Observation I.

THat of all Obligations, that it is possible for the Creatures to lay upon themselves, there is none more sacred, none more inviolable, none of more dreadfull consequence in the violation, none of greater importance to Religion towards God, or to the good and peace of humane society; than an Oath. It being an ap­peale to the great God of Heaven and Earth, as a Witnesse and a Judge of the Truth of our Assertions, and the fide­lity of our Promises; together with an Obligation of our selves, to the forfeiture of his Mercy and Favour, and to [Page 5]the Curse and Judgement of God upon our soules, in case we deale fraudulently and unfaithfully with him.

Obser. II. That a publick Oath that is made by the pub­lick Authority of a Nation, to binde the people of the Land, is of so great force and power, that it doth not one­ly binde those that made it, and have taken it, but also all the people of the Nation, and not onely those that are then in being, when the said Oaths were made and taken, but also all their succeeding Posterity, that are within the designe, and the purpose of the said Oaths; as doth emi­nently appear by the force and power that was in the Oath, which was made and taken by Joshuah and the Prin­ces of Israel, in the 9. chap. of Joshuah, which bound not onely Joshuah and the Princes, who made and took the said Oath; but also all the people of the land, and all their succeeding posterity: as is manifest by comparing that passage in the 9. of Joshuah with the 21. chap. of the 2. book of Samuel, from the 1. verse, to the end of the 14 where the breach of the Oath of Joshuah and the Princes by Saul in slaying of the Gibeonites was punished in the time of Da­vid with three years Famine upon the land and people of Israel.

Obser. III. That though there be many infirmities and miscarriages committed in the making and taking of these publick Oathes, and although the things that they oblige unto, prove to be against the Interest of the people; and although the breach or violation thereof, hath the counte­nance of faire and specious intents and ends, seemingly conducing unto the publick good of the people; yet nei­ther all nor any of those pretentions doth either make void the Obligation of those Oaths, nor deliver the people from the great guilt of the sin which is committed in the violation thereof; nor secure them from the dreadfull Judgment of God? As appears clearly by the severe pro­ceeding of Almighty God, in the judgement that he sent upon the people of Israel, for the breach of that Oath that was made unto the Gibeonites, notwithstanding that it was obtained by a palpable lye and falshood, assumed rashly [Page 6]without consulting with God: Proved to be against a di­rection that God himself gave unto the people, for the de­struction of those very Gibeonites, amongst the rest of the Nations that inhabited the land of Canaan, and expresly prohibiting them to make any Covenant with them, or to shew them favour, as appears, Deut. 7. v. 1, 2. and was ma­nifestly against the consent and interest of the people, and was broken by Saul, in his zeal to the house of Israel and Judah, as appears, 2 Sam. 21. viz. which yet was punished with so great a judgment, as three years Famine upon the children of Israel, and could not be expiated without the destruction of divers of the posterity of Saul

Obser. IV. That the custome of Oaths made unto Prin­ces by the people, is no act of unlawfull Tyranny or Op­pression, but hath its foundation and warrant in the word of God, as in the 2 Kings 11. v. 4.17. Where Athaliah had usurped the Kingdome, was deposed and slain, and the people were engaged in an Oath and Covenant unto Jo­shuah the lawful Successor in the Kingdome, by the means of Jehoiada the Priest: and in the 8. of Ecclesiastes v. 2. O­bedience unto the King is required of the people, in re­gard of the Oath of God; and in the 17. of Ezekiel v. 13, 14, 15, 16. as also in the 18, 19, 20. verses of the same Chapter, you finde God severely threatning the breach of that Oath of Fidelity that was taken by Zedekiah unto the King of Babylon, notwithstanding he was an enemy to the truth of God, and a great oppressor of the people.

Obser. V. That the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance must needs be allowed to have in them all that sacred force and binding power that hath been before mention­ed, to binde the people of these Nations, and all their suc­ceeding posterity, either to the just and faithfull perfor­mance of them, or to the undergoing of the dreadfull Judgment of Gods wrath and eternal indignation, which is invoked upon the breach of them, if it be not pre­vented by timely repentance, and that upon these severall Considerations.

