another's preservation by the law of God and nature, and which he
cannot omit without the guilt of the other's destruction, that may the
other lawfully require of him to do when he needs it, and when it may be
done without the undoing of a greater good. But so it is, that every
subject is obliged by the law of nature, oath and covenants, and the law
of God, to endeavour to their power, the preservation of the kingdom
against unjust violence. And the safety of the kingdom stands in need of
many subjects' assistance who were secluded. And it may be done without
undoing a greater good than is the preservation of religion. _Ergo_.

This argument hath an answer to it in the bosom of it. (1) We shortly deny
the assumption, in relation to the two last branches, both that the
kingdom's preservation stands in necessity of these men's help, and that
their help tends not to the undoing of a greater good, seeing there is no
reason given to confirm these two points, wherein the nerve of the
business lies. We refer to a reason of our denial of them given p.
22.(382) (2) It is true that the obligation to such a duty lies upon all,
but that obligation is to be brought into act and exercise in an orderly
and qualified way, else what need any exceptions be in the act of levy?
Excommunicated persons are under the same obligation, yet the magistrate
is not actually obliged to call such, but rather to seclude them. Are not
all bound to come to the sacrament who are church members? Yet many are
not in a capacity to come, and so ought neither to presume to come nor be
admitted. Are not all subjects obliged to defend the cause of God, and to
prosecute it? And yet many, because of their enmity to the cause of God,
are actually incapable of employment in the defence or prosecution
thereof. (3) The law of nature is above all human laws and constitutions,
they must cede whenever they come in opposition to it. _Salus populi_ is
_suprema lex_(383) in relation to these. But, in relation to the law of
God, it is not so. Sometimes the law of nature must yield to positive
commands of God. Abraham must sacrifice his son at God's command. The law
of nature obliges us to the preservation of ourselves, but it does not
oblige to every mean that may be found expedient to that end, unless it be
supposed lawful and approven of God. Therefore the Lord in his written
word doth determine what means we may use for that end, and what not. But,
(4) We conceive that th