concerning Reformation preservation or defence of any thing that thing necessarily must be extant must have a being otherwise we obliging our selves if we can properly be said to be ingaged to nothing to nothing attest God as witnesse thereunto thereby mocking him and taking his holy Name in vaine and in so doing erre against his third Commandement therefore the Presbyterian Government not being particularly mentioned in the Covenant nor at the first taking thereof now about foure years and an halfe since digested in England into any form much lesse obedience thereunto commanded cannot be intended as a fulfilling of the Covenant but the words Reforme preserve and defend must have a regard to the Doctrine Discipline and Government established as for that evasion that the then takers of the Covenant dispensed with resolutions and actions of preservation c. untill the same should afterwards be setled it is altogether unlawfull and vaine nor can any one by so doing observe the Prophets counsell in Oaths which must be taken in Righteousnesse Judgement and Truth These things premised I proceed to the Oath it self only by the way let me put you in mind of your first Oaths of Allegeance and Supremacy with your Protestation an Epitome of the former in these words I promise vow and protest to maintaine so far as lawfully I may his Majesties Royall Person Honor and Estate the true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England c. For explanation whereof I referre you to what already hath been said concerning the Oaths of Allegeance and Supremacy advising every one to consider seriously that place in 30. Numb 2. Ver. If a man vow a Vow unto the Lord or sweare an Oath to bind his soule with a bond he shall not breake his word he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth We Noble-men Solemne League and Covenant Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgeffes Ministers of the Gospell and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdom of England c. by the providence of God living under one King Vnder one King that according to common sense and reason must imply obedience and subjection in us unto him as a King enabled with power to governe and that obedience must presuppose a rule of reason and law now what that Law is I have already handled to square our actions of obedience by O that the people of England c. would in in this respect obey the Precept of Christ Give unto Caesar what belongs unto Caesar His Majestie never expected more then what the Law manifesteth to be justly his Witnesse all his Declarations why then should we give him lesse Nay endeavour to deprive him altogether of what we have neither reason nor just power to attempt And being of one reformed Religion The Covenant This must necessarily intend our Religion established a Religion that is not that shall be which Religion commandeth obedience to all His Majesties lawfull commands denieth the Subjects Liberty to take up armes against their lawfull Soveraigne acknowledgeth him to be Supreme in all causes and over all persons Vide homilies 37. Artic. Church Engl. as well Ecclesiasticall as Civill c. that to him properly and wholly belongeth the government of all Estates of this Realme therefore without and against his consent no different Government can be introduced Having before our eyes the glory of God Covenant God is never more glorified then when we expresse a willing obedience to his commands two whereof emphatically enjoyne obedience to Superiors and forbid wrong and prejudice to be offered by any to any one whomsoever First Honour thy Father and Mother that is all those that have authority over us as all Expositors upon good grounds render the meaning of it Secondly Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours house c. nor any thing that is his that is thou shalt not wish thy Neighbours hinderance in any thing much lesse deprive him of the least thing properly belonging unto him Vide the Margent of the Bible or you shall not offer any wrong to any man whomsoever whereby he may suffer damage in person estate reputation or otherwise for the word neighbour must be taken in a more extensive signification in the Commandement then we commonly use it O that every man with one eye fixed upon these two Commandements would with the other view what by the Law is justly due to his Majestie and Posterity and then consider c. Besides these you have the Prophets and Apopostles Pro. 27.29.30 speaking the same truth as Ambassadours from heaven Solomon adviseth us not to with-hold the goods from the owners thereof though there be power in thy hand to do it Prov. 3.27 29 30. nor to intend hurt against our neighbour seeing he doth dwell by us without * Feare that is putteth trust in us Pro. 24.21 Eccles 8.3 4. Vide margent in the Bible Covenant feare not to strive with a man causlesse seeing he hath done no harme My sonne fear the Lord and the King and meddle not with those that are given to change saith the same wiseman Take heed to the mouth of the King and to the Word of the Oath of God saith the Preacher that is obey the King and keep the Oath that thou had made for the same cause The advancement of the Kingdome of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ His Kingdome is never more advanced then when we obey his Precepts and imitate his practice Now his Precepts will appear in part Mat. 5.3.4 5.6.7.8.9.10.11.16 if we consider that in his Sermon upon the Mount after he had pronounced blessednesse to the poore in spirit to those that mourne to the meeke to those which hunger and thirst for righteousnesse to the pure in heart to peace-makers to those which suffer for righteousnesse