CERTAIN DISQUISITIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS Representing to the Conscience the unlawfulnesse of the Oath entituled A solemn League and Covenant for Reformation c. As also the insufficiency of the Arguments used in the Exhortation for taking the said Covenant Published by command OXFORD Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD Printer to the University 1644. CERTAIN DISQUISITIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS Representing to the Conscience the unlawfulnesse of the Oath entituled A solemn League and Covenant for Reformation c. We Noblemen Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospell and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland by the providence of God living under one King and being of one reformed Religion having before our eyes the glory of God and the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ the honour and happinesse of the Kings Majesty and His Posterity and the true publique Liberty Safety and Peace of the Kingdoms wherein every ones private condition is included and calling to mind the treacherous and bloody plots conspiracies attempts and practices of the enemies of God against the true Religion and professours thereof in all places especially in these three Kingdomes ever since the reformation of Religion and how much their rage power and presumption are of late and at this time increased and exercised whereof the deplorable estate of the Church and Kingdome of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdome of England and the dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdome of Scotland are present and publique testimonies We have now at last after other meanes of Supplication Remonstrance Protestations and Sufferings for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter ruine and destruction according to the commendable practice of these Kingdomes in former times and the example of Gods people in other Nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutuall and solemn League and covenant wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our hands lifted up to the most high God doe swear SEeing it hath pleased the composers of this Covenant to set it forth with an Introduction which containes that which it seems prevailed with them and they expect should work upon the three Kingdomes to take the following Covenant it will be behoofefull in the first place to reduce the conscience to a cleare and strict examination upon the contents of this Introduction and then if it shall find that all things therein be true and withall sufficient to that end for which they were premised viz. to inferre a necessity of swearing to all things contained in the following Articles the conscience will be directed to follow that dictate But if it fail in either of those we must betake our selves to other considerations to be guided by We will therefore sincerely propound the contents of the Preface as neer as may be according to its method joyning together matters of the same kind And then we shall find the discourse of the Preface to be resolved into these principles 1. The glory of God the advancement of the Kingdome of Iesus Christ the honour and happinesse of the King c. are to be aimed at and endeavoured 2. Especially when they are endangered 3. The meanes therefore necessary towards those ends are to be used which are either Supplication Remonstrance c. or making warre 4. The former are first to be used but if they faile then the latter These are the universall Maximes whereon by application to the present condition the taking of the Covenant is enforced The three first then being granted they subsume that having used the former and failing of successe we are all necessitated to use the latter viz. To swear to joyn with the Scots in Armes which is the generall and to those particulars after mentioned in the Articles That such joyning in armes is the generall end of the Covenant will appeare by comparing the sixt Article of the Covenant for mutuall assistance and defence of one another with the 14 Article of the Instructions wherein the imposers of this Oath appoint to be read publiquely at the time when the Covenant is read the Declaration of the Kingdomes of England and Scotland joyned in Armes for the vindication c. In which Declaration the taking this Covenant is made one of the grounds both of their confidence as they say that this warre wherein they are so deeply engaged is of God and of their resolution which they professe with courage and constancy unto the end to doe their part Whosoever therefore is not perswaded in his conscience either that all these meanes mentioned and all other such like have been used and have been rejected or upon supposition that they had yet doubts of the consequence viz. that such an Army may be leavied and such a warre managed cannot without deadly sinne though disengaged from oaths for any of the following particulars upon the former principles take this Covenant But not to insist hereon we will briefly run over the severall places of the Preface and consider the naturall intimations from them onely supposing for example the end of this Covenant to be the assistance or at least consent in this present joyning in armes applying it to men of the Church of England I A. B. living under the King This cannot reasonably be a motive to warre but obedience to him nor a motive to enter into a publique League Oath and Covenant not prescribed by Law without him much lesse against his expresse Proclamation forasmuch as an Oath for confirmation either assertory or promissory is to men for an end of all strife And a publique Oath propounded to a Nation or Nations is for the ending of publique strife and divisions and of any publique strife of a Nation or Nations under one King properly so called the King is the supreame Iudge in all causes as well Ecclesiasticall as civill as is evident by the Law of God 1 Pet. 2. And to us moreover by the Law of the Land 24 H. 8. c. 12. by the doctrine of the Church of England Art 37. the book of Homilies and establishâ—d Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy And therefore such an Oath and Covenant may not be entered into without and against the allowance of the King who is the supream Judge even in the supream Judicatory it selfe Being of the Reformed Religion established in the Church of England the very marke and Character of which as differenced from Popery and other Sects hath been chiefly that it hath alwaies maintained That it is not lawfull in any case not in the danger of their Religion for subjects to take up Armes against their lawfull Soveraign Having before my eyes the glory of God and the advancement of the kingdome of Iesus Christ Here the consideration of the mind requisite towards the judgement of conscience will be this whether by this warre considered with its circumstances the glory of God c. is more
