dressing and sale of Victuals in a moderate way in Innes or Victualling-houses for the use of such as otherwise cannot be provided for or to the crying or selling of Milk before Nine of the clock in the Morning or after Four of the clock in the Afternoon from the Tenth of September till the Tenth of March or before Eight of the clock in the morning or after five of the clock in the afternoon from the Tenth of March till the Tenth of September And whereas there is great breach of the Sabbath by Rogues Vagabonds and Beggars It is further Ordained That the Lord Mayor of the City of London and all Iustices of Peace Constables Church-wardens and other Officers and Ministers whatsoever shall from time to time cause all Laws against Rogues Vagabonds and Beggars to be put in due execution and take order that all Rogues Vagabonds and Beggars do on every Sabbath day repair to some Church or Chappell and remain there soberly and orderly during the time of Divine Worship And that all and singular person and persons that shall do any thing in the execution of this Ordinance shall be protected and saved harmlesse by the power and Authority of Parliament And be it further Ordained that this Ordinance be Printed and published and read in all Parish Churches and Chappels before the Sermon in the Morning on some Lords day before the first of May next on the South-side of Trent and before the first of Iune next on the North-side of Trent Die Sabbathi 6. April 1644. ORdered by the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament That this Ordinance be printed and published and read in all Churches and Chappels before the Sermon in the Morning on some Lords day before the first of May next on the South-side of Trent and before the first day of Iune next on the North-side of Trent H Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for the better Observing and Keeping a Monethly Fast within the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales VVHereas the Kings Most Excellent Majesty upon the request of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by and with their advice and consent considering the lamentable and distressed condition of his good Subjects in the Kingdom of Ireland that there might be a generall Humiliation of all the Estates of this Kingdom before Almighty God in Fasting and Prayer was graciously pleased to command the keeping of a Monethly Fast and to the end that all persons might the better take notice thereof and to leave such without excuse as should not duly keep and observe the same did afterward by his Proclamation of the 8th of Ianuary 1641. appoint that the same should be generally publikely and solemnly holden and kept as well by abstinence from food as by publike prayers preaching and hearing of the Word of God and other Religious and holy duties in all Cathedrals Collegiate and Parish Churches and Chappels within the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales without any exception on the last Wednesday of every Moneth to continue during the troubles in the said Kingdom of Ireland All which his Majesty did straightly charge and command should be reverently and devoutly performed by all his Subjects as they desire the blessing of Almighty God and would avoyd his heavy indignation against this Land and people and upon pain of such punishments as may justly be inflicted upon all such as shall contemne or neglect so Religious a work and duty And whereas the Lords and Commons in both Houses of Parliament have received divers informations from severall parts of this Kingdom and Dominion of Wales of the great neglect of the due observation and keeping of the said Fast upon the dayes appointed and of the prophanations of the same by many irreligious ill-affected loose and scandalous persons as well of the Clergy as others who are so farre from afflicting their soules and loosing the bands of wickednesse as that they provoke the wrath of Almighty God and make so pious a meanes to procure his blessings the occasion of greater Iudgements For the prevention whereof for the time to come the Lords and Commons do Order Declare Ordain that in all and every the Cathedrals Collegiate and Parish Churches and Chappels within the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales without any exception upon every Lords day next and immediately before any the dayes appointed for the said publike Fast the Parson Vicar Curate or Minister that upon that day shall Officiate or exercise in any of the said Cathedrals Collegiate Parish Churches or Chappels shall give publike notice in every of the said Cathedrals Collegiate Parish Churches or Chappels respectively of the Fast day next ensuing immediately after Sermon or prayer ended in the forenoon before the Congregation be dismissed carnestly exhorting and perswading all the people to the Solemne due keeping and Religious observation of the whole day appointed for the said Fast and that they would repair to some Church or Chappell there diligently and reverently to attend all such holy duties as shall be used in the observance of the same that they forbear to use all manner of sports and pastimes whatsoever and their ordinary Trades and callings upon the said day as well Carriers Waggoners Carters Wainâ—â—n Drovers Butchers Hucksters Shop-keepers Labourers or any others using any Art Trade Mistery or manuall Occupation whatsoever and that all Vintners Taverners