The Covenanters Plea Against Absolvers, Poem – Table of contents
CIPPUS Titulus Perjurium:
Carmen Steliteuticum Cromwellii.
Carmen Protrepticum Patriae.
O Faedus! ô fides ſacra!
O Nomen, & Numen Dei!
Rerum columna publicarum;
Tutela pacis, militum concordia;
Regum que civium que nuptialis arrha;
Et hoſtium ſtudentium diverſa, par metus.
Quem nemo fecit irritum aut facturus eſt.
Te pactus ille victor, ille dux ducum.
Dextrâ ter ad coelos levatâ.
Quid non patravit arduum?
Poſt haec ſed idem, conſcio ſub aethere,
Dextrâ ter in Scotos levata
Rem geſsit haud bonam benè,
3. Septembris.Et Imperavit, & Obiit diem ſuum.
An ideo Fortis & Vafer luſit Deum?
Te ſprevit, a te ſpretus eſt
Te rupit, a te ruptus eſt
Peſſundedit te, peſſum & eſt a te datus.
Cum ſtirpe totâ
Oliva putris, perfidus Cromwellius
Infame nomen in futura ſecula
Gentes per has & exteras.
Injuſta vota juſtus improbat Deus:
In vota juſta ſeu vocetur Jupiter
Seu Mahometes ſive Belus & Nebo
Adeſt Jehova, poſcit & ratam fidem.
Hinc Sedeciam cepit Aſſyrius levem:
Templum que mundi ſedit in cineres decus.
Hoc fulminantem vertit Annibalem retro:
Nec pejeratus Jupiter lapis tulit:
Hoc Ʋngarorum fregit infidam manum;
Regni que florem Turca falce meſſuit
Ducente Chriſto non ſuos contra ſuos.
Nec vis, nec artes numen eludent ſagax:
Quodcun que Chriſto teſte pactum ſanximus
Miſſum per auras carpit irredux iter,
Et implet aures invocati Judicis
Noctes dieſ que murmur aeternum ciens,
Ut nec ſubintrent bis ter horarum preces.
Ah! nequis in ſe vertat has Iras nocens,
Neu tam tremendo fulmini ſubdat caput!
An laedat idem, reddat, & ſurdum Deum?
In pejerantes, queis cubat ſub pectore
Alenda vulpes, ipſa vel Clementia
*III Decalogi Preceptum.Diras minatur, ſed nec exorabilis.
Miſeris ſuperſunt vota; felices probant;
Suſcepta curis ſaepè ſollicitos levant;
Neglecta rurſus ſaepè ſecuros premunt,
Sol, ante liquidi jura dediſcet poli,
Facem que nocti commodabit mutuam
Nos quàm negemus Carolis pactam fidem,
Satis ſuper que vidimus fraudes pias:
(Vt Trojae Laomedonta perjurum luit)
Cromwellium ſceleris inſons Anglia
Poenas tributo duodecennali dedit.
Tangamus Aras ſanctius Plebs, & patres
Profana regni ſi qua pars adhuc manet.
(At nulla regni pars ſoluta foedere eſt
Tenemur omnis Ordo: Paſtor, & Greges.
Et naſciturum ſpes in aureas genus.)
Juremus, omnes quod tamen juravimus,
Sacrae potentem Vindicem fidei Deum
Qui regis uncti texit Auguſtum caput
Semper daturos Caeſari quae Caeſaris
Vt & daturos eſſe quae Dei, Deo.
THE CONTENTS.
CHAP. I.
THE ancient and juſt reverence of Oaths evinced from the light of Nature, the revelation of Scriptures; the contempt of Perjury arguing Atheiſm worſe than that of Pagans Page 1.
CHAP. II.
The ſeveral Forms of verbal Obligations, ſimple, and mixt; of a Promiſe, and Oath, a Vow, a Covenant, the diſtinct nature of each; the Covenant proved to be a Compound of all, and therefore highly obligatory p. 3.
CHAP. III.
Containing a Corollary from the Premiſes, concluding the miſtake of thoſe who ſay, an Oath adds no ſpecial Obligation beyond the Reaſon and Religion of the matter p. 10.
CHAP. IV.
The further Obligatory vertue of the Covenant argued from the Solemnities of it, arguing the violation deliberate and infamous p. 11.
CHAP. V.
Rules in general concerning the interpretation of Oaths, thoſe applied to the Covenant, and the true ſence of it evinced from them p. 12.
CHAP. VI.
The Abſolvers pretended Errours in the Covenant examined in part; The Covenant, as to the matter of it, (ſo far as reſpects Prelacy) not contrary to the Word of God; the Plea of it contrary to the Laws of the Church or State examined, and proved inſufficient for the irritation of it p. 19.
CHAP. VII.
The Abſolvers Plea from Schiſm conſidered; The Nature of Schiſm; No guilt of Schiſm by endeavouring to extirpate Prelacy; Their Plea alſo from the ſuppoſed contradiction in the matter of the Covenant to the matter of former Oaths, particularly the Coronation-Oath, the Oath of Allegiance, Supremacy, and Canonical Obedience, anſwered and found vain p. 34.
CHAP. VIII.
The Abſolvers Plea for the irritation of the Covenant from the ſuppoſed contradictions in it ſelf confuted, and the Covenant (notwithſtanding this ſuggeſtion) proved valid and obligatory p. 42.
CHAP. IX.
Whether the Errour of any mans Conſcience that took the Covenant can diſcharge him from the obſervance of it p. 45.
CHAP. X.
The Abſolvers Plea againſt the Covenant as Impeditivum boni, falſe, and if true, not concluſive according to Caſuiſts p. 48.
CHAP. XI.
The Covenant cleared from any faults as to the efficient cauſes, whether external, or internal, ſufficient to make it void, being once taken; the Plea from the ſuppoſed unlawfulneſs of the power impoſing, if true, proved inſufficient p. 51.
CHAP. XII.
The Abſolvers Arguments from the preſent diſſent of the King who then was, argued; the Caſe ſtated and reſolved; the Rules applied to the preſent Caſe, the Argument from hence for the irritation of the Covenant proved vain p. 53.
CHAP. XIII.
Where the Abſolvers Plea from the force attending the Covenant, is conſidered, and proved vain. Oaths extorted by fear, do oblige in Conſcience, proved from Scripture, Reaſon, the Opinions of Dr. Sanderſon, Aquinas, Azorius, and all ſober Caſuists, for their Obligation. p. 57.
CHAP. XIV.
The Abſolvers Plea, from the pretended ſinfulneſs of the End of the Covenant examined, whether the deformity of the end of an Oath can make it not Obligatory: The contrary proved. The Abſolvers Plea from hence Atheological and vain p. 67.
CHAP. XV.
Where it is proved, that the Bond of the Covenant cannot be ſuſpended by any Diſpenſation, altered by any Commutation, or diſſolved by any Relaxation of Parties p. 69
CHAP. XVI.
Concerning the Limitations of the Covenant, common to all Promiſſory Oaths, or particularly relating to this. What endeavour, as to the mattter of the Covenant, is not required p. 73
CHAP. XVII.
Wherein is a ſleighty notice taken of a Late Pamphlet, wrote by one Mr. Ruſſel, called, The Covenant diſcharged; and it is proved, that in ſtead of his finding the Snare broken, as he ſaith, he hath but reſolved to break the Bonds, and to caſt the Cords behind him p. 75.