Apostacies and black-flidings calling one upon another and ecchoing back one to another Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that may not be forgotten You see by this time I have changed my Text though not my project to which purpose I shall remember that in the handling of these words I must not manage my discourse as if I were to make a new entire Sermon upon the Text but onely to improve the happy advantages it holds forth for the pursuite and driving on of my present Vse of Exhortation Come let us joyn c. To this end therefore from these words I will propound and endeavour to satisfie these three Quaeres 1. What 2. Why 3. How 1. What the duty is to which they mutually stirre up one another 2. Why or upon what considerations 3. How or in what manner this service is to be performed And in all these you shall see what proportion the Text holds with the Times The duty in our Text with the duty in our Hands pressing them on still in an Exhortatory way For the first sc What the duty is Answ You see that in the Text is to joyn themselves to the Lord by a solemn Covenant and so is that which we have now in our hands to joyn our selves to the Lord by a Covenant how farre they correspond will appear in the sequell This is the first and main End of a Covenant between God and his People as I have shewed you To joyn themselves to the Lord. The sons of the stranger that joyn themselves to the Lord Isa 56.6 c. And take held of his Covenant This I say is the first and main end of the Covenant in the Text The second is subordinate unto it namely to Enquire thâ— way to Sion i. e. To inquire the way and manner how God would be worshipt that they might dishâ—nour and prevoke him no more by their Idolatries and Superstitions which had been brought in upon the Ordinances of God by the means of Apostate Kings and Priests and Prophets as in Jeroboams and Ahabs reigns c. And for which they had been carryed into Captivity And such is the Covenant that lies before us in the first place as I say to joyn our selves to the Lord to be knit unsepaparably unto him that he may be our God and we may be his People And in the next place as subservient hereunto to ask the way to Sion to enquire and search by all holy means sanctified to that purpose what is that pure way of Gospel worship That we and ouâ— children after us may worship the God of spirits the â—â—od of truth in spirit and in truth in spirit Joh 4. â—3 opposed to carâ—all wâ—yâ—s of will-worship and inventions of men and in truth opposed to false hypocriticall shews and pretences since the Father seeks for such to worship him Now That this is the main scope and aym of this Covenant before us will appear if you read and ponder it with due considerations I will therefore read it to you distinctly this Evening besides the reading of it again to morrow when you come to take it and when I have read it I will answer the main and most materiall objections which seem to make it inconsistâ—nt with these blessed ends and purposes Attend diligently while I read it to you The Covenant WE Noblemen â—his Co 〈…〉 it 〈◊〉 haâ—d to câ—m 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 several pafaâ—â—s of the Câ—â—â—nant to which 〈…〉 Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland by the Providence of God living under one King and being of one Reformed Religion having before our eyes the glory of God and the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the honour and happinesse of the Kings Majesty and His Posterity and the true publique Liberty Safety and Peace of the Kingdoms wherein every ones private condition is included and calling to minde the treacherous and bloody Plots Conspiracies Attempts and Practices of the Enemies of God against the true Religion and professors thereof in all places especially in these three Kingdoms ever since the Reformation of Religion and how much their rage power and presumption are of late and at this time increased and exercised whereof the deplorable state of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdom of England and the dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present and publike Testimonies We have now at last after other means of Supplication Remonstrance Protestations and Sufferings for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter Ruine and Destruction according to the commendable practice of these Kingdoms in former times and the Example of Gods People in other Nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutuall and solemn League and Covenant wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our hands lifted up to the most high God do swear I. THat we shall sincerely really and constantly through the Grace of God endeavour in our severall places and callings the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common Enemies the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the Example of the best Reformed Churches And shall indeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the neerest Conjunction and Uniformity in Religion Confession of Faith Form of Church-Government Directory for Worship and Catechizing That we and our Posterity after us may as Brethren live in Faith and Love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the middest of us II. That