sake to those that are falsly reviled and persecuted he addeth this Exhortation to his Apostles Let your light so shine that is let these things for which men shall be blessed practically appeare in your lives and conversations that so they may see your good workes that is others by your example of holinesse may be brought home to the fold of Christ and glorifie his Father which is in heaven And for his practise you may read it in respect of his paying tribute Matth 22.21 as also how that being brought before Rulers whom though causelesly reviling of him hee reviled not againe being led as a sheep to the slaughter and obedient unto death that thereby hee might be a patterne for our imitation to which purpose he invites us Follow me for I am lowly and meeke c. and in our imitation we must follow him in obeying his Messengers the Apostles counsells for they are sent from him and what their counsell was you may peruse Rom. 13. submit your selves unto the higher Powers c. 1 Pet. 2.13 14 17. be obedient to every Ordinance of man for
the Lords sake whether unto the King as supreme c. Now what is this but to advance the Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ The honour and bappinesse of the King that is Covenant honour him as a King of England by a cheerfull obedience unto his Lawes in which consists his greatest happinesse honour him by your assistance as Subjects supporting and sustaining him by your supplies according to his important occasions calling for the same For as Christ advised his Apostles to expresse their affections by keeping of his Commandements if you love me saith he keep my Commandements as if he should have said if you love me you will keep my Commandements and if you doe keep my Commandements you then evidence that you love me so in this respect obedience to and assistance of His Majestie are but expressions of honour if you honour the King you will obey and assist him if you obey and assist him you make it appeare to the world that you do really honour him And Royall Posterity that is Covenant what Honour and Rights were justly due to the Father render to his Children deprive not them of any part of their inheritance their regall honour and power The publike liberty safety and peace of the Kingdome Covenant That must needs imply the * Magna Charta Law for by that we are distinguished from slaves and in that we have security and safety with peace the fruit of the observation of the Law Wherein every ones private condition is included Covenant That is Prince as well as people O Lord blesse the Kings Majesty and royall Posterity restore our Lawes to their vigor and this poore Kingdome to a lasting peace Covenant Calling to mind the conspiracies and practices of the enemies of God against the true Religion and professors thereof That is against the doctrinall part of our Religion Vide the qualification of an oath behind expressed in the 39. Articles of the Church of England for common reason and your Protestation affirmeth it necessarily meant of our Religion established and against the maintainers thereof Calling to mind the treacherous and bloody plots against the Law of the Kingdome Covenant that is plots by such waies and meanes as the deplorable estate of Ireland long since was a sad witnesse of whose rebellious and trayterous courses against His Majesties Royall Person Crowne of England and Ireland sufficiently then spake their intentious to subvert both Religion and Law We have now at last for preservation of our selves and Religion from utter ruine and destruction That againe Covenant I say according to reason must have a respect to a Religion and Law that is established for it is improper and absurd to say much more vaine to sweare that I will preserve that from ruine and destruction which is not in being ruine presupposing somthing that is to be destroyed and preservation somthing that otherwise will be ruined Thus you have the ground of this Covenant without mentall reservation and equivocation which if the contrivers had any as since it appears they had non ad vos pertinet it savoureth too much of the Jesuite ipsi viderint let them look to it it concerneth not you to whom I write according to the literall and Gramaticall sense and consonant to the Rules of Religion Reason and Law explained I proceed to the Covenant it selfe wherein I shall observe the same religious rationall and lawfull method That we shall sincorely 1 Art Covenant really and constantly through the grace of God endeavour in our sever all places and callings That is according to the station wherein God hath placed us the King in his regall Power Magistrates as derivatives from him in their places Ministers in theirs private subordinate persons according to their severall degrees in theirs none exceeding the rules proper to their peculiar Vocation where by the way take notice that although Superiours may and often do at one and the self-same time performe both their owne duties and also actions proper to Inferiours yet it is unlawfull for Inferiours to take upon them without lawfull Commission the duty of Superiours Lay private men must not intermeddle with what concerneth the proper duty of a Minister nor must Divines wilfully intrench upon the bounds of the Civill Magistrates nor they upon the Royall Fuction of the King for this were to authorize consusion whereas God is the God of Order Covenant Endeavour * That clause must be implied though not inserted Befides it is also confessed as needfull in the exhortation for taking the Covenant Ordered by the House of Commons Die Veneris Feb. 1643. Covenant so far as lawfully I may the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine