2ro ) gage his Juflice in.* a fpecial Revenge. It depriveth Kings cf due Security for their Lives and Crowns, by the Oath of Fidelity . It deftroyeth.all-Truft, and confequently all Com- merce among Men ; as well as all Hope of publick Juilice c It expofeth the Eftates and Lives of all men to the will of Per_ jur'd men ; fo that he that dare be perjur'd, may be fbppofed Iiable to any other Wickednefs how great foever. Therefor e- if we Minifters ihouid be perjured.; we fhould make our (elves utterly unmeet for our Office. XVII. It is agreed that to fin deliberatelyby a Covenant under. our Hands, is one of the mofe heinous forts of finning; and if it be done knowingly, fheweth the perfon to be a wilful Ser- vant of fin. To fin by the.fudden furprize of a. Pa,./non is too- bad ; but to f udy it refolve it, and covenant it, is molt dange- rous: To engage a Maps felt by Covenant to be onceaMonth drunk, or (teal, or commit. Fornication, is far worfe than the bare Aft. XV II I. It is granted that Repentance is the condition of For- givenefs,and for a man to fwear or covenant that he will never re- pent, or endeavour to amend, or alterany thing that is amifs, is to renounce Forgivenefs. X1X. It is granted that publick,ipron ,.nationalSins, are far worfe than private and perfonal, in few; and if heinous, they, are Prognofticksof the foreft Judgments ; and to promote them,is tobe theEnemy of the Land. XX. It is granted that if that prove Perjury, which fome Difl'enters fear is fuch, and the Kingdom ihould be ftigmatized by it, there could Scarce be any greater Shameand Danger be fall the Land, to make it odious to GOD and Men, and Recor- ded as fuch to all Generations. As I faid, The Oaths and Cove. Hants to endeavour no Alteration in Church Government , is impo- fed on all Corporations, all Souldiers in the Militia, all Veferies, all,,Non-conformiff Minifters that will take it, and all Minifters as tocovenant in the Attof Uniformity : And he that (with- out accufngothers )' only ftudieth to be innocent of fo mortal a ( feared ) Guilt, fure is therein excufable, if the fear of God, and the love of our Souls, andof theChurch andState, be not an unexcufable Crime. Apply this nofarther thanI ap ply it,. XXXVThere
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