ll preachers what they have to
say for themselves."

Dr. Beaumont answered, that though assured the exercise of his
sacerdotal functions depended on his pleasure, he could not, while he
was permitted to perform it, so far desert his duty as to allow one of
his parishioners to utter wrong opinions without respectfully shewing
their fallacy. He was proceeding to the undoubtedly-fruitless labour of
trying to correct determined error, when Morgan stopped his argument by
shewing him the order he had received to eject him from his rectory.

Dr. Beaumont answered, that being humbly persuaded his ministry had been
beneficial, he wished to be allowed to continue in the quiet exercise of
his spiritual functions. His office was not bestowed upon him either by
Parliament or by the assembly of Divines, neither could the votes of the
one, nor the opinion of the other, lawfully degrade him from it.

Morgan replied, that whatever fancies he might entertain respecting the
durability of his right to the rectory, and the unalienable nature of
ordination, he must know, from numerous instances, that they had a way
now of cutting this sort of disputes very short, by expelling those who
would not walk out of doors quietly. Some indeed suffered their prudence
to get the better of their obstinacy, and were comfortably re-settled in
their benefices. One method of reconciliation which he would advise Dr.
Beaumont to attend to, was, to volunteer his subscription to the
engagement which had just been taken by Parliament and the City of
London, on the discovery of a most horrid plot formed by papists and
malignants, to put the King in possession of the Tower; to admit the
popish army into the city; to seize the godly Parliament, and put an end
to all those hopes of reformation which the nation now entertained. He
shewed the Doctor a copy of the oath, and remarked, that as nothing was
said in it about ecclesiastical changes, he could not object to swearing
to preserve the true Protestant religion against the influence of a
popish party, headed by the Queen, whom the House in its wisdom had
impeached of high-treason.

Dr. Beaumont said, the crime laid to Her Majesty's charge, which had
induced the Parliament to take that extraordinary step, was the bringing
arms and ammunition into the kingdom to assist her Sovereign and
husband, and not her being a Catholic, nor any plot or contrivance to
murder and imprison true Protestants. In the vow tendered t