Austria than formerly It is not to be denied some of that Gang have had cunning enough to insinuate themselves into the most secret Affairs of the French King but what is that towards their having shaken off off their old Principles of Self-Interest and maintaining the Pope's Prerogative or their adhering now more to France than the House of Austria Their seeming Compliance is by all understanding People in France it self look'd upon as an effect of their Fear rather than good Inclination towards that Kingdom For they having seen that the French Kings have maintained their Authority with a high Hand against the Pope and the restless Endeavors of their Fraternity they have of late according to their wonted Custom changed their Tune for fear of losing all That famous Inscription of Lewis XII that notable Advice of Cardinal Richlieu of setting up a Patriarch in France and the vigorous Opposition Innocent XI found in the present French King against all his Attempts has frightned these Fathers into a Complacency which nothing but the Consideration of their own Interest could have extorted from them to pursue which they will at any time adhere either to France or to the House of Austria to Monarchy Aristocracy or Democracy And this may be evident enough to any body who will recollect their Behaviour in our Age as well as the former Not to speak of the Villanies of Castell Clement and Ravaillack who are so abominable that they ought not to be mentioned among the Race of Mankind and are lively Instances how far the Roman Catholicks have laid aside their ancient King-killing Principle The Jesuite Santarel in his Book which was burnt by the Hangman in France has shewn sufficiently That they have not changed much their former Opinion as to the Pope's Prerogative over Magistrates And it is remarkable what is related of the Jesuites in France who being then asked What their Opinion was of this Book whether they would oppose it or whether they did intend to conform themselves according to the Approbation of the same by their General at Rome after a great many Tergiversations being put to give a Categorical Answer they could not forbear saying If they were at Rome they should be of their General 's Opinion And the threatning Letter from Innocent XI to Lewis XIV as that also to the Clergy evidences sufficiently that it is rather want of Power than good Will when they seem not to act according to their former utmost Severity That the Jesuites follow no other Dictates but such as agree with their own Interest whether in a Free or Arbitrary Government so many of the Roman Catholicks have testified themselves that I wonder how any body can fansie them adhering to any Was it not justly objected to Father Parsons and Campian in Queen Elizabeth's time from the other Roman Catholicks that the several Disturbances and especially the Disputes about frequenting the English Churches were raised on purpose by them only for the Benefit of their Society and that the rest had been considerable Losers by it Were not by Father Parson's Means Seminaries for English Jesuites erected as well in France as Spain Portugal and the Netherlands Did he not treat with the Spaniards French Queen of Scots the Pope Duke of Guise Prince Farnese and the Earl of Derby about the Crown of England so indifferent was he in the Point that it matter'd him not who had it provided the Jesuites might obtain their Ends. Has not a certain moderate Roman Catholick not many Years ago attributed the bloody Wars in Ireland and a great many other mischievous Devices against this Government to the Excommunications of John Baptist Rinuccini the Pope's Nuncio then in Ireland and to the great Aversion the Jesuitâ—s and their Adherents always have shewed against the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy And have we not in our Memory seen the Jesuites have an equal Interest and Adherency both to the House of Austria and France by raising Persecutions in Hungary and France against the Protestants And was not the Emperour by their Advices brought to the very Brink of Ruin and do the most judicious presage any good to the French King from having followed their Methods So that I am apt to believe the most sensible Princes though never so Arbitrary will not be so fond of them as to make them their Darlings upon that score And if some Commonwealths have been cautious enough to clip a little their Wings in their Dominions yet as the great decay of that once flourishing City and Commonwealth of Cologne on the Rhine caused by their Devices is an instance that where ever they get footing it will be prejudicial to the Government So the Switzers can testifie that it is next to an impossibiliâ—y to keep them even out of Commonwealths For though Switzerland has shewed as little Inclination to them as any Government whatsoever yet they having possessed themselves of one of the best places in Friburgh they have a most noble Colledge and Chapel there And though the Canton of Soloturn would not admit of them till within these few years and that not but under hard Conditions yet out of 1000 Livres Revenue per Annum for ten of them they are grown so rich that they are erecting a most magnificent Church and College the building whereof is reckoned Will amount to 50000 l. Sterl which may convince all unbyass'd Persons that it is not any form of Government they adhere to but that they will flatter either Arbitrary