belong to Him and none ought to raise any forces or exercise any other power of the sword without His consent and without expresse authority derived from Him the power of the sword being that which principally makes and maintaines the Supremacy and therefore ascribed by the Apostle to the supreme power only Rom. 13.4 He beareth not the sword in vaine for he is the Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evill and to grant the Parliament a just power of raising forces without the Kings consent much more to grant them power of raising Arms contrary to His Proclamation and other expresse Commands and they against the forces raised by the King is to set up two supreme Powers in one Kingdome and so two swords one against another and both to the ruine of the whole Kingdome Againe we sweare in the same oath That we would bear faith and true Allegiance to the Kings Highnesse his Heires c. and that we would to our power assist and defend all Jurisdictions Priviledges Preheminences and Authorities granted or belonging to the Kings Highnesse his heirs c. or united and annexed to the Imperial Crowne of the Realm As also in the oath of Allegeance we swear That we would beare faith and Allegeance to His Majesty His Heires c. and that we would defend Him and them to the utmost of our power against all conspiracies and attempte whatsoever which should be made against his or their persons their Crowne and dignity either by reason of any Sentence or Declaration of the Pope or otherwise and that we would doe our best endeavour to disclose and make knowne unto his Majesty his Heires c. all treasons and traiterous conspiracies which we should know or heare of to be against him or any of them And lastly in our late Protestation we sweare to maintaine and defend with our lives and powers and estates according to the duty of our Allegeance His Majesties royall Person Honour and Estate and to our power and as far as lawfully we may to oppose and by all good meanes to endeavour to bring to condigne punishment all such as should either by force plots conspiracies or otherwise do any thing to the contrary Now whether the assisting of forces raised by some of the Kings Subjects against the forces raised by the King be not expresly and fully contrary to all these particulars promised and sworn in all these oaths let any indifferent man judge as to name some contrarieties for many 1. Whether it be not usurpation or incroachment upon the Jurisdictions Priviledges Preheminences or Authority granted or belonging to the Kings Highnesse and united and annexed to the Imperiall Crowne and so flatly contrary to the oath of Supremacy 2. Whether it be not an attempt if not a conspiracy made against either the Kings Person or his Crowne and Dignity and so fully contrary to the oath of Allegeance 3. Whether it be not hazardous to the Kings person scandalous to His Honour and detrimentall to His Estate and so directly contrary to the late Protestation Lastly whether it be not a breach of that faith duty and loyall subjection which both by the bond of Allegeance and by the commandement of Almighty God as the Statute acknowledgeth 7. Jac. cap. 6 we ought to beare to His Majesty and so contrary to all three oaths and to his expresse command who is called to witnesse both in them and this For my part I appeale only to that which is most concerned and in most perill I meane the conscience of every one that hath taken the former oaths and is required to this wishing that every one that hath forgotten whether he ever tooke the oaths of Supremacy and Allegeance or not as I feare there are not a few such that he would consult with himselfe and the Statutes which enjoyne those oaths viz. 1. Elizab. cap. 1. 5. Elizab c. 1. and 3. Jacob. c. 4 7. Jacob. c. 6. the comparing of this new oath with those former oaths would occasion a multitude of Quaeres had some men the liberty of starting them I shall be bold only to point at one which in order to the preceding Quaeres upon this part of this oath makes the fourth 4. Quaer Whether the taking of a new oath and recommending and tendring it to others which is contrary to the oath of allegiance as this new oath is do not render the persons so doing guilty of the breach and liable to the penalty of that branch in that statute 3. Jacob. cap. 4. expressed in these words And further bee it enacted by the authority aforesaid That if any person or persons at any time after the tenth of June shall either upon the seas or in any other place within the Dominions of the Kings Majesty his heires or successors put in practise to absolve perswade or withdraw any of the Subjects of the Kings Majesty or of his heires or successors of this Realme of England from their naturall obedience to his Majesty his heires or successors or to reconcile them to the Pope or See of Rome or to move them or any of them to promise obedience to any pretended authority of the See of Rome or to any other Prince State or Potentate That then every such