A Vindication OF THE DIVINES OF THE Church of England, Who have Sworn Allegiance to K. William & Q. Mary, From the Imputations of APOSTASY and PERJURY, Which are Cast upon Them upon that Account, in the Now Published History of Passive Obedience. By One of those DIVINES.  It is impossible but that Offences will come, but woe unto him through whom they come, etc. Luke, 17. 1. 
Licenced August 27th. 1689. I. Fraser.  
LONDON, Printed for Brabazon Aylmer at the Three Pigeons over against the Royal Exchange, Cornhill, 1689.   

A Vindication OF THE DIVINES OF THE Church of England, etc.  
I Should hardly have thought it much worth any one's while, to Concern himself about the now Published Book, Entitled, The History of Passive Obedience, were it not to prevent Atheistical and Debauched Persons making use of it, to the Scandalising of weak and inconsiderative People against Religion; and the more hardening themselves in their Contempt thereof, by seeing so great a Body of the Ministers of this Church, so exposed to the World for Apostates and Perjured Wretches, as they are in this Book.  
But it seems to me to be absolutely necessary, for this Reason, to take, at least, the Design of this Book into Consideration, which is all I intent to do. And the apparent Design of it is, as I now intimated, to make the World believe, That the Generality of the Divines of the Church of England are fallen under the Gild of most Shameful Apostasy, and consequently, of Perjury too, in the Oaths they have Taken to King William, and Queen Mary. Had this History come abroad some considerable time before the First of August, I confess I should not have passed such a Censure upon it, but had been obliged to hope, That 'twas piously and charitably intended to prevent our Clergy's Scandalising their People, and Violating their own Consciences: But since it comes thus late, the Exposing of those who have taken these Oaths, 'tis most evident, is at least the principal Design of it. And how well such Work as this does become Christians, and Protestants, and Members of our Church, who, to justify their Refusal of these Oaths, and to commend themselves to the World as Stanch-men, and steady to their Principles, are content to sacrifice to their own Reputation, the Good-Names of all but a very inconsiderable Number of their Brethren, I leave to their own Consciences and serious Thoughts; if ever they are at leisure to think seriously, or are capable of making sedate Reflections.  
All those of the Clergy that have taken these Oaths, are as expressly as can be, without running the most Apparent Danger of the Law, blackened with Apostasy from the Doctrine of the Church of England subscribed by them; and very many of the most Eminent of them by Name, with basely deserting that Principle, which they have heretofore published to the World in Print, and been Zealous Maintainers and Avowers of, viz. That of Passive-Obedience, or Nonresistance of the Higher Powers, upon any Pretence whatsoever.  
But I can scarcely desire a more easy Task, than to show that these New Oaths are no whit repugnant to the Asserting of the most Absolute Passive-Obedience; and that those who have skrewed up this Point to the very highest Peg (as I ever thought some have done it much too High, through their Non-attendance to the Constitution under which we live) may Lawfully take these Oaths, without recanting any thing they have Preached or Printed upon this Argument: And own William and Mary, without Fear of Contradicting what they have held about this Matter, as not only de Facto, but de jure too, their King and Queen: For,  
First, Can a Prince who is Justly provoked by another Prince, to whom He oweth no Allegiance, gain a more unquestionable Title to His Crown than that of Conquest, when reasonable Satisfaction hath been first Denied Him? And will the highest Asserters of Passive-Obedience, affirm it to be due from Those, who are under no Obligation of Allegiance?  
Now this was the Case of the Prince of Orange: For,  
1. He was no Subject to King james.  
2. King james had given Him very just Provocations. Surely his making so great Advances towards the setting up of Popery in his Kingdoms, and the bringing in of a Foreign Power consequently, and the overthrowing of the Laws, and quite Changing the Government, must needs appear to all impartial Persons to be just Provocations, since He was so very nearly Concerned in these Actings, by Reason of His PRINCESS' and His Own Right of Succession, to the Government of these Kingdoms. But what more Sensible Provocations could the Prince receive, than was King james his giving Him so great Reason to believe, that 'twas his Design to Deprive His Princess of Her Title of next Successor to the Crown, and for ever to Exclude the immediate Line?  
