THE DANGER OF THE Church of England FROM A GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF COVENANTERS IN SCOTLAND Represented from their Principles in Oaths and late Acts of Assemblies compar'd with their Practices in these last two Years Written in the Year 1690. By a True Son of the Church LONDON Printed for A. Baldwin in Warwick-Lane 1690. THE DANGER OF THE Church of England From a General Assembly of COVENANTERS IN Scotland c. IN this Representation of the danger of the Church of England from the Scottish Covenanters we will make it appear First That they are by their Principles obliged not only in Scotland to keep up their Covenanted Presbytery to the Heighth but also to endeavour to introduce the same in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland Secondly That they are at this time able to prosecute those measures which were then followed for that effect And thirdly that they are most willing to trace the footsteps of their fathers if the King interpose not his Authority for the protection of those Episcopal Ministers whom the Government hath not depriv'd in that Kingdom and for a Legal Toleration for the Exercise of the Reformed Religion unto all peaceable Dissenters For the first of these three In the beginning of 1638. all the three Kingdoms enjoyed an Episcopal Government and a Common Prayer in the Church In December 1638. the Scottish Presbyterians took both away in Scotland without the King's Authority and in their having neither Bishop nor Liturgy they placed all the Reformation of the Protestant Religion But they could not be secured of their being long without them while the other two Kingdoms enjoyed them and therefore when they Covenanted in Aug. 1639. in the very first Article of the Solemn League in which they Swear to preserve the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Worship and Government they likewise bind themselves by Oath to Reform the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in the same Points and to bring the three Kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in both And what this Reformation of Worship is and by what Government it is to be directed which they vow to preserve among themselves and to introduce among us we cannot be ignorant if we read the second Article of their Covenant where they Swear unto an Extirpation of the Prelacy that is exercised by Archbishops Bishops their Chancellors and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy And what is meant in both those first Articles by their sincere real and constant Endeavours to reform the Worship and Government of the English and Irish Churches according to the Pattern of the Scottish is plain from the last Article wherein they Swear to assist and defend all those that enter into the League and Covenant in the maintaining and pursuing thereof and that they shall not suffer themselves directly nor indirectly by whatsoever Combination Persuasion or Terrour to be divided from their Blessed Vnion and Conjunction whether to make defection to the Contrary part or to give themselves to a detestable Indifferency or Neutrality in the Cause To pass from the consideration of the Covenant it self let us see what interpretation in this point is given upon it by the Solemn Acts of their General Assemblies That Assembly Convened at Glasgow in the year 1638. Sess 24. Decr. 6. asperseth the Common Prayer of that Kingdom with Popish Errors and Ceremonies gross Superstition and Idolatry scandalizeth their Book of Canons for establishing a tyrannical Power in the Bishops and condemns their Book of Consecration for settling Bishops and Preaching Deacons in the Church contrary as they falsly affirm to the Word of God Sess 17. Decr. 10. Again in their Condemnation of the five Articles of Perth for observing the Festivals of our Blessed Saviour and his Holy Apostles for private Baptism Communion of the Sick kneeling at the Scrament and Confirmation they inflict the Censures of the Church not only on those that Observe them but likewise on all those that shall dispute for any of these Things Sess 8.19 August And a fortnight before the Covenant was authorized in Scotland in the year 1639. these three Books and five Articles but now mentioned are rejected by the General Assembly then Convened at Edinburgh as the Causes of all the Evils of their Church Yea and when the Earl of Traquair his Majesty's Commissioner read and gave in his Royal Masters Declaration that his Consent to this their Act inferred no obligation to abolish the Episcopacy and the Liturgy in England and Ireland and when he required to have this Declaration recorded among the Acts of their Church the Moderator in the Name of his Brethren refused to grant Warrant for recording it Sess 23. Aug. 30. 1639. as not agreeable with a good Conscience Neither is it strange that the New-sworn Covenanters should thus behave themselves to that King's Commissioner whose Declaration read unto them in that very Session concerning his consent to Presbytery in Scotland expressed his Royal inclination for Bishops and Liturgies when the abolishing of both these in all the three Kingdoms was so chiefly intended by their Oath that on such an Abolishment they Prophesied to themselves that Scotland and England should become one stick in the Hand of the Lord Assem Answer to the Assem at Westm Aug. 29. 