shall continue in the obedience of the Doctrine and Discipline of this Kirk and shall defend the same according to our Vocation and Power all the dayes of our lives under the pains contained in the Law and danger both of Body and Soul in the day of Gods fearful Judgement And seing that many are stirred up by Satan and that Roman Antichrist to promise swear subscribe and for a time use the Holy Sacraments in the Kirk deceitfully against their own Consciences minding thereby first under the external Cloak of Religion to corrupt and subvert secretly Gods true Religion within the Kirk and afterward when time may serve to become open Enemies and Persecutors of the same under vain hope of the Popes Dispensation devised against the Word of God to his greater confusion and their double condemnation in the day of the Lord Jesus We therefore willing to take away all suspicion of Hypocrisie and of such double dealing with God and His Kirk Protest and call The Searcher of all hearts for witness that our minds and hearts do fully agree with this Our Confession Promise Oath and Subscription so that We are not moved for any worldly respect but are perswaded only in Our Consciences through the knowledge and love of Gods true Religion printed in Our Hearts by the Holy Spirit as we shall answer to Him in the day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed And because we perceive that the quietness and stability of our Religion and Kirk doth depend upon the safety and good behaviour of * The lawfully established Suprem Magistrat the Kings Majesty as upon a comfortable Instrument of Gods Mercy granted to this Country for the maintaining of this Kirk and ministration of Justice amongst us we protest and promise with our Hearts under the same Oath Hand-writ and Pains that we shall defend his Person and Authority with our goods bodies and lives in the defence of Christ his Evangel Liberties of our Countrey ministration of Justice and punishment of Iniquity against all Enemies within this Realm or without as we desire our God to be a strong and merciful Defender to us in the day of our death and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all Honour and Glory Eternally Like as many Acts of Parliament not only in general do abrogate annul and rescind all Laws Statutes Acts Constitutions Canons civil or municipal with all other Ordinances and practick Penalties whatsoever made in prejudice of the true Religion and Professors thereof Or of the true Kirk discipline Jurisdiction and Freedom thereof Or in favours of Idolatry and Superstition Or of the Papistical Kirk As Act. 3. Act. 13. Parl. 1. Act. 23. Parl. 11. Act. 114. Parl. 12 of King James the sixth That Papistry and Superstition may be utterly suppressed according to the intention of the Acts of Parliament repeated in the 5. Act. Parl. 20. King James 6th And to that end they ordain all Priests to be punished by manifold Civil and Ecclesiastical pains as Adversaries to Gods true Religion preached and by Law established within this Realm Act 24. Parl. 11. King James 6th As common Enemies to all Christian Government Act 18. Parl. 16. King James 6th As Rebellers and Gain-standers of our Soveraign Lords Authority Act 47. Parl. 3. K. James 6. And as Idolaters Act 104. Parl. 7. King James 6. But also in particular by and attour the Confession of Faith do abolish and condemn the Popes Authority and Jurisdiction out of this Land and orders the Maintainers thereof to be punished Act 2. Parl 1. Act 51. Parl. 3. Act. 106. Parl. 7. Act 114. Parl. 12. King James 6. Do condemn the Popes erroneous Doctrine repugnant to any of the Articles of the true and Christian Religion publickly preached and by Law established in this Realm And ordains the spreaders and makers of Books or Libels or Letters or Writs of that nature to be punished Act 46. Parl. 3. Act 106. Parl. 7. Act 24. Parl. 11. King James 6. Do condemn all Baptism conform to the Popes Kirk and the Idolatry of the Mass and ordains all Sayers wilful hearers and concealers of the Mass the mantainers and resetters of Priests Jesuits traffiquing Papists to be punished without any exception or restriction Act 5. Parl. 1. Act 120. Parl. 12. Act 164. Parl. 13. Act 193. Parl. 14. Act 1. Parl. 19. Act 5. Parl. 20. K. James 6. Do condemn all erroneous Books and Writes containing erroneous Doctrine against the Religion presently professed or maintaining superstitious Rites and Ceremonies Papistical whereby the People are greatly abused and ordaines the home bringers of them to