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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85184	The league illegal. Wherein the late Solemn League and Covenant is seriously examined, scholastically and solidly confuted: for the right informing of weak and tender consciences, and the undeceiving of the erroneous. Written long since in prison, by Daniel Featley D.D. and never until now made known to the world. Published by John Faireclough, vulgò Featley, chaplain to the Kings most Excellent Majesty.	Featley, Daniel, 1582-1645.; Featley, John, 1605?-1666.; England and Wales. Sovereign (1625-1649 : Charles I)	1660 (1660)	Wing F591; Thomason E1040_8; ESTC R199	47,903	77

sorts in the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland by the Providence of God living under one King and being of one Reformed Religion having before our eyes the glory of God and the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the honour and happiness of the Kings Majesty and His Posterity and the true publick Liberty Safety and Peace of the Kingdoms wherein every one private condition is included and calling to mind the treacherous and bloudy Plots Conspiracies Attempts and practises of the Enemies of God against the true Religion and professors thereof in all places especially in these three Kingdoms ever since the Reformation of Religion and how much their rage power and presumption are of late and at this time increased and exercised whereof the deplorable estate of the Charch and Kingdom of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdom of England and the dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present and publick Testimonies We have now at last after other means of supplication Remonstrance Protestations and Sufferings for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter ruin and destruction according to the commendable practise of these Kingdoms in former times and the Example of Gods People in other Nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutual and solemn League and Covenant wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our hands lifted up to the most High God do swear I. THat we shall sincerely really and constantly through the Grace of God endeavour in our several places and callings the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common Enemies The Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches And shall endevour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion Confession of Faith Form of Church-Government Directory for Worship and Catechizing That we and our posterity after us may as Brethren live in Faith and Love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us II. That we shall in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy that is Church-Government by Archbishops Bishops their Chancellours and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresie Schisme Profaneness and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godliness lest we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues and that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdoms III. We shall with the same sincerity reality and constancy in our several Vocations endeavour with our estates and lives mutually to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdoms and to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties person and authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms that the world may bear witness with our Consciences of our Loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish His Majesties just power and greatness IV. We shall also with all faithfulness endevour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evill Instruments by hindring the Reformation of Religion dividing the King from his people or one of the Kingdoms from another or making any faction or parties amongst the people contrary to this League and Covenant that they may be brought to publick triall and receive condign punishment as the degree of their offences shall require or deserve or the supream Judicatories of both Kingdoms respectively or others having power from them for that effect shall judge convenient V. And whereas the happiness of a blessed Peace betweene these Kingdoms denied in former times to our progenitors is by the good providence of God granted unto us and hath been lately concluded and setled by both Parliaments we shall each one of us according to our place and interest endeavor that they may remain conjoyned in a firm Peace and Union to all posterity And that Justice may be done upon the wilful opposers thereof in mannr expressed in the precedent Articles VI We shall also according to our places and callings in this common cause of Religion Liberty and Peace of the Kingdoms assist and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and pursuing thereof and shall not suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination perswasion or terror to be divided and withdrawn from this blessed Union and Conjunction whether to make defection to the contrary part or to give our selves to a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this cause which so much concerneth the glory of God the good of the Kingdoms and the honor of the King but shall all the dayes of our lives zealously and constantly continue therein against all lets and impediments whatsoever and what we are not able our selves to suppress or overcome we shall reveal and make known that it may be timely prevented or removed All which we shall do as in the sight of God And because these Kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocations against God and