That is if their Reformed Religion be not contrary to the Word of God this I adde because few in England know what it is in its Doctrinall part but by an implicite faith and I adde it the rather because the practice of the prevailing party there since these stormes first begun so contrary to professions may occasion suspition of their doctrines sincere truth witnesse their Declarations and therein Protestations to maintaine the Kings Rights c. contradicted by assisting end cavours to deprive him of his Rights In worship discipline and government That is that Government which was established and so remained at the compiling of the Covenant grant it the Presbyterian by the lawfull and supreme power of that Kingdome untill that government shall be altered by virtue of the self-same power Against our common enemies Covenant That is all who by unlawfull meanes contrary to the Word of God the Lawes and customes of that Nation and the consent of his Royall Majesty shall indeavour an inforced alteration thereof And here by the way as well for vindication of my self and many others in England as also seeing they esteem the Presbyterian Government there so rich a purchased jewell for their future security I shall add thus much that since they enjoyed that government so confirmed as they have by the Royall assent we never would have disturbed them in their desired possession of their Church-government as they have visited for I love mildnesse in expressions in what concerneth my Countries interest us by oaths and armes for an extirpation of Episcopacy and for the future shall never intermeddle contrary to Reason Religion or Law The reformation of religion in the Kingdome of England and Ireland Covenant c. in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches As for the doctrine of the Church of England expressed in the * The doctrine of the Protestant Church in Ireland agreeable to them 39. Articles being grounded on a sure foundation the holy Scriptures which are onely able to make us wise unto salvation hath even to this very day by the
propounded Therefore by the way first let me request all such whose thoughts cannot but speak themselves intereshed in these lines to lay aside all prejudicate opinions both of my self and others hitherto practically different from them prejudice being like a partition-wall which will binder the judgements yeelding to what is proposed and really made good to be Reason Religion and Law Secondly that they would banish from their brests that Rebel to Religion and Reason a too confident tenaciousnesse of their own opinions not because in their appearance they still continue undoubted truths to their approving judgements but because the past insinuating Declarations of some cunning Polititians and rhetoricall Jesuitized perswafions of others have consonant to their particular erronious maximes and pre-resolved upon designes urged them to a former practice of unjust and unlawfull actions Thirdly therefore that they would cast away that desperately ruining resolution of potius malè currendo crimina criminibus addere quam errorem confireri recurrendo veritatemque veritutis â—â—â—sa propugnare being rather willing to continue slaves to the commission of additionall sins then by repentance become triumphing Champions for the sincerity of truth when as it is far greater and better policy humane and divine by repentance to return into the way of truth then by a continuing progresse in erronioue paths to expose themselves to a possible ruine here and destrustion hereaster Bosides the whole outrent of the Scriptures every where speaketh merey and pardon to the penitent an argument in my judgement sufficient to induce all there unto against contrary suggestions of the world and the Depilâ— nay Ezek. 18.21 to the end the very end of Christs Dirth Death Resurrection and Asoention onely proclaim an invitation of sinners to iome unto him promising them pardon and saivation Now therefore if that any one in this respect shall turn away his ear neglecting to hearken to the Charmer charm he never so well let them take heed that that place of Beelpture Zech. 1.4 5 6. prove not an evidence against their obstindey and the complaint and threats of our Saviour in Mat. 23.37 38. concern not them O Hierusalem Hierusalem which hast killed the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thee together as a hen gathereth her chickens and you would nor Behold therefore your habitation shall be left defelate From which heavy judgement O them preserver of men keep and defend us all But I proceed to lay down my first fundamentall positions in respect of a Government already established That all violent and irregular alteration of Government contracy to the fundamentall customes and constitutions of every respective Nation First if it receive its original from the supream Magistrate and prossed upon the people hath alwayes been branded with the names of tyranny and oppession nor have such sms although the Word of God permit not Subjects by armes to rebel against him passed impunished oftentimes here in this world however without repentance cannot escape in the world to come Secondly if violently streamfing from the seditions compulsive dombination of the people without and against the supream Magistrates consent hath ever been stigmatived with those odious titles of Rebellion and Treason whose just rewards are death here wich a successive never dying infamy and unlesse the mercy of Heaven inter pose the eternity of death hereafter Therefore for the avoyding of Tyranny and Oppression on the one side preventing of Treason and Rebellion on the other with all those bloody issues and ruinous