to his own Prudence;and what he did thus without efpecial Commiffion is in Scripture recorded with great approbation. The Inftances are too well known to stand in need of being infifted on.

Our forementioned Author tells us, p. 13. That a Magiftrate, by becoming a Chriftian, hath no addition of power to what he had before, which is readily granted him; let him have but fo much, and he will ftand in need of no more. They who exempt all Affairs of Religion from the Authority of the Magiftrate muft prove that Chrift did take much from his Authority, viz. the whole cognizance of Sacred things, a Power known to have been used by Jews as well as Gentiles. And however the Clergy have been frequently and falfly traduced in this particular, that in order to Ends of their own they have flattered Princes with a Power, which really did not belong to them. It is well known that the Writers of Politicks have afferted this Prerogative of Princes as earnestly as the Divines have done: K 2

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Inftances would here be endless ; I fhall therefore fhew you the thing granted by a known Scholar, but no Divine by Profeffion, and that is the Excellent Grotius, Omnes (faith he) qui de Republica aliquid lectu dignum Scripsêre, hoc jus in facra non partem Summi Imperii, fed etiam potiffimam atque præcipuam vocant, de Imperio, C. 1. p. 14.

Now I must needs confefs that our forementioned Author doth, p. 22, 23. not only affert the Princes Power in Matters of Religion, but proves it very well; and at laft concludes, that it is a great weakness to think otherwife: But then he adds, p. 24. That the Prince must by no means in this cafe ufe the Sword; and having faid this, he feems a little fufpicious, as if that Limitation had quite fpoiled his whole Conceffion, as indeed it doth. But his wonted courage doth immediately return again; Nor need it seem ftrange that the Magiftrate should have the care and oversight of that where he is not to use the Temporal Power, &c. Now,I think,it is not eafieto be ima

gined what effectual Care the Magiftrate can take but that; our Author tells us indeed of another way, viz. He is to fee it done by the Spiritual means which Chrift hath appointed, p. 24. But if this be all which he may do, this may be too little: For fuppose those spiritual Weapons do meet with fuch perfons, who do flight, undervalue and stand in open defiance of them; doth all that concern and care, which our Author, but one page before,afferts the Magiftrate to be intrusted with, in looking after the Honour of God and the Souls of men, amount to no more but barely this, That he is to fee the Spiritual Cenfures of the Church made ufe of; and if men have no more Religion than to defpife and laugh at them, he is to stand still and look on while they are fo doing? This Learned Gentleman confeffeth and contends for it, that the Magiftrate is in his Station bound to take care of Gods Honour, p. 23. and yet thoroughout his whole Book he is ever afterward very zealous, that he muft by no means ufe the Sword

in order to it: Now, how a Magiftrate can in his ftation act, where this is interdicted him, is a thing not easily apprehended. When a Magiftrate, as fuch, declares his pleafure, common Sense tells us, that the meaning is, that if we do not bear a fitting regard to that his Declaration, it must be at our own peril; and without this I do not apprehend how his Authority doth appear to be any greater than that of any other man.

Again, if the King be to govern the People, Religion must then be a very confiderable part of his Care, as being a thing wherein his Government will find it felf to be very frequently and very highly concerned; there being nothing more evident nor experienced than this, that according to the right or wrong meafures which may be taken of Religi on, the People may be wrought upon to do either very much good or very much evil, even as to the Affairs of this Life: There are not a few Do&rines, which this Nation is no Stranger to, which if a Prince hath not

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power to forbid the spreading of, God fhall be extreamly dishonoured, himself be in a fair way to be depofed, and his Subjects ruined; and he fhall plainly fee all this, and upon these mens terms not in the leaft be able to help it: And this naturally leads me to our next Confideration, the many great inconveniencies which attend Liberty of Confcience both in relation to Religion and Government, the Worship of God, and the Publick Peace.

But before I enter upon this Part of the Argument, I must again return fo far back, as to take fome notice of that common rumour about the Town, of fuch a Project in hand as will (if the Succefs can be supposed to answer the great hopes which are conceived of it) make all that Labour needlefs, and that is the fore-mentio. ned Comprehenfion In behalf of which the undertakers are faid usually and openly to alledge this, that if that be yielded to, there will be then no need at all of Toleration; for,by that means the Church will be so strong by K 4

the