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
under Sanctuary desolations the other may follow 9 Exile and slavery Lev 26 33 38 Deut 28 25 36 37 64 68. This hath been in part literally accomplished in the deportation of many to America more may be coming 10 A curse and vexation in and upon all enjoyments and employments Deut 28 15 20 2 Chron 24 20 Since ever we forsook the Lord nothing hath prospered with us 11 Infatuation Deut 28 28 Quos Deos vult perdere dementat hath been written on all our projects for which we are a scorn and derision to all Nations about us 12 Desertion from God and hiding of His face Deut 31 17 Jer 15 1 Visibly seen in Ordinances and Providences the fruit of our forsaking His Covenant In a word many troubles Deut 31 17 All evills even to utter destruction Josh 23 15 16. For all which our hearts may meditate Terror Vers 24. 3. Their Enquiry or Question upon their observation of the tremendous punishment of this sin is Quest 19 Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this Land What meaneth the heat of this great anger This is frequently predicted to be the Question of spectators that shall observe the National Punishment of National Crying sins As in the case of the Temples desolation for Temple polluting sins 1 Kings 9.8 9. 2 Chron. 7.21 22. The like also Jer. 22.8 9. When this shall be the question of the Nations it will be easie to answer it It is not so at the beginning of the Lords contendings when it is only the question of the Apostatizing Generation it self Then only the faithful Watch-men instructed of God will answer it suitably Jer. 5.19 Jer. 16.10 It is not easie to find the wise man that may understand this and to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken that he may declare it for what the Land perisheth Jer. 9.12 13. The most guilty may alleage the more innocent to be the causes of the Lands trouble as Ahab said to Elijah 1 King. 18.17 18. And even the Prophets not discovering the Lands iniquity may see false burdens and causes of banishment Lam. 2.14 However it will be no mistake to pitch upon several causes of wrath against Scotland even any or all that ever brought down Vengeance upon any Generation of wrath recorded in the Scripturs or in any History such as Profanity of all sorts Hypocrisie Idolatry Adultery Treachery Pride Blood and Oppression Contempt of the Gospel c. and these attended with the greatest aggravations With these indeed the Land hath been troubled polluted and for the same is yet perishing But chiefly that which hath incensed the anger of the Lord to all this heat hath been and remains to be Breach of Covenant And all these abominations not simply because Breaches of the Law of God but as under this special aggravation that they have been and are Breaches of Covenant As is evident from 4. The ready Answer here given Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their fathers which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the Land of Egypt ver 25. Vers 25. This Answer shall be extorted from Men all Men that are Men of any consideration Prophets Jer. 5.19 Jer. 9.13 Jer. 16.10 Covenant-breakers themselves Deut. 31.17 Strangers 2 Chron. 7.21 22. Jer. 22.8 9. Let it be enquired then wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto Scotland What meaneth the heat of all this great anger in which it hath been consuming now these 40 years and yet not consumed The Answer must be We have forsaken the Covenant c. It appears hence that breach of Covenant is a great sin and cause of wrath And is further confirmed from many Threatnings of wrath for it Levit. 26.25 Deut. 31.16 17. Josh 23.15 16. 2 Chron. 7.21 22. Jer. 22.8 9. From sad and stupendous executions of these Threatnings Josh 7.11 15. 2 Kings 17.15 c. Isa 24.5 6 And from the confessions and complaints of it 1 King 19 10 Neh 9 Dan 9 It may be also observed from hence that no sin is more aggravated than breach of Covenant as appears from these words to ver last wherein this Answer of the Nations 1. Aggravates this sin in general v. 25. 2. Specifies the particular kind of it v 26. 3. Justifies the punishment of it v. 27 28. 1 Here is aggravated the heinousness of breach of Covenant in a contexture of words that shews forth its hatefulness There are several degrees of this sin but this is the worst Quest 20 Quer How may a Nation be guilty of breach of Covenant Ans Not only 1 by transgressing any of the Articles of it as here by serving other gods ver 26 putting forth the hand to any accursed thing which thô it was the personal sin of Achan only yet the whole Congregation was involved in it Josh 7 11 15. especially when it is discovered and yet connived at not witnessed against nor mourned over But 2 by rashness or falshood in making it Hos 10 4 swearing falsly in making a Covenant when it is not taken in truth righteousness and judgement when only in Hypocritical flatterie without right and stedfast hearts it is engaged into Psal 78.36 37. 3 By forgetfulness Deut. 4 23 Take heed unto your selves lest â—e forget the Covenant of the Lord your God Forgetting is a step towards forsaking Psal 44 17 The perpetual Covenant should not be forgotten Jer 50 5. 