effects flowing from thence tanquam a fonte sanguinolento and confequently those punishments which tanquam uncle sequuntur undas tread on the very heels of such offences It must necessarily be granted an undeniable truth that obedience indispensable is due from every Subject of what degree soever according to the qualification of the persons unto all Lawes not opposite to the Law Word of God made confirmed by the supream power of any Nation and that these Lawes according to reason ought and must remain in full force and vertue untill the same lawfull power which first gave them the power of a commanding law shall repeal and nullifie them That all Christian Subjects do or should yeeld obedience to Kings personall and the Law his vertuall commands if not derogatory to the Law of God not onely because the King quatenus Rex or the Law quatenus Lex tantiem commandeth the same but because in his Word he hath laid a precept upon us both in the fourth Commandement and in Rom. 13.1 2 3. where he enjoyneth every soul to be subject to the higher Powers c. and 1 Pet. 2.14 15 17. where he commandeth us by his Apostle to submit our selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be unto the King as unto the supream c. so that if we deny active obedience to his legall commands we deny it not to the King and oppose the Law therein alone but to God himself pen quem Reges regnant Prov. 9.15 16 acting contrary to his will revealed in his Word and the practice of Christ himself who gave Caesar hiâ— due But because peradventure a demonstration of my own judgement about passive obedience active to Kings having already been discussed of may be expected therefore that I might not leave my self to the uncertain interpretation of any I professe my self an English Protestant and therefore in the truest sense shall not refuse the stile of an English Catholike disavowing all hereticall idolatrous and superstitious Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome and all other Opinions different from and contradictory unto the Doctrine of the Church of England established in the thirty nine Articles not because it is established onely but because it is consonant and agreeable to the Word of God the truth whereof hath been is and hereafter will be made good against all hereticall and schismaticall Opponents whomsoever In particular reference to a lawfull King and the continuance of his government in peace and piety I detest and protest against all Jesuiticall distinctions Vide King James premonition to christian Princes and his Apology for the Oath of Alleagiance pag. 50 51 108 109. alibique destructive tenents to all Religion and Government of power reserved in Pope or people of what degree or number soever whether they be a body representative conjunctim if a body can properly be termed a body without an head or any particular members divisim under any pretence or intention whatsoever by force to dispose of and change the Lawes of a Kingdom depose Kings divest them of their lawful power dispense with Oaths by which their Subjects stand as well religiously as naturally obliged refist their lawfull commands by the sword perswading Subjects to follow their example I acknowledge according to the truth of the Word of God 2 Thes 1.4 Match 26.51 Match 9.54 55 56. Mat. 16.23
Book of Martyrs 3. vol. Hom. Church Engl. Artie the practice and precept of Christ himself the examples of the Prophets and Apostles the pattern of all the Martyrs the generally concurring Doctrine of the Catholike Church now in profession continued in the Church of England That active obedience is to be yeelded to the King as supream in omnibus licitis in things lawfull but if God for the punish ment of a Nation should set over us a tyrannicall King secundam voluntaiem pravam non rationem rectam regentem governing by his depraved will against reason and commanding things contrary to the Word of God we must not by force of arms rebel against him but rather then so if not prevailing by Petition unto him or escaping by flight from him patiently submit to the losse of our lives estates agreeing with the ancient Christians that preces lachrymae sunt arma ecclesiae that the pen rather then the sword patience prayers and tears then actively shedding blood best becommeth Christians Herein committing my soul into the hands of my faithfull Creator and mercifull Redeemer Revel 2.10 Mat. 5.10 11 12. 1 Per. 3.14 17. 1 Tim. 2.9 who have pronounced them blessed that suffer for righteousnesse sake and the testimony of a good conscience But I know the Jesuite and others too neer him in opinion though remote from him in name will contract their browes into a frown at this though Christian like asseveration and resolution Homily Chur. Engl. Sacred royall Prerogative of christian Kings printed Anne 1644. interposing many ayery suppositions distinctions and I know not what frivolous questions all which I shall at present forbear to insert much more to answer because they have sufficiently been in the religious and rationall works of many learned Writers both â—ncient and modern refuted and matle to appear but groundlesse quickly vanishing into ayre Beside his royall Majesty since the beginning of this unnaturall War having dommanded nor demanded any thing as in the sequell will appear contrary to established Law nor performed any action which any other Prince as supream might not lawfully have done se sobolem leges Regnaque defendendo It would be a needlesse and a labour in vain in me although in my conscience I approve the same to spend paper in vindication of a Christians passive obedience it being a question not arifing from the past or present practice of