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<DATE>2010-05-03</DATE>
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<NAME>Olivia Bottum</NAME>
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>SOME CONSIDERATIONS about the Nature of an Oath More particularly relating to Our <HI>Nationall Covenant.</HI></P>
<P>Seriou&s;ly propounded to all who truely feare God, and de&s;ire &s;o to walk with him, that they may enjoy Peace of Con&s;cience.</P>
<P>Wherein this QUAERIE is Handled: <HI>Whether the &s;aid</HI> Nationall Covenant <HI>hath tho&s;e Requi&s;ites in it, which according to Gods Word ought to be in every</HI> OATH.</P>
<P>The Con&s;ideration whereof Is in this juncture of time the more &s;ea&s;onable, for that the &s;aid <HI>Covenant</HI> is on the one hand too much adored by &s;ome, and on the other hand by others e&s;teemed &s;carce oblieging, even them who have Sworn it.</P>
<P><HI>Qui facil&egrave; jurat, facil&egrave; perjurat.</HI></P>
<P>Imprimatur Theodore Jennings Septem. 17. 1649.</P>
<P>London Printed for Robert Ibbit&s;on in Smithfield near the Queens head Tavern, Octob. 4. 1649.</P>
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<PB REF="2">
<PB N="1" REF="2">
<HEAD>Ob&s;ervations upon our Nationall COVENANT.</HEAD>
<P>_HAving with much &s;orrow beheld how the divi&s;ions and troubles of this torne and di&s;-joynted King|dome, have been continued even when we had good hopes that they were drawing to a period: Look|ing into the <HI>cau&s;e,</HI> this hath been ob&s;erved to be none of the lea&s;t, that all parties have laboured to uphold their owne Intere&s;ts, by endeavouring to weave in Religion and Con&s;cience, with a de&s;igne which they were driving on.</P>
<P>This practi&s;e appeares no where more then in the u&s;e that is made of the <HI>Nationall Covenant,</HI> which being a long Oath, and abounding with ambiguous expre&s;&s;ions, may, by any party in the Kingdom be ea|&s;ily con&s;trued to countenance their undertakings.</P>
<P>The ob&s;ervation hereof hath invited a &s;earch into this que&s;tion, Whether this <HI>Nationall Covenant</HI> be agreeing for matter with tho&s;e Co|venants which we read of in Scripture? or whether it have tho&s;e quali|fications which according to Gods word ought to be in every Oath?</P>
<P>The <HI>Covenants</HI> which we read of in Scripture made by <HI>A&s;a, Ne|hemia</HI> and others, were wholly or mo&s;tly for &s;eeking God, for hum|bling their &s;oules under the &s;en&s;e of &s;inne, and for a reformation of their lives. But look upon our Covenant and (except a little at the latter end) it is &s;tuffed with matter of <HI>Polity! Government! Rights! Priviledges! Liberties!</HI> and a many other matters, &s;avouring more of earth then heaven, and more likely to perplex the con&s;cience with doubts, then to &s;trengthen and further a pious &s;oule that &s;eekes it's owne <HI>clean&s;ing</HI> and <HI>reformation,</HI> and to clo&s;e with the Lord Chri&s;t for &s;trength and a&s;&s;i&s;tance hereunto.</P>
<P>Hence it commeth to pa&s;&s;e (as was before &s;aid,) that all <HI>Parties</HI> have laboured to countenance their <HI>actions</HI> with this cloake, <HI>Their Covenant.</HI> In the late inva&s;ion of the <HI>Scots</HI> under Duke <HI>Hamilton,</HI>
<PB N="2" REF="3">what brought them in, but <HI>Their Covenant?</HI> As you may &s;ee by their <HI>Declaration.</HI> The ri&s;ings in &s;everall parts of this Kingdome this la&s;t Summer 1648. It was (as they &s;aid) to pur&s;ue the ends of <HI>their Covenant,</HI> And how many that have &s;tood out again&s;t the Parliament, have <HI>done it</HI> (as they &s;aid) in pur&s;uance of <HI>their Covenant.</HI></P>
<P>Let us therefore look into Gods word, and &s;ee what qualificati|ons, we find there required in every Oath that is plea&s;ing to God: Let us con&s;ider what the godly and learned have written on this &s;ub|ject, and then (without any pretending to a new light) we &s;hall ea&s;ily di&s;cover how peccant this <HI>long Oath</HI> is, again&s;t all <HI>Rules</HI> laid down by all Prote&s;tant writers old and new.</P>