apt to be advanced then by peace wherein although reason might easily conclude yet it will be much more certainly guided if we shal examine those precepts which Christ and his Apostles have laid down towards the accomplishment of those ends here proposed and try whether they doe suggest or intimate any thing towards such a warre If they doe not or if the contrary the conscience having before its eyes the glory of God c. will not be induced to take this course for the advancement of it For the rectification of conscience in this case it will be requisite to consider this warre to which we are enjoyned to contribute by whom and against whom it is undertaken Where if the conscience finde it to be unlawfull in the undertaking it cannot lawfully consent or assist viz. If it be no waies lawfull for such as we are moved to joyne with to take up Armes against such as we should be sworne to oppose If it might possibly be lawfull in the first undertaking it could no otherwise be but as it should be a necessary meanes to procure a just peace and the determination of conscience in this case will depend upon the consideration of the conjunctures of things at the undertaking and all the time of the continuance of this warre and if peace with truth might have been or may be established without it much more if this means shall be found opposite the conscience cannot without sin assent to this warre Here the mind is to examine the severall propositions motions overtures c. which have been and are made by both parties and according to them to judge The happinesse and honour of the King and his Posterity Here we are to consider whether or what this action of ours will contribute towards the honour and happinesse of the King and his posterity And because it is not easie to discover any foundation of such honour and happinesse c. besides that the managers of this party with whom they would have us to joyne have never particularly declared the way how these ends shall be or are advanced by their warre although it is one of their most common expressions the safest way at least the most naturall for the conscience is to raise a judgement of what is likely to ensue upon what hath preceded since these undertakings upon the same Principles where it is to consider whether his Honour or Contumely have beene increased by and since these warres And so for the happinesse of Himselfe and his Posterity consider whether if these men be upon the same designe with those who gave him battell at Edge-Hill Newbery c. what those designes made towards the happinesse of him and his Posterity The true publike Liberty Safety and Peace of the Kingdome If the Scots to whose assistance especially we are to be sworn should not hereby be able to conquer and prevail what will our taking of the Covenant advance the publike Liberty and Peace of the Kingdom according to the conceit of the enjoyners of the Covenant If they should consider how that can conduce to our Liberty unlesse thereby be meant freedom from our ancient Laws and from the setled happy government of Church and State whilst we may fear to be put under uncertain new ones Secondly Safety whether the danger of ruine doe not outweigh or equalize the hopes of safety Thirdly Peace whether this be the onely the likeliest or indeed any probable meanes of procuring Peace Seeing there are but two wayes obvious by which this course should procure it viz. Victory or reducing the King to yeeld to their desires Here the judgement of conscience will be grounded upon this Whether the King be no way but by force inclinable to a just Peace Wherein every ones private c. This is subordinate to the former immediately preceding Calling to minde the practices of the enemies of God against the true Religion c. Here we are to consider and reckon up who and of what sorts are the enemies of the Church of England of which we are and which is established by Law to which we have subscribed and what party in this quarrell is openly professed for it hath equally declared against all sorts of its enemies and which is not and accordingly c. Whereof the deploreable estate of Ireland c. Consider whether the true cause of this is to be referred both in the rise and progresse of it to the King or the malice of the Papists stirred up by those who they say had declared an intention of their utter extirpation and secondly where afterward the impediment of succour to those of our Religion lay The distressed estate of England whether that profession which is established by Law be distressed by the King or by Sectaries The dangerous estate of Scotland Wherein was their danger after all things were setled with them and who brought them into that danger that party which we should swear against or themselves After other meanes of Supplication Remonstrance Protestation and Suffering This which is here diâ—joyned from the rest of the motives and cast into a Parenthesis is indeed made the onely foundation of this way of proceeding and puts the onely case wherein such a way of covenanting c. can be imagined to be lawfull So that if these meanes have not beene both before and ever since the undertaking of this designe sincerely and effectually endeavoured by the intimation of this introduction it selfe this course is not warrantable and there are other principles of Scripture and our Religion which are to be examined if they have beene used such as inferre That it is not lawfull in any case whatsoever to resist with Arms the lawfull power by God set over us Now whether these means have been and are to used it will best appear by considering who hath sent the Messages for Treaty towards Peace what hath been declared by both parties of certainty and particularly touching Religion Law and Proviso's for tender Consciences and comparing together the severall Remonstrances Protestations and Sufferings Though all hitherto had beene used and rejected consider if the overture now lately made by the Kings party might not by the mercy of God be a meanes to produce Peace c. if the businesse be managed as it ought And according to the results of these the conscience must conclude For the preservation of our selves and our Religion The Religion wherein we are grounded and to which the Clergy hath subscribed in the Religion of the Church of England comprised in the Liturgy Articles Book of Ordination and Homilies of our Church confirmed by our 35. Article consider whether the Covenant be a meanes ordered in reason to preserve these from ruine According to the commondable practice c. If this Kingdome have done so that cannot resolve the conscience But consider whether ever in the like case the like warre was commenced if any one had been propounded the conscience would the more easily
