Relation of the Sufferings of Ministers in Scotland Since 1660, Section 14
SECTION XIIII.
Such reasons or objections as are allaidged for taking, & against refuseing of the oath of alleagiance, as it is called, Answered.
BEfore any other particular be entered upon, or this concerning the oath, which is called (though falsly) the oath of alleagiance, passed from, there are some few objections which would seem to militate against the refuseing to swear & subscribe the oath, as it was tendered, which must be rolled out of the way; And these are either such as concerne the civill part, & so seem to weaken the grounds of scrupling at the oath upon that account, which were laid downe Sect. 10, & 11▪ or such as concerne the Ecclesiastick part, & so seem to weaken the grounds of scrupleing at the taking of the oath upon that account, which were mentioned & prosecuted Sect. 12, & 13.
First then as to the civill part it will be objected. 1. That there was no ground of scrupleing at taking of the oath upon that account. Because it was but the acknowledging of that very power, which did properly belong to him before, & which former Parliaments had recognosced as his due, viz. the 18. Parliament of King Iames the V I. which did acknowledge his Soveraigne Autherity, Princely Power, Royall Prerogative, & Privilege of his Crown over all Estates, persons & causes whatsomever. Ans. This Objection was sufficiently obviated above, Pag. 126. where it was showne that these were but Parliamentary flourishes & complements, grounded upon personall qualifications: And indeed the act seemeth to raise this structure upon his Maj. being put in possession, as the righteous inheritour, of the famous & renowned Kingdomes, of England, France & Irland which far surpasse the wealth power & force of the dominons of his progenitours Kings of Scotland, & thereby having a greater increase of care & burden, & with all upon his extraordinary graces, most rare & excellent vertues, where, with he was endued for the discharge of that trust. Now any man of understanding may see that the increase of his extensive power & authority, or of personall qualifications, is no sufficient ground for the increase of his intensive power, or for the enlargeing of the privileges of the crowne. Moreover it is said expresly in the act that they ratifie approve & perpetually confirme the same, as absolutely, amply, & freely, in all respects & considerations, as ever his Maj. or any of his royall progenitours, Kings of Scotland in any time by gone, possessed, used & exercised the same. Whence it appeareth that they gave no new power, only they did recognosce what he & his progenitours had before. Now, as was showne above, neither he nor any of his progenitours had such a supremacy over parliaments, as is now allaidged to belong unto the crown: For as to that first act parl. 8. Anno 1584. it was showne above Pag. 125. how notwithstanding of the supremacy there granted unto the King, the privileges of Parliament remaine intire, as they had been continued past all memory of man, without any alteration or diminution whatsomever: And after this Anno 1587. in the 11. Parl. act. 33. the ancient order, dignity & integrity of the parliament is restored, & particularly act. 40. the King doth faithfully promise to do or command nothing which may directly or indirectly prejudge the liberty of free voteing of the Estates of Parliament.
