in the Sin of Rebellion, but would have told them the Prince was not to be refifted, tho' never fo great a Tyrant. According to the pretended Doctrine of Fure Divino, the vileft Slave in Ifrael had become the Lord's Anointed, if he could have kill'd David, Solomon, &c. and found Villains to place him in the Throne.

1. 151. Where was the Bow-ftring Doctrine of Abfolute Paffive Obedience when the primitive Chriftians called in Conftantine the Great, to aid and affift them against the Tyranny and Perfecution of Maxentius and Maximinius, with Force of Arms, with which they conquer'd thofe Perfecutors in feveral Battles fought against them? And when the primitive Christians refifted Lucinius their Emperor, for perfecuting them contrary to Law; and Conftantine the Great joined with them; Who held it his Duty, faith Eufebius, to deliver an infinite Number of People, by cutting off a few wicked ones, as the Pefts and Plagues of the Times? And when the primitive Christians under the King of Perfia, refifted him for perfecuting them, and were affifted by Theodofius the Roman Emperor, who told the King of Perfia, He was ready to defend them, and no ways to fee them fuffer for Religion? And when the Chriftians of Armenia the Greater, made a League with the Romans for the fecuring of their Perfons, and Religion against the Perfians, under whom they lived? And when the Novatians affifted by the Orthodox, refifted and beat the Macedonians, tho' they were affifted by Conftantius the Emperor with four thousand Men to drive them from Paphlegonia? And when the primitive Chriftians deftroyed Julian's idolatrous Temple? And when the Lutheran Churches defended themselves against the Emperor Charles the Fifth? And when the Proteftants of Auftria took up Arms, Anno 1608. against Matthias King of Hungary, for denying them the free Exercife of their Religion.

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152. Where was the cruel and barbarous Doctrine of Abfolute Paffive Obedience, when the whole Church of England, in feveral Convocations, justified the Proteftants in the refifting of their Tyrannical Princes, and not only maintained in Words, the Juftice of their Refiftance, but which is more, they laid down their Purses to help them; and charged themselves deeply with Taxes, in Confideration of Queen Elizabeth's great Charges and Expences in affifting them: As you may fee in the Clergy's Subfidy Acts in that Reign.

1. 153. Quinto Elizabetha, Cap. 24. Among other Confiderations, for which the Clergy give their Subfidy of Six Shillings in the Pound, they have thefe Words; And finally, pondering the inestimable Charges fuftained by your Highness, as well of late Days in reducing the Realm of Scotland to Unity and Concord, as alfo in procuring as much as in your Highness lieth, by all Kind of godly and prudent Means, the abating of all Hoftility and Perfecu tion within the Realm of France, practifed and used against the Profeffors of God's holy Goffel, and true Religion. The first thing in this Pallage is the Queen's Affiftance of the Scotch in their

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Reformation, wherein they were oppofed by the Queen of Scots, which is fet down at large in our Chronicles, Stow, p. 640. The Temporality, in their Subfidy Act, at the fame time, Cap. 27. call this Affiftance, "The Princely and upright Prefervation of the Liberty of the next Realm and Nation of "Scotland from eminent Captivity and Defolation. The other they call'd the godly and prudent Means for abating Hoftility and Perfecution within the Realm of France. Stow. P. 650. informs us that thofe Means were the Forces fent under Dudley, Earl of Warwick, to Newhaven, to affift the French Proteftants who were then in Arms. This Affiftance of the Queen, Parliament and Clergy, was a damnable Sin according to the Doctrine of abfolute, paffive and unconditionated Obedience, which fome of our Clergy do now hold; for they that are aiding and affifting to Rebels, are as bad as Rebels themselves: But all the Bishops and Clergy in Convocation, held no fuch Doctrine in thofe Days; for they call that Afliftance, the Ufe of godly and prudent Means to abate Hoftility and Perfecution, practifed and ufed against the Profeffors of God's holy Gospel and true Religion.

1. 154. 35 Eliz. Cap. 12. The Clergy grant another Subfidy in Confideration of Her Majefty's Charges," in the provident "and needful Prevention of fuch intended Attempts, as intend "to the Extirpation of the fincere Profeffion of the Gofpel, both "here and elsewhere. The Temporalities Subfidy Act at the fame Time decclares thefe Reafons for their Tax. Cap. 13. Befides the great and perpetual Honour which it hath pleafed God" to give your Majefty abroad, in making you the principal Support of just and religious Caufes against Ufurpers Befides the great Succours in France and Flanders, which we do conceive to. be moft bonourable in Regard of the ancient Leagues, the Fuftice and Equity of their Caufes. And in the 39 Eliz. Cap. 27, they fay, This Land is become, fince your Majefty's happy Days, both a Port and Haven of Refuge, for diftreffed States and Kingdoms, and a Rock and Bulwark of Oppofition against the Tyrannies and ambitious Attempts of mighty and ufurping Potentates.

