The Dissonant Harmony of Sacred Public Oaths

The dissonant Harmony or sacred public Oaths, Protestations, Leagues, Covenants, Engagements, lately taken, &c.

MAny are the public Oaths, Protestations, Leagues, Covenants, which all English Subjects (especially Judges, Justices, Sheriffs, Mayors, Ministers, Lawyers, Graduates, Members of the Commons House, and all public Officers whatsoever) by the Laws and Statutes of the Land have formerly taken to their lawful Hereditary Kings, their Heirs and Successors, to bind their Souls, Consciences, to bear constant Faith, Allegiance, Obedience, and dutiful subjection to them; and to defend their Persons, Crowns, and just Royal Prerogatives, with their Lives, Members, Fortunes, against all Attempts, Conspiracies, and Innovations whatsoever. Which being almost quite forgotten by those who have formerly taken, and as frequently violated them over and over, in the highest degree, if not abjured them by contrary late Oaths and Engagements; I shall present them in order to their own and others view, that they may conscientiously review, consider them afresh, and bewail their perjurious atheistical violations of them, to prevent those temporal and eternal Judgments, which otherwise may and will most certainly fall upon them, & our Nation too for the same.

1. I shall begin with the ancient Oath of Fealty, a which every Person above 14. years old, and every Tithingman was obliged to take publicly at the Court Leet within which he lived; and was anciently taken afresh every year by all the Subjects under Edward the Confessor, and William the first, in substance at least, though not in precise words.

I A. B. do swear, that from this day forwards, I will be faithful and loyal to our Lord the King, and his Heirs, and will bear Faith and Allegiance to him of life and of Member, and of terrene honor against all people which may live and die; And that I shall neither know nor hear of anything which may tend to their hurt or damage, which I shall not withstand to my power. So God me help.

2. The second is the ancient usual Oath of the Mayors of LONDON, and other Cities and Towns throughout England, and of Bailiffs or other Chief Officers where there were no Mayors.

The like Oaths in substance were taken by all Privy Counselors of State, Sheriffs of Counties, Recorders of Towns, Escheators, Constables, and other public Officers of Justice, and by most Freemen of Corporations, in relation to the King and his Heirs, and the Rights of the Crown.

3. The third is the Oath of all the Judges, Barons of the Exchequer, and Justices of the Peace, prescribed by several Acts, thus formed,

Ye shall swear, That well and lawfully ye shall serve our Sovereign Lord the King, and his People in the Office of Justice, and that lawfully ye shall counsel the King in his Business, and that ye shall not counsel nor assent to anything which may turn him to damage or disherison by any manner, way or color; and that ye shall not know the damage or disherison of him, whereof ye shall not do him to be warned by yourself, or by other: and that ye shall do even Law and Execution of Right to all his Subjects Rich and Poor, without having regard to any Person. And that you take not by yourself or by other, privilie or apertly, Gift or Reward of Gold or Silver, nor of any other thing which may turn to your profit, unless it be meat or drink, and of small value, of any man that shall have any Plea or Process hanging before you, as long as the same Process shall be so hanging, nor after the same cause. And that ye take no fee, as long as ye shall be Justice, nor Robes of any man great or small, but of the King himself. And that you give none advice or counsel to no man great or small in no case where the King is party. And in case that any, of what estate or condition they be, come before you in your Sessions, with force and arms, or otherwise against the Peace, or against the form of the Statute thereof made, to disturb execution of the Common-law or to menace the people, that they may not pursue the Law, that ye do their bodies to be arrested and put in prison. And in case they be such, that ye may not arrest them, that ye certify the King of their names, and of their misprision hastily, so that thereof he may ordain a co •• venable remedy. And that ye by yourself, nor by other privily nor apertly, maintain any plea or quarrel hanging in the Kings Court, or elsewhere in the Country. And that ye deny to no man common right by the Kings Letters, nor none other man's, nor for none other cause: and in case any letters come to you contrary to the Law, that ye do nothing by such Letters, but certify the King thereof, and go forth to do the Law, notwithstanding the same Letters. And that ye shall do and procure the profit of the King, and of the Crown, with all things where ye may reasonably do the same. And in case ye be from henceforth found in default in any of the points aforesaid, ye shall be at the Kings Will, of Body, Lands and Goods, thereof to be done as shall please him, as God you help and all Saints, Anno 18 E. 3. Stat. 4.

The next Oath is that of Supremacy, made and prescribed to be taken by all Judges, Justices, Sheriffs, Mayors, Recorders, Civil and Ecclesiastical Officers, Barresters, Benchers, Graduates, Ministers, Attorneys whatsoever; and all Members of the Commons House, before they ought to fit or vote therein, by the Statutes of 1 Eliz. cap. 1. 5 Eliz. cap. 1. 17 Car. cap. 7.

I A. B. do utterly testify and declare in my Conscience, That the Kings Highness is the only Supreme Governor of this Realm, and of all other his Highness Dominions and Countries, as well in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes, as Temporal: and that no foreign Prince, Person, Prelate, State or Potentate hath, or ought to have any Jurisdiction, Power, Superiority, Preeminence or Authority, Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within this Realm; and therefore I do utterly renounce all foreign Jurisdictions, Powers, Superiorities, and Authorities; and do promise that from henceforth I shall bear Faith and true Allegiance to the Kings Highness, his Heirs and lawful Successors, and to my Power shall assist and defend, all Jurisdictions, Privileges, Preheminences and Authorities granted or belonging to the Kings Highness, his Heirs and Successors, or united and annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm. So help me God, and by the Contents of this Book.

5. The 5th. (Oath of equal Latitude and Extent, as the former of Supremacy) is that of Allegiance, prescribed by the Statutes of 3 Jacobi, cap. 4. 7 Jac. c. 6. 17 Car. c. 7 tending only to the Declaration of such Duty as every true and well-affected Subject, not only by Bond of Allegiance, but also by the Commandment of Almighty God ought to bear to his Majesty, his Heirs and Successors; which Oath such as are infected with Popish Superstition do oppugn with many false and unsound Arguments, the just defense whereof, his Majesty (King James) hath heretofore undertaken & worthily performed, to the great contentment, of all his loving Subjects notwithstanding the gainsayings of all contentious Adversaries. And to show how greatly his Loyal Subjects did approve the said Oath, they prostrated themselves at his Majesty's feet, beseeching his Majesty that it might be enacted, that the same Oath may be administered to all his Subjects. The words whereof are these. I A. B. do truly and sincerely acknowledge, profess, testify, and declare in my Conscience before God and the world, That our Sovereign Lord King CHARLES is lawful and rightful King of this Realm, and of all other his Majesty's Dominions and Countries: And that the Pope, neither of himself, nor by any of the Church or See of Rome, or by any other means with any other hath any power or authority to depose the King, or to dispose of any of his Majesty's Kingdoms or Dominions, or to authorize any foreign Prince to invade o • annoy him or his Countries; or to discharge any of his Majesty's, Subjects of their Allegiance and Obedience to his Majesty, or to give license or leave to any of them to bear Arms, raise tumult, or to offer any violence or hurt to his Majesty's Royal Person, State or Government, or to any of his Majesty's Subjects, within his Majesty's Dominions. Also, I do swear from my heart, that notwithstanding any Declaration or sentence of Excommunication or deprivation made or granted by the Pope, or his Successors, or by any Authority derived, or pretended to be derived from him, or his See, against the said King his Heirs or Successors, or any absolution of the said Subjects from their obedience: I will bear Faith and true Allegiance to his Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, and him and them will defend to the uttermost of my power, against all Conspiracies and Attempts whatsoever, which shall be made against his or their Persons, their Crown and Dignity, by reason or color of any such Sentence or Declaration, or otherwise, and will do my best endeavor to disclose and make known unto his Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, all Treasons and traitorous Conspiracies, which I shall know or hear of to be against him, or any of them. And I do further swear. That I do from my heart abhor, detest, and abjure, as impious and heretical, this damnable Doctrine and Position, That Princes which be excommunicated by the Pope, may be deposed or murdered by their Subjects, or any other whatsoever. And I do believe, and in Conscience am resolved, that neither the Pope, nor any person whatsoever, hath power to absolve me of this Oath, or any part thereof, which I acknowledge by good and full Authority to be lawfully administered unto me, and do renounce all Pardons and Dispensations to the contrary. And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear, according to the express words by me spoken, and according to the plain and common sense and understanding of the same words, without any equivocation, or mental evasion, or secret reservation whatsoever. And I do make, this Recognition and Acknowledgement heartily, willingly, and truly, upon the true Faith of a Christian So help me God.

6. To these Oaths I shall subjoin the Protestation, made and taken (in pursuance of these Oaths) by all the Well-affected Members of the Lord's, and Commons House the last long Parliament, and voluntarily taken by all the best affected people throughout the Realm, and by all, or most Officers and Soldiers of the Army; by their Authority.

