than they can be induced to abide in duty by the best Iâ—structions of those that watch over them No wonder that a peopâ—â— dwelling among Infidels be in hazard of seduction when a few Infidâ— tollerated to dwell among the Lords people will readily seduce theâ— therefore is that command given Exod. 23. ult They shal not dwel in thy lanâ— lest they make thee sin against me The example of the Popish Prelatical at Malignant faction in Brittain and Ireland the suffering them not only to dwell but to creep into places of Power and Trust in Scotland after they were once in a good measure expelled And especially in process of time the stupid submission to the Restitution of their Government of Church and State and to the Re-introduction of their wicked Establishments abjured by Covenant and to the imposition of wicked Laws contrary to the Covenant did gradually induce first particular persons among us then whole Families after that Tribes Parishes and Provinces to this dreadful sin of Covenant-breaking 2. Heart defection The heart turning away from the Lord ver 18. Vers 18. is the first step to external defection in Profession Practise or Principle from the Covenant of God The back-slider in Heart shal be filled with his own way If any Man draw back the Lord will have no Pleasure in him and then he is Plagued with Hardness of Heart and Blindnes of mind â—o run upon sins against the Covenant of God not for seeing nor fearing the curse of it The Lords People in Scotland turned first away from the Lord in Heart fell from their first Love Liveliness Tenderness Sincerity and Fervor in Heart Religion and then they could not but be a Prey to the tentations of the time the wicked Examples and Laws drawing and driving to Covenant breaking 3. Inclinations to Idolatry of any sort To go and serve the gods of these Nations ver 18. Idolatry is a breach of Covenant and inclination to it does easily insnare in the guilt of it Where a man begins once whorishly to look after idols of any kind he is readily and righteously left to follow his look Not only is it Idolatry to worship Wood and Stone Silver and Gold but to give Gods due to any other Object contrair to the 1st Command And to worship Him any other way then he hath commanded contrair to the 2d Command There are many heart idols as Self the World c. Covetousness being Idolatry There are many land-idols of jealousie as when any wicked Interest and Course is set up in competition with and opposition to and complied with in prejudice of Christs Interest and Cause Thus in this Land the Establishment of Erastiansime Prelacy Supremacy and Absolute Power ascribing to Kings of Clay what is the incommunicable Prerogative of the Prince of the Kings of the earth and Peoples love of the World self peace ease liberty c. Incomplyance with these Interests have been the Idols of these Nations And their heart turning away from the Lord to these have led them to forsake the Covenant 4. Hereupon follows the root that beareth Gall and Worm-wood ver 18. which is a bribed blinded or seared Conscience or an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God Heb. 13.12 A root of bitterness springing up whereby many are defiled Heb. 12.15 When the heart turns away from God then it inclines to Idols when it is so bewitched then the Conscience that is first Reclamant gets a bribe from the perverted will and affections to hold its peace at and to excuse sin and then its dictats are Gall and Worm-wood being blinded with Error it seeks arguments to justify the sinful Practice and at length is so seated that it is proof against all reproof and wholly benummed with the deceitfulness of sin under the energy of strong delusions which are bitter in the end This hath been the fourth step leading in breach of Covenant in Scotland when first the Tentation was presented of bowing to these Idols of jealousie above mentioned and the Question stated shall we Comply or Renounce the Covenant People first consulted their own Interest and Credit and then when that was determined to be secured the Conscience was soon lulled asleep and perswaded to applaud the fleshly conclusion and then the judgement was set on work to find out plausible Arguments and after vows to make inquiry to get shifts excuses and defences for their complyances and to excogitate pernicious principlâ— about the Magistrates power in Church affairs his power in loosing the obligation of Covenants and the indifferencie of forms of Church Government and the smalness of such points to be heads of suffering c. to justifie their breach of Covenant These roots have brought forth the bitter fruits of gall and wormwood that have brought this Land under the curse of the Covenant 5 Secure self-flattering presumption blessing himself and saying I shall have peace Verse 19. thô I walk in the imagination of my heart c. ver 19 This is the highest step of preparatives to and the heinousest aggravation of the sin of perjury and the bitterest fruit that growes from