But 2. It will be objected, That all this supremacy was acknowledged by the Parliament 21. Anno 1612. when the Acts of the Assembly at Glasgow Anno 1610. were ratified, among which this was one, that Ministers should swear the same oath which was tendered by this Parliament, & which is there set down. Ans. It is true it was appoynted by that pretended Assembly that Ministers at their entry, or admission to the Kirk should, Testify & declare, that the King was the only supreme Governour of the realme as well in matters Spirituall & Ecclesiasticall, as in things temporall, &c. And it is true this Parliament did ratify & approve this deed, so that it had the force of a law. But 1. There is a great difference betwixt such a civill sanction as this is, & an other Act of Parliament, other Acts stand in force untill they be repealed, but, when the Church constitution, which is the ground & Basis of the civill sanction, ceaseth, the sanction ceaseth, & the Act perish…, without any formall repeall: The Act ratifying & approveing the deed of a Church judicature, standeth in force no longer, then the deed of the Church judicature standeth in force, & the deed of a Church judicature may be altered without any respect had unto the civill sanction, or notwithstanding that the civill sanction is not formally removed, because the civill sanction did follow & depend upon the Church Act, & the Church Act doth not depend upon the civill sanction. 2. It is not incumbent unto a Church judicature to determine the limites of the King's civill supremacy, far lesse to determine the same in the first place: & this pretended Assembly was more anxious about the King's Ecclesiastick supremacy, then the civill, & it was his supremacy in Church matters which was here intended by them, & approved by the Parliament: And therefore it is added, And that no forraigne Prince, State nor Potentat hath or ought to have any jurisdiction, power, superiority, preheminence or authority Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall. 3. What ever civill supremacy may be supposed to be here included, there is no supremacy over Parliaments acknowledged; But any civill power that is here recognosced as his due, is in opposition to forraigne Princes, States, or Potentats, & not to Parliaments within the Kingdom. If it be said that the oath tendered by this Parliament, Anno 1661. being every way correspondent unto that oath which is recorded Parliament 21. Anno▪ 1612. can import a recognosceing of no more civill power then that Anno 1612. & therefore might lawfully have been sworne. It is replyed. That the oath Anno 1661. is more expresse for civill power & supremacy, then that An. 1612. But if there had been no more, then the words of the oath Anno 1661. there had not been very great ground of scrupleing at the taking thereof upon the account of the civil part: for it is not the words of the oath, that ground that scruple upon that account, so much as the glosse put upon the words, by their other acts particularly by the act for acknowledging his Maj. prerogatives which as a commentary, explaineth what they meane by his being supreme governour over states civil, & in all causes civil: Now the like of this was not done by the parliament Anno 1612. Or any other before or since that time, till this parliament Anno 1661. which hereby hath put another glosse upon the civil part of the oath then ever was done before.
But. 3. It will be objected May not Parliaments give more civil power unto the King then he had before & so enlarge even intensivè the privileges & prerogatives of the crown & so denude themselves of that in whole or in part, which did formerly appertaine unto them: And when the Parliament hath done this & annexed such & such power unto the crowne, can it be unlawfull for privat subjects to acknowledge that the King hath indeed so much power. Ans. in poynt of law it will be a very great question, whether Parliaments who are but trustees intrusted by the people, whose commissioners they are, & virtually if not expresly bound to maintaine their rights & privileges, may betray their trust, & give away the iust & ancient privileges of Parliament & there with the just & ancient liberties of the people. It will be agreat question if they at their own hand, may alter the foundamentall lawes of the land, without the consent of these whose commissioners they are. And it will be a greater question in law; if this Parliament might have sold or given away the privileges of Parliament, & liberties of the people, seing so much in poynt of law may be objected against its being a free Parliament, if the want of freedome of election in shires & brughs, if prelimitation, if the election of such as were not capable, by the foundamentall constitution of Parliaments, & practice of the Kingdome, & other informalities, of that kinde, may have any place or weight in the anulling of Parliaments. But. 2. In poynt of conscience, it is clear that Parliaments may not now give away & according to their pleasure dispone of the rights & privileges of Parliament, for in the third article of the league & covenant, all the people of the land, & Parliaments among the rest, are sworne to maintaine in their severall places & capacities; & so Parliaments, in their Parliamentary capacitie, the rights & privileges of Parliament. 3. Though the Parliament not with standing of the bonde of the covenant, should denude themselves of their privileges; yet now seing every particular member of the Kingdome is sworne, according to his place, & station to maintaine the rights & privileges of Parliament, they may not assent unto such a deed of the Parliament, & by their oath & subscription, approve of such a wrong; for that is the least that private persons, who desire to minde & make conscience of the oath of God, can do, at such a time, viz. to refuse to give an expresse, clear & positive assent, unto such a wrong done to the rights, & privileges of Parliament, contrary to the covenant. But 4. All this is to little or no purpose; for there is not the least syllabe in all the Acts of this Parliament which doth import any new deed of gift, but all alongs they speak of these prerogatives as formerly inherent in the crown yea as essentiall to it, & hence it is, that they condemne the actings of the Parliaments & Kingdome of Scotland, these many years by gone, because done in such away as was an actuall & insolent (as they say) incroachment & invasion upon the privileges & prerogatives of the crowne.