We the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses in the Commons House of Parliament, finding to the great grief of our hearts, that the designs of the Priests and Jesuits, and other Adherents to the See of Rome, have of late been more boldly and frequently put in practice than formerly to the undermining, and danger of the ruin of the true reformed Protestant Religion in his Majesty's Dominions established: And finding also that there have been, and having just cause to suspect that there still are, even during this sitting in Parliament, endeavors to subvert the Fundamental Laws of England and Ireland, and to introduce the exercise of an Arbitrary and Tyranical Government, by most pernicious and wicked Counsels, Practises, Plots and Conspiracies: And that the long intermission, and unhappy breach of Parliaments, hath occasioned many illegal Taxations, whereupon the Subject hath been prosecuted and grieved: And that divers Innovations and Superstitions have been brought into the Church, multitudes driven out of his Majesty's Dominions; jealousies raised and fomented betwixt the King and his people; a Popish Army levied in Ireland, and two Armies brought into the bowels of this Kingdom, to the hazard of his Majesty's Royal Person, the consumpsion of the Revenues of the Crown and Treasure of this Kingdom: And lastly, finding a great cause of Jealousy, that endeavors have been, and are used to bring the English Army into a Mis-understanding of this Parliament, thereby to incline that Army, with force to bring to pass those wicked Counsels, have therefore thought good to join ourselves in a Declaration of our united Affections and Resolutions, and to make this ensuing Protestation.

I A. B do in the presence of Almighty God, promise, vow, and protest, to maintain and defend, as far as lawfully I may, with my life, power, and estate, the true reformed Protestant Religion, expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England, against all Popery and Popish Innovations within this Realm, contrary to the same Doctrine, and according to the duty of my Allegiance, His Majesty's Royal Person, Honor and Estate; as also the power and privilege of Parliament; The lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subject, and every person that maketh this Protestation, in whatsoever he shall do in pursuance of the same. And to my power, and as far as lawfully I may, I will oppose, and by all good ways and means endeavor to bring to condign punishment, all such as shall either by force, practice, counsels, plots, conspiracies, or otherwise, do anything to the contrary in this present Protestation contained. And further, that I shall in all just and honorable ways endeavor to preserve the Union and Peace between the three Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland; And neither for hope, fear, nor other respect, shall relinquish this Promise, Vow, & Protestation.

7. The next in time, is the Solemn League and Covenant, taken in the most solemn manner with hands lifted up to heaven, and subscribed by all Members of Parliament, in England and Scotland, by all Civil, Military Officers, Soldiers and well-affected persons in our three Kingdoms, by sundry special Ordinances of Parliament; approving and ratifying the same.

Yet notwithstanding all these most solemn, sacred, legal Oaths, this Protestation, Solemn League and Covenant, sweetly according with and ratifying each other, the remaining Fragment of the Commons House, sitting under the power of the Army, not only violated them all in the Highest degree, by their proceedings against the late King, his Heirs and Successors to the Imperial Crown, the Royal posterity, Kingship, Kingdom, Lord's House, and their secluded fellow Members, but also took upon them to suppress and set aside these Oaths, yea to brand and stigmatize them, for Vnlawfull Oaths; to absolve themselves, with all others from them; and to set up an Ingagement of their own framing, in diametrical Opposition against all and every of them, imposed on all the three Nations with strictest severity, by their New Knack of 6. September 1649. disabling all Freemen of this Nation to sue in any Court of Justice whatsoever, or to enjoy any Civil, Ecclesiastical or Military Office, benefice, augmentation, trust, or degree of Learning in the Universities or Inns of Court, and debarring all Lawyers, Attorneys from their practice, by a new kind of Praemunire, who should not take and subscribe this Engagement: which the whole House of Commons (having not the least legal Power to administer any usual Oath to Witnesses, or any person whatsoever in any case or Age,) had neither Authority nor Power to impose upon the Nation, were it consonant to the precedent Oaths, Protestation, Covenant much less then the Vnparliamentary Conventicle, sitting after the Kings beheading, the Lord's and Majority of the Commons forcible seclusion, and the Parliaments actual dissolution thereby; when diametrically repugnant to all these legal Oaths, and to the Petition of Right itself, 3 Caroli, complaining, providing against the future administering of any Oath not warrantable by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, in precise Terms; and whether this Engagement, be not such, let all Lawyers, Divines, and conscientious Englishmen resolve.

I do declare and promise, That I will be true and faithful to the Common-wealth of England, as it is now established, without a King or House of Lord's▪

All the Officers, Soldiers of the Army, and Garrisons through England and Ireland, were the first men who subscribed it, and returned their Subscriptions in Parchment-Rolls to their Journey-men and Creatures at Westminster; who thereupon thought themselves and their Government, (though founded upon Blood, Treachery, Perjury,) as lasting and perpetual, as if it had been founded on a Rock, and the sincerest Principles of Piety, Justice, Righteousness, and general public National consent. But those very first Engagers to them, when they had done their Drudgery, and oppressed the Nation with doubled and trebled Taxes to support their bloody wars by Land and Sea against their Protestant King, and Brethren of Scotland & the Netherlands, on the 20th. of April 1653. suddenly turned them out of Doors, and power, with force and highest contempt, as persons wholly perverting the ends of Parliament, oppressing the people, making Gain the main of their Business, and utterly impossible in that corrupt estate, in the judgments of the most moderate men to come the instruments of our long desired Establishment. And then setting up a Protector over their Infant Common-wealth much against their wills, the Mock-Parliament under him (whiles above 150 Members duly elected, most confided in by the Country were forcibly secluded) by their Additional Petition and Addresse, the 26th. of June 1647. imposed this new Oath on all Counselors of State, and Members of Parliament.

I A. B. do in the presence of God Almighty promise and swear, That to the uttermost of my Power I will uphold and maintain the true reformed Protestant Religion, in the purity thereof, as it is contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, and encourage the Profession and Professors of the same. And that I will be true and faithful to his Highness the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Dominions thereunto belonging as chief Magistrate thereof. And shall not contrive, design or attempt anything against the Person or lawful Authority of the Lord Protector; shall keep secret all matters that shall be treated of in Counsel, and put under secrecy, and not reveal them but by Command, or consent of his Highness, the Parliament, or the Counsel; and shall in all things faithfully perform the trust committed to me, as a Counselor, according to the best of my understanding, in order to the good Government, peace and welfare of these Natiions. And shall endeavor as much as in me lies, as a Member of Parliament, the preservation of the Rights and Liberties of the People.

These Oaths were sworn (by many of those, who had taken the premised Oaths, Protestation, Solemn League and Covenant, and the Engagement too,) both to their Protector Oliver and his Son Richard, with whom the Army-Officers, Soldiers, and sundry others in the name of most Counties and Corporations of England, Scotland, and Ireland, in their special Addresses to Richard, faithfully promised to live and die: yet lo within few Months after, notwithstanding these Oaths and Addresses, by a miraculous Divine providence (admirable in all considerate men's eyes) they not only all deserted, but degraded him from his Protectorship, without one stroke, or drop of blood spilled, or Sword drawn in his quarrel; after so much Christian blood shed, so many Millions of Treasure spent, and many years travel, care, by his Father Oliver, to establish his Posterity in this new-erected Supremacy, Protectorship; and that by his own Army-Officers, and nearest, most endeared Relations, even in a moment, beyond all probability or possibility in human apprehension.

To accomplish this strange unexpected work, the Army-Officers called in the old Vnparliamentary Iuncto sitting since the year 1648. till April 20. 1653. whom they formerly dissolved and unparliamented, secluding all the rest of the old Parliament sitting till December. 6. 1648. by force and armed guards, with the whole House of Lord's, re-creating them alone for a Parliament: who usurping to themselves the name and power of a Parliament. against both Law. Equity, Reason; dismounted his Son Richard from his Protectorship, unlorded, degraded his New other House of Mushrom Lord's, and new dubbed Knights, cashiered some of the Army-Colonels, and other Officers, who helped to make them a Parliament, & him a Protector; and may gratify the rest in this kind; Commissioned some, whom Oliver cashiered; turned most of his Council, Commissioners, Judges, Creatures out of their Offices; and pulled down most of that he set up with force and blood. Who now thinking themselves secure, and forgetting all their former, with these late sudden Revolutions, Changes, as the just rewards of perfidious breaches of Oaths; Protestations, Covenants to their lawful Sovereigns, they hav now afresh to make us a Freestate, not only doubled our former Taxes in effect, and more than trebled them by a most arbitrary new Militia on many, but also by a New Bill, appointed an Oath to be taken by their Judges, Justices of the Peace, and other Officers, in form following.

You shall swear, That you shall be true, faithful and constant to this Commonwealth, without a single Person, Kingship, or House of Lord's.

Which illegal Oath, so diametrically contrary to the former, it swallowed by their unarmed Judges, Justices, and other civil Officers out of fear, will in time be imposed on the Army Officers, Soldiers, and all others, as their former Ingagement was, with as severe penalties.

Having presented you with these contradictory, repugnant, irreconcilable Oaths, Protestations, Covenants and Engagements, I shall propose some few cases of conscience upon them, in this age, when Conscience is so much pretended, and Liberty of Conscience so much pressed, that tenderness of Conscience, and Conscience itself, are hardly to be found in the greatest pretenders to them.