Ale-house-keepers and keepers of Victualling-houses do forbear to keep open their doors Bulks or Shops or to sell or utter except in cases of extream necessity any Wine Beer Ale or victuall till the publike exercises and Religious duties of that day in the respective Cathedrals Collegiate Parish Churches and Chappels be past and over And lastly all and every the Iustices of the Peace Mayors Bayliffs Constables Church-wardens and other Officers inhabiting or residing within the limits or precincts of any such Cathedrall Collegiate Parish Church or Chappell are hereby required to take speciall notice aswell of such Parson Vicar Curate or other Minister that ought to Officiate in any of the said Cathedrals Collegiate and Parish Churches or Chappels upon any such day appointed for the said Fast that shall either refuse or neglect to do the same or not do or cause the same to be done in that religious and solemn manner as it ought to be or that shall refuse to give notice of the Fast day at the time and in manner as aforesaid and forthwith to return their names and the names of all such from time to time as shall wilfully offend herein in contempt of the Laws His Majesty and both Houses of Parliament unto some one or more of the Knights Citizens or Burgesses that serve for the county where such offence is or shall be committed that some speedy course may be taken for the severe punishing of such as shall offend herein according to the Laws Die Mercurii 22. Aug. 1642. Ordered by the Commons assembled in Parliament That this Ordinance be forthwith Printed and published H Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. 24 April 1643. VVHereas the Lords and Commons in Parliament have made an Ordinance for the more strict and solemne keeping of the dayes of publike Fast which are not by all persons duly observed even in these times of publike calamity to the great dishonour of God and the contempt of the Authority of both Houses of Parliament Now that more particular notice may be given unto all such as shall offend herein before any exemplary punishment be inflicted upon them It is ordered by the Commons now Assembled in Parliament That all Constables or their Deputies shall the day before every publike Fast repair to every House within their severall and respective liberties and charge all persons That they strictly observe the Fast according to the directions in the said Ordinance And they shall upon the said dayes of the publike Fast walk through their said liberties diligently searching for and taking notice of all persons who either by following their work of their calling or sitting in Taverns Victualling or Alehouses or any other wayes shall not duly observe the same And they are hereby required to return the Names of all such persons as they shall finde so offending as also such Informations as they shall receive against any other persons within their liberties guilty of the like offence unto the Committee for Examinations that so they may be proceeded against for the contempt of the said Ordinance And all Constables are to observe these directions from time to time so long as the said publike Fast shall be kept without expecting any further Order H Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. FINIS
of their greatest enemies will doubtlessely stand by all those who with singlenesse of heart and a due sense of their own sins and a necessity of Reformation shall now enter into an everlasting Covenant with the Lord never to be forgotten to put an end to all those unhappy and unnatural breaches between the King and such as are faithfull in the Land causing their righteousnesse and praise to spring forth before all the Nations to the terrour and confusion of those men of blood the confederate enemies of God and the King who have long combined and have now raked together the dregs and scum of many Kingdoms to bury all the glory honour and liberty of this Nation in the eternall Grave of dishonour and destruction Die Veneris 9. Febr. 1643. AN Exhortation touching the taking of the Solemn League and Covenant and for satisfying of such scruples as may arise in the taking of it was this day read the first and second time and by Vote upon the Question assented unto and Ordered to be forthwith Printed H Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for the better Observation of the LORDS-DAY FOrasmuch as the Lords day notwithstanding severall good Laws heretofore made hath been not only greatly prophaned but divers ungodly Books have been published by the Prelaticall faction against the Morality of that Day and to countenance the prophanation of the same to the manifest indangering of Souls prejudice of the true Religion great dishonour of Almighty God and provocation of his just wrath and indignation against this Land The Lords and Commons for remedy thereof do Order and Ordain and be it Ordered and Ordained That all the Laws enacted and in force concerning the Observation of the Lords day be carefully put in execution and that all and singular person and persons whatsoever shall on every Lords day apply themselves to the sanctification of the same by exercising themselves thereon in the duties of Piety and true Religion publikely and privately And that no person or persons whatsoever shall publikely cry shew forth expose to sale any Wares Merchandizes Fruit Herbs Goods or Chattels whatsoever upon the Lords day or any part thereof upon