the root of Apostacy from God including many ingredients of the unpardonable sin trampling upon Light the presumer being supposed to hear the words of this curse and to tush at all threatnings blessing himself in his deliberate sinning with delight not only securely but self-willedly and resolutely proceeding from evil to worse promising to himself peace not only outward purchased by resolved perjury but inward in the sleep of a feared conscience A man so far left of God cannot withstand the tentations to Covenant-breaking No bonds can restrain his running headlong down the precipice to destruction Yet the full amount of all this presumption hath been very frequent in this apostatizing Generation on the front of whose perjury and perfidy in complying with the mischiefâ— framed into Laws by a Throne of iniquity this motto hath been legibly written I shall have peace thô I walk in the imagination of my heart V. From verse 20 to 28 the punishment of breach of Covenant is threatned predicted and described with reference to a twofold breach of Covenant procuring a twofold punishment personal perjury threatned with personal National with National judgements First Verse 20. Personal perjury is in two verses maâ—e obnoxious to many terrible threatnings every clause thundering vengeance Quest 16 If it be asked What may every Covenant breaker expect The Spirit of God Answers 1. The Lord will not spare him This is a Meiosis importing far more than is expressed to wit a threatning of inexorable ineluctable and irresistible judgement wherein there shall be no allay of Mercy as Ezek. 5.11 Ezek. 7.4.9 implying nevertheless alwayes an exception of Repentance Otherwise the Lord will not spare the presumptuous Covenant breaker be who he will be he King or Beggar Magistrate or Minister or private Person 2. But then the anger of
honour and of the publick peace of the Kingdom By the manifold innovations and evils generally contained and particularly mentioned in Supplications Complaints and Protestations †Remonstrances Declarations Testimonies of old and of late Do hereby profess and before God His Angels and the World solemnly declare That with our whole Hearts we agree and resolve all the dayes of our life constantly to adhere unto and to defend the foresaid true Religion and forbearing the practice of all Novations ‡ Former or latter introduced in the matter of the Worship of God or approbation of the corruptions of the publick Government of the Kirk or civil places and power of Kirk-men * Or any other Corruptions of the publick Government of the Kirk Prelatick or Erastian either tried or to be tried till they be tryed and allowed in free Assemblies and in Parliaments to labour by all means lawful to recover the Purity Liberty of the Gospel as it was established professed before the foresaid Novations And because after due examination We plainly perceive undoubtedly believe that the Innovations evils contained in our Supplications Complaints and Protestations †Remonstrances Declarations and Testimonies have no warrand of the word of God are contrary to the Articles of the foresaid Confessions to the intention and meaning of the blessed Reformers of Religion in this Land to the above written Acts of Parliament and do sensibly tend to the Re-establishing of the Popish Religion and Tyranny and to the subversion and ruine of the true reformed Religion and of our Liberties Laws and Estates We also declare that the foresaid Confessions are to be interpreted and ought to be understood of the foresaid Novations and Evils no less than if every one of them had been expressed in the foresaid Confessions and that we are obliged to detest and abhore them as well as the particular heads of Papistry abjured therein And therefore from the knowledge and Conscience of our duty to God to * The Government and Countrey our King and Countrey without any worldly respect or inducement so far as humane infirmity will suffer wishing a further measure of the Grace of God for this effect We promise and swear by the Great Name of the Lord our God to continue in the Profession and Obedience of the foresaid Religion That we shal defend the same and resist all these contrary Errors and Corruptions according to our Vocation and to the uttermost of that power that God hath put in our hands all the dayes of our life And in like manner with the same heart We declare before God and Men That We have no intention nor desire to attempt any thing that may turn to the dishonour of God or to the diminution of the †The Civil Magistrates Kings Greatness and Authority But on the contrary we promise and swear that we shall to the uttermost of our power with our means and lives stand to the defence of ‡ His Highness his Person and Authority when lawfully chosen and established as King or Suprem Magistrate over us our dread Soveraign the Kings Majesty his Person and Authority in the Defence and Preservation of the foresaid true Religion Liberties and Laws of the Kingdom As