which we suppose your Lordships intend not to do 2. Your Lordships do not declare that if any who have not taken and shall not take the Covenant nay not so much as they that shall refuse the Covenant if they rise in Armes your Lordships will oppose them and endeavour to suppresse them onely your Lordships say you will not associate nor joyn forces with them 3. Wheras your Lordships say That you will be so farre from joyning or associating with the Popish Prelaticall or Malignant party if they shall again rise in Armes either to oppose or obstruct all or any one of the ends of the Covenant that you will oppose and endeavour to suppresse them as enemies to the Cause and Covenant We beseech your Lordships to consider whether this part of your Declaration doth not reserve a latitude that if the Popish Prelaticall or Malignant party shall rise in Armes for the Kings restitution and can but have so much cunning with is more nor probable as to conceal their intentions of obstructing or opposing all or any one of the ends of the Covenant in such a case it may be free to your Lordships instead of opposing or endeavouring to suppresse them that you shall both protect their persons and estates and also joyne or associate Forces with them In all which we have the more cause to be full of feares and apprehensions because of so many English Malignants even now protected and entertained in this Kingdome in hopes of military imployments yea diverse of them as we are informed such as have served against this Cause and Covent As to that which sollowes relating to our seventh desire concerning such as are to be intrusted in Armies and Committees we shall need to say no more then was expressed in our humble representation March 29. Namely that your Lordships omit in your Answer some of the qualifications expressed in our desire viz. such as have given constant proofe of their integrity and faithfulnesse in the Cause and against whom there is no just cause of jealousie that so we may the more confidently encourage our Flocks to follow the Cause of God in their hands and not to doubt of their fidelity Which qualification being contained in our desire and omitted in your Lordships Answer we are not without feares that this omission may be made use of by some as if your Lordships had not meant to agree sully to that desire and so take occasion to deale for employing and entrusting such in the Committees and Armies as may be justly excluded by the qualifications contained in our said desire These things having beene before presented to your Lordships and there being nothing in your Lordships Declaration to satisfie or take off these our feares but such expressions insisted upon as keepe aloof from the qualifications desired by us all that are unbyased may easily judge whether we have not herein some reall ground to be unsatisfied That which followeth in the said Declaration concerning the rescuing of his Majesties Person that He may come with Honour Freedome and safety to or neer London where both Kingdomes may make their applications to him for settling Religion and Peace we have before spoken fully to it And whereas your Lordships adde a kind of Salvò in satisfaction to our fifth and sixth desires it will plainly appeare that these desires are not satisfied by any thing here expressed in your Lordships Declaration Your Lordships say You resolve not to put in His Majesties Hands or in any others whatsoever any such power whereby any of the ends of the Covenant may be obstructed or opposed But may it please your Lordships to give us leave to put your in minde 1. That your Lordships words may be understood either in this sense that you are not resolved to put any such power in His Majesties Hands And if so your Lordships know what you resolve not now you may resolve afterwards Or in this sense that your Lordships are resolved that your shall put no such power in His Majesties Hands and if so then there remaines some doubt how far that power extends which your Lordships conceive shall not be able to obstruct or oppose any of the ends of the Covenant or endanger Religion and Presbyteriall Government Or whether it be meant to be extended to his Majesties negative voice 2. When your Lordships say that you are not resolved to put any such power in His Majesties Hands this needeth not hinder your Lordships yeelding and acquiescing if others put such power in His Majesties Hands For resolutions not to doe a thing may stand with resolutions nor to hinder it 3. When your Lordships have resolved to oppose the puting of any such power in his Majestis Hands as may be destructive to Religion Yet upon supposition that His Ma jestie is come to London with Honour Freedome and Safety we doubt whether it may not prove impossible to your Lordships to hinder the putting oft such a power in His Majesties Hands Your Lordships adde what assurance you intend to crave from His Majesty for satisfaction in point of Religion But withall we observe three limitations or qualifications joyned therewith which so far as we are able to judge leave this great point in a very dangerous uncertainty 1. Your Lordships resolve that his Majesty give this assurancè for Religion before any agreement or condition to be made with His Majesty which is the expression chosen by your Lordships instead of that clause in our sixt desire Before his restitution to the exercise of his Royall Power If your Lordships expression were only a more smooth one with the like security to Religion such as your Lordships Answer March 27. did put us in hopes of we should have chearefully acquiesced but we are so far from perceiving the like securite to Religion that we rather feare your Lordships qualification