pain that every person so offending shall forfeit the same Goods so cryed shewed forth or put to sale And that no person or persons whatsoever shall without reasonable cause for the same Travell carry Burthens or do any worldly labours or work whatsoever upon that day or any part thereof upon pain that every one travelling contrary to the meaning of this Ordinance shall forfeit for every offence ten shillings of lawfull money and that every person carrying any burden or doing any worldly labour or work contrary to the meaning hereof shall forfeit five shillings of like money for every such offence And be in further Ordained That no person or persons shall hereafter upon the Lords day use exercise keep maintain or be present at any wrestlings Shooting Bowling Ringing of Bells for pleasure or pastime Masque Wake otherwise called Feasts Church-Ale Dancing Games Sport or pastime whatsoever upon pain that every person so offending being above the age of Fourteen years shall lose and forfeit five shillings for every such offence And be it further Ordained that all and singular person persons that have the care government tuition or education of any childe or children under or within the age of Fourteen years shall forfeit and lose twelve pence for every of the said offences that shall be committed by any such childe and children And because the prophanation of the Lords day hath been heretofore greatly occasioned by May poles a Heathenish vanity generally abused to superstition and wickednesse The Lords and Commons do further Order and Ordain that all and singular May-poles that are or shall be erected shall be taken down and removed by the Constables Borsholders Tything-men petty Constables and Church-wardens of the Parishes and places where the same be and that no May-pole shall be hereafter set up erected or suffered to be within this Kingdom of England or Dominion of Wales And it is further Ordained that if any of the said Officers shall neglect to do their office in the premisses within one week after notice of this Ordinance every of them for such neglect shall forfeit five shillings of lawfull moneys and so from week to week weekly five shillings more afterwards till the said May-pole shall be taken down and removed And that if any Iustice of the Peace of the County or the chief Officer or Officers or any Iustice of the Peace of or within any City Burrough or Town Corporate where the said offences shall be committed upon his or their view or confession of the party or proof of any one or more witnesses by oath which the said Iustice chief Officer or Officers is by this Ordinance authorised to minister shall find any person offending in the premisses the said Iustice or chief Officer or Officers shall give warrant under his or their hand and seal to the Constables or Church-wardens of the Parish or Parishes where such offence shall be committed to seize the said Goods cryed shewed forth or put to sale as aforesaid and to leavy the said other forfeitures or penalties by way of distresse and sale of the Goods of every such offender rendring to the said offenders the overplus of the moneys raised thereby And in default of such distresse or in case of insufficiency or inability of the offender to pay the said forfeitures or penalties that the party offending be set publikely in the Stocks by the space of three hours And all and singular the forfeitures or penalties aforesaid shal be imployed and converted to the use of the poor of the Parish where the said offences shall be committed saving onely that it shall and may be lawfull to and for any such Iustice Maior or Head Officer or Officers out of the said forfeitures or penalties to reward any person or persons that shall inform of any offence against this Ordinance according to their discretions so as such reward exceed not the third part of the forfeiture or penalties And it is further Ordained by the said Lords and Commons that the Kings Declaration concerning observing of Wakes and use of exercise and recreation upon the Lords day The Book intituled The Kings Maiesties Declaration to His Subiects concerning lawfull Sports to be used and all other Books and Pamphlets that have been or shall be written printed and published against the Morality of the fourth Commandement or of the Lords day or to countenance the prophanation thereof be called in seized and suppressed and publiquely butnt by the Iustices of Peace or some or one of them or by the chief Officer or Officers aforesaid in their severall limits or by their warrant or command Provided and be it Declared That nothing in this Ordinance shall extend to the prohibiting of dressing of Meat in private Families or the