also to the mutual defence and assistance every one of us of another in the same cause of maintaining the true Religion and his Majesties Authority with our best counsel our Bodies our Means and whole power against all sorts of persons whatsomever So that whatsoever shall be done to the least of us for that cause shall be taken as done to us all in general and to every one of us in particular And that we shall neither directly nor indirectly suffer our selves to be divided or withdrawn by whatsoever Suggestion allurement or terror from this Blessed and Loyal Conjunction nor shall cast in any let or impediment that may stay or hinder any such resolution as by common consent shall be found to conduce for so good ends But on the contrary shall by all lawful means labour to further and promote the same and if any such dangerous and divisive motion be made to us by word or writ We and every one of Us shall suppress it or if need be shall incontinent make the same known that it may be timeously obviated Neither do we fear the foul aspersions of Rebellion Combination or what else our Adversaries from their craft or malice would put upon us seing what we do is so well warranted and ariseth from an unfeigned desire to maintain the true Worship of God * Honour of the Government the Majesty of our King and peace of the Kingdom for the common happiness of our selves and the posterity And because we cannot look for a Blessing from God upon our preceedings except with our Profession and Subscription we joyn such a Life and Conversation as beseemeth Christians who have renewed their Covenant with God We therefore faithfully promise for our selves our followers and all other under us both in publick in our particular Families and personal carriage to endeavour to keep our selves within the bounds of Christian liberty and to be good Examples to others of all Godliness Soberness and Righteousness and of every duty we owe to God and Man And that this our Union and Conjunction may be observed without violation we call the Living God the Searcher of our Hearts to witness who knoweth this to be our sincere Desire and unfaigned Resolution As We shall answer to Jesus Christ in the Great Day and under the pain of Gods Everlasting Wrath and of Infamy and loss of all honour and respect in this World. Most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his holy Spirit for this end and to bless our Desires and Proceedings with a happy success that Religion and Righteousness may flourish in the Land to the Glory of God the honour †Of our Soveraigns of the King and peace and comfort of us all In witness whereof we have subscribed with our hands all the Premisses c. This Article of the Covenant which was at the first Subscription ‡ Anno 1638. referred to the determination of the General Assembly being determined and thereby the 5 Articles of Perth the Government of the Kirk by Bishops the Civil places and power of Kirkmen upon the reasons and grounds contained in the Acts of the General Assembly declared to be unlawful within this Kirk We subscribe according to the determination foresaid A SOLEMN LEAGUE and COVENANT For Reformation and Defence of Religion WE Having before our Eyes the Glory of God and the Advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ * The establishment preservation of the Government the Honour and Happiness of the Kings Majesty and his Posterity and the true publick Liberty Safety and Peace of the Kingdoms wherein every ones private condition is included And calling to mind
with the People of these Abominations and taking into our bosome those Serpents which had formerly stung us almost unto death This as it would argue great madness and folly upon our part So no doubt if it be not avoided will provoke the Lord against us to Consume us until there be no remnant nor escaping in the Land. Many times have we been warned of the Sin of Complyance with Malignants both by faithful Instructions and fatherly Corrections from the Lord Yet after all these Punishments and after all these Mercies in mitigating these Punishments We have again joyned with the People of these Abominations The Lord is Righteous for we remain yet escaped as it is this day Behold we are before Him in our Trespasses and we cannot stand before Him because of this These Incendiaries Malignants and evil Instruments made many grievous Encroachments and prevailed much in the dayes of our Fathers But not without dissent Testimonies Warnings and Declarations to the Contrary But in our unhappy dayes they have been suffered yea encouraged without any significant joynt Testimony not only to hinder the Reformation of Religion but to overturn the whole Work of Reformation to Burn and Bury the Covenants for it to re-establish abjured Prelacy erect a monstrous Christ-exauctorating and Church-enslaving Supremacy attempt the introduction of Popery and Slavery at the gate of an Antichristian Tolleration and to persecute and destroy the Godly who durst not in