Power or Licentiousness according as it turns best to their own Account But we must go further and hear what our Author has to say concerning the English Clergy I do not hereby mean says he to reflect on the Order which generally has the government of our Youth we have had the experience of many among them who have given proof of a freer Education and Learning And without question the chief posts of the Gown of both kinds were never better filled than at present I only lament the ill contrivance of their Constitution for while Interest draws one way and Honesty another when a Man may make his Fortune by forgetting his Duty to his Country but shall always stick at mark while he serves it 't is scarcely to be hoped Men should hold out against such temptations unless they be generally gifted with more Honesty than the generality of Mankind are And since they continue still upon the same bottom it must be expected the same or other as mischievous Doctrines will be broached whereas if they were once set upon the same foot the Philosophers of old were if honesty and the duty to their Country were made their private interest and the way to thrive we should soon see them shift hands and the Spirit of those Philosophers revive in them again The Constitution of our Universities as to Learning seems as unfortunately regulated as it is to Politicks c. It seems as ridiculous
repel all Violence from themselves and defend their Subjects against such as either intended to impose Idolatry or a false Religion upon them or pretended to exercise an illegal Power over them And as the Gospel doth confirm say they the Authority of Magistrates so it does no less confirm the Laws of Nature and Constitutions of Governments There is no question every Father is obliged to the utmost of his Power to preserve his Wife and Children from publick Murther and there is no difference betwixt a common Murtherer and the Emperour if he out of the way of his Office notoriously exercises an illegal Power because open violence takes away all obligation betwixt the Subject and the superiour Magistrate jure naturae So it is the same case if a Superiour Magistrate forces his Subjects to Blasphemy and Idolatry so did Constantine wage War with Licinius because he would not desist from his Tyranny though he exercised the same in his own Territories All this as we have said is without question just and according to the Rules of Christianity which we ought to profess at all times of Danger and Death it self Yet is this not to be understood but in the defensive Part. And immediately after in the Considerations and Instructions concerning what resistance is permitted Martin Luther Justus Jonas John Bugenhagen Nicolas Ambsdorff and Philip Melancthon say thus Concerning this Article there have been frequent and hard Disputes among us but this day we are agreed That the Gospel being a Doctrine of the Eternal Spiritual Kingdom which is in the Heart does not reject the outward Form of Government but rather confirms and praises the same From whence does follow That the Gospel does not forbid any natural and just Defence such as is suitable either to the Laws of Nature or Constitutions of a Government c. From whence it is evident that every Magistrate is obliged to defend his Subjects against others of the same Degree or any private Person But here arises another question Viz. What is the Duty of a Prince against his Superiour Lord as the Emperour in such a Case To which we give the same Answer Because the Gospel confirms Temporal Governments therefore every Prince ought to behave himself towards his Superiour Lord or the Emperour according to the natural Right and temporal Constitutions of the Government If the Emperour is not a proper Judge and yet will as pendente appellatione undertake to punish such his violent Attempt is injuria notoria Now is by a natural Constitution of Governments Self-defence and Resistance against injuriam notoriam is allowable Wherefore if the Emperor should act violently pendente appellatione concerning Matters of Religion or the Peace promised he is to be esteemed as a private Person and the injuria undertaken against the Right of the Appeal and the promised Peace is a publick and notoria injuria But what if the Appeal is pass'd the Council What if Judgment is given according to the imperial Laws and we are cast Can we then with a safe Conscience openly resist our Supreme Lord Answer After we have in a decent and Christian like manner declared that we are willing this Matter should be examined and adjusted and have clearly proved the Foundations upon which we have built our Doctrine and yet the Council goes on in its illegal way of proceeding contrary to the very Foundation of natural Equity and the Ordinances set down in the Scripture viz. That not the contrary Side but the whole Christian Church is the sole Judge all the Proceedings are void and as it is not to be esteemed a Council so the Appeal remains in its due Force And whatsoever is violently undertaken by virtue of such Proceedings is in truth a publick Violence and notoria injuria And suppose the Pope should seem not to be so violent in his Proceedings yet by virtue of his Sentences endeavour to establish Idolatry and commit publick Injuries we believe that it is the Prince's Right to oppose and defend themselves against the same And to clear this point the better it will I think not be amiss to insert here