The Covenanters Plea Against Absolvers, Discourse · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Concerning the Limitations of the Covenant, common to all Premiſſory Oaths, or particularly relating to this. What endeavour as to the mattter of the Covenant, is not required.
§. 1. SUch is the Soveraign power of God over all, ſuch the power which the Divide Law hath reſerved to Superiors, ſuch our own ignorance and infirmity (of which yet in due time we may be convinced) and ſuch the mutability of humane affairs, that Divines reaſonably ſay, that to all promiſſory Oaths, certain conditions (though not expreſt) are yet neceſſarily to be ſuppoſed, viz. Si Deus voluerit, if God will (otherwiſe the performance will be impoſſible) 2. If lawfully I may: Otherwiſe the Oath will be vinculum Iniquitatis, and make us Debtors to Hell, 3. Saving the right of my Superior: For as we ſaid before, God hath reſerved to ſome Superiors, a power of irritation (or ſuſpending rather) ſuch Obligations. 4. If things continue in their preſent ſtate.
§. 2. As the third muſt not be underſtood otherwiſe than we have before proved; ſo the laſt muſt not be taken in its Latitude; For then (ſuch are the contingencies and viciſſitudes of humane affairs) that very few promiſſory Oaths relating to things to be done at any diſtance of time, would be found obliging. It is true, if the ſtate of the caſe be ſo altered, that it will be ſin for us to fulfil our Oaths, the Oath will not oblige, ſuch is the inſtance Caſuiſts give of an Oath, to give a ſword to one, who before he receives it from us, proves mad. 2. And when the ſtate of the caſe is ſo altered, that the plain end of the Oath, and the expectation upon which it is founded, appears fruſtrate (the Oath being only made to a Creature, for his or her advantage) it may be a queſtion, whether the Oath obligeth yea or no? Such is that other Caſe put by Caſuiſts, Where one hath ſworn marriage to another, and before the time of Marriage comes, he diſcerns ſhe hath been defiled by another (in which caſe his refuſal to marry, is little other, than a Bill of Divorce, allowed by Gods Law in caſe of Adultery, as this is after ſuch a Contract in Gods ſight) But none of theſe will at preſent gratifie our Abſolvers.
§. 3. Some therefore have obſerved the expreſs Limitations in the terms of the Covenant: 1. We will endeavour, 2. In our Callings and Places. 3. So far as lawfully we may. And God forbid the terms ſhould have been any other. Far be it from us to aſſert, that a man is tied by his Oath, beyond his endeavour, yea, and lawful endeavour, and in his Calling too. We ſay that the utmoſt that any conſcientious Chriſtian is by the Oath tied to, is, his utmoſt lawful endeavour in his Calling, as a Parliament-man, as a Magiſtrate, as a Minister, as a private perſon, according to his preſent capacity or future capacity, and if by endeavouring, honeſtly and lawfully he cannot attain his end, it is his duty, to ſit down, and commit his ſoul and his cauſe to God, who doubtleſs will accept the ſincerity of his heart. Only we hope it will not be pleaded in Bar to the lawfulneſs of endeavour in this caſe, that it is not lawful to endeavour if the contrary ſhall by a Law be eſtabliſhed: For it was never thought yet unlawful, lawfully to endeavour the annulling, and regular repeal of a Law, which was found grievous to the Subjects outward concern, much leſs to his Conſcience (as any Law muſt be after an Oath to the contrary, as to the matter of the Law.) This being foreprized, our Brethren and we are agreed, as to this Limitation. And we freely acknowledge ourſelves obliged, either actively to do, what Lawes require, or like Chriſtians, to ſuffer the penalties which they inflict: Than which, nothing more was ever pleaded as the duty of good Subjects.
§. 4. We do therefore conclude, profeſſing, that we do believe it the duty of every conſcientious private Chriſtian, who hath taken the Covenant, when once he hath endeavoured what in him lies, in all things (lawful to be done by him) for the obtaining the ends of the Covenant, as to the Reformation of the Church; If at laſt he ſhould be ſo unhappy, as to ſee all his endeavours fruſtrated, and (to put the caſe at the worſt, which we hope will never be) he ſhould at laſt, ſee Popery ſet up (i. e. the higheſt corruption in Eccleſiaſtical Adminiſtrations) to ſit down, and mourn before the Lord for it, but not to make any reſiſtance to the Lawful Magiſtrate, becauſe he is the Ordinance of God: We hope none would ſay in ſuch a caſe, he were obliged to own Popery, or that he might do it, but he is unqueſtionably bound to ſuffer as a wel-doer, rather than to diſturb the Civil Peace (What hath Peter to do with the Sword?) And if this be our ſenſe of his duty in ſo high a caſe, every one will conclude us (we hope) of that mind in caſe of the old Prelacy, which we are told is the great Bar to Popery, whatever elſe is to be ſaid againſt it.