He entered heartily into Philip’s designs for recovering Spain’s lost territory, and showed even more boldness than his royal master in their execution.  His reduction of Sardinia precipitated the alliance between England, France, Holland, and afterwards, Austria.  Spain, with Alberoni as its guiding spirit, supported the Jacobite cause to harass England, and conquered Sicily.  But at Messina the Spanish fleet was destroyed by the English, and in the north of Spain the forces of Philip were repulsed by the French.  In the end, Spain gave way, and Alberoni was dismissed to retire to Rome, and to be safely lodged in the Jesuits’ College there.  On his release he returned to his native town, but died at Rome. [T.S.]]

5.  The test clause should be repealed, because it is a defence against the reformation the Presbyterians long since promised the churches of England and Ireland, viz.  “We, noblemen, barons, knights, gentlemen, citizens, burgesses, ministers of the Gospel, commons of all sorts in the kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland, &c.[4] each one of us for himself, with our hands lifted up to the most high God, do swear, first, That we shall sincerely, really, and constantly, through the grace of God, endeavour, in our several places and callings, the preservation of the reformed religion in the Church of Scotland, in doctrine, worship, discipline, and government.  Secondly, That we shall in like manner, without respect of persons, endeavour the extirpation of Popery, Prelacy; that is, church-government by archbishops, their chancellors, and commissaries, deans, deacons, and chapters, archdeacons, and all other ecclesiastical officers depending on that hierarchy.”

[Footnote 4:  Vide “Confession of Faith,” pp. 304, 305.]

6.  Because the Presbyterian Church-Government may be independent of the state.  The Lord Jesus is King and Head of his Church;[5] hath therein appointed a government in the hands of church-officers, distinct from the civil magistrate.  As magistrates may lawfully call a synod of ministers to consult and advise with about matters of religion; so, if magistrates be open enemies to the Church, the ministers of Christ of themselves, by virtue of their office, or they with other fit persons, upon delegation from their churches, may meet together in such assemblies.[6]

[Footnote 5:  “Confession of Faith,” p. 87.]

[Footnote 6:  Ibid., pp. 88, 89.]

7.  Because they have not the free use of their religion, when they disdain a toleration.

8.  Because they have so much charity for Episcopacy, as to account it iniquitous.  The address of the General Assembly to the Duke of Queensbury in the late reign says, that to tolerate the Episcopal clergy in Scotland would be to establish iniquity by a law.

9.  Because repealing the test clause will probably disoblige ten of his Majesty’s good subjects, for one it can oblige.