Obj. 4. The acknowledging of the prerogative is distinct from the oath of allegiance & therefore seing they were not put to take that acknowledgement, they could not refuse the oath upon the account of these consequences contained in the acknowledgement. Ans. So is the Declaration dated Sep. 2, 1662. Set down as distinct from the Acknowledgement & yet who ever sweareth & subscribeth the Acknowledgement doth sweare & subscribe the Declaration upon the matter: so is it here, who ever taketh the oath of alleagiance doth upon the matter take the acknowledgem. also; for it is not possible to see any discrepancy betwixt them, save such as is betwixt the text & the commentary; for the acknowledgm. is nothing else upon the matter, then an explication or Exegesis of the oath, & in the acknowledgem. the same thing is said & assirmed in plaine full & clear tearmes, which is but in generall affirmed in the oath. By their Acts they declare what things they account privileges of the crowne, & all these they comprehend under his supremacy, & so in their account his supremacy over all persons, & the prerogatives royall, or privileges of the crowne, are all one, Therefore they could not acknowledge this supremacy, because they could not acknowledge the prerogatives royall: See this objection further answered above, Pag. 168.
In the next place, there are objections of another nature, which must be answered; as. 1. Obj. Such as refuse this oath of alleagiance declare that they are not dutyfull & loyall subjects, which Ministers & Christians ought not to do Ans. It hath been showne at the beginning of the tenth Section, what difference there is betwixt this oath, & the oath of alleagaince, & there is no Minister or Christian who would scruple at the taking of the pure oath of alleagiance: Yea they would account themselves obliged to take the same, if there were any necessity or just suspition of disloyalty in them, which might occasion the same. King Iames in his book called God & the King sheweth that those treacherous persones, who occasioned the frameing of the oath of alleagiance, were the Pope's bloody emissaries following the principles of Rome & practiseing unparalleled treacherie against King, Queen, & Parliament, among whom, none will have the fore head to reckon such as did now refuse the oath, as it was tendered. It is the supremacy in Church & state, which only was scrupled at, & the acknowledging of this supremacy is no part of alleagiance; for one may acknowledge, his father to be his father though he should not say that he hath power, as a father, over his soul & conscience: one may acknowledge the King of Britane, lawfull King of his dominions though he should not acknowledge him to have as much dominion & power over them, as the great Turk usurpeth over his dominions: And therefore letnone so interpret that passage of the Apology for the ministers of England. pag. 2. Where they prove that, they cannot be, challenged as guilty of Laese Majestie, because they acknowledge that the King is defender of the faith in all causes, & the supreme head & Governour; over all persons as well ecclesiastik as civil, as if they would assert that all in Scotland who do refuse this oath & acknowledgement, were guilty of Laese Majesty, merely upon the account of their refuseing of the oath, seing, as hath been showne, their case & the case of Scotland is not every way the same, & though they give out this as an evidence of their loyalty, yet they do not pitch upon it as proprium quarto modo unto a true loyal subject.
2. Obj. Will you allow his Maj. no power in Church matters. Ans. yes., Even all that power which the first confession of the Church of Scotland doth allow, viz. tho conservation, & purgation of religion, the maintenance of the true religion, & the suppressing of idolatry and superstition as also all that which the later confession concluded by the Assembly of divines at Westminster doth allow: As also as much as sound reformed divines grant unto him, according to the word of God: He hath power over the foreign things extrinsecall, that properly belong unto the outward man, & are common to the Church with other societies. He is Custos ut…sque tabulae, in a civill manner, & must have a care of both the tables of the law. It were tedious here to set down all the particulars: See Gillespy in his Aarons rod blossoming, lib. 2. cap. 3. & the CXI. Propositions, which are full enough to this purpose.
3. Obj. Why then was this oath refused seing no more was required thereby? Ans. More, yea much more was required, as appeareth by what hath been said, & cleared from their Acts & actings, especially from their refuseing of the sense given in by these Ministers who were detained so long prisoners in the Tolbooth & thereafter banished, which was large enough, & possibly larger then some of these who gave it, afterward upon second thoughts would approve: It is beyond questioning, that this Parliament giveth unto the King by vertue of this prerogative & as annexed to the crown far more then ever the confession of faith of that Chuch or any other protestant reformed Church, did give. And as they give, so he taketh more, as might be evidenced by his letter unto the Archbishop of York if it were now at hand.
