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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87123	The harmonious consent of the ministers of the province within the county palatine of Lancaster, with their reverend brethren the ministers of the province of London, in their late testimonie to the trueth of Jesus Christ, and to our Solemn League and Covenant : as also against the errours, heresies, and blasphemies of these times, and the toleration of them.	Heyrick, Richard, 1600-1667.	1648 (1648)	Wing H800A; Thomason E434_7; ESTC R7597	26,660	31

under an adulterous Church Government the trust reposed in us by Jesus Christ as his messengers embassadors and steward of the mysteries of the Gospel of whom it is required that they should be faithful r 1 Cor. 4.1 2 the duty we ow to our several flocks as being watchmen s Ezek 33.7 8.9 c. to give them warning and that as standard-bearers we may encourage them earnestly t lude 3. to contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints the care over their immortal souls redecmed u 1 Pet 1 18 19. with the precious blood of Christ the conscience of our Solemn League and Covenant binding us in our places to endeavour the Reformation of Religion and the Extirpation of the contrary our fears lest the Reformation so earnestly longed for so joyfully covenanted so much suffered for and of late times so much bled for should after so many sharp throws and such hard labor prove an abortive birth the worthy renowned and much encouraging example of our reverend brethren the Ministers of the Province of London going before us and whom to follow in witness bearing to the truth and so far as they follow Christ w 1 Cor. 11.1 we count it but our duty The multitude of them that in these days do oppose the truth by whose great numbers it is in danger to be born down if contrary endevors to the utmost be not used by the united strength of all that love it to hold it up and lastly that we may wash our hands from the guilt of betraying by our sinful silence so precious treasure as truth is and may not judg our posterity unworthy thereof for our sakes if we should not own it plead for it and hold it fast These things we say in this juncture of affairs do draw us forth publikely to declare our selves in those main things witnessed to by our brethren in their late Testimony to the Truth of Jesus Christ and to our Solemn League and Covenant As also against the Errors Heresies and Blasphemies of these times and the Toleration of them I. As touching the necessity of a platform of Doctrine of Confession of Faith we shal need to say nothing it having been found so useful for the Church in all Ages from the primitive times even until now not only that the ignorant might thereby be informed concerning the main points needful to be known and beleeved by them unto salvation but also for the better preserving of the truth detecting and discovery of Hereticks and Seducers and to testifie consent and agreement in that one Faith Here only we think it needful to declare that we do highly approve of the humble Advice of the reverend and learned Assembly of Divines concerning a Confession of Faith judging it not only to be orthodox sound solid substantial and pious but also to be veryful and in especial maner useful for these times as that which doth obviate those many dangerous Errors that do swarm in this Age and therefore as we do assent unto the whole so we also do concur with the reverend Assembly and our x See the Teto the truth of Jesus Christ page 3. reverend brethren the Ministers of the Province of London in our humble and hearty desires that it may receive the approbation and sanction of authority as the joynt Confession of Faith for these three Kingdoms in pursuance of our Covenant II. In the next place we do hereby openly profess before God and the world that we cannot but tremble and be amazed to consider that in a Land engaged in such a Covenant professing so much for Reformation made partakers of so many special mercies as England hath been such blasphemous execrable and horrid doctrines should ever be publikely broached printed maintained and defended as are at these times We shal not need to recite them particularly because that work is so fully done already to our hands by our brethren in their late Testimony y See the Catalogue of Errors in the Testimony to the Truth of Jesus Christ page 5 to 23. although to the great grief and wounding of our hearts we may declare that as they only there intended to give a smal taste of their wormwood and gal z Ibid. p 23. so we are assured their Catalogue of Errors might be much augmented if there were any necessity to rake any further into the dunghil-books whence they might be gathered and that many more authors might be quoted to make it more fully evident that there are indeed such Errors and Heresies amongst us as are by them recited But here we cannot but blush wonder and be astonished at our strange revolt We remember the times when under the Prelatical tyranny Arminianism Antinomianism and the Innovations that were introduced into the worship of God were generally cryed out against by all that party which was then esteemed truly religious but now as though Errors and Heresies had changed their natures and were grown better because the persons professing patronizing and countenancing them in these days pretend to more