may make void and firustrate the security that we desired For first It clearely supposeth that his Majesty shall come with Honour Freedome and safety to London before any agreement or condition to be made with Him For such agreement or condition to be made with his Majesty being posterior to the assurance to be had from Him for Religion must be much more posterior to his Majesties coming to or neer London with Honour Freedome and Safety according to the method of proceedings proposed in the Declaration Now being once at London with Honour Freedome and Safety and that without any agreement or condition made with Him it is not probable to us that his Majesty will then desire any agreement or condition unlesse it be for some Concessions on his Parliaments part and among other Concessions probably somewhat for Episcopacy too for establishing whereof He conceiveth Himselfe obliged in conscience to make use of His Power as was before observed The result of this point that we humbly conceive is that notwithstanding of that clause before any agreement or condition to be made with his Majesty
in themselves and flowing from the grounds aforesaid as they ought in equity to have been granted so they ought yet to be granted by the securing of Religion staying the present Levy and according to our former desires by essaying Treaties with England applications to His Majesty and all other faire and amicable wayes for removing the differences betweene the Kingdomes before sending any forces to England or any other way of engagement in War And least the taking of Barwicke and Carlisle which is so scandalous to this Nation bee looked upon by England as a breach of Union on your part That your Lordships would be pleased to make it appeare that neither the Parliament or any of your number have had any accession to the surprisall or supplying of these Townes nor shall we have any correspondence or complyance with those who have been actors therein We doe also conceive it necessary for satisfaction of the Petitioners That his Majesties late Concessions and offers concerning Religion may by your Lordships directly and positively be declared unsatisfactory to this present Parliament That although we would not be understood as if we have had or have any thoughts of declining the restoring of his Majesty to the same condition Hee was in by the agreement of both Kingdomes when he was taken away by a party of the Army under Sir T. Fairfax that both Kingdoms may freely make their Applications to him yet your Lordships would be pleased to Declare That there shall be no engagement for restoring his Majesty to one of his houses with Honour freedome and safety which doth amount to no lesse then the restitution of his Majesty to the exercise of his Royal power for the reasons holden forth in our late Representation never yet answered before security and assurance be had from his Majesty by his solemn Oath under his hand and seal That he shall for himself and his successors consent and agree to Acts of Parliament injoyning the League and Covenant and fully establishing Presbyterian Government Directory of Worship and confession of Faith in all his Majesties Dominions and that his Majesty shall never make opposition to any of these or endeavour any change thereof That your Lordships wil make it appear that you mean to be far from interesting your selves in any quarrell for his Maj. that may put into his Majesties hands such power as may not only bring the by-gon proceedings of both Kingd in the League and Covenant in question but also for the time to come make void all the authority of Parl. though proceeding never so rightly in reference to Religion and Liberties of the Kingdomes That a clear and direct course be laid down and declared not only not to associate nor joyn in Councels or Forces with the Popish Prelaticall or Malignant party but also to oppose and effectually indeavour to suppresse all such of them as have already risen or shal hereafter rise in Arms upon whatsoever pretence as enemies to the Cause and Covenant on the one hand as well as Sectaries on the other That nothing be don in carrying on the engagement which may break the union of the Kingdomes or may discourage or dis-obliege the Presbyterian party in England Because it is our grief and the grief of all the well-affected that those who have been of constant and approved integrity in the Cause and have been very instrumentall under God for our deliverance should be forced for want of satisfaction to their consciences to leave the service and that others who have not given constant proofe of their integrity and faithfullnesse and against whom there is just cause of exception and jealousie so that we cannot exhort our flocks to be confident of their fidelity yea and divers that have been in reall opposition to the Cause are entrusted with the managing of your Lordships publik resolutions That therefore your Lordships will be pleased in your wisdome to provide a timous remedy herein That there be no Engagement without a Solemn Oath wherein the Kirk may have the same interest which they had in the solemn League and Covenant the Cause being the same As we doe humbly insist with your Lordships for satisfaction to our former desires expressed in our former papers so it is our humble petition to your Lordships That in such things as have beene ordained by your Lordships and put in execution by your Order contrary to some of these desires some effectuall remedy may be found out by your Lordships wisdome and goodnesse for the helpe thereof That all who since the beginning of this Levie through tendernesse of conscience have suffered any wayes may be repaired all unusuall and grievous courses impoverishing