at what was done that they set St Denis Church on fire 4. After the Orthodox at Constantinople had chosen Paul for their Bishop on the Death of Eusebius Idem l. 2. o. 10. the Emperor sent Hermogenes the Captain to thrust Paul out of the Church and when he came to execute his Commission by force the People prepared themselves to aid their Bishop broke into the House where Hermogenes was pulled him out and killed him And when Paul was again placed in Constantinople the Emperor sent Philip the President to remove him and to set up Macedonius the Arian in his stead But Philip was so afraid of the People it seems the Doctrine of Non-resistance was not much preached up among them otherwise he would not have been afraid for they were very observant of their Teachers Injunctions that he went straight into the publick Bath called Zenxippus and sent for Paul and being in fear of the Multitude that flocked thither upon Suspicion conveyed him secretly out at a Window Then he and Macedonius went into the Church and were guarded all along with Souldiers and when they came to the door there was so great a crowd that they could not enter till some thousands were killed And likewise Valens the Emperor durst not for fear of the People Socr. l. 4. c. 13. put to death those 80 Priests that came to supplicate in name of all the rest in Nicomedia and were Commanded to be killed 5. Several Monks inhabiting Mount Nitria Idem l. 7. c. 14. espoused Cyrills Quarrel and coming to Alexandria assaulted the Lieutenant in his Chariot with Stones so that his Guard was forced to betake themselves to flight 6. When the Emperor had banished Chrysostom about the year 404. Hist Tripartit l. 10. c. 13. The People flocked together about the Palace so that the Emperor to pacify them was forced to recal him from his Banishment 7. When Ambrose was banished by Valentinian at the Instigation of his Mother Justina Ibid. l. 9. c. 20. the People did resist such as came to carry him away such was their Zeal for the Truth and Love to their injured Bishop and chose rather to lose their Lives than suffer their Pastor to be taken away by the Souldiers Ruffin Hist l. 11. c. 15. that were sent to drag him out of the Church More Instances might be adduced from those times which shews of how little account the Doctrine of Non-resistance was in those days And that they were far from thinking it a damnable Doctrine that People might lawfully defend themselves against the Invasions of Tyrannous Princes upon their Rights and Priviledges I shall now descend to shew what Instances of Self-defence are extant since the time that Popery prevailed in the Christian Church The first Instance we have after the Prevalency of Popery over true Christianity is that of the Waldenses or Albingenses Thuan. Preaf in hist sui temp lib. 5. A. 1550. who are undoubtedly the Ancientest Protestants in Europe who had been a long time oppressed by Princes that had given up their Power to the Beast and endeavoured by all means to suppress the true Religion there and used now and then to take off some of the Professors thereof putting many of them to exquisite Torments But their Enemies being but Novices in respect of those who followed them and not having then found out that Sovereign Method of extirpating Hereticks by Massacring had their Address to open force and made greater Preparations against them than ever were formerly made against the Turks that they might make an end of them all at once Which those Innocent People perceiving they got together upon their own defence and had several Battels with them and tho' it pleased God to let their Enemies have the Victory and the poor people were forced to fly yet their flight contributed much to the Advancoment of the Gospel for being thus scattered they sowed the seed of the Gospel through several Places of Europe 2. The Protestants of Bohemia Theat Mat. p. 681. Mut. in Chron. l. 27. p. 314 315. after they saw that John Huss and Jerom of Prague Martyred by their Enemies the former of whom was most unjustly taken off by his adversaries when he had the publick faith of the Emperor Sigismund for his safe appearance thought it time to look to their Preservation when they saw that they were all designed for slaughter and therefore they stood up to defend themselves and their Religion their first Leader was Ziska or Joannes de Trots Nova who behaved himself so valiantly that the Germans were not able to stand before him and when he was a dying he ordered a Drum to be made of his Skin affirming that whenever his Enemies heard the sound thereof they would forthwith betake themselves to flight This War continued 13 years Aâ—neas Sylvius speaking of it saith that it would be more admired than believed by Posterity The Emperor sent 3 Armies against them viz one under the Duke of Saxony another under the Marquess of Brandenburgh and a 3d under the Bishop of Trier who in all consisted of 200000 Men. Yet they were routed in several Battels and forced to go out