ment, buried in obscurity (uuu); and the

(uvu) The doctrines of liberty were buried in obfcurity, and the contrary ones eftablished.] From the commencement of the civil wars, men began to open their eyes,. and fee their natural equality; their right to freedom;. their independency on the will either of the magiftrate or the priest. Milton's writings greatly contributed to these glorious ends: and we may eafily conceive how much fuch men as Sydney, Harrington, and Neville added thereunto. Under the commonwealth government, thefe doctrines found great encouragement; and the affertors of liberty were the favourites of the men in power. From this time, till the return of his majesty, religion and government were the common topics of converfation and writing: and the prefs frequently produced schemes for reforming the one, and new modelling the other. The royalifts, who hated law, as laying restraint on fovereignty; and who, for the most part, cared little for religion stript of pomp, wealth, and power: the royalists, with indignation, faw all this; attempted to ridicule and expofe it; and, in their hearts, detefted the men who promoted principles fo oppofite to their own views of things. Nor did they reft here: As the refiftance of Charles, his imprisonment, condemnation, and death, were supposed to have flowed from the doctrine of the legality of refiftance of power, delegated or fupream, when used to the prejudice of the people; it was determined to extirpate it, and erect the contrary on its ruins. The fteps by which this was done, Mr. Locke will fhew us in the following paragraphs :

The

the contrary ones established and confirmed.

The firft ftep,' fays he, was made in the act for regulating corporations*: wisely beginning that in 'thofe leffer governments, which they meant afterwards

to introduce upon the government of the nation; and 'making them fwear to a declaration and belief of fuch ❝ propofitions, as they themselves afterwards, upon de'bate, were enforced to alter, and could not justify in 'those words: fo that many of the wealthiest and so⚫ bereft men are still kept out of the magiftracy of those

places. The next step was in the act of militia, ⚫ which went for moft of the chiefeft nobility and gentry < being obliged, as lord-lieutenants, deputy-lieutenants,

&c. to fwear to the same declaration and belief, with ❝ the addition only of these words, in pursuance of such military commiffions; which makes the matter rather ' worse than better. Yet this went down smoothly, as ⚫ an oath in fashion, a testimony of loyalty; and none "adventuring freely to debate the matter, the humour of the age, like a strong tide, carries wife and good men • down before it. Immediately after this, followeth the act of Uniformity; by which all the clergy of England are obliged to fubfcribe and declare what the corporations, nobility, and gentry had before fworn; but with this additional clause of the militia act omitted.

* By the Statute 13 Car. II. c. i. here referred to, all persons who shall be mayors, aldermen, &c. befides the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy, were obliged to take this oath following: I, A.B. do declare, and believe, that it is not lawful, upon any pretence whatfoever, to take arms against the king: and that I do abhor that traiterous pofition of taking arms by his authority again his perfon, or against thofe that are commiffioned by him. So help me God.'

firmed. Now it was that refiftance of

the

• This the clergy readily complied with; for, you know, ⚫ that fort of men are taught rather to obey than under• ftand; and to use that learning they have, to juftify, not to examine, what their fuperiors command. But this matter was not compleat until the five-mile act paffed at Oxford, wherein they take an opportunity to introduce the oath in the terms they would have it. • This was then ftrongly opposed by the Lord Treasurer • Southampton, Lord Wharton, Lord Ashley, and others, not only in the concern of thofe poor minifters that were so severely handled, but as it was in itself a most ' unlawful and unjustifiable oath. However, the zeal of that time against all non-conformifts eafily paffed the act. This act was feconded the fame feffion, at Oxford, by another bill in the house of commons, to • have imposed that oath on the whole nation. And the providence by which it was thrown out was very remarkable for Mr. Peregrine Bertie being newly chofen, was that morning introduced into the houfe by his brother, the now Earl of Lindsey, and Sir "Thomas Ofborn, now Lord Treasurer, who all three gave their votes against that bill; and the members were fo even upon the divifion, that their three votes ⚫ carried the question against it.'. In 1675, a bill

was brought into the house of lords, and strongly supported by the bishops and courtiers, which required all officers of the church and state, and all members of both houses of parliament, not only to take the fame oath, but likewife to fwear, that they would not, at any

⚫ time, endeavour the alteration of the government ei

⚫ ther

the fovereign, or those commiffioned by him,

⚫ther in church or ftate. This was strongly oppofed
by the most confiderable peers: protested against by
them in the warmest manner; but carried, with fome
little alteration, by a majority of voices. Luckily, how-
ever, for the nation, a dispute arose, between the two
houses, about privileges; which put an end to the fef-
fion before the commons had affented to this infamous
bill, intended to fhackle two-thirds of the legislature.
The Chancellor Finch, and the Treafurer
Danby, had the honor of projecting and defending this
ever-memorable Teft (c).
How different was
Danby from Sir Thomas Osborn? But though the
Teft mifcarried, the doctrine of flavery prevailed; and
refiftance, at all times, and in all cafes, was almost uni-
verfally condemned. The clergy zealously preached up
the divine right of kings; and denounced damnation
against fuch as fhould dare to oppofe their most arbitra-

their most wicked defigns. I will not make extracts from the common herd of ecclefiaftical writers. Tillotson's letter to Lord Ruffel, when under condemnation for treason, as it was stiled, will fully show how much the flavish principle had taken poffeffion of wife and good men under this reign. I will tranfcribe it at large. It is as follows:

< My LORD,

I was heartily glad to fee your lordship, this morning, in that calm and devout temper at receiving the ⚫ facrament. But peace of mind, unlefs it be well grounded, will avail little. And becaufe tranfient ⚫ difcourfe many times hath little effect, for want of time

• to

him, was condemned by acts of parlia

ment;

to weigh and confider it; therefore, in tender compaffion of your lordships cafe, and from all the good will ⚫ that one man can bear to another, I do humbly offer to your lordships deliberate thoughts thefe following confiderations concerning the point of refiftance, if our religion and rights fhould be invaded, as your lordfhip puts the cafe; concerning which I understand, by Dr. Burnet, that your lordship had once received fatisfaction, and am forry to find a change. Firft; That the Chriftian religion doth plainly forbid the refistance of authority. Secondly; That though our religion be eftablished by law (which your lordship argues as a difference between our cafe and that of the Primitive Chriftians); yet, in the fame law which effablishes our religion, it is declared, that it is not • lawful, upon any pretence whatsoever, to take up arms, • &c. Befides that, there is a particular law, declaring the power of the militia to be folely in the king. And this ties the hands of fubjects, though the law of nature and the general rules of fcripture had left us at liberty which, I believe, they do not; because the government and peace of human fociety could not well ⚫ fubfift upon these terms. Thirdly; Your lordships opinion is contrary to the declared doctrine of all proteftant churches. And though fome particular perfons have thought otherwife; yet they have been contradicted herein, and condemned for it, by the generality of proteftants. My end in this is, to convince your lordship, that you are in a very great and dangerous mistake: and being fo convinced, that, which