1643. that it might come to pass that the Lord 's Jerusalem in this Island should be a City of trembling and a burthensome Stone to all their Enemies round about King Charles the I. in his incomparable Book Ch. 17. confesseth That so far reason of State did induce him to approve the Government of the Church by Bishops above any other as he found it impossible for a Prince to preserve the State in quiet unless he hath such an influence upon Church-Men and they such a dependence on him as may best restrain the Seditious Exorbitances of Ministers Tongues who with the Keys of Heaven have so far the Keys of the Peoples Hearts as they prevail much by their Oratory to let in or shut out both Peace and Loyalty This made him repent that he had consented to the taking away of Episcopacy in Scotland and for this reason among others he would not condescend to take it away in England and Ireland whereupon the Scottish Presbyterians in their Zeal to promote this end of their League In the Name of the Lord Jesus Feb. 13. 1645. and in the Name of their whole National Church which they represented they made bold to warn his Majesty freely that the Guilt which cleav'd fast to his Majesty and his Throne was such as if not repented of could not but involve himself and his Posterity under the Wrath of the everliving God for his then resisting and opposing their Cause which in their Opinion so much concerned the Glory of God And if his Majesty should refuse to hearken to their Counsel they took God and
Men to Witness that they were blameless of the sad Consequences In the mean time they beseeched his Majesty to take notice that they were not staggering or fainting through the diffidence of the success of their Cause and Covenant of the three Kingdoms In this hope of success of their Cause to get Presbytery setled in England and Ireland according to the Covenant of the three Kingdoms when the Duke of Hamilton engaged the Loyal Party in Scotland for the preservation of that King Charles I. they remonstrate against the Duke's Engagement upon this very account among others of the same Nature Ult. July 1648. That in the Declaration for it no mention was made concerning his then Majesty's giving Security by his Solemn Oath under his Name and Seal that he should for Himself and his Successors give his Royal Assent for enjoyning Presbyterian Government in both Kingdoms and that he should never endeavour any change thereof This Remonstrance against Duke Hamilton's Engagement gave them the Name of Remonstrators when but a few among them were called Publick Resolutioners because of their complying with the publick Resolves of the Loyal Party But lest it should not be a sufficient fulfilment of the last Article of their Covenant against Neutrality in this Cause that they make such a Declaration to their Brethren at home Aug. 12. 1641. they therefore send another the very next day to their Brethren here in England That when they considered what great expence of Blood and Pains these Kingdoms had been at for bringing their Work of Reformation to such a length and considering his then Majesty's adhering to Episcopacy they trust that security would be demanded from his Majesty for Religion before he should be brought to one of his Houses in or near about London with Honour Freedom or Safety And but ten days after this Declaration to the Covenanters here in England they send a Letter to that King himself in which Letter by them called their Humble Supplication they tell him Aug. 12. 1648. That it had been his Wisdom in all that had befallen him to read the righteous Hand of the Lord writing bitter things against him as for all his provocations so especially for his having resisted their Work And their Work which that blessed King resisted was their settling of Presbytery in England for which resistance they according to their Covenant got him put to Death Yea after the Murder of this Royal Martyr they in their Covenanted Zeal for Presbytery here in England declare to his Son King Charles the II. that his adhering to Episcopacy Aug. 6. 1649. and the Common Prayer in the three Kingdoms was nothing else but to oppose the Kingdom of the Son of God and to Refuse that Christ should Reign over him and his Kingdoms in his pure Ordinances of Church-Government and Worship Thus it does appear from the Covenant and Acts of Assemblies that the Scottish Covenanters are by their Principles obliged to introduce the Presbytery of Forty Eight into the Kingdoms of England and Ireland In the second place the Scottish Covenanters are able at this time to put in practice those Methods for introducing their Presbytery among us in England which were prosecuted in the late times for that end Acts and Letters recorded in the Registers of the Assemblies of those Days make this evident beyond dispute which for that purpose we shall at large set down And first the Scottish Covenanters may write in their Letter of Thanks to this King for their own Presbytery their pressing Remonstrance to have it here among us as well as their Forefathers writ it to King Charles I. under this Title St. And. 27. July 1642. To the King 's most Excellent Majesty The Hearty Thanksgiving and Humble Petition of the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland OVR Hearts were filled with Joy and Gladness at the hearing of your Majesty's Letter which was read once and again in the Face of the Assembly every Line almost expressing such Affection to the Reformed (a) The King's