1. Whether all lawful sacred Oaths, Vowes, Covenants, Protestations. do not firmly, immutably, inviolably bind the souls, consciences, of all that take them, to an Absolute, indispensible, sincere, faithful performance, and strict observation of them, to the uttermost of their power in all estates and conditions, as is evident by Numb. 30. 2. to 14. Josh 9. 19, 20. Gal. 3. 15. Deut. 23. 22, 23. Judge. 11. 30. 39. Job 22. 27 Ps. 15. 4. Ps. 22. 25 Ps. 61. 8. Ps. 66. 13. Ps. 116 14, 18. Ps. 132. 2, 3, &c. Eccles. 5. 4. Jer. 44. 25. Jonah 2 9. Isaiah 19. 21. Nah. 1. 15. Gen. 21. 23, 24, 31. c. 24. 3. to 10. 37. to 47. c 26. 3 31. c. 47. 31. c. 50. 5, 6. Levite. 19. 12. Josh. 2. 12. 17. 20. Judge. 15. 12, 13. Deut. 8. 12. Josh. 21. 43, 44. 1 Kings 1. 13. 17. 29, 30. 2 Chron. 36. 13. Ezra 10. 5. Neh. 13. 25. Jer. 4. 2. c 11. 5. Mat. 5. 33. 1 Kings 15. 3, 4, 5. 2 Chron. 21. 5, 6, 7. compared with Hebr 6. 16, 17, 18. An Oath for confirmation is to men an end of all strife: wherefor God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his Counsel, confirmed it with an Oath, that by two Immutable things (his Oath and Covenant) in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation. Ps. 89. 3. 34. I have made a Covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my Servant. My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David, Ps. 132. 11. The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David, he will not turn from it. Jer. 33. 20. 21. Thus saith the Lord, If you can break my Covenant of the day, and my Covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season. Then may also my Covenant be broken with David my Servant, that he should not have a Son to reign upon his throne. If God's Oaths and Covenants to mortal sinful men be thus true, constants, sincere, firm, unalterable, immutable; then by like reason should men's Oaths and Covenants to God and their lawful Kings be such, as Psal. 15. 4. Eccles. 8. 2. Gal. 3. 15. Levite. 30. 2. to 14. and the other forecited Texts resolve.

2ly. Whether the late violation through fear, or self-respects, much more the willful justification, perjurious repeal, abrogation, abjuration of our sacred lawful Oaths, protestation, Covenant, be not a most detestable, crying, scandalous, damning sin, exceedingly dishonorable to God, injurious to Religion; & drawing down sad, private, personal and National judgments, on those who are notoriously guilty thereof, as is most apparent by Ezech. 16. 59. c. 17. 13. to 27. Zech. 8. 17. c. 5. 3, 4. Hos. 10. 4. Lev. 6. 3, 4. c. 19. 12. Prov. 24. 21, 22. Jer. 5. 2. c. 7. 9. to 17. c. 34. 8. to 22. c. 52. 3, 4. Deut. 31. 20. c. 29. 20. to 29. Ps. 78. 10. 37. 57. to 65. 2 Chron. 36. 13. Josh. 9. 20. 2 Sam. 21. 1. to 11. Jer. 23. 10. Rom. 1. 31, 32. 1 Tim. 1. 10. worthy sad and serious perusal. And whether those who are deeply guilty of these sins, can ever expect to enter into heaven, since this is made the special character of a Citizen of Zion, Who shall dwell in God's holy hill, Psal. 15. 1, 2, 4. He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth from his heart, He that sweareth to his own Hurt and changeth not, much more then when for his own and the public good.

3ly. Whether those who have made, taken, and equally violated all or most of these contradictory Oaths, Protestations, Covenants, Engagements alike, be not perjured persons, and Covenant-breakers in folio, void of all real fear of God, truth, faith, conscience, honesty, religion, if the premised Scriptures, or Eccles. 9. 2 Acts 5. 3, 4, 5. may be credited? And whether those who have been thus perfidious, perjurious, fidef • agus, treacherous to all others, can in point of justice, conscience, prudence, policy, impose an Oath upon all or any others, to be true, faithful and constant, in their Oaths Covenants, trusts and obedience unto them? (especially before themselves have taken any such Oath, to be true, faithful, constant to their own principles, or any fixed settled Government:) since they have taught them to be treacherous, perfidious, disloyal, by their own precedent examples; and God himself hath denounced this Woe, and retaliation against such, Isaiah 33. 1. Woe unto thee that dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee; when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee. Which we have seen verified of late in sundry particulars even to admiration, by divine retaliation, to deter all henceforth from the dangerous sin of Perjury, Treachery, Oath and Covenant breaking.

4ly. Whether it be not a most impious, unchristian, execrable, if not Atheistical practice, for any persons whatsoever (especially without any color of Parliamentary Authority) to impose any Oath, Vow, or illegal Ingagement upon others, diametrically repugnant to, inconsistent with their former legal Oaths, Protestations, Covenants, imposed on them by unquestionable Parliamentary Authority, to their lawful Sovereigns, to ensnare, wound their Consciences, and involve them in the guilt of unevitable, most apparent Perjury, and breach of all their former Oaths, Protestations, Covenants? And whether such incur not that woe in Isaiah 10, 1, 2, 3.

5ly. Whether it can be just, equitable, prudential, rational, for any in present power, to Commission, intrust, employ Anabaptists, Quakers, with other Military Officers, Soldiers by Land and Sea, without prescribing any Military Oath unto them, (after so many meetings, and violations of their trusts to the late King, Parliament, and other new Governors, Governments of their own erecting, to their total subversion) to be true, faithful, obedient, and constant to them; contrary to the Discipline of all former Ages amongst the Romans, Grecians, and most other Nations, who always imposed a Military Oath on all their Army-Officers, Soldiers, (warranted by 2 Tim. 2, 3, 4) And in the mean time, to enforce such a Oath upon all their Judges, Justices, and Civil Officers, against their Judgments, Consciences, who are Orthodox in Religion, approve of lawful Oaths, (imposed by legal Authority of Parliament) Magistracy, and Ministry, which Anabaptists, Quakers, and other Sectaries professedly oppugn, and now violently endeavor to suppress? And whether those now sitting, or any others who have taken the forecited Oaths to the late King and his Heirs, or the Protestation, League, and Covenant, can without apparent perjury, and direct violations of them, repute those few Relics of the old Parliament, now sitting (forcibly secluding the Lord's and Majority of their Fellow Members) to be a lawful Parliament within the Statute of 17 Car. c. 7? or submit to any Oaths, Taxes, Edicts of theirs as Parliamentary or legal?

6. Whether the forecited Oaths of Supremacy, Allegigiance, Mayors, Sherisss, Judges, Recorders, Bailiffs, Parliament-Members, and others, in direct words, extending not only to the late Kings person, but his Heirs and Successors, do not inviolably bind both them, their Posterities and our whole three Nations, Kingdoms in perpetuity, in point of Law and Conscience, so long as there is any Heir of the Crown and Royal line in being? and that upon these unanswerable Scriptural presidents and legal considerations.

7. Because God's Oath and Covenant made to Eve, Abraham, Noah, their Seed and Posterity, and to the Israelites and their children, and their Covenant made to God, by God's own resolution, did oblige God himself and them in perpetuity from Generation to Generation, Gen. 3. 15. c. 8. 21, 22. c. 9. 1, to 17. c. 13. 16. c. 15. 18. c. 17. 2, to 22. c. 21. 13. c. 24. 7. c. 28. 4, 13, 14. Exod. 28. 43. c. 34. 7. Levite. 22. 3, 4. Numb. 14. 24. c. 18. 19. c. 25. 12, 13. Deut. 1. 8. c. 4. 31. 37. c. 5. 2, 3. c. 7. 9, 10, 11. c. 8. 18. c. 11. 9. c. 28. 46. c. 29. 1. 4, to 20. c. 30. 6, 9. c. 31. 21. c. 34. 4. Josh. 7. 11, 15. c. 24. 3, to 29. 2 Chron. 20. 7, 8. Neh. 1. 5. c. 9. 8, 32. Ps. 25. 13. Isaiah 34. 5. c. 44. 3. c. 59. 21. c. 61. 8, 9. c. 62. 22. Mal. 2. 4, to 15. c. 4. 6. Acts 2. 39. c. 3. 25. c. 7. 5, 45. c. 13. 23. Rom. 4. 13, 16. c. 9. 7, 8. c. 11. 1, 2, 27. Gal. 3. 16. to the end. Heb. 8. 6, to 11. c. 11. 18. c. 13. 20. Lu. 1. 72, 73. Rev. 12. 17. Levite. 26. 9, 15, 25, 42, 44. 2 Kings 17. 15, to 41. Psal. 44. 17, 18. Ps. 78. 10. 38. Ps. 89. 3. 4, 5, 34, 35. Ps. 103. 17. 18. Ps. 105. 8, 10. Ps. 111. 5, 9. Isaiah 24. 5. c, 42. 6. c. 49. 8. c. 54. 3. Jer. 11. 2 to 12. c. 22. 9. c. 31. 31. 32, 33. c. 29. 10. to 20. c. 33. 20. 21. c. 50. 5. Ezech. 16. 60. 62. c. 37. 28, 29. c. 44. 4. Hos. 8. 1. Heb. 6. 16. 17. Therefore men's Oaths, Covenants to Kings and their Posterity, must likewise bind in succession and perpetuity.