be punished Act 25 Parl 11 K. James 6 do condemn the monuments and dregs of by gone Idolatry as going to the Crâ—sses observing the Festival dayes of the Saints and such other superstitious and Papistical Rites to the dishonour of God contempt of true Religion and fostering of great errour among the People and ordains the users of them to be punished for the second fault as Idolaters Act 104 Parl 7 K James 6. Like as many Acts of Parliament are conceaved for maintenance of Gods true and Christian Religion and the purity thereof in Doctrine and Sacraments of the true Church of God the liberty and freedom thereof in her National Synodal Assemblies Presbyteries Sessions Policy Discipline and Jurisdiction thereof as that purity of Religion and liberty of the Church was used professed exercised preached and confessed according to the Reformation of Religion in this Realm As for instance The 99 Act Parl 7 Act 23 Parl 11 Act 114 Parl 12 Act 160 Parl. 13. of King James 6. Ratified by the 4 Act of King Charles 1. So that the 6 Act Parl. 1. and 68 Act Parl. 6. of K. James 6. in the year of God 1579. Declares the Ministers of the blessed Evangel whom God of His Mercy had raised up or hereafter should raise agreeing with them that then lived in Doctrine and Administration of the Sacraments and the people that professed Christ as He was then offered in the Evangel and doth communicate with the Holy Sacraments as in the reformed Kirks of this Realm they were publickly administrat according to the Confession of Faith to be the True and Holy Kirk of Christ Jesus within this Realm and decerns and declares all and sundry who either gain-sayes the Word of the Evangel received and approved as the heads of the Confession of Faith professed in Parliament in the year of God 1560. Specified also in the first Parliament of K. James 6. And ratified in this present Parliament more particularly do specifie or that refuses the administration of the Holy Sacraments as they were then ministrated to be no Members of the said Kirk within this Realm and true Religion presently professed so long as they keep themselves so divided from the society of Christs Body And the subsequent Act 69. Parl. 6. of K. James 6. declares That
there is none other Face of Kirk nor other Face of Religion than was presently at that time by the favour of God established within this Realm which therefore is ever stilled Gods true Religion Christs true Religion the true and Christian Religion and a perfect Religion Which by manifold Acts of Parliament all within this Realm are bound to subscribe the Articles thereof the Confession of Faith to recant all Doctrine and Errors repugnant to any of the said Articles Act 4 and 9 Parl. 1. Act 45 46 47. Parl. 3. Act 71. Parl. 6. Act 106. Parl. 7. Act 24. Parl. 11. Act 123. Par. 12. Act 194 and 197. Parl. 14. of K. James 6. And all Magistrates Sherifs c. On the one part are ordained to search apprehend and punish all Contraveeners For instance Act 5. Parl. 1. Act 104. Parl. 7. Act 25. Parl. 11. K. James 6. And that notwithstanding of the King's licences on the contrary which are discharged and declared to be of no force in so far as they tend in any wayes to the prejudice and hinderance of the execution of the Acts of Parliament against Papists and Adversaries of true Religion Act 106. Parl. 7. K. James 6. On the other part in the 47. Act Parl. 3. K. James 6. It is declared and ordained seing the cause of God's true Religion and his Highness Authority are so joyned as the hurt of the one is common to both And that none shall be reputed as Loyal and Faithful Subjects to our Soveraign Lord or his Authority but be punishable as Rebellers and Gain-standers of the same who shall not give their Confession and make their profession of the said true Religion and that they who after defection shall give the Confession of their Faith of new they shall promise to continue therein in time coming to maintain our Soveraign Lords Authority and at the uttermost of their power to fortifie assist and maintain the true Preachers and Professors of Christs Evangel against whatsoever Enemies and Gain-standers of the same And namely against all such of whatsoever Nation Estate or Degree they be that have joyned and bound themselves or have assisted or assists to set forward and execute the cruel Decrees of Trent contrary to the Preachers and true Professors of the Word of God which is repeated word by word in the Article of Pacification at Perth the 23 of Febr 1572. Approved by Parliament the