have determined but seeing there hath not it must run over the Chronicles In the meane time in such cases as are found it may anticipate instances to the contrary as in Queen Maries dayes and those of Henry the 8. when there was more just reason in respect of Religion if there might be any then now is alleaged and other Arguments such as the Doctrine of the Church of England ever since the Reformation and the like to equipoize this which is asserted gratis and if after disquisition this be not found true the conclusion of the conscience will be according to those premisses According to the example of Gods people c. This is of the same nature with the former warrant and therefore the conscience upon this may proceed as upon that seeing they have not set downe which of Gods people in any age or place upon the like causes have taken the like course till this be represented to the conscience the safest way will be to examine what our Saviour himself and the Apostles and primitive Christians who were assuredly Gods people did hold and practice for doctrine and example in the like if there have ever been or a worse case them is proved or pretended And if they have not resisted or held it lawfull their Princes in the greatest persecutions and utmost danger of Religion and all that could be dear unto them it may raise a conclusion till some stronger reasons can be presented or the errour of these be cleared and taken off what is to be done when we are required to assist a warlike entrance of Subjects with all the other circumstances which attend this action of the Scots made onely upon a beleeved charity of helping their neighbours The summe of all is That if all and every of the materials of this Preface in as much as concernes the Premisses were true our consciences cannot assent to the consequence that it is lawfull for us as Subjects of the Church England though we had not sworn or subscribed to some particulars against which some of the Articles are contrived to assist the Scots or consent to them in this warre which assistance is the generall end of this Covenant Secondly there is not any one member which doth conclude any thing to our consciences to move us to take it neither in the complication doe they conclude Thirdly there is not any particular member of it which doth not either directly or by considerations naturally suggested by them and altogether unforced prevaile with us to the contrary So that till every one of these obstacles and scruples be taken off we cannot without violence to our consciences take this Oath That we shall sincerely really and constantly through the grace of God endeavour in our severall places and callings the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common Enemies the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the Example of the best Reformed Churches And shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the neerest conjunction and uniformity in Religion Confession of Faith Form of Church Government Directory for Worship and Catechizing That we and our posterity after us may as brethren live in Faith and Love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us In the first Article are we to be sworne to endeavour the preservation of the Doctrine Worship and Discipline of the Church of Scotland absolutely or with this added as a restriction against our common Enemies By whom doe we not rightly conceive to be meant the common Enemies to the Churches of England Scotland and Ireland That those words against our common enemies are to be taken restrictively it may be thought because they otherwise should have been vainly added and that by common Enemies those are meant the necessity of the Grammaticall sense implies there having preceded no other division to which this community can referre besides that of England Scotland and Ireland in the Preface So that the word Our must referre to We in the beginning of the Preface whose onely distribution which can referre to common here is that of the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland Is not therefore the true sense of this part of the Article this viz. I will sincerely really constantly through the grace of God in my calling against those who are enemies for example both to the Articles of the Church of England and those of Scotland both to our Liturgy and their directory for worship both to our Church-Government and to Presbyteriall Government endeavour to preserve their Articles manner of worship and Presbytery If thus it be these things are to be considered If the imposers of this Oath are assured in their Conscience that the Doctrine Worship c. of the Church of Scotland can infallibly be proved out of the Word of God why would they have us sweare to endeavour in our calling of the Ministery to preserve it with a restriction against some men onely and not absolutely and indefinitely Whether is this so free from the scandall of respect of Persons as an oath for the impartiall defence of Truth doth require If they doubt it cannot be infallibly proved how can our Brethren of Scotland without spirituall Tyranny desire an Oath to be imposed upon us Ministers of the Gospell of another Church to endeavour sincerely really c. in our calling viz. by preaching disputing or otherwise the preservation of it thus far Secondly how can we take an Oath to endeavour the preservation of that Doctrine which we neither know what it is as it now stands nor are told in any Declaration or Exhortation to us nor were bound to know or search no opportunity offering it self How then can this Oath be by us taken in judgement Or since we doubt thus though in generall how can it not being of Faith be other then Sinne Whether are we not if any thing shall be by us hereafter found in the Doctrine of Scotland contrary to sound Doctrine bound to endeavour by the second Article to extirpate it and by the first to preserve it As for their Discipline and Government so much as we understand of it though otherwise we never interposed yet being now called to give our consent to it or reason to the contrary we professe it to be such as that we dare not binde our selves by Oath to endeavour its preservation constantly and indefinitely for all time to come till it be evidenced unto us that it hath been in any time before untill this our last age If it shall here be replyed that we are required to endeavour the preservation of their Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government onely against our common enemies that is of us of the Churches of England Scotland and Ireland and so the preservation of it onely so
