492 Oliver Prot8C7or, 1657· '!'he protec– tor's new titfe, The HIs T 0 R y of the PuRITANS. Vot. n. " be permitted by opprobrious words or writing to revile or reproach the " !:'lid confeilion. That fuch who profefs faith in God the Father and " in Jefus Chrift his eternal Son, the true God, and in the Holy Ghoft ., God co-equal and eo-eternal with the Father and the Son one God " ble!ied for ever, and do acknowledge the holy fcriptures' of the old " and new teftament to be the revealed will and word of God, tho' in " other th~ngs they may differ in word and doctrine, or difcipline, from " the pubhc profeilion held forth, !hall not be compelled by penalties or " reftraints, from th eir profeilion, but lhall be protected from all injuries ' ' and molefiations in the profeflion of their faith, and exercife of their re– " li gion, while they abufe not this liberty to the civil injury of others, or " the di!l:u rbance of the public peace; provided this liberty do not extend " to popery or prelacy, or to the countenance of fuchwho publith horrid " blafphemies; or who practiCe or hold forth licentioufnefs or prophane– " nefs, under the profeilion of Chri!l:; and thofe mini!l:ers, or public " preachers, who agree with the public profeilion aforefaid in matters of " faith, though they differ in matters of worlhip or difcipline, {hall not " only have protection in the way of their churches or worlhip, but ala-11 " be deemed equally fit and capable (being otherwife qualified) of any " truft, promotion, or employment in this nation, with thofe who agree " with the public profeilion of faith, only they lhall not be capable of re– " ceivi ng the public maintenance appointed for the mini!l:ry. And all " miniffers lhall remain difqualified from holding any civil employment, " according to the act for difabling all perfons in holy orders to exercife " any temporal jurifdiction and authority, which is hereby confirmed." The protector having confented to thefe, and fame other articles, to the number of eighteen, an oath was appointed to be taken by alf privy counfellors, and members of parliament for the future, <J'o mai11• tain the protejlant religion ; to befaitlful to the lord proteClor; and to pre• (erve the rights and liberties ofthe people; and a few.days after 0. CJWM • WELL was proclaimed a fecond time LORD PROTECTOR in the cities of London and Wejlminjler; this being efie~med a new, and more parlia– mentary ti tle; and if the houfe had been full and - free it might have been fo, but the council's a/fuming a power to approve or difapprove of the members after they were returned; their forbidding them to debate the fund amentals of the new government, and obliging them to fign a recognition. of it.before they entered the houfe, looks like.a force, or tak– ing the election out of their hands. But lame and imperfect as the protector's title may feem, it· was as good as that of- the roman emperors; or the original claims of many of the royal houfes of Europe; and in the prefent disjointed ftate of the englijh nation, not only neceffary, but it may be the beft thing tl?at could be done; . for if the protectodhip · had
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