OBSERVATIONS UPON THE INSTRUCTIONS For the taking the VOW AND COVENANT Throughout ENGLAND.  
OXFORD, Printed by Leonard Lichfield, Printer to the University. 1643.   

Observations upon the Instructions for the taking the Vow and Covenant throughout the Kingdom.  
Instruct. 1. and 2.  
THat all Knights and Burgesses now in Parliament, do 〈◊〉 special care speedily to send down into their several Counties, a competent number of the copies of the Vow and Covenant, unto the Deputy Lieutenant's and Committees of Parliament, in their several Counties and require a Certificate from them of the day when they were received, etc. And that the said Deputy Lieutenants and Committees do within six days at the utmost, disperse the said copies unto every Parish Church or Chapel in their several Counties, etc.  
Obser. 1. That these Instructions are not acknowledged to be made or enjoined by either or both Houses of Parliament, only in the frontispiece of the paper, wherein they and the Oath are Printed, we find an Order mentioned as made by the Lords and Commons, for the Printing and publishing these Instructions to the whole Kingdom. Which to my apprehension imports, that some private men, or some Parliament men in a private way framed them, and so presented them to the Lords and Commons for their approbation to the printing and publishing of them: and that is all the true power and authority they as yet carry in them. But I assure you, whosoever they were that contrived them, they flew very high in their presumption, to make all the Knights and Burgesses now in Parliament, to be the first Officers in that disparch. I should think that where such as they are required to do aught, there should be at least a Be it enacted by our Sovereign Lord the King, with the consent of the Lords and Commons, etc. prefixed before it, and had the King and the Lords with the consent of some of the Knights and Burgesses imposed such an office upon all Knights and Burgesses in Parliament, it would have gone near to have been voted an high breach of their privileges. It were therefore well worth the knowing, who it is that hath gotten this new Sovereignty over all the Knights and Burgesses now in Parliament.  
Obser. 2. That the Knights and Burgesses chosen by the several Counties to keep off all pressures and burdens from them, are hereby made the prime instruments of laying the forest and heaviest burden on them that ever was laid on them since the burden of the six Articles. Thus doth God, when any trust in the shadow of brambles, not only suffer those brambles to pluck off their fleeces and tear their skins, but oftentimes causeth fire to come out of those brambles to devour them, and the tallest Cedars of Lebanon that are near them. Did the Knights and Burgesses of the several Counties seriously consider, how many souls will be hazarded by taking this oath thus conveied unto them (as some by taking it doubtingly, others by taking it ignorantly, some by taking it presumptuously, others by taking it desperately, and all by taking in sinfully and irreligiously,) they would beware how they had any further hand in this business, knowing that they have enough to answer, for what they themselves have sworn, without bringing upon them the guilt of others fwearing and forswearing in this dreadful manner.  
Obser. 3. That if any of the Deputy Lieutenants and Committees of Parliament in their several Counties (such ministers of Justice as were never heard of in any County till this present Parliament) should have so much bowels and compassion towards the souls of poor people, as to desire to give them some relief against this oath, or some respite to bethink themselves better of it, ere it be tendered to them, they cannot afford any ease or time to any soul without danger to themselves. Should a man compare the liberty granted in former times unto others, through whose hands oaths were to pass, ere they were taken, with the liberty allotted to all those through whose hands this oath is to pass, he would hardly believe, that the liberty of the Subject is so maintained in any respect, as is pretended, no not in respect of men's consciences, their most precious liberty: nay the liberty and respite granted for the tendering and taking of the late Canonical oath so much and so justly spoken against, was most gracious and conscientious to what this is.  
Instruct. 3. The Ministers of the several Churches or Chapels are to give public notice upon the first Lord's day after the receipt of such copies etc. What day the said Vow and Covenant shall be taken, the time not to exceed the seventh day after such notice.  