piety and holiness then was to be found in the Fautors of them heretofore such kind of Errors as would then have been abhorred by every one truly conscientious to the great dishonor of God scandal of Religion and shame of our Church and Nation do now take sanctuary and shroud themselves under the shadow of many of those that challenge to themselves the name of the godly party And as we cannot but take notice of the just hand of God out against us in seting open the flood-gates to let in this sea of Errour wherewith this Church is in danger to be overflown thereby to punish our former lukewarmness and coldness in defence of the truth unprofitablenes under the means of grace disesteem slighting of the truth our not valuing as we ought the inestimable benefit of the Gospel our not labouring for the purity and power thereof and not endevouring to receive Christ in our hearts nor to walk Worthy of him in our lives which are the causes of other sias and transgressions so much abounding amongst us so we cannot but express our deepest sence hereof and sorrow for the same this alone being sufficient to move us to roul our selves in the dust to rent our hearts and not our garments as the Honorable Houses of Parliament hereupon saw cause both for themselves and the whole Kingdom to be humbled for the growth of Errours a See the Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament concerning the growth and spreading of Errors Heresies and Blasphemles seting apart a day of publikel lumili●tion to seek Gods asustance for the sappresting and preventing the same and which was ordered by the Lords to ba pr●med Die Jovis Feb 4.1646 and to becamed down by the Sherists and under Sheriff and delivered to the several Ministers of very parisn Church Chappel within this Kingdom who were required to take notice of

THE Harmonious Consent OF THE MINISTERS OF THE Province within the County Palatine OF LANCASTER With their Reverend Brethren the Ministers of the Province of London in their late Testimonie to the Trueth of Jesus Christ and to our Solemn League and Covenant As also against the Errours Heresies and Blasphemies of these times and the Toleration of them LONDON Printed by J. Macock for Luke Fawne at the sign of the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard MDCXLVIII THE Harmonious Consent OF THE Ministers of the Province WITHIN THE County Palatine of Lancaster c. IT is a saying of Solomon worthy to be writen in letters of gold That a friend loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity a Prov. 17 17 And therefore though God need not the witness of men nor truth our testimony yet when his name is blasphemed the truth contradicted and opposed the faithful friends of God and the sincere lovers of the truth will as in all ages they have done stand up in his cause which they then see in such apparant hazard In the Scriptures we read of a cloud of witnesses b Heb. 12. 1. that appeared for God and bare witness to his truth though for so doing some of them had tryal of cruel mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonments c Heb. 11 36 37 38. c. In the Apostasie of the ten tribes Elijah and Elesha were zealous for God against the false Prophets of Baal Jeremy at Jerusalem and Ezekiel in Captivity bore witness against the whoredoms of the house of Judah as is most evident throughout their whole Prophesies Peter and the other Apostles though commanded not to teach any more in the name of Christ yet did not therefore forbear resolving rather to obey God then men d Acts 5.28 The two witnesses prophesied one thousand two hundred threescore days all the while the Gentiles did tread under-foot the holy City e Rov 11.2 3. Arrius met with great Athanasius and when the whole world wondered at it self that it was become Arrian the general Councel Of Nice f Concentrate a●tem pratie in un●●lles d●●●llus de p●●lyi●●ose phupt united li●e●●ll it 〈◊〉 di●●n ●in●●●i●sani●●●ale miru●●● it ●●vi●a●●●um ●●npin●●●l●m s●●tntiaplane admyab●les c. Binius vol. 1. Pay 262 met and laid an anatheme on that pernicious Heresie In latter times God had many in this Land who loved not their lives unto the death g Rev. 12 11. and gave testimony to the truth not in ink but in blood and who though they be dead yet speak h Heb. 11.4 as their names wil live for ever When the Complices of Arminius grew many some from the several reformed Churches convened in the general Synod of Dort and accursed his pestilentious Errours And yet more lately The i See the Pre. face to the Protestation May 5.1641 designs of Priests and Jesuites and other adherents to the Sea of Rome against the true reforuted Protestant Religion in his Majesties Dominions established the introducing of divers innovations and superstitions into the Church together with the driving out of multitudes out of his Majesties Dominions amongst other reasons brought forth the Protestation for the defence as of other things so also of the true reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish innovations within this Realm wherein not only the Parliament it self was engaged but according to the k See the Order of the House of Commons May 5.1641 concerning the printing of the Preamble the Protestar'en and sending down the Copies printed by the Knights and Burgesses who were to intimate with what willingness all the Members of the House made the Protestation and