conscience comply with them And not only to divide the King from his People or one of the Kingdoms from another but first to divide the bulk and body of both Kingdoms and make them pursue divided Interests from the Interest and Cause of Christ And then to divide the remnant of such as adhered to it among themselves by Indulgences and other bones of contention in order to get them more easily destroyed And at length to engage the King into such a division from the People as to make him in stead of their Protector their declared Destroyer And not only to make parties among the People contrary to this League and Covenant but to draw and divide the whole People to party with their perjuries And yet so far have we been from endeavours to have them brought to tryal and condign punishment as the supreme Judicatories of the Kingdom should judge convenient that they have been suffered to obtain and manage the whole Administration of Judgement in their own hands and to sit and act as the sole Representatives of the Kingdom Yea not only have we suffered them so to sit and act but have owned them as our Representatives in complying with their Mischiefs framed into Law in abetting strengthening and encouraging the Prelatical faction in their avowed opposition to the Covenant The generality have owned Allegiance to the Head of these Incendiaries and Malignants yea a Popish Incendiarie because he wore a Crown on his head And have payed the Cess imposed for the maintenance and encouragement of Malignants Many have Associated with them in Expeditions of War drawing up with them in their Musters and Rendezvouses thereby countenancing a Malignant cause and listing themselves under a Malignant yea Popish Banner Many have subscribed yea sworn themselves of their Faction contrary to the Covenant by taking Tests Oaths and Bonds obliging them to suâ—cease from Covenanted Duties and to keep the peace and good behaviour with them whom they were obliged by the Covenant to seek to bring to punishment yea some and not a few were inveigled in the snare of the Oath of Delation to Delate the persecuted People of GOD to their Courts and thereby made in stead of discovering Malignants according to the Covenant to discover their Brethren to Malignants And very many almost the universality of the Land were involved in the snare of the Oath of Abjuration renouncing the principle of declating War against a Malignant King and of asserting the lawfulness of bringing his murdering complyces and Incendiaries to condign punishment But on the other hand some of us have sometimes exceeded the bounds of Moderation in this matter in usurping the sword without GODS Call without respect to the Rule and against the scope of our own Declarations to take vengeance on them at our own hand yea even to that degree of taking the Lives of * such at the Curate of Carspharn and some others some of them in an extravagant manner For which we have been sadly rebuked of GOD and occasion hath been given and taken to reproach and blaspheme the Way of God upon that account In the 5th Article we are bound according to our peace and Interest to endeavour that the Kingdoms may remain Conjoyned in a firm Peace and Union to all Posterity and that Justice may be done on the willful opposers thereof According to Gal. 5 12. Isa 2.2.3 Isa 19.23.24.25 Jer. 50.4 5. Ezek. 37.16.17 Zech. 2.11 Zech. 8.20.22.23 But thô the Peace and Union betwixt the Kingdoms be a great blessing of God unto both and a Bond which we are obliged to preserve unviolated And to endeavour that justice may be done upon the opposers thereof Yet some in this Land who have come under the Bond of the Covenant have made it their great study how to dissolve this Union and few or no endeavours have been used by any of us for Punishing of such Yea very litle or not at all have the most of us been concerned about this Article whether there be Peace with or holiness and truth in the other Kingdoms or what sort of Peace or on what Foundations it be settled Both Kingdoms are mutually guilty of dissolving this Covenanted Union in Invading each other at several times contrary to the Covenant The English Nation in subjecting us to their Conquest and forcing us to a submission and Union with their Sectarian Usurpations on Church and State And this Nation in giving such provocations to them by the Unlawful Engagement in the year 1648 By treating with setting up and entertaining the Head of the Malignant party their Enemy and ours both as our King in the year 1650 And inwading them upon his quarrel in the Worcester expedition Anno 1651. Since which time after that Kingdom and this both united in that unhappy course of restoring the King without respect to the Covenant And re-establishing Prelacy which broke our Covenanted Union and Conjunction That Nation hath sometimes sent aid to our Persecutors for suppressing our Attempts to recover our Religion and Liberties And this Nation hath sent Forces to help their Destroyers and to suppress their Endeavours for the recovery of their Priviledges And in the mean time we have been very litle solicitons for Correspondence to settle Union with such of them as owned the Covenant Or for giving to or receiving from them mutual Informations of our respective cases and conditions under all our Calamities and Calumnies cast upon us Nor have we studied to keep up Sympathie or Communion of Saints or a