good people and utterly disabling them to subsist may be hereafter avoided and the intolerable insolency prophanenesse blasphemies and manifold outrages that of late have appeared in the Souldiers may be severely punished and repressed That no Ordinance nor Order may issue from your Lord hips in prejudice of the liberties of the Kirke and of the free exercise of any part of the Ministeriall calling all which they have from Jesus Christ the onely Head and Law-giver in his Kirke and which your Lordships are obliged by solemne oath in our Covenants to maintaine And that as it is our griefe that whilst your Lordships have been seeking our advice you have been and are making grievous Acts as we are informed so we desire your Lordships in the feare of God to be wary of making or maintaining such Acts and namely That you put not the power of arbitrary Government in the hands of any intrusted by your Lordships nor ordaine any Oaths to be imposed or exacted that may be snares to mens consciences All which we seriously recommend to your Lordships as you desire not to provoke against your selves and your posterity the wrath of the most High God and that the Lord should not avenge the quarrell of a broken Covenant upon the Parliament and Kingdome of Scotland But if your Lordship shall be pleased to hearken to our humble advice and to satisfie the consciences of the well-affected in the Kingdome to the worke of Reformation by granting their just desire Your Honours shall be blessed of God the Lord of the whole earth the people of God shall blesse you in the name of the Lord and blesse the Lord for you You shall binde up the wounds of this distressed and distracted Kingdome endear the affections of the well-affected disappoint the designes of the disaffected and your Names shall be a praise unto the present and succeeding generations And wee shall powre out supplications before him who sitteth and judgeth among Gods to endue your Lordships with the Spirit of counsell and of the feare of his Name that your Resolutions may be rightly ordered and tend to his glory the security of Religion the honour and happinesse of the King and his posterity and the peace and safety of the Kingdomes A. KER
20. the reasons of our not proceeding in that conference and that the cause was not in us We do now as the servants of Iesus Christ for our own exoneration for preventing of mistakes and for a cleare understanding between your Lordships and us represent these our humble desires which we recommend to your Lordships serious thoughts I. That the grounds and causes of undertaking a Warre may be cleared to be so just as that all who are well affected may be satisfied in the lawfulnesse and necessity of the engagement and that nothing be acted in reference to a Warre before the lawfulnesse of the Warre and state of the Question be agreed upon II. That as the breaches of the Covenant by the prevalent party of Sectaries are evident so we desire and hope that according to the Treaty it may be condiscended upon and declared by the parliment what are those breaches of Peace which they take to be a ground of War and that reparation thereof may be sought III. That there may be no such quarrel or ground of the War as may break the Union between the Kingdomes or may discourage or disoblige the Presbyterian party in England who continue firme in adhering to the League and Covenant IV. That if the Popish Prelaticall or Malignant party shall again rise in Armes this Nation and their Armies may be so farre from joyning or associating with them that one the contrary they may oppose them and endeavour to suppresse them as enimies to this Cause and Covenant on the one hand as well as Sectaries on the other V. Seeing your Lordships undertaking should be in the first place for Religion We desire that his Majesties late Concessions and offers concerning Religion as they have been by the Church so may be by the Parliament deelared unsatisfactory whereby your Lordships may give further evidence of the reality of your intentions for the good and safty of Religion VI. That your Lordships may be pleased not to fix or settle upon any such state of a Question as doth not containe security to be had from his Majestie by his solemn Oath under his hand and seal That he shall for Himselfe and his Successors consent and agree to Acts of Parliament enjoyning the League and Covenant and fully establishing Presbyterian Government Directory of Worship and Confession of Faith in all his Majesties Dominions and that his Majesty shall never make opposition to any of these or endeavour any change thereof And that this security be had from his Majesty before his Restitution to the exercise of his Royall power Which desire we propone for no other end but because we cannot see how Religion which hath been and we trust shall be the principal end of all the undertakings of this Nation can be otherwise secured but that without this security it shall be left in very great hazard VII That for the same end of securing Religion which is professed to be the principall cause of engagement and for securing all other ends of the Covenant such persons only may be intrusted by your Lordships to be of your Committees and Armies as have given constant proofe of their integrity and faithfulnesse in this Cause and against whom there is no just cause of exception or jealousie That so we may the more confidently encourage our Flocks and Congregations to follow the Cause of God in their hands and not to doubt of the fidelity of those who shall be entrusted by your Lordships VIII That there may be no engagement without a Solemn Oath wherein the Church may have the same interest which they had in the Solemne League