further to sign fie that as they jutisie the taking of it in themselves so they cannot but approve it in all such as shal take it Order and l See the Voce of the House July 30.1641 wherein they declare that what person soever shal n●●t●ke the Protestation is unsit to hear Other in the Chuch or Common wealth Vote of the House of Commons the generality of the Kingdom were engaged too The m The Preface of the solenm League and Covenant published Sept. 27.1643 calling to mind the treacherous and bloody plots conspiracies attempts and practises of the enemies of God against the true Religion and professors therof in all places especially in these Kingdoms ever since the Reformation of Religion and how much their rage power and presumption had been of late and were at that time increased and exercised did in a great tryal of affliction n Cor. 8.2 induce these Kingdoms to enter into asolemn League and Covenant as for other thing so also for the defence and Reformation of Religion and Extirpation of Popery Prelacy Superstition Heresie Schism and Profaness c. by which so the Protestation and Covenant as there was care taken for the better defence of the truth so there was also a glorious confession of it made before God Angels and men And now when men of perverse spirits and corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith had resisted the truth o 2 Tim. 3.8 this stirred up the zeal of our reverend and godly brethren the Ministers of the Province of London to give testimony to the truth of Jesus Christ And therefore that we the Ministers of Christ within the Province of the testimony of them that have gone before us considering that we cannot but be sensible of the strange and woful Apostasie of sundry from the Faith the great opposition made against the Government and Discipline of Jesus Christ the sad Divisions and Rents in this tattered and torn Church that an universal Toleration of all even the most execrable doctrines that ever were hatcht in hel or broached in the world is earnestly labored after by many and that the solemn League and Covenant sworn with hands lifted up to the most high God is with many buried in oblivion as it is not only neglected and slighted but also contemned scorned derided and most palpably voilated and trampled on by not a few and that its manifest that God is hereby shamefully dishonored most highly provoked neighbor Churches justly scandalized all fundamental and saving truths in danger to be plucked up by the roots and our several slocks to be poysoned with the spreading Errors of the times The claim that is laid to truth by the three glorious persons in the blessed Trinity p The Father is called The God of truth Deut. 32.4 the Son the truth Jo 14 6 the holy Ghost the Spirit of truth Jo. 14.17 the high price and account that is worthy to be set upon it being to be bought q Prov. 23 23 though at never so dear a rate how ever now a days esteemed of with many as a refuse commodity the high thankfulness we ow to God for keeping trueth so chaste and pure so long

of light and reason in other things God hath put the sword in the Parliaments hands for the terror of evil doers and the praise of them that do wel c. See a Letter sent to the House of Commons and printed 1645. going under the name of Oliver Cromwel and set down by Mr Rutherford in his survey of the spiritual Antichrist page 250. part 1. that do conceive that in things of the mind the sword is not put into the hands of the civil Magistrate for the terror of evil doers and the praise of them that do wel Yet because we judg the Toleration of all kind of opinions and professions in matters of Faith Errours therein being in the number of those evil works to which the Magistrate is to be a terror k Row 1● 3 4 to be impious and wicked and would be a tender nurse to give suck to cherish the foul ugly monstrous and mis-shapen births of our times as it would bealso desturctive to the Common wealth though we shall easily grant men are not to be punished by the Magistrate for their internal opinions which they do not discover l his 〈…〉 adjlipulamun qui sicuti beminum 〈…〉 is esse ajust it a 〈◊〉 de side opiniones a magis●●●ain 〈◊〉 esse 〈…〉 quanves 〈…〉 bo miman 〈◊〉 non esse puniendas largiamur 〈◊〉 tamia de rejpubluae exitialem religlonis proseljiunem a magistratu quibuslibet civibus ese ●●mitterdam negamus Synops purior theolog disput 50. thes 60. yet with our reverend brethren we do here profess to this Church and to all the Churches of God throughout the whole world That we do detest the forementioned Toleration m See a Yestimony to the Trueth of Jesus Christ page 34. And what ever others may expect to the contrary yet we hope that God wil never suffer the Parliament of England ever to be so unmindfut of either solemn League and Covenant or of their own formet Declarations and Remonstrances n The bonoiable House of Commans do thus remonshare They insuse into the people that we mean to abolish all Church Government and leave everyman to his own fancy for the service and worship of God And then afterwards they dicl●re And we do here declare that it is farfiom our purpose and desire to let loose the golden telns of Di●cipline and Government in the Church to leave private persons or particular Congregations to take up what form of diviven service they please for we hold it requifie that there should be throughout the whole Realm a