we shall in like manner without respect of persons indeavour the Extirpation of Poperty Prelacy that is Church-Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops their Chancellors and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons and all other Ecclesiasticall Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophanenesse and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godlinesse least we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues and that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdoms III. We shall with the same sincerity reallity and constancy in our severall Vocations endeavour with our estates and lives mutually to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdoms and to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties person and authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms that the world may bear witnesse with our Consciences of our Loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish His Majesties just power and greatnesse IV. We shall
Ahab when demanded to yeeld up his Vineyard to his Majesty God forbid that I should give the Inheritance of my father 〈…〉 These be the Out-works of Religion the Lines of Communication as I may so say for the defence of this City which the Prelats well knew and therefore you see it was their great designe first by Poliâ—y to have surprised and when that would not do then by main strength of Battell to storme these Out-works Well knowing That if they once had won these they should quickly be Masters also of the holy City Religion it self and done what they listed And therefore the securing of these must of necessity be taken into the same Councels and Covenant with Religion it self This premised in generall Particular Objections or Seruples 1. Ignorance in them that take this Covenant of the â—ights and Priviviledges of Parlilament we shall easily and a pace satisfie the particular Scruples and Quaeries as I go 1 Scrupl The most part that swear this Covenant are in a great degree if not totally ignorant what the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliament and the Liberties of the Kingdomes are and how can they then swear to maintain they know not what Answ 1. By the same argument no man or very few might lawfully swear to maintain the Kings Prerogatives in the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy nor the King himselfe swear to maintain the Liberties of the Subject as he doth in his Oath at his Coronation Answ 1 2. But there is hardly any person so ignorant but knowes there are Priviledges belonging to the Parliaments and Liberties belonging to the subject 3. And that it is the duty of every Subject according to his place and power to maintain these So that in taking of this Covenant we swear to do no more then our Duty bindes us to in which there is no danger though we do not in every point know how farre that duty extends in every branch and severall thereof 4. In swearing to do my duty whether to God or man if The ignorant of many particulars I oblige my self to these two things 1. To use the best means to inform my self of the particulars 2. To conform my self to what I am informed to be my duty Which yet in the case in hand doth admit of a further latitude namely That which lies in the very word and letter of this Article as in most of the rest In our severall Vocations which doth not binde every one to the same degree of knowledge nor the same way of preservation As for example I do not conceive every Magistrate is bound to know so much no nor to endeavour to know so much as Parliament-men nor every member of Parliament so much as Judges nor Ministers so much as the Lawyers nor ordinary people so much as Ministers nor servants so much as Masters nor all to preserve them the same way Parliament-men by demanding them Lawyers by pleading Judges by giving the sense and minde of the Law Misters by Preaching Magistrates by defending people by assisting praying yeelding obedience c. All if the exigencies arise so high and the State call for it by engaging their estates and lives in case they be invaded by an unlawfull power And in case of ignorance the thing we binde our selves to is this That if at any time any particular shall be in question What the Parliament shall make appear to be their right or the liberty of the Subject we promise to contribute such assistance for the preservation or reparation thereof as the nature of the thing and wisdome of the State shall call for at our hands in our severall places Obj. 2 2 Scruple But some are offended while they conceive in the same Article The Kings Person and aâ—tâ—ority in the pâ—eservation of Religion c. That the Clause wherein we swear the preservation and defence of the Kings person and Authority doth he under some restraint by that limitation In the preservation and defence of the true Religion and the Liberties of the Kingdom To which we reply Answ 1. It maintains him as far as he is a King He may be a man but sure no King without the lists and verge of Religion and Laws it being Religion and Laws that make him a King 2. See his Maiesties Declarations It maintains his person and estate as far as his Majestie himself doth desire and expect to be defended for sure his Justice cannot desire to be defended against