3. There is a third stand still. The truth is, though it isn't through
Byron that inveighs against the Protestants in France, serves to justify what the Protestants in France did — even King James himself in that book of his, in his answer to Byron.6
And besides, we would have to acknowledge that all the Protestant churches in the world are rebels, if it is rebellion merely to take up arms. Don't we know that our own King has matched his daughter to the young Prince of Orange? 7 Now, we know the Prince of Orange is the General of the States in their fields, just as the Earl of Essex is the General of our forces here. And it was their business against the King of Spain (to their praise) to defend their liberties and religion; and they still maintain the same quarrel.8 And the Prince of Orange is their General, and he undertakes it.
We desire nothing but the maintenance of our liberty and our religion, though things have not gone so far yet, as to have our estates taken. Yet the cause that they began with, is our cause. And what the General was there, is the same in kind here (there is not a great difference). And certainly, if it were a rebellion, our king would never have matched his daughter 9 to the son of such a rebel — not if it were rebellion merely to take up arms to defend religion, and to defend the liberties of the country, which are liberties according to law. Indeed, we know further that the King himself has acknowledged our brethren, the Scots, to be loving subjects, to be his loyal subjects. And are we doing any more than they did? 10 Are we doing more in our cause? In fact, have we done so much in our cause, as they have done? How was it generally in their kingdom? And will it be acknowledged that they are loving subjects, doing so much as they did, and yet we be accounted rebels? Surely no man can plead to stand still through ignorance on that ground.
3. There is a third stand still. The truth is, though it isn't through ignorance, it is through a worse principle, and that is of neutralizing.
That is, when men, though they are informed well enough, yet they stand still to see which will be the strongest side. They are loth to appear yet, not knowing which side will most prevail. But they have such a principle in their spirits, to go to the strongest side (whichever it may be), that they stand still till it becomes apparent. My brethren, certainly we can allow no Neuters in these times. The times have grown to a greater height than for any to be admitted as a Neuter —