dissentings too, in matters only probable.

The enjoyning of Oaths upon People must needs in things doubtfull be
dangerous, as in things unlawfull, damnable; and no lesse superfluous,
where former Religious and Legal Engagements, bound men sufficiently,
to all necessary duties. Nor can I see how they will reconcile such an
Innovating Oath and Covenant, with their former Protestation which was
so lately taken, to maintain the Religion established in the Church of
_England_; since they count Discipline so great a part of Religion.

But ambitious minds never think they have laid snares and ginnes
enough to catch and hold the vulgar credulity: for by such politicke
and seemingly pious stratagems, they think to keep the popularity fast
to their Parties under the terrour of perjury: Whereas certainly all
honest and wise men ever thought themselves sufficiently bound by
former ties of Religion, Allegiance, and lawes, to God and man.

Nor can such after-contracts, devised and imposed by a few men in
a declared Party, without my consent, and without any like power or
president from Gods or mans laws, be ever thought by judicious men
sufficient either to obsolve or slacked those moral and eternall bonds
of duty which lie upon all My Subjects consciences both to God and me.

Yet as things now stand, good men shall least offend God or Me, by
keeping their Covenant in honest and lawfull wayes; since I have the
charity to think, that the chief end of the Covenant in such mens
intentions, was, to preserve Religion in purity, and the Kingdoms in
peace: To other then such ends and meanes they cannot think themselves
engaged; nor will those, that have any true touches of Conscience
endeavour to carry on the best designes, (much lesse such as are, and
will be daily more apparently factious and ambitious) by any unlawfull
means, under that title of the Covenant: unlesse they dare preferre
ambiguous, dangerous and un-authorized novelties, before their known
and sworn duties, which are indespensable, both to God and my self.

I am prone to beleeve and hope, That many who took the Covenant, are
yet firme to this judgment, That such latter Vowes, Oaths, or Leagues,
can never blot out those former gravings, and characters, which by
just and lawfull Oaths were made upon their Souls.

That which makes such Confederations by way of Solemn Leagues and
Covenants more to be suspected, is, That they are the common road,
used in all factious and