consormity to that order which the Laws enjoyn according to the Word of God See the Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom Decemb 15.1641 Protestations and Professions as once to give a liltening car to such as might move for such a thing and that they might be kept from being guilry of so great a sin shal be out earnest prayer for them unto God continually night and day IV. And thus having expressed our deepest sence concerning the Errours and Heresies of these times and the Toleration of them which to us is so hateful and abominable we are now carryed on to declare what we conceive to be the cause of the spreading of our freting leprosie and eating gangrene If we make inquiry into our selves we must needs acknowledg our not prizing trueth as we ought not improving precious opportunities for good that have been put into our hands the great decay of the power of godliness leaving first love lukewarmness sleighting and undervaluing the means of grace and barrenness under them faults generally to be found in the better sort of people together with the many other grievous sins that are commited in the Land are just causes why we should be scourged with such a spiritual plague but yet these hinder not but that we may also as truly number the not fettling a wel ordered Church Government for so long a time after the old rotten building was polled down amongst the causes of the growth and spreading of pemicious Errours Anarchy wil cause confusion in the Church as wel as in the Common wealth And therefore we do profess that without a wel ordered Church Government that we here may use the words of the general Assembly of the Church of Scotland o See the Exhortation of the general Assembly of the Church of Scotland page 12. where they use these expressions in reference to the Preshyterial Government which we do also with them fully and freely own We know no other proper and effectual remedy against the present dangers of Religion in this Kingdom or for purging the Church from Scandals which are destructive either to sound doctrive or godliness and are therefore thankful to the Parliament for ordaining of late the speedy divission of all the Counties of the Kingdom into Classical Presbyteries ★ See the Ordinance of Pailiament for the speedy dividing and settling the several Counties of this Kingdom into distinct Classical Presbyteries and orderedd to be printed Jan. 29. 1647. Discipline and Government in the Church being the golden Reins whereunto this present Parliament hath wel likened it serving to curb and restrain men who are by nature like a wilde asses colt p Iob 11 12. affecting unbridled liberty it is the rod wherewith to correct petulant and froward children the shepherds crook which the faithful Pastors cannot want but to the spiritual prejudice of their flocks the keyes opening the doors for the admitance in of those whom Christ would have to be admited into his Church and the shuting out of whom he would have kept out it is the hedg or wal to keep the ravenous beasts from entering into Gods garden and vineyard the means to take the soxes the little soxes that spoil the vines ●s q Cant. 2 15. and to purge out the leaven that other wise though but little yet would leaven the whole lump r z Cor. 5.6 And if not a little Family no Common wealth or society of men can consist without the bond of Laws or Discipline ſ Steri a societ●● into 〈◊〉 a demus quae vel 〈◊〉 samiliam ●●beat comtinon in recto statu sin dis●po●●● potell eam esse multo magr●●● 〈…〉 esse Calvin lto 4. insti● cap. 12.1 ct 1. Si●ut use samiliane● respublier 〈…〉 societas sine legum dise●pl●●● 〈◊〉 ●●●do consistere potest 〈◊〉 ●●●lesae ch●●●li 〈…〉 in hoe 〈◊〉 po●●st constare a●st ●●rto ●g●●ini at queidoreis legibus in adsba●● per quae ordoejus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adverj●● c●ms mondi sathanae f●aues ac m●i●●toc●●●●rvlatè consirve●ui Synopsis pu●or the dog Disp 48. thef 1. how can it be expected but want of Church Government will soon bring the Church to ruine Therefore seeing Government is so neccessry for the Church we cannot but judg that the want of it for so long a time hath been and is one main cause of those great evils with which

37 and they returned inquired early after God they remembred that God was their rock and the high God their Redeemer nevertheless they did slatter him with their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongues for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant And may it not be said of us as in the days of Josiah it was said concerning treacherous Judah that had made a solemn Covenant with God for Reformation g 2. Chron. 34. 