person their procurers counsellors ayders and maintainers knowing the same shall bee to all intents adjudged Traitors and being thereof lawfully convicted shall have judgement suffer and forfeyt as in cases of high Treason And if any such person as aforesaid c. shall be willingly absolved or withdrawne as aforesaid or willingly reconciled or promise obedience to any such pretended authority Prince State or Potentate as aforesaid That every such person or persons their procurers counsellors ayders and maintainers knowing the same shall be to all intents adjudged Traytors and being thereof lawfully convicted shall have judgement suffer and forfeyt as in case of high treason See the like stat 23. Eliz. cap. 1. I could wish that you would propound this Quaere privately to some honest able faithfull Lawyer and let me know his resolution it being of great and high concernment 5. Quar. Whether the swearing that we will according to our power and vocation assist the forces raysed and continued by both Houses of Parliament against the forces raysed by the King doth not swear us up to do that which will bring us within compasse of high Treason declared by that statute of 25. Edw. 3. cap. 2. wherein it is declared by the King at the request of the Lords and Commons in that Parliament assembled That it is high Treason to compasse or imagine the death of our Lord the King or of our Lady his Queene or of their eldest sonne and heire or if a man doe levy warre against our Lord the King in his Realme or be adherent to the Kings enemies in his Realme giving to them ayd and comfort in the Realme or elswhere and thereof be probably
God spake to Moses and doe it that they would feare me and keepe all my commandements alwaies that it might be well with them and with their children for ever and oh that there were now such an heart in us all of this Nation will all good men wish that we would all in earnest be heartily sorry for our owne sinnes and the sinnes of this Nation and that wee did really intend an amendment of our owne wayes for then to bee sure it would be well with us and with our children after us But for so many thousands nay the most of us to declare and sweare this in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of all hearts when both God that searcheth our hearts and our own hearts themselves know that it is not so what will this doe but infinitely adde to our sinnes and provoke God to adde to our calamities and judgements both personall and Nationall How many fowle abominable crying sinnes are there whereof you and I know multitudes I would we could exempt the Imposers of this new Oath to bee deeply guilty which the most of them will not acknowledge to be sinnes but justifie themselves in them so far as they are from being heartily sorry for them or intending any amendment of them As for instance uncharitablenes lying slandering rapine oppression disobedience blooshed and rebellion and yet they that are most conscious of such crimes will t is likely with the first declare or sweare in the presence of Almighty God and as they will answer it at the great day c. that they are heartily sorry for their owne sinnes c. and intend amendment Thus whilst we professe to enter into a sacred covenant and by that to binde our selves to bewaile and forsake our sinnes the acknowledged causes of our present calamities and judgements we doe but mocke God speaking words and swearing falsly in making a covenant which makes our judgements to grow the more springing up like hemlocke in furrowes of the field Hosen 10.4 Let us then pray and that earnestly that God would bee pleased according to his promise Jerem. 31. to make a new covenant with us and to put his law in our inward parts and write it in our hearts or as the Prophet Ezekiel expresseth that covenant Ezek. 11. 19.20 that he would give us one heart and put a new spirit within us and take the stony heart out of our flesh and give us an heart of flesh that we may walke in his statutes c. But let us take heede how we sweare or declare in the presence of God that our stony heart is taken from us and that an heart of flesh that is a softened mollifyed penitent heart is given us when our hearts assure us that there is no such worke wrought in us as also that wee intend an amendment of our waies for the future when wee intend nothing lesse 2. Quaer What sinnes are to be accounted the sinnes of the Nation that so we may swear in judgement knowing what we swear And to this purpose it may be questioned whether the late superstitious practises and innovations against which there have beene so many Declamations are to be reputed sinnes of this Nation and how many are or will be heartily sorry for them though they have beene no little cause of our present sorrowes as also whether Anabaptisticall Brownisticall and other Separatisticall practises and positions connived at if not countenanced by those who ought to suppresse and punish the Authors and Fautors thereof and to bee esteemed sinnes of the Nation and how many will declare their sorrow for them though our present sorrowes are fomented and continued by them as further whether plundering robbing and spoyling whether speaking evill of Dignities and slandering both the footsteps and person of the Lords Anointed whether false swearing and perjury whereof our oathes of Allegiance Supremacy and late Protestation are pregnant witnesses are to be numbred amongst the sinnes of this Nation and how many will declare their hearty sorrow for them though like to increase our sorrowes to our being overwhelmed by them Or whether only those sinnes not long since Declared by publique Order of the Lords and Commons Feb. 15. 