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
be against the Word of God under which latitude I see not but we might enter into the like Covenant with Lutherans or other Reformed Churches whose Government Discipline and Worship is yet exceedingly corrupted with degenerate mixtures Thirdly Neither in the perservation of their Government c. nor in the Reformation of ours do we sware to any thing of mans but to what shall be found to be the minde of Christ witnesse that Clause According to the Word of God Art 1. so that upon the matter it is no more then Josiah and the People in Nehimiah swore to namely what shall appear to be the Statutes and Laws which Christ hath left in his Word concerning the Regiment of his Church Fourthly Nay not so much for we are not yet called to sware the Observation of any kinde of Government that is or shall be presented to us but to endeavour the Reformation of Religion in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government According to the Word of God In the faithfull and impartiall and search and pursuite wherof if Scotland or any of the Reformed Churches can hold us forth any cleerer light then our own we receive it not as our Rule but as such an help to expound our Rule as Christ himself hath allowed us Cant. 1.7 8. 2 Cor. 11.16 Phil. 4.8 1 Thâ—s 1.7 8. In which case we are bound to kisse not the Lips onely but the very feet of them that shall be able to shew us the way to Sion Isa 52.7 So that still it is not the voyce of the Churches but of Christ in the Churches that we Covenant to listen to in this pursuite that is to say That we will follow them as they follow Christ And when all is done and a Reformation through the Assistance and blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ that great King and Prophet of his Church resolved on according to this Rule thus interpreted under what notion or obligation the observation of it shall be commended to us sub judice lis est it is yet in the bosome and brest of Authority we are as yet called to swear to nothing in this kinde So much in reference to the Instances Answ 3 I answer further to the satisfying of this second doubt That by this Covenant we are bound no more to conform to Scotland then Scotland to us The Astipulation being mutuall and this Astipulation binding us not so much to conform one to another as both of us to the Word wherein if we can meet who would not look upon it as upon the precious fruit of Christs prayer Joh. 17.20 21. That they might be one as we are on and the beauty and safety of both Nations and of as many of the Churches as the Lord our God shall perswade to come into this holy and blessed Association Obj. 3 A third objection falls upon the second Article or Branch of this Covenant We swear â—â—extâ—pâ—tâ— that wâ—â—ch may be the Goveâ—â—nment of the Gospâ—l wherein it is feared by some that we swear to Extirpate that which for ought we know upon due inquiry may be found the way to Sion the way of Evangelicall Government which Christ and his Apostles have set up in the Church Answ Where lies that think you In what clause or word of the Article Who can tell Surely not in Popery or if there be any that think that the way I could wish their persons in Rome since their hearts are there already Is it in Superstition Nay Superstition properly consisting in Will-worship Teaching for doctrine the traditions of men This cannot be the way to Sion which Christ hath chalked out to us in his Word No more can Heresie which is the Opposition to sound Doctrine nor Schisme which is the Rent of the Churches Peace nor Prophanenesse the poyson of her conversation None but Superstitious Heretickes Schismatikes Prophane persons will call these the way to Sion nor these neither under the Name and Notion of Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophanenesse For the Heretike will not call his doctrine heresie nor the superstitious his inovations superstition nor the Schismatick his turbulent practises schisme nor lastly the prophane person his lewdnesse prophanenesse though they love the thing they hate the name And this before we go further occasions another Objection which you must give me leave both to make and answer in a Parenthesis and then I will return Object Object How then can we swear the extirpation of these since who shall be judge Who shall judge what is Heresie c. While some will be ready to call that Schisme and Superstition c. which is not and others deny that to be Heresie Superstition Schisme c. which is To which I answer Ans 1. By the same Argument we ought not to Covenant against Popery and Drunkennesse Sabbath-breaking nor any other sin whatsoever there being nothing so grosse but it will finde some friends to justifie and plead for it which if we shall not condemn till all parties be agreed on the verdict we shall never proceed to judgement while the world stands 2. The word must be the Rule and the Judge say men what they please pro or con 3. And if the matter be indeed so disputable that it lies not in my faculty to pronounce sentence I have my dispensation to suspend till the word determine the controversie I now return If then in none of these the doubt must of necessity lye in that word Prelacy And is that indeed the thâ—-way of Gospel-Government Is that it indeed which bears away the bell of Jure divino What is it then that hath destroyed all Gospell Order and Government and Worship in these Kingdoms as in other places of the Christian World even down to the ground Hath it not been Prelacy What is it that hath taken down a teaching Ministry and set up in the room a teaching Ceremony Is it not Prelacy What is it that hath silenced suspended imprisoned deprived banisht to many godly learned able Ministers of the Gospel yea and kild some of them with their unheard of cruelties and thrust into their places Idol Idle Sheepheards Dumb Doggs that cannot bark unlesse it were at the flock of Christ so they learned of their Masters both to bark and bite too greedy Dogs that could never have enough that did teare out the loyns and bowels of their own people for gain Heap living upon living preferment upon preferment swearing drunken unclean Priests that taught nothing but rebellion in Israel and caused people to abhorre the Sacrifice of the Lord Arminian Popish Idolatrous vile wretches such as had Job been alive he would not have set with the Doggs of his flock who I say brought in these Did not Prelacy What hath hindered The Reformation of Religion all this while in Doctrine Government and Worship Prâ—laâ—y a generation of men they were that never had a vote for Jesus Christ yea what hath poysoned and adulterated Religion in all these Branches
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