as deeply imprinted in that Country as of their unbridl'd Violence Plunder Burning and Destruction of Protestants and Friends as well as Enemies This War has taught those People Wickedness they never knew before in comparison they never knew what Wickedness was before Now let us compute how Religion is serv'd by all this The Spirit of Atheism is let loose and has overspread all the Land It is the Common-place of all our Men of Wit to run down and ridicule the Holy Scriptures and all Reveal'd Religion and this Publickly in Coffee-houses every where without any Restraint or Shame So far from that that they Laugh at and Despise all those who pretend to believe the Revelations in the Bible or that God ever spoke to any Man or gave them any Law by Moses or any body else other than by giving Men Wisdom to invent good Laws as Solon Licurgus or the like And no other Account do they make of Moses or the Prophets or of Christ I am sorry to say it that I am a Witness to the truth of this if it needed any Witness for it is notorious and universal but more within these Four years and more Publickly own'd than since we knew the World In short we have lost Christianity both as to Faith and Practise This is the Advantage Religion has gain'd by our Wars But all is no matter so we beat down Popery And yet Popery was never more Tolerated in Ireland than since the Conclusion of our War against Popery even by the Articles and Agreements of the War And how freely it is Tolerated in England we all know Nay it is taken ill if any call this a Religious War Are we not Confederate with the most Bigot Popish Princes in Christendom But we will keep Popery out of England for the time to come If it be by letting in Atheism or Socinianism it were better keep the old Popery still This is the Method to reconcile Men to Popery when they see you advance in its place Principles more Antichristian than it self and introduce them by all the Wicked and Prophane Practises in the World To my knowledge several have turn'd Papists and more are in danger from the Scandal of this Revolution the Lewdness of the Army and base Apostacy of the Clergy as they call it have turn'd their hearts against us they think we have no Religion It may seem a Paradox but it is true That there have been more Converts to Popery in England these last Four years than in the Four years before Indeed all that King James was a doing did prove to the Ruin of Popery in England And if he had been suffer'd to go on he had turn'd all English hearts for ever against it So far were we from the Danger of Popory in his Reign But now Men's Rage at Popery is abated by seeing the very wicked Artifices have been used against it I wish our Methods to keep it out do not bring it in It is a Rule that seldom fails but never almost in Religion That Civil War and Rebellion prove in the end to be the Destruction and Undoing of those good Things which are made the Pretences and for the Preservation of which Men are perswaded to Rebel That is commonly the end of Reformations made by the Sword especially of Subjects against their Sovereign And it is for such a Reformation as this that our Author can give up the half of the Nation to the Slaughter And all the Care he takes is An Age or two will repair the Loss of Subjects Murther will be a small Sin upon this Account It was counted a Tyrannical Expression in the Prince of Conde when one told him That he expos'd his Men too much in the Storm of a Town he replied There are as many Bastards gotten in Paris last Night as I shall loose Men to Day But this was modest by many Degrees to the fierce Sentence of this Author He had not time in his Fury to consider the Reason God gives Gen. 9.6 why shedding of Man's Blood is so Grievous a Sin in his Sight that he will require it from the Beasts of the Field much more from his Guilty Brother This Author makes nothing of destroying the Image of God What is the Matter Another Age will get more Images This was spoke like a Divine But good Sir there is something else which if you would give me leave I would presume to mind you of in your own Profession which is The care of Souls Sir in this Slaughter you make of Bodies there will some Souls be lost And an Age or two will not Repair that I am sorry this did not come into your Consideration For in this Revolution which you suppose and in which you are content to Sacrifice half the Nation you reckon about the Number it cost in your Country as themselves compute it In this Quarrel Sir you cannot suppose both Parties to be in the Right There must be Rebels on one side or other And you used to tell us That Rebellion was a damning Sin And is it nothing in your Account to send half the Souls of the Nation to Hell Are these the Bowels of a Spiritual Guide Good God! Whether are we come Here is no face of Christianity This is propagating Religion with the Sword beyond the Principles of Mahomet But will an Age or two cure the Infection of universal Debauchery and Prophaneness which this Civil War has spread over the Face of Ireland and in proportion of Scotland and England where the Armies have come Does this Author find it so easy a Task to remove all Lewdness and Prophanity where it has once taken root Or to hinder it to Descend to the next Generation And it is not only this War but it has been observ'd of War in all Ages that it destroys Men's Principles takes them off all Foundations of Sobriety and instills a Dissoluteness of Life and an Insensibility and Difregard of Religion and of all Rules of Justice 'twixt Man and Man most of any Thing in the World And of all Wars such universal Corruption of Manners is most fruitful in a Civil War and sticks longest to our Posterities leaves Seeds of Animosities till one Revolution begets another and entails Blood and Destruction Hatred Treachery Rebellion and all Wickedness from Generation to Generation And no Evils these can Cure are so Intolerable as these This made some of our Forefathers of so much a contrary Opinion to this Author as to make it a Proverb That the worst Peace is more Eligible than the best War However from the Consideration above said of all Pretences Religion is the most Ridiculous for a Civil War because a Civil War is more destructive to Religion than any Thing it can Remedy There is another Thing this Author has forgot while he had his Eyes upon nothing but new Bodies of Men being rais'd up next Age and so all the Evils of this to be done away God has
Bigâ—t than the French King and their Persecutions were more causeless not having such pressing Reason of State as ruâ—t which is above told for the French King 's dealing with the Hugonots and yet that their Persecutions were much more grievous The French King only Banished the Hugonot Ministers the present Emperor sent to the Gallies all the Protestant Mâ—nisters of Hungary whom he could seize They would then too preach it aloud who they were who occasioned the Mutyrdom of 400000 Christians in Japan and now engross that Trade by denying their own Christianity All this and more we should hear if such a turn came from these Versatile Trimming-Court-Divines Or wherever they judg'd it to comply with their Interest Their Carriage in this Revolution has given greater occasion to the Enemies of the Lord to blaspheme and turn'd more Men from the Church of England to the Church of Rome and even to Atheism has overturned ruined divided and dishonored our Church more than if that Persecution which some feard or pretended had fallen upon ' em How did the very apprehension of it unite the Protestants all over the three Kingdoms and fill their Hearts with greater aversion to Popery And none believe it would have Eradicated the established Episcopacy in Scotland not shaken it in England so much as is now done by the present Schism No say the Jacobites it would have Rooted and Confirmed it the more the Jesuit Councils should endeavour to destroy it for as Dr. King used to say Persecution never hurts Religion but Rebellion destroys it And he once thought it would be a glorious Sight to use his own Phrase to see a Cart full of Clergy men going to the Stake for asserting the Principles of their Religion How much more glorious indeed than to see them Recanting and Preaching down their former Principles and Proclaming it out of their own Mouths that they have been false Teachers all their Days before this Turn or otherwise that they are so now to serve a Turn Thus have they fulfilled upon themselves what Dr. B t told us in Print Father Peters threatned but was not able to effect viz. to make them eat their own Duâ—g It is in the Power of none to ruin the Church of England While it remains true to its self I have done when I have desired the Reader not to think that I am insensible of several ill Steps which were made in the Administration of Affairs under the Government of K. J. Nor do I design to lessen them or make other Apology for them than by doing him this Justice to tell what the Jacobites offer to prove and make it Notorious viz. That the greatest Blots in his Government were hit by those who made them with design to ruin him and now boast it as their Merit and are Rewarded for it And though Dr King represents him to be of so Tyrannical and Implacable a Temper towards the Protestants yet that it is now publickly known that the fatal Measures he took were advised and often pressed beyond and against his Majesty's inclinations and Opinion by those Protestants whom his unexampled and even faulty Clemency had not only Pardoned for all their bitter Virulency in opposing his Succession but brought them into his most secret Councils and acted by their Advice This was the Burden of the Charge laid against him in the P. of O's Declaration viz Employing such Ministers and acting by their Advice And though our Law says That the King can do no wrong and therefore that his Ministers only are accountable yet as Mr. Sam. Johnson has laid it open that we have liv'd to see the King only Punish'd and those Ministers Rewarded and still employ'd and the many Grievances complain'd of in their Administration under K. J. are by the present Discontented said to be continu'd and doubl'd upon us now FIAT JUSTICIA Memorandum That the Scots Acts of Convention and Parliament above-quoted are collected and extracted from the Registers and Records of the Meeting of Estates and Parliament there by the Commissioners then exercising the Office of Clerk-Register and printed Cum Privilegio at Edinburgh Anno 1690. And the Instructions above mentioned sent from K. W. to Duke Hamiltâ—n then his Commissioner there were printed at London by K. W's Order Anno 1689. I have but one thing more Upon reading over these Sheets after they were Printed I find an Omission as it may perhaps seem to some p. 139. where shewing Dr. K's familiar way of treating K. J. giving him the Lye c. I quote p. 15. of his Book where he says that the Representation made by K. J. was false c. and p. 211. that K. J's Answer was a piece of deceit and meer collusion c. Now lest any might apprehend that the abovesaid Representation and Answer of K. J. were so gross as to provoke the Doctor to this 〈◊〉 Language I will here tâ—ll you what they were which when I wrote it I did not think necessary because if they were never so bad they could not justifie such Billingsgate Treatment of a Crownâ—d Head especially of his Natural Sovereign to whom he had sworn Allegiance and from whom he had receiv'd particular Marks of Favour which I have shewn But the matter was no more than this The Representation Dr K mentions p 15. was a Declaration he names of K. J's dated 8 May 89. at Dublin and sent into England wherein the Doctor quotes these words viz. That his Protestant Subjects their Religion Privileges and Properties were his especial Care since be came into Ireland Which was so far from false as the Doctor decently and gratefully words it that nothing was more true and apparent as I think is fully made out in the following Answer to which I refer the Reader The other passage p. 211. where he says That K. J's Answer was a piece of Deceit c is thus Upon a Contest betwixt the Roman Cathâ—lick and the Protestant Clergy concerning their Title to some Churches and Chappels K. J. referr'd them to the Law And in the same place Dr. K. tells how violent and positive K. J. was where he saw any forcible Infraction made by the Roman Catholick Clergy as at Wexford which is told above c. Now whether referring Men to the Law was such a provoking Answer as to raise the Doctor 's Spleen to bestow the Lye Deceit Collusion and such civil Complements upon King JAMES I leave to the Reader and release him from this Preface desiring him before he begin the Book to correct with his Pen the under-written Errors of the Press because some of them do disturb the Sense ERRATA PAg. 2. lin 34 read Oxoniense P. 15. l. 17. r. do pretend to prove P. 16. l. 1. r. ours P. 21. l. 32. dele he might have added that P 22. l. 9. r. Pupillage P. 25. l. 20 dele And. P. 29. L. 37. r. greater P. 32. l. 22. r. kill d. P. 33. l. 4. r. greatest