4. Obj. But whatever they assume to themselves it is not much matter: Seing none … put to affirme, that so much power doth belong unto him, & the oath tendered hath not so much in it, in terminis, Ans. When an oath is contrived in such generall & comprehensive termes, as may take in much & when there is no other way to finde out the iust latitude & meaning of it; but by their Acts & actings who tender it, it is of much concernment to know, what sense their actions will put upon it, for by their actions, the true sense must be learned: For it is a received & known principle, that oaths must be taken according to their known sense & meaning of the words, who tender the same; because oaths were first invented for their security, & therefore whosoever would deal honestly & Christianly in taking an oath, must take it in the very sense that it is understood in by such as tender it: Otherwise the holy name of God shall be taken in vaine, & the takers of the oath shall deal deceitfully in frustrating the end of the oath, & the designe of the tenderers thereof To take an oath Quatenus, Eatenus, in fo far will not satisfie as worthie D. Voetius judgeth de Pol. Eccl. p. 283.
5. Obj. This shienesse were good in case the oath as worded could bear such a sense as is supposed to be meaned by the tenderers. But it is not so here. Ans. It is certane the oath (as to the part controverted) is conceived in generall termes: It is certane that their sense who tender it, is not sound: & it is certane that there is nothing in the oath contradicting their sense & meaning: Yea it is certane that the very oath it self, as worded, will take in all their sense & meaning; For it giveth to him a supremacy of power both over Civill & Ecclesistick persones & causes, all persons, & all causes will take in both, & supreme Governour over all these persons, & in all these causes, will take in a great power, & a very large supremacy: Yea the very grammaticall construction of the oath will bear this large sense fully enough. Any of understanding may easily see these three things here. 1. That the King is the same way supreme Governour over Church men, as he is over Civill men. 2. That he is made the same way Governour in Church causes, as in Civill causes. And 3. That he is the same way Governour over Church men in their Church capacity, or in their Church causes & actions; as over Civil men in their civil capacities, & in their Civill causes & actions.
6. Obj. The sense can be no other then this, That he is supreme Governour over all persons what ever action they be about, as if he were in a ship he should be supreme Governour over all the persons there, what ever their trade or occupation were, & of the Governour of the ship among the rest; And yet it will not follow, that he is the supreme Governour of the action of guideing the ship, but only that the Governour of the ship, while he is guideing her, is a subject: And just so is it here, as to Churchmen. Ans. Even his supremacy over civill persons in civill causes is much to be questioned as hath been said; But to wave this here, their Acts & deeds which are more authentick interpretations of the oath, then any privat conjectures, speak some other thing: were the oath worded thus, he is supreme Governour over all Persons, this objection would have some colour, but when it is said in all causes, yea & in all causes, all is wrong. Next it is certane from what hath been said Sect. 10, & 11. that they intend more as to the civill part, then that he is supreme Governour over civill persons & that they remaine subjects while about civill Actions; For he is made supreme Governour over civill persons, & in civill causes; And must it not be so likewise, as to the Church part, seing the oath puteth no difference lesse or more betwixt them▪ 3. One maine end of the oath was to shoulder out the Pope & his power & this was an immediat cognition of Church affaires, & a power not only over persons, but over causes; And what was taken from the Pope with the one hand, was devolved on the King with the other. 4. The simile is a plaine dissimile, as it is set down: but make the parallel run thus. There is a forraigner within the ship challenging power of making lawes to all persons within it & particularly to the pilote, & power of judging him in his actions as pilote, betwixt whom & the Prince the debate cometh to that height, that he is ejected, & to the end, he may never be re-admitted, the Prince imposeth an oath upon all within the Vess…ll, & particularly upon the pilote & seamen, That they should acknowledge him to be their only supreme Governour, & in all their actions & causes. And then any of ordinary capacity may discerne whether or not the pilot be not bound by his oath to acknowledge some thing more then that he is a civill subject while he is about his calling & work. But all this is to no purpose now seing their Acts & actings make the bussinesse clear enough as is shown above.
