powerfull perturbations of State or Church:
when formalities of extraordinary zeal and piety are never more
studied and elaborate, then, when Polititians most agitate desperate
designes against all that is setled, or sacred in Religion, and Laws,
which by such scrues are cunningly, yet forcibly wrested by secret
steps, and lesse sencible degrees, from their known rule and wonted
practise, and comply with the humours of those men, who ayme to
subdue all to their own will and power, under the disguises of Holy
Combinations.

Which cords and wythes will hold mens Consciences no longer, then
force attends and twists them: for every man soon grows his own Pope,
and easily absolves himself of those ties, which, not the commands of
Gods Word, or the Laws of the Land, but only the subtilty and terrour
of a Party casts upon him; either superfluous and vain, when they
were sufficiently tied before; or fraudulent and injurious, if by such
afterligaments they find the Imposers really ayming to dissolve, or
suspend their former just and necessary obligations.

Indeed such illegall ways seldom or never intend the engaging men more
to duties, but only to Parties; therefore it is not regarded how they
keep their Covenants in point of piety pretended, provided they adhere
firmly to the Party and Design intended.

I see the Imposers of it are content to make their Covenant like Manna
(not that it came from Heaven, as this did) agreeable to every mans
palate and rellish, who will but swallow it: They admit any mens
senses of it, the divers or contrary; with any salvoes, cautions and
reservations, so as they cross not their chief Design, which is laid
against the Church and me.

It is enough if they get but the reputation of a seeming encrease to
their Party; so little do men remember that God is not mocked.

In such latitudes of sense, _I_ beleive many that love Me, and the
Church well, may have taken the Covenant, who yet are not so fondly
and superstitiously taken by it, as now to act cleerly against both
all piety & loyalty: who first yeelded to it, more to prevent that
imminent violence and ruine, which hung over their heads in case they
wholly refused it, then for any value of it, or devotion to it.

Wherein, the latitude of some generall Clauses may (perhaps) serve
somewhat to relieve them, as of _Doing and endeavouring what lawfully
they may, in their Places and Callings_, and _according to the Word
of God_: for these (indee