The laws of nature then, as still they do, Taught them, their rights and safety to pursue; That if a king, who should protect, destroys, He forfeits all the sanction he enjoys. {174} There's not a nation ever own'd a crown, But if their kings opprest them, pull'd them down; Concurring Providence has been content, And always blest the action in th' event. He that, invested with the robes of power, Thinks'tis his right the people to devour, Will always find some stubborn men remain, That have so little wit, they won't be slain; Who always turn again when they're opprest, And basely spoil the gay tyrannic jest; Tell kings--of Nature, Laws of God, and Right, Take up their arms, and with their tyrants fight. When passive thousands fall beneath the sword, And freely die at the imperial word, A stern, unyielding, self-defending few, While they resist, will ravel all the clew; Will all the engines of oppression awe, And trample pow'r beneath the feet of law. 'Tis always natural for men opprest, Whene'er occasion offers to resist; They're traitors else to truth and common sense, And rebels to the laws of Providence; 'Tis not enough to say, they _may_--they _must_; The strong necessity declares it just; * 'Tis Heav'n's supreme command to man, and they Are always blest who that command obey. * If it be asked, Who shall be judge? it is plain that God has made Nature judge. If a king make a law, destructive of human society and the general good, may it not be resisted and opposed? "No!" exclaim a junta of holy meu, "it is from GOD!" What is _Blasphemy?_ {175} So France deposed the Merovingian line, And banish'd Childrick * lost the right divine; So Holy League their sacred Henry ** slew, And call'd a counsel to erect a new; For right divine must still to justice bow, And people first the right to rule bestow: So Spain to arbitrary kings inured, Yet arbitrary Favila *** abjured; Denmark four kings deposed, and Poland seven, Swedeland but one-and-twenty, Spain eleven: Russia, Demetrius banish'd from the throne,**** And Portugal pull'd young Alphonsus down; Each nation that deserves the name of state, Has set up laws above the magistrate; Hence, when a self-advancing wretch acquires A lawless rule, his government expires. * Childeric I. the son of Merovius, for his lasciviousness, was banished by the great men, and one Egidiu?, a Gaul, set up in his stead. Childeiic II. was banished and deposed by his subjects, and king Pepin reigned in his stead; and so ended the Merovingian family.