading Scripture is two Falsehoods in one Breath one is that this is done I have heard indeed that one hath Read a written Sermon while the people were conveening But that this is either commonly or alwayes done I never heard also that this is in stead of Reading the Scriptures is false For as hath been said the Minister Readeth and expoundeth Scripture in stead of what had wont to be Read without Exposition by a private person who hath no Authority to teach publickly The Doxology we use not because we think Scripture Songs fittest to be sung as the publick Worship of God And this is not such though the matter of it be consonant to Scripture The Idle Story that he telleth of Maggy twitting a Minister with this is probable enough to be one of his Inventions But if it were true we think the Minister was undiscreet in calling it a Malignant Song We confess the matter of it is sung in Heaven If he will prove that the words are so too we shall use it They talk much of the Antiquity of this Hymn which I am not now at leasure to enquire into One of their Divinity Professors Mr. William Douglas at Aberdeen a diligent searcher into Antiquity Psalmâ—d Eccles. vindicata Q. 13. P. 69. bringeth testimonies for it out of Tertul Basil. c. who speak not of that Formula but Glorifying the Father Son and Holy Ghost And he citeth Baronius asserting it to have been used from the Apostles time But his Authority in such things hath little weight with Protestants Pope Damasus in the 4 Century enjoined it And it is probable that it was invented as a Testimony against Arianism But so was the Trina Immersio which the Episcopal Church doth not think fit to retain I Assent to the Author now cited Who after an heap of Authorities that he had collected saith it is no defect of Worship where it is left out And that none should be offended with these Churches that use it We constantly do the same thing materially naming the Father Son and Holy Ghost in the Conclusion of our Prayers Another quarrel he hath with Presbyterian Ministers is they have no distinguishing Garb from the lay Men I hope this is no singularity What Churches except these of Rome and England do distinguish their Clergy by their Garb Our Ministers wear a Grave and Decent Habit and are mainly distinguished from the People by the Gravity and Edifyingness of their Conversation which is a better Characteristick than a close sleeved Gown on a Drunken and Swearing Priest That they reproved the King's Commissioner for appearing among them in a Scarleâ— Cloak is a notorious Falsehoood to call it no worse His saying They did it seemeth to make it a publick Rebuke in the Assembly or that it was done by the consent of all We do not know that ever any did so much as reprove his Grace privatly for this and if any did they were impertinent in so doing I never heard that any so much as whispered against it among themselves nor do I know a Reason why the Kings Commissioner is obliged to use another Garb than other persons of his Rank The long Story that he bringeth in about Mr. Lesks call for the sake of a quible used by my Lord R. to the Presbytry is a silly piece of impertinency only I take notice that he alledgeth that Mr. Lesk had for him the Elders which is false for none in the sense of the Law of Scotland are Elders but such as are received by the Presbyterians so as these men were not and for the Episcopal Church they own no Ruling Elders and the Law that set up that party having abolished all Presbyterian Judicatures did only allow Ministers to chuse such of the People as they thought fit to assist them Which can be no true notion of a Ruling Elder nor did ever such Elders sit or vote in their Synâ—ds His denying us to be Ministers is an impudent Assertion which he doth not attempt to prove and how it consisteth with the Catholick Charity which he blameth us for the want of I cannot apprehend That we are called by the People we think it more sutable to the Gospel way than to be imposed on the People by a Patron that we are sent by the people or our fitness judged of and determined by them is an impudent Falsehood Our Ministers are tryed and sent or ordained by the Presbytry who hath better warrant for so doing than a Bishop hath But if I should enlarge on every controverted point which this Pamphletteer starteth in his Rambling Discourse