of Bohemia Several Cardinals were with them to curse those Rebels of damnable Commonwealth Principles with Bell. Book and Candle with all Order and Decency that could be and yet notwithstanding that Loyal Army could not stand before this factious Rabble tho' a Cardinal gave them his Blessing told them that they fought against Hereticks Dogs and what not promised them Indulgences Apostolical Blessings c. Yet all would not do For as good a cause as those Men had viz. fighting for their Gracious Soveraign they were forced to betake themselves to that which was the others part to have done viz. Prayers and Tears and run for it And had those people continued unanimous they might without Interruption have enjoyed the freedom of their Religion and other Priviledges till this day but they being made up of 2 sorts as generally all Churches are the one and by far the greatest stood up only for the Cup in the Sacrament who were therefore called Calixtines in other points agreeing with the Church of Rome The other called Taborites far inferiour in Number rejected likewise the Doctrine and Ceremonies of the Church of Rome as superstitious and false the other Party by the perswasion of Rokyzana who gaped after the Archbishoprick of Prague were reconciled to the Church of Rome retaining only the use of the Cup and when the Taborites protested against them for it this Party to shew that they were in earnest reconciled to that Church and had received the Gifts of that Spirit that are diffused there viz. Blind-zeal Blood thirstiness c. raised forces against them and gave them a total Overthrow Anno 1434. So that they dragooned them to Non-resistance for since they had now no force against them they were forced to restrict
themselves to what defence they could make by the Sword of the Word and Patience The City Tabor which they had built was likewise Sackt and they dispersed But Rokyzana when he saw the Pope tantalized him with the vain hopes of the Archbishoprick began to thunder out afresh against the Pope as Antichrist and to separate from the Latin and unite with the Greek Church But the Pope knowing that the only way to stop a Dogs Mouth when he is a snarling is to throw him a Bone gave him his Bishoprick after which this good Bishop was pleased to interceed with King George to grant them free Liberty to dwell in the Mountainous parts of Silesia whither they went in the year 1459. Giving themselves wholly to the reading of the Scriptures and Prayer their Faith and Lives being framed according to Apostolical simplicity But their Peace was not long lived as it seldom ever was in a Church when it had no other means left it but Prayers and Tears for that good Bishop it's like out of a pious design to nip so dangerous a faction as that was in the bud and to advance Mother Churches peace informing the King what dangerous men those were perswaded him to use his fatherly Chastisement to reduce his Rebellious Subjects to their due Obedience which could not be done without an Uniformity in matters of Religion and Ceremonies So that they were forced to betake themselves to the Woods and Caves where they durst not kindle fire in the day time in the extremity of Cold lest the smoke should discover them to their Enemies See Regensvolc Hist Slavon p. 2.29 c. Who relates a great many things of these Brethren even till the times of Erasmus who himself did not disapprove their Opinion 3. When in the year 1529 a Meeting of the States of the Empire was held at Spire Sleidan l. vi vii xvii Thuan l. iv Hist a Decree was published which very much straitned the Liberty of the Protestants Joh. Elector of Saxony Geo. of Brandenburgh Ernest and Fran. of Lunenburgh Phil. of Hassia protested publickly against it on April 19. And several Cities as Strasburg Norimberg Ulme and others subscribed their Protestation from which time they had the name of Protestants And when they were threatned a War by the Emperor the rest of the States of the Empire and all the Popish Faction they entred into a League at Smalcald on Nov. 23. to defend their Religion and Liberties against their unjust Invasions And afterwards in the Year 1547. The Elector of Saxony and the Landgrave of Hassia gave the Emperor battel at Mulberg where they were routed by his Army and Friderick Elector of Saxony after he had received several wounds was taken Prisoner And in the year 1552 Maisrice of Saxony made War upon the Emperor to procure the Landgrave of Hassia his Father in Law his Liberty And he made so great Expedition that he was upon the Emperor before he was aware and did so surprize him that he made him fly from Mulhousia in the Middle of the Night and set at Liberty both the Elector of Saxony and the Landgrave And when Maurice had almost over-run all Germany a Peace was concluded at Passaw by the Mediation of Ferdinand King of Hungary and Bohemia wherein Liberty of Religion according to the Auspurg Confession was established 4. It is no less certain that the French Protestants