[Page 7] 1. Because these oaths were made & taken by the pub­lick authority of these Nations, who in that and other publick acts did represent the whole people of the land.

2. Because they are not avoydable by those infirmities that have been formerly noted in the oath of Joshua, and the Princes of Israel, which as they cannot be im­puted unto these Oaths, so neither if they were imputable unto them, would they be invalidated thereby.

3. Because these oaths appears now clearly enough by the sad consequences of them violations not to stand opposite to the interest of the People, but to conduce exceeding­ly thereunto, and if it were otherwise; the validity of an Oath doth not depend upon the compliance with politick interest, as hath been before shewed, but stands firme and binding with a non obstante there against, so that no pre­tence of the mistake or change of interest can be plea­ded in barre to the obligation of these Oaths.

4. Because the force of these Oaths cannot die of age, no more then the Oath made unto the Gibeonites did, in all that time, which interceded between Joshua and Saul, but are still in as great and full force and power for the binding of conscience, as if they had been made and ta­ken but yesterday or this very hour.

5. Because no specious pretences of the good of the people to be obtained by the breach of them, nor fair in­tention of those that violate them, can either justify them or discharge from their obligation, as is manifest in the case before propounded,

So that by all that hath been said, these Oaths of Su­premacy and Allegiance do remain at this day in their full force and vigor, to bind the people of this land, and their posterity unto the King and his Heirs and Successours, to all intents and purposes, for which they were first made, and that under the penalty of eternal destruction, if they shall wilfully continue in the breach thereof.

Obser. VI. Observe that no succeeding Oath, or Cove­nant, Protestation, or Ingagement whatsoever, that doth either contradict or limit a precedent lawfull Oath, can [Page 8]either be lawfully taken, or being taken, is of any force at all, either to make void, or diminish, or circumscribe the force of the foregoing lawful Oath: For Oaths are not like Wills and Testaments, which being but the free de­clarations of the present wills of them, that make them are controulable by any succedent declarations, or Testaments, so that the last Will doth prevail against all that have gone before it; but Oaths and promises and obligations, whereby we bind our selves to others, whe­ther God or man, put such limits and bounds upon our wills, that we have no power to contradict or limit them by any succedent Oaths, or obligations whatsoever. But the first lawfull Oath stands firm and inviolable against all that shall betaken afterwards, in the whole, and in every part, and the full extent of the tenor thereof: otherwise an Oath were not an end of all strife, as it is declared to be, Heb. 6.16. nor were there indeed any valid security in a promissory Oath, since a succeeding Oath to the contra­ry, or setting limits, conditions or exceptions to the for­mer might renew the strife, and destroy or diminish the security thereof; so that no Engagement, Covenant, Pro­testation or Oath of Abjuration, contrary to the Oaths of Supremacy or Allegiance can be taken, without an horrid sin against God, exposing the soul unto his eternall wrath. Or can it be at all of any force against them, though they should be never so oft taken: neither can that limitation in the Covenant, wherein they oblige themselves to the preservation of the King, in the maintenance of the true protestant Religion, the priviledges of Parliament, and the Liberty of the Subject, limit or abate the force of those absolute obligations, whereby all Subjects are obliged to the King and his lawful Heirs and Successors, which are upon them by the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance; but as such limitations look very unhandsomely; so they have not at all any force of abatement in them, but ought to be abhord, disclaimed & rejected by all honest Subjects and Christians, as an evil gap opened to rebellion and se­dition to those that have a mind to make such an evil use [Page 9]thereof, under pretence that the King doth (that which indeed he ought not to do) either depart in any thing from the true Religion, or violate the Priviledges of par­liament, or the Liberties of the Subject.