to be excused in it It is as Ignorant and Wide a Consequence that he inferreth that the hieght of Carnality â—s consistent with the greatest Grace For Grace especially the greatest Grace is imployed in resisting and mortifying these inclinations Whereas the hieght of Carnality lyeth in giving way to and fulfilling them The two instances that follow of two Women guilty of Uncleanness and odious Hypocrisy joined with it look like his own invention He is sure they cannot be disproved because no person is named if he will prove the Fact against any persons he shall see Presbyterians vindicated from this imputation by the Censures of the Church duely executed on so vile persons What he telleth us of Peoples being moved with a loud and a Whineing tone and being affected with what they understand not is another of his Calumnies None preach more intelligibly then Presbyterians ordinarly do And no People judge of Preaching by the truth and usefulness of the matter more then the more intelligent Presbyterians and if any are commoved by what they understand not as sometimes is observed among some of the Ignorant Vulgar this is far more frequently found among them who cleaved to the Episcopalians when they had the Churches than among them who owned the Presbyterians What he saith of Sâ—uffing and twang of the Nose a notion borrowed out of Cleavland another such profane Mocker as himself and being more affected with a Sermon of Railing and Nonsense than with Christs Sermon on the Mount is like the rest of his affirmations pure Railing and falsehoods The confirmation of this from what he alledgeth Mr. D. D. to have said is not concludent for we have but his word for the truth of the Story and his Reader by this time know of what value that is and that good Man once an eminent Preacher hath been for many years under Hypochondriack Melancholy and often speaketh at Random Nothing can be more false then what is said p. 8. That They take it for a sure evidence on their Death-beds that it is well with them because they never heard a Curate in their Lifetime If any have said or thought so we judge them deluded as he doth But we meet with no such person nor do we own any such Opinion His citation out of Review of History of Indulgence is a full proof against him that these are not the sentiments of Presbyterians but reproved by them when found among some who had gone out from among the Presbyterians The Stories about two persons Executed for Bâ—stiality I am not obliged to believe unless I hear them from better hands which I never did but supposing the truth of them they prove no more but that some of the vâ—lest of Men might on design personate Presbyterians Or that there were some strangely deluded persons that went out from among that party as they were who were called the Sweet Singers some of whom as hath been reported tore outsome places of the Bible where words were found that displeased them But it is the height of Malice to impute these things to Presbyterians who did always testify their dislike of such principles and practices more than other men did And do reckon the whole Bible and all the other parts of it Sacred He bringeth the rising in Arms at Bothwelbâ—â—dge as a proof of their delusion But this is not to be imputed to Presbyterians in general seing it was the deed of a few And was no formed design but was the effect of horrid and unsupportable persecution from the Episcopal Party The Doctrines Preached at that season which he mentioneth may rationally be look't on as his own invention of what he thought probable As better Historians than he do often make speeches and attribute them to Generals of Armies as spoken by them to animate the Souldiers That any of the Presbyterians ever thought that all Bishops were Cloven Footed That they had no Shadow Is what I never heard before But I am sure if this Book should obtain belief in the World as I hope it shall not while Men are Rational Strangers will look on Scotch Presbyterians as more monstrous than ever any ignorant persons among vs could imagine Bishops to be And it will be little Credit to his party that the Learned Writters among them have as absurd Imaginations of Men and things as he can impute though falsely to the most ignorant among us The long Story that filleth up Page 11 and 12 of a Preacher who came to the Merse and there discoursed most absurdly on Ezek. 1. And reasoned as Ridiculously with a Minister this Tale I say I never heard before And though our Author telleth us it was proved before very many famous Witnesses in Edinburgh yet is he neither pleased to name the Preacher nor what place of the Merse which is a large Country this happened in nor the Minister with whom he reasoned nor these famous Witnesses in Edinburgh So that we are wholly out of Capacity to enquire into the truth of this Fact If such a person were known the Presbyterian Church would soon stop his mouth from Preaching for they abhorre such Ridiculous Nonsense His next essay in which he laboureth from Page 12. to 14. Is to give a true Character of the Presbyterian Preachers where he spueth out all the Gall against them that he is capable to vent About which I observe 1. That he feigneth a strange uniformity among them as if not only the practice and natural temper of them all but their very Looks were the same as Page 12. which is a plain evidence that the man hath as little Judgement to contrive a Fiction well as he hath veracity to oblidge him to speak nothing but truth 2. most of his Instances whereby he proveth his strange assertions are but one or two to prove one part of their Character And if ye will not believe sic de ceateris he will be puzled to convince