4 By seeking shifts to elude it and Arguments to defend the breach of it Prov 20 25 5 By despising and undervaluing the Bond of it Ezek 16 59 Ezek 17 16 19. 6 By defection to the iniquities abjured in it Jerem 11 10. 7 By changing the institutions sworn to be maintained Isaiah 24 5 Either the State Government without consulting Divine directions and boundaries Hos 8 1 4. Or the Church Government without respect to the Pattern of the revealed will of Christ 2 Chron. 13.9 10 11. 8 By disowning it and downright denying the obligation of it Dan 11 30. 9 By stating an opposition to it and persecuting them that adhere to it 1 Kin 19.10 Dan. 11.30 The two last are properly forsaking the Covenant which is more then breaking it here may be gathered the answer to this Quest Quest 21 What are the Aggravations of this sin This Forsaking implying willing and wilful deliberation resolution and presumption in avowing the breach of it This is a great length in perjury yet short of the amount of Scotlands unparalleled Effrontery in enacting the breach of it making the renunciation of it a qualification of persons capable of publict Trust burning it by the hand of the Hangman and making the owning of it Criminal Again here is a forsaking of the Covenant which as it includes a forsaking of the Commandments of God which hath a brand of a hateful heinousness 1 Kin 18 18 2 Chron 12 1 5 Ezra 9 10 Jer 9 13. So it imports and inferrs a greater
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
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
perform Family Duties themselves in their own Persons which made so necessary and useful a duty to be misregarded by others of inferiour Rank And we may add in our degenerate times not only the Great Ones generally profess the neglect and contempt of so necessary and useful a duty both in their own Persons and in the use of Chaplains except such who are as Prophane as themselves But the greatest part of the Commons are altogether Strangers to it many performing no part of Family-worship Others only singing a Psalm and Reading a Chapter without Praying And others making a fashion of performing all but very perfunctoriously formally and indifferently and scarce once in a day And making litle Conscience in Catechising and Instructing their Children and Servants The Nobility Gentry and Burrows who should be examples of Godliness and Sober walking unto others are very generally Ring-leaders of excess and Rioting Whereby it is Impossible to reckon up all the Abominations that are in the Land But the Blaspheming of the Name of God swearing by the Creatures Profanation of the Lords day Uncleanness Drunkenness Excess and Rioting Vanity of Apparrel Lying and Deceit Railing and Cursing Arbitrary and uncontrolled Oppression and grinding of the faces of the Poor by Land lords and others in Place and Power are become ordinary and common Sins We have been far from amending our Lives and promoting a personal Reformation and going before one another in the example of a real Reformation when we have been bad examples of Deformation in our personal Practises and publick Transactions and being too familiar and too far unite with the Patrons and Patterns of all the Lands Deformations Our Fathers also acknowledged Albeit they were the Lords People engaged unto Him into a Solemn way yet they had not made it their study that Judicatories and Armies should consist of and places of Power and Trust be filled with Men of blameless and Christian Conversation and of known Integrity and approven fidelity affection and zeal unto the cause of God And not only those who were neutral and indifferent but disaffected and Malignant and others who were profane and scandalous were intrusted By which it came to pass that Judicatories even then were the seats of Injustice and Iniquity And many in their Armies by their miscarriages became their Plague unto the great prejudice of the Cause of God the great scandal of the Gospel and the great increase of looseness and profanity throughout all the Land. But we their far more degenerate Children have seen and owned Judicatories consisting of and filled with perjured Traitors to God and their Countrey And Armies made up of these Plagues Maâ—shalled under a displayed Banner against the Cause of God Not only to the Scandal but for the Suppression of the Gospel and forcing people to prosanity throughout the Land Yet we have not sighed nor cryed for these Abominations nor have we been concerned as we ought with the abounding of them through the Land Nor hath our Zeal which in any measure we professed exâ—ended it self far beyond the places where we sojourned not regarding the Ignorance and Profanity of the many dark places in the Land both in the Borders Highlands and Northern Isles and other parts nor being careful of propagating the knowledge of God and Religion among them As likewise wiâ—h blushing we must confess our Pride and presumptuous boasting of the External Priviledges we had and others wanted of the Gospel and outward Reformation and Testimony which we bragged off as if that