2ly. Because God's Oath and Covenant made to David, and to his House, Royal Seed and Posterity, touching their succession in the Royal Throne of Judah, was hereditary, successive, extending to all his Issue and Posterity: and though many of them were wicked, rebellious, yet this did not cause or provoke God to dethrone, or disinherit them, or infringe his Oath and Covenant to David, 2 Sam. 3. 12. to the end. c. 22. 51. 1 Kings 2. 33. Psal. 89. 2, 3, 33, to 38. Ps. 132. 11, 12, 13. Ps. 18. 50. Jer. 33. 17, 19, 20, 21. 1 Chron. 28. 4, to 10. Jer. 17. 24, 24, 25, 26. 1 Kings 11. 12. 13, 36, 39. 2 Kings 8. 9. 2 Chron. 21. 5, 6, 7. 2 Chron. 23. 3, &c. Jer. 23. 4 5. Zezh. 9. 9. John 13. 13, 15. Lu. 1. 32, 33. Therefore much more where Oaths, Covenants are made by Subjects to their Hereditary Kings and their Posterity, they must remain inviolable, and not be abrogated by their transgressions.

3ly. Because the Oath, which Joseph took of his Brethren, the children of Israel, to carry up his Bones, out of Egypt into Canaan, when God should bring them out of Egypt, Gen. 50. 24, 25. though not made precisely for them and their Posterity, was reputed by Moses and them, to be obligatory to their seed, as if made by them, even in point of Conscience: as is evident by Exod. 13. 19. And Moses took the Bones of Joseph with him, (though driven out of Egypt by Pharaoh) for he had straitly sworn to the Children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones hence with you. Which bones of his they (by virtue of this Oath) notwithstanding Pharaoh's pursuit after them, carried along with them through the red Sea, and through the wilderness forty years, and through the Land of Canaan, till they had quite conquered it, notwithstanding all their wars, Josh. 24. 32. near 500 years after this Oath first made. If then Moses, Joshua, and all the Israelites held themselves thus conscientiously obliged by the Oath of their deceased Ancestors above four hundred years before, to carry up Joseph's dead bones out of Egypt, notwithstanding all Objections of hast and danger from Pharaoh and his Host, their forty years wandering in the wilderness, their wars in Canaan; and meanness of the matter in relation to their public safety, no ways concerned in it. Then much more must our Ancestors, and our own particular reiterated Oaths in precise terms to our Kings, their Heirs and Successors, which so much concern our public Government, Peace, Settlement, Safety, Prosperity, engage our whole Kingdom and three Nations to a conscientious observation of them to the uttermost of their power.

4ly. Because David's Oath to Saul and Jonathan extended to their seed, 1 Sam. 24. 21, 22.

5. Because Esther 9. 27, 28, 31. The Jews ordained and took upon them and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days of Purim, according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year (as those in the Parliament of 3 Jac. c. 1. and their Posterity have observed the 5 of November annually ever since.) and that those days should be remembered and kept throughout every Generation, every Family, every Province, and every City: and that those days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed: which they decreed for themselves and for their seed. If the whole Nation of the Jews by an Ordinance and Decree, might thus bind their seed, posterity, to observe the days of Purim forever: With like reason they might by an Oath & Covenant oblige themselves and their posterities forever to their hereditary Kings, their heirs and posterities forever: And so may we and all other Nations, by the like Acts, Decrees, and the forecited Oaths, as is clearly resolved, declared, enacted by the Statutes of 25 H. 8. c. 22. 26 H. 8. c. • . 28 H. 8. c. 3. 35 H. 8. c. 1. 1 Eliz. c. 1. 3. 5 Eliz. c. 1. 1 Jac. c. 1. 3 Jac. c 4. 7 Jac. c. 6.

6ly. Because the president of the Rechabites, (who upon the command of their Father Jonadab the son of Rechab, That neither they nor their Sons forever should drink Wine, nor build house, nor sow seed, nor plant, nor have any vineyard, but dwell in tents all their days; held themselves bound in duty, conscience to obey it, which God himself commends, records. rewards, for others imitation, Jer. 35. 1. to 15. who might in like sort oblige them by his Oath and Covenant;) Is a convincing gument that as the Warranties, Covenants, Bends, Contracts, Feofments, Grants, Reservations of Rents, Services, Tenures in see, by the Laws of England, and other Nations, firmly oblige men's Heirs, Posterity, Assignees, Executors, Administrators, on both sides in succession and perpetuity; So likewise their Oaths, Covenants, Protestations, to their here litarie Kings, their Heirs and Successors, oblige them equally to them in Perpetuity and succession.

7ly. Because it is most evident by Gen. 3. 14, 15. c. 4 5. Exodus 17. 16. c. 20. 5. c. 43. 7. 1 Kings 2. 33. 2 Kings 5. 27. Jer. 22 30. c. 36. 31. That Parents by their iniquities and transgressions may draw down and entayl the curses, the judgments of God on them, and their Posterityes after them to their prejudice: Therefore they may much more oblige them by their Oaths, Covenants, to Obedience, Loyalty, Subjection to their hereditary Kings and their Heirs, for their own particular, and the Public good, safety, as well as Freehold and Copyhold Tenants in Honors, Manors, may oblige themselves, their Heirs and Successors for ever, by Homage, Fealty, Tenures, Contracts to their Landlords, their Heirs and Assignees forever, by the Common, Statute-laws, of our own and other Realms, though they be no Sovereign Lord's and Kings over them.

8ly. Because the Saints and Churches of God in all Ages have held themselves and their posterity bound in Duty and Conscience to pray to God for the life, safety, prosperity of their Kings, and their Sons and Royal Posterity, in all hereditary Kingdoms, as is apparent by Ezra. 6. 10, 11. Psal. 72▪ 1, 2, 15. 1 Sam. 11. 14. 2 Sam. 16. 16. 1 Kings 1. 25. 34, 39. 2 Kings 11. 12. 2 Chron. 23. 11. Psal. 149. 2. Ezech. 9. 9. Dan. 2. 4. c. 3. 9. c. 6. 6. 21. Mat. 21. 5. 9. John 12. 13, 15. 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2, 3. by all the ancient, modern Liturgyes, Collects, Letanyes, Canons of the Churches of England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, and other hereditary Kingdoms; The Testimony of sundry Fathers, Councils, Historians, and our own Clause Rolls in the Tower, elsewhere quoted. Therefore they may lawfully oblige themselves and their Posterity, by Solemn Oaths, Covenants, Protestations to obey, protect and defend their, and their posterities Royal Persons, Crowns and Royalties.

9ly. To put this out of further question, I shall only pressed one Scripture president and testimony more, wherewith I shall conclude this point, and that is the History of the Gibeonites, recorded Josh. 9. & 10. and 2 Sam. 21. 1. to 13. The Gibeonites (a remnant of the Amorites, with whom the Israelites by God's express command were to make no peace nor covenant, nor show any mercy to, but smite with the edge of the sword and utterly destroy, Deut. 7. 1, 2, 3. c. 20. 16, 17, 18.) circumventing Joshua and the elders of Israel by a stratagem, of old bottles, shoes, bread, clothes, and a lying information, that they came from a far country to make peace and a league with them. by reason of the glorious victories God had given, and the miracles he had wrought for them; thereupon, without asking any advice of God or the Congregation, or examining the truth of their information, Joshua and the Elders of the Congregation entered into a league with them, to let them live, and sware unto them in the name of the Lord. Within three days after they heard they were their neighbors and dwelt amongst them, and they came unto their Cities the third day. But the children of Israel smote them not, Because the Princes of the Congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel. Hereupon all the Congregation murmured against the Princes. But all the Princes said unto the Congregation: We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel, therefore we may not touch them. This we will do unto them, we will let them live lest wrath be upon us, because of the Oath that we sware unto them And the Princes said unto them, let them live as the Princes had promised them, but let them be he wers of wood and drawers of water to all the congregation. And Joshua called for them, and spake unto them saying; Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you, when you dwell among us? Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and bewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God. And they answered Joshua and said; because it was certainly told thy servants, how the Lord thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the Land, and to destroy all the Inhabitants of the Land before you; therefore we were fore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing. And now behold we are in thine hand, as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do. And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood, and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the Altar of the Lord even to this day, in the place which he should choose. After this Oath and League the Princes and Congregation were so far from slaying or suffering them to be slain by their enemies contrary hereunto, that when as 5. Kings soon after came up with all • h • ir hosts and encamped against Gibeah, to destroy is because they had made peace with Israel; the Giheonite sending this message to Joshus & the camp at Gilgal; slack not thy hand from thy servants, to come up to us quickly & save us, for all the Kings of the Amorites that dwell in the Mountains are gathered against us; thereupon Joshua and all the men of Warr with him went up from Gilgal all night, and came upon their Enemies suddenly, and smote, & destroyed them with a great slaughter, delivering them from that danger. About 395 years after this Solem Oath & League, King Saul out of his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah, sought to destroy all, and slew some of those Gibeonites posterity, contrary to this Oath and League, For which (35 years after its violation, and 430 years after its first making) God sent a famine in the Land for three years, year after year: upon this David inquiring of the Lord, what was the true cause thereof? The Lord answered him, It was for Saul, and for his bloody house, because they slew the Gibeonites, who were not of the Israelites, but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the children of Israel had sworn unto them. whereupon David called the Gibeonites, and said unto them: What shall I do for you, and Wherewith shall I make the Atonement, that ye may bless the Inheritance of the Lord? And they said unto the King, The man that consumed us, and devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel, let seven of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up in Gibeah of Saul which the Lord did choose; which being accordingly done, after that God was entreated for the Land, and removed the famine, 2 Sam. 1. 1. to 15.