his Son Jesus Christ as is too manifest by our present distresses and dangers the fruits thereof We professe and declare before God and the world our unfained desire to be humbled for our own sins and for the sins of these Kingdoms especially that we have not as we ought valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospel that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof and that we have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our hearts nor to walk worthy of him in our lives which are the causes of other sins and transgressions so much abounding amongst us And our true and unfained purpose desire and endeavour for our selves and all others under our power and charge both in publick and in private in all duties we owe to God and man to amend our lives and each one to go before another in the example of a reall Reformation that the Lord may turn away his wrath and heavy indignation and establish these Churches and Kingdoms in truth and peace And this Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of all hearts with a true intention to perform the same as we shall answer at that great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed Most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his holy Spirit for this end and to blesse our desires and proceedings with such successe as may be deliverance and safety to his people and encouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of the

in the Atheism Blasphemy Epicurism and Liberty of those looser times But Undè hoc repentè commentum Whence arose this suddain fury Whence sprang this Epidemical Madness Apostacy and Ruine Perditio tua ex te ô Israel saith God by his Prophet O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self And most true it is for as in general our crying sins pulled down the Vengeance and justifyed the Revenger so there was something in particular of Covetousness Ambition and cunning Malice which contrived and managed our Civil Wars but cannot justifie the Contrivers Not to touch upon those State affairs which were meerly such it may well become us now as Christians in the pleasant bowres of our quiet solitude to sit down and re-view that pretence of Divinity and regulating of our Consciences which plotted and fomented our Rebellion and put a glosse upon our Insurrections To this purpose we finde in the Preface to the Covenant That the Noblemen Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland called to minde the treacherous and bloudy Plots Conspiracies Attempts and Practices of the enemies of God against the true Religion and Professors thereof c. especially in these three Kingdoms c. and how much their Rage Power and Presumptions were of late and at that time increased and exercised But who were these enemies Papists 't is granted But were these the only enemies Suppose they were which yet cannot be yielded how must they be suppressed By a National and Solemn League and Covenant for thus we were taught by our Neighbour Nation I need not therefore enquire Who composed our Covenant or By what Authority it was Imposed and pressed Let it suffice that This Covenant was concluded to be the way and the only way to advance the glory of God and the Kingdom of Christ the honour and happiness of the King and his Posterity and the true publick Liberty Safety and Peace of these Kingdoms Here were indeed specious Pretences and fair hopes as full of confidence as the simple people could be hugged and dandled with Virgo formosa supernè But did the Physick work as the Physicians promised and the Patients expected Did it produce any of those saving effects which the grave Dictators assured us it would Surely no It may well therefore now become us their Patients who suffered many things of many Physicians and spent all that we had and were nothing bettered but rather grew worse to enter into a serious consultation about that which they contrived to be the Methodus medendi and since it pretends to Divinity to enquire whether it were indeed either lawful or proper If we truly desire a Sober Judicious and Solid Resolution I presume that the ensuing Book will answer our doubts and inform our Consciences I confesse that this Book might have slept still in private and should not have grown publick especially at this time if the spirit of contradiction were not now so prevalent and malice so industrious The troublers of our Israel enter upon the stage again and furious men whom nothing will satisfie joyn in a new and lawless Corporation and send up their Burgesses upon the errand of scurrilous and factious Libelling Is this their Divinity to be thus unthankful Malè collata malè debentur faith the quaint and Divine Philosopher Hath our God of peace so lately beaten our Swords into Plough-shares and our Spears into Pruning-hooks and must we go to the uncircumcised Philistines for a Smith to reduce them into weapons again Hath he not once again sent us a King in mercy and fitted an incomparable head to the shoulders of our Kingdoms Are not our Scorpion scourges gently removed our Sequestrations taken off our Religion restored our good old Lawes revived and our propriety and just liberty recovered and enjoyed Do we not seem to be blessed with a well-grounded hope that both King and People Church and Common-wealth will peaceably repose and solace themselves in those glorious and mutuall tyes of a righteous Government and a dutiful Obedience a Religion pure and undefiled and such Love and Loyalty as may never be interrupted What meaneth then this bleating and lowing of these sheep and oxen and the hideous braying of unclean beasts in our Christian ears Must our Musick