expression in his Letter is this Where any thing is amiss we will endeavour a Reformation in a fair and orderly way and where Reformation is setled we resolve with that Authority where with God hath vested us to maintain and defend it in Peace and Liberty Religion and such Royal care of us as we could require from a Christian Prince or requiring so necessary Duties from us as we are bound to perform as Minsters of the Gospel and Christian Subjects for which as Solemn thanks were given by the Moderator of the Assembly so do we all with one voice in all Humility present unto your Majesty the thankfulness of our Hearts with our earnest Prayers unto God for your Majesty's Prosperity and the Peace of your Kingdoms that your Majesty may be indeed a Nursing Father to all the Kirks of Cbrist in your Majesty's Dominions and especially to the Kirk of Scotland promising our most hearty Endeavours by Doctrine and Life to advance the Gospel of Christ and to keep the People in our charge in Vnity and Peace and in all Loyalty and Obedience to your Majesty and your Laws Your Majesty's Commands to your Commissioner to receive from us our just and reasonable desires for what may further serve for the good of Religion here the Favours which we have received already and your Majesty's desire and delight to do Good expressed in your Letters are as many encouragements to us to take the boldness in all Humility to present unto your Majesty one thing which for the present is the chiefest of all our desires as serving most for the Glory of Christ and that is the Unity in Religion and Vniformity in Church-Government which we have pressed as a Meen of a firm and durable Union betwixt the two Kingdoms and without which former experiences not only put us out of hope long to enjoy the Purity of the Gospel with Peace but have also rendred the Reasons of our Hope and Confidence as from other Considerations so from your Majesty's late Letter to this Assembly that you will be pleased to settle this Blessed Reformation And therefore we your Majesty's most loving Subjects in the Name of whole Kirk of Scotland represented by us (b) It 's strange that any Christians who pray to an earthly Prince upon the Knees of their Hearts will not bow the Knees of their Bodies in their Prayers at the Sacrament upon the Knees of our Hearts do most humbly and earnestly beg That your Majesty in the depth of your Royal Wisdom and from your affection to the True Religion and the Peace of your Kingdoms may be moved to consider that the God of Heaven and Earth is calling for this Reformation at your Hands and that as you are his Vicegerent so you may be his prime Instrument in it If it shall please the Lord which is our desire and hope that this Blessed Unity in Religion and
Uniformity in Government shall be brought about your Majesty's Conscience in performing so great a duty shall be a well-spring of Comfort to your self your Memory shall be a sweet savour and your Name renowned to all following Generations and if the unhappy Commotions and Divisions shall end in this Peace and Vnity then it shall appear in the Providence of God they were but the noise of many Waters and the voice of a great Thunder before the voice of Harpers harping with their Harps which shall fill the whole Island with Melody and Mirth and the Name of it shall be The Lord is there This is the exact transcript of that Assembly's Supplication to King Charles the I. only that for Brevity some Personal things relating to his then Majesty and the then Parliaments Declaration are omitted because they do not quadrat with the times In the second place the Scottish Covenanters keep the same correspondence with their Brethren here as was kept in the days of their Forefathers And accordingly as was done in the late times grant to this effect and in this manner A Commission for those that repair to the Kingdom of England Edinb Aug. 19. 1643. THE General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland finding it necessary to send some Godly and Learned of this Kirk to the Kingdom of England to the effect underwritten Therefore gives full Power and Commission to Mr. c. (a) For in this Consistory the Mis. John that is Minister hath the precedence to his Grace the Duke who is a Ruling Elder or but a Laick join'd in Council Ministers and to D. M. E. or L. Elders or any three of them whereof two shall be Ministers to repair to the Kingdom of England and there to deliver the Declaration sent unto the Parliament of England and the Letter sent unto the Assembly of Divines now sitting in that Kingdom And to propose consult treat and conclude with that Assembly or any Commissioners deputed by them or any Committees or Commissioners deputed by the Houses of Parliament in all Matters which may further the Vnion of this Island in one Form of Kirk-Government one (b) And tho' the Westminster Confess avows the K's Supremacy which they do not own yet they have chosen it in complaisance with England Confession of Faith one Catechism and one Directory for the Worship of God according to the Instructions which they have received from the Assembly or shall receive from time to time hereafter from the (c) The Commission of the Kirk is the great Committee of the General Assembly which does all affairs when the Assembly does not sit Commissioners of the Assembly deputed for that effect With power also to them to convey to His Majesty the humble answer