652 The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. VII. K. CharlesI. ambiguity is further encreafed by that remarkable et cætera, inferted in ', the body of the oath ; for whereas oaths ought to be explicit, and the fenfe of the words as clear and determined as poffible, we are here to fear to we know not what, to fomething that is not expreffed; by which means we are left to the arbitrary interpretation of the judge, and may be involved in the guilt of perjury before we are aware. But befides the ambiguity of the oath, it contains force things falfe and illegal ; for it affirms the government of the churchby archbifhops, bifhops, deans and archdeacons, to be of divine right; for after we have fworn to the hierarchy as eftablithed by the law of the land, we are to (wear further, that by right it oughtfo to Band: which words are a mere tautology, or elfe muff infer force further right than that which is included in the legal eflabli(hment, which can be no other than a divine right. Now though it fhould be allowed that the government of the church by bops is of divine right, yet certainly archbifhops, deans and archdeacons, can have no pretence to that claim. ,Betides to (wear never to give our content to alter the government of this church by archbjhops, bifhops, &c. as it (lands now eflablyhed, is di- rectly contrary to the oath of fupremacy, for in that oath we are fworn to affift his majefty in the exercife of his ecclefiaflical jurifdi Pion or go- vernment, by his commiffion under the great feal; direEted to fuch per- fons as he hhall think meet ; fo that if his majefty fhould think fit at any time to commiffion other perlons to exercife ecclefiaflical jurifdit ion than at prefent, we are (worn by the oath of ,fupremacy, not only to coulent but to aid and of ift him in it ; whereas in this new oath we (wear never to content to any fuch alteration. Nothing is more evident than that the difcipline of the church is al- terable ; the church itfelf laments the want of godly difèipline ; and many of the clergy and laity with anddefire an amendment; it is therefore very unreafonable that all who take degrees inthe univerfities, many of whom may be membersof parliament, (hall be fworn beforehand, never to confect toany. alteration. And though 'tis known to all the world; that many of the conforming clergy are diffatisfed with force of the branches of the prefent eftablifhment, yet they are to fwear that they take this oath HEARTILY and WILLINGLY, though they are compelled to it under the penalties of fufpenfion and deprivations Some objections, were made to, the feventh and othercanons, but thefe were the chief: Remarks. Archbifhop Laud in his anfwer to the impeachment of the honk of . yharton of tryal g commons a ainft himfelf r boldly undertakes to refute all thefe objeEtions, bfi and t,oubtes and to juftify the whole and every branch of the canons ;: his words are efabp. Laud, thefe, " I hope I am able to make it good in any learned af(embly in fol. ¡5S, sr chrifìendom, that this oath and all thole. canons (then made, and here " before
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