stop upon a fret and our Harmonie be disturbed by such harsh and unwelcome discords Are we already sick of our ease and weary of our mercies Will Jeshurun kick as soon as ever he waxeth fat Alas alas the moth endeavours to eat into our Garments again and the canker into our purest Gold We daily see how these discontents of ungrateful and irreligious Spirits endeavour to blast our fairest hopes by disturbing our Peace and renewing our contentions The ambitious are discontented and want promotion the malitious are troubled and want revenge The needy sufferers are impatient and want preferment the heretical are vexed and fear a Curb and the schismatical are unquiet and suspect a settlement Too many forget the miseries of war too few are thankfull for peace and truth and the full soul loaths the honey-combe That foolish fowl which saved the Capitol hath moulted her sicker quils and the unwise turn them into gaping penns to scrible sedition I have therefore awaked this book that it may tell the deluded world how unsafely we formerly credited the croaking of such Egyptian Frogs and hope that are-view of our former contentions grounded upon the Covenant will make us repent and be Wise Deliberandum est diù quod statuendum est semel saith Seneca We should seriously consider before we certainly decree and with good advice should make war Those that sowed in our tears by their hasty Covenanting may thank themselves if they reap not in our joy If their League was Illegal and made their grapes so sowre certainly to revive it except in their sorrow is the way to continue their teeth on edge Juravit David temerè saith the Father sed non implevit Jurationem majore pietate David was a grievous sinner when he became so rash a swearer but he shewed more piety when he broke his Oath Although some few do seek our disturbance and those none of the best yet we see and rejoyce that many Learned and Conscientious Covenanters retract their Errours Some there are whose judgements are convinced by the syllogisme of Conscience some who are calmed by the gentleness of Remission and some also who are reclaimed by the Royal care and indulgent tenderness of our most gracious Soveraign who maketh the Children of the Bond-woman Heirs with those of the Free-woman I presume that I need not to commend the ensuing Book to any of these unless to confirm them in their conversion by strength of Arguments that as their repentance is visible so their resolves may be constant But I greatly suspect the inflexibility and pertinacious obstinacy of some few of our dissenting

keep his Oath sincerely and intirely But in this Covenant and Oath there are many Ambiguities For what is meant in the first clause by common enemies Either the world the flesh and the Divel which indeed are as it were sworn enemies to all true Religion or Papists or Independents who are both enemies to the Discipline and Government of the Scotch Church In the second clause what is meant by Church government by Archbishops Bishops c either all government by Bishops or the present Government only with the late Innovations and abuses thereof If all government by Bishops then in taking this Oath we condemn not only the perpetual Government of the Church from the Apostles time till the reformation of Religion in the dayes of Hen. 8. but also the reformed Churches in England Ireland Denmark Swethland Poland Saxonie and other parts of Germany where either they have Archbishops and Bishops or tantmount Intendents and Superintendents If the present government only with innovations and abuses let them explain what are the innovations and abuses we swear against else we cannot swear in judgement What is meant by Hierarchy the word signifieth holy Government being derived from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} holy and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} rule or government And is it fit crudely without any glosse to forswear all holy Government In the third clause what is meant by defending the Kings person in the defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms Is it a limitation or not If it be no limitation what doth it there There ought to be no idle and if I may so speak hang-by words in an Oath for the Wiseman teacheth us when we speak to God our words must be few If it be a limitation how doth this Covenant agree with the Oathes of Supremacy and Allegiance by which we are absolutely bound to defend the Kings person royal Dignities and Prerogatives of the Crown without any if or of restriction or qualification In the fourth clause what is meant by Malignants or evill instruments a word never used till of late in any Statute Law or Ordinance and never so much abused as at this day In the sixth clause how far extend these words I will assist and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and persuance thereof Doth it reach to giving battle to the King Sequestring Estates plundering houses and trampling all Laws under foot and to the justifying all the outrages committed in the maintaining and pursuing this League If not why is it not circumscribed with that limitation in the first Protestation By all good and lawful means or so far as lawfully I may There being so many Amphibologies Ambiguities and riddles in this Oath we must have some Oedipus of the Synod to read and clearly expound them before we can safely engage our conscience by Oath to perform them No Covenant may be made or Oath taken which implyeth in it contradictions for in such an Oath or Covenant we play fast and loose say and unsay and overthrow the nature of an Oath and take Gods name in vain The Schools and ancient Doctors