N's Hi(lory P. 483. [ 132, Kingdom or a free Government --- cc " fo'that it was impoble for an honeft " Puritan to efcape the high Commif- " lion. The Papifis rejoic'd to fee the " Reformers weakening their own cc Hands, by filencing fuch Numbers " ofthe moll ufeful and popular Preach- " ers, while. the Country was in Dif- " trefs for Want of them. Great was " the Scarcity of Preachers about Eng- " land at this Time, [anno i 578] the " Ground of this Scarcity was no other " but the Severity of the high Com- " miífion, and the narrow Terms of " Conformity." A very melancholly Account this ! but Mr. N. himfelf re- lieves our Concern, by furnifhing an en- tire Confutation of it. After all thefe Complaints in the Year 1586, this Gentleman tells us of a memorable Tranfa6tion ; the fub- fcribing their own Platform, intitled the Holy I3ifcipline, &c. (of which Mention has been already made) "and cc at the fame Time refoking, that " fnce the MAGISTRATE could not be " induced to reform the 23ifcipline of " the Church, by fo manyPetitions and " Supplications ; that therefore, after " fo many Tears waiting, it was law- " ful to act without him, andintroduce " a Reformation in the bef Manner " they
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