any one of the truth of what he affirmeth If we should do so by his party how black could we make them all But we abhore such injustice to the Reputations of Men. 3. Most of his instances are taken from some of the Hill Preachers who then were in a perfect separation from all the rest of the Presbyterians and spake as much against them as against those whom they called Curats 4. His whole Discourse is stuffed with the most notorious falsehoods that can be devised as will appear as we go along The Author seemeth to have but one design to disparage the Presbyterians And his Impetus this way maketh him not only forget veracity which may be expected from a Christian but that Decorum which becometh a wise Man And the civility that a Man of breeding would shew to the worst of Men. It seemeth he careth not what he say if he can but say ill of the Presbyterians And an impartial Reader will think that the Author hath sufficiently characterized himself while he pretendeth to
will evanish like Smoke He useth this same quibbling way with Mr. D. Williamson's Sermon Nothing that is in any degree to purpose he bringeth against it save on passage viz. That Presbyterian Government is no light matter it is an ordinance of God the Royal Diadem of Christ He was a Martyre on this head for it was his ditty on the Cross John 19. 19. Jesus of Nazereth the King of the Jews A. It is evident that Mr. W. doth there P. 17. speak in the general of a Government in the Church And that Christ was a Martyr for his Kingly Office one part of the exercise of which is to appoint a Government in his house And if we can make appear as hath been done by several that the Government of the Church by the parity of Presbyters is that Government which Christ insituted â— And that this parity is observed in Scotland then it will follow that Scotch Presbytry which he is thus pleased to vilify belongeth to tho' it be not the whole of Christs Royal Diadem and that they who would set up another way do usurp upon the prerogative of Christ. The Sermon that he next maketh his Observations on and that from P. 45. to 49 seems to be done if his Citations out of it be just for I have not seen this Sermon by one of too hot a temper And there are many things in it that the more intelligent and Sober Presbyterians do not own Wherefore there needs no more be said in Answer to what he asserteth against us from that Discourse only on his Margine he taketh notice that Mr. Rule for all along he is pleased to suppose him to be the Author of the Answer to the five Pamphlets denieth that it hath been used to take Parents engaged when their Children are Baptized to the Covenant Mr. Rule or who ever be the Author of this Book saith only that this is not the common practice in the Presbyterian Church now settled And I do joyn with him in that assertion Neither do I know the contrary as this Author impudently imputeth to Mr. R. The next Book he taketh to task the Hind let loose we also disown as done by one who then headed a party who separated from almost all the Presbyterian Ministers in Scotland so that I have no more to Answer of his Book till P. 71 where he blameth us that the Author of the Vindication disowneth that Book and yet it was never condemned by any publick deed of the Presbyterians A. Will this Author disown no Book written by an Episcopal Man unless it hath been condemned by some publick Deed of their Church I suppose he will not say so No Church is obliged to condemn every faculty Book in particular It is a sufficient general Condemnation of every errour that a Church do approve the truth and do not teach any errour Before I pass from his Notes on this Book I observe one Falsehood twice asserted viz. on the Margine of P. 56. and of 58. That the late Assembly refused at King Williams desire to admit any of the Episcopal Clergy with them into the Exercise of the Ministry and that they refused to receive them into any terms of Peace and Communion This I say is false For 1. The Assembly were not suffered to bring in the Resolution of their Committee about that Affair nor to determine any thing in it 2. Their Committee had concerted terms of Communion with these Men but they would come into no terms with the Assembly For they refused to explain any one word in that Formula which they proposed to the Assembly but of this a little was said before and more afterwards may be said P. 71. He beginneth to deal with another Book which he was pleased to make Mr. Rule the Author of though it hath no name prefixed to it with this Book he is very Angry and doth what his witt and Malice which are very disproportioned can reach to disparage the Author That we do not much reckon upon for we defend not Men but Principles If Mr. Rule were the Author of that Book and if he had leisure for such work it is like this Pamphlet had received a more exact Answer The Book spoken of is The second Vindication c. in Answer to 5 Pamphlets he giveth it a very slight Refutation passing over the most material parts of