and Covenant the Cause being the same All which desires being duely pondered by your Lordships in an equall balance will we trust be found just and necessary and do not doubt but satisfaction from your Lordships therein may be a happy and effectuall meanes for facilitating the state of the Question and for uniting this Nation in an unanimous undertaking of such duties as are requisite for the Reformation and defence of Religion the Honour and Happinesse of the King the Peace and safty of the Kingdomes A. KER Edinb 27. March 1648. Answers of Parliament to the Desires of the Commissioners of the General Assembly represented by them to the Parliament THe Estates of Parliament now conveened in this first Session of the second Trienniall Parliament having considered the desires of the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly represented to them They after full debate and consideration concerning the same for answer to the first desire 1. Declares that the grounds and causes of undertaking of war shall be cleared to be so just as that all who are well affected may be satisfied in the lawfulnesse and necessity of the engagement And declares that they will be very carefull that nothing be acted in reference to a warre during the conference and untill the same be reported to the Parliament 2. Item For answer to the second desire The Estates of Parliament thinks fit that the breaches of the Covenant and Treaties be represented And the seeking of Reparation and the best time and manner thereof considered and appoints the Committee of twenty foure or such of their number as they shall appoint to do the same 3. Item For answer to the third desire The said Estates of Parliament declares that this Kingdome will be so farre from making warre against the Kingdome of England That any engagement they shall enter into shall be for strengthening the union betwixt the Kingdomes And for encouraging the Presbyterians and well-affected in England 4. Item For answer to the fourth desire The Estates of Parliament agrees to the substance and matter of this fourth desire And remits to these who are to be upon the conference for stating the question to explaine the same 5. Item To the fist desire The Estates of Parliament for answer to this desire declares That upon the agreement on the haill matter and state of the question they will declare his Majesties concessions concerning Religion not to be satisfactory 6. Item to the sixt desire The Estates of Parliament for answer to this declares That since Religion hath been and they trust ever shall be the principall end of all the undertakings of this Kingdome So they will be carefull that the present question to be stated shall containe security and assurance to be had from his Majesty be his solemne oath under his hand and seale That he shall for himselfe and his Successors give his Royall consent to passe acts of Parliament enjoyning the League and Covenant establishing Presbyterian Government the Directory of worship and Confession of Faith in all his Majesties Dominions and that his Majestie shall never make any opposition to any of these nor indeavour any change thereof And as to that clause viz. That this security be had from his Majestie before his restiution to the exercise of his Royall power The Estates of Parliament remits this to these on the
conference And who shall be appointed for drawing up the state of the question To find out some more smooth expression in place thereof with the like security to Religion 7. Item to the seventh desire The said Estates of Parliament declares that they will be carefull that none shall be employed in the command of their Armies nor in their Committees But such as are of known integrity and affection to the cause and against whom there is no just case of exception Item To the eighth Article or Desire The Estates of Parliament declares That to the grounds of their engagement and undertaking an Oath shall be subjoyned wherein both in the framing of it and otherwayes the Church shall have their due interest And the Estates of Parliament desires the Commission of the Church To appoint some of their number to meet with such of that Committee of Parliament of 24. As shall be appointed by the same Committee for the conference and stating of the question for agreeing upon the grounds of an engagement and drawing up such a state of a question as may unite this Nation in an unanimous undertaking of such duties as are requisite for the Reformation and defence of Religion the safety honour and happinesse of the King and his posterity and the good of this Kingdome Extract forth out of the Books of Parliament By me Sir Alexander Gibson of Durie Knight Clerk of his Majesties Registers Councel and Rolls under my signe and subscription Manuel Alex. Gibson Cler Regist Edinburgh 29. Martii 1648. A humble Representation of the sense of the Commissioners of the General Assembly To the Honourable Estates of Parli upon their L. Answer to the eight Desires lately presented to their Lordships HAving received yesterday the Answer of the Honourable Estates of Parliament to our late Desires presented to their Lordships upon the 22. of this instant We did immediately take to our consideration the particular answers given thereunto And now without any longer delay do humbly represent to their Honours our sense of the Particulars 1. As to the Answer of the first Desire we conceive that notwithstanding any thing expressed in your Lordships Answer there may be an acting in reference to a warre before the lawfulnesse of the Warre and the state of the question be agreed upon which is the very thing we did desire to be avoided 2. In the Answer to our second Desire we neither finde