3. The Prince having Demanded in His Declaration, Satisfaction from King james, and promised to Refer His Cause entirely under God, to a Free Parliament; and that He would make no worse use of His Army in the mean time, than for His own necessary Security, he would by no means yield to any thing of Compliance; but betook himself to the most Vigorous Opposition of Him, he could possibly make. And when he found himself forsaken of the best Part of his Army, and that the Prince grew much too strong to be Encountered by him, instead of yielding to His Demand of a PARLIAMENT, he Revoked that Summons of one, which before the Princes Landing, He was persuaded to send forth; and leaving those who had to the last adhered to him to shift for themselves, as well as they could; away he Fled, both a First, and a Second time Fled, Flung away the Seals, and leaving no Representative behind him, left the Nation without Government: Not to mention Here his putting himself wholly into the Hands of the Greatest and most Formidable Enemy, his three Kingdoms, and all Protestant Nations, have in the World.  
Now, What was this but a plain Conquest? 'Twas such a Conquest in all its Circumstances, as hath ever been acknowledged to give an unquestionably Just Title as far as concerns the Conquered Prince. I give this Limitation, because I am aware 'twill be Objected, that though King james was Conquered, the Nation was not, they not liking his Cause so well as to side with him; but generally Received the Prince of Orange, as a Glorious Instrument, which they hoped God Almighty had raised up, to bring them Deliverance from the Evils they Suffered, and the much Greater they saw very near Approaching them. And those that now refuse to Swear Allegiance to Him, were observed to be as forward as others, in Expressing their Affection to Him; at least many of them. In Answer hereto, it must be acknowledged that the Nation was not Conquered: But all that follows from hence, is, That the Prince would not have acquired a Right to the Crown against the Nations Consent. He had a very Justifiable Plea against King james, but not against his Subjects, had He gone about to make Himself their King, whether they would or no; since, having had no Contest with them, He could notbe said to have made a Conquest of them. And, as He never Claimed the Crown by the Right of Conquest (which He could not have done Prudently, nor Justly neither, in Regard of the Engagement He was under from His Declaration, as well as because He had no occasion given Him of Conquering the Nation) so their Consent He had, if an Assembly of the Three Estates may be called the Nation: And I need not say, that He had more than their bare Consent too. And as to the Collective Body of the Nation, if it be divided into Forty Parts, I believe I shall be thought sufficiently modest should I say, that He had the Consent of no fewer than Thirty Nine of them.  
And as King james had no Wrong done him, since he must altogether blame Himself, for being disabled to hold his Crown, and for aught that appears to Us, for leaving the Nation without Government; so the Princess of Orange being Crowned with the Prince, and She giving Her Consent to His being Crowned with Her, suffered no Wrong neither; and She lost nothing of the Honour, and nothing but the Trouble of a Crowned Head. Nor did Her Royal Sister receive any injury, or met with the least unrighteous dealing, since her being put one remove farther from the Crown, was first Consented to by herself, for His sake to whom (under God) she was obliged for her being in a Capacity (a Moral Capacity I mean) of ever wearing it.  
Now whether the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, with the freely Elected Commons of England, did light upon the very Best Method, for the Settling of the Government, and Satisfaction of all Parties, as it is not material to Inquire; so I doubt 'tis impossible for Us that are in an inferior Station, to Determine: But I dare affirm, that the much greater Part of the Nation, and of the Members of the Church of England too, do think they did, from the general great Satisfaction that hath been in all places Expressed therewith. But as for those who do not approve of this Method as the most desirable, if they cannot make evident Proof of its being unjust, I am sure their refusing to Acqui●ss in it, would be a Notorious Contradiction to the Doctrine of Passive-Obedience; since 'twas pitched upon by those whose Business alone it was to adjust this Affair; and to whom also they entirely Referred it, in their Voting for Persons to be their Representatives in the Convention, which was Summoned for no other purpose. And nothing is more evident, than that 'tis inconsistent with all Government, for private Persons not to Rest Satisfied with the Decisions of those, whose Office it is to judge in the disputable and difficult Points that Relate to it.  