<P>The ordinary qualifications of an <HI>Oath</HI> are the&s;e, that it be taken, in <HI>Truth,</HI> in <HI>Judgement,</HI> in <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> collected from <HI>Jeremiah,</HI> 4.2. <HI>I&s;ay</HI> 48.1.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t in <HI>Truth,</HI> That is, of &s;uch things as we will performe, and are fully re&s;olved &s;eriou&s;ly to put in <HI>practi&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, Therefore we mu&s;t &s;wear in <HI>Judgement.</HI> We mu&s;t well and throughly under&s;tand what we &s;wear unto, An <HI>Oath</HI> mu&s;t not have ambiguous expre&s;&s;ions in it, for then how &s;hall we &s;weare in <HI>Judgement?</HI></P>
<P>And thirdly, we mu&s;t &s;wear in <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> that is, we mu&s;t not bind our &s;elves to ought, but what is ju&s;t and righteous, and may &s;tand with the honour of God, and the good of them that fear him.</P>
<P>Now examine the &s;everall Articles of our <HI>Covenant,</HI> and let him that takes it, weigh the expre&s;&s;ions he there meets withall, (as he ought to do before he takes an <HI>Oath</HI>) and he &s;hall &s;oon &s;ee how di&s;|agreeing tho&s;e Articles are with the&s;e Rules.</P>
<P>Our fir&s;t qualification is to &s;wear in <HI>Truth,</HI> Then bring the fourth Article of our <HI>Nationall Covenant</HI> to this qualification, And I aske him that takes the Covenant, whether he intend to complaine of, or di&s;|cover to &s;ome in Authority, <HI>all</HI> MALIGNANTS, and all that <HI>&s;hall</HI> be &s;o (Tho&s;e are the words of the Article.) If he purpo&s;e &s;eriou&s;ly to do as he there &s;wears, if he be one who frequents much company, I dare a&s;&s;ure him he may begin in <HI>January</HI> and hold on till <HI>December</HI> and do no other bu&s;ine&s;&s;e.</P>
<P>Be&s;ides, let the practi&s;e of our <HI>Covenanters</HI> &s;peak for them, and I aske any man who hath &s;worn this Covenant how many <HI>Malignants</HI> he hath di&s;covered &s;ince he tooke it? Is it becau&s;e he never came
<PB N="3" REF="3">in company of &s;uch, that he hath di&s;covered few or none? He is one then that mewes him&s;elfe up in his clo&s;et, and avoids the &s;ight of the mo&s;t.</P>
<P>But here it is worth the time to ob&s;erve what hard &s;hifts they &s;tudy up to excu&s;e the breach of their <HI>Oath.</HI> One &s;ayes, that by <HI>Malignant is not under&s;tood, he that railes or &s;peakes evill of the Parlia|ment, but he that plots and contrives again&s;t them.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;wer,</HI> 1. Are not words the di&s;covery of mens minds?<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>1</HI> An&s;w.</NOTE> And are not words puni&s;hable by all lawes of God and man? Doe not all Common-Weals puni&s;h an offender in words? Nay even between private men, a wrong in words requires &s;atisfacti|on, much more words that are again&s;t the publick well-being of the State.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;wer,</HI> 2.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>2</HI> An&s;w.</NOTE> If men are not to be di&s;covered untill they plot and act, it is then like that it is too late to di&s;cover &s;uch, and indeed contrary to the intent of a di&s;covery, which is to pre|vent them that <HI>may</HI> plot and act, not to lay open them that do act, for they have di&s;covered them&s;elves, therefore he that by his &s;peech declares him&s;elfe <HI>Malignant,</HI> mu&s;t be here <HI>comprehended.</HI></P>