our Soveraign Lord the King therefore without all question at present standeth not in need either of mine or any other his Majesties Subjects defence For he hath been and is so far from commanding any unjust things contrary to the Law of God and the Land that he hath patiently suffered reproaches against his royall person deprivation of his noble Consort dispersion of his Princely Son hazard oâ— his own life losse of his Revenues with many thousands of his loyall Subjects nay almost all the comforts which felicitates a mans life vpon earth being at last after all these a restrained prisoner O happy thrice blessed wals conteyning such a King pattern of true Piety president of religious constancy example of an unparalelled Patience O unnaturall men Rebels to the King Reason Religion and Law whose trayterous commands thus turns Princes Pallaces into a royall Prison And all this he undergoeth because he would govern onely by Law and preserve a power in himself whereby he may be enabled to preserve the Law But I proceed passing by the generall power of a King in Divinity and in that respect what he may do and confider him onely as he is King of England in a well setled Government and therefore to this purpose shall lay down some more fundamentall positions and unquestionable truths That our Soveraign Lord CHARLES Vide all Acts of Ravliament confessing the 1. Jac. cap. 1.9 Edw. 4 fol 8 by the grace of God is lawfull King of England and of all other his Majesties Dominions and Countries that he is supream Governour over all persons and in all causes whether Ecolesiastical or Civil That is There is by the Law of the Land established in which he is vertually present no commanding power above him without him much lesse against him nor can ought or must any conjunctim or divisim exercise any governing power within his Majesties Dominions nor must any willingly expresse subjection or obedience to such an unjust and usurped power standing in opposition to his lawfull power That there are regales columnae to support this Monarchicall Fabrick from sinking or suffering any injury from any persons whomsoever as summoning and dismissing of generall Counsels whether Ecclesiastical or Civil making or anulling of Laws that is his affirmative or negative voyce in Parliament without which the Building were rather a painted then substantiall Edifice Secondly making of War or Peace that is disposing of the Militia of arming his Subjects to prevent forraign Invasions or suppresse domestick rebellious Insurrections without which it would also soon fall by seditious and ambitious underminers nor could the King without this power be able to defend himself from wrong or his Subjects from oppression Thirdly creating and disposing of Magistrates power over life and death highest and last appeal without which his title of Supremacy would be a title of supream mockery the stile of * School boys know that Rex is but a derivative of Rego which signifies to Govern King a meer contradiction nay if he had not these additionals whereby he is onely abled Regis agere partem he were rather Rex titularis quà m realis and if so rather regulatus and therefore in the best sense but a supream Subject then Rex regens by vertue of his supream power governing his Subjects were he deprived of these necessary adjuncts to a regall power he then may as his Majesty hath well observed himself be waited upon bare-headed have his hand kissed His Answer to the nineteen Proposition Anno 1â—â—â— his Authority declared by his Subjects have Swords and Maces carried before him and please himself with the sight of a Crown and Scepter but as to true and reall power he should remain but the out side picture and sign of a King Now that all these with many more attributes of power requisite for a King to have do appertain by the established Law of this Land to our Soveraign Lord King CHARLES his Heirs and Successors I will not trouble the margin with quotations from the Fountain Lex terrae A. 1647. a principio ad siuem Remonst Feb. 21. 1647. alibique scriptis to make good but refer the Reader to those pure streams flowing from thence those brief Collections of that Reverend Lawyer Judge Jenkins who therein Atlas like hath supported the true fundamentall Lawes of England and like a faithfull Expositor given the most religious rationall and lawfull practiced sense of them But for the cleering hereof I shall propound some queries to all rationall men which will the
the making of Canons and Constitutions nor publish and put in ure any of them being made Now Presbyterians take upon them to set up their Discipline in a Kingdom therein indeed shaking hands with Jesuited Papists maugre all opposition It is true for external peace sake they hold it fit to crave leave first and beg the assistance of the Civil Power but if denyed will proceed without it assembling together and making their own Laws without regulations from the Civil Power for the manner and form of exercising their Discipline allowing only the Prince Potestatem Cumulativam as they speak a power to add more strength and vigour not Privativam to interpose or hinder their assemblies or decrees And in this respect it were to be wished that England had never proved exemplary as now in these latter times it doth by such kind of proceedings The fountain from whence hath issued too ny bloody streams And here it will not be amiss to present the Reader with the grounds and reasons enforcing his Majesty with his loyal Subjects assistance to defensive Arms and in that a Declaration of my own in particular and many thousand English Protestant Judgments more whose pens tongues and hands only endeavored a restoration