Obser. VII. That those fore-mentioned Oathes, as they have a binding influence upon all; so especially, do they bind those, who have personally and solemnly taken them, and are enjoyned thereunto, by the laws of the Land, and must have a peculiar influence obligatory upon them in the execution of those Offices or places, and in the perfor­mance of those Acts and Operations, which they doe by law enter upon, with the solemn taking of those Oathes, so that whatever they shall do therein contrary thereun­to, are not onely grievous and perjured sins, but are to be lookt upon in religious reason, as utterly void, and of none effect, as those wherein they exceeded their limits, and broke the bounds of that power and authority which was committed unto them, which were circumscribed unto their operations as the sphear of their activity, by those Oaths which they took at their entrance thereupon; for it is neither religious nor reasonable, that any man or so­ciety of men should have power to act against the lawfull Oaths that they have taken; and then if we remember that the lawfull Members of the long Parliament, did as they were enjoyned by the law of the Nation, take the Oath of Supremacy or Allegiance, every one of them personally, at or before their admittance into the House; and that in order to their entrance upon their power, to act as mem­bers of the Parlia. of England; it will be easie to conclude; first, how sinfull, and then how altogether invalid and forcelesse all those acts that they have done, or shall doe, must needs be, which are or shall be any way contrary, or in the least derogatory to the aforesaid Oathes; and how great work there is for Humiliation, both to God and his substitute; for many and sad things that have been done by some of them, as highly and diametrically contrary to those Oathes, as it is possible for actions to be contrived. The cry is so loud, I need not instance; but now to come [Page 10]a little closer to the view of these Oathes, and to discover what they import and oblige unto.

Obser. VIII. That in the first clause of the Oath of Supre­macy, the King is utterly and conscientiously declared and acknowledged upon Oath, to be the onely supream Go­vernour of this Realm, and of all other his Majesties Do­minions and Countries, as well in Spiritual and Ecclesia­stical things or causes as Temporal: Mark the supreme Governour, therefore he hath none above him, not but that he and his great Counsell together may have power to do more than he can do alone; but that none can act above him in opposition unto him. Secondly, The onely supreme Governor; therefore, there is none equall unto him: This admits of no rivall in the Throne, this ex­cludes not others from Government, as his subordinate In­struments; nor doth it exclude others from being necessary assistants unto him in some acts of Government: as the ma­king of new Laws, & the abrogation of those that have been already made; but it doth exclude all others from the su­premacy, from being inabled to act above him, or contrary unto him, or without him, or his allowance in those or any other acts of Government; and this supremacy of Govern­ment in him is solemnly acknowledged in this Oath (which is both a law and an Oath of the Nation) to extend unto this Realm, and to all other his Majesties Dominions and Countries, & to all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things & cau­ses, as well as temporal; that is to say, as far as God hath committed either of them, unto humane & secular powers; and as to the charge and over-sight of religious matters, to see that they be rightly ordered and managed by those that are the proper instruments of Religious Ordinances; and that the true Faith be embraced, and Religious Du­ties purely practised by the people in his Dominions and to afford his protection, defence & encouragement there­unto, and to take order that the offices of the Church be rightly established, and furnished according to the rule of God, and that wholsome laws be provided to those ends, and decency and order be observed in Church-discipline, [Page 11]and religious performances.

Obser. IX. That wherein the said Oath there is a religi­ous disclaimer & renouncing of all spiritual or ecclesiasti­cal Jurisdiction, Power, Superiority, Preheminence, or Au­thority within this Realm; it doth reasonably suppose that there is none within the Realm that hath any such prehe­minence above the King in those matters, who is before declared to be the onely supream.

Obser. X. That where the people of the Land do pro­mise from henceforth, That is for ever to bear faith and true allegiance to the Kings Highness, his heires and law­full successors; it binds to obedience, subjection and fideli­ty, not onely to the King in present being, but unto his heirs and lawful successors, and doth bind us to them and every of them, in opposition to al violent usurpers & un­lawfull intruders into the Government of this Nation, that can plead no just establishment from the known and fundamentall Laws of this Nation, as are all such that do either by fraud or violence intrude themselves into the power of Govenrment.