put the Sword in the hands of those of his own Religion and to make them the Ballance of the Nation which was natural enough for him to wish yet I do not Justify it But that ever he design'd to Massacre or Extirpate the Protestants I confess I cannot believe And his Carriage in Ireland by all the Accounts I could have of it nay take it altogether even as this Author tells it is a Demonstration to the contrary But I am too long upon this Subject Let us return to our Author's Quotation And here I must tell him That though Faulkner is against having such Cases put as abovesaid yet it is not that an Answer cannot be given for he gives it out of Bishop Bilson in the very same Place which our Author Quotes but he takes care to conceal the Words which if he had set down it would have appeared very ridiculous to have said as he does that Bishop Bilson seems to allow the Doctrine of Resistance The Bishop's Words are these as quoted by Faulkner first finding fault with such Cases being put That they are able says he to set Grave and Good Men at their wits end But then he adds yet we stand not on that and positively determines in these words which I had occasion partly to Quote before If the Laws of the Land where they converse do not permit them to save their Lives when they are assaulted with unjust force against Law or if they take Arms as you do to depose Princes we will never excuse them from Rebellion Thus Bilson And the very first words of the Chapter which our Authour quotes of Faulkner viz. Book 2. c. 5. puts the Case as directly against our Authors Position as if he had read our Author's Book and wrote on purpose to confute it There have been some says he who grant the unlawfulness of taking Arms against a Soveraign Prince to be a General Rule for ordinary Circumstances but yet they pretend there are some Great and Extraordinary Cases in which it must admit of Exceptions And the proposal of these Cases as they are by them managed is like the Pharisaical Corban an Engine and Method to make void the Duties of the Fifth Commandment And then he goes on and undertakes in this Chap. the defence of that Assertion of Barckley who proposeth the Question Nulli nè Casus c. May there no Cases fall out in which the People by their Authority may take Arms against their King And his Answer is Certainly none so long as he is King or unless ipso jure Rex esse desinat This is the same he Quoted Dr. Hammond for before viz. that the Person who was King may be Resisted when he does voluntarily Relinquish his Power and becomes a private Person for then indeed ipso jure he of Right ceases to be a King But may be our Author will say that ipso jure and ipso facto â—e ceases to be a King whenever he Designs to destroy a part of his People I will not repeat what I have said before in Answer to this as to tell what part of the Peoplâ— is mâ—aâ—t That this is an Eternal pretence for all Restless Spirits c. But it brings into my mind an Answer a Scots Presbyterian Minister whose Principles as to Government our Author has but licked up gave to the Objection in the 23 Chapter of their Confession of Faith upon the Head of the Civil Magistrate viz. That Infidelity or Difference in Religion does not take away a King 's Right to his Crown nor absolve his Subjects from their Allegiance to him The Minister replied That is true for if a King turn Infidel he does ipso facto cease to be a King So that our Author was not the Original of this pretty Distinction Faulkner in the same place shews our Author's Doctrine to be borrow'd from Mariana Bellermine and other Jesuitical Doctors Jesuit and Puritan are convertible Terms in the Point of Loyalty only that the Jesuit is the Elder Brother and determins against them N. 3. That the Agreement of the Whole body of the People or the Chief and Greater part thereof can give no sufficient Authority to such an Enterprise viz. of taking Arms against the King And with respect to this Kingdom he quotes our Laws which declare it Unlawful for the two Houses of Parliament though Jointly to take Arms against the King Faulkner goes on and proves as directly against our Author in this same Chapter which our Author quotes on his side as Words can be fram'd But there are none so blind as they that will not see These are all the Quotations he brings to support his new Hypothesis and how far they serve to his purpose I leave it to the Reader and from the whole I shall only mind our Author of the Instances I have already given him viz. The Condition of the Jews in Egypt in Babylon under Ahasuerus and the Romans The Gibeonites under Saul and the Primitive Christians in their several Persecutions more especially in the last Decennial Persecution And then apply this to the Rule he has given us viz. That Non-Resistance does reach only Tolerable Evils and where the Mischief is not Universal I wouâ—d be glad likewise to have his Opinion of the Carriagâ— of the Protestants towards Queen Mary The Protestants undeâ— Qu. Mary He will not say but â—â—â—ir Circumstaâ—ces were much more Dâ—plorable than under King James even at the worst that he does represent him There Numbers were fewer and she as much bigotted as King James married to the King of Spain overturn'd our Religion by Law and set up Fire and Fagot broke her Promise to the Protestants who set her upon the Throne in opposition to Queen Jane a Protestant There was but one Branch of the Royal Family that were near the Crown a Protestant that was the Princess Elizabeth and she was declared Illegitimate by Act of Parliament and to secure the Business was sent to the Tower in order to have her Head cut off And after her the Royal Line run out of Sight among the Papists so that the Protestants had a very lamentable Prospect Yet they bore it with an admirable Patience till God with his own hand wrought their Deliverance taking away Queen Mary without their Guilt or Rebellion and placing that condemned Princess upon her Sisters Throne to establish the Protestant Religion in a Legal manner And these Protestant Martyrs even at the Stake declared it Unlawful to take Arms against Queen Mary in defence of their Religion but exorted their Fellow Protestants to Patience and Resignation to the Good Will of God But by no means to Rebel for that was Damnation They did not Plead that their Evil was Intolerable when they were going into the Fire or that it was Universal reaching to their whole Religion in the Kingdom These were Excuses they were too dull to find out to save their Lives and their Religion But let us
Religion The Passage is Pag. 11. Sect. 2. of the Sermon where the Doctor in profound Adoration of the Royal Authority and the Legal Establishment of a Nation makes it unlawful to preach against the established Religion of a Nation though it be false unless we could justifie our Commission by Miracles as the Apostles did All says he that Persons of a different Religion can in such a Case reasonably pretend to is to enjoy the private Liberty and Exercise of their own Conscience and Religion for which they ought to be very thankful because by the way it is impossible for any Government to hinder any Man from the private Exercise of his own Conscience and Religion and to forbear the open making of Proselytes to their own Religion though they be never so sure that they are in the right till they have an extraordinary Commission from God to that purpose Now because some do think That that extraordinary Commission Matt. 28.19 20 Go teach all Nations belongs to the Successors of the Apostles to the end of the World to which time Christ there promises to assist this Commission of his and to be with those who preach it therefore the Dr. barrs that Pretence in what is said above for he not only requires That such Men should be extraordinarily Commissioned as the Apostles and first Publishers of the Gospel were but that they be able to sustifie that Commission by Miracles as they did This indeed does effectually secure any People from being disturbed with the hearing of the Christian or ony other Religion but that wherein they were bred till a new Age of Miracles shall arise If our Author had gon to this length of Passive Obedience I should not wonder that some Irish Protestants had been offended for it did not relish with us here notwithstanding the good Dr. was at the pains to print it twice for our Information And 5 Nov. 78. before the H. of Com. And that he had two Years before Instructed the Honourable House of Commons in the same flight of Loyal Principles in his Sermon preached before them 5 Nov. 1687. upon Luke 9.55 56. Where in the second Head of his Discourse p. 17. he speaks Of an evil Spirit in the World which not only contrary to Christianity but the common Principles of Natural Religion which by Falshood and Perfidiousness by Secret Plots and Conspiracies or by open Sedition and Rebellion by Deposing and Killing of Kings by the ruine of their Countrey and betraying it into the hands of Foreigners by all the wicked Ways imaginable doth invite Men to promote and advance their Religion But when Religion says he p. 19. once comes to supplant Moral Righteousness to lye for the Truth and to kill Men for God's sake when it seems to no other purpose but to be a Bond of Conspiracy to inflame the Tempers of Men to a greater fierceness and to set a keener edge upon their Spirits then surely it loses its Nature and ceases to be Religion For let any Man say worse of Atheism and Infidelity if he can And for God's sake What is Religion good for but to reform the Manners and Dispositions of Men to restrain humane Nature from Falshood and Treachery from Sedition and Rebellion It is true indeed that the Christian Religion is the most conducive to promote Temporal Peace and good Government of any thing in the World But we have been taught and I hope it is true that it has much more Spiritual and greater Ends than these viz. Eternal Happiness in the clear Vision of God and Enjoyment of him for ever And therefore that it is good for something else than Temporal Quiet among Men which it does not always procure nor is it always a Blessing unless when accompanied with Truth Peace and Security in our Sins is the greatest Curse And therefore a Religion which happens to disturb the outward Peace of this World may not be worse than Infidelity or no Religion as the Dr. supposes for Let any Man say worse of Atheism and Infidelity if he can says the Dr. with great Courage But good Sir if you would give me leave Does not Atheism and Infidelity lead to Hell and Damnation And that is a little worse I humbly conceive than any Imbroylments in this World that were ever caused for Religion even that of Joshua among the Canaanites which by all the Arguments in this Sermon was an attempt contrary to the Nature of true Religion and must have byast all who look no farther than Temporal Quiet against Joshua's Religion and to embrace rather that of the Canaanites who acted only on the Defensive But I will not be so unjust to this learned Dr. as to conceal the Strength of his Argument That Hell is worse than Temporal Disturbance does indeed carry the Vogue among unthinking People and consequently they do suppose contrary to the Dr. that Atheism and Infidelity are worse than the Disturbance of our Quiet here But he has taken pains to instruct them in his Sermon Preached before the Queen 7 March 90. upon Matt 25.46 and Printed By their Majesties special Command That all God's Threatnings of Hell may be only in Terrorem to Frighten Men but that there is no Necessity nor Certainty that Hell will be Eternal as is threatned or that there will be any Hell at all But a less threat than that of Eternal Punishment he says is not sufficient to deter Men from Sin And therefore that God did wisely to threaten it But the Dr. to prevent God from Deceiving of Mankind has told this great Secret Has God said ye shall surely dye But the Dr. says Ye shall not surely dye Taste of my Knowledge and it will open your Eyes For as he goes on in that Sermon on the 5th of Novemb. abovesaid Better it were there were no Revealed Religion Both these Serm. are Pr. anew in the Year 91. in the 3d. Vol. of Dr. Till Sermons and that humane Nature were left to the Conduct of its own Principles and Inclinations than to be acted by a Religion that is continually supplanting Government and undermining the Welfare of Mankind Such a Religion as teaches Men to propagate and advance it self by Means so evidently contrary to the very Nature and End of all Religion And p. 21. The Doctrine of the Lawfulness of Deposing of Kings and Subverting Government is as bad or worse than Infidelity and no Religion How much better Teachers of Religion were the Old Heathen Philosophers In all whose Books and Writings there is not one Principle to be found of Treachery or Rebellion But blessed be God says Dr. Burnet in his Sermon upon Rom. 13. v. 5. p. 36. Our Church hates and condemns this Doctrine from what Hand soever it come and hath established the Rights and Authority of Princes on sure and unalterable Foundations injoyning an entire Obedience to all the lawful Commands of Authority and an absolute Submission to that supream
Security from the Members of the Church of England more than from either Popish or Presbyterian Dissenters That when either of these two last-nam'd take Arms against the King for the Propagation of their Religion they act pursuant both to the Principles and Practice of their Churches but no true Church-of-England man can take Arms against the King in Defence of his Religion Liberty Property or any pretence whatsoever without at the same time renouncing the Principles of his Church or in Dr. Burnet's words turning Renegado and Apostate from it and from the constant Practices of its true Professors to this present Age. And though God has sifted Her and discovered Her unsound Members most of whom were Phanaticks grafted contrary to Nature yet we may perceive by the Remnant He has left that it will end in rendring her more Pure and Glorious after she has past the Refiner's Fire These Considerations have taken me a little out of the Road if it be out of the Road of the present Business I will return to the Author We have seen his Sincerity in the Original Matter of Fact and Mother of all the rest viz. Who were the Aggressors in the late miserable Revolution of Ireland for they were answerable for all that followed Matter◠of Fact set down by this Author at random But there are many other Particulars besides those to which I have spoken wherein the Author shews great variety of prevarication And tho he pretends to so great exactness which any one would believe by his Method yet it is visible that he set down things at random meerly for want of pains to examin them C. 3. S. 12. at the end p. 165. he pretends to compute what the Estates of all the Jacobites in England and Scotland are worth But this may pass more innocently than where it reflects upon any particular Persons Reputation in these Cases it is not only uncharitable but unjust to say any thing at a venture If we know not the thing to be true we are to err on the charitable side and not mention what may reflect upon another but if we do we must be sure to set down our Vouchers so as to leave no umbrage to suspect the Truth This our Author I am afraid has not so punctually observed through all this Book particularly in the Characters which he takes upon him to give of so many persons C. 3. S. 3. he accuses the Judges particularly the Lord Chief Justice Nugent ibid. n 5. p. 61. of down-right Bribery That he went sharer in Causes before him and not only appeared for them on the Bench but also secretly encouraged and fomented them I have heard others say who are no Admirers of that Judge That they are confident this is a rank Slander and Calumny and that no such thing can be proved against him However an Accusation of so heinous a Nature ought not to have been exhibited especially in Print without some Proofs along with it This Nugent says the Author was pitch'd on by K. J. to judge whether the Outlawries against his Father and his Fellow Rebels should be reversed Now I am assur'd That his Father viz. the Earl of Westmeath was not Outlawed which if so this is such another careless Mistake as this Author makes ibid. n. 3. pag. 60. where he calls Felix O Neil a Master of Chancery in King James's time Son of Turlogh O Neil the great Rebel in 41 and Massacrer of the Protestants That Turlogh O Neil was Brother to the Famous Sir Phelom O Neil and was not Father to this Felix O Neil I have been told by Men of Ireland That this Felix O Neil's Father's Name was Phelom and that he was so far from being a bloody Masacrer in 41. that he was civil to the