Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, or, Mr. Richard Baxters narrative of the most memorable passages of his…

Yet those that were not prejudiced by partiality against this Book (my Key for Catholics) have let me know that it hath not been without Success: It being indeed a sufficient Armoury, for to furnish a Protestant to defend his Religion against all the Assaults of the Papists whatsoever, and teacheth him how to answers all their Books. The second part doth briefly deal with the French and Grotian Party, that are for the Supremacy of a Council, at least as to the Legislative Power, and showeth that we never had a general Council, nor can it be at all expected.

Yet those that were not prejudiced by partiality against this Book (my Key for Catholicks) have let me know that it hath not been without Success: It being indeed a sufficient Armory, for to furnish a Protestant to defend his Religion against all the Assaults of the Papists whatsoever, and teacheth him how to answers all their Books. The second part doth briefly deal with the French and Grotian Party, that are for the Supremacy of a Council, at least as to the Legislative Power, and sheweth that we never had a general Council, nor can it be at all expected.

§ 195. 39. But the Book which hath furnished my Enemies with matter of Reviling (which none must dare to answer) is my Holy Commonwealth: The Occasion of it was this; when our Praetorian Sectarian Bands had cut all Bonds and Pulled down all Government, and after the Death of the King had twelve Years kept out his Son, few Men saw any probability of his Restitution; and every self-conceited Fellow was ready to offer his Model for a new Form of Government: Mr. Hobbs his Leviathan had pleased many: Mr. Tho. White the great Papist, had written his Politics in English for the Interest of the Protector, to prove that Subject ought to submit and subject themselves to such a Change: And now Mr. James Harrington (they say by the help of Mr. H. Nevill) had written a Book in Folio for a Democracy, called Oceana, seriously describing a Form near to the Venetian, and setting the People upon the Desires of a Change: And after this Sir H. Vane and his Party were about their Sectarian Democratical Model, which Stubs defended; and Regars and Needham (and Mr. Bagshaw had written against Monarchy before). In the end of an Epistle before my Book of (Crucifying the World) I had spoken a few Words against this Innovation and Opposition to Monarchy; and having especially touched upon Oceana and Leviathan, Mr. Harrington seemed in a Bethlehem Rage; for by way of Scorn he printed half a Sheet of foolish Jeers, in such Words as Idiots or Drunkards use, railing at Ministers as a Pack of Fools and Knaves, and by his gibberish Derision persuading Men that we deserved no other Answer than such Scorn and Nonsense as beseemeth Fools: And with most insolent Pride he carried it, as if neither I nor any Ministers understood at all what Policy was; but prated against we knew not what, and had presumed to speak against other Mens Art, which he was Master of, and his Knowledge to such Idiots as we incomprehensible. This made me think it fit, having given that General hint against his Oceana, to give a more particular Charge, and withal to give the World and him an Account of my Political Principles, and to show what I held as well as what I denied; which I did in that Book called, Political Aphorisms, or A Holy Commonwealth, as contrary to his Heathenish Commonwealth: In which I plead the Cause of Monarchy as better than Democracy and Aristocracy; but as