constantly maintain that it exceedeth even Divine Omnipotency to reconcile Contradictions which are amongst those many things St. Augustine speaketh of which God therefore cannot do because he is Omnipotent But there are apparent contradictions in this Covenant and Gordian knots which cannot be untied For First It is said in the Preface that the Noblemen Barons c. enter into this Covenant according to the commendable practice of these Kingdoms in former times and yet Mr. Nye in his Speech published by special order of the House upon the very day the Covenant was read and sworn unto and subscribed by the Honorable House of Commons and Reverend Assembly of Divines Sept. 25. saith p. 12. That such an Oath for matter persons and other circumstances hath not been in any age or oath we read of in sacred or humane stories And Mr. Coleman in his Sermon commanded to be printed by the Commons of the House of Parliament Sept. ult. 1643. p. 18. Ask your Fathers consult with the aged of our times whether ever such a thing were done in their dayes or in the dayes of their Fathers before them And in his Epistle Dedicatory An Oath if vain makes the Land to mourn an Oath if weighty makes it rejoyce This is a new thing and not done in our Land before and I hope will have a new effect not seen by our people before We are to swear in the first branch That we will really and constantly endeavour the preservation of the reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government and yet in the same branch we swear to endeavour to bring the Churches of God in these three Kingdoms of which Scotland is one to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in form of Church Government according to the Word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches But this cannot be done if Scotland be preserved in her present Directory for Worship Discipline and Government for the Government in the Church of England Ireland Denmark Swethland Poland Saxony and in all the Churches of the East not subject to the Pope is Episcopal and that is proved to be most conformable to the Word of God by the writings of Bilson Downham Armagh never yet answered by any We swear in the same branch That we will endeavour to reform the Doctrine of the Church of England according to Gods Word and yet preserve the reformed Religion in Scotland in Doctrine whereas the Doctrine of the Church of England and Scotland is all one as appears by the Confession of the one and Articles of the other All the difference between the Church of England and Scotland is concerning Discipline and Liturgie not Doctrine as it is distinguished from them We swear in the second branch That we will endeavour the extirpation of Prelacy and Schisms whereas Prelacy hath been ever and is the special if not only means to extirpate Schisme If Prelacy be taken away saith St. Jerome ad Luc. and the preeminencie of one Presbyter above another tot Schismata erunt quot Sacerdotes That is to extirpate Church-government by Archbishops Bishops c. and yet in the third branch we swear to preserve the rights and priviledges of the Parliament and liberties of the Kingdoms among which liberties of the Kingdom of England and priviledges of the Parliament are the contents of Magna Charta and Petition of Right in which the Government of Archbishops and Bishops and the rights and priviledges of the Church are comprised In the third branch we swear to preserve and defend his Majesties Person and Authority without any diminution of his just power and greatness and yet in the sixth Article we swear to assist and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant in

charitutes patria complectitur But this Covenant is many wayes derogatory to the honour of England For the Church of Scotland is not only set before the Church of England in it but is also propounded as a pattern of a Church intirely reformed not only in Doctrine but in Discipline also and Worship and therefore to be preserved in all three But the Church of England as an imperfect draught of a Church defective in all and consequently to be reformed in all according to Gods Word and the pattern of other reformed Churches whereas in truth the Church of England as it was reformed before the Church of Scotland so it was more exactly and perfectly Reformed priùs tempore dic honore And no marvel sith the Church of England was reformed by the authority of the Prince and the wisdom of the State but the Church of Scotland by the zeal of private men The Church of England was reformed not only in D●ctrine but also in Discipline and Liturgy conformably to the ancient and best Churches whereas the Church of Stotland though it imbraced Apostolical doctrine yet it had not the exercise of Apostolical discipline since the Reformation till King James of blessed memory restored Episcopal Government there where they before writing after the copie set by Calvin they had set up the Presbytery or government by Lay Elders unknown to any Elder age of the Church But howsoever the glory of the English Church of late hath been eclipsed in the eyes of many yet by the testimonies of the best Reformed Churches beyond the Seas in the Reign of Qu Elizabeth and King James it may appear that she shined among all the Golden Candlesticks set in the Western and Northern parts of Christendom velut inter●ignes Luna minores She supported all other Reformed Churches and the Church of Scotland by name as their own Chronicles relate And howsoever some thing hath been questioned in the Discipline and Liturgie of the Church of England by the Scholars of Aerius the Heretick opposing all Ecclesiastical Hierarchy and Liturgie