any breaches of peace between the Kingdomes which may be a ground of war condescended upon nor any positive resolution of the Parliament to seek reparation thereof according to the Treaties yet both these were desired by us 3. In the answer to the third desire instead of that clause of the desire The Presbyterian party in England who continue firme in adhering to the League and Covenant we finde this change of expression in the Answers The Presbyterians and well-affected in England which as the words stand may intimate and suppose that there are some well-affected in England which are not of the Presbyterian party nor do adhere to the League and Covenant 4. Our fourth desire for not joyning or associating what the Popish Prelaticall or malignant party if they shall againe rise in Armes and that it may be endeavoured to suppresse them as enemies to the cause and Covenant on the one hand as well as Sectaries upon the other being so just in it selfe so consonant to the former principles and professions of this Kirke and Kingdome since their first engagement in this cause and being also as cleare both in the matter and expression as the Covenant Treaties and Declarations of both Kingdomes we cannot conceive wherein it needs explanation or what doubt or scruple can be made concerning it as it stands unlesse there be now some more favourable and friendly intentions towards the malignant party then formerly which wee pray the Lord to avert And although it is too manifest that some plead for Malignants as if they were to be joyned with as friends rather then avoided as enemies to the cause whereof we have spoken more fully in our late Declaration yet we trust that any such desâ—gne is and shall be far from the thoughts and intentions of the Honourable Court of Parliament 5. Touching the 5 Desire as your Lordships answers ems to supp se his Majeâ—late concessions concerning Religion not to be satisfactory so these concessions being so prejudicial to the cause Covenant We wish your Lordships had been pleased to declare against them both positively without any condition and presently without any delay 6. In the answer to the sixt desire as thereis much said in the first part for security of Religion to be had from his Majesty so that clause viz. That this security be had from his Majesty before his restitution to the exercise of his royall tower not being agreed to by your Lordships but rather laid aside untill some smoother expressions be found out We are left unsatisfied in that which is the maine of that desire and cannot be assured of any security expressed in the first part of your Lordships answer If your Lordships had been pleased to condescend upon another expression containing as good and as reall security for Religion wee should have acquiessed therein without sticking upon words but there being no other expression yet condescended upon and that clause of ours without which the whole desire is lest uncertain laid aside for the present We cannot finde our selves therein satisfied as yet 7. The answer to the seventh Desire concerning such as are to be trusted in Armies and Committees doth omit some of the qualifications expressed in our Desire viz. Such as have given constant proofe of their integrity and faithfulnesse in this cause and against whom there is no just cause of jealousie that so we may the more confidently encourage our flockes to follow the cause of God in their hands and not to doubt of their fidelity Which qualifications being contained in our Desire and omitted in your Lordships Answers We are not without feares that this omission may be made use of by some as if your Lordships had not meant to agree fully to that desire and so take occasion to deale for employing and entrusting such in the Committees and Armies as may be justly excluded by the qualifications contained in our said Desire In the answer to the last Desire in stead of that cleare expression used by us namely That the Kirke may have the same interest in any oath for a new engagement which they had in the solemne League and Covenant We finde this doubtfull and uncertaine expression The Kirke shall have their due interests Which difference of your Lordships expression from ours may also be interpreted by some as if the Kirk had assumed more interest in the League and Covenant than was due unto them Unto these and the like considerations Wee humbly conceive that our Desires unto which we still adhere as just and necessary are
received from your Lordships cannot but leave us under just feares and sad apprehensions The third part of your Lordships answer is in reference to our desire of being satisfied upon the whole matter where your Lordships againe referre us to the Declaration as containing the grounds and resolutions of the Parliament on the whole matter This wee are not able to reconcile with that passage in the Declaration where your Lordships professe That you are resolved not to ingage in any War before the necessity and lawfulnesse thereof be cleared so as all who are well affected may be satisfied therewith and that reparation to such breaches or injuries as are or shall be condescended on shall be demanded in such a just and fit way as shall be found most lawfull and expedient The one passage holdeth forth to us satisfaction on the whole matter the other holdeth us still in suspense till the necessity and lawfulnesse of the Warre be cleared and the way of demanding reparation resolved upon for that your Lordships are pleased to say in the end that it is cleare by the Declaration that there is nothing therein which doth crosse the demands concerning Religion or is inconsistent with the security thereof what reason we have to be of another