last of April 1573. Ratified in Parliament 1587. And related Act 123. Parl. 12. of K. James 6. with this addition That they are bound to resist all treasonable Uproars Hostilities raised against the true Religion the Kings Majesty and the true Professors Likeas all Liedges are bound to maintain the Kings Majesties Royal Person and Authority the Authoritie of Parliaments without the which neither any Laws or lawful Judicatories can be established Act 130. Act 131. Parl. 8 K. James 6. And the Subjects Liberties who ought only to live and be governed by the Kings Laws the common Laws of this Realm allanerly Act 48. Parl. 3. K. James the first Act 79. Parl. 6. K. James 4. repeated in the Act 131. Parl. 8. King James 6. Which if they be innovated or prejudged the Commission anent the Union of the two Kingdoms of Scotland and England which is the sole Act of the 17. Parl. of King James the 6. Declares such Confusion would ensue as this Realm could be no more a free Monarchy because by the fundamental Laws ancient Priviledges Offices and Liberties of this Kingdom not only the Princely Authority of his Majesties Royal descent hath been these many Ages maintained but also the Peoples security of their Lands Livings Rights Offices Liberties and Dignities preserved and therefore for the preservation of the said true Religion Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom it is statute by the 8 Act Parl. 1. repeated in the 99 Act Parl. 7. ratified in the 23 Act Parl. 11. and 114. Act Parl. 12. of K. James 6 4 Act of K. Charles 1. That all Kings and Princes at their Coronation and Reception of their Princely Authority shall make their faithful Promise by their Solemn Oath in the presence of the Eternal God That during the whole time of their Lives they shall serve the same Eternal God to the uttermost of their power according as He has required in His most Holy Word contained in the Old and New Testament And according to the same Word shall maintain the true Religion of Christ Jesus the Preaching of His Holy Word the due and right ministration of the Sacraments now received and preached within this Realm according to the Confession of Faith immediatly preceeding and shall abolish and gain-stand all false Religion contrary to the same and shall rule the People committed to their charge according to the Will and Command of God revealed in His foresaid Word and according to the laudable Laws and Constitutions received in this Realm no wayes repugnant to the said Will of the Eternal God and shall procure to the uttermost of their power to the Kirk of God and whole Christian People true and perfect peace in all time coming And that they shall be careful to root out of their Empire all Hereticks and Enemies to the true Worship of God who shall be convicted by the true Kirk of God of the foresaid crimes which was also observed by * K. Charles the first his Majesty at his Coronation in Edinburgh 1633. As may be seen in the order of the Coronation In obedience to the Commandment of GOD conform to the practice of the Godly in former times and according to the Laudable Example of our Worthy and Religious Progenitors which was warranted also by Act of Council commanding a general Band to be made and subscribed by his Majesties Subjects of all Ranks for two causes One was For defending the true Religion as it was then reformed and is expressed in the Confession of Faith above-written and a former large Confession established by sundry Acts of lawful General Assemblies and of Parliaments unto which it hath relation set down in publick Catechisms and which had been for many years with a Blessing from Heaven preached professed in this Kirk and Kingdom as Gods undoubted Truth grounded only on His written Word The other cause was for maintaining the Kings Majesty his Person and Estate The true worship of God and the Kings Authority being so straitly joyned as that they had the same Friends and common Enemies and did stand and fall together And finally being convinced in our minds and confessing with our mouths that the present and succeeding Generations in this Land are bound to keep the foresaid National Oath and Subscription inviolable We under-subscribing considering divers times before and especially at this time the danger of the true reformed Religion * His Highness's honour by whose noble enterprise so signally countenanced of the Lord we have obtained this reviving in our bondage of the Kings
