Eachard's ch. Wary, ad ann. á672g. PREFACE, " England, in f me pari/h church on a Lord's day immediatlely after di- " vine fervice andfrmon, and to deliver a certificate of having fi re- " ceived it, under the the hands of the re/ßeLive miners and church- " ° wardens, proved by two credible witnes upon oath, to be recorded in " court." It appears by the title of this ad, and by the difpofitian of the parliament at that time, that it was not defagned againfl proteßant non- conformi/Ès ; but the diffenters in the houfe generoufly came into it to fave the nationfrom popery ; for when the court, in order to throw out the bill, put them upon moving for a claufe to except their friends, Mr. Love, who hadalready declared againft the d f ending power, flood up, and defred that the nation might firfi be fecured againft popery, by paffìng the bill without any amendment, and that then, if the houfe pleafed, force regard might be bad to proteflant dill- enters; in which (fays Mr. Eachard) he was feconded bymolt of his party. The bill was voted accordingly, and another brought in for the cafe of his majefty's proteftant diffenting fubjeâs, which payed the commons, but before it could get through the lords, the king came to the boufe andprorogued the parliament. Thus the proteftant non-conformifts, out of their abundant zeal for the proteftant religion, (hackled themfelves, and were left upon a level with popjh recufants. Something was necefary to fecure the nation againfe poperyat that time, 'when the prefumptive heir of the crown was of that religion ; but whether it ought not to have been done by a civil, rather than by a religious tat, I leave with the reader. The obliging all perfons in places of civil trufl to receive the holyfacrament of the Lord's fupper, feems to me a hardfhip upon thufegentlemen, whofe manner of life loudly declares their unfitnefs for f facred a folemnity, andwho would not run the hazardof eating and drink- ing unworthily, but that they fatisfy themfelves with throwing of the guilt upon the impofert. Great Britain midi not expedt an army offaints; nor is the time yet come, when all her officers (hall be peace, and her exactors righteoufnefs. It is no lefs a hardfhip upon'a great body of his =jelly's moll dutiful and loyal fubjedis, who are qualified to firve their king and country, in all ofaces of civil trujl, and wouldperform their duty with all chearfulnefs, did they not fcruple to receive the facrament after the ufage of the churchof England, or to pro/litute a facrecl and religious inftitution, as a qual/lcation for a civil employment. I can fie no inconvenience either to church or fiate, f HIS MAJESTY, as the common father of his people, fhould have the frvice of allhis fubjeöls who are willing to fwear allegiance to his royal perfon and government ; to renounce all foreign ju- rfdidlion, and to give all reafonable ficurity not to dJurb the church of England, or any of their fellow fubjeJs, an the peaceable enjoyment of their religious or civil rights and properties. Befides, the removing this ,grievance would do honour to the church f England ifelf,. by obviating the
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