farre as we all agree this we cannot conceive to be the adequate sense of those words especially according to the intention of the imposers For it is clear as we have already touched that our common Enemies are not onely they who are adversaries to us in that wherein we all three doe agree but those also who in such things wherein we differ amongst our selves are yet by opposing themselves to us all our common Enemies against whom therefore by this Oath we should be bound to preserve to each that also wherein we differ amongst our selves Moreover that that Sense is neither the onely nor the chief Sense intended by the Imposers we have cause to think because if so restrained our Brethren of Scotland in favour of whom we conceive this part of the Article to have been proposed would be no whit secured against the fears of innovations from England if we were onely sworn to preserve unto them those things wherein we all agree at the entring this present League and Covenant Thirdly we desire to know why our Brethren of Scotland should desire it to be imposed upon us by Oath to maintain the Articles of their Religion so far forth as hath been said since our Mother the Church of England never yet hath imposed upon us by Oath to preserve her own known Articles but hath testified her moderation to all in that she hath required subscription onely of all men which were admitted into holy Orders or Ecclesiasticall Benefice or to degrees in the University And yet this was lately judged since the sitting of this Parliament to be too harsh an imposition upon younger Students at their admission to degrees and the urging of it suspended And we know not whether ever it was in use before this age even in any not corrupted Church to command men to swear the maintaining the Articles of their Religion much lesse their Discipline and Church government As to the second thing in this first Article to which we are to swear How can any who are perswaded that there is nothing in the Doctrine of the Church of England which is not consonant to the Word of God without vanity swear to endeavour the Reformation of it according to the VVord of God especially since we have lately protested to defend that Doctrine of the Church of England And how can any who reverently beleeve this Church to be in respect of her Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government established by Law no lesse perfect then any of the Reformed Churches swear to endeavour its reformation in all those according to the example of the best reformed Churches And here by the way we cannot but take notice that this part of the Article is so framed as if there were nothing in the Doctrine c. of the Churches of England and Ireland to be preserved and nothing in theirs of Scotland to be reformed Moreover the best direction for Conscience in examining what is here meant by Reformation will be to consider those instances wherein in the following Articles is declared the Reformation and then if perswaded that there is any thing there exprest as instances of reformation which is not according to much more if against the Word of God how can we take this part of the Oath at least in the sense of the Imposers As touching the third thing an endeavour of Uniformity c. the considerations for direction of conscience will be the same with the second For we are required to swear to endeavour an uniformity and that in the reformation before mentioned and after that reformation so that in whatsoever sense or kind the reformation by them mentioned and after described is not to be undertaken in the same our endeavour for uniformity is not lawfull Lastly in the taking of this first Article we should as we conceive make our selves guilty either of rash swearing or of perjury and that from the necessary consequence of the complication of these two clauses wherein first we should swear to preserve the reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common enemies And secondly to bring the Churches of the three Kingdoms to the neerest conjunction and uniformity in those particulars among ourselves If we endeavour in our callings but by prayer to alter any thing in the Church of Scotland wherein our enemies are theirs also though therein we differ amongst our selves we commit perjury because we swear to preserve it To effect therefore the neerest uniformity in those particulars in the three Kingdoms we are sworn to endeavour to bring the other two Kingdoms to the neerest conformity to the Church of Scotland Now how can we swear to regulate by a rule and to reform by a form which we fully know not and much lesse know to be a fit rule or form without rash swearing sure we are we cannot swear it in judgement and for ought we know not in righteousnesse That we shall in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy that is Church-government by Archbishops Bishops their Chancellours and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-deacons and all other Ecclesiasticall Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophanenesse and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godlinesse lest we partake in other men sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues and that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdoms How can we swear to this part of the Covenant who doe believe that to endeavour the extirpation of Church-government by Bishops is an act utterly unlawfull for all severall places and callings and especially ours by the Law of God and this Land and to swear it much more sinfull And are we not here bidden to covenant and swear to endeavour the extirpation of Church-government by Bishops To us either the words are ambiguous and to ambiguities we may not swear or rather for we are loath to charge the words with ambiguitie the Grammatical sense according to which the Oath is to be taken speaks so for as to what we hear by some said that onely our Church-government in aggregato by all those Governours together in a collective sense taken formally is to be endeavoured to be extirpated and not each there mentioned first Such interpretation given out is private onely and not by the authority of the imposers and secondly those words and all other c. do manifest that all the formerly mentioned particulars in the parenthesis are to be construed distributively so farre forth as to the extirpation of them To omit that the word Prelacy there interpreted more properly agreeth to Arch-bishops and Bishops then to the rest there mentioned and a Prelacy they would be without them because preferred before Presbyters and if it no more were meant to ejure Bishops then Presbyters or Deacons since as well Presbyters and Deacons make up part of