Form so far as it could serve the time and the Engagements thereof quadrate with their capacities are not to be rashly condemned for their Renewing old Vows which were and in so far only as they were before and then and are alwayes binding Yea rather it were suitable and seasonable for the Representatives who can easily mend what was not within their sphere to do in stead of despising the meanness of that party and carping at the imperfections of that action to imitate their Zeal in Renewing these National Engagements with solemn Acknowledgements of the Breaches thereof in a Form that will better please them This would be a notable mean of turning away the Lords fierce Wrath from the Nation 2 Chron. 29.10 Hereby Reformation in Church and State might be promoted and preserved Order and Union in the Church which hath been long wanting might be settled and established Former Defections might be honestly and honourably removed and remedied Future Innovations and Corruptions Schismes and Dâ—sorders might be prevented and precluded And all Malignant Enemies of Reformation might be by this Test discovered and excluded from all Trust in Church or State and capacity to do either hurt Yet without any constraint or restraint upon any Mans true liberty How pleasant and acceptable both to God and Man would it be as it may be hoped it will be when the Lords people in these Lands now sore and long scattered and divided shall return going and weeping seeking the Lord their God and asking the way to Zion with their Faces thitherward That at least the Owners Lovers of Reformation were saying Come and let us joyn our selves unto the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten THE NATIONAL COVENANT OR The Confession of Faith of the Kirk of Scotland subscribed at first by the Kings Majesty and his Houshold in the year 1580. Thereafter by Persons of all ranks in the year 1581. By Ordinance of the Lords of the Secret Council and Acts of the General Assembly Subssribed again by all sorts of Persons in the year 1590. By a new Ordinance of Council at the desire of the General Assembly With a general Band for maintainance of the true Religion and the Kings Person And subscribed in the year 1638. By the Noblemen Barons Gentlemen Burgesses Ministers and Commons then undersubscribing Together with their resolution and promises for the causes after specified To maintain the said true Religion and the Kings Majesty according to the Confession foresaid and Act of Parliament And thereafter upon the Supplication of the General Assembly to His Majesties high Commissioner and the Lords of his Majesties Honourable Privy Council subscribed again in the Year 1639. by Ordinance of Council and Act of General Assembly And now again by Vs this present Year 1689. Acknowledging the publick breaches thereof and engaging to the Duties contained therein with Accommodation to our Case and Time. WE All and every one of Us underwritten Protest that after long and due Examination of our own Consciences in matters of true and false Religion We are now throughly resolved of the Truth by the Word and Spirit of God and therefore we believe with our hearts confess with our mouths subscribe with our hands and constantly affirm bef re God aâ—d the whole World that this only is the true Christian Faith anâ— Relâ—gion pleasing God and bringing Salvation to Man which now is by the Mercy of God revealed to the world by the preaching of the Blessed Evangel and received believed and defended by many and sundry notable Kirks and Realms but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland * and sometimes by the Kings Majesty and Three Estates of this Realme as Gods eternal Truth and only ground of our Salvation As more particularly is expressed in the Confession of our Faith stablished and publickly confirmed by sundry Acts of Parliament and now of a long time hath been openly professed by the Kings Majesty and whole body of this Realm both in Burgh and Land. To the which Confession and Form of Religion We willingly agree in our Consciences in all points as unto Gods undoubted Truth anâ— Verity grounded only upon his written Word And therefore we abhore and detest all contrary Religion and Doctrine But chieflly all kind of Papistry in general and particular heads even as they are now damned and confuted by the Word of God and Kirk of Scotland But in special We detest and refuse the usurped Authority of that Roman Anti-câ—rist upon the Scriptures of God upon the Kirk the Civil Magistrate and Conscience of Men all his Tyrannous Laws made upon indifferent things against our