Protestants in those times particularly to 〈…〉 Guilliam Father to Meredith Guilliam now a Major in K. W's Army whom he obliged by his civil Usage of him when he was Prisoner with the Irish and the same Guilliam's Relations do still acknowlege it But as to the Reversing of these Outlawries this Author has not done right to K. J. For upon the Representation made to his Majesty by the Earl of Clarendon then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland of the ill Consequences of the Reversal of these Outlawries particularly the Jealousie it gave of encroaching upon the Acts of Settlement which you will see more at large in King James's Letter of the Third of May 86. to the Earl of Clarendon and his Lordships proceedings thereupon which are hereunto annexed No. 20 His Majesty did not press that matter any farther and so there was a stop put to these Reversals during the Government of my Lord Clarendon in Ireland and for any thing I can hear afterwards till this Revolution So that this seems rather an Imposition upon the K. as there were many by my Lord Tyrconnel and those of his Party than a thing that sprung immediately from the King 's own Breast or that he pitcht upon Judge Nugent on purpose to carry it on violently as this Author sets it out in his Guesses at Random and would have it pass for some mighty Matter To this Class will justly belong what I have before mentioned of this Author 's bold and positive Politicks upon foreign Princes and States and likewise of the P. of W. Fr. League c. which he had from the same Intelligence and avers with the same Assurance By Innendoes wherein his groundless and unjust Reflection upon the E. of Clarendon He has likewise an Art of making many things pass by Innendo's whose Falshood would have appeared if they had been plainly related For Example c. 3 s 12. p. 144. telling of the assurances sent over by King James to Ireland by the Earl of Clarendon Lord Lieutenant and Sir Charles Porter Lord Chancellor he says These Declarations gained belief from the credulous Protestants especially that made by Sir Charles who behaving himself with Courage and Integrity in his Office went a great way to persuade them which being the Ground of their being persuaded by him more especially than by my Lord Clarendon plainly insinuates as if my Lord Clarendon had not behaved himself with Courage and Integrity in his Office there This Author is the first Irish Protestant I have heard give my Lord Clarendon an ill word as to his Government in Ireland On the contrary they all speak exceeding things of him particularly of his Zeal and Pains for Supporting the Protestant Interest in that Kingdom which gain'd their hearts to as great a degree if not more than most Chief Governours had ever been there they never parted with any Chief Governour with so much regret and as I have been told none courted him more when he was there than this Author who was admitted one of his Excellency's Chaplains but now thinks fit that should be forgotten at least kept for a more seasonable Juncture But C 2. S. 4 n. 1. p. 19. he
Though King James had truly the Argument of the Inclinations of the People i. e. of the major Part in Ireland which was but a Pretence and falsly Collected in Scotland from the Fanatick Rabble being let loose and encouraged to act all outrage upon the Episcopal Clergy That the Argument is carry'd in Dr. King's Book and many Pamphlets grafted upon it that the Church of England ought to expect from K. J. the like Treatment which they pretend the Church of Ireland met with from him and his Popish Parliament But yet have no apprehensions from what K. William has done to the Church of Scotland which he and a Presbyterian Convention have pluckt up by the Roots tho' living peaceably and offending no Man while K. James and the Popish Parliament left the Church of Ireland Established by Law when all her Members to a very small Number were actually in Arms against him in as Universal a Rebellion they say as ever was heard of in any Nation wherein there are fewer Exceptions than of Loyal Irish in 41. Many other things the Jacobites do plead with which I will not detain the Reader they have made large Apologies for themselves and Dr. King's Book will afford them Mâ—tter for more I know not if it will be needful to advertise the Reader That he will meet with several Expressions and Arguments which I use only ad hominem following Dr. King's Phrase and Logick and not to mistake them for my own Sense or Approbation of his Principles or Characters which he gives As pag 33. paragr 5. and elsewhere And p. 191. where I take notice of his Comparison betwixt King James and the French King and according to his Representation of them I ask Whether any would have King James to be worse than the French King That is than that Character with which some take Pains to blacken the French Monarch But we know now what stress is to be laid upon their Representations by the many false and malicious Slanders which they have spread abroad and vouch'd with as much Confidence of their own King and of Matters done within our own Country It is not just to frame an Idea of any Man by that Represantation of him which is given by his Enemy And yet no King that ever was in the World has had his Praises sung to a greater pitch by the most flattering Poet than the French King 's most bitter Enemies have extalled him even while they were spitting Venom at him A Prince says the Mighty Cant. in his last Thanksgiving-Sermon before K. W. and Q. M. 27 Octob. 92. who governs his Affairs by the deepest and the steadiest Councils and the most refin'd Wisdom of this World A Prince Mighty and Powerful in his Preparations for War Formidable for his vast and well-disciplin'd Armies and for his great Naval Force and who hath brought the Art of War almost to that Perfection as to be able to Conquer and do his Business without Fighting A Mystery hardly known to former Ages and Generations And lastly that he has an almost-inexhaustible Treasure and Revenue Perhaps he said all this with a Prospect of standing him in stead another day What Roman Caesar's Greatness or God-like Power and Wisdom was ever set out in a higher strain than this Nay he makes the French Caesar exceed in the Art of War all former Ages and Generations And for his Civil Government within his own Kingdom suppressing and effectually curing Duels Robberies and other publick Vices which were most rooted in France for immemorial Generations it is the Amazement and envy'd Pattern of his Neighbor-Nations and really the greatest and most noble of all his Victories How does every one that comes over tell us That Travellers may carry Gold open through all France without danger of any Robbers But as soon as you set your foot upon Spanish Flanders you must prepare to fight your way to be Robb'd or Murder'd And in England we all too well know that none now are secure neither on the High-way nor in their Houses from Thieves and Robbers There is one Objection against this Great King which makes it an Offence to many to hear any thing though Truth spoken to his Advantage and that is Banishing the Hugonot Ministers and Dragooning others to work them into another Religion which does and justly eclipse his Glory with those who know not the true Grounds and Motives which induc'd him to Methods so rigid and severe But his very Enemies who know the Reasons he had for it do even in this Excuse him and turn it into an Argument of his wise Foresight and Prudence They tell you that he was under an invincible Necessity of being rid of these Men or hazarding such a Revolution as befel King James That he knew they would endanger him by a Revolt if he were Invaded by a Protestant Prince Which are the very Words of the Answer to Great Britain's Just Complaint pag. 47. That their Refugees here do generally all own the Principle of Resistance And that their Ministers march'd last Campaign before the Army into Dauphine Preaching to the People as they went the lawfulness of taking Arms against their King This is a plain Demonstration what the Answer to Britain's Complaint has told us The French King being thus vindicated by his Enemies in that which was most colourably Objected against him and which if not done upon the abovesaid Motives would leave him inexcusable The Jacobites think themselves for ever oblig'd to acknowlege with all Gratefulness the Noble and Generous Reception he has given to King James in his Distress which as no King in Europe was able to have done but Himself so none but he could have done it in such a manner with that Greatness and every Punctilio of Honor which if all the particulars were repeated would fill a Volume and is such an Original as is not to be found in former Ages and will be Recorded in History as the most glorious Scene of his Life And that if he perfect what he has so Heroically undertaken the Jacobites say he will not find readier Trumpeters of his Glory than the present Complying Divines late of the Church of England They would in that Day resume their old Theams with which their Pulpits us'd to ring but are now forgotten of the Persecutions of the Protestants by those Popish Princes who are now in Confederacy with England against France They would then tell us of the declar'd Principle of the House of Austria not to suffer any Protestants whom they call Hereticks to live within their Dominions And pursuant to that have Erected the Spanish Inquisition which occasioned the great Revolution in the Netherlands They wouâ—d set out likewise in their Colours the many Persecutions of the Protestants in Bohemia Hungary and Transilvania and the long Persecutions in Piedmont by the Dukes of Sarvoy and that by this preâ—ent Duke They would then inform us That all these Perfecutors were more Popish and
Account of which he may be deprived of c. And pag. 23. he says of these Principles That they have poisoned the very Springs and Fountains of Government and so deeply tinctur'd Mens Minds that he prays God we may not still live to see the miserable Effects of it Thus Dr. Sherlock even since his Conversion But you may say how does it appear that this Author now sets up these Principles You shall be Judge Pag. 49. he says That it is ill trusting any one any King with such a Power This is in his c. 3. s 1. n. 8. Again c. 1. n. 10. p. 11. he expresses himself in these Words viz. The antient Government with which he the King was intrusted p. 41. he falls upon those who stopt the Bill of Exclusion with this wholsome Advice Never to trust Men of King James's Principles and Religion with a Power that may destroy us Here the King's Power is onely what the People please to trust him with Pag. 57. He says That it is not the King's Money that pays the Soldiers but the Kingdoms and thence it will follow that they are not the King's Soldiers but the Kingdoms 67. He says That every Law is certainly a Compact between the King and the People wherein by a mutual Consent they agree on a Rule by which he is to govern and according to which they oblige themselves to pay him Obedience That therefore the People may as lawfully dispence with their Allegiance to the King 68. as the King dispence with the Execution of a Law That the Subjects have no other Security for their Liberties 77. Properties and Lives except the Interest they have of chusing their own Representatives in Parliament Whereby he will exclude by very much the greatest part of the Nation from having any security for their Lives c. i. e. all but the Electors of Parliament men for none other have any Vote in chusing their own Representatives But the Author makes them amends by giving every one of them a power to dispence with their Allegiance to the King when ever they think that the King dispences with the Execution of any Law He makes them all Popes to dispence with Oaths or any other Duty when they think it reasonable And as he gives them Power over their Oaths of Allegiance so he does over the King's Treasury and Army It is Their Mony Their Army and why should not They command them The King himself acts but by their Commission and by all Rule and Right every Man is accountable to him from whom he has his Commission But now our Author is upon the Rode you shall see how he improves He derives the Eccles Authorily from the People p. 206. he stops at nothing And since he is a granting to the People they shall have all even the Ecclesiastical Authority which is trusted in the Crown shall be derived from the People and transferrable by them to whom they think fit For he makes King James's breach of trust in the Ecclesiastical Authority a provoking temptation to his People to think of transferring it to some other Person This will gratify the Phanaticks as well as Commonwealth-men That even the Ecclesiastical Authority is derived from the People His Interpretation of its not being Lawful upon any Pretence to take Arms against the King c. pag. 221. n. 3. And now to Crown all He gives as large and loose an Interpretation of that famous Principle of the Ch. of England viz. of it s not being Lawful upon any Pretence whatever to take Arms against the King c. as Bradshaw Rutherford Bellarmin or Mariana could desire viz. He says it was only meant That private Men should not take up the Sword or resist the King upon any Pretence that is says he upon any Pretence of private Injury or Wrong done to them in particular Beyond this none of the Republicans Phanaticks and Jesuits in the World could go So that this was no very distinguishing Principle of the Church of England as we us'd to call it But if you will allow the same Parliament which enacted the abovesaid Principle of Non-Resistance to the King c. to understand their own Meaning or think that the declared Sense of the Legislators is the true Sense of the Law then our Author has widely mistaken his Mark and misinterpreted this Law For 12 Car. 2. c. 30. it is declared That neither the Peers nor Commons nor both together nor the People Collectively nor Representatively in Parliament or out of Parliament nor any other Persons whatsoever have any Coercive Power over the Kings of England Now judge whether all this is meant only of Private Men as our Author would make you believe And take Notice that this is not to be taken as a Grant from that Parliament It is a Recognition wherein they declare what was the Law before them And they vouch that this Prerogative of the King to be exempt from all Coercive Power is by the undoubted and fundamental Laws of this Kingdom And that neither Lords nor Commons nor any other Persons not only now have not or hereafter shall not have any such Power over the King but that they never had or ever ought to have such Power I hope our Author will confess That this is somewhat a greater Authority and ought to have greater Weight with us than his single Opinion which he has taken up but of late And to confound that Distinction of the Parliament being Coordinate with the King and making the King but one of the three Estates which would imply their having something to do with the Sword which is the Supreme Power of Government joyntly with the King and therefore in some Cases might restrain him by Force which was the Pretence in 41. to obviate all this the Militia which is the Sword of England is by Act of Parliament put in the Hands of the King alone And it is declared in express Words 13 Car. 2. That the Sword is solely in the King's Power and that neither one nor both Houses of Parliament can or Lawfully may Raise or Levy any War offensive or defensive against his Majesty c. The Title of this Section p. 221. is King James and his Party endeavoured to destroy the Protestant Religion by misrepresenting the Persons and Principles of Protestants But it is not in the Power of Jesuit or any you can imagine to misrepresent the Protestant Principles more than this Author in this same Section as you have seen that is if you will allow that the Protestants did ever represent them Right before And whereas he Objects in the foremention'd Place That by it the abovesaid Principle of Non-Resistance it was never intended to give up the Constitution of the Government or to part with the Liberties and Privileges of the Kingdom The Answer is very easy for by the Judgment of what he calls the Constitution of the Government viz. King and Parliament
