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diligently compared together, both between themselves, and with the following practices of all the Churches of Christ, as well in the Apostles' times as in the purest and primitive times nearest thereunto, there will be left little cause why any man should doubt thereof.

Thirdly, that in my Answer to the latter Objection I made no use at all, nor indeed could do, of the Opinion of the Reverend Judges in that point, nor of His Majesty's Proclamation grounded thereupon. For although the Proclamation had been exstant ten years before this task was imposed upon me,* yet I had never seen nor so much as heard of the same in all the time before, nor yet in all the time since, till about ten days ago I was advertised thereof, when these papers were then going to the press. Which, since they give so much strength to the main cause, and so fully avoid the Objection, I have followed the advice of some Friends, and caused them to be printed herewithal.

*The Proclamation was issued in August, 1637. Sanderson received the King's instructions to write on

the Subject in the same month in 1647.

THE history of the Work, for which the following Preface was written, will be conveniently placed before the Reader in an extract from Dr. Elrington's Life of Archbishop Ussher, p. 305.

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'It had originally been composed at the request of Lord Strafford. On the breaking out of the disturbances in Scotland in 1639, Sir George Radcliffe applied to Dr. Bernard for the Primate's opinion on the subject, which was immediately sent in writing; and no sooner did the Primate arrive in Dublin than Lord Strafford called upon his Grace to make public his opinions, which he accordingly did, by preaching two Sermons before the State in Christ Church, on the Text: I counsel thee to keep the King's commandment, and that in regard of the Oath of God. Lord Strafford subsequently communicated to the Lord Primate not only his own wish, but that of the King, that he should either print these Sermons or write a Treatise on the subject. He preferred the latter, and brought the Treatise over with him to England, when it was submitted to the King, who, having read the book, signified his will and pleasure that it should be printed, to the end that all his beloved subjects might receive the like satisfaction from the same as himself had done." The Archbishop immediately sent the copy to London, that it might be printed; but the person to whom it was entrusted, either through carelessness or design, lost the manuscript, and it never was recovered. The Archbishop sought in vain for the original among his numerous papers, and never ceased to express his regret at the loss of a work upon which he had spent so much labour. After his death his executors were more successful, and discovered the original in the handwriting of the Archbishop; but it was not a time to publish such a Treatise, and they were obliged to wait for a more favourable opportunity. Immediately after the Restoration, the Archbishop's grandson, James Tyrrell, published the work, with a Dedication to Charles II, and a learned Preface by Bishop Sanderson.'

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THE

POWER COMMUNICATED BY GOD

TO THE PRINCE,

AND THE

OBEDIENCE REQUIRED OF THE SUBJECT.

BRIEFLY LAID DOWN, AND CONFIRMED OUT OF

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES,

THE TESTIMONY OF THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH,

THE DICTATES OF RIGHT REASON, AND

THE OPINION OF THE WISEST AMONG THE HEATHEN WRITERS.

By the Most Reverend Father in God,

JAMES, late Lord Archbishop of Armagh,
and Primate of all IRELAND.

Faithfully published out of the Original Copy, written with his own hand, by the Reverend Father in God,

ROBERT, Lord Bishop of LINCOLN,

WITH HIS LORDSHIP'S PREFACE THEREUNTO.

PROV. xxiv. 21.

My son, fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change.

LONDON,

PRINTED FOR ANNE SEILE, OVER AGAINST ST. DUNSTAN'S CHURCH IN FLEET-STREET. 1661.*

* In Quarto. 'The Second Edition Corrected' appeared in 1683, in Octavo.

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