'Ihe HISTORY of the PuRITANS. VoL. II. K. Charles I. It then proceeds to anfwer objections againfl: taking the cove1643· nant; as, ~ Obj. 1. That it obliges to the extirpation of prelacy, which Jtands as yet by the kno~vn laws if the land. Anfw. The life and foul of the hierarchy is already taken away ; no– thing of jurildiction remaining; and fince 'tis but a human conl1:itution, if it be found a grievance, we may certainly endeavour its extirpation in a lawful way. Ob). 2. 'Tis faid to be inco'!Jiftent with the oath if canonical Obe– dience. Anfw. If men have fworn obedience to the laws of the land, may they not endeavour by lawful means the. repealing tbofe laws, if they are found inconvenient? or if any minil1:ers have taken oaths not war– ranted by the laws of God and the land, ought they not to repent of them? Ob). 3. But the covena11t crojjes the oaths if Jitpremacy and allegi– ance• .Anfw. This is falfe, for it binds to tne prefervation of the king's per– fan and authority, in the defence of the religion and liberties of the kingdom. Obj. 4· But it is done 7vithout the king's con.fent. Anjiv. So was the protljiation of May 5· which went through the whole kingdom, his majel1:y not excepting again£1: it, though he was then at Whitehall. The fame has been done by the united Netherlands under king Philip; and more lately in Scotland, his majel1:y himfelf de– claring by act of parliament, that they bad done nothing but what be– came loyal and obedient fubje&s. It is anfwerDr. Rarwick fays, that fame perfons in the univerfity of Cambridge, L'· B . p.ubli!hed an anfwer to this exhortation, which I have not feen ; but if p.' ;{. ar. the reader will look forward to the year 1647· he will find the reafons of the univerfity of Oxford againfr it, confirmed in convocation, the va– lidity of which he will judge of for himfelf. 'Tis certain moft of the religious part of the nation, who apprehended the protel1:ant religion in danger, and were de!irous of reducing the hierarchy of the church, were zealous for the covenant. Others took it only in obedience to the R apin, parliament, being fenfible of the dil1:reffed circumftances of their affairs, Vol. XII. and that the ailil1:ance of the ftots was to be obtained on no other P· 133· terms. But as it was a tefl: of a mixed nature, and contained fome obligations upon confcience, which wife and honefl: men might reafon– ably fcruple, who were otherwife well afFected to the protel1:ant reli– gion, and the liberties of their country; the impaling it as a tell can never
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