Christian Liberty his erroneous Doctrine against the sufficiency of the written Word the perfection of the Law the Offices of Christ and His blessed Evangel His corrupted Doctrine concerning Original Sin our natural Inability and Rebellion to Gods Law our Justification by Faith only our imperfect Sanctification and Obedience to the Law the Nature Number and Use of the Holy Sacraments His five bastard Sacraments with all his Riâ—es Ceremonies and false Doctrine added to the ministration of the true Sacraments without the Word of God. His cruel judgement against Infants departing without the Sacrament His absolute necessity of Baptism his blasphemous opinion of Transubstantiation or Real presence of Christ's Body in the Elements and receiving of the same by the wicked or Bodies of Men. His Dispensations with solemn Oaths Perjuries and degrees of Marriage forbidden in the Word his cruelty against the Innocent divorced his devillish Mass his blasphemous Priest-hood profane Sacrifice for the Sin of the Dead and the Quick his Canonization of Men calling upon Angels or Saints departed worshipping of Imagery Relicks and Crosses dedicating of Kirks Altars Dayes Vowes to Creatures his Purgatory Prayers for the Dead praying or speaking in a strange Language with his Processions and blasphemous Litany and multitude of Advocates or Mediators his manifold Orders auricular Confession his desperate and uncertain Repentance his general and doubtsome Faith his satisfactions of Men for their sins his Justification by Works opus operatum Works of Supererogation Merits Pardons Peregrinations and Stations his Holy Water baptising of Bells conjuring of Spirits Crossing Saning Anointing Conjuring hallawing of Gods good Creatures with the superstitious opinion joyned therewith his worldly Monarchy and wicked Hierarchy his three solemn Vowes with all his Shavellings of sundry sorts his Erroneous Bloody Decrees made at Trent with all the Subscribers and Approvers of that cruel bloody Band conjured against the Kirk of God And Finally we detest all his vain Allegories Rites Signes and Traditions brought into the Kirk without or against the Word of God and Doctrine of this true reformed Kirk to the which we joyn our selves willingly in Doctrine Faith Religion Discipline and use of the Holy Sacraments as lively Members of the same in Christ our Head Promising and Swearing by the Great Name of the Lord our God that we
be presented to the Readers view Quest 1 Whether it be Lawful and expedient for Nations to enter into Covenants with God from vers 1. Q. 2. What is the Nature of this Covenanting ibid. Q. 3. Whether it may be done without the Magistrate Or when it is so is the obligation of it binding ibid. Q. 4. When the Covenant is Renewed may it be done with Alterations and Accomodations to the time ibid. Q. 5. What may be Motives to Renew the Covenant from v. 2 to v. 9. Q. 6. What is it to keep Covenant from v. 9. Q. 7. May the Covenant be renewed without the Primores when they will not concur from ver 10 Q. 8. May Children be admited to the Covenant from v 11. Q. 9. Are Strangers obliged or may they be admitted to the Covenant ibid. Q. 10. Does the Covenant bind the absent and them that did not take it from ver 13.14 Q. 11. May the Covenant be imposed upon all or may all be admitted to take it ibid. Q. 12. What may loose the obligation of it from v 12. Q. 13. What the better shall we be of making and keeping a National Covenant ver 13. Q. 14. Is the obligation of National Covenants upon the matter Lawfull perpetual and binding upon posterity from ver 15. Q 15. What are the chief tentations inducing to the sin of Covenant-breaking and what are the gradual steps of it from 16 to 20. Q. 16. What are the Curses and Punishments threatned against Covenant-breakers Personal from v. 20. Q. 17. Why is the punishment of National breach of Covenant so Publick that it is observed of posterity and Strangers from ver 22 c. Q. 18. What is the threatened Punishment of National breach of Covenant from vers 22. c. Q. 19. What is the procuring Cause of all the Nations Miseries from v 24 25. Q. 20. How may a Nation be guilty of breach of Covenant from v 25 Q. 21. What are the aggravations of that sin ibid THese being premised there is the less need to inlarge in the vindication of the Renovation of these Covenants here subjoyned as they were Sworn and Subscribed at Lesmahego March 3. 