kly close this business. For, 1. It is this
prelacy, thus clothed, thus circumstanced, which we swear to extirpate;
read else the clause again, prelacy, that is, church government by
archbishops, bishops, their chancellors. Not every, or all kinds of
prelacy; not prelacy in the latitude of the notion thereof. 2. And
secondly, let us join issue upon this point, and make no more words of
it; if there be an episcopacy or prelacy found in the Word, as the way
of gospel-government, which Christ hath bequeathed the churches, and
this be made appear, we are so far from swearing to extirpate such a
prelacy, as that rather we are bound by virtue of this oath to entertain
it, as the mind and will of Jesus Christ. And this might suffice to
warrant our covenanting to extirpate this prelacy, save that only.

Yet some seem conscientiously to scruple this in the last place.
_Object._ That they see not what there is to warrant our swearing, to
extirpate that which is established by the law of the land, till the
same law have abolished it. To which I answer, 1. If the law of the land
had abolished it, we need not swear the extirpation of it. 2. In this
oath, the parliaments of both kingdoms go before us, who, having the
legislative power in their hands, have also _potestatem vitae et necis_,
over laws, as well as over persons, and may as well put to death the
evil laws that do offend against the kingdom and the welfare of it, as
the evil persons that do offend against the laws. 3. Who therefore,
thirdly, if they may lawfully annul and abolish laws that are found to
sin against the law of God, and the good of the kingdom may as lawfully
bind themselves by an oath, to use the uttermost of their endeavours to
annul and abolish those laws; their oath being nothing else but a solemn
engagement to endeavour to perform what they have warrantably resolved
upon; and with the same equity may they bind the kingdom to assist them
in so doing. 4. Which is all that the people are engaged to by this
covenant. Not to outrun the parliament in this extirpation, but to
follow and serve them in it, by such concurrence as they may expect from
each person in their stations and callings; for that clause, expressed
in the first and third article, is to be understood in all.

_Object._ If it be yet objected, that the members of parliament have, at
one time or other, sworn to preserve the laws; and therefore to swear to
endeavour the extirpation of prelacy, whic