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
the tracherous 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 excercised whereof the deplorable estate of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdom of England and the * Distressed dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present and publick Testimonies we have now at last †After all the Supplications Remonstrances Protestations Sufferings of our Fathers and our own Grievous Sufferings and Contendings after other means of Supplication Remonstrance Protestation Suffering 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 all the maturity of deliberation that our circumstances could allow after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a muâ—ual 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 1. That we shall sincerely really and constantly through the Grace of God endeavour in our several 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 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 endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest 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 midst of us 2. That we shall in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy that is Church-goverment by Arch-bishops Bishops their Chancellours Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-deacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresie Schism Prophanness and whatsoever shall be found to be contraâ—y to sound Doctrine and the power of Godliness Lest 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 3. We shall with the same sincerity reality and constancy in our several Vocations endeavour with our Estates and Lives mutually to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdom And to preserve and defend * The Civil Magistrates Person and Authority the Kings Majesties Person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and the Liberties of the Kingdoms That the World may bear witness with our Consciences of our Loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intention to diminish his just power and greatness 4. We shall also with all faithfulness endeavour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evil Instruments by hindering the Reformation of Religion dividing †Between the Magistrate and Subjects the King from his People or one of the Kingdoms from another or making any faction or parties amongst the people contrary to this League and Covenant That they may be brought to publick trial and receive condigne punishment as the degree of their offences shall require or deserve or the Supreme Judicatories of both Kingdoms respectively or others having power from them for that effect shall judge convenient 5. And wherâ—as the happiness of a blessed Peace between these Kingdoms denied in former times to our Pregenitors is by the good Providence of God granted unto and ‡ Was in the dayes of our Fathers concluded hath been lately concluded and settled by both Parliamen's We shall each one of us according to our place and interest endeavour that they may remain ‡ As they were then conjoyned in a firm Peace Union to all Posterity and that Justice may be done upon the wilful Opposers thereof in manner expressed in the precedent Article 6. We shall also according to our places and callings in this common cause of Religion Liberty and Peace of the Kingdoms assist and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and pursuing thereof And shall not suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever Combination Perswasion or Terrour to be divided and withdrawn from this blessed Union and Conjunction whether to make defection to the contrary part or to give our selves to a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this cause which so much concerneth the Glory of God the good of the Kingdoms and honour †Of the Government of the King But shall all the dayes of our lives zealously and constantly continue therein against all opposition and promote the same according to our power against all Lets and Impediments whatsoever And what we are not able our selves to suppress or overcome we shall reveal and make known that it may be timely prevented or removed All which we shall do as in the sight of God. And because these Kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocations against God and his Son Jesus Christ as is too manifest by our present distress and dangers the fruits thereof We profess and declare before God and the World our unfained desire to be humbled for our own sins and for the sins of these Kingdoms especially