T. 155. 43 Eliz. Cap. 17. The Clergy in their Subfidy A&, fay, For who bath, or fhould have a livelier Senfe, or better Remem brance of your Majefty's Princely Courage and Conftancy in advancing and protecting the free Profeffion of the Gospel, within and without your Majefly's Dominions than your Clergy. King Charles the First, and the Bishops and Clergy of England, aflifted the Proteftants of France? So that if the Scotch, French and Dutch Proteítants were doom'd Rebels in their Refiftance of their lawful Sovereigns, then the Church and Parliament of England, quite through Queen Elizabeth's Reign, and in King Charles the Firft's. Reign, by their affifting of them, involved thenifelves in the fame Guilt. For it is utterly unlawful, and a horrid Sin to affift Subjects in the Violation of their Duty and Allegiance, and to aid them in refifting the Ordinance of God. But this be

ing too abfurd to be believed of Confeffors, and Men who had hazarded their Lives for the Proteftant Religion, it is plain that they held Refiftance to be lawful in thefe Cafes, tho' it be not to be found in their Catechifm, nor in the Book of Homilies: For if they had thought it utterly unlawful to affift Subjects against tyrannical Princes, or that St. Paul had threatned it with Damnation, they must have been willing to purchase it at a very dear Rate, fince they apply'd a whole Years Revenue of all the Benifices of England, to refift the Ordinance of God. By this it appears, that the new modifh Doctrine of fubmitting to all Surts of lawless Oppreffion is Madness and Innovation and wholly unknown to the Compilers of our Homilies. So if they who now hold the fame Opinion be in an Error, they err with their Fathers, with the Church and Parliament of England, and with most of the Proteftants in Europe, in all Ages. Then they do err in good Company. Now Dr. Sacheverell, Doctor Hicks, Do&tor Welton, Doctor Atterbury, Mr. Higgins, Mr. Whaley of Oxford, Mr. Lefly, Mr. Collier, Mr. Milbourne, and all others who hold the Doctrine of abfolute Paffive Obedience? What say you? are you wifer than all our Fore-Fathers? For Shame recant, left you be taken for mad-Men, Fools or Knaves.

T. 156. And where was abfolute Paffive Obedience, when the Proteftant Princes of Germany invited Guftavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, to come into Germany to affift them against their lawful Prince, for perfecuting of them; and when the Proteftants joined with him upon his Arrival; and when King Charles the First affifted them with Men from England?

1. 157. Bishop Jewel, one of thofe that wrote the Homilies, faith, in the Defence of his Apology, p. 16. That neither Luther, Melanathon, &c. taught the People to rebel against their Prince, but only to defend themfelves by all lawful Means against Oppreffion, as did David against King Saul. So do the Nobles in France at this Day: They feek not. to kill, but to fave their own Lives, as they have protefted by publick Writing to the World. As for us, we are Strangers unto their Cafe; they themselves are beft acquainted with the Laws and Conftitutions of their Country; and therefore are beft able to yield Account of the Grounds and Reasons of their Doings.

T. 158. Bishop Bilfon, in his Book of the true Difference between • Chriftian Subjection and unchriftian Rebellion, (dedicated to Queen. Elizabeth) in Defence of the Proteftants of France, against the unjuft Oppreffions of their King, faith, I will not rafbly pronounce all that refift to be Rebels: Cafes may fall out in Chriftian Kingdoms, where People may plead their Right against the Prince, and not be charged with Rebellion. As if a Prince should go about to fubject his Kingdom to a foreign Realm, or charge the Form of the Commonwealth, from Empire to Tyranny, or neglect the Laws established ly Common Confent of the Prince and People, to execute his own Pleafures In these and other Cafes which might be named, if the Nobles and

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Commons join together to defend their ancient and accustom❜d Liberty, they may not be accounted Rebels.

159.1. In King Charles the First's Reign, we have the Judgment of Bishop Abbot, that the Cafe of the Primitive Chriftians and us differs in this, That they had no Legal Right for their Religion, but were fubject to the meer Pleafure of the Government; and whilft it was fo, they made no Refiftance. But under Conftantine, the Emperor, they had Laws on their Side, then they allowed of Refiftance.

9.160. Sley den, Com. 1. 8. tells us, that Luther had always taught, That the Magiftrate might not be refifted; and there was a little Book of his Extant upon that Subject. But when the Lawyers, in a Conference, proved, That Refiftance was allowed by the Laws in fome Cafes, Luther ingenioufly profeffed, That he did not know the Lawfulness of it before; and then faid, That being the Gospel doth not bar, nor abolish the Laws of the State, as he had always taught and because many things might fo happen, that not only Matter of Right, but also the Force and Neceffity of Confcience might occafion us to Arm; therefore an Affociation might be entred into, to defend our felves in Cafe Cæfar himself should make War upon us, or any one elfe in Cæfar's Name. In another Book of his he warned all Men in general, That they should not obey the Magiftrate, if he raised the Militia for fuch a War.

