VVorse & vvorse, or, A description of their desperate condition who shall presume to take the nevv oath or covenant

And for—The third Oath. Of the late Protestation.

How can it consist? For, I Protest, Vow, and promise to main∣taine the Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England,* 1.1 against all Popery and Popish Innovations.

But this Assertion of the new Oath that (In my Conscience I doe beleive that the Forces raised by the two Houses of Parliament, are raised and continued for their iust defence, and for the defence of the true Protestant Religion) seems to contradict the late Protestation; For, first it is against the established Doctrine of the Church of England; which is in the 37. Article which saith that The Kings Maiesty hath the Chiefe power in this Realm of England; unto whom the Chiefe government of All Estates, whe∣ther Ecclesiasticall or Civill, in All causes, doth appertaine—To rule All Estates, and degrees committed to Their charge; and to restraine with the sword; None of which can the King doe, if the Sword or Militia be taken from Him. Item, That a man may take up Armes or take an Oath when The Magistrate (i. e. Su∣pream Power) commandeth; implying that no man ought either to take Oath or bear Armes without the Injunction of The Ma∣gistrate. Item, Article 35. that the two Bookes of Homilies, (the Homilies against Rebellion amongst the rest) contain a Godly and wholsome Doctrine, to be read in Churches by the Ministers (that is, Preachers, not only Reading Ministers) diligently & distinctly; that they may be understood by the People as the Doctrine of the Church of England: For though there may be many Doctrins and many Churches in England, yet there is but one Doctrine & one church of England, contained in the 39. Articles, and Common-Prayer-Book confirmed by Act of Parliament. Thus far of the first particular of the Protestation The Second is how it can consist with that part of the Protestation, which binds me to oppose all Popish Innovations,

&c. for to take up Armes in case of Religion against a Supream Power is a plaine Popish Innovation, and a new Invention taught and maintained only in this last Age. And thirdly; how can it consist with the last particular? Wherein I vow and grotest to maintaine with my Life, Power and Estate (ac∣cording to the duty of mine Allegiance) His Majestius Person, Ho∣nour and Estate. Now the Queeree is, how I main came first His Person with my Life, Power, and Estate, if I sweare to assist an Army of men, whom He hath oft Declared (and are so accoun∣ted by many pious and sudicious men) to be utter Enemies to His Person, Honour, and Estate? Or, secondly, how can I be said to maintaine His Honour, when by this Oath I professe (expressely contrary to the word of God. Eccles. 10.20. Exod. 22.28.) not only in mine heart to curse and accuse Him, but openly with my mouth to revile, and blaspheme Him; and in effect, say in mine heart, (which is Nefandum, horrendum, and farre from the thought of an obedient Sonne, that honoureth his Father). He is an utter Enemy of Gods true Religion, a violator of all sacred Vowes, Oathes, and Covenants? And can I yet be said to main∣taine His Honour? Can I be thus presumptuous to judge Him? Am I not afraid to speake evill of Dignities? & yet maintaine the Kings Honour, or the Christian Protestant Religion?* 1.2 Did Cham honour his Father when he discovered his reall nakednesse? and do they honour their Father that impute a lying and false naked∣nesse, and cover his reall Virtues & Glory by casting on foule and fained aspersions? A Sonne honoureth his Father, & a Servant his Master; If he be a Father where is his honour? If he be our Ma∣ster, where is his fear? If this be the honour and feare,* 1.3 goe and offer it to thy Father, to thy Master, and see if they will take it at thy hands?

Nor will the after exposition serve to heale this breach; by saying, It was not to be extended to the maintenance of any disci∣pline or government of the Church of England. For, first all the or∣dained Ministers of England have subscribed and sworn to the Kings Supremacy, and all the doctrine of the Church of England; and therefore they cannot be absolved from this lawfull Oath by any power whatsoever.

And Secondly, though it should not be extended to Church-Government, yet it will reach to the Civill Supremacy and

chiefe power of the Sword,* 1.4 which the expresse doctrine of the Church of England avoucheth to be only in the King.

Or thirdly, how can I be then said to maintain his Estate, when I take part with them that with-hold and with-draw it from him? or that put him into such an Estate and condition as does exhaust and consume His Estate, by maintaining an Army to guard and protect His own Person and His Loyall Subjects? And hitherto of the two first Queries concerning the three Oathes of Allegiance, Supremacy, and protestation; now follow∣eth the third Querie, how this late Oath can consist with its own Introduction, limitations and expressions.