will prove a Tyrant It is natural for Men to affect Absoluteness Who Loves to be Controul'd We must always be under the Power of some or other and the effect of a Revolution is but Changing the Person wherein you must run a Hazard for as one said upon a certain occasion There is nothing so like as Two Kings And it is a terrible sort of a Cure to slaughter half the Nation upon an Experiment which our Author himself confesses to be very uncertain or indeed impossible to have any good Effect if lost Liberty cannot be retrieved but the Danger and the Mischief is certain And our Author does not see a Remedy It is the common Fate of these Rebellions for Liberty to be made a Prey to their Deliverers And then half the People must be destroy'd by a new Deliverer to gain Liberty to the other half And if they be mistaken in the Man then half of the remaining half must go And if they be mistaken again then half of that half and so on for ever This is our Author's Receipt for Liberty And he says It is for the Good of the People Of which People I beseech you of those that are Kill'd to gain Liberty for the rest But how do you compute the Good of the People Is it not from the Major part This Author I have heard is a good Mathematician he cannot be mistaken Reckoning Now if half of the People be destroy'd to purchase Liberty to the rest here is no Good but Hurt done to the People Because there is greater Hurt done to the one half of the People than the fancy'd Good can be to the other I suppose our Author has not represented himself in his own mind to be one of that half which was to be Destroy'd But being one of the surviving half he thinks it best the other half should be Destroy'd to purchase Liberty for those that remain But if this Experiment be repeated a a second Time and half of the remaining half be taken off then there is no Comparison but this must be for the Hurt of the People Especially considering that this Principle opens a door to an Eternal Halfing them at this Rate And we may see it by Experience where this Doctrine obtains that that Country I am sorry England should come into the Account seldom enjoys a longer Respite from the Ruin of one Revolution than to take breath feed up and fatten for another And what can prevent it where People are thus Disciplin'd and Encourag'd to Rebellion And have a never-failing Pretence given them to Kick when-ever they are Wanton Nothing but a Miracle can stop them till Ruin upon Ruin has humbled them and convinc'd them by Demonstration of the pernicious Consequence of these loose Principles of Government Plutarch in the Life of Timoleon tells That the Towns in Sicily would not trust him being lately over-run with Violence and Outrage and exasperated against all Leaders of Armies for the sake chiefly of Calippus an Athenian and Pharax a Lacedemonian Captain and the Mischiefs they had suffered by their Treachery For both of them having given out that the Design of their coming was to introduce Liberty and depose Tyrants they did so Tyrannize themselves that the Reign of former Oppressors seem'd a Golden Age if compar'd with the Lordliness and Exaction of these pretended Deliverers who made the Sicilians reckon them to be far more happy that did expire in Servitude than any that had liv'd to see such a dismal Freedom Thus Plutarch And Lucan reck'ning over the Miseries of the Civil-Wars of Rome which were all for Liberty envies the happy Condition of those who live under Absolute Tyrannies He crys out Faelices Arabes Medique Aeaque Tellus Quam sub porpetuis tenuerunt fata Tyrannis I could give 1000ds of Instances of the truth of this in all Nations they are enow to make a History And if a History were written of the Mischiefs of Liberty and Publick Good or the Good of the People that is what Mischiefs have been wrought in the World under the Pretence of Publick Good the Good of the People and asserting of their Liberties I will undertake the Comparison That more visible Mischief has come to the People more Destruction of the Publick Good and greater Loss of Libery and Property by this one Method than by all other Sins and Wickedness of Mankind put together And consequently that there is no Comparison 'twixt the Evils of Tyranny and of a Civil War for Liberty and the Publick Good and that the Mischief of this Pretence of Publick Good is infinitely less Tolerable and a more universal Ruin to the People than any Tyranny of Lawful Governors that ever was in the World It is by many Degrees the Greatest and most Lawless Tyranny of the two and always brings greater Evils Confusion Disorder Rapin Violence Contempt of Laws and Legal Establishments more intolerable Mischiefs of all Sorts than those it pretends to Remedy But of all Pretences for Rebellion Religion is the most Ridiculous because a Civil War introduces greater Immorality loosens the Reins of Discipline and is more contrary to the Spirit of True Religion than any other Thing in the World True Religion is not Propagated by the Sword It is a small still Voice that cannot be heard in War It is built like Solomon's Temple without the Noise of a Hammer War confounds it and debauches it The most Profligate and Licentious Court bears no Proportion in Wickedness to the Lewdness Blasphemy and Contempt of all that is Sacred which Reigns and Overflows in Camps It was an old saving Nulla fides Pietasque viris qui Castra sequuntur I desire this Author to make a just Computation betwixt the Godliness of the Protestant Army in Ireland this Revolution and the common strain of Wickedness which was Practic'd there before by the People in time of Peace I have been told that this Author did express his just Indignation against the wild and bare-fac'd Debauchery of the Army from his Pulpit in Dublin so far as to say It was come to that pass that it was a Scandal for any Woman of Reputation to be seen in Company with a Red or a Blew Coat for which he incurr'd the heavy Displeasure of the Sparks and Beau's in the Army who practis'd all mad Lewdness and Prophanity with both hands earnestly with all their Strength and Power with the same Zeal and Fervor that they Rusht into the Battle They thought the one as much their Duty as the other Dr. Gorge in his Letter from the Camp n. 2. Appendix tells us That they thought Religion but Canting and Debauchery the necessary Character of of Soldiers And he had good Reason to know being at that time Secretary to the General But the Case is notorious all Men know it The truth is that Army has Debauched generally all that they have left alive in that Kingdom and have left the Marks of their Wickedness
the publick printed Accounts of the Persecution and violent Rabbling of the Episcopal Ministers and others of their Principles they have suffered more from the Presbyterians in Scotland than even this Author was afraid of from King James in Ireland But not only the Papists in England and Episcopal Party in Scotland and the present Papists in Ireland may justifie their taking Arms against the Present Government when they please but the Irish Papists in 41 might have justified their Rebellion against King Charles I. by this Author's Principles which do indeed justifie all the Rebellions that ever were in the World or all that can be invented for none can want some of the Pretences which he allows for Rebellion But especially it gives full Liberty to all Dissenters in Religion to take Arms against the Government but more plainly if the Government shut them out from Places of Trust and Profit for such a jealousie of them may easily be improved into a Design for their Destruction But if any Penal Laws be made against them then the Design is apparent it goes beyond a Design it is a real Attempt upon them actually assaulting them c. But of all things How could the Irish who adhered to K. James be made Rebels to K. William before they submitted to him How could this be doâ—e by our Author's Principles If you say he had Title to Ireland by being King of England because Ireland is but an Appendix to the Crown of England Answer But from the beginning it was not so and the Government of England being dissolved as you say by Abdication and returned back to the suppos'd Original Contract or first Right of Mankind to erect Government for their own Convenience of consequence the Tye which England had upon Ireland by Conquest was dissolved and Ireland left as well as England in their suppos'd Original Freedom to chuse what Government and Governours they pleas'd But all this notwithstanding this Author's Principles freed them from K. William because of the Presumptions they had to think that K. William intended to invade their Property Lives and Religion He declared that he came to Establish the Protestant Religion By his Declaration of Grace 7 July 90 he pardons none either as to Life or Estate but only Poor Labourers Common Souldiers Country Farmers Plow men and Cottiers and such Citizens Townsmen Tradesmen and Artificers who should return by the 1st of August and even these were to forfeit all but their personal Chattels as you will see in the Declaration N. 6. Appendix And by the publick Resolution of his Judges 21 Nov. 90. which you will see in the Appendix N. 7. very few had hopes lest them either of Life or Estate even upon their submitting to King William and living peaceably under his Government pursuant to his Declarations And I am told that thousands of them are out-law'd since they submitted to his Protection notwithstanding of the many fair Promises which were made to them afterward upon several Occasions particularly General Ginckle's Proclamation printed at Dublin 4 Feb. 90. wherein he assures the Irish Papists in their Majesties Names that all of them who wâ—â—â—d submit to their Majesties Government should be protected as to their Religion Estates and Liberties These following Words are verbatim the Words of that Proclamation viz. Their Majesties hereby giving demonstration to the World that it is not their Design to oppress the Inhabitants of this Nation either by persecuting them for their Religion Ruining them in their Estates and Fortunes or Enslaving them in their Liberty These are the Words of that Proclamation which have not hinder'd the multitude of Out lawrys and other Proceedings and Forfeitures against those Irish who submitted to the Government As to their Religion they do not complain but that K. William has been very Gracious to them and they enjoy it in more ample Manner than ever they had it under any Protestant Prince But as to their Persons Estates and Liberties they cry out heavily of Breach of Publick Faith and Great Oppression If our Author had the improving of these and other their Circumstances how easily could he argue them into the lawfulness of taking Arms for their Defence But if the Argument of Glenco were on his side no doubt he would summon the Nation to rise as one Man and would Abdicate all the Governments in the World It is well for the Government that this Author is not touched by the late Act imposing the Oaths in Ireland the Refusal of which is no less than Premunire which does not only invade your Property but makes you uncapable of having any Property at all so much as to the Cloaths upon your Back or ever to breath the common Air out of a Jayl and none above eighteen years of Age no not Women of any sort Maids Wives or Widows are exempted What Declamations could our Author make upon this How far would he make this exceed the French Dragooning or even the Spanish Inquisition if he had such a Handle against King James Some Instances of the Author's manner of Argumentation I have heard from some who are acquainted with this Author that he is a Man of good Reason But in this Book I must say that his Zeal has transported him to take that for Reason which is the farthest from it in the World and which it is impossible he should think to be so in any other Case C. 3. s 8. n. 6. p. 102. He tells how Derry shut its Gates against the Earl of Antrim's Regiment And n. 7. p. 103. he proves they were obliged to do thus by their Foundation and names the Charter granted by K. James I. One would wonder how the King should grant a Charter to oppose himself The Author's Reason is That this Town was founded to be a Shelter and Refuge for Protestants against the Insurrections and Massacres of the Natives The Natives had before that time made frequent Rebellions and Derry was built as a Security against them therefore our Author thinks that if ever it should so happen that the Protestants should turn Rebels and the Natives be Loyal the King's Charter was meant to support the Protestants in their Rebellion This is too extravagant to need Confutation C. 3. s 12. n. 16. p. 154. He inlarges upon the Reasons they had in Ireland as well as in England to dread Papists in a Parliament and grounds his Argument from Q. Mary's House of Commons which was not well thought on for his Purpose for though that Parliament did overturn the Protestant Religion and set up Popery in its place yet the Protestants of England thought it their Duty for Conscience sake to suffer Martyrdom under those cruel Laws rather than to take Arms against their Popish Governours It is a Topick as ill chosen which he urges in the third Paragraph of n. 18. of the same Section p. 160. where the Argument he uses to cure the Folly of those Jacobites who were
