The modern pleas for comprehension, toleration, and the taking away the obligation to the renouncing of the covenant considered and discussed.

ARTICLE 2.

That we shall in like manner, without respect of Persons, endeavour the Extir∣pation of Popery, Prelacy; that is, Church-Government by Archbishops, Bi∣shops, their Chancellors, and Commissa∣ries, Deans, Deans and Chapters, Arch∣deacons, and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy; Superstition, Heresie, Schism, Profane∣ness, and whatsoever shall be found con∣trary to sound Doctrine, and the Power of Godliness, lest we partake in other mens sins, and thereby be in danger to receive of their Plagues; and that the Lord may be One, and his Name One in these Kingdoms.

As to the former part of this Arti∣cle, that which concerns the over∣throw of the established Government of the Church, I shall only say this, that the Modesty of these men is in this case very admirable, and there is no doubt to be made, but that in any other Kingdom it would be thought

to be so; in that they do expect to be admitted into the Preferments of the Church, and to be allowed to be pub∣lick Preachers in it; and yet at the very same time, they do desire to be excused from declaring, that they are not of a Perswasion, that there doth ly an obligation by Oath upon them themselves, the whole Nation, or (to say no more) at least upon some other Person, who ought to be nameless, to overthrow the whole frame of the Government of that Church, which they desire to be admitted into the Preferments of, and particularly of that Bishop by whose hands they are admitted. I would fain know whe∣ther there be any other Part of the World, where any Persons dare to demand of the present establishment, that it would for their sakes so far re∣lax it self, in order to their admission into it. Sure these menimagine, that the Church is in a very great necessi∣ty of them, that it cannot stand one moment without them; when, in the very Terms of their Admission, they do demand no less than this, that

a new Law should be made on pur∣pose, whereby they may be privileged from declaring, whether or no it is lawful for them to suffer the Church to continue two moments longer than there shall arise an opportunity, wherein they may be able to over∣throw it.

As for the remaining Part of the Article concerning Superstition, Here∣sie, Schism, Profaneness, and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound Do∣ctrine or the Power of Godliness, &c. I shall leave that to our Friends of the Presbytery and their Separating Bre∣thren to dispute about it: And it is clear enough, that they are altogether as unlike to agree in those Particu∣lars, as I am with either of them: As lovingly as ever they may look upon one another at present, I am sure that the Covenant, when opportunity serves, will be found to be levelled as directly against the Conventicles, as against the Cathedrals. I shall ob∣serve no more in this Article besides the great Charitableness of the Con∣clusion, That the Lord may be One and

his Name One in the Three Kingdoms: As if the Church of England follow∣ed after strange Gods, and that those ordained by her were really no o∣ther than, as they are often stiled ac∣cording to the good manners which the People learn of too many such Preachers, the Priests of Baal.