had made us better than others while we made not Conscience of improving these Priviledges nor of bringing forth suitable Fruits in a personal Reformation And in like manner the conceitedness of some in Suffering and Non Complyance and Contending for Truth rather for keeping up the Contention and abetting a Party and many times under too lofty names of the Suffering Party and Remnant and the like than to keep and hold fast the Word of the Lords Patience to His Glory as our Crown And many other evidences of pride hateful to God in boasting of the use of Armies in an ostentive way and being too much taken up with them 〈◊〉 thô necessary for the defence of our Lives in a revengeful resenting of affronts in a passionate and disdainful refusing to take reproof for excesses in the manner of any duty when we thought the matter was right And in our lightness of Carriage forgetting our Sufferings since they began to abate Yea both in time of our greatest Sufferings and since we got this Liberty of date we must acknowledge with regrate that Idleness of both kinds hath too much abounded among us Both that when we were in a manner driven from the World and shut up from all Employments but the exercise of Godliness many did not improve that opportunity of the Cross to promote acquaintance and communion with God being slothful in Prayer Reading and other Duties And some again even since they might have had access to go to Service or other lawful Employments have continued idle and out of work to the opening of the mouths of many against the Cause albeit they were not called to or employed in any publick business for the same And besides all these things there be many other transgressions whereof the Land wherein we live are guilty which we have not been humbled for to this day But in stead of mourning for them confessing and forsaking them we have been rather defending or daubing covering or colouring excusing or extenuating them All which we now desire to acknowledge and be humble for that the World may bear witness with us that Righteousness belongeth unto God and shame and confusion of face unto us as appears this day BUT because it is needful for these who find Mercy not only to confess but also to forsake their sin Therefore that the reality and sincerity of our Repentance may appear WE do Resolve and Solemnly Engage our selves before the Lord carefully to avoid for the time to come all these Offences whereof we have now made solemn publick acknowledgement and all the snares and tentations which tend thereunto And to testifie the integrity of our Resolution herein and that we may be the better enabled in the power of the Lords strength to perform the same we do again Renew our Solemn League and Covenant promising hereafter to make Conscience of all the Duties whereunto we are obliged in all the Heads and Articles thereof particularly of these which follow Because Religion is of all things the most excellent and precious and the knowledge of the Great Truths of the Gospel so generally decreased in this Land is so absolutely necessary Therefore we shall endeavour to be better acquainted with the written Word of God the only infallible Rule of Faith and Manners And shall study more than formerly the Doctrine of this True Reformed Church summarly contained in our Confession of Faith Catechisms larger and shorter Sum of
all other Acts and Laws that have been framed since Prelacy and Tyranny came in that have been opposite unto the said Covenant and work of Reformation The reviving and ratifying of all former Righteous Laws made in favours thereof And the restoring and recovering of all the due and true Rights and Priviledges of Parliaments And as we shall earnestly pray unto God that He would give us able men fearing God men of Truth and hating covetousness to judge and bear Charge among His people So we shall according to our Places Callings and Capacities endeavor that Judicatories and all places of Power and Trust both in Kirk and State may consist of and be filled with such men as are of known good Affection to the Cause of God and of a blameless and Christian conversation to whom we shall submit and obey and defend them and their Rights with our Estates and Lives 2. We shall also desire and do design to recover vindicate and maintain the Liberties of the Subjects in all these things which concern their Consciences Persons and Estates 3. Now after we have been long howling under a grievous Tyrannie making men like the fishes of the Sea that have no Ruler over them We shall desire and long for a good Government and seek to have it rightly setled upon such a foundation of Righteousness with such a subordination to GOD and in such hands as Religion and Liberty and we in maintaining the same may find protection and Patrociny And then in the terms of the Covenant we promise Subjection Allegiance and our best endeavours to preserve and defend the Person and Authority of our Lawfully invested Kings Princes or other Magistrates in the preservation and defence of the True Religion and Liberties of the Kingdom Ministration of Justice and punishing of iniquity Or so far as our owning