Here we have an Oath and Covenant binding the Israelites, their Governors. Heirs and posterity in perpetuity to the Gibeonites and their posterity; which I shall parallel with our forementioned Oaths, Protestation, Covenant to our hereditary Kings, their heirs and successors, to prove them more obliging to us and our posterities, than this Oath & League of the Israelites to the Gibeonites, in regard of these observable circumstances & particulars, not hitherto insisted on by any; which I beseech God in mercy to set home effectually upon all our hearts, spirits, consciences, both for our information, reformation, settlement, and avoiding God's avenging justice on us and our posterities, for our transcendent perjuries, breach of Oaths and Covenants to our Sovereigns.

1. This Oath and Covenant with the Gibeonites Ambassadors, was procured by mere fraud, circumvention, misinformation, and apparent falsehood, arising merely from those to whom it was made and sworn: yet it obliged the Israelites and their posterity, to the Gibeonites and their progeny in perpetuity: But the forementioned Oaths, together with the Protestation, and Solemn League and Covenant, were made without any fraud, circumvention, misinformation, or false suggestion, upon grounds of loyalty, duty, justice, prudence, christianity, Religion, and State-policy, voluntarily propounded by the makers, takers of them, and ratified in full Parliaments: Therefore they must needs be far more valid, obligatory to the whole English Nation and their posterities, than this Oath, Covenant to the Gibeonites.

2. This League and Oath was made very suddenly, rashly, unadvisedly, without any advice with God and the whole Congregation, or examining, debating the truth of the Gibeonites suggestion; yet it bound them when once made: But our Oaths, Protestation, League, Covenant, were all made enacted, enjoined upon long and serious debate, mature deliberation in several successive Parliaments: Therefore ours must be much more obliging than theirs.

3ly. This League, Oath, was made only by the Princes of Israel, without the Congregations privity, assent or advice, who were discontented with and murmured against them for it, yet it obliged both the Princes, people, and their posterities: But our Oaths, Protestation, League and Covenant, were made not only by all our Princes, Nobles, Peers, but likewise by the whole House of Commons in full Parliaments, and assented to by the whole English Nation both in and out of Parliament, the Commons being the original movers, promoters, contrivers of all or most of them: Therefore they must be much more obligatory to us and our po • eri • ies, than theirs.

4ly. Their League, Oath, was never ratified by any public Law or decree of the whole Congregation and people of Israel in any public Convention, but only by Joshua and the Princes alone; yet they bound the whole Nation: Ours have been approved, ratified, established, perpetuated by sundry successive Acts, Ordinances, Votes of Parliament from time to time, continuing still in their full legal force: Therefore much more valid and binding to us and our posterities, than theirs.

5ly. That Oath, League, was taken, sworn only by the Princes themselves, not by the Congregation and people of Israel, yet they were all obliged by them. Our Oaths, Protestation, League, Covenant, have been sworn, taken not only by all our Princes, Nobles, Officers of State, Justices, but likewise by all or most of the Commons, & people of the Land from time to time, both in and out of Parliament: Therefore much more obliging to us and ours, than theirs.

6ly. This Oath, League of theirs to the Gibeonites, was never taken and entered into for ought appears, but once, and that sodeinly, without any subsequent renovation or ratification; But our Oaths, Protestation, League, Covenant, have been swore, taken again and again, by all Members of Parliament, Officers of State, Justices, Graduates, Lawyers, Ministers, most Soldiers, and others; upon sundry emergent occasions, both in and out of Parliament: Therefore much more obligatory to us and our posterities, then theirs.

7ly. This Oath, League, for ought we read, was not made explicitly in precise terms with the Gibeonites, their heirs and posterity forever, but only indefinitely, with the Gibeonites then in being, whose lives they spared, as the words import; yet because they were a People, State, City, Body politick, having a permanent succession; it virtually and intentionally in their own and God's account too, extended not only to the Gibeonites then living, but to their succeeding issues in Saul's time, near 400 years after, and all succeeding Generations (as perpetual National Leagues use to do,) But our Oaths, League, Covenant in direct terms extend not only to our Kings to whom they were first made and sworn, but likewise to their heirs, successors, and Royal Posterity forever, (see 1 Jac. c. 1. 3. Jac. c. 4. 7 Jac. c. 6. 1 Eliz. c. 1. 3.) Therefore they must needs be more binding to us, our Heirs and Posterities in present and succeeding Generations, than their to the Gibeonites.

8ly. Their League, Oath, was only with foreign Pagans, Strangers, who became their mere slaves and bondmen in perpetuity, and had not the least power, jurisdiction over them; yet it bound them to strict observation. Ours are made, sworn to our own Christian, natural Kings, Princes, Sovereigns, of our own flesh, blood, Nation, to whom we are natural borne Subjects, and owe all dutiful allegiance by the Laws of God, Nature, Nations; Therefore much more obliging to and most religiously to be kept by us and our posterities after us, than theirs.

9ly. (Which is most considerable) this their Oath, League, was made with such an idolatrous remnant of the Ammonites, as God himself by express precepts had commanded the Israelites to make no League, nor Covenant with, upon any terms, but utterly to destroy with the edge of the sword without mercy, without saving any of them alive, Exod. 23. 32. c. 24. 12. 13. Deutr. 7. 1, 2, 3, &c. c. 20. 16, 17, 18. Psal. 106. 34. 35.) yet notwithstanding having once entered into a League with, and sworn to them in the name of the Lord, that they should live, (though by their own fraud, circumvention, and misinformation) God was so jealous of his own name, honor, glory, so unwilling that his own people should perjuriously, treacherously, perfidiously break their Oathe, Covenant sworn in his name, being the highest, the most sacred inviolable Obligations, securities that can be between God and men, man and man, Nation and Nation; that he would rather have his positive judicial Law, (which some conceive to have a tacit condition in it) violated and dispensed within this case, (it being not simply evil in its own nature to spare the Gibeonites upon their submission, but only a prohibited evil by particular Precepts) than his Name profaned, dishonored, Religious Oaths wittinglie infringed, and perjury committed by his own people, against his moral Law, Precept, being sinful, scandalous in their own nature, and of dangerous consequence to all Posterity, if admitted, approved, to encourage them to commit perjury, and violate all lawful Oaths, Covenants, in succeeding Ages, to the scandal of Religion, and prejudice of Mankind. Wherefore this Oath, League, though against these judicial Precepts, not only, firmly bound the Princes who made them, and all the Congregation in that Age, but King Saul himself, and all the Israelites in succession four hundred years after. Of which we have another President of Joshuaes and the Israelites care to perform their Spies Oaths made to Rahab, and sworn unto her by the Lord, to save her, her Parents, Kindred, and Family alive (though Canaanites devoted by God to destruction) Josh. 2. 1, to 24. compared with c. 6. 21, 22, 23. Heb. 11. 31. But our Oaths, Protestation, League, Covenant were all made not to, or with Amorites or Canaanites particularly devoted by God to the Sword, Slaughter, and utter extirpation without any Truce or League of Peace; but to and with our own hereditary lawful Christian Kings, their Heirs, Posterities, and Successors, whose Persons, Lives, Crowns, Rights, and Royal Authority we are all expressly obliged, commanded by God himself, to defend, protect with our own lives, fortunes, estates to the uttermost of our Powers, against all Attempts, Treasons, Conspiracies, Traitors, and Invasions whatsoever. yea precisely prohibited to offer the least violence, injury to their Persons, Lives, and Regal Authority, in thought, word, or deed, Prov. 24. 20, 21. Eccles. 8. 2 c. 10. 10. 1 Sam. 24. 3, to 20. c. 26. 8, to 12. 2 Sam. 1. 12, &c. c. 4. 10, 11, 2 Sam. 18 3 c 21 17 Estch. 2. 21. 12. 23. c. 6. 2 Rom 13. 1, 2. 3. 1 Pet. 2 12. 13, 17. Tit. 3. 1 1 Tim 2. 2. 3. John 18 36. Therefore our Oaths, League, Covenant, are much more obliging, and conscienciouslie to be observed by us, and our Posterities forever, than theirs to the Gibeonites, as the only ready way to our peace and settlement.