<P>A &s;econd Shift u&s;ed to evade this Article, is, of &s;ome that run to the fir&s;t words of the <HI>Covenant.</HI> And &s;ay <HI>that this di&s;covery is to be made of every one in his place and calling, but</HI> (&s;ay they) <HI>it is not my place and calling, therefore it concerns not me.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;wer,</HI> 1.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>1</HI> An&s;w.</NOTE> Either it is every mans duty to make this di&s;cove|ry, (who takes this <HI>Oath</HI>) or el&s;e no mans duty, if any mans duty, why not thine as well as another mans, &s;ince thou ha&s;t &s;worn to do it.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;wer,</HI> 2. If it belong not to thy place to do it,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>2</HI> An&s;w.</NOTE> then thou &s;weare&s;t to an <HI>Impertinency,</HI> And &s;o take&s;t the name of God in vaine, and breake&s;t the third Commandment. As that reverend man M. <HI>Ley</HI> of <HI>Budworth</HI> a member of the A&s;&s;embly, hath wel ob|&s;erved in his booke (again&s;t the <HI>Oath</HI> of the new <HI>Cannon</HI>) called <HI>Defen&s;ive doubts.</HI> &amp;c. <HI>Printed for G. Lathum</HI> 1641. Thus we &s;ee how mi&s;erably we intangle our &s;elves by &s;wallowing &s;uch large promi&s;es as the&s;e are. But to proceed.</P>
<P>Secondly, in relation &s;till to this qualification of <HI>Truth</HI> in an <HI>Oath,</HI> I demand of thee who take&s;t this <HI>Oath,</HI> if thou dare&s;t make &s;o many promi&s;es to any friend (e&s;pecially thy Superiour, and
<PB N="4" REF="4">one with whom thou de&s;ire&s;t to keep credit with) as thou mak|e&s;t here to the great God! Dare&s;t thou make &s;uch a friend &s;o many promi&s;es as will fill a &s;heet of paper, and that of different matters, heterogeneall? And wilt thou do &s;o with God as thou dare&s;t not doe with man? Is it probable that this <HI>Oath</HI> &s;hould be &s;worn in <HI>truth?</HI></P>
<P>By this one in&s;tance given in this one particular, in one Ar|ticle you may gue&s;&s;e what may be &s;aid to the re&s;t, if all the Articles and the &s;everall expre&s;&s;ions in them &s;hould be examined by the&s;e three qualifications, of <HI>Truth, Judgement,</HI> and <HI>Righteou&s;|ne&s;&s;e.</HI> So that this tract would &s;well into a volume, if in&s;tan|ces &s;hould be given in the &s;everall particulars, but I &s;hall leave that to be done by tho&s;e men in their privacy who make it a matter of <HI>Con&s;cience,</HI> to con&s;ider and weigh before-hand what they promi&s;e either to God or man, and account it a &s;in to be ra&s;h with their mouth in uttering before God matters of &s;uch difficulty (if not impo&s;&s;ibility) to performe, as this long promi&s;|&s;ory <HI>Oath</HI> containes. Ob&s;erve well that of <HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 5.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.</P>
<P>I &s;hall therefore only give &s;ome hints to helpe the con&s;cien|cious Chri&s;tian in bringing &s;ome other of the particulars in the Covenant to the Te&s;t, and &s;o pa&s;&s;e over what might be further urged in this way.</P>
<P>Therefore for the &s;econd qualification of an <HI>Oath, viz. &s;wea|ring</HI> in <HI>Judgement:</HI> Let the&s;e expre&s;&s;ions bee examined, <HI>viz. Popery, Super&s;tition, Here&s;ie, Schi&s;me,, Incendiaries, evill In&s;tru|ments,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>Art.</HI> 2. and 4. Hath Authority given us any definition of the&s;e? if not, how &s;hall we &s;weare in <HI>Judgement?</HI> If any man conceive the&s;e expre&s;&s;ions &s;o cleare and plaine that they need no further Declaration; he &s;eems to me like him that re|ceived the mony of the U&s;urer without telling it, becau&s;e hee took no regard of re-payment; but he which intends to per|forme, will weigh the particulars of his promi&s;e.</P>
<P>And to returne to a booke before mentioned, made by Mr. <HI>Ley</HI> (whom his writings give me cau&s;e to e&s;teem a con&s;cientious man). I finde there, words not &s;o large as the&s;e, and yet made an occa&s;ion of doubt, when we are to confirme it by <HI>Oath,</HI> as <HI>Doubt.</HI> 4. <HI>pa.</HI> 32. the word <HI>Popi&s;h doctrine,</HI> which I am &s;ure is not &s;o large as the word <HI>Popery</HI> in the &s;econd Article of the Co|venant.</P>