and withstanding the same they have thought fit That all who are true hearted and lovers of their Countrey should binde themselves each to other in a sacred Vow and Covenant in manner and form as followeth and accordingly I A. B. in humility and reverence of the Divine Majesty declare my hearty sorrow for my own sins and the sins of this Nation which have deserved the Calamities and Iudgements that now lie upon it And my true intention is by Gods grace to endeavor the amendment of my own wayes And that I do abhor and detest the said wicked and treacherous Design lately discovered And that I never gave nor will give my assent to the execution thereof but will according to my power and Vocation oppose and resist the same and all other of the like nature And in case any other like Design shall hereafter come to my knowledge I will make such timely discovery as I shall conceive may best conduce to the preventing thereof And whereas I do in my conscience beleeve That the Forces Raised by the two Houses of Parliament are raised and continued for their just Defence and for the Defence of the true Protestant Religion and Liberties of the Subject against the Forces raised by the King I do here in the presence of Almighty God Declare Vow and Covenant That I will according to my power and vocation assist the Forces raised and continued by both Houses of Parliament against the Forces raised by the King without their consent and will likewise assist all other persons that shall take this Oath in what they shall do in pursuance thereof And will not directly or indirectly adhere unto nor shall willingly assist the Forces raised by the King without the consent of both Houses of Parliament And this Vow and Covenant I make in the presence of Almighty God the Searcher of all hearts with a true intention to perform the same as I shall answer at the great Day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed COme let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall not be forgotten Iere. 50. 5. Take away the wicked from before the King and his Throne shall be established in righteousnesse Prov. 25. 5. And all Judah rejoyced at the Oath for they had sworn with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire and he was found of them and the Lord gave them rest round about 2 Chron. 15. 15. The excellent Usefulnesse of this COVENANT VNion with God Conformity to God and Vnity of the three Kingdoms are things most desireable In the first we are happy In the second holy In the third is strength peace and safety These are the kindly fruits of this Covenant and a Covenant that brings forth these how gladly should it be embraced and how willingly received They are lovely Bands that binde us to be happy holy and safe The heart of man is backsliding and a Covenant is like a hedge or wall to stop us from going back it being a good and ready answer to a tempter or tentation How shall I do this and break my Covenant Surely we have been too loose toward God having almost lost a Religion too loose in our lives and too dis-united among our selves and well it may be thought that a main end of this Rod which now lyes upon us is to beat us into this Covenant that thereby we may be knit faster to God to holinesse and each to other by this Band of Vnity Yet the taking is not the chief part of a Covenant but the keeping The benefits of a Covenant are then sure and stedfast to us when we are stedfast in the Covenant Now a main cause of unstedfastnesse in the Covenant is forgetfulnesse of it To prevent this the Covenant is presented in this form that being set up before us it may be daily seen and by seeing remembred and by remembring performed And withall let us remember this that all the wayes of God are mercy and truth to them that fear him and keep his Covenant But because no man is strong in his own strength let us seek strength of Him who is both our strength and our Redeemer that by Him we may be enabled to keep our Covenant with him that so he may delight to dwell with us to be called our God and to call us his people upon which happy condition attend Peace Prosperity and all blessings of Heaven and Earth temporall and eternall VVEE Noblemen Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospel 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 Jesus Christ the honour and happinesse of the Kings Majesty and His Posterity and the true publique Liherty Safety and Peace of the Kingdoms wherein every ones private condition is included and calling to minde 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 Kingdoms 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 Kingdom of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdom of England and the dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present publike Testimonies we have now at last after other means of Supplication Remonstrance Protestations and Sufferings for the preservation of our selves our Religion from utter ruine and Destruction according to the commendable practice of these Kingdoms in former times and the Example of Gods people in other Nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutuall and Solemne League and Covenant wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our hands lifted up to the most high God do Swear I. THat we shall sincerely really constantly through the Grace of God indeavor in our severall places 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 indeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest Conjunction and Vniformity 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 II. That we shall in like manner without respect of persons indeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy that is Church-government by Arch