10ly. This League of theirs to the Gibeonites was ratified only with one single Oath, yet it bound both them and their Posterity; but ours to our Kings, their Heirs and Successors, is ratified with seven successive Oaths, Protestations, Covenants, here recited, besides sundry others of like nature taken by our Ancestors in former Ages, which I pretermit. Therefore much more strong, indissoluble, obliging to us and our Postericies than theirs. If a threefold cord be not easily broken, Eccles. 4. 12. much more then a sevenfold Oath successively renewed, should not easily or quickly be broken, but remain inviolable to all posterity.

11. The violation of this Oath League to the Gibeonites by Saul, and the Israelites near 400 years after its first making, when perchance quite forgotten by them, or conceived to be unbinding to them as gotten by surprise, as not made or taken by themselves, personal to the Gibeonites and Israelites then living when first made, or at least expired and grown quite out of date by so long a tract of time; was reputed by God himself a great sin, perjury in them, and exemplary punished by God with three years famine on the whole Land, though Saul and the Israelites then living never took this Oath, nor made that League themselves, but only their Ancestors, so long time before their births. Therefore our violations of the forecited Oaths, Protestation, League, Covenant, so freshlie made, taken, sworn, subscribed with hands lifted up to Heaven, successivelie one after another, by whole Parliaments, the generality of our Nation; and not only by our deceased Ancestors, but by ourselves in person, and so oft reiterated, yet infringed by us time after time in the highest degree, most needs be a more detestable damnable Perjurie, crime, in the eyes of God than theirs, and draw a more long-lasting famine, and other sorer judgments of God upon our particular Persons, Families, Nation, than that breach of their Oath and League with the Gibeonites, brought down on them.

12ly. That Oath, League, continued in force to bind the Israelites, both to observation and punishment, when violated by King Saul and them, after the whole frame of their Government was quite changed from a Principality or Common-wealth (as most of our present Grandees would have it) into a Kingship and Kingdom, by the earnest unanimous desire, consent of all the Elders of Israel, the generality of the people, and by God's own approbation, as is evident by the 1 Sam. c. 8, to c. 13. Josh. 9. 2 Sam. 21. compared together. Therefore our Oath, Protestation, League, Covanant forecited, must by like reason, consequence, much more oblige our whole Nation in present and future to our Kings, their Heirs and Successors, notwithstanding all late violent forcible illegal Alterations, Revolutions of our Governments and Governors, against the Votes of both Houses of Parliament, the desires of the generality of our three Nations, since our Laws admit no Interregnum nor Disseisin of the Crown, Kingship, Kingdom, (as the Statutes of Praerogativa Regis, 1 Iacobi, ch. 1. Cooks 7 Rep. f. 10. and other Lawbooks resolve) And so our violations of them must be more perjurious, sinful, and exemplarily punishable, than theirs.

13. This Oath, League with the Gibeonites was violated by King Saul, only out of zaeel to the Children of Israel, & Judah, who (it seems) solicited him thereunto for their own selfends or advantage: yet this was no sufficient excuse, nor justification thereof in God's esteem, being punished with exemplary justice on his posterity, and a three years famine upon all the Land. Therefore the violation of all our precedent Oaths, Protestations, Covenants, by the Army-Officers, confederate Members, and their Adherents (against the Votes of both Houses, the dehortations of our Ministers, and desires of our three whole Kingdoms) must needs 〈◊〉 a far more detestable crime, and be avenged with a more heavy punishment both on them and us, than theirs was heretofore.

14. This breach of Oath, Covenant, notwithstanding all circumstances which might extenuate it, was most exemplary punished, though not on Saul the chief Offendor during his life, yet upon seven of his Sons, and Family after his death, in King David's Reign, 35 years after this Offence committed, and upon the whole Nation by a three years famine, though it was never infringed but only by one single Act, in slaying some of the Gibeonites posterity, and not re-violated by any other subsequent slaughter of them. Therefore though many of the grand Infringers of the precedent Oaths, Protestation, Covenant, may perchance scape scot-free for a time in their own persons, and die without exemplary justice inflicted on them for it, yet let them from this memorable President conclude for certain, that God will sooner or later avenge it upon their Children and Posterity to their utter extirpation, (and on the whole Nation too, as he hath done in a great measure already,) it may be 35 years after the Perjuries, Treasons, committed in this kind, especially when not committed only once, but perpetrated and acted over sundry times by a continued, uninterrupted succession of New Perjuries, Treasons, and Violations of them in the highest degree from day today without fear or shame, as Exod. 20. 5. c 34. 7. Gen. 3. 14, 15. 1 Kings 2. 33. 2 Kings 5. 27. Jer. 22. 30. c. 36. 31. Isaiah 14 20 21. Mich. 2. 2, 3, 4, 5. Jer. 6. 15 c. 8. 12. may assure all our late and present. Delinquents in this kind and their Posterity, which texts they may do well most seriously to peruse, with bleeding and relenting hearts.

15. This their violation of their League, Oath to the Gibeonites was never openly justified, pleaded, written, preached, printed for, nor carried on with solemn Fasts and Humiliations, (most detestable unto God when thus abused) nor yet solemnly abjured by new contrary Oaths or Engagements forcibly imposed on all the Israelites, by Saul and his Counsel of State, to extirpate the Gibeonites: yet it was thus severely punished by God himself on Saul's posterity and the Israelites. O then what soarer overflowing, desolating Judgments, may our perjurious, Fidifragus Grandees, Saints, Nations, most justly fear and expect will undoubtedly befall themselves, their posterities and our Kingdoms, (now almost ripened for destruction in wise men's apprehensions) who have not only infringed all our Oaths, Covenants, Protestations, to our lawful Kings, their Heirs, Successors, and Posterity over & over in the highest degree, but most impudently justified, pleaded, preached, written, for the lawfulness thereof; yea kept many Hypocritical, Atheistical Mock-Fasts and Humiliations, to promote our most detestable Perjuries, Treacheries, Abominations; and publicklie abjured all our former loyal Oaths, Protestations, Covenants, by new Treasonable enforced Oaths and Engagements, diametrically repugnant to them. Certainly if this breach of Oath by Saul in slaying the Gibeonites could not be expiated, nor the 〈◊〉 years famine inflicted on the whole Land for it, removed by all King David's and the Israelttes Fasts Prayers, Tears, Sacrifices; till this sin of theirs was particularly be wailed, repented, removed, and full satisfaction made to the murdered Gibeonites by David and his people, by delivering up seven of Saul's Sons and Posterity to be hanged up before the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, for this perjury and bloodshed committed so long before by Saul their Ancestor, the principal Malefactor. We may justly fear and conclude, that all our prayers, tears, fasts, humiliations, will never expiate the manifold open violations of these our Oaths, Protestations, Leagues, Covenants, by the murders of our late King, and many thousands of our Protestant Brethren of all sorts for adhering to him, his heirs and posterity; the violations of the rights, privileges of Parliament, beyond all Presidents of former Ages; and securing, secluding the whole Peers House, and Majoritie of the Commons heretofore and now again, and trampling our fundamental Laws, Liberties, Properties, Remonstrances, Declarations, as well as Oaths quite underfoot, by new Arbitrarie, Tyranical Acts, Impositions, proceedings of all kinds, exceeding the worst of our former Kings; unless all these perjuries, treacheries, breaches of Oaths, Protestations, Covenants in this kind be particularly and publicly confessed, bewailed, reformed, repented if not expiated with the like Justice and Executions upon the persons or Sons of some of the most capital Delinquents in this kind, to appease God's wrath, and preserve our whole three Kingdoms from utter ruin; our perjuries and breaches of all Oaths, Faith, Trusts, being now so generally and universally infamous throughout the world, that FIDES ANGLICA, is become as proverbial AS FIDES PUNICA, SCOTICA, or HYBERNICA in former Ages, to our perpetual infamy: Which, if this Publication may redress, reform for the future, I shall bless God for it, and have some hopes of better times, things, then yet we can possibly expect whiles under the guilt, breach of so many contradictory Oaths, Protestations, Leagues, Covenants, Engagements.