sent from this Assembly to His Majesties Letter by such occasion as they shall think convenient and generally Authorizeth them to do all things which may further the so much desired Vnion and nearest Conjunction of the Churches of Scotland and England conform to their Instructions before-mentioned And if our Presbyterians here in England should entertain the correspondence so far as to Petition in any Letter the concurrence of their Covenanted Brethren in Scotland then in that case they probably will return such an answer as was return'd to our English Presbyterians by the Scottish in the year 1642. Dated at St. Andrews July 22. Right Reverend and Beloved in the Lord Jesus YOur Letters which came unto our Hands so seasonably was not only acceptable unto us but hath also encouraged us to renew both to the Kings Majesty and the Houses (a) (a) In their Declaration to the Houses of Parliament Who knows say they but the Lord hath now some controversie with England which will not be removed till first and before all the Worship of his Name and the Government of his House be settled according to his own Will meaning to have neither Bishop nor Common Prayer of Parliament the desires of the Commissioners of this Kingdom for Vnity in Religion We cannot be ignorant but the opposition from Satan and Worldly Men in Kirk and Policy will still be vehement as it hath been already but we are confident through our Lord Jesus Christ that the prayers and endeavours of the Godly of both Kingdoms will bring the Work to a wished and blessed issue This whole National Kirk is so much concern'd in that Reformation and Unity in Religion in both Kingdoms that without it we cannot hope for any long time to enjoy our Purity and Peace which hath cost us so dear and is now our chiefest Comfort and greatest Treasure which one cause beside the Honour of God and the Happiness of the People of God in that Kingdom more desired of us than our lives is more than sufficient to move us to contribute all that is in our power for bringing it to pass And since we have with so great liberty made our desires and hopes known both to King and Parliament it is a duty incumbent both to you and us who make mention of the Lord and are Watchmen upon the Walls of Jerusalem never more to keep silence nor to hold our peace Day and Night till the Righteousness of Zion go forth as brightness and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth And if it shall please the Lord to move the heart of King and Parliament to hearken unto the motion for which end we have resolved to keep a Solemn Fast and Humiliation in all the Kirks of this Kingdom the mean by which we have prevailed in times past we wish that the Work may be begun with speed and prosecuted with diligence by the joynt Labours of some Divines in both Kingdoms who may prepare the same for the view and examination of a more frequent Ecclesiastical meeting of the best affected to this Reformation there and of the Commissioners of the General Assembly here that in the end it may have the Approbation of the General Assembly here and of all the Kirks there in the best way that may be we wish and hope at last in a National Assembly Our Commissioners at Edenburgh shall in our Name receive and return Answers for promoting so great a Work which we with our Heart and our Soul recommend to the blessing of God We continue Your Loving Brethren and Fellow Labourers And although the Oath of Supremacy be inconsistent with Scottish Presbytery and hath been taken by many in this Kingdom of England of all degrees and stations yet the Scottish Covenanters for curing that distemper of Malignancy may Institute a Fast of the same nature and for the same causes as made their Predecessors do it in the 6th of August 1642. Act for remembring in Publick Prayers the desires of the Assembly to the King and Parliament and induction of a Publick Fast THE General Assembly being desirous to promote the great Work of Vnity in Religion and Uniformity in Church Government in all these three Dominions
very next day after this warning was given 13 Feb. 1645. Holy Days and many other Ceremonies contained in it together with the Prelacy the Fountain of all these are abolished and taken away In this we rejoice and will rejoice that the Lord Jesus Christ is no loser but a Conquerour that his Ordinances take place that his Cause prevaileth and the Work of his Purging and Building the Temple goeth forward and not backward But besides the defection of many of this Nation under our Prelates from our first National Covenant a sin not forgotten by God if not repented of by Men as well as forsaken our later Vows and Covenants have been also foully violated by not contributing our uttermost assistance to this Cause with our Estates and Lives and by not endeavouring with all faithfulness the discovery tryal and deserved punishment of all Malignants The duties of Humiliation Repentance Faith Amendment though the principal yet are not all which are required at the hands of this Nation But let all sorts of people both high and low in this Kingdom call to mind the Solemn Covenants and pay their Vows unto the most high and namely that Article of our (d) By the first Covenant they mean that call'd the National Covenant and which was fram'd in K. James VI. Reign And by the second Covenant they mean their solemn League which was not contriv'd for that one Nation as the first was but