The spirit of calumny and slander, examin'd, chastis'd, and expos'd, in a letter to a malicious libeller more particularly address'd to Mr. George Ridpath, newsmonger, near St. Martins in the Fields : containing some animadversions on his scurrilous pamphlets, published by him against the kings, Parliaments, laws, nobility and clergy of Scotland : together with a short account of Presbyterian principles and consequential practices.

TO THE READER.

IT is not much worth the while to inform the World, that now Mr. George Ridpath is at the Head of the Presbyterian Party in Scotland. His Associates there, and here, have such an Opinion of him, that they consider him as the In∣vincible Champion of their Cause; and the truth is, if any Man be so inconsiderable, and so much a Brute, as to fight him at his own Weapons, Mr. Ridpath will certainly carry the Prize. He's the Man, that is now most likely to pull down Anti∣christ, and the Whore of Babylon. And as for the Scotch Episcopal Clergy who yet retain any kindness for the Hierarchy, and the former Government, if he lives another year, they must all of them be banish'd the Isle of Britain. It is enough for you to know, that now the Presbyterians, as is probable, have by an unanimous Suffrage chosen him to manage the Libels against their Opposites. He now appears in the Field of Battel, with all the Noise,

Lies, and Clamour, that becomes a Zealous Cove∣nanter. He began this last years Campagne with a Libel against Dr. M—o, which valuable Book he Dedicated to the Parliament of Scotland; by this, one may easily infer, that either he had a mean Opi∣nion of the Parliament, or extraordinary thoughts of himself.

If the following Treatise cannot be reduc'd into any certain Method, this is not to be imputed unto me; for I must confess that I too much follow'd the Excursions of Mr. Ridpath's invention. I was willing to contract the Animadversions that I made upon his Book into as little room as was possible; and therefore the frequent Transitions from one thing to another, are best understood, by such as have Read his Continuation, &c. I hope most Men are better employed than either to think or speak of the Calumnies and Lies, that he industriously heaps to∣gether against the Clergy. His Party is resolv'd to make use of such Engines against the Church, as they and their Fore-Fathers found most successful to the Extirpation of Root and Branch: and they that are unacquainted with their Malicious Methods, are great Strangers to our Nation, and History.

If the Reader meet with some Paragraphs that are more particular, and peculiar to Mr. Ridpath, than the Publick is oblig'd to take notice of, I must be excus'd, since I was compell'd; for I assure you,

that I value personal altereations no otherwise than a good Christian ought to do: Nor did I ever Write to satisfie or convince Mr. Ridpath, that being a thing in it self impossible. There is a certain Order of Mean Spirited Fellows (I do not mean by their Ex∣ternal Quality) who think that there is nothing writ∣ten by their Party, (were it never so ignominiously fulsome and scandalous) but what is invincible and unanswerable. Their Pride, and Vanity are In∣curable. It is not my meaning that we ought to put our selves to the Drudgery of answering all the Scurrilous and Obscene Libels that are propagated by our Enemies, but 'tis reasonable to let our Friends see, that at some times we can Confute them if that be thought convenient. I am so far convinc'd of the weakness of their Reasonings, that I know no Sect, Antient, or Modern, that ever broke the Peace of the Christian Church, but may be more plausibly defended, than the latest Edition of Pres∣bytery in Scotland.

I never thought that the Reputation of my Friend was in any hazard by being attack'd by Mr. Ridpath, or the Little Creatures who instigate him; yet by the following Papers, I make it plain to all disinte∣ressed persons, that Mr. Ridpath lies Willfully and Deliberately in several Instances; and therefore I may be allow'd to take leave of him for the future, if he does not manage his accusations, as becomes

the Spirit of Truth, Innocence, and Ingenuity. If you think that the Style is more sharp than is De∣cent or Just, then I intreat you may Read his Books which occasion'd these Papers, and then I am confi∣dent that you will retract your Censure, and find that I have meddled with his Person as little as was possible. He is in some places so Obscene that there is no coming near him, and therefore I made all pos∣sible hast to rid my imagination of him, and the paultry Trash that he gathers together.

The Bookseller was willing to Print a Sheet or two more than the Letter that I address'd to Mr. Rid∣path, and therefore I gave him some Propositions that are extracted out of such Books as are most in Vogue amongst the Scotch Presbyterians, that the Reader might have a sample of their Moral Theo∣logy with regard to Obedience, Government, and Subjection. To which I have added a Letter, writ∣ten from the Tolbooth of Edinburgh by the Famous Assassin Mr. James Mitchel, who endeavours to prove from several Texts of Scripture, that he ought to kill Dr. Sharp, Lord Archbishop of St. An∣drews. In short, to use the words of a Great Man, Rebellion is the Soul of the Kirk. And though we had not known the History of that Parliament Anno 1645. (So they call'd the bloody Meeting at St. Andrews) we have later Instances of their Ar∣bitrary and Tyrannical Malice against the better half

of the Nation. Their very Patrons are asham'd of them (not through any ingenuous remorse) but be∣cause their bare fac'd Villanies are frequently expos'd. I think the following Letter needs no other Preface than what is already hinted by

Sir,

Your humble Servant, S. W.