Obser. If the copies come to the Ministers hands on the Saturday night, he shall have but very small time, till the next day, to consult with God, the oath, and himself, whether it be lawful for him to invite his people to make such a covenant or not: much less hath he any convenient time to fit and prepare his people for so solemn a business. Then if the Minister chance to be a forward man in the promoting it, (as there are not a few forward promoters of Parliament Orders, be they what they will be) he may appoint the next day after for the taking it; and cannot, if he would, defer it above seven days, (the people must not be suffered to chew too long upon it, lest in stead of swallowing it, they nauseat or distaste it;) and alas, what resolution or satisfaction in point of conscience, can poor souls, that shall scruple ought in this Covenant, get within so-short a space? You know the fashion of most Country people; they will hardly spare a day to consult the Physician in a dangerous disease, till the market day come, that they may do that and their other business together: and 'tis to be feared too many of them will as hardly spare a day to consult the Divine, in this desperate case, till the Lord's day come, that they may go to their Church, and to their Minister both at once. Besides, it may be those Ministers whose judgement they desire to hear, are imprisoned, or flying up and down for fear of imprisonment, many miles from them; and ere they can go or send to them, their allotted time will be expired: or it may happen that those Ministers, or other knowing friends, to whom they address themselves near hand, may be so far from satisfying their doubts, that they may cause more to arise in them: yet take it they must within so few days. Their Ministers themselves, that have the charge of their souls, and must be answerable soul for soul, cannot grant them longer time though it were to save their souls from perishing.  
Instruct. 4. and 5. For fear lest at the day appointed some should slip from taking this Oath, or shuffle it over in the taking: 'tis Ordered, That the Constables in every Parish, shall bring to the Ministers of the Parish, the names fairly written of all men above the age of fifteen, residing within their several Parishes: and a Register Boo●e is to be provided by the Churchwardens, wherein the Covenant is to be fair written, and every man's name or mark, that takes it, subscribed, after he hath taken it with an audible voice, in the presence of the Ministers, Churchwardens, Sidemen, and Constables of each Parish, or two of them, at the least, jointly with the Minister.  
Obser. Poor wretches! must the first Sacrament that many of them take after their Baptism, be a Sacrament to swear themselves up to do that, which in their Baptism they promised and vowed not to do? Alas for them! le● one of fifteen or sixteen years be examined through the several particulars of this Vow and Covenant, what he knows of them, hath done in them, or intends to do concerning them; and who would not take his word, so far as he is able to give an account, without putting him to his oath? When the Oath of Allegiance was by the King and Parliament to be taken by the Subjects, upon the discovery of as great a plot certainly, as this now so much talked of, viz. the Powder Treason, as they did not in all that oath require any to swear that they had no hand in it, so, in requiring them to swear what they did by way of promise for the future, they thought it fit to require none to take that oath under the age of eighteen years, though he were convict or indicted of or for any recusancy; supposing (as by the Statute in that case appears) that by that age they ought to know what belonged to so solemn an oath, and being then of a convenient age to have received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, they concluded they ought to have received it if they had not: but for our younglings in these times (to such maturity of knowledge and judgement are we grown above our fathers) they must be put to take a solemn oath, and enter into a vow and covenant at the age of fifteen, and that such a one as their fathers though of fifty and upwards, do not understand, nor ever heard of the like, for so much as they do understand. And unhappy Ministers, they to whom Chri●t hath given such special charge, as they love hi● 〈…〉 his Sheep and his Lambs, they of all others 〈◊〉 according to those instructions, call to (or stand by as invit●●● whilst others call) those Sheep and Lambs to swallow do●●● that, which will not only (like that bitter water, 〈◊〉 the curse in the case of jealousy, too much resembling 〈◊〉 ●●esent case Num. 5.) cause their bodies to rot, but also 〈◊〉 some waters that David so sorely complained of 〈◊〉) enter in unto their souls, and endanger their perishing chrysostom, as I remember, declames exceedingly aga●●●●●he tendering oaths to the people by Ministers, for that there is so great peril in taking them; but now Ministers must either tender a most perilous oath (to say the least of it) to their people, or run the peril of the high displeasure of the two Houses of Parliament, whatsoever else betid them. God of his goodness stand by his Ministers and encourage them to stand for his Sheep and his Lambs, that they be not caught in this snare, and not to stand by them, looking on, and helping forward their ensnaring.  