up of truths confessed and undeniable 1. Scots and English are Subjects to the King 2. Of the same Protestant Religion the professors whereof do not differ in fundamentals 3. Their joyning in Arms as is alledged is for the vindication and defence of their Religiâ—n Liberties and Laws 4. Against the Popish Prelaticall and Malignant party 5. By these are meant the Souldiers raised by the King On the other side 1. The King is our lawfull Soveraign 2. Of the same Protestant Religion 3. He hath protested and engaged himself with all solemnity as at the receiving of the holy Eucharist c. to preserve and maintain the Protestant Religion the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdoms and Parliaments 4. That he hath sent many Messages for Treaties toward Peace both before and during the time of these wars and expressed a desire of making the people witnesses of the equity of his proceedings 5. He hath declared his will against both the Scots and English who take up Arms in this Cause Out of these principles whereas many more might be added in behalf of His Majestie let the question be Whether it may be lawfull and necessary for subjects to covenant together without and against the expresse will of their lawfull Soveraign to joyn in Arms against the Forces raised by his command and that for the vindication and defence of that which he hath by all possible obligations engaged himself to maintain and defend and for security of his people hath desired that differences might be composed by Treaty and that the world might judge of his proceedings in it If this be a true state of the question at least so far as is here expressed the next labour for our Consciences will be to examine whether any argument in this exhortation upon supposition that they all were truths in themselves doe infer a lawfulnesse and necessity to covenant in our case all things considered and if it be evident that they are not sufficient it may be a motive to abate the confidence of the composers of it whosoever they were in particular and to procure an examination of their own principles and actions wherein they may possibly see that they have not either in their own actions or in their judgement of others proceeded so exactly according to the Law of conscience and the word of God Now although we are confident that there is not in this exhortation any one argument which the Assembly it self will undertake so to contrive as that it shall conclude for a necessity or a lawfulnesse of taking such a Covenant in such a case all things considered and consequently the whole businesse which was of necessity for vindication of our selves from sottishnesse c. is already done Yet that it may without any danger of prejudice or errour appear that we are not guilty of such a presumption as we have excepted against in them we will as briefly as may be examine their whole discourse and evidently unlesse indeed we be bewitched to think so discover what is untrue or uncertain if any thing of those kinds shall occur and what is insufficient in their Exhortation after we have by way of Apology premised that we will not all answer them in the manner of the delivery of the reasons We have as we hope prevailed against those affections which might have arisen upon those expressions which concern our selves and though with far greater difficulty against that indignation which followed upon the apprehension of those not so very reverent expressions and reflections upon his sacred Majestie so far as not to suffer our judgements or consciences to be withdrawn from a just and meer examination of the truth having seen in them that zeal and confidence however they are excellent affections in those who are sufficiently grounded in an unfallible truth yet they do in no measure help toward a discovery of truth or a removall of scruples in a case of conscience The whole discourse was intended by the Authors of it to consist of perswasions and resolutions of scruples and is immediately resolved into an introduction and the body of the discourse As for the Introduction it contains a collection of many places from whence the composers thereof presume that the necessity of taking this League might be enforced But seeing it carries not clearly in it self any discovery of the consequences it could not in reason be premised to any other discourse then such as in the processe should clear that which was there presumed and seeing the following discourse is no way ordered to a clearing of those inferences so that the design of him who made the introduction is no further prosecuted we may here indeed observe an instance of the variance which is said to be in the Assembly but are no wayes helped in that which was the fundamentall intention of the whole the resolution of our scruples which by the serious consideration of those things here reckoned up we professe to have been exceedingly strengthened upon us and that by such inference as may be gathered if not cleerly seen by this ensuing parallel If the power of Religion described and practised by our Saviour Christ and his Apostles and expressed in the most heroicall actions of the primitive Christians or if solid reason informed by the Doctrine of the Church of England and assisted by the light of the examples of holy Saints and Martyrs and by a perfect information of the beginnings and proceedings of our present miseries and of the standing known Laws of the Land If loyalty to the King and piety to their native Couatry or love to themselves and naturall affection to their posterity if the example of men touched with a deep sense of all these such as have been the most eminent among the Clergy for piety and learning the Instruments as it is confessed used by Almighty God for the preservation of our Religion against all its enemies who with many others the most worthy of the Laity have cheerfully and constantly been spoiled of their goods and suffered a long and tedious imprisonment and are and have been ready to suffer death it selfe in the present cause of his Sacred Majestie or if extraordinary successe from God thereupon such as was necessary to raise his Majesty from a state of despised weaknesse to a power able to resist and probably able to debell all the Forces which his enemies of three Kingdoms can procure If any or all of these can awaken a Nation hitherto stupified and blinded and thereupon imbroiled in the miseries which have attended upon this war to see and imbrace the soveraign and onely means of their recovery there can be no doubt or fear that they will enter into a League with those who have lifted up under what pretence soever their hands against his Sacred Majestie but they will rather repent them of their former disobedience endeavouring to reduce their brethren to a labour for reconciliation and pardon from his Majestie at least to