defended themselves against Authority Thuan. Slâ—id Contin Gallasius c. when they saw that they were designed as sheep for the Slaughter and that great Armies were raised there and much blood shed so that Rivers are said to be coloured with Blood And when it pleased God so to defend those distressed Protestants that their Bloody Enemies could not obtain their ends by open Hostility they betook themselves to that Inhumane way of Massacring and having gathered together most of the leading Protestants of France under pretence of solemnizing the Marriage of that Kings Daughter with the King of Navar they cut them off in one night to the number of 70000 that so the Countrey People being destitute of their Leaders might be a Prey to them Now had our so much magnified Doctrine of Non-resistance been in force there there had been no need of having recourse to such Inhumane a Method as this for there needed no more if so be they would have made no Opposition in their own defence but stringed them up in hundreds and thousands 5. It is likewise sufficiently known how the Protestants of the Netherlands defended themselves against the Tyrannical Oppressions and Cruelties of the King of Spain and the Duke de Alva his Governour Stad de Bello Belg. Grot. Meteran Redan when the Inquisition was set up there whereby several of their Nobles were cut off and that at that time William of Nassaw Prince of Orange made his Escape to his Father in Law Maurice Elector of Saxony At the news of whose escape Granvellan said that it signified little that the Counts of Horn and Egmond were taken since that Quiet thinking William had made his Escape He returned afterwards and was made use of by God as the Great Instrument of the Delivery of Gods Church and People there and defended them against their Bloody Enemies And had not God stirred up this great Prince to put a stop to that Tyrants fury and to resist his unjust Incroachments upon the Peoples Liberties and defend the true Apostolick Faith against the Romish Innovations 't is a great Question whether that had not still been a Land of graven Images And had Non-resistance been in Vogue there we had been deprived of that Great Mercy we now enjoy in having a Prince descended of his Loyns to reign over us For that Noble Family had then been undoubtedly destroyed 6. To name no more tho' several others might be instanced It is likewise known how in the beginning of the Reformation in Scotland the same Method was taken there viz. that some of the Nobility and People when they saw that Queen wholly abandoned to the Counsel of her Priests and when no Petitions could avail any thing entred into a mutual League to defend themselves against what unjust force should be attempted against them tho' in the mean while they treated that Queen very honourably and would have given her all deference possible but only they found it as much for her good as theirs to prevent her embruing her hands in the Blood of the Saints and her making opposition to God in that great work he was bringing about there And it pleased God so to espouse their Quarrel that they freed themselves from that Romish Yoke under which they had so long groaned and revived the pure Apostolick Religion there By all which Instances it appears that the Doctrine of Self-Defence is not such a Bugbear as our Non-resistance men would make it But that it has been more or less practiced in all Ages nor can they shew half
betwixt them and the People which were to be mutually observed for 't is very improbable that People would give up themselves as Bondslaves to that Prince but entrusted him with the Government meerly that they might under him lead quiet and peaceable Lives and since he had no right to Tyrannize over People his Successors could have no more right than he and if he or they did endeavour to oppress the Subjects encroach upon their Liberties and Priviledges they might lawfully defend themselves But this Subject is too large to insist upon and therefore I must leave it tho' in our Gentlemans opinion one of the Fundamental Points of Christianity Another Damnable Doctrine that makes this good Mans hairs stand an end is That when Religion is a part of our Property it may be defended Ibid. But why should this be such a Bugbear For what has been more dear to all Nations in the World than Religion If Civil Priviledges may be maintained and if we enjoy as them helps to us in our Religion or serving God then it will follow that we may much more maintain our religious Priviledges Nothing can be more dear or more worth the preserving in a Land than the freedom of our Religion Has not the Scripture it self reckoned it the greatest of Priviledges when it said Blessed are they that hear the Joyful sound And if it be such a Mercy may we not at least use all the means for maintaining of it that we may do for a Mercy of an Inferiour Nature But I would fain know if a King should go about to put down the Hierarchy and Ceremonies of the Church of England