to the Reader trainable in the concerns of men, all which comparative.., 1y are but trifles ? Might not all Chriflian martyrs of old, and proteftant ones of late, by fuch obedience to their refpe&ive lawful fovereigns, in the several parts of the Chriflian world,have efcaped and delivered themfelves from being burnt alive,and from other bloody,violent and cruel deaths, and exquisite torments ? And shall they- not, according to this detestable do&rine, be looked ar, as a company of filly fools, who needlefly threw away their lives, which they might thus have very eafily preferved? For none of them, we know of, were ever by their popish lawful fovereigns injoined, to fay with ¡their tongue, ghat they believed not in Chr ; which yet, faith he, they might and should have done, (keeping their mind to themfelves, and to God) and much more thole things which they were commanded. Further, Page 239, 240, 241. he refers to the decision of the sovereign, all forts of do &rive in effe &, and more par- ticularly and exprefly, Whether the fubje &s 'hall pro- fess, That life eternal and happinefs (hall be on the earth only ? Whether the foul of man is a living creature, inde- pendent on the body, or loth fuhfiJ feparately from the bo- dy ? Whether any mere man is immortal, otherwife than by the refurreltion of the lafi day? Whether wicked men shall be tormented eternally, fo as not to be deflroyed, to die, and he annihilated at length? (to all which himself feemeth to be inclined as his own opinions ; O wicked and wretch... ed! O atheistical, detestable and damnable opinions ! ) Whether, I fay, the fubje& shall profefs thefe things, or not, he refers to the decision of the fovereign ; by which we may very eafily judge in how many, and in how very momentuous things in Chriilian religion he ©bligeth fube&s, as to their outward profeffion and carriage, to (land to, and acquiefce in, the decision and determination of the lawful fovereign in a kingdom, or common-wealth, or of the publick Confcience, or law of the land ; which, whether it be not to deny all confci_ ence to fubjetis and private perlons, in fuch matters as fo nearly concern the eternal falvation of their immortal fouls, is obvious at firfl blush. It puts me in mind of what is reported of a great map (1'uieiliug prong of this.
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