thereto, and rebuke all superstitious observation and licentious profanation thereof."

I could, if it were needful, give you other proofs of king James's zeal for these days: but what, should I spend time in proving there is a sun in the heaven, and light in that sun? The name of that great king suffereth for his excess this way.

Shortly then, the Church of God, his anointed, law, antiquity, reason, are for us in this point, and I doubt not but you will gladly be on their side. Away with all innovations and frivolous quarrels: we were divided enough before, and little needed any new rents. The God of peace quiet all these distempers, and unite our hearts one to another, and all to himself!

Farewell, in the Lord.

CERTAIN

IRREFRAGABLE PROPOSITIONS,

WORTHY OF

SERIOUS CONSIDERATION.

BY J. H., B. OF EXON.

TO MY DREAD SOVEREIGN,

THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

[CHARLES I.]

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY,

As one whose heart, amongst many thousands, bleeds with the sad thoughts of the woful divisions of our dear fellow-subjects, and unfeignedly pities the misguidance of those poor well-meaning souls amongst them whose credulity hath heedlessly betrayed them into a zealous error, I have let fall these few propositions, which I have presumed to set down, not as in the way of a challenger; for most if not all of them are such as be not capable of contradiction; but rather of a faithful remembrancer to my dear brethren, of those points which they cannot but know and yield: as well supposing that nothing but mere want of consideration can be guilty of this perilous distraction in them, who profess to love their king and the truth.

Now the good God of heaven open the eyes and hearts of us all, that we may both see and be sensible of the invaluable blessing of our peace, and the happy freedom of his gospel, which we do comfortably enjoy under your majesty's sweet and religious government, to the wonder and envy of all other nations; and compose the hearts of all your native subjects to meet your majesty's most gracious indulgence with all humble thankfulness!

And the same God forbid that any of us should be weary of our happiness, and be drawn to do any act that may, before all the world, pour shame upon our holy profession! whose chief glory it hath always hitherto been, to render us still LOYAL and OBEDIENT; and in this very regard to triumph over the false religion of our opposites.

Such shall be ever the prayers of

Your majesty's most humble

and faithful subject,

and ancientest chaplain, JOSEPH EXON,

SEVEN

IRREFRAGABLE PROPOSITIONS,

CONCERNING

OATHS AND COVENANTS.

1. No man may swear, or induce another man to swear, unlawfully.

2. It is no lawful oath that is not attended with truth, justice, and judgment, Jer. iv. 2: the first whereof requires that the thing sworn be true; the second, that it be just; the third, that it be not undue and unmeet to be sworn and undertaken.

3. A promissory oath which is to the certain prejudice of another man's right cannot be attended with justice.

4. No prejudice of another man's right can be so dangerous and sinful as that prejudice which is done to the right of public and sovereign authority.

5. The right of sovereign authority is highly prejudiced, when private subjects encroach upon it, and shall, upon suspicion of the disavowed intentions or actions of their princes, combine and bind themselves to enact, establish, or alter any matters concerning religion, without, and therefore much more if against, the authority of their lawful sovereign.

6. A man is bound in conscience to reverse and disclaim that which he was induced unlawfully to engage himself by oath to perform.

7. No oath is or can be of force, that is made against a lawful oath formerly taken: so as he that hath sworn allegiance to his sovereign, and thereby bound himself to maintain the right,

power, and authority of his said sovereign, cannot by any second oath be tied to do aught that may tend to the infringement thereof and if he have so tied himself, the obligation is, ipso facto, void and frustrate.

COROLLARY.

If, therefore, any sworn subject shall, by pretences and persuasions, be drawn to bind himself by oath or covenant, to determine, establish, or alter any act concerning matter of religion, without or against the allowance of sovereign authority, the act is unlawful and unjust; and the party so engaged is bound in conscience to reverse and renounce his said act: otherwise, besides the horrible scandal which he shall draw upon religion, he doth manifestly incur the sin of the breach of the third and fifth commandments.

TWO, AS UNDOUBTED,

PROPOSITIONS,

CONCERNING

CHURCH GOVERNMENT.

1. No man living, no history, can show any well-allowed and settled national church in the whole Christian world, that hath been governed otherwise than by bishops, in a meet and moderate imparity, ever since the times of Christ and his apostles, until this present age.

2. No man living, no record of history, can show any laypresbyter, that ever was in the whole Christian Church until this present age.

COROLLARY.

If men would as easily learn as Christian wisdom can teach them, to distinguish betwixt callings and persons, betwixt the substance of callings and the not-necessary appendances of them, betwixt the rules of government and the errors of execution, these ill-raised quarrels would die alone.

Da Pacem, Domine.

AMEN.

J. E.