<P><PB N="5" REF="4">
And indeed that book is a con&s;utation of our Covenant, be|fore the Covenant was penned, and therefore thither I &s;hall di|rect the con&s;cientious Reader for his fuller &s;atisfaction, <HI>Muiato nomine de te fabula narratur;</HI> you will finde enough in that hone&s;t mans book to confute all or mo&s;t of the Articles of our <HI>Covenant.</HI></P>
<P>Indeed I have heard that good man hath &s;ince endeavoured in a later booke of his, to excu&s;e our Prote&s;tation from tho&s;e objections that were rai&s;ed again&s;t the Canonicall oath, by &s;hewing a va&s;t difference between tho&s;e two, <HI>Reall differences, and Per&s;onall differences,</HI> &amp;c. And it may be he may likewi&s;e bee as willing to excu&s;e our Covenant that way, for I heard that he tooke it; but though he &s;hew us a thou&s;and &s;ub&s;tantiall diffe|rences, if he cannot afford us tho&s;e three qualifications, which ought to be in every oath (though he may excu&s;e <HI>&agrave; tanto</HI>) I am &s;ure he can never free it <HI>&agrave; toto,</HI> from the ju&s;t charge of being an unlawfull Oath.</P>
<P>Let me here adde one Argument which was hinted me in the large Remon&s;trance of the Army of <HI>Novem.</HI> 16. 1648. at <HI>page</HI> 54. And it runs thus:</P>
<P N="1">1. Argument; <HI>Such an Oath as heaps together &s;everall di&s;tinct inte|re&s;ts, which are, or may come to be incon&s;i&s;tent, is an unlawfull oath.</HI></P>
<P>But &s;uch is the Nationall Covenant.</P>
<P><HI>Ergo,</HI> Unlawfull.</P>
<P>And a &s;econd Argument re&s;ulting from the matter preceding, which will run thus:</P>
<P N="2">2. Arg. <HI>Such an Oath as cannot be taken in judgement, is unlawfull:</HI></P>
<P>Such is our Covenant. <HI>Ergo,</HI> Unlawfull.</P>
<P N="3">3. And &s;o a third Arg. for <HI>Truth.</HI> And a fourth for <HI>Righteou&s;|ne&s;&s;e,</HI> all which appeare plaine enough, and &s;trong enough a|gain&s;t our <HI>Covenant.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But here &s;ome may <HI>Quaere,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Object.</NOTE> how &s;uch an Oath was pa&s;&s;ed (e&s;pecially with &s;uch generall approbation of the godly party) if there were &s;o much &s;inne in it? How came it to pa&s;&s;e that it was not look'd into, it pa&s;&s;ing &s;o many hands, and being promoted by men &s;o religious, and &s;o eminent, men of &s;o able parts, &s;o indu&s;trious, &amp;c. as any the Kingdome afforded.</P>
<P N="1">1 <HI>An&s;wer,</HI> That if it had come from,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>1.</HI> An&s;w.</NOTE> or beene tendred by a &s;u&s;pected party; or had tho&s;e promoted it who were no friends
<PB N="6" REF="5">to Piety (as in the former <HI>Oath, viz.</HI> that of the <HI>new Canons</HI>) it would then have been que&s;tioned, and every word and &s;entence weighed; but comming out of the hou&s;e of our friends, and &s;pecially taking its ri&s;e from <HI>Scotland</HI> (as was conceived) who were then lookt upon as the greate&s;t promoters of Piety, and the Reformation in hand, and that <HI>Church</HI> e&s;teemed one of the pure&s;t in the world; hence it took with us &s;o generally.</P>
<P>What e&s;teem any thing from <HI>Scotland</HI> had with us at the be|ginning of this Parliament, may appear by the confluence of &s;uch multitudes to their Commi&s;&s;ioners, and to all Sermons made before them. A Sermon before them by a <HI>Scotch-man,</HI> pro|cured more Auditors, then three Congregations of the able&s;t men in <HI>London,</HI> had the place been capable of entertainment.</P>
<P>And how likely any thing wherein the <HI>Scots</HI> appeared, was to take with the people, you may &s;ee by that order of Parliament of <HI>Septem.</HI> 25. 1643. wherein it was ordered that Mini&s;ters &s;hould give notice to the people that the Commi&s;&s;ioners of <HI>Scotland</HI> now here did take this Covenant, implying (as it &s;eems to me) that this would be an inducement to the people to take it too. This order is Printed with &s;ome copies of the Covenant.</P>
