"the power to do fo," raifed the indignation of the Catholic univerfities. "Quod fi Christiani "olim non depofuerint Neronem, et Julianum "Apoftatum, et fimiles, id fuit quia defuerant "vires temporales Chriftianis."* The decifion, was confidered by the Catholic divines, as more becoming the fcarlet robe of the ftern Brutus, who beheaded his children for siding with their king, than the purple of the Chriftian cardinal. It was revifed by the university of Paris; corrected by the hangman with a blazing fagot, and contradicted by the unexceptionable teftimony of Tertullian and St. Auguftine. "Should we want numbers or forces, if we "had a mind to be open enemies?" fays Tertullian. Are the Moors, and Marcomans, "and Parthians, and whatever nations of one place, and confined to their own limits, more "than thofe of the whole world? We are but t 66 66 men of yesterday; and yet have filled all the places you have,-your cities, iflands, cafties, boroughs, councils, and camp itself, your "tribes, courts, the fenate, and the market. "We have left you only the temples. For "what war are not we fit and ready, (even 66 though we were inferior in number) who en"dure death fo willingly, if in this difcipline Bellarmin, de Rom. Pontif. Lib. v. c. 7. it 66 66 1 66 it were as lawful to kill as to be killed ?" * "They could at their pleasure have depofed Julian," fays St. Auguftiné, "but would not "because they were fubject for neceflity, not only to avoid anger, but for confcience and love, and because our Lord fo commanded."+ In effect, fir, laying afide the truth of history, had Peter and Paul been as willing to depofe kings, for the glory of God, and the propagation of religion, as fome of our modern zealots of all communions, how could Nero have withstood thofe apoftles, whofe word alone was to Ananias and Saphira a meffenger of death, ftruck the magicians blind, and raised the dead to life? I fay, of all communions: for in every communion there are men of depofing principles, which their religion disclaims. "Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra." Doleman, Buchanan, Milton, Johnfon, Hobbes, Hoadly, Locke, and feveral other advocates of republican principles, and sticklers for popular rights, are more dangerous than Bellarmin, who difowns the depofing power, except in the case of a prince forcing his fubjects to change their religion: "Si enim tales principes non conentur "fideles "fideles a fide avertere, non exiftimo poffe eos .. privari fuo dominio."* A falvo which, I hope, will remove all umbrage and fufpicion from the minds of our governors as they do not reckon perfecution in the number of their cardinal virtues: even if they did, refiftance is not a principle of the Catholic religion. But I am clearly of opinion, that had Mr. Locke, the wifeft and moft moderate of those English writers, been an officer in Julian's army, he would have reafoned the foldiers into open rebellion. He that compares fubjects, who would brook the violence and oppreffion of their fupreme rulers, to fools," who take care "to avoid what mifchiefs may be done them 66 by pole-cats or foxes, but are content, nay "think it fafety to be devoured by lions ;"† and illuftrates his doctrine with the following example: "He that hath authority to feize my σε ' perfon in the street, may be opposed as a "thief and a robber, if he endeavours to break "into my house to execute a writ, notwith-'ftanding that I know he has fuch a warrant, "and fuch a legal authority, as will empower. "him to arreft me abroad. And why this. "fhould not hold in the higheft, as well as in. "the most inferior magiftrate, I would gladly "be informed."+ Here. • Bellarmin. de Rom. Pontif. 1. v. c. 7. Here you fee a philofophical freedom breaking the fhackles of restraint and ceremony, and under the pretence of redrefling imaginary grievances, introducing real mifchief and a ftate of nature, wherein the most factious and daring adventurers would take the lead. "For "this devolution of power to the people at large, includes in it a diffolution of the whole "form of government established by that peo 66 ple," fays judge Blackftone, "reduces all "the members to their original state of aqua"lity, and by annihilating the fovereign power, "repeals all pofitive laws whatsoever before "enacted. No human laws will therefore fup pose a cafe, which at once must destroy all "law."* "Wo to all the princes upon earth," fays a Proteftant archbishop, "if this doctrine (of refiftance) be true and becometh popular : "if the multitude believe this, the prince, not "armed with the fcales of the Leviathan, can "never be fafe from the fpears and barbed "irons, which ambition, prefumed intereft, "and malice will sharpen, and paffionate vio"lence will throw against him. If the beaft ἐσ we fpeak of but knows its own ftrength, it "will never be managed."+ Blackstone's Com. b. 1. p. 162. "But +Creed of Mr. Hobbes, examined by the archbishop of Canterbury. "But the fame equality of juftice and free"dom that obliged me to lay open this," fays the bishop of Sarum, "ties me to tax all thofe "who pretend a great heat against Rome, and "value themselves on their abhorring all the "doctrines and practices of that church, and yet have carried along with them one of their "most peftiferous opinions, pretending refor"mation when they would bring all under "confusion; and vouching the cause and work "of God, when they were deftroying the authority he had fet up, and oppofing those impowered by him: and the more piety and "devotion fuch daring pretenders put on, it "ftill brings the greater ftain and imputation "on religion, as if it gave a patronacy to those "practices it fo plainly condemns." The borders of the Thames and Tweed afford then advocates for the depofing power, as well as the banks of the Tyber and Po. On the banks of the Tyber a bigotted Divine vests in the pope an indirect power over wicked kings. On the banks of the Thames an enthusiastic Englishman vefts in the subject a direct power over his fovereign. Religion points out an intermediate courfe, without giving * The bishop's heat against Rome often mistakes or difguifes their real opinions. + Sermon of fubjection. |