7. Obj. Where a Civil Magist. is affirmed to be Govern. of his dominions, by common intendment this must be understoodof a civil government, & may not be extended to that of another kinde. Ans. With all due respect to the reverend author of this reply, viz. Bishop Vsher in his speach concerning the oath of supremacy in the Starre Chamber in Irland. This doth not satisfie; because by the same reason, might one who were clear for the primacy of Scotland, lawfully swear, that the Archprelat of Saint Andrews were supreme Governour of Scotland, over all persons & in all causes; because, by parity of reason, when the governement of a Church officer is spoken of, by common intendment, this must be understood of an Ecclesiastick governement & may not be extended to that of another kinde. And yet no doubt, this oath would be scrupled at, notwithstanding of that common intendment. But 2. Their acts & deeds destroy that common intendment, & respect must be had to their intendment, & not to the common intendment. 3. Even as to this common intendment in respect of the civil part it hath been showne what just ground of scruple there was.
8. Obj. No other thing can be understood, for he is capable of no more, & the predicat can agree no further to the subject, then its capacity will permit. Ans. This is a shift for Children, but for none else: For. 1. Such subjects are seen to assume to themselves more, then they are truely, by any law of God, capable of. 2. By this meanes one might swear that the civil Magistrat were Head, husband, King & saviour of the Church without all hazard of perjurie for these predicats can agree to him no further then he is capable: As also one might lawfully swear that the Pope were supreme civil judge of the King's Dominions, yea & swear the greatest untruths imaginable; but such Salvo's will prove too narrow to cover perjury in the day of accounts. 3. Oaths are the end of controversies, but this oath should then decide no controversie: For the King's power should be as uncertaine, as ever it was, for all this oath. 4. The question is not so much what power doth really appertaine unto the civil Magistat, but another thing founded on this, viz. what power may one lawfully say & swear doth indeed belong to him: And will any be so prophane & grosse, as to say, It may be acknowledged by oath, that he hath more power then indeed he hath? Such like metaphisicall distinctions, will not defend from the wrath of God, in the day when he shall be a swift witnesse against all false swearers.
9. Obj. Is it faife to contend with heigher powers about such things, & bring on such sad sufferings? Ans. Christians should be most taken up with duty, & should not value sufferings: They should buy the truth, & by no means sell it, & this matter under debate is no small bussinesse, whatever some may think. Not to mention here the sad consequences of this oath, as to the civil part thereof, if the Ecclesiastick part therof be only noticed it, will appear to be a matter of greater moment then every one will beleeve; as may appear from the reasons mentioned. Sect 12. Men who would be accounted loyal subjects unto a King of clay will think it their duty to stand & contend for a small & inconsiderable bit of a thing, going under the name of a privilege of the crown, to the hazard of life & all; & shall any Christian accounte such things, as are reall privileges of the crown of Christ, frivolous, And not worth the hazarding of any thing for? The asserting of Christ to be head & King of his Kingdom, which is distinct from all other Kingdoms upon earth, & that he alone hath power to rule this his Kingdom, with his own lawes, & by his own officers; And that none may rob him of his crowne & scepter, or of any part or pendicle thereof, seem to be no small matters. Who will condemne the generation of the righteous who like valiant souldiours, have stood for the defence of their master's prerogatives, & would not give their consent, unto the spoiling of his crown, no not in the least, even when condemned to death therefore, & banished out of the land of their nativity: The words of famous Mr Welsch in his letter to the Lady fleeming from his prison at Blacknesse Ian. 1606. Are worthy to be noticed & keeped on record What am I (sayeth he) that he should first have called me, & then constituted me a minister of glad things, of the Gospell of salvation, these fiftine yeers already, and now last of all, to be a sufferer for his cause and Kingdom; to witnesse that good confession that Iesus Christ is the King of saints, & that his Church is a most free Kingdom, yea as free as any Kingdome under heaven, not only to convocate, hold, and keep her meetings, conventions, and assemblies: But also to judge of all her affaires, in all her meetings and conventions, among his members and subjects: These two poynts. 1. That Christ is tho head of his Church. 2. That she is free in her governement from all other jurisdiction except Christ's are the speciall cause of our imprisonment being now convict as traitors, for maintaining thereof. We have been waiting with joyfulnesse to give the last testimonie of our blood in confirmation thereof. If it would please our God, to be so favourable, as to honoure us with that dignity.