XI. Whereas this onely bindeth the people of the Land to their power (that is the utmost of their power) to assist & defend all jurisdictions, priviledge, preheminence and au­thority granted or belonging to the Kings Highness, his heirs and Successours, and united and annexed to the im­perial Crown of this Realm; it doth highly engage all Of­ficers, Parliament-members, Generals, Commanders, Soaldiers, and all the members of this Kingdome in their several capacities, readily & diligently to afford their du­tiful help and assistance to defend the King in being from all hurt and violence, and to maintain his state, govern­ment and dignity against all opposers whatsoever, foreign or intestine, in like manner to defend the person, life, liberty of his Heirs, and lawful Successors, and to main­taine and assert the said royall priviledges and prehemi­nences unto them, and every of them, and in case they be fallen into any damage, or suffer any wrong or disparage­ment in any of them; it is then the duty unto which all people are engaged by the sacred force of this Oath, to use [Page 12]the utmost of their power, according to their several abili­ties, to restore, recover and right them against all force and violence under which they suffer, which doth pain­ly shew what is required of all people, and especially of those that have power in their hands at this time, for the deliverance and restoring of our afflicted and oppressed Soveraign, and how highly they are obliged thereunto; and then more especially, when God doth by his signal and wonderfull providences admonish them of, and lead them on unto their duties.

1. OBserve, That the Nation by this Oath, doth de­clare, before God and the world; the power of kingly Government, is that which is established by Law in this Nation; and over that and all other the Kings Domi­nions, and that therfore the introducing of another form of Government, is contrary to the Law and Constitution of this Nation, which the people are bound to maintain.

2. That this Regal and Kingly office is seated personal­ly in the King for the time being, who according to the Law of this Nation is said never to die, but is presently upon his death revived, as to this kingly right and office in him also, who is the next heir to the Crown.

3. That by the express words also of this Oath, the Nation and the People thereof, doth not onely declare; That the said King for the time being is lawful and rightful King of this Realm, and all other his Majesties dominions and Countries, and therefore not a King of courtesy, or du­rante bene placito: during pleasure; no nor yet quamdiu se bene gesserit, as long as he shall carry himself well in his of­fice, and be free from exception from the multitude, or from any others, who wil take upon them to be his Judges: for then indead he were not like to be permanent; since there is [...]hing more easie than for a people to be per­swaded [Page 13]that they are not well governed, as judicious Mr. Hooker hath long agoe told us: and as long as there is pride and ambition, and inordinate affections in mens hearts, there will be discontented spirits amongst a people, that will be ready to raise seditious clamours and accusa­tions against the Ruler: Besides that a Government of a people is attended with so many difficulties, that there must needs be failings, and some real miscarriages: In so much, that a people that will bear with no infirmities, nor miscarriages in Governours, must upon the matter resolve to endure none at all, and there is no miscarriage equall unto that. But the King is by this Oath acknowledged and declared to have a lawful right of Government in him, and then whatsoever force is used to divest him of his power, or to disable or bar him from the possession or exercise there­of, is true violence, and the exercise of might against right, and such as flyes in the face of God, who is the God of Ju­stice and Righteousness, and the great asserter and main­tainer of the right of Kings, as that which is under him, the safeguard and security of all other inferior rights and proprieties, so that no success of violent and illegall pra­ctices or enterprises, can be justly pleaded in barr against this Ruler, we will justify that frantick axiome or resolu­tion of the Son of Beliall, in Wisdom c. 2. v. 11. Let our strength be the Law of righteousness; for that which is fee­ble, is found to be nothing worth, and this right of Kings is establisht by the word of Christ himself, who is the King of Kings, Math. 22.21. and is declared to be very consi­stent with the right of God. Give therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods; where the right of Caesar is asserted by Christ him­self, though he was an Heathen, and an enemy to the Gos­pell. And however that of Ezekiell 1.27. (as the verses are numbred in our Bibles) is interpreted of the right of Christ. Yet it may seem to be applied in some sort by the wonderfull operations of Divine providence in this Nati­on, at this time, unto our present affairs & concernments, and to the business we have in hand; I will overturne, o­verturne, [Page 14]overturne it; untill he come whose right it is: and I will give it him; I am sure it stareth or at least sup­poseth that there is a right of Government, and of the Kingly office, and this is of so strong and adamantine a temper; that no Steel nor sword can cut it or destroy it?