yet the doctrine of the Church of England hath been alwayes kept sarta tecta and held sound and Orthodox by all that carryed the name of Protestants and the Articles of Religion together with the Apology of Bishop Jewell wherein the whole Doctrine of the Church of England is comprised are inserted into the harmony of Protestant Confessions and approved by the suffrage of all Orthodox Churches To swear therefore to endeavour the reforming of the Church of England in Doctrine according to the Word of God is either to swear actum agere to do that which is done already and so to swear vainly or to swear to pervert it it being straight already which is to swear impiously No solemn Covenant especially confirmed by millions of Oaths between two Kingdomes ought to be made without necessary and urgent occasion for otherwise in such a solemn and publick manner to call God as it were from heaven to attest with us would be a taking of his Name in vain Such Covenanting is like the casting the holy anchor among the Athenians and the creating a Dictator among the Romans never to be acted or attempted but in some great exigent of state to preserve it from imminent ruine and destruction But there is no such necessity at this time of engaging both Kingdoms and locking them fast in such a League for the Popish party is at a lower ebb now in England then it hath been heretofore and his Majesty hath bound himself by many Oaths even signed with the blood of his Redeemer at the holy Communion to maintain the Protestant Religion and not only to enliven the Acts formerly made against Seminary Priests Jesuits and Popish Recusants but also to give his royall Assent to any such further Acts as the wisdom of the Parliament and State should offer unto him for the advancement of the Protestant and suppressing of the Romish Religion And as for the Priviledges of Parliament and Liberties of the Subject there needs no entring into this New League for their ratification and confirmation For they are sufficiently established by former Acts of Parliament unrepealed and by the late Protestation generally made by all the Subjects of this Kingdom May 5. 1641. The Reasons alleadged in the preface of the Covenant have scarce any colour of truth and not so much as a shadow of necessity Reas. 1 The first is That other means of Supplications Remonstrances Protestations c. have proved uneffectual and therefore no remedy for a desperate cure but this uniting of minds and swords with the strongest tie of a National Covenant Answ Whereunto I answer That to all those Supplications Remonstrances and Protestations his Majesty hath given gracious answers and hath often heretofore and of late offered honorable conditions of Peace which have been refused Reas. 2 The second is That for the preservation of themselves and their Religion from utter ruine and destruction they were constrained to make this League Answ Whereunto I answer That Religion and the Church are in danger of ruine and destruction as well by the Anabaptists Brownists and other Sectaries who take this Covenant and have grown most insolent upon this new League as by the Papists and that the greatest fear of utterly ruining and destroying this Kingdom is from the continuance of this Civill and unnatural War which is fomented by it Reas. 3 The third is The commendable practise of these Kingdoms in former times Answ In this reason they plead Obsignatis tabulis they avouch that which never hath been nor can be produced and the contrary hath been proved before Reas. 4 The last reason is The example of Gods people in other Nations Whom they mean by these other Nations is expressed in the exhortation to the taking of this Solemn League and Covenant p. 5. namely the Netherlands and Rochellers But as he in Plato's Dialogue said Exemplum ô holpes eget exemplo so we may say of these these are examples without example late practises in our age and memory without any Precedent in former ages and the best times of the Church Neither yet are they parallel to this For the King of Spain against whom the Netherlands and the French King against whom the Rochellers entred into a League Defensive and Offensive with us were persecuters of the true Protestant Religion and oppressors of their known Liberty whereas our gracious Soveraign is a Professor of the Gospell and a Defender of the Orthodox Protestant Faith and a maintainer of the Priviledges of Parliament and Liberties of Subjects as appeareth by his Royal Assent to the Petition of Right Every one that sweareth must have an eye to the conditions of a sacred Oath set down by the Prophet Jerem. 4. 2. He must swear in truth judgement and righteousness in truth not falsly in judgement not rashly in righteousness not wickedly But no man can take this Oath in righteousness for not

precise rule of his word There is warrant in Gods word both for the matter of this Covenant and the form and manner of taking the oath For the matter we have a pattern of a Covenant taken for the reformation of the false and preservation of the true worship of God and the uniting of Kingdoms in the truth thus reformed 1 Sam. 18. 3. 4. 2 Kings 23. 5. 2 Chr. 25. 8. 9. 2 Chro. 30. Ezra 10. 2. And for the form and manner of taking it by lifting up the hand we have a precedent Apoc. 10. 50. None of these instances are ad Rhombum all those Covenants were made against idolatrie and other sins expresly forbidden by the law of God but this Covenant is against Prelacie and such a form of worship practised in the Church of England as hath been justified by the word of God and unanswerable arguments drawn from Scripture by Whitgift and Hooker in their answer to Cartwright C●vell to Barrow and Browne Burges to Ames and Ball to Can and many others In all those Covenants the King had the main stroak but in this none at all 1. For the Covenant mentioned 1 Sam. 18. 