it And using his Critical skill about some few things which fall in on the By or that he thought to have more advantage against He begineth with P. 125 of that Book where the Author had said that none of the Ministers were Murdered by the Camerâ—nians for his words are not faithfully here cited he affirmeth that the Author knoweth that Instances might be given of Ministers Murdered by them This is false for we all know the contrary and it is strange that this Author should be so confident in this when he knoweth if he read the Book that he refuteth any farther than here and there one Line of ten that the Author doth in the very next Line challenge his Antagonist to bring any such instance And this Man saith instances might be brought but attempteth not to do it What seemeth to be the proof of this confident assertion is a notable instance of our Authors skill in Logick It is confest postser of 2d vindication that some Men and Women invaded the house of a Minister tore off his Cloaths and beat him on the Head and Legs which looked but too like a design to Murther him The consequent must be E. they Murthered him On this strong Argument he calleth the Authors Answers to what was charged on the Presbyterians a Ridiculous disguising of what he could not deny whether it be so or not I hope Readers will judge by comparing what is said pro contra and not take it on this Mans word That Mr. P. refused to Answer the Pamphlets because he found it impossible to speak any thing in their Presbyterians Vindication but what all Scotland knew to be false This I say is a bold assertion Mr. P. expressed no such Reason for his Refusal But this pretender can by guess assign the most secret Reasons of things He undertaketh to shew that in every page that Book aboundeth with scurrilous Railings Untruths Contradictions and Nonsense And will charge these on the whole party because they enjoined the writting of this by him who did write it This is like our Authors way of Reasoning I am perswaded that one shall not find so much Nonsense in all that Book as he hath here presented us with For what Sense is it the party bid such an one Answer such â—amphlets E. all the faults in the manner of Writting are the blame of the whole party If our Author would make it appear that the General Assembly enjoined the Answerer to Rail write Lies Contradictions and Nonsense then indeed he spoke to the purpose If not these Faults if they be are only chargeable
sure the Episcopalians cannot pretend to it if we were disposed so to imploy our selves but we abhore to â—ake in such a Dunghill we could muster up as long a list of passages unbecoming the Gospelâ— and that without Lying or Forgery I do not say we could equalize him for vile and absurd Stories For I do not believe that it is incident to Men who bear the Christian name or that ever stept into a Pulpit in Scotland to speak some of the things he here relateth and therefore we will not vie with him in the Talent of Writing at this rate But we could make it appear that his party hath no cause to Glory over ours in the matter of freedom from indecencies in Preaching and Prayer Wherefore it is evident that the tendency of this part of his Book is to expose his Nation to the contempt of Strangers yea to make the work of Preaching Ridiculous to a profane Atheistical Generation who already misregard it The Stories that he with the help of a Cabal of the same spirit with himself hath collected for P. 116. he mentioneth the Collectors of these Notes are not all alike absurd some of them being horrid Blasphemies others Ridiculous Nonsense some false Doctrine Some scurrilously obscene and there are some which have no other evil in them but that the manner of expression is undecent and too mean So what is here narrated is not equal as to truth or ground and occasion given for such Stories Sometimes he disguiseth what was truly said and putteth it in another dress to make it Ridiculous or absurd others he maketh up by tacking 2 or 3 passages together which might be spoken at diverse times and diverse occasions and little harm in them but when blended into one they appear odd and become unsavoury Others again are pure fiction and no occasion given for such Report but the witt of the Caball is both Father and Mother to them and this Scribler is the Midwife at least If I give a few instances of this kind and bid him or any else defiance to prove them by any credible Testimony I hope the Reader will think his whole Collections sufficiently discredited and this part of his Book refuted I give for instances two Stories of Mr. Kirton P. 105. another of his P. 107. and of Mr. Kennedy Ibid. also these of Mr. Artkine and Mr. Kirton P. 108. and one of him in the top of P 110 and the 1st two of him P. 111. that Prayer of Mr. Blair P 113 and especially what the Author affirmeth that several in the Meeting-Houses of late have made use of the same expression That Prayer ascribed to a head of a Colledge P. 114. and that which followeth beginning