also the Answer which was given by Martin Luther Justus Jonas Philip Melanc thon George Spalatin and other Divines to the Instructions of the Lawyers at Wittenbergh concerning Resistance These are their words A Paper has been delivered to us out of which we see what the Opinion is of the Doctors in the Law concerning the question In what cases it is allowable to resist the Magistracy Now because these cases are determin'd by the Doctors and others skill'd in the Laws and we certainly are at this time under such Circumstances as will allow us as they prove to resist our Superiour Powers and we having always taught that temporal Rights should remain in their due Force and Vigour we cannot contradict it out of the Scripture but that we may defend our selves if it were against the Emperour's own Person or whoever else should act under his Authority And because we are aâ— present in great danger which seemâ— to encrease every Day whereby may happen a sudden Necessity of Resistance it will not be amiss not only for our Laws but also for Conscience sake to prepare and arm our selves against any Attempts which may be made upon us as it seems very likely that according to all Circumstances the like may easily befall us For what we have hitherto taught concerning not resisting the higher Powers we were not sufficiently instructed that the Laws did allow it to whom we also have always taught that Obedience ought to be given And when afterwards the Protestant Princes clearly apprehended an Invasion from the Roman Catholick Party and especially from the Emperour Charles the Vâ— Martin Luther John Bugenhagen Caspaâ— Cruciges George Major and Philip Mâ—lancthon did not only approve the Protestant League made at Smalkald but also the four last Anno 1546 gave concerning the War against the Emperour this following Answer When we are once certain that the Emperour intends to attack the States by reason of their Religion there is no doubt the States have a Right to defend themselves and their Adherents c. Such a Defence is the same as if you defended your self against so many Murtherers whether they be headed by the Emperour or any body else because the Act is a publick Tyranny and notoria violentia And what we may expect from the Spaniards Italians and Burgundians the Country of Juliers can and may serve us as an Example Wherefore every Inhabitant ought to venture his Life to resist such Tyranny And in this case it is also true that the Prevention it self is just and allowable provided we are certain the Emperor has resolved to invade the States I could have translated a great many more the like Cases but as the rest have all follow'd the Footsteps of those above-named Divines who were the first and chiefest in the Work of Reformation so I thought these
Allowance must be given to this Gentleman 's Romantick Expressions wherewith he has all along endeavoured to ensnare the ignorant sort of People into a belief of his own Suppositions Yet is it not to be wondred at that the value of the Estates should be less now when so considerable Taxes are paid out of them than they were formerly when the Gentry being the sole Possessors of Lands and having the chief Sway in the Kingdom used to be sure to exempt themselves as much as was possible The same Reason may be given why the Gentry or Nobility in Denmark in general do not live up to that Splendor as they did in former times since having in those Days all plaecs of Profit and Trust in their Hands and paying very small Taxes it is evident that at this time when to these Places others are admitted as well as they and are also obliged to bear a proportionable share in all Taxes their Revenues cannot be so great now as they were formerly Of the Peasants we shall be obliged to say something hereafter wherefore we will go to the next Chapter which describes the manner how the Kingdom of Denmark became Hereditary and absolute After the Conclusion of the Peace saysthe Author between the Two Northern Crowns Anno 1660 Some considerable care and time was necessary to redress the Disorders occasioned by so terrible a War Denmark had been most violently shaken and although the Fury of the Tempest was overâ— the Agitation caused by it still continued The Army was not yet disbanded nor could be for want of Money to discharge Arrears This caused frequent Insolencies in the Soldiers with a further Oppression of the Burghers and poor Country People who had been in a manner already ruined by the Miseries attendingthe War the Nobility and Gentry tho' Lords and Masters were full of Discontents and the Clergy not in the condition they wished c. Here the Author gives us some hints rather than reasons which induced the Estates of Denmark to make so remarkable a Change in the Government But since from hence does depend the understanding of the true nature of this Change he ought I think to have been a little more circumstantial in this Point if he intended to prove to us what he said in the conclusion of the last Chapter That it was astonishing to consider how a free and rich People should be perswaded intirely to part with their Liberties Astonishing indeed But if this Gentleman by the People does understand all the Estates of the Kingdom as he ought to do and has done so in other places when he alledged that famous Law of the Romans Salus populi supremae Lex esto he has not hit the mark right in this assertion since by his own words it