An answer to a letter from a clergyman in the city, to his friend in the country containing his reasons for not reading the declaration.

ANSWER.

If Arrogance and high Conceit might pass for Arguments, here is a fair shew of both: For one would think that the Head of the Church might be as competent a Judge of what is fittest to be read in the Churches under his protection, as the Parson of the Parish. Whoever thinks otherwise must have a very low opinion of the Head, who takes upon him to be so wise and censorious a Member. When the Head of the Church sends his Mandates and Injunctions to his inferior Ministers, Reason does in no measure justifie their Disputes and Oppositions to the Inverting the Order of Nature. And therefore it would have argu'd a much more noble confidence in the truth of his Majesties Sincerity and Piety, to have read without boggling, the Declaration recommended to their publishing in Churches, which they could not in good Man∣ners believe that their Soveraign Head would have enjoyn'd them, had he not fore-deem'd it both proper and warrantable. We find the Declaration grounded upon the solid foundation of Constant Royal Sense and Opinion, which no question, had the Concurrence of many able Divines of the first Order in the Church, among whom that Learned Prelate, and famous Combatant against the Church of Rome, the B. of L. appears to be none of the meanest. So that upon so fair a poise, besides the over-ballancing judge∣ment of the King himself, the Opposit•••••• of any other Sanhedrim within this Nation, can never be thoug•••• to be so equal as they pretend, in their own Cause; A Cause wherein Interest, rather than any deep sense of Religion seems to carry the greater sway. The Declaration duly consider'd, and fram'd with mature delibe∣ration, is of one Judgment, but They, hand over-head, are of another: The Declaration finding the Consciences of the Subjects pester'd and incumber'd with Penal Laws, Oaths, and Tests, endea∣vours

to remove those incumbrances. They on the other side, strive to uphold the Dagons of their Animosity against all other Opinions but their own. Who are now to be the Deciders of this Controversie? who indeed but the Soveraign Authority in the person of the King who is Gods Vicegerent; and to whom for that very reason, unless they will deprive him of that supream Dignity, all other persons are bound to submit, there being no higher Tribunal upon Earth to give a more Authentic Determi∣nation. And therefore it was that Cicers in his Oration for Clu∣entius, tell us, that the Supream Magistrate is the Judge of the Laws, and the cheif Interpreter of the Law; we only the Ser∣vants of the Law, that we may be free. Which being so true as it is, what must be thought of them that set up an Interpretation of their own against the Interpretation of the Soveraign Magi∣strate? But the City Clergyman goes on with a very quaint Di∣stinction.