what our Author and his Party would do whether or no they would defend their Religion He that would think they would patiently sit with it would I doubt not be mightily mistaken Nay have we not sufficiently seen of late what they would do by the practice of their Brethren in Scotland and their publick Approbation of it here in most Coffee-houses For none have been so Industrious of late and that with a mischievous Design to stir up people against the Government as those very Men in buzzing it about here that the turning out of the Bishops in Scotland was the only occasion of Dundee's Rebellion there And why have so many of them Vindicated them for so doing Of all men of the World it least became them had they considered how contradictory that behaviour is to the Doctrine of Non-resistance they would have had more prudence whatever they thought than to have said so So that by this we may see however Heterodox this Opinion is That Religion when it is a part of our Property may be defended yet those Gentlemen would maintain it when it makes for their Turn He concludes this Paragraph with telling you that he speaks this God knows to confute the Calumny Page 5. and with the deepest sence of the Interests of a poor despised Church which is still and will be the best the most Orthodox and most Primitive of all Christendom Magisterially spoken But why despised I know no Man despises her but it would seem our Author by his despised Church means only those persons that have refused to take the Oaths And it is no wonder if that party of it be despised that out of a humour or some sinister Arbitrary design advance such Doctrines in the World as have such a tendency to the enslaving and Oppression of Mankind in General But this Gentleman talks more like a Son of Infallibility than one that acknowledges a Church to be fallible For why should he thus extol the Church of England so highly beyond all other Churches That she is a famous Church none will deny and also that she has as Learned and Pious men in her Communion as any other Church But it is always a sign both of Prudence and Modesty not to run out too much in our own Praise The Proverb holds still Laus proprio fordescit in ore I could wish it were more minded by those men when they thus claim to themselves an Excellence beyond all other Churches This more becomes a Church that pretends to Infallibility than any other We have heard of a Church that said she was rich and well clothed and stood in need of nothing when yet she wanted every thing I do not say this as If I thought that her case were the same with that of that Church but only that she and every other Church should not think of themselves so as to despise all others But he not only says that she is but that she will be which yet savours more of Infallibity Could our Author spare so much time from reading those places in the Scripture which he thinks make most for Non-resistance I would desire him to read the second and third Chapter of the Revelation and there he would find that the Seven Churches of Asia which the Spirit of God called the Seven Golden Candlesticks were once as famous Churches as ever the Church of England or any other Church was and yet many years ago there has been little resemblance of a Church there And the same may befal her or any other Church But if it do not I am sure she need not thank this Author or any of his Party for it for could they bring about their designs she would quickly be brought to that pass when we had the Romish Crew again brought in amongst us That Citation he quotes out of Cressy is as little to his purpose and he mentions it only to make us believe that Mr. Calvin and other Protestants abroad were Champions for Non-resistance Ibid. but if so how came so many Pulpits to thunder out against Calvin and other Foreign Protestants as the Broachers of Sedition And why were several of their Works burnt at Oxford An. 1683. when Non-resistance was culminant However it seems he is a very good-natured Gentleman and would make Mr. Calvin some redress for the Injury that has been done to his Reputation But to let you know the sincerity of his Undertaking he tells you that he intends no Disturbance by it Ibid. since he only does the Office of an Historian in barely citing his Authors and so he excuses himself from making good every Argument therein since the Authors most of them being alive are obliged to manage that wherein he is to be commended for his Prudence for I am afraid it would have been too difficult a Task for him But I thought that the Evidence of Scripture and Reason was to be a Protestants Rule and not blindly to believe as the Church or generality of her Fathers believe And therefore he would have done much more for his Cause had he himself demonstrated the Necessity of Non-resistance by solid Arguments taken from Scripture and Reason and the universal practice of all sober men than by thus setting down a multitude of it may be not a few of them wrested expressions