Which to mistake, and make 'em squabble,

In literal fray 's abominable:

'Tis heathenish, in frequent use

With Pagans and apostate Jews,
To offer sacrifice of Bridewells,

Like modern Indians, to their idols:
And mongrel Christians of our times,

That expiate less with greater crimes,

And call the foul abomination

Contrition and mortification.

Is 't not enough we're bruis'd and kicked,

With sinful members of the wicked;

Our vessels that are sanctify'd,

Profan'd and curry'd back and side;

But we must claw ourselves, with shameful.

And heathen stripes, by their example ?

Which (were there nothing to forbid it)

Is impious, because they did it;
This therefore may be justly reckon'd
A heinous sin. Now to the second,
That saints may claim a dispensation
To swear and forswear, on occasion,
I doubt not but it will appear

With pregnant light. The point is clear.

85

90

95

100:

105

Oaths are but words, and words but wind;

Too feeble implements to bind:

And hold with deeds proportion, so

As shadows to a substance do.

110

Then, when they strive for place, 'tis fit

The weaker vessel should submit:

Although your church be opposite

To ours, as Black Friars are to White,

For if the dev'l, to serve his turn,

Can tell truth, why the saints should scorn,

When it serves theirs, to swear and lie,

125

I think there's little reason why:

Else h' has a greater pow'r than they,
Which 't were impiety to say.

W' are not commanded to forbear

Indefinitely at all to swear;

130

But to swear idly, and in vain,
Without self-interest or gain:

For breaking of an oath and lying,
Is but a kind of self-denying,

A saint-like virtue, and from hence
Some have broke oaths by providence:
Some, to the glory of the Lord,

Perjur'd themselves, and broke their word:
And this the constant rule and practice

Of all our late apostles acts is.

Was not the Cause at first begun

With perjury, and carried on;

135

140

Did they not, next, compel the nation
To take and break the protestation?

155

To swear, and after to recant

The solemn league and covenant?

To take th' engagement, and disclaim it,
Enforc'd by those who first did frame it?
Did they not swear at first to fight

For the King's safety, and his right?

160

And after march'd to find him out,

And charg'd him home with horse and foot;
But yet still had the confidence

To swear it was in his defence?

Did they not swear to live and die

165.

With Essex, and straight laid him by?

If that were all, for some have swore
As false as they, if th' did no more.
Did they not swear to maintain law,
In which that swearing made a flaw?

170

For Protestant religion vow,

That did that vowing disallow
For privilege of Parliament,

In which that swearing made a rent?

And since, of all the three, not one

175

Is left in being, 'tis well known.
Did they not swear in express words,
To prop and back the House of Lords?

180

And after turn'd out the whole house-full
Of Peers, as dang'rous and unuseful?
So Cromwell, with deep oaths and vows,
Swore all the Commons out o' th' House;
Vow'd that the red-coats would disband,
Ay, marry would they, at their command;
And troll'd them on, and swore, and swore, 185
Till th' army turn'd them out of door.

This tells us plainly what they thought,

That oaths and swearing go for nought,
And that by them th' were only meant
To serve for an expedient.

What was the public faith found out for,
But to slur men of what they fought for?
The public faith, which ev'ry one

Is bound t' observe, yet kept by none;
And if that go for nothing, why

Sould private faith have such a tie?

Oaths were not purpos'd, more than law,
To keep the good and just in awe ;

But to confine the bad and sinful,
Like moral cattle in a pinfold.

A saint's o' th' heavenly realm a peer:
And as no peer is bound to swear

190

195

200