3 4 it comes not home to our case for that was a private Covenant between two intimate friends for the safety of both their lives sought after by a bloudy Tyrant this is a National Covenant between two Kingdoms for the Reforming Religion and setling Peace that was made by the true King appointed by God and anointed before this by Samuel against him who indeed held the Crown but was rejected by God himself this is a Covenant made by Subjects against the Commands of a most gracious Prince 2. For the Covenant mentioned 2 King 23. 5. the text saith King Josiah made this Covenant that they should walk after the Lord and keep his Commandements and his Testimonies and his Statutes with all their heart c. And that he put down the Chemarims c. There the King makes a Covenant and reforms a Church and not the People here the People enter into a Covenant without the King and they take upon them against his command to Reform or rather Deform the Church by overthrowing the Hierarchy and abolishing Episcopacy Chius ad Choum these things agree as well as Harp and Harrow 3. For the Covenant mentioned 2 Chr. 15. 8 9. King Asa gathered all Judah and Benjamin together to Jerusalem where they offered to the Lord of the spoyles and made this Covenant and in performance of this Oath or Covenant v. 16. he deposed Maacah his mother from her Regency because she had made an Idoll in a grove and Asa brake down her Idoll and stampt it and burned it at the brook Kidron 4. For the example of Israel 2 Chron. 30. who in the dayes of Hezekiah though they were under another King yet joyned with the men of Judah in keeping the Passover it yeilds no support at all to their tottering cause For 1. They entred not into any solemn League with the men of Judah though for the present they joyned with them in a Religious duty commanded by the Law 2. What they did they were invited to do by King Hezekiah whereas the Scotch are not invited to this League with the English by the King 3. The King of Asshur forbad not the Israelites to joyn with their Brethren of Judah in keeping the Passover but the King forbids any of his Subjects to enter into this Covenant 4 The King who Reigned over the Israelites was an Idolater but our King is a worshiper of the true God And albeit in some case and quarrel the worshipers of the true God may joyn with their Brethren of the same Religion in another Kingdom in a Defensive League though the King being an Idolater should forbid it yet it follows not that they may do so without the consent and against the command of a Christian Prince who is a professor of the true Religion Lastly The Israelites besides the invitation of King Hezekiah to keep a solemn Passeover with the Jews had the express command of God himself whereas neither English nor Scotch have any command from God expresly or implicitly to enter into this League for the Defence of the Protestant Religion against Papist without the King the King himself undertaking and that by most solemn Oathes and Protestations to defend the same 5. For the Covenant mentioned Ezra 10. 3. that was meerly to remove a Scandal from the Jews and to fulfil the express command of God for putting away strange wives set down in the Law of Moses in which case no man doubteth but a Covenant may be made not only without but against the commandement of a Prince Yet here the Jews besides the command of Nehemiah the Viceroy had the approbation of the Prince for making this Covenant for the King of Persia at this time favoured the Jews and contributed largely to the reedifying of the Temple and gave order to Ezra the Priest to adorn the house of God and perform all things in his service according to the Law Ezra 7. 10. The last example Rev. 10. 5. is least to our present purpose for the Angel there made no Covenant but only sware by the living God that time should be no more It is true he lifted up his hand yet that no way helpeth the Covenanters cause for that might be a fit gesture in an Angel menacing a fatal doom to the world and the outdating of all time which yet may not be thought so fit a gesture for men entring into a holy League for the preservation of two Kingdoms If they can as the Angel did stand upon the earth and the sea at the same time let them also further imitate the Angel in lifting up their hands to heaven when they make their Covenant Howsoever for the gesture we will not contend with them I think it fitter in taking this Oath then after the usuall manner to lay the hand upon the Bible for this Oath and Covenant hath no ground or foundation at all in that book and the lifting up of the hand very well expresseth the purport of this Covenant which is a lifting up of their hands against the Lords anointed and his Church yet under pretence of defence of the Kings person never so much endangered as by their Armies and of Religion never so profaned as by their Reformadoes and of the liberties of Subjects never so much infringed as by arbitrary votes Before we take this Oath of reformation we must desire a reformation of the Oath for it is full of ambiguities and contradictions whence I thus frame a fifth argument 5. No ambiguous Oath ought to be taken or Covenant signed for here one of Pythagoras golden Precepts taketh place Loquere cum lumine all Ambiguities Equivocations or mental reservations especially in Leagues and Oathes are abominated by all Protestants He that sweareth ambiguously sweareth not in simplicity of heart nor can