Good Lord what have ye been doing c. That Prayer about the Election of Parliament Members at Edinburgh P 115. and the 1st of Mr. Areskine Ibid that of Mr. Rule Ibid that Prayer of the Minister at the Dissolution of the Assembly I might mention abundance more of them which are as false and groundless Forgeries as ever were uttered by any Tongue But these may suffice for a taste of the honesty of this Author and his Collectors What followeth in the last page sheweth to what an height of Boldness one may come in averring known falsehoods when he is left of God to invent and spread them Hence this Author hath the Brow to say these are but a few of many thousand instances and that these are dayly used in their Preachings and Prayers Also that though Strangers will hardly believe these yet they who are unfortunatly bound to converse with them are sadly sensible that all is true And that many of the worst expressions are purposely left out And this forfooth under pretence of tenderness to offend the Ears and Eyes of Modest Readers O horrid Hypocrisy and that thousands in Scotland of the best Rank and Reputation are ready to attest these Also that Presbyterians will not deny what they so much Glory in viz. This extraordinary way of Preaching and Praying which they think an excellency and perfection and call it a Holy Familiarity with God and a peculiar priviledge of the most refined Saints Not one word of truth is in all this The Presbyterians are so far from Glorying in such Praying and Preaching that they abhore it and Judge that they against whom such things can be proved ought to be severly Rebuked for the least of these And for others of them cast out of the Ministry and no more be suffered to profane so Holy a Work as Preaching is APPENDIX OUR Adversaries are not satisfied to Reproach us at Home and in England but it seems have made it their Business to misrepresent us all the World over as far as the publick Intelligence can reach Therefore have they prevailed upon the Simplicity and Credulity if it may not be imputed to a worse Quality of the publick News-man who writeth the Monthly Mercury in his News for April 1692 first to belie and then to rail upon the Presbyterian Church of Scotland with open Mouth The former in his Historical Part the other in his Reflections P. 147. and 149. If the Writer be ignorant of the unhappy Division and Difference of Parties and Sentiments that are now in Scotland such ignorance rendereth him unqualified for his Undertaking If he know these things he must either be strangely byassed to the one side and that side they every one knoweth is not generally inclined to the Interest of King William and of the Vnited Netherland but rather to that of King James and of France or he is wonderfully receptive of whatever is told him None of which are proper Inducements for an Historian especially such an one as maketh so bold with all Affairs Sacred and Civil as to subject them to his critiâ—al and decisive Conclusions and who so Magisterially passeth Sentence about them If what he writes about Scotch Affairs in the places above mentioned be duely considered and if Men will receive due and impartiâ—l â—nformation about them it will be enough to discredit all that he hath written unless he make a publick Recantation of the Injury he hath done to a whole Church and consequently to the Authority of King and Parliament who have thought fit to Own that Church and Establish her by Law which hath deservedly been famous among the Churches of the Reformation To receive all his Informations from one side and neither to consider the probability of the matter nor to hear what the other Party hath to say for themselves is such a Conduct as is intollerable in one who pretendeth to inform the World of the Truth and Certainty of all Occurrences I intended farther to expose this Author but hearing that by his Death we are out of hazard of being Injured by him a second time I onely shall give a true Account of what he hath misrepresented And for some other Reasons I shall forbear a more full narrative
which once was intended He saith P. 147. That a Synod of the Presbyterians in Scotland met I suppose he meaneth of the General Assembly which was indicted by Royal Authority with consent of the former Assembly which begun at Edinburgh January 15. 