LETTERS OF DR. SANDERSON. 445 



5. Where I may reasonably and bona fide pre- 

 sume that the oppressed power, to whom my obe- 

 dience is justly due, if he perfectly knew the 

 present condition I am in, together with the exi- 

 gence and necessity of the present case, and of all 

 the circumstances thereof, would give his willing 

 consent to such conformity or compliance. So 

 that, upon the whole matter, and in short, I con- 

 ceive I may so far submit to the impositions, or 

 comply with the persons of a prevailing usurped 

 power, unjustly commanding things in themselves 

 not unlawful, or make use of their power to pro- 

 tect me from others' injuries, as I may submit 

 unto, comply with, or make use of, a highway 

 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 chief 

 obligations (at least between man and man) must 

 give place. 



2. That no oath, (at least no imposed oath) in 

 what terms soever expressed, binds the taker fur- 

 ther than he intended to bind himself thereby; 

 and it is to be presumed, that no man intended to 

 bind himself to the prejudice of his own safety. 



Two dangerous and desperate principles, which 



