Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A59824
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A letter to a friend concerning a French invasion to restore the late King James to his throne and what may be expected from him should he be successful in it.
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Sherlock, William, 1641?-1707.
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1692
(1692)
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Wing S3295; ESTC R37546
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16,796
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33
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they would not Fight for him neither and so possess'd the Country that the Nobility and Gentry took Arms and declared for the Prince of Orange which they thought they might very well do when the Bishops would not declare against him This was then thought consistent enough with the High-Tory-Loyalty and yet if they were not then bound to Fight for him to keep him on his Throne I am at a great loss to know how it comes to be their duty now to Fight for him to restore him to it He was certainly their King then and yet they would not Fight for him no not to defend his Person Crown and Dignity And tho they call him their King still it is certain he is not King of England whatever right they may think he has to be so and therefore to fight for him now is not to fight for the King but to fight to make him King again But to let that pass suppose him to be their King since they will have him so How do they come to be more obliged to fight for him now he is out of the Throne than they were to fight for him while he was in it If they think it their duty to fight for their King against the Religion the Laws and the Liberties of their Countrey it was their duty to have fought for him then if they do not think this it cannot be their duty to fight for him now But they did not expect what followed they desired to have their Laws and Liberties secured but not that he should lose his Crown I believe very few did then expect what followed no more than they do now consider what will follow But since he would leave his Crown Who could help it For no body took it from him 3. Let me then ask them another question Whether they would think themselves bound in Conscience to fight for him did they verily believe that if he recovered his Throne he would as zealously promote Popery and Arbitrary Power as he did before If they say they would not they have been at their non putaram once already a second oversight in the same kind would be worse than the first If they say they would I give them over as profess'd Enemies to the true Religion and the Liberties of Mankind This I hope may satisfie the non-swearers if they will coolly and seriously consider it that they are not bound in Conscience to fight for the late King nay that they are as much bound in Conscience not to fight for him as they are bound not to fight against the Protestant Religion and Civil Liâ—erties not only of England but of all Europe 2. As for those who have Sworn Allegiance to King William and Queen Mary besides all the former considerations they are under the obligations of an Oath not to fight against their present Majesties whose Sworn Subjects and Leigemen they are â—or let them expound Faith and True Allegiance to as low a sense as possibly they can the least that they ever could make of it s to live quietly and peaceably under their Government not to attempt any thing against their Persons or Crowns not to hold any Correspondence with nor to give any Assistance to their Enemies and therefore to countenance a French Invasion or to assist the late King in recovering the Throne which Their Majesties so well fill and which they have Sworn not to dispossess them of must be downright Perjury If they be sure that their Oaths to the late King still oblige them that indeed would make void the obligation of this Second Oath but then they must be guilty of Perjury in taking it and by the breaking of it will declare to all the world that they deliberately and wilfully Perjured themselves when they took it and let them remember this when they take Arms against Their Majesties and let them expect that recompence which they deserve Those who took this only as a Temporary Oath which obliged them no longer than till the late King should return into England again to demand his Crown are guilty of Perjury if they keep it no longer than till they have a promising opportunity to break it For this is to mock God and to deceive the Government by their Oaths For no man can think that the meaning of the Oath was no more but this I do Promise and Swear to bear Faith and true Allegiance to King William and Queen Mary till I have Power and Opportunity by the return of King James with a French Army to join his Forces and to Assist him to recover his Throne Those who will take and keep Oaths at this rate we must leave to God But nothing is more plain and certain than that the New Oath of Allegiance obliges all who have taken it under the guilt of Perjury at least not to fight for the late King against King William and Queen Mary And here I may very fairly conclude without entring into a longer dispute about the lawfulness of fighting against a Foreign Army though the late King were at the Head of it for were those who scruple this satisfied that they ought not to fight for him their present Majesties have Friends enow who are very well satisfied to fight against him especially bringing along with him the greatest Enemies both to the Protestant Religion and to the Civil Liberties not only of the English Nation but of all the Kingdoms and States of Europe France it self not excepted However this Letter is large enough already and if I find you desire farther satisfaction in this matter especially about the late King James's Declaration which is lately come to my hands you may expect a speedy account of it in a Second Letter from Sir Yours FINIS Apol. for the new Seperat