of his Royal Majesty to his just regal honor and authority Themselves and their fellow-subjects unto their due liberties both Parliamentary and private The preservation of the Protestant Religion in the Doctrine and Profession of the Church of England against all Papists and Sectaries The maintenance of the Government of the Church of England as it standeth still by Law established until the Law of the Land shall make alteration thereof not so peremptorily maintaining the continuance of Episcopal Government as to enforce the remaining of its general practice in England by force of Arms in opposition and against his Majesties suppose that the King could or would dispence with his Coronation Oath will and consent to that purpose cheerfully and voluntarily ratified not by the pressing violence of almost unavoydable necessity or tyrannizing power of the prevailing Sword but freely confirmed and declared by Act of Parliament although peradventure they may mourn the alteration and abrogation of so ancient and apostolical a Government But because my Judgment pleadeth for Episcopacy and it hath been an argument much urged against the Bishops and in them the Government it self defamed That formerly they silenced severall godly Ministers prohibiting them and others the exercise of holy duties because they did only exercise duties that were holy I shal write my thoughts freely herein For far be it from me to speak against or any to forbid the Exercise of holy duties as hearing praying reading living strictly Endeavouring to have a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Men No no the practice of them in sincerity is the high way to Heaven for without holinesse none shall see God but in the mean time take heed what you hear beware of swallowing poyson wrapped up in Leaves of gold take heed of these who have a forme of Godlinesse a forme in Practice onely that under pretence of long Prayers and outside piety devour Widdows houses that deny the truth of the word of God the holy Scriptures by their false Doctrines seducing many into erronious Opinions the parents of worse succeeding actions For my part if any did so forbid performance of holy duties as I am altogether ignorant of any such nor can easily be induced to believe it howsoever were I assured of its truth I would not minima defendere peccata plead an excuse for them But if then they did as I believe they did onely by suspensions endeavour to prevent the sowing of the seeds of sedition schisme and heresie or the growth thereof to any strength either in publick or in private as it was there and is the duty of all Ecclesiasticall Governours they did no more then what the law of God and the land gave them a warrant for therefore let every one as well take heed of calling good evill as tearming evill to be good for in all probability had such preventing-remedies as these been timely applied when sedition schisme and heresie first opened their black mouths we never had arrived at this high degree as at this present we are of variety of Errours and pernicious destructive Opinions O Lord have mercy upon us But grant that some of them stretched the exercise of power beyond its lawfull bounds and in that respect were guilty deserving punishment What is the fault of one or more Bishops to the Government it self could not the errours of particular persons be reformed or punished but by an extirpation of the whole Government durus est hic sermo it is hard indeed if God for the sin of two Adam and Eve nay of many thousands more should have therefore denied mercy and reconciliation to all mankind How everlastingly unhappy would the residue of the world have been Deliver us good God from the cruell dealings of men and if affliction must be our portion let us fall into thy hands O Lord for thy mercy endureth for ever As for the remaining clauses in the first Article viz. Of bringing the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest uniformity c. these things considered That the Discipline of the Church of God is most Consonant to the word of God Covenant approved of and desired by forraigne Divines and therefore the best reformed not intrenching with the Papists upon the Civill power nor with them denying the Kings supremacy in causes Ecclesiasticall agreeing best with Monarchy confirmed by the Law of the Land Other Churches therefore according to the rule of reason and religion within His Majesties Dominions should rather conform to ours then the uniformity of ours in Religion Government and Worship admit a change or be transformed into any other form To this purpose O Lord inspire the universal Church with the spirit of truth unity and concord and grant that all that do Confesse thy holy name may live in peace and godly love one with another Amen That we shall in like manner Covenant This limitation is approved by the Parliament as behind fol. 53. that is in a lawfull manner according to the word of God endevour the extirpation of Popery that is their tenents of transubstantiation worshipping of Images praying to Saints Preaching good works as meritorious to everlasting life and salvation that Kings for diverse respects may be Deposed by the people that then Subjects Oaths of Alleagiance may be dispensed with King James Apol. Oath Alleg. with their deniall of the Kings Supremacy in all Canses as well Ecclesiasticall and Civill and the like Endeavour extirpation of these by execution of good Laws already established against their Errours and Professours thereof by that meanes preventing their further growth hindring their seducing of ignorant and unwary people and in case of Conspiracy and Treason against the Kings Majesty His Queen or