1642. and appointed to be read in all Churches and Chapels c. be the sinnes of this Nation viz. The high contempt of Gods holy Ordinances c. Multitudes of oathes and blasphemies c. envy contentions and unnaturall divisions oppression fraud and violence as also whether the blood shed in the dayes of Queene Mary and Idolatry then and since are to be adjudged the sinnes of this Nation and our sorrowes to be terminated in lamenting them This I humbly conceive were fit to be declared before we sweare or declare in the presence of God and as we will answer at the great day c. that we are heartily sorry for the sinnes of this Nation What wee doe declare our hearty sorrow for in private every mans owne conscience regulates him in but when we make a publique solemne declaration of our sorrow for the whole Nations sinnes and enter into a sacred covenant with God not to commit the like sinnes againe it is but reason that as many sinnes of the Nation as can be thought on at least the most notorious should be publikely named that so the people may know what sinnes in speciall they professe themselves sorry for and promise amendment of This hath beene observed in making covenants which were sacred indeed concerning Nationall sinnes as in that covenant which Joshua called upon the people to make Josh 24. that appointed by Asa 2. Chr. 15. that appointed by Josiah 2. Chr. 34. and that appointed by Ezra Ezr. 10. In all which covenants you shall finde the principall Nationall sins of which they declared their detestation and promised amendment particularly Named But indeed every one of those covenants were entred into by the command and authority of the supreme Governour and it is not to be found in sacred Writ where ever there was any sacred Nationall Covenant enjoyned by any save by the King or supreme of that Nation or by the expresse authority derived from Him But no more of this first part of the Covenant it being as I verily beleeve the least part intended by the Contrivers of it only it is set in the first place that looking upon that our eyes may be so dazled with the glorious specious religiousnesse of it as not to bee able to discover the foule abominable iniquity of the rest The second thing required in this oath is That we sweare or declare in the presence of Almighty God that we doe abhorre and detest the said wicked and treacherous designe lately discovered and that we never gave nor will give our assent to the execution thereof but will according to our power and vocations oppose and resist the same and all other of the like nature concerning which I make these foure Quaeres 1. Quaer How is it
being suspected that they had done it for some evill intent or purpose should swear only that they doe in their consciences believe that they did it for such or such an end most fair and just their very swearing so would cause more suspition of them then if they had held their peace and said nothing 7. Quaer How dare any man sweare or declare in the presence of Almighty God c. that he doth in his conscience believe that the forces raised by the two Houses of Parliament are raised and continued for their just defence and for the defence of the true Protestant Religion and liberties of the Subject against the forces raised by the King when so to sweare or declare is to sweare and declare in Gods presence that he doth in his conscience believe that the forces raised by the King are raised and continued for the subversion and ruine at least for the extream damage and detriment of all the same things And what a hard case is it that a man must be put to such an oath as to sweare not only that he doth believe well of both Houses of Parliamen but also that he doth believe so much evill of a good King as were He the worst of Kings worse could not be thought of Him all things considered Why perhaps there may be some of so loyall and just thoughts towards their Sovereigne and yet withall of so charitable and reverentiall thoughts towards both Houses of Parliament as to thinke that the forces on each part were raised and continued for the same ends and they those three mentioned only most unhappily differd in the meanes and wayes of accomplishing those ends And what shall these poore souls do when they cannot satisfie the Parliament by taking this oath but they must thereby