4. It is declared by this Oath, that the Pope, neither of himself, nor by any authority 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 Ma­jesties kingdoms or dominions, or to authorise any foraign Prince to invade or annoy him or his Countries, or to discharge any of his subjects of their allegiance and obe­dience to his Majesty, or to give licence or leave to any of them to bear arms, raise rumults, or to offer any violence or hurt to his Majesties Royall Person, State, or Govern­ment, or to any of his Majestyes subjects within his Maje­sties Dominions.

Where it is observed, that the intent of the Oath, is to secure the King of the inviolable right and safety of his Government of the obedience and allegiance of his peo­ple against attempts of deposition by his subjects against Rebellion and taking up Armes by his subjects against him, as also against forraign invasions; and the said Oath declares, that the Subjects cannot be authorised unto these undutifull and disloyall practices against the King, neither by the Pope nor any other with him (and therefore it is supposed and implyed) not by any o­ther without him, which inferrs thus much, that none, neither the Pope, nor See of Rome, nor any other, hath any Power to depose the King, to dispose of his Domini­ons, or to discharge the Subjects of their obedience or allegiance to his Majesty, or to give licence or leave to any of them whosoever they are, either single or together to do that which it is supposed â fortiori, without such license, they have no Power of themselves to do: viz. to bear Armes, raise Tumules, or to offer any violence or hurt to his Majesties Royall Person, State or Government, &c. Whereby this Oath, and therein the Conscience of the [Page 15]Nation, doth upon so dreadfull an Obligation disclaime and disavow all Power, to depose the Kings of this Nation in any whatsoever. As also all taking up Armes, Rebel­lion and Disobedience against him; as wicked and abomi­nable, and contrary to the allegiance of Subjects, which is asserted in this Oath: nor is it imaginable that the intent of those that made this Oath, For the security of the King and his Government did mean, that themselves or any others in their capacity should take upon them the wicked pretence of any such power, which they do here so much abominate in the Pope and others.

Obser. V That the Subjects of this Kingdome in this Oath, do swear from their heart, not to admit of any Absolution of themselves from their obedience to the King, but (as the very words of the Oath import) not­withstanding any absolution of the said subjects from their Obedience (who ever they he that should take upon them to give it them, much lesse is it to be supposed, that they can Absolve themselves) to bear Faith and true Al­legiance to his Majesty, and not onely to him in being, but to his Heirs and Successors; and the world knows who it is that the Law and Custome of this Nation states to be the Heir and Successor of the King, even the eldest Son of the Predecessor.

Obser. VI. That this National Oath, doth binde the people of this Nation, in the very expresse words thereof, to defend Him and Them (that is, the King and his Heirs and Successors, immediately before mentioned) to the ut­termost of their power (words of a very severe and exact importance, admitting of no negligence, coldness, or ex­cuses) against all Conspiracies and Attempt whatsoever, (mark and tremble to think how this hath been violated) which shall be made against His or Their Persons, their Crown and Dignity; by reason or colour of any such sen­tence or declaration (as is before mentioned of the Pope or See of Rome) or otherwise, which doth expressely ob­liege the subjects to appear for the defence of the King, of his Person and Government, against all attempts, against them by any whatsoever, or upon any pretences soever.