but in the preservation of Religion and Laws and his wisedom cannot expect it since he cannot believe that they will make conscience of defenâ—iâ—g his person who make no conscience of preserving Religion and the Laws I mean when the ruine of his person and authority may advance their own cursed designes They that for their own ends will defend his person and Authority against Religion and Liberties of the Kingdome will with the same conscience defend their owne ends against his person and authority when they have power in their hands The Lord deliver his Majesty from such defenders By what Names or Titlâ—s soever they be called 3. Who doubts but that Religion and Laws wherein the Rights and Liberties of Kingdoms are bound up are the best security of the persons and authority of Kings and Governours And the while Kings will defend these these will defend Kings It being impossible that Princes should suffer violence or indignity while they are within the Munition of Religion and Laws or if the Prince suffer these must of necessity suffer with him 4. I make a question Whether this limitation lie any more upon the defence of the Kings person and authority then it doth upon the Rights and Privilâ—dges of Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdom since there is no point or stop in the Article to appropriate it more to the defence of the Kings Person and Authority thâ—n to the preservation of the Rights and Priviledges ledges of the Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdomes 5. And lastly This Clause is not to be understood exclusive as excluding all other Cases wherein the Kingdoms stand bound to preserve his Majesties Person and Authority but onely pro subjecta materià as expressing that case wherein the safety of his Person and Authority doth most highly concern both King and Kingdoms especially at such a time as this is when both are so furiously and implaceably encountred by a malignant Army of desperate parricides Papists and their Prelaticall party These Objections answered and Difficulties removed we proceed to the examining of the rest of the particulars in the following Articles The discovery of incondiaries or malignants that have been or shall be To which the fourth Article bindes us Fourth Article Discovery of Incendiaries and Malignants Doth it not lie also in a necessary tendency to the securing and preserving of this Covenant inviolable with the Most High God in point of Reformation For can we hope a thorow
sworn to preserve the Laws and therefore to swear to indeavour the extirpation of Prelacy which is establisht by Law is to contradict their own Oath and run the hazard of perjury It is easie for any one to observe and answer Answ 1. That by the same Argument neither may King and Parliament together change or annull a Law though found destructive to the good of the Kingdoms since His Majesty as well as His Subjects is bound up under the same Oath at His Coronation 2. But again There is a vast difference between the Members of Parliament simply considered in their private Capacities wherein they may be supposed to take an Oath to maintain the Laws of the Land and that publike capacitie of a Parliament whereby they are Judges of those Laws and may as I said before endeavour the removeall of such as are found pernicious to the Church or State and make such as will advantage the welfare of other His Majesty being bound by His Coronation-Oath to confirm these Laws Quas vulgus elegerit which the Commons shall agree upon and present unto His Majesty Object Object I but it seems this objection lies full and strong upon them that stand in their single paivate stations Answ I answer That if there be any such Oath which yet I have neither seen nor heard of unlesse the objection mean that clause in the late Parliament Protestation wherein we vow and protest to maintain and defend the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subject Surely Neither in that nor this do we swear against a lawfull endeavour to get any such Laws or Clause of the Law repealed and abolisht which is found a wrong rather then a right and the bondage rather then the Liberty of the Subject as Prelacy was Had we indeed taken the Bishops Oath or the like never to have given our consent to have the Government by Episcopacy with its endlesse c. Changed or altered we had brought our selves into a woefull snare but blessed be God Tâ—â—t snare is broken and we are escaped while in the mean time without all douâ—t the subject may as lawfully use all lawfull means to get that Law removed which yet he hath promised or sworne to obey while it remains when it proves prejudiciall to the puâ—like safety and welfare as a poor captive that hath peradventure sworne obedience to the Turk while he remains in his possession may notwithstanding use all fair endeavours for an escape or ransome or a prentice that is bound to obey his Master yet when he finds his service turned into a bondage use lawfull means to obtain his freedom 3. But once more to answer both all objections it is worth your enquiry Whither the Plea of a Legall establishment of this Prelacy sworn against in this Covenant be not rather a tradition then any certain or confessed Truth Sure I am we have it from the hands of persons of worth and honour the aâ— lâ—st