may be proved that the Nobility mere Lords and Masters and all the rest depending on them It will not be a very difficult task to find out by what steps the Nobility in Denmark did acquire this Power over all the rest if we consider how the Nobility first clipt the Royal Prerogatives after that Crown was transferred to the Oldenburg Family and more especially after the deposing of Christiern the II. How after the Reformation the Power of the Bishops and Prelates who were chosen commonly out of the Citizens being fall'n together with their Revenues the Nobility made thereby the greatest step that could be towards the advancing their own Power above the Citizens and Peasants not only but also the Clergy who now were no more in a capacity to keep up the ballance as they used to do formerly The King's Prerogatives being thus brought into narrow bounds and the Clergy's Authority and Power quite abolished the Citizens alone were not able to resist long against those who sitting at the Helm had the chief management of all affairs of moment and the Peasants being most of them depending from the Nobility by being partly their Tenants partly their Vassals were not in a condition of making so much as a shew of resistance against the Power of their Lords and Masters Thus the name of the four ancient Estates of Denmark viz. the Nobility Clergy Citizens and Peasants remaining the Power was effectually lodged in the first which from time to time did encrease to that degree that not only the whole Senate of the Kingdom and all the great Offices of the Court were in their possession but also they did claim a right to all the rest of any moment and a priviledge to be consulted withall in the disposing of any Office of moment even to be given to a Nobleman They did claim a Prerogative and actually exercised the same of nominating the Magistrates in the Cities and had so eneroached upon the rest of the Estates that neither Clergyman Citizen or Peasant could purchase any Lands and if by Mortgaging or other wise any Lands happened to fall into their hands they were obliged by a yearly publick Proclamation to proffer the same to sale to the Nobility upon the same condition as they were possessed of it From hence came the dependancy of the Citizens from them and the entire subjection of the Peasants to their Will and by possessing most all the Lands in the Kingdom and thereby having the Rights of Patronages in a great measure in their own hands the Clergy was also for the most part fain to dance after their Pipe It is easie I think to imagine the natural consequence of this to have been That they exempting themselves as much as could be done from Taxes and other burdens the same did fall more heavy upon the rest and these not being able alone to provide sufficiently for the security of the Kingdom this was one main reason why the Kingdom was so surprized by the Swedes and did contribute as much as any thing towards the Miseries which these Countries endured in this War There was another great reason yet which as it contributed greatly to the miseries and misfortunes this Kingdom was fain to undergo in this War so questionless was it partly the Occasion of the great Change afterwards made by the States After the Death of Christiern IV. a certain Party of the Nobility were for excluding Frederick III. second Son of the said King Christiern IV. after the death of Christiern his elder brother and for setting up Wolmar his younger Son by a second Wife whose Sisters were married to several noble Men which though they could not effect yet were before Frederick III. this present King of Denmark's Father was received by them as King the royal prerogatives more streightned than ever and thereby the power of some of the Nobility mightily increased which did give occasion to a great many Dissensions in that Kingdom afterwards And it is very remarkable that when Charles the King of Sweden surprised the Kingdom of Denmark the second time viz. Anno 1658. He used it for a Pretence that he came to compose the Differences arisen betwixt the King
these Princes think it their Interest that Subjects should obey without Reserve and all Priests who depend upon the Prince are for their own sakes obliged to promote what he esteems his own Interest 't is plain the Education of Youth on which is laid the very Foundation Stone of publick Liberty has been of late Years committed to the sole management of such as make it their business to undermine it and must needs do so unless they will be false to their Fortunes and make the Character of Priest give place to that of true Patriot c. Indeed they do not forget to recommend to them frequently what they call the Queen of all Vertues viz. Submission to Superiors and an entire blind Obedience to Authority without instructing them in the due measures of it rather teaching them that 't is without all Bounds And in the Conclusion of the Treatise he hath these Words which we will insert here because they are of the same Stamp It has been a great Mistake among us That the Popish Religion is the only one of all the Christian Sects proper to introduce and establish Slavery in a Nation in so much that Popery and Slavery have been thought inseparable Not to derogate from the Merit of the Roman Catholick Perswasion which has been the Darling of so many Monarchs upon that Account I shall make bold to say That other Religions and particularly the Lutheran