Obj. 10. Howbeit the matter as set forth by you seem considerable; yet as comprehended in the oath, it seemeth very inconsiderable: Were these things expresly affirmed, there were some colour of reason for refuseing to acknowledge the same; but seing they are only your inferences & groundlesse feares there is lesse reason to refuse the oath. Ans. It is no new thing, for sufferers to be blamed as faulty: This is certaine, & every one may see it, that the temptation is stronger for taking then for refuseing of the oath, there being much more outward & worldly advantage to be had by taking then by refuseing of it; and therefore such should be Christianly sympathized with seing the matter they stand upon, is not t…ial, the bussinesse they contend for is concerning the due bounds & marches of the Kingdome of Christ, & concerning the just extent of the privileges of his crown; & if they be mistaken, it is in this they are mistaken: They desire not to rob the civil Mag. of his due; but when they apprehend that there is an in croachment made by him upon the privileges of Christ, as King & head of his Church, no tender Christian will blame them for standing upon their ground; & to be willing for the interest of their Lord & master to lose their liberties, yea & their lives too But. 2. It is sufficiently manifested already that neither these inferences nor their feares, were groundlesse, so that it were superfluous to adde any more here for cleareing of the same.
Obj. 11. But the Parliament or Councell would give liberty to persones to explaine themselves, & to expresse what their meaning of the oath was, & in what sense they would take it: Why was not this favour accepted? might they not have taken it in their owne sense, seing no doubt, that would have been a saife sense? Ans. 1. Some indeed reporte that this favour & courtesy was conferred on them in private, and therefore they had no scruple to take the oath: but all had not this in their offer. 2. Others as wise & judicious, would have looked upon▪ such an offer as no savour or courtesie at all, & indeed it deserveth not the name of a favour, to give liberty to any to mock God, others, & themselves; Such a liberty could be nothing else but a snare to the conscience: For, by words, to put a glosse upon a written or printed oath, which in strick construction it will not bear, & then sweare it & subscribe to it, is to mock the most high who will not be mocked. To subscribe an oath in terminis as it is offered, & set down in write or print, after it is mentally or verbally glossed, is to stumble the truely godly, & to harden the wicked in the age present; & to mock posterity, who shall see the oath in terminis subscribed, but neither see nor hear of the glosse, which as a salvo was cast in; yea & it is to deceive themselves by intangleing themselves into the bonde of a sinfull oath, with faire speaches & plausible apprehensions, or rather dreames. But. 3. Why would they not suffer such as they required to take the oath, to set down their sense in plaine tearmes before their subscription? And why would they not rest satisfied with that which the Six or Seven forementioned ministers did? Sure, if it had been tendered upon any other account then as a snare to the conscience, this would have been granted; but it is true, the taking of the oath after that manner, would not have served their purpose so well as now it will, when subscribed as set down in terminis: li…ra scripta manet, & dolus versatur in generalibus. 4. Who ever would have fuller satisfaction to this objection let him consult Doct Sanders. de jur. prom. oblig. prael: 6. §. 10. whose words shall be here translated & set downe atlength because so full & satisfactory dico (sayeth he speaking to the same case) &c. i. e. I say that it may be suspected, that there is some deceit …rking & therefore every pious & prudent man should refuse such an oath offered under such termes. 1. Because in the oath it self, truth is required; but a proposition having an indefinit and ambiguous sense, before there be a distinction used for clearing, is no true proposition, yea it is not a proposition at all; for a proposition, (as children know by it's d…ition) should signifie either truth or falshood without ambiguity. 2. Because of him who tendereth the oath, for the proper end of an oath, is that he in whose favours it is taken should have some certainty of that whereof he doubted before, but there can no certanty be had, out of words which have no certaine sense. 3. Because of him who sweareth who if he take such an oath on these termes, either stumbleth his neighbour or else spreadeth a net for his own feet; For to what else should such collusion tend then either that by our example others (though against their conscience) may be induced to take it, & this is to lay a stumbling block before them; or that afterward by vertue of that oath some thing may be required of us which is either unlawful or hurtful & this is to lay a snare for our selves. Therefore let every prudent man bewar of suffering himself to be deceived by these wiles & of thinking so much either of the favour or of the …ll will of any other as to swallow the bate under which he is sure there is a hook. It is expedient that in the matter of oaths all things be done aright, & that the sense be clear to all, & that is jurare liquido … swear with a clear conscience.
