Reason I. ALL Laws which do not agree with the Divine Law, ought to be re­pealed. It is true, that the Supream Law­giver has left humane Societies, at Liberty to Establish such Laws, as They in Pru­dence, shall judge will most conduce to their External welfare, or Political well being: Provided always, That they Exact nothing that is repugnant, to THE DI­VINE LAW. But let it be considered, whether the Sacramental Test is not so. For, the Holy Sacrament was not appoint­ed by the Lord Jesus Christ, to be used as a Qualification for Civil Offices, but for other Sacred Ends and Purposes. And therefore to use it as a Test for Civil Employments, is to Pervert and Corrupt an Holy Ordinance of God, and conse­quently to Transgress the Divine Law.

Reason II. The Impleaded Test is not consonant with the Doctrine of the Church of England. For our Church has Taught (as the Scriptures do) that Un­worthy Receivers ought not to be ad­mitted to the Lord's Table, In our Li­turgy it is declared, That so many as intend to be Partakers of the Holy Communion, shall signifie their Names, &c. And if any of them be an Open and Notorious evil Liver, the Curate having knowledge thereof, shall advertise him, that in any wise He presume not to Come to the Lord's Table, until He has openly declared himself to have repented and amended his former naughty life. And the Priest is by our Liturgy required to Say to the Communicants, That They are to Examine their Lives and Conversations by the rule of God's Commandments, and that They must be ready to make restitution to those whom They have wronged: For other­wise the Receiving of the Holy Communion does nothing else but increase their Damnation. Therefore if any of you be a Blasphemer of God, an Hinderer and Slanderer of His Word, an Adulterer, or in Malice, or in Envy, or in any other grievous Crime, Repent you of your Sins, or else come not to that Holy Table, lest after the taking of the Sacrament, the Devil enter into you as he entered into Judas, and fill you full of all Iniquities, and bring you to Destruction both of Body and Soul. These words are in the Common-Prayer Book. It is moreover therein truly asserted, That in the Primitive Church there was a Godly Discipline whereby such Persons as stood con­victed of notorious Sin were put to shame, and that it is much to be wished that the said Discipline may be restored again. But how is it possible for the Godly Disci­pline of the Primitive Church to be restored again as long as the Sacramental-Test is in force? It is pretended that by means hereof the Church of England is Established: But if we go about to Esta­blish our Church by a Practice or by a Law which is contrary to the sound Do­ctrine therein professed, I am afraid that we shall thereby, rather occasion our own Ruin than any thing else.

Reason III. The Sacramental Test has been a Cause of very much Sin. For it hath caused a Sacred Institution of Christ to be polluted, and the Blood of the Son of God to be prophan'd by Multitudes. It is certainly a great Sin to Administer the Sacrament to any that are known to be unmeet Subjects thereof. Calvin was a Presbyterian, and therefore I omit to mention that He and several other Pro­testant Divines were Banished from Ge­neva, because They refused to give the Sacrament to some very Scandalous Per­sons there. But methinks old St. Chry­sostom's [Page 2] words are of weight▪ who profes­seth▪ That He would sooner have his right Hand cut off, than He would give the Body and Blood of Christ to a known wicked Man. But the Sacramental-Test-Law, puts the Ministers of our Church on great Temp­tation to do thus. It has also caused many whose Consciences assure Them, that if They partake at the Lord's Table, They shall Eat and Drink Damnation to Them­selves, yet to venture. The too true Relation of a Prophane man, who that so he might not by means of the Sacramental Test, be deprived of his Livelyhood, re­solved to present himself at the Lord's Table but there declared to some that sat by Him, He would Eat that Bread, and Drink that Wine only as Common Bread, and Wine, is much talked of. Yea, and this Sacramental Test hath har­dened the Papists, and caused Them to Blaspheme the Protestant Religion, and in a peculiar manner▪ our Church of England. I remember a Roman Catholick did in my Hearing protest He was resolved to Pub­lish in Print a Passage relating to this Sub­ject, which Himself (he said) knew to be true. It was this: A Gentleman (whose Name and all the Circumstances of Time and Place▪ he mentioned) because of the Law, presented himself at the Sacrament. But the Night before He made himself Horribly Drunk: And when He came the next Day to receive the Cup of the Lord, with a fearful Oath in his Mouth, He de­manded of the Curate, Why He did not get better Wine for them than that was? The Curate replied▪ It was the best He could procure. The Gentleman rejoyned with horrid Execrations (which I abhor to mention) that if He had sent to Him, He would have given him better. The Papist did from this in my hearing take occasion to revile Protestants, but especial­ly us who are of the Church of England.

Reason IV. If there be not a Refor­mation as to this particular, we have cause to fear that some Publick National Judg­ment will fall upon us, as a Testimony of God's righteous Displeasure. For as long as this Test is Established by Law, it be­comes a National Evil. If a Nation be guilty of Prophaning or Perverting any Ordinance of Christ, that infers a Natio­nal guilt. The famous Church of Corinth was exposed to an heavy Judgment from Heaven on this account. And why may not the Church▪ of England fear lest it should be so with Them. It was a cele­brated Saying of the Learned Paraeus, I wonder not that God has▪ visited Germany with the Sword, when I Consider how the Sa­crament of the Lord's Supper has been Pro­phaned. I pray, that the Holy God may not be provoked to pour out the Blood of our Nation, because so many therein have prophaned the Blood of his Son▪

Reason V. It is for the King's Interest That the Sacramental-Test should be taken away. For by means thereof, many wor­thy Persons and good Protestants, who are every way Qualified for Publick Employ­ments, are made uncapable of Serving His Majesty, the English Nation, or the Protestant Interest: Had this Test been imposed on the London-Derry or Iniskilling Men a few Months ago, all Ireland had been lost before this day. And had this Test been insisted on among the Scots, His present Majesty would probably have lost that Kingdom also. Many Good and Wise Men are of Opinion that this (more than any thing else) has been the Cause of the unsuccessfulness of our Armies and Navies, and that nothing can be thought of, which at this Juncture will more Effe­ctually promote the Interest of the Papists, than to continue a Test which does so un­happily divide Protestants one from ano­ther, making them Unable to afford their Joynt-assistance against the Common Ene­my. We that are of the Church of Eng­land, acknowledge that Receiving the Sacrament, just after our Mode is only an Ecclesiastical, and not a Divine Institution. Shall we for a Ceremony which may law­fully be removed, hazard the Ruin of the Nation! and the whole Protestant Interest in the World also? No doubt but that our wise Senators will seriously consider of these things before it be too late.