By the ancient Oath of Fealty and Allegiance, (which both the Subjects of England, and Kings, Bishops, Nobles, and Subjects of Scotland, made to the Kings of England and their heirs, as supreme Lord's of Scotland, in these words.) Ero fidelis & legalis, fidemque & legalitatem servabo, Henrico (& Edwardo) Regi Angliae, et Haeredibus suis, de vita & membris, & terreno honor, contra omnes qui possa it vivere & mori: Et nunquam pro aliquo portabo arma, nec ero in consilio vel auxilio contra eum vel Haeredes suos, in aliquo casu qui possit contingere, sed fideliter recognoscam, et fideliter faciam servitia quae pertinent ad tenementum quod de eo tenere clamito, Sic me Deus adjuvet & omnes Sanctos ejus. (Which Oath William King of Scots and all his Nobles swore to King Henry the 2. et Haeredibus suis, sicut ligio Domino suo: And John Balliol, John Comyn with all the Nobles of Scotland to King Edward 1. and his heirs: Anno 1293, 1294, 1297.) they all in express terms obliged themselves and their heirs, to be true and faithful Subjects to the King and his heirs: Which though valid, obligatories in itself to our Kings postertie, yet some of our Kings in their life-times, made both the Scots and English Subjects to take a new Oath of Fealty and allegiance to their heir apparent and his heirs, saving the fealty, homage and allegiance done to themselves. Thus William King of Scots with all his Nobles, Barons, and Knights of Scotland, did Fealty and Homage to king Henry the 2. and to Henry his son, and his heirs, as to his Liege Lord's, salva fide Domini Regis patris sui. Anno 1175. Yea before this, Anno 1128. by the commad of king Henry the 1. the Archbishops, Bishos, Abbots, David King of Scots, with all the Earls and Barons of England, swore homage and sealtie to Maud his daughter and heir ut filiae suae Imperatrici Fide servata, regnum Angliae Haereditario jure post dies suos sibi et haeredibus suis legitime procreatis servarent nisi sobolem virilis sexus ipse Rex in posterum procrearet. The perfidious violation of which Oath by them after King Henries death in crowning Stephen, brought exemplary judgments on the willful violaters thereof, and a bloody, long-lasting civil war within the bowels of the Realm between Maud, her son Henry, and the Usurper Stephen, to the great oppression, devastation, desolation of the public, & people's, as our Historians observe; all the good they hoped for by disinheriting Maud, and crowning Stephen upon their own terms, against his own and their Oaths, becoming void and null by his perfidiousness, through divine, Justice, which will never permit any good things to spring out of such enormous evils as perjury and treachery; which produced sundry judgments and civil wars, never ceasing till Henry the right heir was restored to the Crown by a friendly agreement; the only probable, speedy way not now to end our present wars, oppressions, distractions, Military Government, and restore peace, and prosperity in our Nations. After this, An. 1191. upon the dejection of the insolent Bishop of Eli from his Vicegerentship under King Richard the first, all the Nobles of England assembling together, swore Fealty to Richard King of England, and to his heir against all men. The Citizens of London swore the like Oath; and that if King Richard should die without issue, they would receive Earl John his Brother for their King and Lord, & juraverunt ei Fidelitatem contra omnes homines, salva fidelitate Regis Richardi fratris sui as Howden relates.

In Claus. 24 H 3. m. 15. dorso, soon after the birth of Edward the 1. son and heir apparent to King Henry the third, I find this memorable writ issued to all the Sheriffs of England, to summon all persons above 12. years old, to swear Fealty to him, as Heir to the King, and to submit themselves faithfully to him as to their Liege Lord after his death.

Rex Vic. Eborum▪ salutem; Praecipimus tibi quod in fide qua nobis teneris, et sicut teipsum et omnia tua diligis venire facias ad loca certa & ad dies certos, sicut commodius fiery potevit, Omnes liberos homines de balliva tua aetatis 12. Annorum et supra, et eos omnes coram te jurare facias; ita quod haec sit forma juramenti sui, scilicet: Quod ipsi salvo Homagio et fidelitate nostra, qua Nobis tenentur, & cui in vita nostra nullo mode renunciare volumus, Fideles eritis Edwardo filio nostre primogenito, ita quod side Nobis humanitus contigerit, eidem tanquam hearedi nostro et Domino suo ligio erunt fideliter intendentes, et eum pro Domino suo ligio habentes. Et talem circa hoc exhibeas diligentiam, ut inde merito debeatis commendari. Teste meipso apud Westm. 24 die Febr. Ann. r. n. 24. Eodem modo scribitur omnibus Vicecomitibus: and it appears by Dors. 12. they were summoned and sworn accordingly. In the Parliament of 5 H. 4. rot. Parl. n. 13. & 17. The Lord's Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, were sworn to bear faith and true allegiance to the King, to the Prince, and to his issue, and to every one of his Sons severally suceeding to the Crown of England; and that of their own accord. The like Oath was taken to the King, Queen, Prince Edward, and the Heirs of the Kings body in the Parliament of 38 H. 6. rot Parl. n. 26. And to Prince Edward Son and heir apparent to King Edward the 4th and his Heirs, in the Parliament of 11 E. 4. entered in the Clause Roll of 11 E. 4. m. 1. dorso. Yet in point of Law, Conscience, the first Oaths of Fealty and Allegiance to each of these Kings his heirs and successors, obliged all that took them as firmly to their heirs and successors, as their Homages made by them to these Kings or other Lord's, (which extend equally to their heirs, and shall not be reiterated, nor renewed to them upon this Account, unless in some special cases) and bind not only those that took them, but their heirs and posterity likewise, although they never took these Oaths themselves, at least to a religious conscientious observation, though not to the actual legal penalties of Perjury; as Angelus de Clavasio in his Summa Angelica, tit. Juramentum 5. sect: 24. 40. and other Canonists distinguish; and the forecited Scriptures infallibly demonstrate; especially being made for the public good, peace, settlement. of the Kingdom, warranted by the policy, presidents of all ages, prescribed by our Laws, Parliaments, for the safety, security, settlement, as well of our Religion, Church, Kingdoms, Government, as of our Kings and their posterities, and so not o to be violated, through fear, menaces, hopes of worldly gain or preferment, nor dispensed with by any Papal or other human power whatsoever; the breach of Oaths, Leagues, Covenants, being A GRAND VICKEDNESSE and high profanation of the TRUTH, FAITHFULNESSE, NAME, AND CONSTANCY OF GOD HIMSELF, as well as transgression of his Law and Gospel, deserving the highest temporal and Ecclesiastical censures in this world, as well as eternal condemnation in the world to come, Ezech. 17. 16, to 22. & Jer. 34. Neh 5. 12. 13.

7. Whether the late illegal Oaths, Engagements to the New Republicans and Protectors, enforced on the people against their Consciences, without any lawful Parliamentary Authority (which only legally make, prescribe, impose new Oaths upon the Nation, as the marginal Statutes resolve, past all dispute) being directly contradictory to their former lawful Oaths to our Kings, their Heirs and Successors, be not absolutely void in conscience, yea mere prophanings, abuses of God's sacred Name; and if taken out of fear or weakness, no ways to be observed, no more than David's Oath, resolution to slay Nabal with all his Family, 1 Sam. 25. or Herod's Oath to Herodias, which he had more justly violated than observed in beheading John the Baptist, Mat. 14. 6, to 13. or those Jews Vow, who vowed they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul, Acts 23. 21. &c. Which sinful Oaths, Vows, were no ways to be observed by shedding innocent blood, as both the Fathers, Councils, Canonists, Casuists, and Scoolmen resolve, as you may read at large in Gratian Caus. 22. quest. 4. Summa Angelica, Tit. Juramentum, sect. 3. 45. Peter Lombard, Sent. l. 3. distinct 29. & most Schoolmen on his Text, whose definitive Doctrine is this: Si quis alicui juraverit contra fidem, charitatem & officium, quod observatū pejorem vergat in exitum, potius est mutandum quam implendum: Qui enim sic jurat vehementer peccat, cum autem mutat benefacit: Qui autem non mutat dupliciter peccat; Et quia unjust juravit, et quia facit quod non debet. And that when a man hath once obliged himself by a legal Oath to God and his Sovereign, any latter Oath repugnant to, or inconsistent with it is unlawful: Upon which account our Lawbooks and Laws resolve, that when ever any man swears Fealty, or doth Homage to his Landlord for the Lands held of him, it shall be with this special exception, saving the Faith which I owe to our Lord the King, who is the Sovereign Lord of all his Subjects, principally sworn unto, and to be obeyed in the first place before all or any others. Hereupon Walter Bishop of Exeter, Anno 6 E. 1. for omitting this Clause out of the Homage he received of his Tenants in Cornwall, IN CONTEMPTUM DOMINI REGIS, & ad manifestam, quo ad PRIVILEGIUM IPSIUS DOMINI REGIS EXHAEREDATIONEM, ET DAMNUM IPSIUS DOMINI REGIS ad valentiam DECEM MILLE LIBRARUM, he had judgment given against him for it upon an Information, and was put to a great fine and ransom for this his transcendent offense. Upon this very account Honnore Bonhor Prior of Salon, an eminent Doctor of the Canon law, in his Larbre des Battailles, ch. 50, 51. resolves, out of other Doctors, That if the King moves war against any Baron of his Realm, his Tenants and Homagers are not bound to assist him in his wars against the King by their Homage or Fealty, but rather to assist the King against him, BECAUSE THE KING IS SOVERAIGN LORD TO THEM BOTH; and the Barons lesser and inferior Dominion, is swallowed up or suspended by the presence of the King, the greater and superior Lord; and because the Baron commits both Treason and Perjury against the King, by violating his Homage, in taking up Arms against him;) Whereupon his Tenants are not bound to aid him in his Perjury and Treason against his Sovereign. And ch. 100, 101, 102. he determines, That if a man be a Subject to two Kings, States, or Cities, which afterwards wage war against each other, he is bound to serve the King, State, City in the wars, to which HE WAS FIRST SWORN AND OBLIGED, because his latter Oath and Homage to his last Sovereign cannot invallid nor discharge his first Oath and Allegiance to his old one; Much less then can these later Treasonable Oaths, Engagements to a New Protector or Republic, dispence with those antecedent legal Oaths, Protestation, Covenant to our lawful King and his Heirs, nor oblige us in the least degree to fight against or oppose their Persons, Titles, Rights, to perpetuate our wars, miseries, taxes, oppressions, confusions, and prevent our future settlement.