Their Master was stronger and commanded more Armies than all their Enemies And this Author knows very well that Tertullian in his Apology for the Christians told the Emperor Non Deesset nobis vis Numerorum that it was not for want of Power or Numbers that the Christians did not defend themselves against him for they fill'd his Armies his Cities his very Court but that it was from the Principles of their Religion which would not allow them to take Arms against their Lawful Emperor though a Persecutor But I need not mind my Author of this he has taught it often and zealously He knows the History of the Thebean Legion and a Thousand Examples of this Case that are never to be answered upon his new Principle which runs contrary to the History of the Church both under the Law and Gospel and God's own Determination in the very Case this Author puts for the most Advantage of his Cause As the Scripture so our Author named the Homilies he quotes nothing out of them it was not best He says They press with great force the Inconveniencies of such a War that is a Civil War for Liberty or Religion Our Author's defence of himself from Jovian And that the Author of Jovian design'd his First Chapter to shew That Resistance would be a greater Mischief than Passive Obedience and tells us in the Body of the Chapter That the Inconvenience of Resisting the Sovereign would be of ten times worse consequence than it which our Author confesses in the general is true as it relates to private Injuries or the Ordinary Male-administration of Government This has been sufficiently Answered in what is said before but as to the Authorities he quotes I cannot but observe to you with Admiration how directly contrary they are to the use for which he has vouched them That Chapter he cites of Jovian is so far from stinting Non-Resistance to relate only to private Injuries or the ordinary Male-administration of Government that in the very beginning of that Chapter after he has told what Sovereignty is he makes it essential to the Rights of Sovereignty to be free from Resistance or forcible Repulse and to be unaccountable It is Pag. 241. of the Book where he proves that if it were otherwise It would make the Subjects Judge over the Sovereign and in effect destroy Sovereignty and make the Sovereign inferior to the People and therefore says he pag. 242. to cut off all Pretences of Resistance in the English Government the Three Estates as I have proved before have declared against all defensive as well as offensive War it being impossible for the Sovereignty to consist with the Liberty of that Pretence In all Sovereign Governments they must trust their Lives and Liberties with their Sovereign The King is bound in Justice and Equity and for Example sake to observe his Laws but if he will lay aside all Conscience and the Fear of God his only Superior the Rights of Soveraignty secure the Tyrant as well as the Good King from Resistance If he will not act as becomes God's Vicar if he will obstruct or pervert the Laws and govern Tyrannically yet still there is left no remedy to his Subjects by the Law but moral Perswasion for the Laws Imperial of this Realm have declared him to be an Inconditionate and Independent Soveraign See Sir Orl. Bridgman's Speech pag. 12 13 14. and exempted him from all Coërtion of Force If they will turn Tyrants neither fearing God nor the Censures of good Men they are by the Laws of the English Empire as free from Punishment Compulsion or Resistance as the Caesars were He may bear the Sword not for the Defence but for the Offence and Destruction of his Subjects but if he do they have no Authority to Resist him they cannot without sinful Usurpation oppose their Swords to his Grotius condemus all violent Defence against unjust Force from publick Authority Contra vim injustissimam sed Publico-nomine illatam If they Kings do Wrong if they Tyranize it over their Subjects He God will punish them and turn their hearts if he sees fit But their Subjects must not defend themselves by violence against them they must not take up Defensive Arms against them because they are in God's stead for Whosoever Resisteth the Power Resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that Resist shall receive to themselves Damnation as it was written by the Apostle in the time of a wicked Tyrant Grotius says That Reason compels us to confess that Oppression is to be endured lest too much Liberty follow upon the contrary and the Examples of the Ancient Christians teach us that any Violence is to be endured which the Supreme Power lays upon us upon the account of Religion for they are in a great Error who think that the Christians before the time of Constantine abstained from Resistance because they wanted sufficient Strength If the former the Doctrine of Non-Resistance make a Land obnoxious now and then to a Tyrant the latter the Doctrine of Resistance would make it perpetually obnoxious to the Rage and Fury of the deluded Rabble who in Riots Tumults and Insurrections for which they would never want Pretences were Resistance in any Case allow'd are able to do more mischief in a week than ever any Tyrant did in a year The Rage of the worst of Tyrants generally wrecks it self upon particular Persons or Parties of Men but in a Civil War which is worse than any Tyranny all must suffer without distinction Had our Saviour allow'd Subjects under pretence of defending themselves and their Religion to Resist their Sovereign he had come indeed to destroy Mens Lives Though Tyranny be ill yet he knew Resistance was worse Let them suppose him to be a complicated Tyrant to be Pharaoh Achab Jeroboâ—am and Nebuchadnezzar all in one nay let the Spirit of Calerius Maximin and Maxentius come upon him yet I 'm sure it will cost fewer Lives and less Desolation to let him alone than to resist him but if it would not I had rather dye a Martyr than a Râ—bel I appeal to the late Rebellion which the Rebels called a Defensive War to verifie this Doctrine for there was more Blood spilt in it in one Battel than in all the Tyrannies and Persecutions of the Nation since the Conquest and in the two Kingdoms there hath been more Christian Blood shed in Rebellions since the Reformation by pretended Undertakers of Defensive War than throughout the whole Roman Empire in nine of the first ten Persecutions Let us imagine a Popish Prince as biggoted in Religion and as Sanguinary in his Temper as may be now Reigning over us yet he could not likely cause so much Ruin Bloodshed and Desolation in his whole Reign as a War between him and his Resisting Subjects would cause in one Year Wherefore it is plain That it is the Interest even of the People themselves that so great a Power should be in the Soveraign
as the worst of all People And howsoever they call themselves or be named of others yet are they indeed no true Christians but worse than Jews worse than Heathens and such as shall never enjoy the Kingdom of Heaven And the third Homily speaks in these Words How horrible a Sin against God and Man Rebellion is cannot possibly be expressed according to the greatness thereof For he that nameth Rebellion nameth not a singular or one only Sin as is Theft Robbery Murther and such like but he nameth the whole Puddle and Sink of all Sins against God and Man against his Prince his Country his Country-men his Parents his Children his Kinsfolks his Friends and against all Men universally all Sins I say against God and all Men heaped together nameth he that nameth Rebellion And besides the dishononor done by Rebels unto God's holy Name by their breaking of their Oaths made to their Prince with the Attestation of God's Name and calling of his Majesty to Witness And in the fourth Homily having shewn the horrible destruction of Corah Dathan and Abiram and others for their Rebellions and Murmurings Now says the Homily if such strange and horrible Plagues did fall upon such Subjects as did only murmur and speak evil against their Heads What shall become of those most wicked Imps of the Devil that do Conspire Arm themselves Allemble great Numbers of Armed Rebels and Lead them with them against their Prince and Country Spoiling and Robbing Killing and Murthering all good Subjects that do withstand them as many as they may prevail against Though not only great Multitudes of the Rude and Rascal Commons but sometime also Men of great Wit Nobility and Authority have moved Rebellions against their Lawful Princes Though they should pretend sundry Causes as the Redress of the Commwealth which Rebellion of all other Mischiefs doth most destroy or Reformation of Religion whereas Rebellion is most against all true Religion though they have made a great Shew of Holy Meaning by beginning their Rebellion with a Counterfeit Service of God as did wicked Absalom begin his Rebellion with sacrificing unto God Yet neither the Dignity of any Person nor the Multitude of any People nor the Weight of any Cause is sufficient for the which Subjects may move Rebellion against their Princes And for so much as the Redress of the Commonwealth hath of old time been the usual feigned Pretence of Rebels and RELIGION now of late beginneth to be a Colour of Rebellion let all Godly and Discreet Subjects consider well of both and first concerning Religion What a Religion it is that such Men by such Means would restore may easily be judged even as Good a Religion surely as Rebels be Good Men and Obedient Subjects and as Rebellion is a good means of Redress and Reformation being itself the greatest Deformation of all that may possibly be But as the Truth of the Gospel of our Saviour Christ being quietly and soberly taught though it do cost them their Lives that do teach it is able to maintain the true Religion so hath a frantick Religion need of such furious Maintainers as is Rebellion and such Patrons as are Rebels Now concerning Pretences of any Redress of the Commonwealth made by Rebels every Man that hath half an Eye may see how vain they be Rebellion being as I have before declared the grearest Ruin and Destruction of all Commonwealths that may be possible Wherefore to conclude Let all good Subjects considering how horrible a Sin against God their Prince their Country their Country-men against all God's and Man's Laws Rebellion is being indeed not one several Sin but all Sins against God and Man heaped together considering the mischievous Life and Deeds and the shameful Ends and Deaths of all Rebels hitherto and the pitiful undoing of their Wives Children and Families and disinheriting of their Heirs for ever and above all things considering the Eternal Damnation that is prepared for all impenitent Rebels in Hell with Satan the first Founder of Rebellion and Grand Captain of all Rebels Let all good Subjects I say considering these Things avoid and flee all Rebellion as the greatest of all Mischiefs And as the fifth Homily ends knowing these the special Instruments and Ministers of the Devil to the stirring up of all Rebellions avoid and flee them and the Pestilent Suggestions of such Foreign Usurpers and their Adherents and embrace all obedience to God and their Natural Princes and Sovereigns c. These are the Words of our Homilies which have much more to the same purpose But I am afraid I have transgressed upon your Patience in repeating so much of them But I was in more than ordinary concern to see our Author so gravely vouch the Homilies on his side which might pass with those who have not consulted them therefore forgive my insisting so long upon them and I will not trouble you to apply all this to his Hypothesis I should reckon it an Affront to your Understanding to attempt it Only I pray keep this with you That you know what stress to lay upon this Author 's Confident Vouching We are now come to our Author 's lesser Quotations which might be spar'd for after examining what he offers from Reason from Scripture from the Homilies and Publick Acts of our Church and from our Acts of Parliament and the Laws what Private Writer can have Authority to over-ballance all these But if even those very Authors he quotes either make nothing for him or make directly against him then we must suppose That he thought his Cause very destitute when he could find no more to say for it From Grotius He begins with Grotius Introduction n. 1. p. 2. these are the Words of his Quotation This is Grotius's Opinion says our Author in his Book De Jure Belli Pacis lib. 1. cap. 4. § 11. where citing Barclay he says Ait idem Barclaius amitti Regnum si Rex vere hostili animo in totius Populi Exitium feratur quod concedo consistere enim simul non possunt voluntas imperandi voluntas perdendi quare qui se hostem Populi totius proficetur is eo ipso Abdicat Regnum sed vix videtur hoc accidere posse in Rege mentis compote Qui uni Populo imperet quod si pluâ—i nâ— Pâ—pulis imperet accidere potest ut unius Populi in gratiam alterum velit perditum If a King be carried with a malicious design to the Destruction of a Whole Nation he loseth his Kingdom which I grant since a Will to Govern and to Destroy cannot consist together therefore he who professes himself an Enemy to a Whole People doth in that very Act Abdicate his Kingdom But it seems hardly possible that this should enter into the heart of a King who is not mad if he govern only one People but if he govern many it may happen that in favour of one People he may desire the other were destroyed