If the Compilers of this Goodly History will Object to us, That King james his Subjects, aught to have stood by him against the Prince of Orange; and therefore since it was through their Default that he was Conquered by Him, they ought not to fetch an Argument from thence, for their owning the Prince as their Rightful King. I Reply,  
First, Why then did not themselves stand by KING james? Why did themselves so silently Look on, and see HIM Conquered? Why did they not at least mind their People of their Duty, and on Pain of Damnation Excite them to it? Suppose there were Hazard in the Case, aught that to Discourage the Ministers of Jesus Christ from the Performance of a necessary Duty? Nay, how came it to pass, that so many of their Party, did seem no less than others, highly to Approve of the Prince's Enterprise, and to wish Him Success? If they will ingeniously Acknowledge, that these were inexcusable Faults in them, Why don't they make their Repentance as public as these Faults were? And believe it, very Heinous ones they are, if they are Faults.  
Secondly, Do they think that our not siding with King james, which hath brought upon us these New Oaths, is a Contradiction to our Doctrine of Passive-Obedience? I have ever thought, that this Doctrine makes it a Duty to Suffer, not to Act; and should we think that we are bound to stand by our King in wrong Doing, and an unrighteous Cause (as we must verily believe His was, since we believe the Prince's was very Righteous) we must be Asserters of as Unlimited an Active-Obedience to our Kings, as these Gentlemen are of a Passive: And when we do so, we will give them leave to call us Apostates with a Witness: Apostates from Christianity itself, as well as from that one Doctrine of Passive-Obedience: And to Accuse us of bidding adieu to our Baptismal Vow, as well as of breaking an Oath of Allegiance. Of which more anon.  
Secondly, Another Argument for our owning William and Mary, as our Rightful King and Queen against King james, shall be taken from the Circumstances he is brought into; or rather into which he hath cast himself: Which Circumstances are such as make it absolutely necessary to the Preservation of our Religion, Liberty and Property, to the saving us from utter Ruin, and from a Deluge of all manner of Miseries, zealously to stand by the present Settlement. We know upon whom King james hath cast himself, and in whose Power he hath been, ever since he left this Kingdom. We know that all the hopes he can now comfort himself with, of Regaining his Kingdoms, if by this time he despair not of it, are from the Assistance of the most jesuited Prince in the World but one, and the most Barbarously Cruel Tyrant, and who hath not his Match for horrible Perfidiousness, that we know of, under the Cope of Heaven. We know that, if by his help he should at last have Success, the Protestants of the Kingdom of France, as fearfully Deplorable a State as he hath brought them into, cannot be more Miserable, than will be these three Protestant Kingdoms. Nay, we know too, that then this Monster must be our King, and that King james can scarce reasonably hope for so great an Honour, as to be his Viceroy. These things I say, that Humanly speaking, we know there is no avoiding; and that without Miracles from Heaven, no means can save us from being the greatest Objects of Compassion, in all the World. And what shall we call those, who having so scaring a Prospect of things before their Eyes, shall refuse the only Humane means for their Preservation, in hope of Miracles? Which only Means no man can be so blind as not to see, is Faithfully Adhering to King William and Queen Mary. I need not add, that we know too, by sad Experience, the strange Wilfulness▪ of King james his Temper, and that the jesuits have gotten him so perfectly under their own Power, as to be the sole Masters of his Judgement and Conscience; That he hath been all along Acted by such an implicit Faith in their Counsels, that his continual Experience of the Foolishness of them, could never make the least abatement of his confidence in them. And therefore, what Wise Man can hope, from the greatest Security he can possibly give us, that our condition may be so much as Tolerable under him, should he return to sway the Sceptre in these Kingdoms, though the King of France had no Hand in it?  