Sic tamen & liquido juratus dicereposses.
When in thy conscience thou art clear.
Then may'st thou without scruple swear.
Obj. 12. Though the Parliament upon grounds of state policy should not think fit to alter the words of the oath, which have been condescended upon by former Parliaments, & see down in their Acts; But keep the same in termin…s lest giving way to alter upon the desire of one, they should alter & change it in insin…um, according to mens severall phancies & desires: Yet to hazard upon suffering upon such an account cannot be commended. Ans. 1. Every sin even the least must be shuned upon any hazard; Yea all are commanded to abstean from every appearance of evill. It may be suffering for righteousnesse sake, in the eyes of God, which men may account suffering for needlesse serupulosity. If they had been of the same judgement with such divines (called so at least) who now a dayes publish to the World, their new found out principles, whereby all oathes may be loosed, or broken rather as rotten ropes; They might have taken & digested a cartfull of oaths (to use the expression, which some who now have renunced that oath & Covenant which once they swore, did utter, when minded of their former oaths) & never once enquired whether lawfull or unlawfull (& to say this on the bye it is no small matter of admiration to think what security, such can expect from others by oaths who themselves professe & publish the Art of loosing all the bondes of oaths; but it would appear that, this is not the thing designed, but rather this that seing they know such as they have to deal with are men of conscience, they would have them either ensnared, in the same guilt, & drawn unto the same excesse of wickednesse & Atheisme with themselves, or else exposed to their fury & cruelty) but they love not such principles of prophanity & Atheisme, but rather desire to feare an oath knowing that God is jealous, & will not hold such guiltlesse as take his name in vaine. 2. If this be the oath of alleagiance, it is very farre changed from what it was, as was showne above Sect. 12. & it is not faire to change it so as to make it worse. 3. In the matter of oaths, reason & religion would require, that the meanest who are concerned in it, should be condescended unto: Rulers should follow the laudable example of Abraham, who did condescend unto his servant in the matter of an oath, which he was tendering unto …im: It is consonant both to reason & Religion, that oaths, before they be imposed; Be examined againe & againe, and so worded, as none, no not the meanest, who is endued with understanding in those matters, may have the least reall ground of scruple. And as to this oath, they are not a few conceity & self willed persons, who scruple at it, but if Impartiall search be made, it will be found that the most understanding, faithfull conscientious & Zealous in the land, both Ministers & others, do stumble at it, & that not upon imaginations & feares, but upon reall & evident grounds. Now, no doubt, understanding Christians, will easily grant, that in such a bussinesse the…stumbling of so many, so able, eminent, & gracious, is not to be despised: And none will deny this but such as would plead for a lawlesse liberty to Magistrats, to tyrannize over the souls & consciences of people, which were a more dreadfull tyranny then any exercised by the cruelest Nero or Caligula that ever was. But. 4. If they would not alter or change the words of the oath, might they not have published such a sense of the oath as none might have scrupled at, there are severall acts of Parliament explicatory of former acts, & why might not this have been explained by a new act? 5. What these grounds of state policy are why they would neither helpe the oath & worde it other wayes, nor yet give a sound glosse thereof, & make it as publick as the oath it self, is not very needfull to enquire; yet there are some so obvious & conspicuous that he who runneth may read them, viz. That if the oath had been conceived in plaine, clear & saife tearmes, or so interpreted as that no scruple had been left in the mindes of tender Christians, it had not proved such an engine to wa…pe out of the land under the notion of dis…yall persones, such as feared an oath & durst not comply with foresworne prelats, or their wayes.