abandon all loyall thoughts of their King Lord be thou their Directour It followeth in the oath as an inference inforced from the last thing believed and sworne I do here in the presence of Almighty God declare vow and covenant that I will according to my power and vocation assist the forces raised and continued by both Houses of Parliament against the forces raised by the King without their consent Concerning which part of the oath that I may still keep withing the prescribed bounds of a lawfull oath I desire these Quaeries may be cleared 1. Quaer What is here meant by Vocation that so we may swear in judgement knowing what we swear whether are we to understand by Vocation that ordinary course of life or externall profession whereunto God doth ordinarily call men and where he doth externally place them as when some are called to be Pastors and Teachers in the Church others to be fed and taught some are called to be Masters others to be Servants some are called to be Husbandmen others are called to be Tradesmen c. or whether by Vocation here may not be understood some extraordinary calling by secret inspiration divine revelation or the like as certainly some such calling must be presupposed or else I cannot see what warrant they can pretend for the assiâ—ting any forces against their Sovereigne This Quare I could not baulke because the using of this expression According to my Vocation is not any where to be found that I know of any oath that hath been taken in this Nation though the other limitation According to my power hath been usuall in most or all our promissorie oaths which makes me to think that some Divine or other was the framer and contriver of this new oath or at least had a great hand in it howsoever it was pretended to have been suddenly framed by some Members of the House of Commons upon the discovery of the great designe and being called to that calling his conscience minded him somewhat of the unlawfulnesse and unseemlinesse for a Minister of the Gospel of peace to be an assistant in war especially in such a war or else rather he thought that the adding of this limitation According to my vocation would excuse him both from contributing much money to the warre as also from hazarding his owne person in it as some of their furious brethren to their shame and confusion have done so that he did but in his preaching and by his praying those two glorious but now prophaned and blasphemed Ordinances intice and stir up others thereunto But then I cannot but still wonder why the Lords should each of them sweare According to my vocation c. I believe if one should aske any of their Lordships what vocation he is of he would not take it well though for the House of Commons we know divers of them are of severall vocations and so this limitation might become them well enough 2. Quaer How any man that professeth himself to be either of the same judgement with the Church of England and with the glorious Martyrs and renowned Divines and other learned Worthies that have since the Reformation lived in this Church or of the same judgement with any other of the reformed Churches and the most renowned Members thereof can swear in Judgement that he will assist any forces raised by Subjects against the forces raised by their Sovereign when it hath been so fully and amply declared by all those Churches and by their chiefe Worthies successively in all times that t is altogether unlawfull for any Subjects to take up Armes against their Sovereigne though a Tyrant though a persecuter of the Gospel though never so wicked and ungodly as is to be seen in our owne Homilies against Rebellion in the Acts and Monuments of our Martyrs in the Harmony of Confessions of the reformed Churches in Luther Calvin Oâ—â—lampadius Zâ—â—inglius Buder Peter Martyr Capitâ— Bullinger and many other forraigne Divines as also in multitudes of our most famous and pious English Divines whose testimonies with the testimonies of many others I am credibly informed had been long since for the satisfaction of those that question it faithfully published by an orthodox Divine now a prisoner in Ely House had not some of the House of Commons prevented him by seizing upon his book wâ—ilst it was in the Presse as fearing all such information of the people 3. Quaer How any man that hath taken either the oath of Supremacy or the oath of Allegiance or the late Protestation can without perjury ipso facto sweare that he will according to his power assist the forces raised and continued by both Houses of Parliament against the forces raised by the King seeing all those three oaths are so flatly and fully contrary to this part of this oath of all the rest as first in the oath of Supremacy we sweare That we did testifie and declare in our consciences that the Kings Highnesse is the only supreme Governour of this Realm c. and as well in all spirituall or Ecclesiasticall things or causes as temporall and if so the just power of raising forces and other power of the sword doth only