Ob. VII. That the people of this Nation are highly obliged in the importance of this Oath with their best endeavour to disclose, and make known unto his Majesty (in being) & to his Heirs and Successors, all Treasons and Traiterous conspiracies, that they shall know or hear of, to be against the King, or any of his Heirs and Successors: Where the conspiracies which are against the King and his Successors have the stile of Treasons and Traiterous conspiracies, for the Epithite or Title or Traiterous is not to be understood as a mark of distinction, but of aggravation; & all such the people of this land are bound by thi Oath to reveal unto the King & his Successors, with their best endeavor when­soever they hear of them, or have any knowledge of them, to the intent, without all doubt, that they may be preven­ted; and the contrivers and actors brought to condigne punishment: and therefore all concealing of such things, and much more all centriving, and acting of them, or com­plying with them, or abetting of them, is gross perjury a­gainst this Oath, as well as treason against the King, and his Heirs and successors.

Obser. VIII. That in this Oath the people do with this sa­cred obligation profess, an hearty abhorring, detesting, and abjuration of that doctrine and position, as impious, hereticall and damnable; that princes which be excom­municated and deprived by the Pope, may be deposed and murthered by their Subjects, or any other whatsoever; which doth undoubtedly disclaime and abjure all depo­sing and murthering of Kings by their Subjects or others, as a practice, as impious, heretical, and damnable as any such Doctrine, whether they be excommunicated and de­prived by the Pope, or no: Unlesse any shall be so mad and wicked as to think that their Kings may be murthered or deposed by them or others, because they are not excom­municated or deprived by the Pope, as if Princes stood in need of the Popes deprivation or excōmunication to secure them from deposition, or being murthered by their Sub­jects; & then it is obvious enough to any mans considerati­on, how sad and desperate, how impious, heretical, damna­ble [Page 17]and perjurious against the faith and Oath of the King­dome: The mistake and miscarriage of some hath been of late (who would have been therein also examples unto others) and those too I think, that took this very Oath, who instead of abjuring the deposing and murthering of the King, have abjured the King himself, & thereby (with a monster of wickedness) have sworn down the awful & law­ful Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance, their own Cove­nant binding them to the Kings posterity; the Protestati­on binding to maintain and defend, according to the du­ty of Allegiance, together with the Laws of God and man, and all that not onely justice and righteousness, but even mercy, compassion, and gratitude, and thankfulness, which bindeth the people of this land unto his Majesty.

And withall it may be full easily discovered, in the view of this Oath, how wickedly forward some instruments and factours of the Jesuites amongst us, that thought not sit to stay for a sentence of excommunication or depriva­tion from the Pope, but have acted these horrid things without it, that they have done, to the reproach of the Christian profession, and the shame and scandal of the protestant Religion, and of this Nation; I am sorry that it is become so necessary as it is, to deal so plainly with them in this matter; but it is of great concernment unto them, and us in order to their salvation, that they should be ad­monished of their miscarriage, that we may not own their guilt by our silence, when the world doth somuch cry out against them, and that they may, if it be possibly, repent, and be saved, which I do earnestly beg of the Lord for them.

IX. Observe, that this national Oath, doth absolutely disclaim all power in the Pope, or in any other to absolve the people from this Oath, or any part thereof, and doth renounce all pardons, and dispensations to the contrary, as also all equivocation or mental reservation whatsoever, and all this upon the engagement of the true faith of a Christian.

Lastly observe, that in that dreadfull expression in the close of both these Oaths, So help me God, which is uttered with the hand upon the Gospel, and sealed, as it were, with kissing that holy Book, our Interest in Gods help and Salvation by the Gospel is, as it were pawned and enga­ged for out fidelity therein. By all this then that hath been said, it is clear and evident how highly the people of this Nation are engaged, to perform all the duties of these Oaths unto the present King: How wicked those actions have been, that have been managed against his Father and himself? What a sad guilt of perjury there is upon this Nation? And how necessary it is, there should be a publick Humiliation for this, as well as for other grievous sins in this Nation.