an acceptation of those proffers for Treaty towards accommodation which he so often makes and in case they shall be by any pertinaciously refused joyn themselves with his Sacred Majesty in his just defence Having thus done with the Introduction it follows that we examine the Discourse it self which proceeds in this method First to propound the motives to perswade men to take the Covenant Secondly to answer the objections or scruples which might hinder c. Here before we begin to examine the strength of the motives themselves we observe the different apprehensions of the framers of it for whereas he who framed the Introduction did it seems imagine that the taking of the Covenant might be enforced from the positive Law of God and the Law of Nature the other who was to lay down the Motives was so farre from that as to esteem it necessary towards the same end in the first place to insinuate the example of themselves of the Assembly and others who had already taken it The strength of their perswasive Arguments is this First This Covenant is already taken by the two Houses of Parliament by the Assembly of Divines the City of London and the Kingdom of Scotland Secondly It hath been already seconded from Heaven by blasting the Counsels c. Thirdly It carries in it self such a convincing evidence of Equity Truth and Righteousnesse as may raise in all enflamed affections to take it which is proved because There is almost nothing in this Covenant which was not for substance either expressed or manifestly included in the Protestation of May 5. 1641. Ergo whosoever are not wilfully ignorant or miserably seduced must infallibly take this Covenant For the first of these Arguments First in generall we do not see how the example of either party can reasonably be alledged to direct the Conscience in any controversie Secondly we have reason to believe that farre the greater number both in the City of London and the Kingdom of Scotland could not take this Oath in judgement as being not able to discern of the righteousnesse or iniquity of some of the Articles especially that which concerns Episcopacy so that a chief strength of this Argument from Example consists in the example of themselves who are of the Assembly and made this Exhortation And then we conceive they cannot justly accuse us either of immodesty or presumption if we shall openly professe that they have not in this first Essay of theirs at least which we know to have been published given evidences of so great Judgement Learning or Integrity as may warrant or encourage us in matters of Religion and cases of Conscience to subscribe to the authority of their example To the second Argument which is That it hath been seconded from Heaven c. it cannot conclude to the Conscience till it be sufficiently proved neither can that be without a revelation of the Counsels of God which if the Composer of this part hath obtained it was requisite to the end propounded that he should have made it appear till when it may be beleeved that those instances where the signature of Gods Judgements may the most plainly have been discovered have fallen upon those who have had the greatest share in the raising and managing of those Arms for the maintaining of which this Covenant is ordained So then the whole force of their perswasion will depend upon the third Argument and the proof of it which to avoid any errour in examining shall be again propounded There is almost nothing in this Covenant which was not for substance either expressed or manifestly included in the Protestation May 5. 1641. Therefore this Covenant goeth forth in its own strength with such convincing evidence of Equity Truth and Righteousnesse as may raise in all not wilfully ignorant or miserably seduced inflamed affections to joyn in the Covenant Resp. 1. We are not able by all those wayes of reasoning to which we have hitherto been used to discover the inference which is here made If by the strength of their solid reason it may possibly be made to appear yet we are confident the dependence is so deep and secret that it ought not to the end for which this discourse is declared to be intended have been left unrevealed 2. Whereas the Argument of the evident Equity Truth and Righteousnesse of this is taken from the agreement of it with that Protestation we will assume the matter of that Protestation to have been in the judgement of this Assembly Equall True and Righteous from whence it will follow that if this should according to their principles either immediately or by necessary consequence contradict that Protestation therein they must confesse it to be unequall false or unrighteous and wherein soever it doth positively dissent from it there the Truth Equity and Righteousnesse of it must be confessed to be here no way proved this being premised let us compare together this Covenant and that Protestation There we protested that we would with our lives c. defend the Doctrine of the Church of England indefinitely which is undoubtedly contained in the 39. Articles which in the further Articles of impeachment Jan. 17. 1643. by the Commons assembled in Parliament against the Archbishop of Canterbury are stiled The 39. Articles of the Church England established by Act of Parliament and in the six and thirtieth of those Articles it is avouched that the Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops and ordering of Priests and Deacons confirmed by Authority of Parliament doth contain all things necessary to such Consecration and Ordering and hath nothing in it ungodly This book asserteth that it is evident to all men diligently reading holy Scripture and ancient Authors that from the Apostles times there have been these Orders of Ministers in the Church Bishops Priests and Deacons which Officers were evermore bad in reverent estimation Wherefore we there protested with our lives c. to defend that it is not ungodly therefore not false Doctrine to say That diligent reading of the Holy Scriptures will help to make it evident that from the Apostles times there have been Bishops which could not be unlesse the Scriptures did testifie that in the Apostles times they were One of the Prayers also lex orandi lex docendi thus begins Almighty God giver of all good things which by thy Holy Spirit hast appointed divers orders of Ministers in thy Church mercifully behold this thy servant now called to the work and ministery of a Bishop and the elected Bishop is afterward required to professe That he is perswaded that he is truly called to this Ministration according to the will of our Lord Iesus Christ And by consequence we there did protest to defend that also and consequently upon their own principles it is unequall and unrighteous to swear to the extirpation of them Again in that Protestation there was nothing concerning the endeavouring the preservation of the Doctrine Discipline and Worship of the Church of
