of God, with the light of nature, with the judgement of the Learned, with the practise of former Christians, and with their own principles and former Engagements: and then if the Duty mentioned in the Engagement doth run wholly parallell, as the case now stands with us, to that which they yield to be a Duty as they State the case in generall themselves; then they should be made to reflect upon themselves, that they ought to be satis∣fied in this; that by taking the Engagement, nothing is farther required of them then what they proclaime themselves, to be a performable duty in such a case. But if their Politicall contem∣plations of the meaning of the Engagement, through the sinister prospectives & jealousies which they take up, and foment against their Superiours, by an uncharitable mis-construction of their aimes; will not suffer them to acquiesce in this parallelisme of the Engagement, with what they acknowledge to be lawfull; then a further course may be taken, and shall be offered unto them, if they will intend to bring matters to a faire tryall and issue, and that is this: that the consequences, which they say are implyed in the words of the Engagement, may be taken into con∣sideration and examined in three respects.
First, How far the words of the Engagement, do import in the ordinary acception by an indifferent Judge, any such matters, as they say are implyed therein.
Secondly, How far, if the words should import any such mat∣ters in any sense, the performance of the Engagement in that sense, is agreeable with the Duties mentioned by themselves in the 2. Sect. performable by Subjects towards their Superiours, in the case they are supposed and wherein now we are.
Thirdly, How far the Covenant and former Engagements, wil be contradictory or not contradictory to this Engagement, al∣though the consequences here said to be implyed therein, should be granted to follow thereon.
In all which matters, if upon known grounds and principles of Christianity and Rationality, a regular way of disquiry may be followed, as it becometh Divines within their bounds, in refe∣rence to Conscience, modestly, and not as it becometh States∣men, in reference to interests, suspiciously, and if they will in∣gage to stand or fall to the issue of that disquiry; I dare in the fear of God, undertake to let them see satisfactory grounds,