THE ANTI-COVENANT Or a sad COMPLAINT Concerning The new Oath or Covenant Presented in a Letter to a dear and intimate Friend with earnest request for his advice and Prayers By a true loyall Subject and lover of the Parliament OXFORD Printed by Leonard Lychfield Printer to the University 1643. The Anti-Covenant Or A sad complaint concerning the new Oath c. DEare Friend and Brother it is not unknowne to the world as well as to those sober and pious Christians that are of our society and acquaintance what an honourable and reverend esteem the very name of Parliament hath alwayes carried with us two and how observant wee have beene of their commands without disputing their power or integrity When the Protestation was enjoyned we willingly and cheerfully tooke it hoping therby to give sufficient testimony both to the King and Parliament and to all others that should otherwise scruple it of our love and zeale to the true established Protestant Religion of our loyalty and obedience to our gracious Sovereigne of our honour and esteeme of both Houses of Parliament and their just power and priviledges and of our sense and care of the rights and liberties of the subject and this solemne Oath we have endeavoured to observe and keepe When the Poll-money and great Subsidy were granted both by King and Parliament we most readily paid both When the distressed condition of Ireland was recommended to us we cheerefully contributed Nay when the Propositions were made to us for plate money and horse to fetch our good King from his evill Counsellours it being declared to us by some of the Members of the House of Commons and others of their Commissioners that his Majesty was desirous to come from them and that those about him would flie from him upon the appearance of the Parliaments forces without striking one stroke wee were perswaded to lend liberally upon the Publike Faith towards that service And since that upon severall new suggestions we have given such credit to some Members of both Houses speeches and to some Preachers whom they have countenanced if not sent amongst us that we have not with-holden from the Parliament what we have beene able to spare Neither did we stop heere though our speed was by this time well taken off but often and often since partly out of feare and partly out of hope feare of being after all this reputed Malignants a name more odious then Turke Pagan or Papist and hope at last of an Accommodation a mercy too great for this sinfull Nation as yet to pertake of we have by our wives kindred or friends more then once subministred to the pressing necessities of the Parliaments forces But now deare Brother what shall we doe When all that we have done hitherto will keepe neither our houses from plundering nor our persons from imprisonment nor our names from being Malignant nor our wives and children from beggery and misery unlesse wee will wound our consciences and hazard our soules by horrid and palpable perjury Oh that we had but foreseen this imposing upon our soules and consciences when first the opening of our purses was called for but it was Gods just judgement upon us for our sinnes first to blinde us so long till we had made a rod for our selves and then to awe us with that rod till our severe masters have brought uâ— to that undoubted triall whether we feare God or them whether wee love our soules or our estates and liberties most But what is the matter Why read and the Lord give you understanding Whereas the Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament have declared That there hath beene and now is a Popish and traiterous plot c. as it followeth in the Introduction and Covenant to be taken by the Armies and Kingdome With one clause more added in the Lords and Commons Oath for their not laying downe Armes This is the new vow and covenant taken by the Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament and voted by them to be taken by the Armies and Kingdome together with the Introduction declaring the grounds and reasons inducing them thereunto I know it is not fit for private men to be too inquisitive into much lesse censorious of the decrees and ordinances of publike States unlesse it be where such decrees and ordinances concerne the soules and consciences of men and there every man is bound both diligently to examine and discreetly to judge whatsoever is injoyned him before he submit himselfe thereunto as also to counsell and advise his brethren Be pleased then deare Brother for so I have ever called and esteemed you to give me leave to acquaint you with my thoughts both of this Oath and its Introduction and wherein I erre as who is infallible not the Composers themselves much lesse any private man and least of all my selfe the weakest of ten thousand I beseech you be my gentle corrector and friendly instructor And first I begin with the Introduction The reasons and grounds of imposing and taking this new Oath heere alleadged are principally these three 1. For that the Lords and Commons have declared that there hath beene and now is a Popish and traiterous plot for the subversion of the true Protestant Reformed Religion and the liberty of the Subject and that in pursuance thereof a Popish army hath been raised and is now on foot in divers parts of this Kingdome 2. That the Lords and Commons have further in a solemne maner declared vowed and covenanted That in order to the security and preservation of the true Protestant Religion and liberty of the Subject they will not consent to the laying downe of Arms so long as the Papists now in open warre against the Parliament shall by force of armes be protected against the justice thereof 3. For that the Lords and Commons have declared that there hath been a traiterous and horrid designe lately discovered by the great blessing and especiall providence of God of divers persons to joyne themselves with the Armies raised by the King and to destroy the Forces raised by the Lords and Commons in Parliament to surprise the Cities of London and Westminster with the Suburbs and by Armes to force the Parliament all which reasons are amplified with an assertion That the said Lords and Commons doe finde by constant experience That many wayes of force and treachery are continually attempted to bring to utter ruine and destruction the Parliament and Kingdome and that which is dearest the true Protestant Religion And then followes the inference or conclusion that for the preventing and withstanding the same they have thought fit that all c. should binde themselves each to other in a sacred Vow and Covenant in manner and forme as followeth I A.B. In humility and reverence c. The grounds and reasons in their order First we are told That the Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament have declared that there hath been and now is a popish and traiterous plot