Scotland the Reformation of the Doctrine of the Church of England Moreover in that we protested absolutely the defence of the Kings Person according to our Allegiance which here we do not absolutely swear to to maintain the Laws of the Land the Liberty of the Subject and onely to defend one another so far as lawfully we may which here are omitted Many other differences may be observed If yet they shall say that there is nothing almost in this which is not in that or nothing of moment which must be the meaning if their Argument be of any force at all it may not be thought unreasonable if we desire with leave from His Majestie to renew that Protestation that we may be thereby excused from this League and Covenant After the proposall of their perswasive Arguments they proceed to the taking away of scruples not all or most of such as might arise to the contrary as appears by that which we have humbly represented against the Covenant it self therefore such as they have chosen out probably because they conceived themselves best able for their Answer The scruples which they suppose are such as concern either the King or the Bishops They begin with the extirpation of Bishops where first they design to prove that they may and ought to be extirpated and after they addresse themselves to answer one speciall objection We will therefore in order propound and examine the weight and truth which is in their Arguments The first is but an intimation Some say this Government was never formally established by the Laws of this Land at all If this were true which some say the Argument were not of so great force toward the taking away of this government as it would be of power to confirm us in the belief we have of the venerable institution of this Government when we shall consider that our Predecessors who have been the Authors of our Laws had such an esteem of the government by Bishops that they thought it altogether needlesse formally to establish it by Law Now that this if any positive consideration might be a ground of that which is here intimated if true appears in that if it were true that it were not formally established yet is it so interwoven with many of our Laws that they and it must stand or fall together So that here again we may desire of them to be tender of us who have protested solemnly with our lives to defend the Laws of the Land 2. The life and soul of it is already taken away by an Act c. so as nothing of jurisdiction remains but what is precarious in them and voluntary in those who submit unto them 1. We cannot acknowledge that any essentiall part of Episcopacy such as that which is the life and soul of it must be is or can be taken away from our Bishops whether it be of order or jurisdiction however the outward coercive Power communicated to it by the secular arm hath been in the times of the famous Persecutions and may be again divided from it 2. For the Act of this present Parliament here mentioned we do believe that there was more taken away in it then was intended by the major part of both Houses at the passing of it This we gather out of those words of his Majestie in his Declaration Aug. 12. And whether that Act was penned with that warinesse and animadversion that there was not more determined by it then the major part of both Houses intended at the passing of it let themselves judge 3. However that were we cannot conceive it reasonable that their temporall lurisdiction should be taken away as was suggested that they might the better intend their Spirituall and then an argument made to take away the Spirituall part of their Government also because the former is already parted from them Thirdly That their whole Government is at best but a humane constitution If there be no fallacy in these words it is necessary that whole be taken materially as it includes each severall part and not formally onely and then we answer That the Government so far as to the superiority of Bishops above Presbyters is at least of Apostolicall constitution as is proved in our reasons against the second Article and consequently as to that which is here spoken of it is not lawfull to be taken away Fourthly It is such as is found and adjudged by both Houses of Parliament not onely very prejudiciall to the civill State but a great hindrance also to a perfect Reformation Yea who knoweth not c. We know the danger and if indeed we did not yet the honour and respect we bear to the very name of Parliaments would not suffer us to question the judgement of the two Houses onely in this case which so neerly concerns the Church of God we crave leave to represent that we doe not apprehend how that should be in it self prejudiciall to the civill State together with which the State both anciently and of late we conceive hath flourished and enjoyed a Politicall happinesse beyond most of the Nations of the earth Neither how that should be opposite to a perfect Reformation which in our Consciences we are perswaded and we think may as clearly be proved as most matters in Divinity was instituted by the Apostles and constantly obtained in the purest times of the Primitive Church to which we conceive a Reformation ought to be squared and indeed the chiefest Instruments and Defendants of that Reformation which we by the mercy of God enjoy having been Bishops some of which were Martyrs as Bishop Cranmer Ridley Hooper Latimer Ferrers Jewell Bilson c. We cannot see to what Reformation Episcopacy can be a hindrance unlesse to such a form as supposes that Episcopacy must be extirpated Which moved the well-affected thorowout this Kingdom long since to petition this Parliament as hath been desired before in the days of Queen Elizabeth and King James for a totall abolition of the same In this which is intended for a proof the fourth Argument seeing it is presumed that those who have petitioned for the abolition of Episcopacy are and have beene well affected For a judgement of that we doe onely represent that the same in the dayes of those renowned Princes by those famous Parliaments held in their times were rejected as Ignorant and Seditious And whereas it is said the well affected throughout the Kingdom c. It doth and may appear that since the sitting of this present Parliament and that after discountenance given to that party more then four and fourty thousand men of quality have petitioned for the continuance of our present Church-government besides the City of London the Counties of Dorcet Kent Surrey Westmorland Cumberland Southampton Lancaster Cornwall Oxfordshire Berkeshire Wiltshire the six shires of North-wales and besides the two Universities all the which have petitioned for the same The restriction or what else is here laid down that we are not by this