broke their Forces at Drommore in the North of Ireland and reduced all but Derry and Eneskillen Then they prayed again for K. J. That God would strengthen him to vanquish and overcome all his Enemies August following Schomberg went over with an English Army Then as far as his Quarters reacht they returned to pray the same Prayer for K. William the rest of the Protestants still praying for Victory to K. J. and for the P. of W. and yet now they tell us That all that while they all meant the same thing four times in one Year Praying forward and backward point blanck contradictory to one another And one would believe that they never thought of it or considered whether it was a Fault or not For as if there had been no such thing they tell K. W. in their Address to him No. 26. Appendix We do not doubt say they but God will hear the Prayers of His Church and Crown your Majesties Arms with Success c. And so they go on most Loyally to make him a Present of their Prayers and assure his Majesty That with the most hearty Importunity they would pray for him This I suppose was put in that he might not think they would pray for him as they did for K. J. that is Hypocritically and against their own Heart to that Degree that the Bishop of Meath in his Speech at the head and in the name of the Dublin Clergy No. 8. Append. takes pains to clear himself and them to K. W. from having been so much as Trimmers towards K. J. while he was there among them that is they were his inveterate Enemies This was about a Week after this Bishop offered his Service to K. J. to attend upon him to the Boyne and their Praying for him all that time was only matter of Form to please him It was at once both innocent and necessary to keep to the Bishop's Words and fit to be observed to a Power that was able to Crush us far worse than it did Who would stick out for a little praying God knew their Heart that they did not mean a Word of what they said even while they received the Sacrament where they pray'd for K. J. at the very Altar as they do now for K. W. and in the Collect after the Ten Commandments they did acknowlege before God That K. J. was His Minister and had His Authority and prayed for His Grace faithfully to serve honour and humbly obey King James in God and for God according to his Blessed Word and Ordinance and yet at that time they thought him not God's Minister nor to have His Authority were not resolved nor thought it their Duty to serve or obey him nay not so much as to Trimm on his side They thought him not their lawful King but that K. W. was their King and had God's Authority and that they were obliged to obey K. W. in God and for God according to God's Blessed Word and Ordinance whom yet in their Address to K. J. they call an unnatural Usurper Was there ever such broad hardened Affronting God to his Face What did these Divines or others think when they received the Sacrament with such a Lye in their Mouths It makes ones Hair stand on end O God look not upon this forgive the Iniquity of our holy things Will this Method persuade Men to have Regard to your Prayers or your Principles But nothing of all this touches upon our Author he is still very confident p. 238. That they were not guilty of any servile or mean Compliances or as the Bishop of Meath words it of no Compliances but such as were at once both innocent and necessary What will our Adversaries say to this Excuse Was it both innocent and necessary in them to abhor and detest K. W. whom they thought their only true and lawful King as an unnatural Usurper and all those as Rebels and Traytors who took his part and to plight their Faith and promise their Allegiance as they do in the abovesaid Address of Parliament with one Voice Tongue and Heart to K. J. whom they thought to be no longer their King but to have Abdicated And yet they did thus endeavour to persuade him into an intire Confidence and Dependance upon their Loyalty to him making him a Tender of their Lives and Fortunes against the said Usurper the P. of O. and his Adherents and all other Rebels and Traytors whatsoever If these were not servile or mean Compliances I desire the Author to tell us what can be so Most solemn and Parliamentary Lying upon Record in the Face of the World and to all Posterities Perjury Dissimulation and Treachery to the last Degree persuading that Prince to trust them whom they at the same time were resolved to destroy And that no humane Eye should discover them they carried on their Hypocrisie even to pray solemnly to God every day in their Churches for Victory to K. J. when now they all tell us that in their hearts they wisht it to K. W. If to deceive Men was neither servile nor mean was it both innocent and necessary thus to mock God Was there not may Papists say just Grounds for what this Author tells of K. J. c. 3. s 20. n. 4. p. 222. That he gave Advice to the Earl of Salisbury's Brothers to beware of the Company of Protestants but above all says this Author he forbad them conversing with the Bishops and Clergymen for said he they are all false to me and will pervert you to Disloyalty and Treason This the Author calls loading the Protestants with the most odious Calumnies and Misrepresentations But suppose K. J. or any of his Friends should ask this Author whether one Word of it was false Will he say that they were true to K. J. or did pray sincerely for him what they daily repeated in their Common Prayers And consequently that they gave no manner of Ground but were perfectly innocent of the Charge with which this Author says the Papists loaded them viz That they had no Religion at all that they only pretended to it but were Atheists and Traytors in their Hearts It is true indeed they treated K. J. with all imaginable Demonstrations of Loyalty and Affection but how sincere themselves will tell you now wherever he came the Bishops and Clergy were the first to make their Court. He Landed on Tuesday the 12th of March 1689 at Kinsale next Morning the Vicar Mr. Thoms went to the Fort to kiss His Majesty's Hand being introduc'd by the Lord Bishop of Chester as he tells in his Journal and says he on Thursday the 14th of March we came to Cork and lodg'd at the Bishop's Palace and I brought the Bishop and the Clergy to the King who receiv'd them very kindly Friday the 15th I went with the Bishop of Cork to the King 's Levee and tarried at Court till I saw the Rebels of Bandon at His Feet and the Minister in an Elegant Speech begging their
particular Salvo for his own Conscience Some pretend they keep to Passive Obedience still others that they were never for it It is a severe Jest that the Common People have got up against the Clergy That there was but one thing formerly which the Parliament could not do that is to make a Man a Woman But now there is another that is to make an Oath which the Clergy will not take In short they have shewn such Unwillingness such poor pittiful mean Arts to shift to compound to accommodate this Oath to their Interests that K. W. has no reason to trust them nor their Oaths They will find a Distinction to leave him if ever they can make their Account by it But no doubt he understands them Of the Dâ—prived Clergy I will not enter upon the Case of the Deprived Clergy only say this That their Firmness to what the People think to have been the uncontroverted Doctrine of the Church of England that is Passive Obedience has kept many Men from rank Atheism and believing all Religion to be really no more than Priestcraft and a mere Cheat while they see Divines turn for a piece of Bread and damn that to day which they enjoyned yesterday upon pain of Damnation But on the other hand when they find so many and the greatest of them part with all they have in the World Honours Estates and ready as they have given good Reason to believe to lay down their very Lives in adhering to those Principles which they have preacht this forces People to reflect that these Men are in earnest with Religion and that there may be such a thing For the greatest Danger to which we are now exposed by this Defect of so many of our Clergy is not only Popery or Phanaticism whose Principles they have embrac'd but a contempt of all Religion which is now spread over the Land in a manner unheard of in former Ages The Lord avert this sad Omen and grant us Repentance to prevent his Judgments for Christ Jesus sake This is a sad Subject to look upon the Nakedness and Reproach of so many who were once Members of that Renowned Church of England Let us turn our Eyes to some less afflicting Prospect Roman Catholick Loyalty Among these melancholy Discoveries we have made of the Failings of our Friends let us not forget those of our Opposites of the Church of Rome lest they glory in our Downfall I go not abroad nor meddle with the Confederacie of Pope Innocent XI the Emperor King of Spain and other Roman Catholick Princes to set up a Protestant Prince against a Roman Catholick King who has no other Crime laid to his Charge by our Author 's own Confession than what he calls the natural Effects of Popery And for this Thousands of Armed Papists came to dispossess him It is said That Religion was not the only Quarrel and we easily believe it It has the least share in our Quarrels though it is always made the Pretence It would have been made the Pretence and Loialty in abundance as with the Dublin Clergy so with the Irish Papists if they had prevail'd and it would have been hard to disprove them Particularly of the Irish But now they too are detected I speak not of all I â—eâ—â—e not to maâ—e any National Reâ—â—â—â—ion no doubt there are many â—onest and gallant 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 other Nations and they have shewn it 〈…〉 always will shew in But I am looking upon the 〈◊〉 of â—â—â—y others of them in this Revolution 〈…〉 that there was more of Interest 〈◊〉 their Dâ—â—igns than pure Principles of Loialty Wiâ—nâ—ss their forcing K. J. to call a Parliament when it was so very unseasonable in the midst of his short time of Action and threatning to lay down their Arms and desert him if he would not pass the Bills of Attainder and Repeal of the Acts of Settlement Their hindering him so many times to go to Scotland which was then visibly his Interest and suffering none they could help English or Scots though Roman Catholicks to be employ'd even forcing some of his Ministers from him whom they supposed no Friends to their Interest Insomuch that the King complained to a Scots Gentleman who was pressing him to mind his Affairs in Scotland What can I do You see I am left alone I have none to do any thing for me But above all some of them moving to him for leave to cut off the Protestants which he return'd with Indignation and Amazement saying What Gentlemen are you for another Forty-One Which so gall'd them that they ever after look'd upon him with a jealous Eye and thought him thô a Roman Catholick too much an English-man to carry on their Business And I am told by persons come from thence That the generality of the Irish Papists do at this day lay all their Misfortunes upon K. J. because he would not follow their Measures and was so inclinable to favour the Protestants Lastly their Surrender or Selling of Limerick as some say but I know nothing of it but this is certain that they were well able to have held out till the French Succors could have come And some of these Irish have since been rewarded by K. VV. and have found their Account in the Articles granted them and made no scruple to take the Oath of Allegiance to K. VV. and Q. M. which is agreed to in the Articles of Limerick and now taken generally by the Irish Papists all over Ireland by direction of their Clergy But these Irish for got that it was chiefly upon their Account by shewing favour to them that K. J. brought upon himself all his Misfortunes Putting them into Power and displacing Protestants to make room for them made more noise and rais'd K. J. more Enemies than all the other Male-administrations charg'd upon his Government put together But when some of them saw that he could no longer secure them their own Estates or give them those of the Protestants they gave over His Cause and found no difficulty to swear to another Prince though a Protestant and possessed of K. J's Crown It was not much better they serv'd his Father first brought him under Calumny for pretended Kindnesses to them and their Religion counterfeited Commissions under his Name which Sir Phelim O Neal confess'd at his Death and endeavour'd to cast the Odium of their Rebellion and Massacre upon Him And after when they made a shew to return to their Loyalty they disappointed him of the Succors they had agreed to send him against the Rebels in England joyn'd with the Pope's Nuncio against him and invited over a Foreign Prince the Duke of Lorrain to Rule over them I have heard some of the Irish attribute their ill Success in the Rebellion of 41. to the barbarous Massacres by which they began it and their unfaithful dealing with K. Charles I. And some of the soberest among them now do make the Reflection That their ill Usage
of K. James II. when he came among them sacrificing his Interest to the carrying on of their own Designs did justly deserve that Judgment which fell upon them in the Issue of that War We have done with their Loyalty at least their Mouths are stopt against the Defection of so many of the Church of England Of the Roman Catholicks of England And I think the Roman Catholicks of England too are not to insult For though the Oaths be not come to them and therefore we cannot say certainly whether they will Swear or not yet there lies this against them viz. in their publick Chapels here in London they pray for K. W. and Q. M. which some of their Communion told me I hear that all the Protestant Non-Jurors say There is the same Argument against praying as swearing And of all their number none did allow himself to pray but Dr. Sherlock alone who as he tells in the Preface to his Recantation stood single among the Non-swearing Clergy upon this account and you see he did not stay with them But the same Principle that led him to pray brought him to swear too rather than stick out Therefore let not these Roman Catholicks be high-minded because others have fallen but rather fear lest having gone already Dr. Sherlock's length of Praying they may come to Swear like him if they should be pinch'd as he was Nay I have heard several of them argue for the Lawfulness of it only they would keep from it as long as they could I say not that this does conclude upon others who do not so but it may make them more modest in rejoycing over our Fall Non-Jurors of the Church of England Upon the whole I must say That there are none have cleverly stuck to the Principles they profess'd but the Non-jurors of the Church of England For as they profess'd them all along in the same sense they have stuck to them now and have given that demonstration of their being in earnest that they are content to lose all rather than deviate from them And this is one Discovery among the rest that this Revolution has made It has discovered the inflexible Loyalty of these Men whom neither personal Injuries nor Attempts upon their Religion Liberty or Property can move from that Duty to the King which they think a Principle of their Religion and this is a high Vindication of their Religion and a Recommendation of it But now we are upon the Discovery let us not forget to do Justice to all We cannot forget the Rise and Source of our Disease whence all these Evils we now feel and foresee have come upon us and that is our wicked Presbyterian Rebellion against K. C. 1. which banished his Children into Popish Countries God thereby fulfilling a just Judgment upon these Unchristian Rebels Presbyterian Loyalâ—y permitting his Son to suck in the Principles of Roman Catholick Religion of which these Hypocrites against their own Consciences accus'd his Father and on that pretence instigated his deluded Subjects to Rebell against him Therefore it is plainly the Presbyterians we have to thank for K. J's being a Roman Catholick and all the ill Consequences which depend upon it God often in his All-wise Providence suffers Rebellion to bring on those same Evils for prevention of which we chose to Rebell as the Jews crucified Christ lest the Romans should come Joh. 11.48 and his Death brought the Romans who did take away their Place and Nation This had been an Application more befitting a Divine and to have warn'd us of those Sins which have provok'd