that we have not as we ought valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospel that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof and that we have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our hearts nor to walk worthy of him in our Lives which are the causes of other sins and transgressions so much abounding amongst us and our true and unfained purpose desire and endeavour for our selves and all others under our power charge both in publick and in private in all duties we ow to God and Man to amend our lives and each one to go before another in the example of a real Reformation That the Lord may turn away his wrath and heavy indignation and establish these Churches and Kingdoms in truth and Peace And this Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty God the Searcher of all hearts with a true intention to perform the same As we shall answer at that great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed Most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his Holy Spirit for this end and to bless our desires and proceedings with such success as may be a deliverance and safety to his People and encouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under or
mutual bearing of one anothers burdens as became Covenanted Brethren On the other hand in stead of Union in Truth and Duty according to the Bond of the Covenant a Confederacy hath been studied in defection from the Covenant And an Union and Peace which wanted the foundation laid down in the foregoing Articles of the Covenant to wit Uniformity in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against Popery Prelacy Schism or Sectarianism for our Religion Laws and Liberties and the discovering suppressing and punishing the enemies of these Interests Such an Union hath not been studied or sought but on the contrare an Union against the Reformation and Uniformity for Prelacy or Sectarian Multiformity by maintaining Tyranny and strengthening Malignancy In the 6th Article We are bound according to our Places and Callings in this common Cause of Religion Liberty and Peace to assist and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining thereof And in the National Covenant in like manner we are bound to stand to the mutual defence and assistance every one of us of another in the same cause with our best Counsel our Bodies Means and whole Power against all sorts of persons what soever So that whatsoever shall be done to the least of us for that Cause should be taken as done to us all in general and to every one of us in particular A duty very clear in the Scriptures Judg. 5.23 1 Chron. 12.1 18. Nehem. 4.14 Prov. 24.11.12 But alas Little Conscience hath been made of this Duty We have suffered many of out Brethren in several parts of the Land to be oppressed of the common Enemy without compassion or relief There hath been great murmuring and repining because of expence of means and pains in doing of our duty And not only so but many have Sworn and Subscribed Oaths and Bonds engaging against such assistances very directly and to condemn all such endeavours to assist defend or rescue them as Sedition and Rebellion And obliging them to assist their murdering Malignant Enemies by such concurrences as they required Yea many instead of coming out to the help of the Lord against the Mighty and defending their Brethren have come out to the help of the Mighty against the Lord His Cause Covenant and oppressed People concurring in Armes against them at all the Appearances that have been astayed for the cause of Christ Appearing at Courts held for informing against and Condemning their Brethren that were Present at or concerned in such Appearances for the Covenanted Cause And coming in as Witnesses against them Sitting in Assyses for Condemning them And guarding them to their Executions when Martyred for their Duty and the Interest of Truth Many again have denied to Reset Harbour and Entertain their Brethren Persecuted for maintaining the Covenanted Reformation And some have raised the Hue and Cry after them thereby occasioning and assisting in the cruel Murder of several faithful Brethren The most part have owned the Great Murderer who authorized all the rest and enacted all these Murders And assisted him and his Complices and Executioners of his murdering Mandats with their Purses and Estates in paying the Supplies professedly demanded and declaredly imposed for enabling them to accomplish these Mischiefs Yea many of our Brethren have been so far from assisting that they have added afflâ—ctions to their afflicted Brethren by their Reproaches and persecuting by the Tongue whom the Lord had smitten and talking to the grief of those whom He had wounded And as all sorts of us have been wanting in our Sympathie with and endeavouring succour to our suffering Brethren let be to deliver them from their Enemies hands according to capacity especially if they were such as differed from us in their Judgement So we cannot