has succeeded as effectually in this Design as ever Popery did 'T is confess'd indeed That Popery would certainly introduce Slavery but it is denyed That the last cannot come in without the assistance of the former c. In Denmark as well as other Protestant Countries in the North through the entire and sole dependance of the Clergy upon the Prince without the interfering of the Authority of any Spiritual Superiour such as that of the Pope among the Romanists through their Principles and Doctrines which are those of unlimited Obedience through the Authority they have with the common People Slavery seems to be more absolutely established than it is in France as in effect it is more practised for that King's Subjects are better treated And a little after But in the Countries I have spoken of all is swallowed up in the King Temporals and Spirituals Soul Body Estate and Conscience The Army and the Priests are Two sure Cards the Prince that has one of them at his side can hardly fail but he that has both depending on him need fear nothing from his own Subjects let him use them never so ill Here is a general Charge against the whole Body of the Clergy except the Calvinists and their Proselytes because the English have their Share by and by concerning the Miseries that have befallen Europe these Two hundred Years These he says by the abuse they make of Travelling corrupt the Youth of whom they have sole Management these by their entire dependance they have from their Princes and by their Doctrine and Principles sow the Seeds of Slavery among the People Thus runs the Stream of our Author's Eloquence But what if we should endeavour to stop the Current What if the Doctrine of the Roman Catholicks and especially the Principles of the Jesuites should prove rather dangerous than advantageous to absolute Monarchy If we should prove that the entire and sole dependance of the Lutheran Priests from their Princes is a Chimera of his own That they neither have in general the Education of their Youth neither that their Principles and Doctrine are for a blind unlimited Obedience That as it is against the Interest of the Ecclesiasticks in those Parts where that Religion flourishes to suppress the Liberties and undermine the Welfare of the People so it is absolutely false That Spirituals and Temporals are swallowed up by their Help or Connivence And if this Foundation falls will not his Doctrine seem to be built upon a very slippery or sandy Ground This Gentleman must surely have been very little acquainted with the History of the Reformation in those Parts and the Constitutions of the Empire as also how often the Protestant Religion there together with the Government hath been asserted by Arms against the Emperor and all other Aggressors with the Approbation of the Lutherans both Priests and Lawyers If this had not been convincing enough to our Author he would have done well to have look'd a little into their and Writings before he undertook to put Books such Falsities upon the world But since this Gentleman has taken upon him the Authority of a Judge let us see by what Laws he hath condemned the poor Lutherans And since it is certain that he ought to condemn them by none but their own we must look a little back into their Monuments to see how they do agree with our Author's Assertion It is evident that at the beginning of the Reformation Luther and his Associates had all the Reason in the World to be cautious in the Doctrine of Obedience as well to avoid the Slanders and Reproaches of the Roman Catholicks but espeeially not to open a Gare to the Licentiousness of some who they foresaw would take an opportunity to abolish together with their Religion the very Constitution and Order of Government And the several Sects of Fanaticks but more especially that cruel Rebellion in Germany commonly called The Peasants War were evident Proofs that their fore-sight had not been ill grounded But let us but cast but one Eye upon some of their Writings and we may easily see that they savour not so much of blind and unlimited Obedience as our Author would make us believe And to begin with the Sentiments of those very Divines who lived partly at the same time partly succeeded in the same place where Luther had begun the Reformation and ever since have been very strictly adhering to his Doctrine The Councils of the Divines at Wirtemberg from the time of the Reformation till the Year 1664. when they were reprinted and dedicated to the present King of Denmark's Father after that Crown was become Hereditary and also to the then Electoral Prince of Saxony will doubtless be accepted of by all unbyass'd Persons as a Rule whereby to judge of the Limits the Lutherans have set to Obedience I have therefore thought convenient to translate some Passages relating to this Point out of the High German Tongue and to insert them as a Pattern of the Lutherans Doctrine of Obedience Upon a Question put Whether Magistrates are obliged to defend themselves and their Subjects against an unlawful Force against Princes of an equal Degree and against the Emperour especially in point of Religion Martin Luther Justus Jonas Martin Bucer and Philip Melancthon with joint Consent did answer That it was an unquestionable Truth which ought to be confess'd at the last Minute even till Death that it is not only permitted but also truly and strictly commanded that all in Authority owe to God Almighty this Service to