31 32 that she turned not to God with her whole heart but feignedly h Ier. 3.6 10. And besides all this neighbor Churches take notice of our strange breach of Covenant and are amazed at it Our dear brethren of Scotland who upon our taking this Covenant were induced to embark themselves with us and run a common hazard in the same cause do sadly complain i See the Exhortation of the general Assembly of the church of Scotland to their brethren in England page 5 6 7. of the crying sin of breach of Covenant and that the staves of beauty and bands covenant and brother hood are broken by many in this Kingdom and are much cast down in themselves and grieved fearing lest they should lose the fruit of all their sufferings and hazards for our sakes sc the establishment of Reformation and Uniformity in Religion in these three Kingdoms according to the Word of God and example of the best reformed Churches and which notwithstanding all suggestions whatsoever to the contrary we dare neither be so injurious nor uncharitable towards them as not to judg was the main end by them proposed when they first engaged with us especially when we consider whence came the first stirrings of the Wheels of Christs chariot in great Britain of latter times and who it was that first sounded the retreat to return from Babylon which posterity wil know to the second coming of Jesus Christ thoughwe should not own it of which we are modestly put in remembrance by one k Mr Rathe sord in his survey of the spiritual Antichrist in the Epistle to the Reader page 6. whose name is famous throughout the Churches whilest he is alive and whose works will abundantly commend him to posterity when he is dead The things that have been already mentioned in reference to breach of Covenant are matter of deepest sorrow to our hearts especially if we do further consider what guilt of perjury l Neh. 1● 29. spiritualadultery m Jer. 50. 5. high treason against the God of heaven is hereby brought upon our Land and that also breach of Covenant is a thing which God complains of n Psa 78.10.37 2 King ●1 15 ler. 11. 10. threatens severely o Lev. 26.25 Deur 29 20 21 22 10 ●5 let 22.8 9. and for which he hath inflicted sore Judgments on his people in former times p 2 King 6.7 15. As for our selves though we cannot excuse our selves from failings against our Covenant for which we desire unfeignedly to be humbled yet considering that for the matter of it there is nothing in it to be repented of but that the seed of Reformation and the foundation of the house of the Lord is in it and knowing also how solemnly with hands lifted up to the most high God it was taken and that it was made with the Almighty who will not be mocked and in his presence who is the searcher of all hearts with a true intention to perform the same as we shal answer at the great day when the secrets of all hearts shal be disclosed we do therefore by the grace of God resolve that we will not suffer our selves either directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination perswasion or terror to be ever withdrawn either in whole or in part from this sacred League and Covenant that was so solemnly and Cheerfully sworn by us in the time of Englands low estate and sad hour of temptation but shall all the days of our lives zealously and constamly continue therein against all opposition and promote the same according to our power against all lets and impediments whatsoever being fully assured there is none on earth that hath that power our consciences as to discharge us at their pleasure from the bond of this sacred Oath and that therefore the parties engaged in it what ever some mens intentions might be when they took it and how ever the common enemy whose prevalency and power together with our low condition in this land before first occasion the entring into it be now suppressed are notwithstanding still as firmly bound to their utmost to endeavour according to their places the performance of all the several things therein contained and sworn and that yet have not received their accomplishment because the war is ended as at the first taking of it And therefore though we cannot but heartily lament that any should be so strangely deluded as to q First I do not conceive the parties to that League intended thereby to be everlastingly bound each to other the gounds of striking it being meerly occasional for the joyning in a war to supprest the common enemy accordingly we did joyn the enemy is if we be wise suppressed and the was as you see ended what should the Covenant do but like an Almanack of the last year shew us rather what we have already done then what we be now to do Set the Independency of England endeavoured to be maintained by Henry Marten a Member of the Parliament there c. page 11. conceive so much yet we do abhor that it should be so much as once imagined that when the common enimy is suppressed this Convenant then forthwith should be out of date and but like an Almanack of the last year shewing us rather what we have already done then what we be now to do And because as when it was first enjoyed to be taken it was thought a fit means to acquire the favour of God so we now are fully perswaded being kept and observed it would make England the delight of God the rejoycing of al true hearted Saints at home and abroad a corasive and vexation to the Devil Antichrist all Popish prophane and Malignant persons at home and abroad and a mirrour of incomparable mercy We shal therfore as by the Order r Die veneris Jan. 29.1644 Ordered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament that the Solemn League and Covenant be on every day of Fast and publique humiliation publiquely read in every Church and Congregation within this Kingdom and that every Congregation be enjoyned to have one of the said Covenants fairly printed in a fair letter in a table fitted to hang up in some publique place of the Church to be read of the Honourable the House of Commons we are appointed to read it every Fast day in our places by stirring up our several Congregations to be always mindful of it our uttermost endeavour that they may observe