person and authority doth most highly concern both
king and kingdoms, especially at such a time as this is, when both are
so furiously and implacably encountered by a malignant army of
desperate parricides, papists, and their prelatical party.

These objections answered, and difficulties removed, we proceed to the
examining of the rest of the particulars, in the following articles.

The discovery of incendiaries or malignants that have been, or shall be,
to which the fourth article binds us: doth it not lie also in a
necessary tendency to the securing and preserving of this covenant
inviolable with the most high God, in point of reformation? For can we
hope a thorough reformation, according to the mind of Christ, if
opposers of reformation may escape scot-free, undiscovered and
unpunished? Or, can we indeed love or promote a reformation, and in the
mean time countenance or conceal the enemies of it? This is clear, yet
it wants not a scruple, and that peradventure which may trouble a
sincere heart.

_Object._ It is this, having once taken this oath, if we hear a friend,
or brother, yea, perhaps a father, a husband, or a wife, let fall a word
of dislike of the parliament, or assembly's proceedings in either
kingdom; or that discovers another judgment, or opinion; or a word of
passion unadvisedly uttered, and do not presently discover and complain
of it, we pull upon ourselves the guilt or danger of perjury, which will
be a mighty snare to thousands of well affected people.

To which I answer. 1. The objection lays the case much more narrow than
the words of the article, which distinguisheth the incendiary or
malignant, which is to be discovered by a threefold character, or note
of malignity. _First_, Hindering the reformation of religion.
_Secondly_, Dividing the king from his people, or one kingdom from
another. _Thirdly_, Making any faction or parties amongst the people,
contrary to the league and covenant. Now, every dislike of some passage
in parliament or assembly's proceedings; every dissent in judgment and
opinion; every rash word or censure, that may possibly be let fall
through passion and inadvertency, will not amount to so high a degree of
malignity as is here expressed, nor consequently bring one within the
compass of this oath and covenant. A suitable and seasonable caution or
conviction may suffice in such a case.

2. But, suppose the malignity to arise to that height here expressed in
any of the branch