God to send his Judgments amongst us rather than to bite the Stone not minding the Hand that threw it to lay all upon K. J. if it had been true But to tell down-right Untruths of him or to misrepresent the Truth to appear other than really it is which is likewise Lying and perhaps the more wicked of the two being harder to be discovered and so more apt to impose upon unwary and unthinking People This is direct Diabolical the Office and the Denomination of the Adversary and false Accuser Popish Principles which are embraced It had been a more proper and serviceable Undertaking of this Author to justifie himself and others of his complection from this Imputation and several other things formerly rail'd at against Popery as the Deposing Doctrine Dispensing with Oaths Jesuitical Equivocations and Mental Reservations Not keeping Faith with Hereticks c. where we own we must have kept the same Promises made to another and all this or any other Falsity or Immorality to be allow'd for the Good of the Church If to preserve the Protestant Religion will excuse us to dispense with God's Commands as much as we say the Papists have done to preserve their Church we must expect that the Protestant Religion will grow as hateful to all good Men as the Church of Rome is to the most Bigotted against it or the Jewish Doctrine of Corban which dispenses with the fifth Commandment upon the same Pretences viz. for the Good of the Church to enrich the Treasury of the Temple or the Phanatick Confession of Faith That Dominion is founded in Grace But all these have the Advantage of our Church of England Clergy The Jews had the Tradition of their Elders to plead and the Church of Rome have their Great Council of Lateran for the Deposing Doctrine the Council of Constance for Violating Faith to Hereticks c. and they have their Traditions too for the Benefit of the Church and the Presbyterian has his Solemn League and Covenant But the Church of England Clergy are destitute of all these Helps There is nothing of these but the direct contrary in all her Articles Homilies Canons Rubricks or any Constitutions of her Church The Church of England Vindicated And the Metropolitan of all England with a Quorum of Bishops and several hundreds of the Inferiour Clergy have adhered to the Doctrine of their Church and suffered themselves to be Deprived rather than act or teach contrary to it Therefore this cannot be called a Defection of the Church of England but only of particular Persons who have done it in opposition to their Superiors in the Church as well as in the State and let them answer for it but let the Reputation of the Church be preserved It has already received both a Testimony and a Vindication from the Mouth of K. J. himself who as some present have told when an Irish Lord at Dublin attending upon His Majesty at Supper began to reproach the Church of England for her Apostacy from her former Principles of Loyalty c. The King reply'd They are the Church of England who have kept to the Principles of the Church of England The Lord made Answer But Sir how few are they in comparison with the rest The King said They are more than Christ had to begin Christianity with And all Rightful Kings of England have this
has an Inuendo of a higher Nature than this It imports no less than that the Protestants of Ireland conquering the Irish there gives them a Title to Ireland independent on the Crown of England He places the Scene indeed in another Reign but the Application is too obvious to be mistaken I suppose none will deny but K. C. 2. at his Restauration in the year 1660. to the Crown of England had thereby a good Title to Ireland But this Author plainly insinuates as if the English Rebels who Conquer'd Ireland as he calls it under Oliver had thereby gained a Right to it for themselves and therefore makes it not a Duty but a meer Act of Generosity in them to call home K. C. 2. and says That they bestow'd Ireland upon him c. These are his words viz. The Conquerers viz. Oliver's Army joined in bringing home K. C. 2. and generously gave up themselves together with the Kingdom of Ireland without Articles or Conditions into his hands Where observe They had a Right to have kept him out and not to have admitted him without such Articles and Conditions as they thought fit And our Author does not seem to approve of their receiving him without such Articles as he does not the King 's restoring the Conquered under certain Qualifications to a part of the forfeited Lands Kings are in a good condition when all their Actions are thus to be Arraign'd by every one who can take the Boldness to call them to an Accouâ—â— and Publish their Censure of Majesty to the World The same Language is now in many of their mouths as to the present Reduction of Ireland and they grudge the Articles of Limerick and Galloway c. not considering that there is no Government but by the necessity of their Affairs may be forced sometimes to take Measures which may alarm some sort of People and if for this People have liberty to attack the Government in every Coffee-house and Cabal what Peace can be lasting tho' they should do it by such discreet Inuendo's as this Author Kings now indeed are upon their good Behaviour as this Author of late loyally expressed it on the Thirtieth of January in Christ-Church Dublin applying it to that Day to shew the glorious Change of his Principles But for a Noble stroke both for speaking at Random for Inuendo's and for weight of Argument see C. 3. S. 12. n. 21. p. 165. It is thus stil'd in the Heads of Discourse Protestants lost more in Ireland than all that favour K. J 's Cause in England are worth In the Section it self he adds Scotland too This is a Discovery the Parliament would thank him for at least Mr. Fuller I dare not ask this Author by what means he came to know more than King and Parliament or any in England pretend to to find out all the Jacobites in England and Scotland and the value of their Estates Well it must pass by Inuendo and that cannot be disprov'd But he inuendo's in the Jacobites Thoughts too as well as their Estates And I suppose says he it would put them the Jacobites out of conceit with Him K. J. or any other King there he handsomly brings in K. W. and shews the Opinion as he believes of the Williamites at least you may conclude it is his own that should take away but one half of their Estates from them There the Government has the stint of his Obedience But has not this Author's Intelligence brought him the News yet of the Deprivation of the Archbishop of Canterbury and other English Bishops and Clergy with a greater Number in Scotland who have lost the whole of their Estates and it is believed would lay down their Lives too for what they think to be their Duty to their King And there are many Lay-Jacobites as resolute even as they Did this Author never hear that Mr. Ashton suffered Death and would not own this to be a Fault And that the Bishops of Chichester and Worcester asserted it upon their Death-beds and that they would have gone to the Stake rather than have forsaken their Passive Obedience or taken the present Oaths How is it possible that a Man so well read as the Author in the Primitive Persecutions should think losing but half ones Estate so mighty a Matter in asserting the Principles of our Religion But these things we can better hear than where he would impose upon us such Incredible Stories as would not pass at a Country Wake Incredible Matters of Fact Such is that c. 2. s 8. n. 4. p. 33. where he gives us such an Idea of the Wild Irish as he that said he had seen some of them so tame that they would eat Meat out of his hand He says that it seemed an unreasonable Hardship to those of them who were Landlords That they should be called to an account for killing or robbing their Tenants or ravishing their Daughters I confess this so startled me from an Author of his Gravity and living in that Country that it put me upon the Curiosity of enquiring of some Gentlemen of that Country who told me it was just as true as their having Hair upon their Teeth That there were ill Men among them and Murthers and Rapes have been committed as in other places but that they were so savage and ignorant at this time of day as not to expect to be called to an account for such horrible Crimes is an Assertion that astonishes every body that hears of it If he means that in the time of this War such Crimes went unpunished others have the same to say Witness Dr. Gorge's Letter But the Author 's Topick in this place is not of the time of the War but of the manner of these People before so that it is an egregious Imposition upon our English Understandings to think to pass this upon us It is almost as strange as this what he tells c. 3. s 11. n. 8. p. 138. That Colonel Luttrel Governor of Dublin condemned Mr. Piercy a Merchant to be hanged for saying very calmly That he was not willing to part with his Goods if he could help it And as strange that Mr. Piercy should escape because the Governour could not find any of the Provoes If you can hardly believe that Mr. Piercy should be condemned for speaking such innocent words and that very calmly you will be no Proselyte to this Author who as confidently and with as little Voucher that is none at all tells in the same place That Mr. Bell a Protestant Merchant was confined to close Prison and no body allowed to speak to him for I would have the Reader guess the Crime less if it could be than that of Mr. Piercy It was without any Crime so much as alledged against him says our Author We say It is easie to find a Stick to beat a Dog Were the Protestants so Loyal to K. J. or the Irish so dull that they could make no pretence of a Fault when
here do tell it The Earl of Inchiquin and Captain Henry Boyle with the generality of the Protestant Gentlemen in the Province of Munster having entred into an Association in Decemb. 88. as the Protestants in Ulster and Connaught had done they resolved to seize upon Corke and Bandon as the places of greatest Strength and Consequence in the Province Their Design took effect at Bandon which joyned with them But the Lord Deputy having notice of their Proceedings sent Major-General Mac-Carty now Lord Mount-Cassell to observe them He pretending to keep fair with them they attempted bringing him over to declare for the P. of Orange and some of them had hopes of it but he proved too cunning for them prevented their seizing of Corke and when Captain Henry Boyle upon that disappointment fortified his House Castle-Martyr he besieged him there Upon this Sir Tho. Southwell in the County of Limerick and several other Protestant Gentlemen marched with the greatest Force they could make to raise the Siege in their march they seiz'd on all the Papists Horses and this Mr. Browne who was then one of them took the Horses of Neagle of Moyallow who was then High-Seriff of the County of Corke and a Man was killed in the Fray and all this our Author calls only making his escape from those who came to plunder him But to tell out my Story Sir T. Southwell and his Company hearing upon their March that Castle Martyr was surrendred he endeavoured to make his way to Sligo to joyn the Lord Kingston and other Associators in Connaught who were all in Arms and as this Author tells p. 170. he and 200 of his Men were taken by a small Party of K. J's Dragoons not much to the Glory of their Courage And this Author says p. 171. That they were over-persuaded to plead Guilty though they had not been guilty of any Overt Act that could be construed Treason What this Author means by Overt Acts or what by Treason he will tell us in the next and likewise give us some probable Reason why K. J. should Reprieve and afterwards Pardon Sir Thomas Southwell and all the rest who were engaged in that business and have such a particular Malice only at Browne whom he knew as little as any of the rest Otherwise he must give us leave to suspend a little our belief of his Narrative in this matter particularly that K. J. should influence either Judge or Jury to take away Mr. Brown's Life and that he should be inexorable in Mr. Brown's Case alone and yet so very merciful to all the rest is a Contradiction to believe if his Case or Circumstances did in no ways differ from theirs But it is no wonder that this Author cannot keep him self from Contradictions through the whole Series of his Book when the very Titles the Heads of his Discourse are contradictory one to another which one would think an ordinary Care might have avoided C. 2. s 8. n 10. the Title is That K. J's Desire to be absolute induced him to change his Religion And yet c. 3. s 1. n. 5. the Title is Zeal for his Religion made him act against his Interest to that Degree says this Author in his Prosecution of this c. 3. s 1. n. 5. p. 46. that the Protestants could not but conclude that K. J. was so intent upon destroying them that so he compassed that Design he cared not if he enslaved himself and the Kingdoms P. 45. That he had a setled Resolution not to mind any Interest which came in Competition with his grand Design of advancing Popery and the Slavery of the Nations To effect which it is manifest he was content to be a Vassal to France Thus the Author Here are Contradictions upon Contradictions That K. J. should be content to be a Vassal that he might be Absolute If you say that must be understood only of his other Grand Design viz. advancing Popery which had the Ascendant even over his Interest or his desire of being Absolute This will contradict the other Head of Discourse which gives the desire of Absoluteness in him the Ascendant over his Religion as being the Ground-work and Motive which induc'd him to change his Religion And yet page 10. of his Thanksgiving-Sermon Perhaps says he K. J. chiefly desired an Absolute Authority over his Subjects that he might compel them into the bosom of his Church And it does not appear a less Contradiction than any of these that a King should change the Principles of the Church of England as then taught for those of Rome out of a desire to be the more Absolute The Church of Rome 4 Coun. Lat C. 3 c. gives Power to the Popes to Depose Kings and they have shewn many Examples of it On the other hand the Church of England when K. J. forsook her Communion damn'd this Deposing Doctrine and the Practice of it and valued themselves upon the Principle of Non-Resistance to their King upon any Pretence whatsoever as their distinguishing Character and an essential part of their Religion and they had never varied from it nor was it thought by any or themselves that ever they would I am sure if they were not in earnest with it then they can give no demonstration now that they can be in earnâ—st with any thing and it is in every bodies mouth That K. J's trusting too much to their Passive Obedience hastened his Ruin which could not be if he had not thought this to have been their Principle Now for a King of this Opinion to quit this Church and go to that Church which teaches the Deposing Doctrine to do this out of a desire of Abâ—â—luteness is such a Contradiction as this Author would have seen at another time C. 3. s 12. n. 15. p. 153. he makes K. J. most absolute in the Parliament in Ireland That this Parliament openly profess'd it self a Slave to the King's Will and that he was look'd upon as a Man factiously and rebelliously inclin'd that would dare to move any thing after any Favourite in the House had affirm'd that it was contrary to the King's Pleasure Accordingly the Author instances several particulars of K. J's Absoluteness in this Parliament particularly That upon his signifying his dissatisfaction to the Repeal of Poyning's Act the Parliament let it fall with several other Acts tho' the Irish had talk'd much and earnestly desired the Repeal of Poyning's Act it being the greatest sign and means of their Subjection to England Yet p. 37. you have the Irish dispute his Orders and and stand on the Laws and they would not suffer him to dispense with their Act of Attainder c. And yet p. 18. They pish'd at the Laws as Trifles and declared they liked no Government but that of France that they would make the King as Absolute here as that King was there P. 31. The Temper and Genius of these Men were at Enmity to the Laws and fitted for Slavery They promoted and
