Elizabeth even persons were sent to the flames on account of heresy. In the course of time there arose a new distinction,-a distinction founded, not upon religious belief, but merely upon political differences. The Roman Catholics of that day, thinking that they had no chance of supremacy under Elizabeth, or James I, entered into repeated conspiracies with a view to change the succession of these realms: I am asking your attention on this point, because it was at that time that the words were introduced 'on the true faith of a Christian.' In the time of Elizabeth, it was necessary that the oath of allegiance, should be taken, on the four Evangelists, which the Jews, a despised and neglected race, could not take. But I will beg to read to you the preamble of an Act which is the first I can discover in which the words on the true faith of a Christian were introduced-the Act 3 James I, c. 4, entitled 'An Act for the better Discovering and Repressing of Popish Recusants.' The preamble states,-'Forasmuch as it is found daily experience, that many of His Majesty's subjects that adhere in their hearts to the Popish religion by the infection drawn from thence, and by the wicked and devilish council of Jesuits. Seminaries, and other like persons dangerous to

the Church and State, and so far perverted in the point of their loyalties and due allegiance unto the King's Majesty and the Crown of England, as they are ready to entertain and execute any treasonable conspiracies and practices, as evidently appears by that more than the barbarous and horrible attempt to have blown up with gunpowder the King, Queen, Prince, Lords, and Commons, in the House of Parliament assembled, tending to the utter subversion of the whole state, lately undertaken by the instigation of Jesuits and Seminaries, and in advancement of their religion by their scholars, taught and instructed by them to that purpose, which attempt only by the goodness of the Almighty God was discovered and defeated.

"And section 15 prescribes the oath of obedience:-'I swear from my heart, that notwithstanding any declaration or sentence of excommunication, deprivation, made or granted, or to be made, or granted by the Pope or his successors, or by any authority derived or pretended to be derived from him or his see, against the said king, his heirs, or successors, or any absolution of the said subjects from their obedience, I will bear faith and true allegiance to his Majesty, his heirs and suc

cessors, and him and them will defend to the uttermost of my power against all conspiracies and attempts whatsoever, which shall be made against his, or their persons, their crown and dignity, by reason or colour of any such sentence or declaration, or otherwise; and will do my best to disclose and make known unto his Majesty, his heirs, and successors, all treasons and traitorous conspiracies, which I shall know or hear of to be against him, or any of them. And I do further swear, that I do from my heart abhor, detest, and abjure as impious and heretical this damnable doctrine, and position, that princes which be excommunicated, or deprived by the Pope may be deposed or murdered by their subjects, or any other whatsoever. And I do believe, and in my conscience am resolved, that neither the Pope or any other whatsoever, hath power to absolve me of this oath, or any part thereof, which I acknowledge, by good and full authority, to be lawfully ministered unto me, and do renounce all pardons and dispensations to the contrary. And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear according to the plain and common sense and understanding of the same words, without any equivocation, or

mental evasion or secret reservation whatsoever; and I do make this recognition and acknowledgment heartily, willingly, and truly, upon the true faith of a Christian.'

"In the seventh year of James I. another Act was passed, to which Members of Parliament were required to take the oath of allegiance, according to the oath in 3 Jac. I, c. 4, s. 15; that is, upon the true faith of a Christian.' Now this shows clearly what the intention of Parliament was in inserting that declaration on the true faith of a Christian. It was intended to meet the cases of those Roman Catholics who bore true allegiance to the Crown of this realm, and to separate them from those who believed that their prince might lawfully be deposed or murdered. Therefore those words, 'on the true faith of a Christian,' were intended, not to exclude either Jews or Infidels, but to give a greater sanction to the oath which the Roman Catholic Christian took when he declared himself a faithful and true subject of the Crown.

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"Now I think I can contend that the history of this declaration shows that it was intended only to give a security that those

who were Roman Catholics, and who were admitted to office and to Parliament, were not men who swerved from their allegiance, and that, being Christians, they were asked to make th declaration on the true faith of a Christian.' I have stated this for the purpose of showing that the introduction of these words, so far as any exclusion or disqualification was in view, was founded upon political differences. In the reign of Charles II. the same reasons prevailed. The Duke of York, and those who were with him, wished to overturn the laws of the country; and therefore political reasons, and not religious belief, led to the continued obligation of the same form of oath, and even to more exclusive tests. But there was another class, who were likewise excluded from office, though not from Parliament-I mean the Protestant Dissenters. Were they excluded on the ground that they differed in religious belief? By no means. The ground of their exclusion was most ably stated by Bishop Sherlock, then a young man, in a pamphlet which he wrote in defence of the Test and Corporation Acts. He declared that every Member of Parliament ought to be well affected to the