forbear with shame and sorrow to confess that many Ministers have all alongst discovered great unconcernedness with and contempt of poor despised and reproached Sufferers Condemning the Heads of their Sufferings Forgetting or refusing to pray for them publickly And declining yea disswading to contribute for the relief of the Banished of late Which hath been very discouraging to the afflâ—cted and stumbling to many In the same Article we are bound not to suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever Combination or Terror to be divided and withdrawn from this blessed Vnion and Conjunction Whether to make defection to the contrary part or to give our selves unto a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this Cause And in the National Covenant That we shall neither directly nor indirectly suffer our selves to be divided or withdrawn by whatsoever suggestion allurement or terror from this Blessed and Loyal Conjunction According to Scripture warrands Gen. 13 8. Psal 133. throughout Zech. 8.19 Heb. 12 14. 1 Cor. 1.10 Eph. 4 3. Phil. 1.27 and 2.1 2. Jer. 9.3 Ezek. 22.25 2 Tim. 4.10 Hag. 1.2 Phil 2.21 Rev. 3.15 16. But alas It is long since our Fathers had reason to complain and confess that many in their day by perswasion or terror suffered themselves to be divided and withdrawn to make defection to the contrary part Many had turned off to a detestable indefferency and Neutrality in this Cause which so much concerneth the Glory of God and the good of these Kingdoms Nay many had made it their study to walk so as they might comply with all times and all the revolutions thereof It was not their care to countenance encourage intrust and employ such only as from their hearts did affect and mind Gods work But the hearts of such many times had been discouraged and their hands weakned their sufferings neglected and themselves slighted And many who had been once open Enemies and alwayes secret Underminers countenanced and employed Nay even those who had been looked upon as Incendiaries and upon whom the Lord had set Marks of desperate Malignancy Falshood and Deceit were brought in as fit to manage publick Affairs All which Sins and Breaches of Covenant have now encreassed to a greater height of heinousness For in our day these Incendiaries desperate and ingrained Malignants have only been imployed in and admitted to the management of Affairs in Church and State and none but they have been accounted Habile by Law And such divisions from this Covenanted Conjunction and defections to the contrary part have been enacted and established by Law. Yea all the unhappy divisions that have been in our day have been the woeful consequents and effects of Defections to the contrary part At the first erection of Prelacy many both Ministers and Professors partly by Terror and partly by Perswasion did withdraw from this Covenanted Conjunction and make defection unto Prelacy with which they combin'd in conforming with it and submitting unto the Ministry of the conforming Curats And afterwards by the terror of the fear of Men and the perswasions of their Counsels and Example many of us have been seduced into a Combination with Malignants in taking Oaths and Bonds contrary to the Covenants thereby
dividing our selves from the Recusants and making defection to the party imposing them and opposing the Covenants And by Combination of those that preferred Peace to Truth and Ease to Duty by the terror of threatned continuance of Persecution and the perswasion of a promised Relaxation and immunity from Troubles many Ministers have been divided from the Testimony of the Church of Scotland against the encroaching Supremacy and Absolute Power and one from another and have made defection to that part and Party that were advancing these Encroachments and Usurpations on the prerogatives of Christ and Priviledges of his Church by receiving Indulgences and Tolerations from them in their own nature destructive unto and given and received on terms inconsistent with the Duties of the Covenants which were contrived and conferred on purpose to divide them from this cause and from their Brethren that more tenaciously adhered to it and did effectuate that design in a great measure And others gave themselves to a detestable indifference in complying with conniving at and not witnessing against these defections but passing them over in a secure and submissive silence And yet many of us have not shewed our dislike of these backsliding courses by discountenancing withdrawing from and keeping our selves free of all participation with them And others have withdrawn that have not mourned for the sin of these things to the irritation and offence rather than conviction of these they withdrew from Moreover in the same Article we are sworn all the dayes of our lives zealously and constantly to continue in this Cause against all Letts and Impediments whatsoever And what we are not able our selves to suppress and overcome to reveal and make known that it