judgement shall appeare to your Lordships in our paper which we are to present to your Lordships concerning the Declaration unto which we referre our selves concerning our sense of other particulars in this businesse not here expressed A. Ker The humble Representation of the Commission of the Generall Assembly To the Honourable Estates of Parliament upon their Declaration lately communicated to us Edinburgh 28. April 1648. SEing your Lordships have been pleased in your Answer to us of the twenty of this Moneth to remit us to your Declaration to the Kingdome for satisfaction to our eight desires formerly presented to your Lordships as likewise to our other desire concerning applications to be made to the King as wel as to the Parliament of England And seeing your Lordships in the same Paper answering our desire to be satisfied in the whole matter were pleased again to remit us to the Declaration as containing the grounds and resolutions of the Parliament on the whole matter We have therefore taken to our serious consideration your Lordships Declaration to look after satisfactory answers to these our desires and to be satisfied in the whole matter But in stead thereof our feares and dis-satisfactions are not a little increased by your Lordships Declaration We shall not search into some particulars in matter of fact mentioned in the narrative part neither shall we be curious after the reason why in so large a Declaration concerning publicke dangers duties and remedies There is no expression for preservation of Monarchicall Government in his Majesties Posterity as well as in his own person To the Preface we shall onely say thus much that we could have wished your Lordships had been pleased to expresse your selves more plainly who are those obstructers and traducers of your Lordships proceedings those deceivers and abusers of the people which your Lordships we suppose point at in reference to this Kingdome the Declaration being intended for the Subjects of this Kingdome whom your Lordships call the abused people If your Lordships meaning be that the People are abused by the lyes and calumnies of Malignants how comes it that so much favour and forbearance is granted to such men If any other then the Malignant party in the Kingdome be meant we should be glad they were made known In the first part of the narrative concerning the necessity occasion and consequence of the conjunction of both Kingdomes We cannot but take notice of that which your Lordships say of those common enemies by whose counsells and practises the composing of differences in the beginning was hindered and what evills this Kingdome might have expected if these counsels and advices which gave first life and motion to these dissentions should have been still prevalent We desire it may not be forgotten who were these common enemies and whose counsell it was that did prevaile about his Majesty in the beginning of these troubles and whether there ought not to be a jealous and watchfull eye over any such if even after their joyning in the Covenant they be found in a way of compliance with known Malignants and in a way of opposition to such as have been most active and zealous in the Cause from the beginning Your Lordships adde that in pursuance of the Covenant this Kingdome joyned in Armes with their Brethren of England and did prosecute these ends till their common enemies were subdued and most of them brought to such condigne punishment as the respective Parliaments thought fit We shall here passe your Lordships omitting of the Treaty between the Kingdomes which may bee thought to have had a neer and immediate influence in reference to the conjunction of these Kingdomes in Armes although the Covenant was the chiefe foundation thereof But whereas your Lordships seem to intimate that the cloud of Malignancy was then sufficiently dissipated or at least that the Covenant was sufficiently performed in bringing Delinquents to such condigne punishment as the respective parliaments thought fit We are sorry that we have cause to remember what forbearance yea favour and friendship hath been granted to many such and we are so far from thinking the danger from these former common enemies past and gone that wee still see Malignancy upon the one hand as Sectarisme upon the other springing up like roots of bitternesse to trouble yea to defile many in these Kingdomes these are the hornes which yet push Judah and Jerusalem on both sides the Lord prepare such Carpenters as may cut off both the one and the other As for the breaches of Covenant which your Lordships insist upon in the following part of your narrative we wish your Lordships to remember a passage in the Declaration of the Generall Assembly and how cautiously they speake of the breach of Covenant in England the words are these We would not be understood as if we meant either to justifie this Nation or to charge such a sin upon all in that Nation We know the Covenant hath been in divers particulars broken by many in both Kingdomes The Lord pardon it and accept a sacrifice and we do not doubt but there are many seven thousands in England who have not onely kept themselves unspotted and retained their integrity in that businesse c. That the Covenant hath been fouly and shamefull broken by as many of the prevalent party of Sectaries and their adherents as ever tooke the Covenant is clear and undeniable and by their means hath come the resisting and hindering of Reformation connivance at Heresie and Schisme and other things contrary to the Covenant But it can as little be doubted of that there are dangerous breaches of Covenant by Malignants both at home and abroad And your Lordships know true zeale against breach of Covenant