It is well worthy all Minister's consideration at this time, that the tendering and countenancing this oath is recommended particularly and principally to them, who until this Parliament were never wont to be called to any such employment, at least not so generally, as now they are. It may be God suffers this to set before Ministers eyes their late over forwardness in imposing a new oath upon their fellow Ministers, and others; and if so, I pray God open their eyes that they may see it; or, which I rather think, God is resolved to have Ministers now brought to the test or trial, whether they of all others love his truth or people entrusted with them, so well, as to dare to be valiant for either: and therefore to prevent all excuse, he will have every Minister, that hath any people committed to hi● then to be present when this truth-opposing, soul-●azar●ing covenant is to be tendered to the people, that so he may prove their courage, whether like magnanimous David keeping his father's she●p, they will adventure to encounter with a Lion and a Bear, 1 Sam. 17. rather then suffer one Lamb to be devoured; or like the slothful coward in the Proverbs, will not think it a fair excuse, to say, There is a Lion without, I shall be slain, etc. and so fit still or run away▪, and leave their whole flocks to the prey and spoil of cruel beasts ready to devour. A good shepherd (saith our great Shepherd) will give his life for his sheep, much much more his living, much more his liberty. And never had good shepherd in this Kingdom such an opportunity to show his goodness in adventuring for the safety of his sheep, as at this present; when his very resusing to countenance and assist the destroying of them, may save both them, and himself from destruction; for if the Minister refuse to join with two of his Parish in the tendering of this new oath, all the Parishioners may be excused from the taking it, till some new order be made by the two Houses to supply that defect, and by that time God may please to provide some other relief. And here I am ●●ld to be a monitor in particular to those Ministers, who were so 〈◊〉 courageous in refusing and petitioning against the late Canonical oath; let them of all others take heed that they do not destroy those consciences now, which they pretended so zealously to preserve then, and with them many thousands more committed to their charge. And for the provision of a Register book to record every man's name that shall take this oath, me thinks that strictness should rather ●●ar many from taking it, then seduce any to it, considering what a dreadful and horrible record that may prove against the takers when ever the King shall be reestablished in His Throne, which is to be hoped, through God's mercy to this Nation, will not be long.  
Instruct. 6. In case my residing in the Parish should fail of taking this oath at the first day appointed, the Minister is required to appoint another day speedily▪ after, and the Churchwardens or some other for them are to go to their houses and give them personal notice, and if they be not at home to leave the notice with some of the house, and if they come not to take it at that time, they may be returned for refusers of it.  
Obser. The starting aside then, or obscuring themselves for a time will advantage but little, only there is one clause in this Instruction which is somewhat favourable to such, and that is the last: That if they come not and take it on the second day appointed, they may be returned for refusers, if the returners please. But I beseech you, what if any man have a just occasion to absent himself from his place of residence a complete month together, just, and at that time when the oath is to be taken, so that notice cannot possibly be given him within the time limited by the instructions; whether shall he be taken for a refuser or not, and this may chance to be many an honest man's case, and should be mine, were I not confident of courage enough, through Gods strengthening me, not only to deny the taking this oath, but to profess my detestation of it, and to suffer whatsoever shall be inflicted for making such a profession. In the interim, I cannot but observe what care and pains is taken to gain proselytes, when 'tis to make them twofold more the children of hell than they were: who can show when there hath been such care taken to bring men into the Church, who have separated from it, or to bring any that are yet within the Church, to renew their covenant with God in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and to communicate with the congregation in other sacred, though now despised Ordinances of God. But with such care and circumspection doth God suffer the tendering this horrid oath to be managed, that he that feareth an oath may be the better known from him that sweareth.  
Instruct. 7. It is Ordered, that the Ministers and Churchwardens, shall within twenty days after their receipt of the copies of the Vow and Covenant, make a true certificate of the names of all such within their Parishes as do not take it, unto such persons as shallbe appointed for that purpose.  
