n them, and voluntary in
those who submit unto them: that their whole government is at best but a
human constitution, and such as is found and adjudged by both houses of
parliament, (in which the judgment of the whole kingdom is involved and
declared) not only very prejudicial to the civil state, but a great
hindrance also to the perfect reformation of religion. Yea, who knoweth
it not to be too much an enemy thereunto, and destructive to the power
of godliness, and pure administration of the ordinances of Christ? Which
moved the well-affected, almost throughout this kingdom, long since to
petition this parliament (as hath been desired before, even in the reign
of queen Elizabeth, and of king James) for a total abolition of the
same. Nor is any man hereby bound to offer any violence to their
persons, but only in his place and calling, to endeavour their
extirpation in a lawful way.

And as for those clergymen, who pretend that they (above all others)
cannot covenant to extirpate that government, because they have (as they
say) taken a solemn oath to obey the bishops, _in licitis et honestis:_
they can tell, if they please, that they that have sworn obedience to
the laws of the land, are not thereby prohibited from endeavouring by
all lawful means the abolition of those laws, when they prove
inconvenient or mischievous. And if yet there should any oath be found,
into which any ministers or others have entered, not warranted by the
laws of God and the land, in this case they must teach themselves and
others, that such oaths call for repentance, not pertinacity in them.

If it be pleaded, That this covenant crosseth the oaths of supremacy and
allegiance; there can be nothing further from truth; for, this covenant
binds all and more strongly engageth them to "preserve and defend the
king's majesty's person, and authority, in the preservation and defence
of the true religion and liberties of the kingdoms."

That scruple, That this is done without the king's consent, will soon be
removed, if it be remembered, that the protestation of the fifth of May,
before-mentioned, was in the same manner voted and executed by both
houses, and after (by order of one house alone) sent abroad to all the
kingdom, his majesty not excepting against it, or giving any stop to it,
albeit he was resident in person at Whitehall.

Thus Ezra and Nehemiah (Ezra x. Neh. ix.) drew all the people into a
covenant without any special commission from the