for all the three United Kingdoms first Covenant which obligeth us not to impede nor hinder any such Resolution as by common consent shall be found to conduce for the ends of the Covenant In our last Covenant there is another Article which we wish may be well remember'd at this time namely That we shall assist and defend all that enter unto this League and Covenant in the maintaining and persuing thereof and shall not suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination perswasion or terrour to be divided or withdrawn from this blessed Vnion and Conjunction whether to make defection to the contrary part or to give our selves to a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this Cause according to which Article Mens reality and integrity in the Covenant will be manifest and demonstrable as well by their Omissions as by their Commissions Whoever he be that will not adventure his Person or put out those who are under his power or pay Contributions for the maintenance of the Forces must be taken for a Malignant and Covenant-breaker and so involved both in the displeasure of God and Censures of the Kirk After this Solemn warning is given by the Covenanters of Scotland that it may have the better effect towards the overthrow of our Episcopacy and the abolishing of our Common Prayer in England they may after the example of the Men of Forty Eight get an Act for Censuring Ministers for their Silence and not speaking against the Corruptions of the Time THeir Act of this Title was made in the General Assembly of the year 1648 at Edenburgh 3 Aug. ante merediem Sess 26. And it particularly ordains That the main currrent of Applications in Sermons may run alone against the Evils that prevail at home and namely against the defection from the League and Covenant against the unlawful ingagement in War (a) And by their Act July 28. 1648. all Decrees even of Parliament are unjust if established without their consent when they concern the common Cant of the Covenant and unjust Decrees Established by Law and against the Plots and Practices of Malignants And in the conclusion of this Act they Ordain That in case any Minister for his freedom of Preaching shall be in the face of the Congregation or elsewhere upbraided railed at mocked or threatned the Presbytery of the Bounds shall immediately pursue the Offendor and whoever he be charge him to satisfie the Discipline of the Church by publick Repentance which if they do not or refuse to do that then the Presbytery proceed to Excommunication against him And when the Scottish Covenanters have proceeded thus out of Zeal for Uniformity of Presbytery in both Kingdoms in imitation of what was done by their Predecessors they can shew their Zeal in A Brotherly Exhortation from the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland to their Brethren in England THis Exhortation of their Predecessors was dated August 1649 Sess ult And passing over the Preface thereof which considereth the Troubles which then opprest these Kingdoms as Gods Judgments for the breach of their Covenant for Duke Hamilton's Engagement for his Royal Masters Service and for the (b) Which in their Declaration 20 Aug. 1647. they call A Liberty of Errour Scandal Schism Heresie dishonouring God opposing the Truth hindring Reformation and seducing others Liberty of Conscience to Protestant Dissenters And passing over that in all these Troubles the thing which griev'd them most to speak in their own Words was That there was Interruption in the building of the Lords House in England And passing over their Reproof to the Covenant-breakers and their high Commendation of those who kept it the Exhortation to them here in England is in the last Paragraph verbatim Thus As we shall ever God willing be mindful of our Duty to the faithful that adhere to the Covenant in England having them always in our Hearts before the Lord so we desire to be refreshed with their Sincerity and Boldness in the Cause of God according to their places This is the time of their Tryal and the hour of Temptation among them blessed shall they be who shall be found following the Lamb and shall not be ashamed of his Testimony We know in such dark Hours many are drawn away with the multitude when the Lord will again Purge and make White and we doubt not but many such are in England whom the bold and clear Preaching of Christ may reclaim much therefore lyeth upon the Watchmen at this time that their Trumpet may give a certain and distinct sound warning and exhorting every one as those that must give account and blessed shall those Servants be who shall be found faithful in their Lords House distributing to his Houshold what is meet for this Season and can say they are free from the Blood of all Men having shewn them the whole Counsel of God being in nothing terrified of the threats of their Adversaries and blessed and happy shall that People be that walk in the Light holden forth by them and stay upon the Lord in this dark time hearkning to the voice of his Servants and walking in the light of his Word and not in the sparks of their own which will end in sorrow How unexcusable will England be having so foully Revolted against so many fair Testimonies which the Lord Christ hath entred as Protestations to preserve his Right in these ends of the Earth long since given unto him for his possession and of late confirmed by Solemn Covenant Christs Right to these Kingdoms