imputed to the dulnesse and weaknesse of our ey-sight or to our want of that light whereby some are able to discover things that never were but to say there is such an army on foot and yet no more footsteps of it to be found is to tell us little lesse then a miracle and but of little more credit then those late miracles which some of our new apostles have boasted of Well but let us indulge them that name seeing they who can call any things or persons what they please are pleased so to phrase it The army in the North whereof not above foure or five of an hundred are papists is a popish army But why then must it be beleeved that there is a popish army raised and on foot in divers parts of this Kingdome Is it because there are divers parts of the North wherein that army is as York Taacaster Pomfret Wakefield c. and all these are parts of this Kingdome an excellent topicall argument to puzle a Fresh-man with or is it because they would have the poore long deceived people to beleeve that forasmuch as the one part of the Kings army in the North is somewhat Popish therefore all the Kings army that is now in severall parts of this Kingdome as Oxfordshire Dorsetshire Sommersetshire Devonshire Cornwell Staffordshire and Worcestershire c. consists most of Papists certainly it is in this latter sense that they desire the phrase Popish army may be understood or else it would prove but of very litle force to perswade the common people who blessed be God do generally abominate Popery either to conceive so much evil of the Kings army as they would possesse them withall or else to beleeve that there is from them any cause of fearing the subversion of the true reformed Protestant Religion and so of entring into an oath or covenant to doe such and such things as the new Oath requires And by this time I hope you will excuse me if I doe not beleeve that there is a popish army raised and on foot in divers parts of this Kingdome Thirdly I abhor to let it enter into my thoughts that any army is raised by the King as is affirmed for the subversion of the true Protestant Religion The Preacher commands me in Gods name whatsoever some preachers teach their people in their owne and their Masters not to curse the King no not in my thoughts Eccles 10.20 but should I thinke that the King intends by His Army now on foot or by any other way or meanes to subvert the true Protestant Reformed Religion though I should not for all that curse Him no not in my thoughts yet I must needs think Him the most accursed King that ever breathed He having made so many solemne oaths vows and protestations with most deep imprecations annexed both to live and dye in the true Reformed Protestant Religion himselfe and to maintaine and defend it in His Subjects I will minde you only of that one in the head of His Army Septem 19. 164◠I promise in the presence of Almighty God and as I hope for his blessing and protection that I will to the utmost of my power defend and maintaine the true Reformed Protestant Religion established in the Church of England and by the Grace of God in the same will live and dye c. And for the liberty of the Subject together with the just priviledges and freedome of parliament He did both at that time and sundry other with the like solemnly vow and sweare their defence and maintainance 〈◊〉 Now can it bee thought by any but such whose thoughts are thoughts of iniquity Esay 59.7 that such a constant and faithfull Defender of the true Protestant Religion for so many yeares against so many plots and attempts intimated by this very Declaration and after so many and so solemne oaths vows and protestations should now raise an Army to subvert that Religion and when it was raised to promise againe in the very head of that Army His best and utmost defence of the same calling God to witnesse with Him and desiring neither blessing nor protection from Him but according as He resolved to make good that promise and protestation doubtlesse there is very nigh as much faith in Infidels and as much charity in the damned spirits as there is in these men that can beleeve such a slander or entertain such a suspition In the Declaration of the Lords and Commons to the Kingdome and to the World Octob. 22. 1642. they account the professing of any thing in the sight of God the strongest obligation that any Christian and the most solemne publike faith that any such state as a Parliament can give They then that will not credit the like profession made by a King must neither thinke him a Christian nor esteem him a King Besides were there any so wickedly uncharitable and disloyall as to imagine that the King had an intention to subvert the true Reformed Protestant Religion Yet how can they think both him and his evill counsellors together with the Popish party about him as every pamphlet takes the liberty most traiterously to pourtray him and his royall attendants to be all so weak and simple as to rayse an army for the pursuance of that intent just at that time when greater forces of Protestants as they would be thought were either actually raysed or ready to rise then he or they could by the eye of flesh see any possibility of levying and when he wanted both money and armes for those few that he might hope to levie without doubt if there had beene any such purpose that time of all other would not have been chosen for the opportunity These reasons are of such force with me that the first reason alleadged for the taking this Oath seemes to mee to say the least of it altogther unreasonable Proceed wee on to the second it may be that is more ingaging The Lords and Commons have further in a solemne manner declared vowed and covenanted that in order to the security and preservation of the true Protestant Religion and liberty of the Subject they will not consent to the laying downe armes so long as the Papists now in open warre against the Parliament shall by force of armes be protected from the justice thereof Before this reason will downe with me for a perswading reason to the taking this Oath I must bee satisfied if possible in these Quaeres 1. Quaer What doe the Lords and Commons meane by that clause In order to the security and preservation of the true Protestant Religion c. Doe they meane that they will never consent to the laying downe armes c. No not for the security and preservation of the true Protestant Religion or that because they conceive that the true Protestant Religion cannot bee secured and preserved so long as the Papists now in open warre shall c. That therefore they will not consent to the laying downe armes so long