Those that so insist still on the perpetuity of the Obligation of their Oath to King james, are inconsiderative to Amazement, of the Prior▪ Obliligation they are under, to their▪ Religion, and to the Community of which they are Members: Which no After Obligation can by any▪ means Cancel. And 'tis the absurdest thing imaginable to suppose, that that for the sake of which Principally, we are obliged to Swear Allegiance to our Kings, viz. the Safety and Welfare of the Community over which they are placed, ought upon the Account of this Oath to be disregarded. As it is not a less Profane thing, to think ourselves bound to give them Assistance, in such a Cause, as their Success wherein 'tis Morally impossible should not End in the utter Ruin of our Religion. Those that Propagate the contrary Doctrine, I will not stick to say, make Idols of their Kings; and they are the People to whom the World is chiefly beholden for Arbitrary and Tyrannical ones. And for my part, I must needs Profess, that I could not with a safe Conscience Swear Allegiance to the best King that ever held a Sceptre, while I thought myself obliged by that Oath, to prefer his Personal Interest before his Political, before the Apparent Interest of Religion, or of the Community.  
I can be sure of nothing, if I am out in this notion, That no Oath can bind any longer, than the Obligation thereof is consistent and reconcilable with the Salus Populi; the Well fare (the Spiritual and Temporal welfare) of the People; which is the sole End of all Government. By Salus Populi I cannot be thought to mean the welfare of any Party; I mean the welfare of the Whole, or of the Generality of the Community. And every private Subject, who is capable of making a true Judgement in any Case, is easily able to make a Judgement, when the Safety of the Community is in Eminent Danger. And though I know that Maxim▪ Salus Populi est Suprema Lex: The welfare of the People, is the Highest Law; may be liable to be abused to most Villainous Purposes, and likewise that it hath been very greatly abused in our own Nation, yet 'tis therefore never the less True; but as Evident a Principle as any in Nature. Nor is it capable of being abused to worse purposes, than hath been the Gospel of the Grace of God, or the Apostles Doctrine of Christian Liberty. Those that will mis-understand and abuse this Maxim of Government, shall dearly Pay for it either in this World, or in that to come▪ if not in both; but Wise Men will not sooner part with it, because it may, or hath been the occasion of great Mischiefs, than our Good PROTESTANTS will throw away their English Bibles, in Regard of the Mischief which the Papists tell them hath been done by them. And I could adventure to Appeal to any unbiased Person, that competently understands the nature of Government, in general, Whether this Great and Unrepealable Law alone, would not, in our present Circumstances, divest King james of his Title to the Governing of these Kingdoms; would not perfectly dissolve our Obligation to him, and transfer the Right to Those who now Reign over us. And methinks, though Providence alone, be a very fallible Topick to Argue from, yet the very many Amazing Providences, by which these Princes have been brought to the Throne, and have carried them through many Extreme Difficulties here, and are now a displaying in Scotland, but especially in Ireland, should add Strength enough to other Arguments to Convince our greatest Unbelievers of their Right to be our Sovereigns; and that they have the Broad Seal of Heaven for it. And I wish, that those, on whom such Astonishing Appearances of the Hand of God can have no Influence, would consider those Words of the Prophet Isaiah, Ch. 26. 11. Lord when thine Hand is lifted up, they will not see; but they shall see and be ashamed, etc.  
And thus have I kept to my Resolution when I first set Pen to Paper, to write no more Lines than needs must, upon this Argument. And the little that hath been said, as I am verily persuaded, is a sufficient Vindication, even of Their taking the New Oaths, whom I cannot Vindicate from having gone too far in their Doctrine of Passive Obedience.  
Nor shall I have the least Controversy with these my Brethren, though they should never change their Minds about that Point; since having transferred their Allegiance, they must needs also transfer their Passive Obedience to Those, of whom we are mighty secure, they'll make no such Advantage of their making it so Absolute, as King james was preparing himself to do.  
FINIS.