First, How with the Introduction, viz. That there hath been and now is in this Kingdome a POPISH AND TRAITEROUS PLOT for the subversion of the true Religion, &c. First, how can I believe this, and believe the Kings Protestation to the contra∣ry? And Secondly, how can I honour the King and not believe Him. And thirdly, how can I call it a Popish Army, when the more principall part must give the denomination? when it is confest and manifest, that the better part by much, and the grea∣ter by farre are Protestants, and sworn contrary to all Popish Plots. Secondly, In declaring my sorrow for my sinnes past, and purpose to amend, &c. How can it consist, if in this very Oath I commit greater sinnes of Pride, Slander, Envy, and all Vnchari∣tablenesse, Blasphemy, Perjury, and Disobedience? And if the Repentance it selfe be such a sinne, it is a Repentance to be re∣pented of.

Againe, how can it consist with the Limitation, i. e. In Order to the securing the true Protestant Religion? when as it is cleer by what is above said, It is directly contrary to Our Protestant Religion, or the Doctrine of Our Church (though there may be many other strange doctrines in our Church) which evidently as∣serts the King to be supreame over ALL Persons, in ALL Cau∣ses; and plainly denies any power of Armes to be used by Sub∣jects against their King, under colour of Religion. Now, what our Lord and Master said to one desiring him to divide the inhe∣ritance, we his servants may answer in the like case, Man, who hath made me a divider or Iudge over you?* 1.5 If any speak to us to take up Armes to vindicate the present cause as just, in raising

Forces against the King, Must answer and aske, Who hath made us Iudges over our Soveraigne? Or dividers of the Kings Inheri∣tance betwixt Him and His Subjects? Especially when he hath protested so often by all that is Sacred, and engaged all that is deare to Him, that He will maintain and defend the true Prote∣stant Keligion, and Liberty of the Subject, &c. Am I not rather silenced by that of Solomon, My Sonne, feare God and the King;* 1.6 and meddle not with them (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) viz. That are 1. De∣tractors, 2. Seditious, 3. Given to change or Innovators (for so the word signifies all three.)

Or are we not rather disarmed, by that of our Saviour, Put up thy sword, for he that takes the sword will perish by the Sword.

Thirdly and lastly the Expression; which is, To maintain and assist All persons in whatsoever they shall doe in pursuance of the same. Which is of a vast and large extent; & seems to maintain, 1. Those that hazard and oppose the Kings Person, Honour and Estate. 2. Those that goe contrary to the doctrine of the Church of England (in taking up Armes under colour of Religion.) 3. And that In all which they shall doe in Pursuance of the same. What if I should be required to help to kill mine own Father, Naturall, Civill, or Spirituall, if the King or my Parents or any Ministers shall oppose their Forces by word or deed, it seems I may and ought by virtue of these words [In pursuance of the same] assist any one that shall pursue them or any of them unto death. And we have cause to feare it will be so extended, when it is taken up or offered by some for good doctrine, that every man ought (as the Levites commanded by Moses) goe out and slay every man his brother,* 1.7 and consecrate your selves every man upon his Sonne or upon his Brother, Companion, or his Neighbour, if he judge him an Idolator, or Enimy of God; (which is not very hard for malice to doe.) And that the Levites by that severe and bloody execution, did expiate their slaine of their fathers transgression. But farre be from us that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to partake of the transgression of Simeon and Levi brethren in iniquity; (ex∣cept he had the same infallible commission, and the same idola∣try to oppose) under an hypocriticall pretext of circumcision, and furious zeale of Religious Reformation, did really affect not the conversion but the destruction; not the Circumcision but ex∣cision of the Shechemites.

But Pray we rather and conclude with the true Israel of God; Oh my soule, come not thou into their secret, unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united.* 1.8 For in their anger they slew a man, and (saving their Persons) cursed be their anger for it was sarce, and their wrath, for it is Cruell; divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israell. AMEN.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See the pre∣amble of the House of Com∣mons to the Protest:
• * 1.2

  2. Pet. 2.10, 11.
• * 1.3

  Malach. 1.6.8.
• * 1.4

  See the a∣•••••••• said 〈◊〉〈◊〉 37.
• * 1.5

  See Luk. 12.
• * 1.6

  See Prov. 24.21.
• * 1.7

  See Exod. 32.27, 29.
• * 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 49. •• 7.