Secretaries of Laws and Antiquities in our Kingdom that there is no such Law or Statute to be found upon the file among our Records Which assertion if it cannot finde faith we will once more joyn issue with the Patrons or followers of this Prelacy upon this point That when they produce that Law or Statute which doth enact and establish Prelacy as it is here brancht in the Article we will then give them a fuller answer or yeeld the question To conclude therefore since this Prelacy in the Article tâ—â—is many headed Monster of Archbishops Bishops their Chanâ—â—â—rs and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-Dâ—â—â—ons and all other Beel sâ—â—â—licall Officers depending on that Hierarâ—â—y is the Beast wherewith we fight in this Covenant which hath been found so distructive to Church and State Let us not fear to take this Sword of the Covenant of God into our hands and say to this Enemy of Christ as Samuel said once to Agag at what time he said within himself Surely the bitternesse of death is past As thy sword hath made women childlâ—sse 1 Sam. 15 so shall thy mother be childlesse among women So hath Prelacy flattered it self finding such a party to stand up on it side among the rotten Lords and Commons the debauched Gentry and abused people of the Kingdom Surely the bitternesse of death is past I sit as a Queen and shall not know Widdow-hood or lâ—sse of children In the midst of this security and pride the infallible forerunners of her downfall let us call her forth and say As thy sword Prelacy hath made many women childâ—lesse many a faithfull Minister peoplelesse houselesse and libertylesse their wives husbandlesse their children and their Congregations fatherlesse and Pastorlesse and Guidelesse So thy mother Papacy shall be made childelesse among harlots your Diocesse Bishoplesse and your Sees Lordlesse and your places shall know you no more Come my Brethren I say and fear not to take this Agag Prelacy I mean not the Prelats and hew it in pieces before the Lord. Obj. 4 A fourth and main Objection that troubles many is That in the following Article there are divers things of another nature then falls within the compasse and list of such a Covenant This Covenant is not purely religious as that in the Text. as that which the Text holds forth To joyne our selves to the Lord. There be State-matters and such too as are full of doubt and perhaps of danger to be sworn unto Answ I shall answer first the generall Charge and then some of the Particulars which are most materiall In generall I answer 1 1. In generall Whatever is contained in the Covenant is either religious or tending to Religion There is nothing in the Body of this Covenant which is not either purely religious or which lies not in a tendency to Religion conducing to the securing and promoting thereof And as in the expounding the Commandments Divines take this Rule That that Command which forbids a sin forbids also all the conducibles and provocations to that sin All the Tendencies to it And that Command which enjoyns a duty enjoyns all the mediums and advancers to that duty as the Schools say Modus cadit sub precepto Circumstances fall within the latitude of the Command so in religious Covenants not onely those things which are of the substance and integralls of Religion but even the collateralls and subserviencies that tend either to the establishing or advancing of Religion may justly be admitted within the Verge and Pale of the Covenant The Cities of Refuge had their Suburbs appointed by God as well as their haâ—itations and even they also were counted holy The Rights and Prâ—â—â—ledges of the Parliaments and the Libertâ—â—s of the Kingdom mentioned in the third Article They are the aburbs of the Gospel and an Inheritance bequeathed by God to Nations and Kingdoms and under that notion holy Concerning which a people may lawfully reply to the unjust demands of him perours Kings or States as Naboth once to
Reformation according to the minde of Christ if opposers of Reformation may escape scot-free undiscovered and unpunisht or can we indeed love or promote a Reformation and in the mean time countenance or conceal the enemies of it This is cleer yet it wants not a scruple and that peradventure which may trouble a sincere heart Object It is this Having once taken this Oath This Oath will binde us to discover children or parents or husbands wives c. if we hear a friend or brother yea perhaps a Father an Husband or a Wife let fall a word of dislike of the Parliament or Assemblies proceedings in either Kingdom or that discovers an other judgement or opinion or a word of passion unadvisedly uttered and do not presently discover and complain of it we pull upon our selves the guilt or danger of perjury which will be a mighty snare to thousands of well affected people To which I answer Answ 1. The objection layes the case much more narrow then the words of the Article which distinguisheth the Incendiary or Malignant which is to be discovered by a threefold Character or note of Malignity First Hindering the Reformation of Religion Secondly Dividing the King from his people or one Kingdom from 〈…〉 Thirdly Making any faction or parties amongst the People contrary to the Lâ—â—â—ue and Covenant Now every dislike of some passage in Parliament or Assemblies proceedings every distent in judgement and opinion every rash word or censure that may possibly be let fall through passion and inadvertency will not amount to so high a degree of Malignity as is here exprest nor consequently bring one within the compasse of this Oath and Covenant A suitable and seasonable Caution or conviction may suffice in such a case 2. But suppose the Malignity do arise to that height here exprest in any of the Branches thereof I do not conceive the first work this Oath of God binds us to is to make a judiciall discovery thereof while without all controversie our Saviours * Matth. 