Obser. 'tis presumed you see that all Ministers and Churchwardens will certainly take this Oath themselves, and as certainly betray all their poor Parishioners and neighbours, by a Certificate: for otherwise they would have provided, that some others in every Parish should make this Certificate, in case these should refuse or neglect to do it: or perhaps they thought that there are false brethren enough in every Parish to do that, and to inform against those that shall be faulty or slack in prosecuting this or any other of these Instructions. Indeed in one clause of this 7. Instruction, they seem to doubt somewhat of some Minister's forwardness in the business, whether they would so speed it, as to send in the Certificate within the 20. days prescribed, and have made a kind of proviso in that case, but for the taking the oath, and making a Certificate of those that do not take it, and observing other instructions recommended unto them by their order, they would have us believe them to be such for piety and justice, at least that they themselves think them such, as no Minister, now they have purged the Church of so many scandalous & malignant Ministers, will once scruple them. Here then again, the Ministers if they dare be so honest and stoo●, have another advantage to preserve their people for a while, and if the Churchwardens should send in no certificate at all there is no order as yet, for any to return their names.  
Instruct. 8. That all that do not take this oath be forthwith disarmed, etc. but perhaps that is done already, and what then? why if it can be proved by any one, unless that they had in their custody any arms whatsoever, at the time of the making of this covenant, or at any time since, wh●ch they sh●ll not then deliver to th●se appointed to seize the same, than they shall be forthwith committed to prison without bail or manuprise.  
Obser. Here is an instruction with a witness, any one man's testimony, though a Knight of the Post, or a Gentlem●n ●rom the whipping post, that shall but say, that I had any thing in my house, that he or I know not who else, shall please to call Arms (suppose a birding piece, a stonebow, a pikestate, a pitchfork, a bodking, or a ring, especially with a coat of arms on it) and did not deliver it up to the appointed seisers, shall be of power sufficient to authorize those seisers or any man else, for aught I can see in the instructions to the contrary, to seize upon my person, and clap me into prison without bail or manuprise. Oh the miraculous liberty of the Subject, when not only the Laws of men are cast off, and laid aside, but the express Law of God himself is made of none effect through 〈…〉; that requi●ing, Deut. 19 15. That one wit●●●●● 〈…〉 up against a man for any iniquity or for any 〈…〉 [but that] at the mouth of two or three wit●●●●●● the 〈◊〉 shall be established. Whereas here it is ord●●●●d, that any one witness rising up against a man, and that ne●●her for any sin, nor for any iniquity, shall be of validity to deprive any man of that liberty which many a foul crime cannot legally debar him of. Here is also an admirable device to plunder all Cutlers and Armourers of all their livelihood at once, and had it been thought on in time, it might have stopped some of their clamouring for want of their monies promised them for swords, pistols, and other Arms. And I hope now, Popish Recusants will not take it ill to be disarmed of all their Arms by act of Parliament, when an instruction shall disarm all pious recusants of an impious Covenant▪ Look to thyself O Israel, the Philistimes had once like to have ruined thee with this very trick, when in the day of battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and jonathan, 1 Sam. 15. and 'tis no very hard matter to cut a man's throat when he hath nothing wherewith to descend himself.  
Instruct. 9 That no soldier entertained shall receive ann pay from the State, until they have in the presence of their Commander, and some Minister taken the Vow and Covenant.  
Obser. A most rare antidote against the infectious complaining of the Parliament soldiers for want of pay; they must now pawn their souls, as they have a long time ventured their bodies, and swear a little deeper than any Cavaliers dare swear ere they get a penny of all their arreere: and when they have sworn, the same Minister that encouraged them to take this oath, or tendered it to them, can, and 'tis likely will upon better grounds assure them that after they have taken it, they are obliged thereby to go on in that service, though they never receive any pay at all. There is not here as you see, any hope left for any to evade either the taking this oath or the being throughly tried and known, whether he will take it or not. And if it he not taken you may descry a likelihood of mischief enough intended to the refusers, and if it be taken, what woes, what miseries, what judgements, what torments of souls and consciences, either here, or hereafter, or both the takers thereof will plunge themselves in, or make themselves liable unto, no tongue can express, though there is enough expressed in a few words by two of the Prophets, Malacie and Zacharie, to make any takers of this new oath to tremble at the very reading of it, consult the words, I beseech you, Mal. 3. 5. and Zac. 5. 2, 3, 4.  