1. 161. At the fame Time there were Seven Princes, and Twenty four Proteftant Cities, which entred into an Affociation against the Emperor, (Sleyd. Com. 1. 18.) As for his charging us with Rebellion (fay they) there is nothing at all in it; and he knows in bis Confcience that we are wronged. If he had flood to his former Compacts and Decrees, we alfo fhould have done our Duty; but because he has broken them, and befides our Obedience is due to God in the first Place, let him lay the Blame upon himself: For being he endeavours the Destruction of our Religion and Liberty, he gives us Caufe to oppofe him with a good Confcience: For in that Cafe it is lawful to refift, as may be made appear, both from facred and prophane Hiftory. For unjuft Violence is by no means the Ordinance of God; neither are we any otherways bound to him, than upon Perfor mance of the Conditions, upon which he was made Emperor.

T. 162. The Citizens of Madgeburgh fays, That they could not be proved guilty of Rebellion, either by the Law of God, or the Law of Man: That those who took up Arms against them, made War upon Chrift himself, &c. every Body eafily understands, how utterly unlawful it is to offer any Violence to us. Sleyd. Com. 1. 2.

1. 163. Melanthon was of the fame Opinion as Luther, as to the Lawfulness of Refiftance, as in many Places of his Writings it doth appear; as was St. Chryfoftom before them both: And in his Commentary on Proverbs xxiv. 21, 22. he faith, The Gofpel allows us to make Ufe of politick Laws, which are reasonable: Nay, if a lawful Defence were not allowed by the Gopel, the Gofpel it felf would be transformed into a State-Doctrine, and would establish infinite Slavery which it does not. And in his

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common Places, call'd Vindicta, upon thefe Words of our Saviour, He that takes the Sword, shall perish by the Sword; he fays, For a Man to take the Sword, is to draw it when it is not put into bis Hands by the Laws; therefore he who offers unjust Violence, takes the Sword: But on the other hand, he who uses a juft Defence does not take the Sword, but he draws a Sword which the Laws put into his Hands. And in his Commentaty on Rom, xiii, upon thefe Words; Wherefore ye muft needs be fubject, not only for Wrath, but alfo for Confcience fake; he fays, That thefe Words do concern not only the Subject, but also the Magiftrates themselves, who when they turn Tyrants do overthrow the Ordinance of God, no lefs than the feditious. And therefore their Confciences are guilty too, because they obey not the Ordinance of God, that is, the Laws, which they ought to obey: Therefore the Threatnings, which are here fet down, do pertain likewife to them. Let all Perfons therefore, by the Severity of this Command be moved, not to think the Violation of the Constitution to be a light Sin.

T. 164. Zuinglius, one of the three firft Reformers, in his Pious and Friendly Admonition to the Republick of the Switzers, difcourfes much of his Country's throwing off the Yoke of Oppreffion; and reckons that St. Paul was of the fame Mind, when he faid, But if thou may't be free, ufe it rather: Which Eternal Counsel of God, our valiant Ancestors following with undaunted Courage, were bleffed with wonderful Succeffes, &c. And in his Opus Articulorum, Art. 40, 41, 42. he fays. They deferve what they fuffer, who lie under Oppreffion, and a great deal more; they have no Wrong done them; he bids them perish with their Oppreffor. He fays, that the dreadful Plagues that followed the Jews, Jer. xv. 3. 4. upon account of the Wickedness of Manaffeh, and the Blood which he fhed in Jerufalem, were most just Punishments, and defervedly inflicted upon that People, because they fuffer'd him to do it, &c.

1. 165. Lucifer de Cagliari in his Book De non parciendo in Deum delinquentibus (a Book approved by St. Athanafius, who calls him a new Elias, p. 1068. declares, That he believed it was lawful to refift Kings under the Old Teftament, and alfo to put them to Death, in Cafe of Idolatry, which, he maintains, the Arrians were guilty of.

1. 166. St. Auftin fpeaking of the Behaviour of the Chriftians towards Julian, faith to this Effect, That the Chriftian Soldiers ferved under this Infidel Emperor, and where their Religion was not concerned, made Confcience of obeying him; but where, indeed, it came to the Caufe of Chrift, there they made as much Confcience of difobeying him, Aug. in Pf. 124.

1. 167. It was the Mifery of most of the Proteftants in other Countries, as well as thofe in Germany, in the Beginning of their Reformation, to fall under Oppreffion, particularly the French Scotch and Dutch Proteftants: And it is well known hey all defended themfelves, and ufed Refiftance, which, in Scotland, ended in an Established Reformation of the Proteftant Religion;