9 / 412
Baptitfn,
and
the
abufe
of
undertaking
Godfathers.
-
But
now
I
refolved before
I
took
fuch
an
Oath
as
this, to
tiudy
over again
thecontroverfie of
Epifcopacy,
(which
elfe
I
think
I
lhould
fcarce
have done)
For
I faw
r.
That
fuch
an
Oath
and
Cave.
nant;
fo
Univerfally impofed,
was made
the teft
and
terms ofChurch
concord, and
fo
would
be
an Engine
of
divifion
by (hutting out
all
that
could
not
take
it.
The
Scotch
Oath,
and
Covet ant
was
not
the
firft
impofed
on us:
The
Bithops
Oath
and
Covenant
to
the
contrary
went here
before it. z.
I
faw
that
the
whole
frame
ofthe
prefent
Church
-
Government,
was
about to
be fixed,
as
by an
Oath
of Allegiance, on
the
Land,
as
if
it
were
as
neceffary
as
Mo
narchy,
and
to
be
woven into the fundamental unchangeable con
-
ftitution,
and
it were true,
No
Bithop,
no
Icing.
3.
I
askt,
What
was
the
meaning
of
the
Et
ca>tera,
and could have
no folution,
but
from
the
following words [As
it
Rands
now
etlallifhed] And
underftood
not
well how
far
Lay- chancellous,Officials,
Surrogates, Regifters,
Pro
&ors, Advocates,
were part of the
eftablifhed
Government;
but
1
faw
it certainly
included,
Arch-
bithops, Deans,
and
Archdea-
cons.
4.
I
askt
whether
the
King
and Parliament
had
not power
to
fet
up
a
Bifhop
in
every Corporation
?
and
to
take
down Deans,
Arch Deacons, Chanceliours, Officials,
&c.
and few denied
it
5.
I
askt my
felt
if theKing
andl-parliament
make
fuch
a
caange,and
com-
mand my
Confent, whether
I
mutt
difobey
them,and
foreftall
my
obedience
by
a
Covenant
and
Oath
?
6.I thought
that what
is
im-
'pofed
on
all
the
Clergie
to day,
may
be impofed on
the
Laity
next;
And then
all
Parliament
men will
be
Sworn
and
Covenanted
ne-
ver in Parliament
fo
much
as
to
Confent
to
change
any
of the
Church-
Government
now eftablithed.
7:I
found
that
I
muff alto
fwear[That
it
ought
fo
to
ftand,]
which
could mean no
lets,
thanby
a
Divine
Law, when
Mans
Law may
not
alter
it
8.
I found fuck
Heartinefs,
Wil-lingnefsrequired in
the
Swearer,
as
required
very
full
fatisfa
&ion
in
all
this And
that with
the terrible
re-
nunci-
cation
ofthe
Help of
God in Chrifl,.
if
I do
not
all
that
I fwear
to
9.
And
I muffbe deprived of
my
Office
(for
Benefice
I
had
none)
and
cart
out of the miniftry, if
I
refuted
to
take
this
Epifcopal
Co-
venant
and
Oath.
ro.
An&I
knew
that
he
that
made
no
Confci-
ence of deliberate
Perjury,
had
little
reafon
to
hope
that
he
had
a-
ny
goodConfciencc,
true
Grace, or I-Ionefty;
and
fpecially
if
he
concurred
to
involve
all
the
Clergie, or
Nation
in
theguilt.
Upon thefeConfiderations
,
i
fet
my
feif
to
a
more fearching Ru-
dy
of the matter
:
I
read
Gerfom
Bucer, Didoclaue,
9acol, (and
af-
ter
Parker,
Bains,)
and
others
on one fide, and all
that
I
could
get
on_