18. Rulâ— of dealing with our Brethren in cases of offence is not here excluded which is 1. Vers 15. To see what personall admonition will do which toward a Superiour as Husband Parent Master or the like must be managed with all Wisedom and Reverence if they hear us we have made a good dayes work of it We have gained our brâ—ther if not then the Rule directs us yet 2 In the second place to take with us two or three more if they do the deed thou in yest sit down with peace and thankfulnesse if not 3. If after all this the party shall persist in destructive practises to hinder Reformation to divide the King from his People or one Kingdom from another or lastly to make factions or parties among the people be it the man of thine own House the Husband of thy youth the Wife of thy bosome the Son of thy loynes c. Lâ—vi must know neither Father nor Mother private Relations must give way to publike safety thou must with all faithfulnesse endeavour the discovery thine eye must not pity nor spare Dâ—ut 1 6 7 8. It is a case long since stated by God himself and when complaint is made to any person in Authorite the Plantiff is discharged and the matter rests upon the hands of Authority Provided notwithstanding that there be in the use of all the former means that latitude allowed which the Apostle gives in case of Heresie sc A first and second Admonition Tiâ— 3.13 This course not only the Rule of our Saviour in generall but the very words of the Covenant it self doth allow for though the clause be placed in the sixth Article yet it hath reference to all viz. What we are not able our selves to suppresse or overcome we shall reveal and make known So that if the Malignity fall within our own or our friends ability to conquer we have discharged our duty to God and the Kingdoms and may sit down with comfort in our bosomes That which remains in the other two Articles I cannot see how it affords any occasion of an objection and the reference and tendency it hath to the Reformation and preservation of Religion is easie and cleer to any eye that is not wilfully blinde The preservation of Peace between the two Kingdoms Fifth Article The preservâ—tion between the Kingdoms in the fifth Article being the pillar of Religion for how can Religion and Reformation stand if any blinde Malignant Sampson be suffered to pull down the pillars of Peace and Vnion Besides it was a branch of that very Covenant in the Text as well as of that in our hands The Children of Israel and Judah which had a long time been disunited and in that disunion had many bloody and mortall skirmishes and battles now at length by the good hand of God upon them taking counsell to joyn themselves first one to another and then both unto God First Let us joyn our selves and then to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant Surely not onely this Copy in the Text but the Wormwood and the Gall of our civill combustions and warres which our souls may have in remembrance to our dying day and be humbled within us may powerfully perswade us to a cheerfull engagement of our selves for the preservation of a firm peace and union between the Kingdoms to all posterity And lastly as Peace is the pillar of Religion Article sixth Mutuall assistance so mutuall assistance and defence of all those that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and pursuance thereof mentioned in that sixth and last Article is the Pillar of that Peace Divide impera Desert one another and we expose our selves to the Lusts of our enemies And who can object against the securing of our selves Indifferency and Neutralitie and the state against a detestable indifferency or neutrality but they must ipso facte proclaim to all the world that they intend before hand to turn Neutralls or Apostates To conclude therefore having thus examined the severall Articles of this Covenant and the materiall Clauses in those Articles and finding them to be if not of the same nature yet of the same designe with the preface and conclusion the one whereof as I told you at the entrance obligeth us to the Reformation of Religion the other of our Lives as serving to the immediate and necessary support and perfecting of these blessed and glorious ends and purposes I shall need to Apologize no further in the vindicating and asserting of this Covenant before us could we be so happy as to bring hearts suitable to this service could we set up such ayms and ends as the Covenant holds forth The glory of God The good of the Kingdoms and Honour of the King to which this Covenant and every severall thereof doth humbly prostrate it self Article sixth would all conspire to make us and our posterity aftter us an happy and glorious