c. Or is this In order to c. used heere for some evading reservation as the Iesuits have constantly used their In ordine ad spiritualia they being the only men that I can recall to mind for the present that ever used this kind of restriction or rather indeed this fast and loose knot of an oath that so they may evade some oathes formerly taken or the power of this in case they can get a faire glosse to bee made upon these termes charity and reverence command mee to take the best interpretation but an oath should bee framed in such plaine cleare tearmes as might be understood by all the takers therof without much difficulty of exposition but to leave that to themselves 2. Quar. Whom doe the Lords and Commons understand by Papists now in open warre against the Parliament whether legally convicted Papists only or all Papists at large If all Papists at large as I conceive they meane no lesse my 3. Quaere is Whether only knowne professed Papists properly so called or also all supposed suspected Papists commonly so termed If the former 4. Quaer Whether they have proceeded against all such that are now in the Kings army according to the established Law of this Kingdome and requiring justice to be done upon them they have beene by force of armes protected from the execution thereof 5. Quar. How or where doth it appeare that there have been or are any such so protected especially to such a number as that the protecting of them ought to move the great Actors and Contrivers for the Kingdomes peace for that cause to vowe and covenant to continue this unchristian unnaturall warre till they be delivered up to their justice 6. Quaer Whether the Queenes Majesty her selfe bee not one of those protected Papists chiefly aymed at 7. Quar. If by Papists they meane all that are supposed suspected and by divers termed Papists whether all those that are called Malignants or Delinquents or disaffected persons and so all that are eyther of the Kings army or have beene ayding and assisting to them are not by them reckoned in that number So that if the King would deliver up to their justice all that are Papists indeed even to his deare Queene within all his armies yet if hee will not with them deliver up also all his whole armies themselves or at least as many of them as they shall require they will not still thinke themselves bound by this vow and covenant not to lay downe their armes or to give their consent thereto 8. Quar. Whether the King be not bound in conscience by the Lawes of God and of this Kingdome by his owne solemn vows and protestations and by the common law of Nature too much pleaded by some in these dayes even against the law of Grace it selfe to defend and protect and that by force of armes need so requiring not only his owne deare Queene but all his faithfull and loyall Subjects both Papists and others such especially as repaire to him for his sacred persons defence and safety as well as for their owne protection and the preservation of their rights and liberties 9. Quaer Whether the King on the one part being so bound to defend and protect both his Queene and the rest now named and the Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament having on the other part taken up Armes to force all those persons from the Kings defence and protection and bound themselves by a solemne new oath never to lay down their armes againe so long as â—ny such persons are so protected whether I say can there bee possibly any hope conceived of peace and accommodation either by way of Treaty or any other way whatsoever without the effusion of infinite streams of blood so much as will make any Christians heart to bleed but to think on it and his very joints to loose and his knees to knock one against another to have any hand in it knowing what the hand of God hath written against bloodshed 10. Quaer This being the true case of this Kingdome at this present whether is not this second reason of the Lords and Commons making such a new covenant as will if seconded by ours cost the expence of so much of our owne and fellow-brethrens blood rather a strong reason why we should abhorre this new oath by whomsoever it is taken then any the least inducement to perswade us to take it Before I part from this reason suffer me I beseech you to be sprinkle a few teares on it and to pant forth a few broken ejaculations concerning those that alleadge it Mourne on my soule Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountayne of teares that I might weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people Jer. 9 1. How are thy mighty men O England fallen in the midst of the battell 2. Sam. 1.25 Yea how are they slaine from one end of the Land to the other How have the carkases of thy people beene made as dung upon the open field Oh thou sword of the Lord how long will it be ere thou be quiet put up thy selfe into thy scabbard rest and be still But how canst thou be quiet seeing the Lord hath given thee a charge against this Land O God of mercies as well as Lord of Hosts we acknowledge that we have deserved it and we see to our terrour that they whom we too much relied on for the setling our peace have sworne themselves and would swear us into a perpetuall warre but we hope thou hast not yet passed such a decree against us Spare us therefore we humbly beseech thee oh spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy pretious blood and let not the sword be made drunke with blood any longer nor let drunkennesse of spirit we intreat thee sease upon our Princes and our wise men our Captaines and our Rulers and our mighty men to cause them to sleepe a perpetuall sleep but Lord doe thou awaken both them and us that we may yet at last in this our day of visitation see and seeke those things that concerne our peace And now I goe on to the third reason or ground The Lords and Commons have declared that there hath beene a treacherous and horrid designe lately discovered by the great blessing and especiall providence of God of divers persons to joine themselves with the armies raysed by the King and to destroy the forces raysed by the Lords and Commons in Parliament to surprise the Cities of London and Westminster with the Suburbes and by armes to force the Parliament If there hath beene a treacherous and horrid designe lately discovered by the great blessing and especiall providence of God we are all bound upon the knowledge thereof to magnifie Gods mercy and goodnesse and to extoll his power and providence for it and that man shall not want for a curse that shall slight or undervalue so great a blessing but I see no