<P>And this I conceive to be one rea&s;on that it was &s;wallowed &s;o ea&s;ily.</P>
<P>A &s;econd rea&s;on might be this, It is well knowne that the &s;tream ran then &s;o violently, that no other con&s;truction would be admitted of any mans refu&s;ing the Covenant, but <HI>Malignancy:</HI> Now they who had &s;o long groaned under <HI>Epi&s;copall Tyranny</HI> ab|horred the very &s;u&s;picion of being a friend to that &s;ide, &s;o &s;tuck at nothing that was offered as a <HI>medium</HI> to bring on the de&s;ired <HI>Reformation,</HI> e&s;pecially &s;uch an <HI>Oath</HI> as promi&s;ed to lead directly thereto.</P>
<P N="2">2.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>2.</HI> An&s;w.</NOTE> <HI>An&s;w.</HI> But yet &s;econdly, the agreement was not &s;o general as is &s;uppo&s;ed, for it &s;tucke, and found oppo&s;ition, and was di&s;|puted again&s;t even in the A&s;&s;embly at <HI>We&s;tmin&s;ter,</HI> where it was fir&s;t to pa&s;&s;e, however the cry of tho&s;e that were for it was &s;o loud (for rea&s;ons before mentioned) that they who lookt into the evill of it more then the re&s;t did, could not be heard.</P>
<P>Dr. <HI>Burge&s;&s;e</HI> was the fir&s;t man who openly de&s;ired and urged a Covenant to be entred into, in&s;omuch as he made a whole Ser|mon
<PB N="7" REF="5">to bring it on, preached to the Hou&s;e of Commons, <HI>Nov.</HI> 17. 1640. upon that text, <HI>Jer.</HI> 50.5. which is to be &s;een in Print, yet when the good man came to &s;ee what a Covenant was ren|dred them [all be&s;tuft with &s;elf-i&s;h intere&s;ts, he was the fir&s;t man that oppos'd it in the A&s;&s;embly; but this being taken very hai|nou&s;ly, he and Mr. <HI>Price</HI> another of this A&s;&s;embly, were upon their refu&s;all to take this Covenant, both &s;u&s;pended the A&s;&s;em|bly, and in all probability had been &s;u&s;pended their calling and Mini&s;try, had they per&s;i&s;tent, &s;o furiou&s;ly was this bu&s;ine&s;&s;e driven on at that time: In the mean time they are lookt upon as hainous offenders, and their names tran&s;mitted into the Country in every &s;currilous <HI>Mercury,</HI> as the onely enemies of &s;o good a worke. Being in this &s;trait, they addre&s;&s;e them&s;elvs to the Par|liament, and make humble Petitions, but could not be heard, &s;o that at la&s;t, they give over contending, and upon their &s;ub|mi&s;&s;ion were re-admitted to fit in the A&s;&s;embly.</P>
<P>Be&s;ides divers godly men, &s;eeing the &s;nare, and no way to a|void it, withdrew and ob&s;cured them&s;elves for a time, for they knew no other way to avoid that odious imputation of <HI>Mulig|nants,</HI> which they mu&s;t needs contract by refu&s;ing, and there|fore gave place to that impetuous torrent for a time, according to that coun&s;ell, <HI>curr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">ti cede Furori.</HI> They remembred there might come a time wherein they might bee u&s;efull to the Church of Chri&s;t, but for the pre&s;ent &s;aw little probability of prevailing again&s;t that popular &s;tream, which in all likelihood &s;hould they have oppo&s;ed it, would have overborne them.</P>
<P>And the like violence was continued for a long time after, in&s;o|much as no Mini&s;ter was &s;uffered to pa&s;&s;e the A&s;&s;embly, unle&s;&s;e he would take the Covenant. Nay tho&s;e that bare &s;way of the Presbyterian party endeavoured to bring it to this, That who ever would not &s;weare that <HI>ca&s;t promi&s;&s;ory Oath,</HI> &s;hould have no employment in Church or Commonwealth; &s;o zealot are ma|ny men, that what they have &s;wallowed them&s;elves, &s;hould with out que&s;tioning be received by all others.</P>
<P>Which rigid carriage of tho&s;e of the Presbyterian party, what can it be &s;tiled el&s;e, &s;ave a wicked <HI>Lording</HI> it over the con&s;ciences of their Brethren.</P>
