A RESOLUTION OF CONSCIENCE, in Answer to Mr Ascham's BOOK.  
UPon perusal of Mr Ascham's Book you left with me, I find not myself in my understanding thereby convinced of the necessity or Lawfulness of Conforming unto, or Complying with an unjust prevailing Power, further than I was before persuaded, it might be Lawful or necessary so to do: viz. As I paying Taxes, and Submitting to some other things (in themselves not unlawful) by  
3. Without any explicit or implicit acknowledgement of the Justice and legality of their Power: I may submit to the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, (to the Force) but not acknowledge the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, (the authority) or by any my voluntary Act give strength, assistance, or countenance thereunto.  
4. Without any prejudice unto the claim of the Oppressed party that hath a right, Title; or casting myself into an incapacity of lending him my due and bounden Assistance, if, in time to come, it may be useful to him towards the recovery of his Right.  
5. Where I may reasonably, and Bonâ Fide presume, the Oppressed Power, (to whom my Obedience is justly due) if he perfectly knew the present Condition I am in, together with the Exigence and necessity of the present Case, and all of Circumstances thereof, would give his willing Consent to such my conformity and Compliance.  
So that, upon the whole matter and in short, I conceive I may so far submit unto the Impositions, or comply with the Persons of a prevailing usurped Power, unjustly commanding things not in themselves unlawful; or make use of their Power to protect one from others Injuries. As I may submit unto, comply with, or make use of an high-way Thief, or Robber, when I am fallen into his hands, and lie at his mercy.  
As for Mr Ascham's discourse, though it be handsomely framed, yet all the Strength of it (to my seeming) lies upon two Principles, which (if he would speak out) would be in plain English these:  
1. That Self-preservation is the first and chiefest Obligation in the World, to which all other Bonds and Relations (at least between Man and Man) must give place.  
2. That no Oath, at least no imposed Oath, at what Terms soever expressed, binde's the Taker further than he intended to bind himself thereby; and, it is presumed, that no man intended to bind himself to the prejudice of his own safety.  
Two dangerous and desperate Principles, which evidently tend to the taking away of all Christian Fortitude and Suffering in a Righteous Caus: to the Encouraging of daring and ambitious Spirits to attempt continual Innovations, with this Confidence, that if they can by any ways (how unjust soever) possess themselves of the supreme Power, they ought to be submitted unto: to the Obstructing unto the Oppressed party all possible ways and means, without a Miracle, of ever recovering that just Right, of which he shall have been unjustly dispossessed: And (to omit further instancing) to the bringing in of Atheism, with the Contempt of God and all Religion, whilst every man, by making his own Preservation the Measure of all his Duties and Actions, maketh himself thereby his own Idol.  
FINIS.