1689. Their Motives are before touched on Question 4. from vers 2. to 9. They Considered what the Lord had done before their eyes the great tentations in their day the signs and the great wonders of the Wisdom Faithfulness Power Justice and Goodness of the Lord appearing in His way with them and their Fathers They Considered the universal Obduration Stupidity and unanswerableness to these wonders in themselves and others how they had not gotten hearts to perceive nor eyes to see in to that very day They Considered the Lords greacious Conduct of them and their fathers and their own experience of His care and kindness towards them in providing so tenderly and wonderfully all necessaries for their Wilderness Lot. They considered how at length the Lord helped them to overcome two Kings that endeavoured by all means to destroy them They considered that as the Lord promises prosperity to the keeping and doing the words of His Covenant So in the dayes of their Fathers when they entered into and kept Covenant with God He prospered them in all that they undertook went forth with their Armies and made their Enemies to fall down before them testifying in His providence His approbation of His peoples Covenanting They considered also how these Covenants thô of Eternal obligation as is cleared Quest 14. from vers 15. were broken their breaches enacted by Law they were Burnt the owning of them declared Criminal by an Act of Queensberries Parliament and the obligation of them was like to be totally buried in oblivion And therefore as they thought this a Case of Confession when they could do no more to give their Testimony for the Covenants with profession of the Sorrow of their hearts and abhorrence of their souls against these indignities as was done in the Printed Testimony anno 1688. So upon the same motives they thought it no less necessary now in this opportunity to revive the memory of them and at least to break the ice for others to renew them more Solemnly At that Critical season especially when in the universal expectation of War upon the change of the Government all parties were Associating for their own defence and asserting the quarrell and party they would espouse They also thought it expedient by the renewing of these ancient Covenants declare what Cause they would avouch and appear for what King they would owne and upon what termes they would offer and oblige their subjection to the present Government then to be established who had before declared a revolt from the former and for this end to make this the bond of their Association It is objected With a great deal of clamour by many that this was an illegal and presumptuous Action without all Authority or concurrence of persons that had Authority to tender an Oath But as this is loosed by what is said above on Quest 3 and Q. 7. from v. 1. and v. 10. So we have precedents for entering into and renewing Covenants for Defence of Religion and Liberty without the Authority then regnant in several instances before and since the established Reformation As that Covenant at Edinburgh anno 1557 for the maintenance and advancement of Reformation and defence of one another adhering to it Another Covenant at Perth 1559. And at Stirling the same year Another at Leith anno 1560. Another at Air 1562. All these without the concurrence of publick Authority And in the year 1638 the National Covenant was Renewed before they obtained Authority for it And anno 1666. at Lanerk a small handful of honnest and faithful patriots renewed the Solemn League also without and against the Authority that was then But this at Lesmahego thô it was without Authority yet it was not against Authority being in the time of the Interregnum before the settlement of Authority for which Cause in stead of the usual Expressions of the King his Majesty they read as in the margent His Highness or the Civil Magistrate because the present K was not then declared And that party who renewed the Covenants then did not pretend to any Authority to do it as a National Act to bind the whose Nation Only to take on the vowes of God upon themselves and to invite others to do the like If those that tendered the Covenant at that time did take upon them any Authority it was not to impose it upon any but rather to exclude some from it and to hinder their admission to it who were grossly ignorant and scandalous by laying out before them the hazard of swearing falsely And discharging them in the name of the Lord to devour these holy things This also was an Offâ—nce to some and occasion of obloquie against the Action But it is justifiâ—d above by what is said on Quest 11. from v. 10 11 12 c. And