1690 that they came to some Heats in that Assembly so that the Earl of Lothian finding their Heats increase dissolved the Synod Here are two palpable Falsehoods in one Breath One is That they came to Heats in that Assembly and that these Heats increased Nothing could be affirmed with less semblance of Truth I believe seldom have so great a body of Men met about so weighty and difficult Affairs among whom less did appear that could be called Heat They had no Heat with the Episcopal Men who made Address to them but treated them with all Respect and Civility which they themselves did publickly acknowledge tho' they could not yield to what they demanded for good and weighty Reasons which they gave for their determination Neither was there any Heat among themselves but did Brotherly debate Matters in the Committee and concluded on what Course should be taken In the Assembly it self the Matter was not so much as debated The Opinion of the Committee not being brought in before they were dissolved The other Falsehood is That the Earl of Lothian dissolved the Assembly on account of their Heats This is so far from Truth that his Grace never complained of any Heats nor mentioned any such cause of his dissolving them but only that they had sat long and had not brought their Business to a period There was indeed some confusion at the dissolution of the Assembly by a Cry that was raised in the House but that was the effect of the Dissolution or rather of the manner of it not the moving Cause The Mercury doth farther Injure the Church of Scotland in the Remarks that he maketh on his own false History Calling the Presbyterians A Terrible sort of People that for the most part we find nothing in their Assemblies but Disunion Discord and a Spirit of Persecution No Answer is fit for such an indefinite Charge against a whole Church but to deny the truth of it and bid defyance to her Adversaries whose Tool this Man was to prove what they lybel against her Every one will see that this pitiful Historian hath brought nothing that can bear such a Conclusion It is also too great Impudence and Petulancy for a Stranger to talk at this rate against a Church so much honoured by all Learned and Good Men who have known her or her Principles and Way and that on so slender Ground as the Information of her sworn Enemies And when even what Account he hath given which is wholly false if true could not amount to what deserveth such a Censure What if they had unreasonably refused Communion with a sort of Men who had stept out of the way and who generally had so heavily persecuted them Is this the whole of their Actings in their Assemblies Make they no good Acts Do they nothing for bearing down Sin and advancing of Holiness He next compareth them to the Priests of Spain and saith They would erect an Inquisition Tribunal if they were not restrained If the Tongue and â—en be let loose at this raâ—e the best of Men shall be made as black as Hell by such scandalous Libellers Can he tell us what is in our way that is like the Inquisition Tribunal Whom have we Imprisoned Whom have we Burnt or Fined or Banished What Civil Punishments have we inflicted Or have we Censured any person for Truth Or forced any to tell the secret Thoughts of their Heart and then taken their Lives for them But why do I take so much notice of his spite against us It is also spued out against Protestants in general and these in other places as well as Scotland What Religion he was of for his Principles I know not but I am sure in this Narrative and Censure he hath not shewed a Christian Spirit How odiously doth he compare the Presbyterians in Scotland and them who adherâ—d to the Synod of Dâ—rt in the Netherlands with the Bishops and Clergy of France Did ever either of these endeavour the extirpation of them who differed from them and that by so Bloody and Barbarous Means as was the French Dragooning The Scots Presbyterians and the Reformed in Hollandâ— must also be like the Jesuites who keep up the War between the Emperour and the Pope But wherein I pray you lyeth this Similitnde do any of us medle in the Affairs of State or in the making of Peace or War Do also the Ministers of Holland intermix in these Affairs The design of all this Clamour is evident to be that the Church as well as the State should give a vast Toleration and that of all kind of Opinions and Church Practices that the Presbyterians should allow them who are for the Jus Divinum of Episcopacy to Govern the Presbyterian Church and suffer Arminians to Teach and spread their Doctrine in the Congregations which are intrusted to the care of the Presbyterians and of whose Souls they must give an account And the Ministers of Holland should allow Arminians to be Ministers and Elders to Teach and Rule their Flocks And that it is not enough that they do not trouble them while they seduce their own followers but they must incorporate with them as one Body both for Teaching and Ruling And nothing will please this Man but the Magistrates persecuting the Church unless she will take Vipers into her Bosom We plead not that Ministers may be suffered to do what they please as he invidiously representeth the Matter If Ministers transgress the Laws let them be punished If they oppress their Neighbours let them be restrained But it is no good service to the interest of Religion to stir up the Magistrat to restrain the Church from exercising that Government and Discipline that Christ hath instituted and the Law doth allow It may rather be said That it will not be well with the Reformed World if one of this Man's Temper be suffered to write what he pleaseth and that as the publick Intelligence FINIS This was written long before his â—eath