Kingdom and that they also apprehend and seize upon all and every person and persons who shall after the time limited hereby and contrary to the Intent hereof keep or conceal any Arms or Ammunition and return their Names with a brief account of their Offence to the Commissioners of our great Seal that they may be proceeded against for the same and that they send such Arms and Ammunition as they shall so seize unto our next Garison or Magazin of Stores Given at our Court at Chapelisard this 31st day of July 1690. in the second Year of our Reign Numb 7. Queries proposed by the Grand Jury of the City of Dublin to the Judges and resolved by them Novemb. 21. 1690. 1. WHether popish Freeholders who raised and maintained Soldiers in their Houses for their Sons or others that submitted to their Majesties Declaration took Protections and did not violate the same ought to be indicted for their former abetting of the Rebellion or not Yes 2. Whether popish Farmers who took Commissions and raised Men but received no Arms and were not in service and submitted on the Declaration and took Protection and did not since violate ought to be indicted or not Yes if they have Chattels real else not 3. Whether common Soldiers or other poor Cottiers now amongst the Rebels no way entituled to any Estate in Lands are by Court intended to be indicted or not Not at present 4. Whether an old Proprietor that entred into Possession by virtue of the late Acts ought to be indicted or not Yes 5. Whether popish Widows who were such before the present Rebellion and do still continue Widows and have Jointures and that have abetted the Rebellion in maintaining Soldiers in their Houses for their Children who took Commissions and acted thereby in this Rebellion ought to be indicted for Treason or not Yes 6. Whether popish Freeholders Electors of Parliament Men who signed Indentures of their Elections to the Sheriffs and have committed no other Crimes ought to be indicted of High Treason for abetting of the Rebellion or not Yes 7. Whether Protestants who accidentally and undesignedly hapned to meet at the place in their County when the Papists were electing Parliament Men to the late pretended Parliament and that after such Election for fear of Death or other Punishment subscribed Indentures of such Election ought to be indicted or not No. 8. Whether Farmers who took Commissions and acted thereby were at the Siege of Derry were afterwards disbanded banded that submitted upon their Majesties Declaration and never since acted any thing against the Government ought to be indicted for the said former Crimes or not Yes if they have Chattels real 9. Whether persons who were Officers and others in Rebellion who deserted and came over from the Rebels to their Majesties Obedience and continue obedient under the protection of the Government ought to be indicted or not Yes Numb 8. Two Speeches by the Bishop of Meath one to King James when the Clergy waited on his Majesty at Dublin Castle in March 168â—â— the other to K. William at his Camp nigh Dublin July 7. 1690. The Speech to King James May it please your most Sacred Majesty We the Clergy of this your Majesty's City of Dublin and as many of the rural Clergy as the Distraction of the Times would permit are come to congratulate your Majesty's Arrival and to assure your Majesty of their Resolution to continue firm to that Loyalty which the Principles of our Church oblige us to which in pursuance to those Principles we have hitherto practised We come may it please your Majesty to implore the Honour of Kissing your Majesty's Hand and your gracious Protection for our Persons Churches and Religion and a Liberty to represent our just Grievances as occasion shall offer And we shall ever pray c. His Majesty's ANSWER THE Distraction of the Times I cannot but be sorry for and for the Principles of the Church of England I am very well acquainted with them nor can I doubt the Loyalty of any Man that acts in pursuance to them and who do so need not doubt my Protection for their Religion Persons and Properties in as ample a manner as ever they enjoyed them And for your Grievances let me know them my self and I will Redress them The SPEECH to King William May it please your Majesty WE are some of the Remains of the Clergy that have ventured to stay behind our Brethren in Perillous Times and under great Discouragements for the Discharge of our Duty to God and the People Two of us are Bishops who together with Five more in the Kingdom thought our selves obliged to continue here to preserve the Succession of the Clergy by the Ordination of Priests and Deacons and the Seminary of the Church by Confirmation The rest of our Members are the Clergy of this City and the Rural Clergy The former of these have staid upon their Charge under great Wants and Discouragements having not only been deprived of all their Maintenance but exposed to daily Dangers in and for the Discharge of their Duties And the latter are Persons driven from their Cures and forced to seek Relief and Sanctuary in this City We may possibly be censured by those who understand not the Grounds and Reasons of our continuance in this Kingdom as Trimmers or Favourers of Popery From the first we are able to acquit our selves having been guilty of no Compliances but such as were the effects of Prudence and Self-preservation such as were the effects of Prudence and Self-preservation such as were at once both innocent and necessary and fit to be observed to a Power that was able to crush us far worse than it did And we are so far from being guilty of the latter that we humbly conceive That we could not more effectually oppose the growth and inundation of Popery than by keeping up the publick Assemblies by sticking to our Flocks and preventing their Seduction by the Romish Emissaries We do not come to crave your Majesty's Protection for our Persons our Churches our Religion or our Properties which have been all in some measure invaded Our Persons have been imprison'd our Churches taken from us our Properties destroyed by a late Act of Parliament that took away our Tithes and the free exercise of our Religion for some time interrupted A Request of this Nature might perhaps look like a distrust of your Majesty's care of us and seem to contradict the Glorious design of your coming into this Kingdom We have sensible that the generous End of your Majesty's Presence is to Rescue us from the Oppressions and Tyranny of Popery and are well assured that the same Paternal Affection that moved your Majesty to pity our distress will still protect us now we are delivered We come rather to bless God as the Author of our Deliverance and Your Majesty as the Happy Instrument raised up by his Providence for the effecting it to express our Gratitude and
Duty to Your Majesty who has a double Title to our Services not only as our King but as our Gracious Benefactor and Deliverer To pray for the Success of your Majesty's Forces for the Consummation of that Good Work that you have with so much Personal Hazard undertaken that you may carry your Victorious Arms in to other Countries where the Cries and the Groans and the Oppressions of the Afflicted Protestants are as great as they have been here That God would be an Helmet of Salvation to you in the day of Battle and deal with you as he did with Nebuchadnezzar when he promised him the Kingdom of Egypt for his hard Service against Tyrus May he likewise recompense your hard Labour in this Kingdom with the Addition of another that is far more valuable And may you prove as Happy and Successful an Instrument in the succouring of others as you have been of the poor Afflicted People of this Kingdom His ANSWER I Am come hither to deliver you from the Tyranny of Popery and Slavery to protect the Protestant Religion and restore you to your Liberties and Properties and you may depend upon it Numb 9. To the King 's most Excellent Majesty the Humble Address of your Loyal and Obedient Subjects the Inhabitants of Wapping Shadwel Ratcliff and Lime-House and others therein concerned Most Dread and most Gracious Sovereign AS those of us who profess our selves Sons of the Church of England do here as in Duty bound return our most humble and hearty thanks to your Sacred Majesty for the repeated assurance you have in your Royal Declaration of Indulgence given to all your Subjects of that Church in protecting and maintaining them in the free exercise of their Religion so others of us who for Non-conformity to that Church felt so much of the severity of the Penal Laws do return such our thanks to your Majesty for our being eased from the same by such your Declaration Nor can we without great Ingratitude to Heaven and to your Majesty forbear to take notice of your particular Tenderness expressed to us in our common Concern on the fourteenth of October last and when the hearts of so many of us were transported with joy upon our hearing those Gracious Words from your Royal Lips namely That what was for the good of your People was for your good We therefore beg your Majesty's leave in the sight of all the World to present you with our most Cordial and Solemn assurances that as your Majesty hath been a Witness of the Loyalty and Fidelity of some of us who served the Crown at Sea in the last Reign when you so much exposed the safety of your Royal Person for the Honour and defence of the Realm that we and all of us who are Mariners shall be as ready to venture our Lives in any such Employment whensoever your Majesty shall call us to it as any could then be And that all of us of what different Persuasion in Religion soever we may be shall yet most firmly agree in the discharge of the Duty of our natural Allegiance to your Majesty and like true Englishmen think no Dangers too great for us to encounter with in the most faithfull Service of your Majesty either by Sea or Land Numb 10. Sir Peter Pett's Speech to his Majesty at Whitehall on the 25th of May 1688. after the most Honourable the Lord Marquis of Powis had read the Address of the Inhabitants of Wapping Shadwel Ratcliff Lime-House c. Together with His Sacred Majesty's most Gracious Expressions thereupon relating to the Seamen THe Ld. Marquess of Powis having represented to his Majesty the Merits of the Petition of many Inhabitants in Wapping Shadwell Ratcliff and Lime-House in which places the greatest part of the Seamen and Naval Manufacturers of England is supposed to dwell and having pleased at the request of some of those Inhabitants to read their Address to his Majesty the which Address was signed by some who had been Captains in the King's Men of War and by many now Masters and Commanders Boat-Swains Carpenters and Gunners and many hundreds of other Mariners in Merchant Ships in Subscriptions filling five large Skins of Parchment Sir Peter Pett after his Lordship's reading of the said Address made this following Speech to his Majesty May it please Your Majesty I Finding that your Majesty is now going to Council shall not presume to detain your Majesty long from the Grandia Regni that there attend you but shall only beg your Majesty's leave that I may acquaint those Gentlemen here who are Seamen with some particulars of your late vast Expences of your Time and Treasure upon your Navy Royal and of your Majesty's extraordinary Care in preserving the Walls of your Kingdom the which your Ships and your Seamen have always been reputed to be to the end that they may acquaint their Neighbours therewith It is known Sir that as for the Seamen your Majesty never paid them with Tickets and that you have paid the greatest part of your Brother's Debts to them and also to the Ship Wrights and that the Seamen have been by your Majesty punctually paid as the Ships they belong to came home and were unrigg'd and that the Workmen in the Yards are quarterly paid as soon as their Wages become due and that the Chest at Chatham out of which the maim'd Soldiers have been still provided for has been plentifully supplied by your Majesty out of your Own Purse to the value of about 20000 l. the Revenue of that Chest by the Collections from the Seamen having been so very inconsiderable that it did not near support the Charge And I account that since the last Parliament your Majesty has laid out great Sums of Money in rebuilding and repairing the Thirty Sail and the rest of the Navy and that to the value of 350000 l. The Charge of your Majesty's having since your Parliament built six new Men of War will appear but comparatively inconsiderable when it shall be thought of how your Majesty has since built new Store-Houses at Portsmouth and Chatham wherein Cables are sorted and lye at length and all manner of Sea Stores for Boat-Swains and Carpenters laid distinct for the respective Ships to which the same belong as also their Rigging distinctly laid apart which things were never done in England before and by means whereof your Ships may be Equipt for Sea in less than a quarter of the time that they were formerly In the building of those Store-Houses and furnishing them with vast quantities of Stores and all bought by your Majesty with ready money and at the best hand I account your Majesty hath expended Millions of Pounds Sterling The Gazetts that have in part made Publication of your Majesty's vast Charge in buying with ready money Masts Timber Hemp Sail-Cloth and all other Naval Stores have necessarily awakened the thoughts of your Subjects to reflect with a high Veneration on your Majesty's having so freely imploy'd