<P N="1">1 I doe not charge this upon the Presbyterian Government,
<PB N="8" REF="6">as having cau&s;e to think well of it, for that the Churches of Chri&s;t have long thriven under that Government, in many Kingdomes. But it is to be imputed to the uncharitablene&s;&s;e of &s;ome in place then acting, who were more zealous in promo|ting the inventions of man, than the wayes of God, and who could be content that a godly Mini&s;ter, though &s;ound and Or|thodox, &s;hould yet be deprived of the u&s;e of his Calling (and con&s;equently of &s;ub&s;i&s;tance for him&s;elf and family, and &s;o be ex|po&s;ed to beg) becau&s;e he cannot &s;ubmit to &s;wear a long Oath of a &s;heet of paper, of another mans pening: &s;uch an har&s;hne&s;&s;e as was not exceeded by the per&s;ecuting Prelates.</P>
<P N="2">2 Neither is it intended that what is here &s;poken again&s;t the Covenant &s;hould weaken the endevours of any who have taken the Covenant in labouring to perform what they have &s;worn, that is, for &s;o much of it as is feazible, and righteous, for I con|ceive them bound by it, (and &s;o in a &s;nare,) and God will not be mocked, <HI>Pay what thou ha&s;t Vowed, Eccle&s;.</HI> 5.4.</P>
<P>But the u&s;es which I intend of this Tract, are the&s;e:
<LIST>
<ITEM>1 To &s;hew them that have taken this Oath, their &s;infull ra&s;h|ne&s;&s;e, to bind them&s;elves to impo&s;&s;ibilities,</ITEM>
<ITEM>2 That tho&s;e of my Brethren the <HI>Ministery,</HI> who are &s;o fierce in pre&s;&s;ing the Covenant upon all occa&s;ions, (as Mr. <HI>Jenkin</HI> of Chri&s;t-Church <HI>London,</HI> and divers others) may bee remembred, fir&s;t, to take into con&s;ideration what a &s;nare they lead men into; and &s;econdly, what they have done toward Covenant-keeping them&s;elves?</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>And however they and &s;ome others have &s;tudied up favoura|ble Interpretations of the Covenant, to &s;till the obloquie of them that di&s;cern the evill of it, yet I de&s;ire them to con&s;ider what the forementioned M. <HI>Ley</HI> &s;aith in his book of <HI>DEFEN|SIVE Doubts</HI> pag. 99, 100, 101. <Q>That their <HI>labour to ea&s;e con&s;cience,</HI> and good intentions therein, we take kindly: and in good will to them againe reque&s;t them to con&s;ider, that a private <HI>Inter|pretation</HI> of a publick act, can give no &s;atisfaction, unle&s;&s;e it be expre&s;ly or vertually allowed by the highe&s;t Authority that doth impo&s;e it, and then it is made publicke; But why they &s;hould expect &s;uch an approbation of their private opinions we cannot imagine, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></Q> And againe, <HI>pag:</HI> 100. <Q>For private
<PB N="9" REF="6">men, though learned, if they take upon them the interpreta|tion of publick dictates, may be more like to light on mutual contradictions, then of the true and proper Con&s;truction of the text they interpret, So did <HI>Vega</HI> and <HI>Soto, Soto</HI> and <HI>Ca|therinus, &amp;c.</HI> commenting on the Councell of <HI>Trent.</HI></Q></P>
<P>A Third u&s;e of what hath been here &s;aid, may be for <HI>Stati&s;ts,</HI> That &s;eek to make Religion &s;ub&s;ervient to carnall policy, and to &s;erve turnes for the pre&s;ent. And very plaine it is that there hath been many indeavours to make this u&s;e of the Covenant: Let tho&s;e know and con&s;ider how irreligious their practi&s;e is, and hath been herein, <HI>The Bloodie&s;t</HI> wretch, and prophane&s;t Varlet, though come out of <HI>Ireland</HI> from the &s;laughter of our Prote&s;tant brethren there; yet (as it is commonly reported) if he would <HI>Take</HI> the <HI>Covenant,</HI> he was then looked upon as a friend, as <HI>one</HI> of <HI>&V;s,</HI> As if a long Oath had power to metamorphize an A&s;&s;a&s;inate into a Saint.</P>