may be timely prevented or removed And in the National Covenant never to cast in any Lett or Impediment that may stay or hinder any such resolution as by common consent shall be found to conduce for so good ends but on the contrary by all lawful means to labour to further and promove the same And if any such dangerous and divisive motion be made to us by word or writ that we and every one of us shall either suppress it or if need be incontinent make the same known that it may be timeously obviated agreeing very well with Scriptures Num 14 9 10 Neh 6 3 6 8 9 10 11 c. Psal 69 9 Isa 8 12 14 Acts 4 19 Acts 20 24 21 13 Gal 2 5 Phil 1 28. Nevertheless many have been the lets and impediments that have been cast in the way to retard and obstruct the Lords work by Prelacy Supremacy Indulgences Tolleratâ—on and absolute Tyrannie and complyances therewith enacted by Law and all the mischiefs establâ—shed by a Throne of iniquity these 28. years Yet few have ever zealously contented and fewer have constantly continued in contending against these obstructions so destructive to the cause Many have keeped Secret the first motions and appearances of these things while they might have been suppressed and overcome And the generality have passed them over in silence and made not known nor adverted unto the Evil of these things when declared by witnessing against these things when they could not be otherwise removed or overcome Yet many of us have our selves cast in Lets and Impediments obstructive to the Cause by our Defections Divisions and Disorders against Common Consent precipitencies without coÌ„mon consent even of our Brethren adhering to the Testimony Many a divisive Motion hath not been counted dangerous as those which tended to divide us from the Covenanted Cause And many a good and necessary Motion hath been counted Divisive namely such as proposed the necessity of confessing and forsaking sin Besides these and many other breaches of the Articles of the Covenant in the matter thereof which concerneth everyone of us to search out and acknowledge before the Lord as we would wish his wrath to be turned away from us So have many of us failed exceedingly in the manner of following and pursuing the duties contained therein not only seeking great things for our selves and mixing private interests and ends concerning our selves and friends and followers with these things that concern the publick good but many times preferring such to the honour of God and good of his Cause and retarding Gods work untill we might carry alongst with us our own Interests and Designs It hath been our way to trust in the means and to rely upon the arm of flesh for success albeit the Lord many times hath made us meet with disappointment therein and stained the pride of all our glory by blasting every carnal confidence unto us We have followed for the most part the counsels of flesh and blood and walked more by the Rules of Policy than Piety and have hearkned more unto men than unto God. In the Conclusion of the Solemn League and Covenant there is a Profession and Declaration before GOD and the World of our unfeigned desires to be humbled a Ez k 7 16 for our own sins and b Ezek 9 4 for the sins of these Kingdoms especially that we have not c Matth 22 5 valued as we ought the inestimable benefite of the Gospel that we have not laboured for the d Acts 2 42 1 Tim 6 13 14. Purity and e 2 Tim 3 5 Power thereof and that we have not endeavoured to f Ephes 3 17 Colloss 2 6 receive Christ in our hearts nor to walk g Colloss 1 10 worthy of Him in our lives h 2 Thes 2 11 12 which are the causes of other sins and transgressions so much abounding among us All which we are under many obligations to confess and mourn over from the Word And of our true and unfeigned purpose and desire to endeavour for our selves and all others under our power and charge both in publick and in private in all Duties we owe to God and Man to amend our Lives and each one to go before another in the example of a real Reformation that the Lord might turn away His Wrath and heavy Indignation and establish these Churches and Kingdoms in Truth and Peace Yet we have refused to be Reformed and have walked proudly and obstinatly against the Lord not valuing His Gospel nor submitting our selves unto the obedience thereof nor seeking after Christ nor studying to honour Him in the excellency of His Person nor employ Him in the vertue of His Offices not making Conscience of Publick Ordinances nor Private nor Secret Duties nor studying to edifie one another in Love. The Ignorance of God and of His Son Jesus Christ prevails exceedingly in the Land. Even our Eathers in their purest times confessed in their Acknowledgement of Sins That the greatest part of Masters of Families among Noblemen Barons Gentlemen Burgesses and Commons neglected to seek God in their Families and to endeavour the Reformation thereof And albeit it had been much preswaded yet few of the Nobles and Great Ones could be perswaded to