Let us therefore all now seriously remember, consider in the fear of God, That as all who have been Judges, Justices, Mayors, Bailiffs of Towns, Barresters, Benchers, Ministers, Graduates in Universities, Attorneys, Civil or Ecclesiastical Officers in any kind, Members of the Commons House, or Tenants to the King, before the year 1649. have oft taken the premised Oaths of Mayors, Justices, Fealty, or at lest of Supremacy and Allegiance; So all Aldermen, Governors, Assistants, Livery men, Common Counsel-men, and Freemen whatsoever of every City, Corporation, Society, Company, Fraternity, throughout the Realm, have likewise taken another Oath beginning thus, You shall swear, to be good and true, or true Liegeman to our Sovereign Lord the Kings Majesty, and to his Heirs and Successors. Which if they will all now conscientiously verify and resolutely fulfil to the Right Heir and Successor of the Crown, they may soon put a period to all their present Oppressions, Taxes, Excises, arbitrary Militiaes, Distractions, Fears, Dangers, under their New Egyptian Tax-Masters, and make themselves real ENGLISH FREEMEN, without any new Warr, or much feared foreign invasion, instead of continuing Bondslaves under a misnamed Free-State, in which no wise men can yet discern the least shadow of Freedom or Security, but inovitable desolation in the present posture of its public Affairs, and a necessity of involving himself in the guilt of New Oaths, more treasonable than the Bishops late &c. Oath, which can neither be imposed, nor administered without danger, and the guilt both of Perjury and High Treason to the King, kingdom, and Parliament, by all our known Laws resolution.

I shall close up all with this memorable seasonable ancient Canon, Resolution, and Anathema of the 4th. Council of Tolede in Spain Anno 681. Can. 74. as an effectual means (through God's blessing) to reclaim us from our former Perjuries, Treacheries, Regends Disloyalties to our lawful Kings and their Posterity, to restore them to their hereditary Rights, divert God's heavy Judgments from us, to settle us in firm, lasting peace for the future, and restore our pristine Tranquility, Unity, Trade, Honor, Prosperity so long expected, desired. Multarum gentium (ut fama est, being then principally intended of the ancient Britain's, Saxons, Northumberlanders, exceeding all other Nations in Perjury, Treachery to, rebellions against and murders of their Kings, and now exceeded therein by us of this Age)

A POSTSCRIPT.

MAny are the Presidents of God's severe personal and National Judgments inflicted upon perfideous perjurious Infringers of their Oaths and Covenants to their lawful Sovereigns and their Heirs, Both at home and abroad: For domestic Presidents of this nature, I have presented you with some signal ones, in the Second Part of my Legal and Historical Vindication of the Fundamental Liberties, Rights and Laws of England, London 1655. p. 29 to 37, 44, 46, 47, 56, 57, 60, to 65, 79, 80. & Part 3. p. 23. 31, 54, 55, 58, 85, 97, 98, 102, 103, 106, 136, 138, to 146, 170, to 175, 201, to 229, 254, 256, 258. 260, 266, 267, 322, to 327, 333, to 370. before the Conquest. The like Presidents since, you may peruse in Henrici Huntindonensis, Hist. l. 8. p. 291, 292, 293. Regeri de Howden Annalium pars prior, p. 483. Holinshed, vol. 3. p. 46. and Doctor Beards Theatre of God's Judgments, Book 1. ch. 28. I shall instance only in two remarkable foreign Examples of this kind.

The first is in the usurping Emperor Rodulph, Duke of Sweden. Pope Hildebrand, antichristanly Excommunicating his Sovereign, the Emperor Henry the fourth, and absolving his Subjects from their Allegiance to him, proffered the Empire to this Duke Rodulph: who remembering his Oath of Allegiance sworn by him to this Emperor, and how vile a part it would be for him to betray or supplant him he had sworn to obey and defend, at first refused the Popes offer; yet afterwards by the sophystry and persuasion of some Bishops, he accepted and took upon him the Title of Emperor, opposing his Liege Lord Henry in four several Battels fought between them for the Empire; in the last whereof being vanquished, he was sore wounded, and lost his right hand. When he was ready to die of his wounds, one brought his right hand cut off in the Battle unto him, which he beholding with much regret, in detestation of his Perjury, and Treachery through the Popes violence, brake forth into these memorable words in the presence of many Bishops who had persuaded him to this rebellion. Behold here the right hand wherewith I swore faith and allegiance to my Liege Lord the Emperor Henry: this will be an argument of my breach of faith before God, and of your Trayterous impulsion and advice thereunto. Which having uttered, he immediately expired of his wounds in a kind of despairing manner, as the just punishment of his Perjury and Treachery by his own confession; magnumque mundo documentum datum est, ut nemo contra Dominum suum censurgat Nam abscissa Rudolphi dextera dignissimam perjurii vindictam demonstravit, qui fidem Domino suo Regi juratam violare non timuit, et tanquam alia vulnera non sufficerent, ad mortem accessit etiam hujus membri poena, ut per poenam agnosceretur et culpa: as an Historian of that age observes in the life of Henry the 4th. Let those perjurious perfidious Army-Saints and other Grandees who have taken, subscribed the precedent Oaths, Protestation, League Covenant, with hands laid upon the Bible, and lifted up to the most high God; and yet have since taken, subscribed with the self-same hands, an Oath and Ingagement diametrically contrary thereunto, to the destruction of our Kings, Kingdoms, Parliaments and their Privileges; and are still stretching out their perjured hands against the lawful Heir and Successor to the Crown, remember this sad president of Rodulph with fear and trembling.

To which I shall annex another sadder and more tragical Spectacle, never to be forgotten; Vladislaus King of Hungary, having made a Truce with Amurath the 2. (the sixth King of the Turks) which he sealed and swore unto in the name of Christ: by the command of Pope Eugenius, and persuasions of his Legat, Cardinal Julian and other Prelates, who absolved him from this Oath, he violated it in a most perfidious manner, and soon after taking Amurath unprovided to fight, gave him battle at Varna with a puissant Army, and was likely to rout him upon the first encounter. Upon which occasion Amurath being in extreme fear and danger, beholding the Crucifix in the displayed ensigns of the Christians, plucked the writing out of his bosom wherein the League was comprised, and holding it in his hands with his eyes cast up to heaven, used these words. Behold thou crucified Christ, This is the League thy Christians in thy Name have made with, and sworn to me; which yet they have without any cause on my part, violated; Now if thou be a God, as they say thou art, and as we dream, Revenge the wrong now done unto thy Name and me, and show thy Power upon thy perjurious People, who in their Deeds deny thee to be their God. Upon the uttering of which words, the Battle presently turned, Hunyadi, that valiant General and the Hungarians fled, the whole Army was routed, many thousands of them slain, and taken Prisoners; perjured King Vladislaus, Cardinal Julian, with most of the Prelates and Nobles who persuaded him to this breach of Faith slain in the field; the greatest part of Hungary overrun, gained, and ever since possessed by the Turks, Vdalislaus his head cut off in the Battle, after was fixed on a poll, carried through Grecia and Asia in triumph, and shown to the people as a monument of God's justice on him for his perjury. And will not the blood of our beheaded King, the disinheriting of his Heir and Successor, the abjuration of Kingship itself, & the House of Lord, the subvertion of all the Rights, Freedoms, Privileges of Parliament, by those in late and present power, against all the premised Oaths, Protestations, Solemn League and Covenant, sworn by them in the name, presence of God himself, and the Lord Jesus Christ, with hands laid on the Evangelists, and listed up to Heaven, and then subscribed for a perpetual Memorial; cry aloud to God and Christ for the like avenging Justice from Heaven against the perjurious Infringers of them in a far higher degree than Vladislaus was guilty of, if spread and held up before them by the disinherited King and Lord's? No doubt it will in God's due time, if not speedily, really and deeply bewailed repented of, by a plenary satisfaction and restitution: And cause God to shake out every man (and his Posterity too) from his House, and from his labor, and empty him and his of all present honors and enjoyments, (as Nehemiah shaked and emptied his lap,) that performeth not these Oaths, Protestation, League, Covenant, to which he and all the Congregation have said Amen, Neh. 5. 12, 13.

Ezech. 17. 18, 19, 20, 21. Seeing he despised the Oath by breaking the Covenant, (when lo, he had given his hand) and hath done all these things, he shall not escape. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, As I live, surely mine Oath that he hath despised, and my Covenant which he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head. And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my Snare, And I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there, for his Trespasses that he hath trespassed against me. And all his Fugitives, with all his Bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered towards all Winds; and ye shall know, that I the LORD have spoken it.

ERRATA.

P. 13. l. 6. 1647. r. 1657. p. 16. l. 6. Justification, r. Prevarication. p. 18. l. 2. Meetings, r. Mutinies.

Margin. P. 23. l. 7. r. Sacramenti.