277 D But If you limit this Rule to Chriftians, is it to all 'Chri- ians ? If to Orthodox.. Rulers, are the SubjeCts any fitter to judge whether their Kings and Bifhops are Orthodox or not, than whether the things impofed be good or bad ? If you dare fay, That all Subjects are bound to be of the Religion which their Kings or Bifhops fay is right, fpeak out and you will need no confutation. It's granted by all fober men, that asRulers have the judg- nient of publick decifion, fo every reafonabie man muft judge byprivate difcernìng whether his &bons be agreeable to God's Commands or not. It is not Brutes and Infants, but Men that have the ufe of reafon, that Kings and Bifhops rule. 4. But if you are ftiff in the contrary opinion, that all men muft implicitely believe the King and Prelates, in all that ignorance canbut make them doubtful of, I hope you havemore brains than once to dream, that ever you (hall bring all the Kingdom to unite in this opinion, and to lay by their react fon, and confefs themfelves Ideots or Brutes, that muft not labour to know whether they keep or break God's Supream Law; or if you muff rule men on thefe terms, you.mutt keep them in fetters, and not at liberty. And I pray you difhonour not the King fo much, as to make him a King of Beafts and Ideots, and not of Mon or Chriftians ; or at leaft expofe him not fo much to the Power of lifurpers, as to fay that his Subjects are not the .Difcerning yudges, who is their -True and Lawful Soveraign, . and who not ; and if they muft judge whether all their acti- ons be agreeable to theKings Laws or not, left they be hangad or punifhed ; allow them alto to judge whether or no th©y be. agreeable to God's Law, left they be damned. If men once believe that God is not their SupreamGover° noun., no wonder if they believe : that Kings. have no Gover- ning right, nor . any are bound in confcience to obey them; for who can give Governing Authority, or who can bind Con. fc.ience to obey it,.. but the abfolute Soveraign, the Almighty God ? L. Experience confuteth all that you have íaid-; what Coun- tries live in greater Vnity, than thole that have procured and kept it by violence, and do endure no Diffenters ; as Spain and Italy ? . It
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