M. First I'll tell you what we have not against it, because we are commonly here falsely accused.
1. It is none of our Controversy whether this Oath or Covenant was unlawfully made and imposed both on the people and the King; we deny none of this.
2. It is none of our Controversy, whether there be not some part of the Matter of it that is unlawful: We deny not that.
3. It is none of our Controversy, whether it was not unlawfully taken: We justify not that as to our selves, tho' we are not judges of the sin of King and Lords, and others whom we have no Calling to condemn.
4. It is none of our Controversy, whether this, or any other Covenant or Vow do bind us to Rebellion, Sedition, or any unlawful Act; we renounce all such Obligation.
5. Yea, we hold that neither this, nor any other Vows of our own, can prevent any Obligation that the King hath Authority to impose upon us, in things great or small; else men might disable Magistrates to rule them, and exempt themselves from Obedience by Vowing before hand not to obey.
6. I add for my self, that I hold my self bound by this Covenant to nothing, which I had not been bound to if I had never taken it. For I never thought that by Vows we may make new Religions or Laws to our selves, but only bind our selves to that which God doth make our Duty.
M. First I'll tell you what we have not against it, because we are commonly here falsly accused.
1. It is none of our Controversie whether this Oath or Covenant was unlawfully made and imposed both on the people and the King; we deny none of this.
2. It is none of our Controversie, whether there be not some part of the Matter of it that is unlawful: We deny not that.
3. It is none of our Controversie, whether it was not unlawfully taken: We justifie not that as to our selves, tho' we are not judges of the sin of King and Lords, and others whom we have no Calling to condemn.
4. It is none of our Controversie, whether this, or any other Covenant or Vow do bind us to Rebellion, Sedition, or any unlawful Act; we renounce all such Obligation.
5. Yea, we hold that neither this, nor any other Vows of our own, can prevent any Obligation that the King hath Authority to impose upon us, in things great or small; else men might disable Magistrates to rule them, and exempt themselves from Obedience by Vowing before hand not to obey.
6. I add for my self, that I hold my self bound by this Covenant to nothing, which I had not been bound to if I had never taken it. For I never thought that by Vows we may make new Religions or Laws to our selves, but only bind our selves to that which God doth make our Duty.