<P>But alas this carnall Policy always deceives them, Religion wil not &s;erve Turn. This Net cat cheth none but Doves, <HI>Dat veni|am Corvis,</HI> Tho&s;e who &s;hall &s;trike the blow and undermine them are men that will breake the&s;e bands, &s;uch Engines as the&s;e (let them be as wary as they can) are ea&s;ily turned again&s;t tho&s;e that planted them for their owne defence, as experience daily &s;howes.</P>
<P>Fourthly, I wi&s;h what hath been here &s;aid, concerning <HI>Oaths</HI> may be taken into con&s;ideration by our brethren that fear God in the Kingdome of <HI>Scotland,</HI> who not only are daily crying out OUR COVENANT! OUR COVENANT! (as they of old, <HI>Templum Domini, Templum Domini,</HI>) but either have effected, or indeavoured to have it &s;worn over again. If what hath been already &s;poken out of Gods word, concerning the qualificati|ons of an <HI>Oath;</HI> and how this Oath failes therein, move them not, I hope their example &s;hall not move them that feare God in this Kingdome, And the le&s;&s;e if it be true which is reported, That for the generallity of that Nation, they are often forced to follow their Lords and great men, be it right or wrong. And that if &s;ome of the cheife Nobility enter into a quarrell, their Tenants mu&s;t engage with them therein. Where as in <HI>England</HI> the meane&s;t Subject hath the liberty to Governe him&s;elfe and,
<PB N="10" REF="7">to make his free choice of what he conceives good and upright, and is Protected by the Common law (which is our birth-right) again&s;t the mo&s;t potent. I cannot affirme that the Common|alty in <HI>Scotland</HI> doe &s;till remaine in that &s;ervile condition (having never been in <HI>Scotland,</HI>) but if it be &s;o, their generall Engaging in this or any other cour&s;e is the le&s;&s;e to be heeded, as not being voluntary, but forced. And for the great ones among them, the Lord give them repentance of this &s;in of driv|ing the people into &s;uch a &s;nare as this is, which if they will not &s;ee, let them know, that God can bring them down, an ex|ample whereof they have in their Country man Duke <HI>Hamilton</HI> of late.</P>
<P>In the fi&s;t place this may be a remembrancer to our Parlia|ment in <HI>England.</HI> It may teach them to con&s;ider how great a &s;in they are guilty of, in leading this Nation into &s;uch a &s;nare, God hath humbled the major part of them, let them now that they have more lei&s;ure, look into this &s;in among others, how they have forced many of their brethren into this temptation, Either &s;wear, or expo&s;e your &s;elves to &s;ufferings, in your e&s;tates, good name, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Let them pray that the &s;ame lot befall not them, which by their meanes hath befallen &s;o many of their brethren and Country-men, it may plea&s;e God that their timely re|pentance may prevent this or the like puni&s;hment. And the Lord &s;anctifie this admonition to that end.</P>
<P>Sixtly and la&s;tly. Let this be a word of Exhortation to the Parliam. now &s;itting, to move them to ca&s;t away the&s;e wicked yokes, undo the&s;e heavy burdens, <HI>I&s;.</HI> 58.6. Ca&s;t out al promi&s;&s;ory Oathes, as of Judges, Con&s;tables, Freemen of Corporations <HI>&amp;c.</HI> They are not agreeing to the&s;e Rules of <HI>Truth, Righteou&s;|ne&s;&s;e, Judgement.</HI> And other wayes may be found to compell Officers to do their duty. Make Lawes to puni&s;h them if they faile, but uphold not an old Cu&s;tome which is found to di&s;a|gree with Gods word, This acting for God will be for your honour, and God will appeare for you. But if you will not lay this to heart, and what an affliction a Promi&s;&s;ory Oath is to a tender Con&s;cience, God will in his own time find out men that will appear for him, <HI>And others &s;hall have the honour of this work He&s;t.</HI> 4.14.</P>
<P><PB N="11" REF="7">