and defending them may or can consist with the preservation and defence of Religion Liberty and Justice Giving unto GOD that which is GODS and to Caesar the things which are Caesars And upon other termes we purpose never to own Allegiance to mortall Man. According to the Fourth Article 1. Beinâ—â— now sensible of the sin of complyance with Mâ—l gnants we shall resolve through Grace to stand aloof and at a greater distance from every thing that may import complyance confederacy or unitive transaction with them while remaining such by Associating with them in Armes paying them Cesses and Contributions imposed for maintaining them in their Cause and course of opposition to the Cause of GOD Or by swearing subscribing or taking any of their Oaths Tests or Bonds Or any new Oaths or Bonds whatsoever which may any way condemn Limite or Restrain us in the Duâ—iâ—s whereunto we are obliged by the National or Solemn League and Covenant Yea 2. We shall be so far from conniving at complying with or countenancing of Malignancy Injustice Iniquity Profanity and Impiety that we shall not only avoid and discountenance these things and cherish and encourage these persons who are zealous for the Causâ— of GOD and walk according to the Gospel But also shall seek a more effectual course than heretofore in our respective places and Callings for punishing and suppressing these evils and faithfully endeavour that the best and fittest remedies may be applyed for taking away the causes thereof and advancing the knowledge of GOD and Holiness and Righteousness in the Land. And to this effect shall endeavour to Represent our Grievances unto competent Judicatories against those who have been open Persecuters that they may receive condign punishment as the degree of their Crimes and Offences shall require or deserve that so the Land may be purged from blood and the LORD may delight to dwell among us Ye câ—nsidering what rashness hath appeared in some in putting forth their hand to punish such Incendiaries by death and how people may be still in hazard of running upon Extravagances in this matter from the misunderstanding of this Article of the Covenant We shal therefore guard against all irregularities in seeking the punishment of Malignants Incendiaries or evil Instruments and endeavour the discoverie and bringing of them to Justice in a Right and Legal way According to the Fifth Article We shal according to our places power Interest endeavour to have the Vnion of the Kingdoms brought to it s Covenanted Basis and avoid every thing that may weaken the same or involve us in any measure of accession unto the guilt of those who have invaded or hereafter may invade the Kingdom of England to break this Covenanted Vnion And shall endeavour more correspondence and sympathie with all our Covenanted Brethren both in England and Ireland According to the Sixth Article Considering what Dangers We and all our Brethren under the Bond and owning the Obligation of these Covenants are in and may be exposed to from the Popish Prelatical and Malignant Faction still prevailing And what defects we are sensible have been among us in the duty of defending and assisting one anoâ—her in this cause We do here sâ—lâ—mnly enâ—er under a Bond of Association with all that do nâ—w renew these Covenants with the Acknowledgement of the publick Breaches and Engagement to the duties thereof and shall concert and assert the old Covenanted Cause and Quarrel as our Fathers stated and contended for it from the year 1638. to 1650. Which cause of the Covenanted Reformation in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government and all Interests and Rights Religious or Civil contended for during that foresaid space of years conducing to promote the same we faithfully promise to prosecute and endeavour to propagate preserve and maintain with the hazard of our Lives and all that we have Not fearing or regarding the soul Aspersions of Rebellion Combination or what else our Adversaries from their Craft and Malice would put upon us Seing what we do is so well warranted and ariseth from an unfeigned desire to maintain the true Religion to obtain the Protection and preserve the Honour of Righteous Government and promote the Peace and Happiness of the Kingdom for the present Safety and future Felicity of our Selves and Posterity and encouragement of others groaning under oâ— in danger of the Yoke of Antichristian or Erastin Popish or Prelatical Tyranny to joyn in the same or l ke Association In maintaing which we shall faithfully and stedfastly according to our place and power sympathize bear all burdens and imbark our Interests with and assist and defend all these who enter into or joyn with this Association and Covenants And shall reckon whatsoever shal be done to the least of us for this Cause as done to us all in general and to every one of us in particular And shal account it a breach of Covenant if seing our Brethren pursued for this Cause and having sufficient means to comfort and assist them any of us shall either make peace with the Persecuters bind up their hands by Oaths or Bonds from resisting them refuse to hide