Into what a sad condition then, will the imposing this new Covenant cast thousands, and ten thousands of poor souls throughout rhiss miserable Kingdom? Fear and the pit, and the snare (as once the Prophet Esay spoke) are upon thee, O inhabitant [of this Nation.] He that flieth from the noise of the fear, shall fall into pit, and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare. If men do not take this oath the fear of being plundered, imprisoned, and utterly ruined in their estates, will seize upon them, there is the fear; if they do take this oath, the guilt of God's displeasure against rebellion, treason, and perjury, that swallows them up, there is the pit: and whether they take it or take it not, they themselves are taken, there is the snare. Now he that flieth from the noise of that fear, so as to rush into the new covenant (as multitudes are likely to do) he cannot but fall into the pit of God's displeasure, and if then through God's mercy, one deep calling upon another, he chance to recover out of that pit by confessing his sin, and humbling his soul for it, and so return to his former duty towards God, and his Vicegerent, than he is sure to be maligned and persecuted (perhaps more than if he had never taken this oath) by them that persist in their iniquity, and whatsoever he doth, he is sure to be undone. Oh the matchless cruelty of this merciless Oath. In all former Orders and Ordinances they did but angle for us, as the Prophet complained of some Hab. 1. 15. my meaning is, they caught but here and there one of us; but by this order they intent to catch us all as in a net, and to gather us together as in a drag. All the heavy impositions, taxes, plunderings, rapines, and other grievous oppressions, whereby men's estates have been exhausted, all the lies, slanders, and false accusations, whereby men's good names have been blasted, and all the restraints, imprisonments, and other illegal and unchristian pursuits, wherewith men's bodies have been vexed, are not to be named the same age with this one act of cruelty to men's souls; so much the more cruel because the cruelty is the less discernible being masked with the pretence of Religion, like those poisons that look fairest, and kill soon and surest. How fitly may that pious wish of Hilary against Constantius be now taken up by every sufferer in this cause, O that thou, who art the Omnipotent God, Creator of all things, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, wouldst have been pleased to have ordered my age and time▪ that I might have fulfilled this office of making this my confession of thee and thine only Son (for this truth, which I suffer for, is thine and thy Sons as well as any truth whats●ever) in the times of Nero or Decius; for than my happy fight or combat had been against such absolute enemies, that no doubt would have been made, but that they were persecutors, which would with tortures, sword and fire compel me to deny thee; neither needed we then to do more to approve ourselves to thee, then to suffer death for thee. We Christians were wont to fight openly and boldly against those that openly deny thee, and torment and slay those that are thine: and if our case were such now, thy people would accompany us as their Captains and leaders, in making the like religious confession with us: but we fight against a close deceitful persecuter, against a fawning enemy, against an enemy that doth not openly threaten fire and fagget, but privately kindle hell fire against us, that doth not intent to overcome but to domineer, that confesseth thy Christ that he may deny him, that pretends to procure unity or association that there may be peace, that suppresseth Heresies that there may be no Christians, that honour's Priests that there may be no Bishops, etc. And how well may others be admonished in this case, as the wise man counselleth his son, Proverb. 1. My son if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: let us swallow them alive as the grave, and whole as those that go down into the pit. We shall find all precious substance we shall fill our houses with spoil etc. And high time it is for all honest men to take up that prayer of David, Psal. 17. Here the right, O Lord, attend unto my cry, etc. And till God shall hear this prayer, let all wait with patience, & suffer with courage; let us neither be over careful for the things foe this life, nor over fearful to part with them, and life, and all for truth and righteousness sake: Let us remember, that when men revile us, and persecute us, and speak all manner of evil against us falsely for Christ, than we are blessed, and therefore have cause to rejoice, and be exceeding glad, knowing that great is our reward which is in heaven. Let us in a word, not fear them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but let us fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. From whence, and from all things leading thereunto, especially from this new Oath, Vow and Covenant, Good Lord deliver us.  
Finis.