our Church-government as it now stands in aggregate whether might this Oath be taken had they also been included Lastly is not their practise for whose satisfaction this Covenant should be taken a added to the common sense of mankind in the like manner of speaking or understanding such speeches evidence enough to us that we cannot take this Oath and Covenant unlesse we will swear to endeavour the extirpation of Church-government by Bishops If this be so we desire to know first whether it be lawfull for subjects to swear such a Covenant as directly contradicts the oath of their Soveraigne at his Coronation as this second branch of the Covenant doth binding us to endeavour the extirpation of the government of our Church by Bishops For that our Soveraign hath taken as contradictory Oath is evidently manifest by the last clause of the oath which the Kings of England take at their Coronation when after many other gracious promises wch the King makes to his people one of the Bishops reading to the King before the people concerning the Canonicall priviledges of the Church and beseeching him that he would be the Protectour and Defender of the Bishops the Churches under their government the King answereth in these words With a willing and devout heart I promise and grant my pardon and that I will preserve and maintain to you and the Churches committed to your charge all canonicall priviledges and due Law and Iustice and that I will be your Pretectour and Defender to my power by the assistance of God as every good King in his Kingdom in right ought to protect and defend the Bishops and Churches under their government Then the King ariseth and at the Communion Table makes a solemn Oath in the presence of the people to observe the premisses and laying his hand upon the book saith The things which I have before promised I shall perform and keep so help me God and the contents of this Book How can this Oath then for the extirpation of Church-government by Bishops be consistent with the Oath or Honour of our Soveraign which we have so solemnly protested to defend in the late Protestation How can we with a solemn Oath enter into such a Covenant to which we may neither swear without our Soveraigns consent nor yet can lawfully desire nor have his consent How sad were our condition were the King willing of himselfe to violate this Oath But what should we have to answer should we by taking such a Covenant this way necessitate so far as in us lies His sacred Majesty to violate his Oath so solemnly sworn at his Inauguration Secondly that to endeavour the extirpation of Church-government by Bishops is a sin against Divine Law all those Arguments and Authorities convince which prove that Bishops are of Apostolicall institution and unalterable and consequently Divine which we shall unfold in these Propositions First that their institution stands grounded upon our Saviours own Action and Institution of the Apostles Secondly that Christ and his holy Spirit by his Apostles appointed Bishops Thirdly that Christ the Sonne of God and the Holy Ghost afterward confirmed and approved Bishops and their Commission and power which the Apostles had appointed For the first we say their institution is grounded upon our Lords own instituting and ordaining twelve Apostles above seventy Disciples who saith to these his Apostles As my Father hath sent me even so send I you a St. Joh. 20. 21. As in other ends of his mission so how not in this which we know they did according to his pattern As he was sent by his Father therefore to ordain one order of Teachers of the Gospell superiour to another which we know because he did so ordain So also sent he his Apostles to ordain which accordingly they did and whatsoever they did by Christs example therein they did by his Commission here given in an imparity Bishops succeeding the Apostles above Presbyters subordinate as the seventy a That Bishops succeeded the Apostles in the ordinary part of their function as it is the judgement of the most ancient godly Fathers b that Bishops we say as contradistinct to Presbyters were the successours of the Apostles so is it manifest from Scripture since power Episcopall as it is now taken in this dispute which we shall prove to have been given by the Apostles to Bishops and to them onely after the Apostles was undeniably in the Apostles and for a while held in their own hands without communicating it to others That the Bishops were afterwards instituted by the Apostles themselves which so many ancient Authous have averred c And namely by the Apostolicall Authority of St. Paul and their institution part of holy Scripture is made good in that the power and Office of a Bishop as the word is now taken in the Ecclesiasticall notion is prescribed in the three Epistles of St. Paul to those two famous Church-governours Timothy and Titus particularly the Office and power of a Bishop as it is now taken contradistinctly to the Office of a Presbyter in these Texts 1 Tim. 1. 3. 1 Tim. 5. 19 20 21 22. 2. Tim. 1. 6. Tit. 1. 5 11. Tit. 3. 9. 10 and some others and these Texts thus interpreted by Antiquity d And as the office prescribed there is Episcopall so these two appointed to this prescribed office of a Bishop by St. Paul himselfe 1 Tim. 1. 3. 2 Tim. 1. 6. Tit. 1. 5. Yea by the holy Ghost say Chrysost. Theophyl Oecumenius by divine Revelation saith Theodoret of Timothy And that these two were Bishops according to the Ecclesiasticall notion of the word now used ancient Fathers plentifully witnesse b Moreover this superiority to office Episcopall to have been fixed and continued to the day of death is evident as from Church-history so also from 1 Tim. 6. 14. where {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is the same with {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the beginning of the Epistle 1 Tim. 1. 18. and includes in it the whole charge given by St. Paul to Timothy in this Epistle c From which Text also it is manifested that his Office prescribed was not personall onely but to descend by succession unto the comming of Christ d Thirdly this Office and power Episcopall that it was afterward approved and confirmed by the Sonne of God himselfe immediately and by the holy Ghost will be proved from Revel. c. 1. 2. 3. Where by the seven Stars the Angels of the seven Churches according to all reason from the Text it selfe and by the testimony of Antiquity e are seven Bishops of those seven Churches understood which Ecclesiasticall story mentions to have been in the Church long before this time as so many Angels and Apostles f of the Churches such as was Polycarp the Angell the Bishop of the Church of Smyrna made Bishop of that place by the Apostles themselves thirteen