There is of late a removall in part of &s;ome promi&s;&s;ory Oathes, and a new Oath appointed by a late Act of Parliament made <HI>Sep.</HI> 5. 1649. Yet is there one clau&s;e in that new Oath which makes it very hard, if not impo&s;&s;ible, <HI>viz.</HI> tho&s;e words at the end of it &verbar; <HI>You &s;hall execute the Office of Mayor according to the</HI> be&s;t of your <HI>skill, knowledge and power,</HI> &verbar; which I &s;ay no man doth performe, for we do not pray, or hear, according to the be&s;t of our power, nor is it po&s;&s;ible we &s;hould alwayes be at the full and utmo&s;t extent of our skill and power in performance of civill duties.</P>
<P><HI>Chri&s;tian Reader,</HI></P>
<P><HI>TAke notice that what is here &s;aid, is not the tenth part of what might be urged again&s;t this long Oath, &s;o that which is &s;poken of the multitude of words</HI> Prov. 10.19. <HI>is truely ve|rified of this Oath, which abounds in words: For a con&s;cientious man may ju&s;tly quere:</HI></P>
<P N="1">1 How long &s;hall I be bound by this Oath!<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mr. <HI>Ley, pa.</HI> 86.</NOTE> &s;hall I make <HI>Median</HI> and <HI>Per&s;ian Oaths,</HI> that can never be recalled? &s;urely a wi&s;e man will never put his neck in &s;uch a &s;nare.</P>
<P><HI>Then &s;ecoadly,</HI> How prejudiciall this Oath may bee for the future, to all free Parliaments and A&s;&s;emblies in this Kingdome, <HI>pa.</HI> 80. and the like. <HI>Which mu&s;t be pa&s;t over for brevities &s;ake, and as much more, very materiall.</HI></P>
<P><HI>If Mr.</HI> Ley <HI>have compiled a Book of</HI> Doubts <HI>(about an Oath not one quarter &s;o long as this,) which yet is ri&s;en to above half a quire of paper, what might be done in this which abounds in expre&s;sions no le&s;&s;e ambiguous?</HI></P>
<P><HI>But for the pre&s;ent this &s;hall &s;uffice, for a ta&s;te to &s;hew the evill of it, and may be a provocation to others to looke more into it: The Lord give us hearts &s;o to walk with him, that we may pre|&s;erve the peace of a good con&s;cience, and that we may neither for fear of man, or any other &s;ini&s;ter re&s;pect, enwrap our &s;elves in &s;uch &s;nares as the&s;e are.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="12" REF="8">
In the <HI>24th</HI> of <HI>Gen.</HI> When <HI>Abraham</HI> would &s;wear his &s;ervant but to one particular bu&s;ine&s;&s;e, with what caution was it done? and the Servant puts the ca&s;e what might fall out about that bu&s;ines, 1. Concerning the womans refu&s;ing to follow him. 2. Con|cerning bringing <HI>I&s;aac</HI> to the land whence they came. But in this long Covenant we &s;wear to 20 particulars, and yet are not &s;uf|fered to put any ca&s;e to any one of them.</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>1 We &s;wear to maintain priviledges of Parliament, but mu&s;t not aske how many tho&s;e be, Nor do I hear any put forth &s;uch a ca&s;e as this, what if Parliament men will break them them|&s;elves? or have the breaking of them wincked at?</ITEM>
<ITEM>2 We &s;wear to indeavour to extirpate Here&s;ie, and that with|out re&s;pect of per&s;ons; <HI>Art.</HI> 2. But never put the ca&s;e (with <HI>A|brahams</HI> &s;ervant) But how if our Governours will neither a&s;&s;i&s;t nor countenance us in it?</ITEM>
<ITEM>3 We &s;wear to di&s;cover &s;uch as have been or <HI>&s;hall</HI> be Malignants, but never put the ca&s;e how long this di&s;covery is to la&s;t; and for how many years it is to bind us. Or how far Malignancy is to extend.</ITEM>
<ITEM>4 We &s;wear <HI>Art.</HI> 1. To indeavour the pre&s;ervation of <HI>Scotland</HI> in Doctrine and Di&s;cipline, but never put &s;uch a ca&s;e as this, what if the Inhabitants in <HI>Scotland</HI> &s;hall thinke good to alter their Di&s;cipline, how far &s;hall I then be obliged? <HI>Abrahams</HI> &s;ervant would have &s;aid, <HI>Then will I be clear from this my Oath.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<CLOSER><DATE>September 17. 1649.</DATE>
<SIGNED>Imprimatur, Theodore Jennings.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
<PB REF="8">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