Bishops Bishops their Chauncellors and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-Deacons and all other Ecclesiasticall Officers depending on that Hierarchie Superstition Heresie Schism Prophanenesse and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godlinesse lest we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues and that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdoms III. We shall with the same sincerity reality and constancy in our severall Vocations endeavour with our Estates and Lives murually to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliament and the Liberties of the Kingdoms and to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms that the world may bear witnesse with our consciences of our loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Majesties just power and Greatnesse IV. We shall also with all faithfulnesse endeavour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evil Instruments by hindring the Reformation of Religion dividing the King from his People or one of the Kingdoms from another or making any Faction or parties amongst the people contrary to this League and Covenant that they may be brought to publique triall and receive condigne punishment as the degree of their offences shall require or deserve or the Supream Iudicatories of both Kingdoms respectively or others having power from them for that effect shall judge convenient V. And whereas the happinesse of a blessed Peace between these Kingdoms denied in former times to our Progenitors is by the good Providence of God granted unto us and hath been lately concluded and settled by both Parliaments we shall each one of us according to our place and interest endeavour that they may remain conjoyned in a firm Peace and Vnion to all Posterity And that Iustice may be done upon the wilfull Opposers thereof in manner expressed in the present Articles VI. We shall also according to our places and callings in this Common Cause of Religion Liberty and Peace of the Kingdoms assist and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and pursuing thereof and shall not suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination perswasion or terror to be divided and withdrawn from this blessed Vnion and Conjunction whether to make defection to the contrary part or give our selves to a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this Cause which so much concerneth the glory of God the good of the Kingdoms and Honour of the King but shall all the dayes of our lives zealously and constantly continue therein against all opposition and promote the same according to our power against all Lets and Impediments whatsoever and what we are not able our selves to suppresse or overcome we shall reveale and make known that it may be timely prevented or removed All which we shall do as in the sight of God And because these Kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocations against God and his Son Iesus Christ as is too manifest by our present distresses and dangers the fruits thereof We professe and declare before God and the world our unfained desire to be humbled for our own sins and for the sins of these Kingdoms especially that we have not as we ought valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospel that we have not laboured for the purity power thereof and that we have not indeavoured to receive Christ in our hearts nor to walk worthy of him in our lives which are the causes of other sins and transgressions so much abounding amongst us And our true and unfeigned purpose desire indeavour for our selves all others under our power charge both in publique and in private in all duties we owe to God and man to amend our lives and each one to go before another in the example of a reall Reformation that the Lord may turn away his wrath and heavy indignation and establish these Churches and Kingdoms in truth and peace And this Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of all hearts with a true intention to perform the same as we shall answer at that great Day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed Most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his Holy Spirit for this end and to blesse our desires and proceedings with such successe as may be deliverance and safety to his people and incouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of the yoak of Antichristian tyranny to joyn in the same or like Association and Covenant to the glory of God the inlargement of the Kingdom of Iesus Christ and the Peace and Tranquility of Christian Kingdoms and Common wealths An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament With Instructions for the taking of the League and Covenant in the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales VVHereas a Covenant for the preservation and Reformation of Religion The maintenance and defence of Laws and Liberties hath been thought a fit and excellent meanes to acquire the favour of Almighty God towards the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland and likewise to Vnite them and by uniting to strengthen and fortifie them against the Common-Enemy of the true Reformed Religion peace and prosperity of these Kingdoms And whereas both Houses of Parliament in England the Cities of London and Westminster and the Kingdom of Scotland have already taken the same It is now Ordered and Ordained by the Lords and Commons in Parliament That the same Covenant be solemnly taken in all places throughout the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales And for the better and more orderly taking thereof these directions ensuing are appointed and enjoined strictly to be followed Instructions for the taking of the Solemne League and Covenant throughout the Kingdome I. THat the Speakers of both Houses of Parliament do speedily send to the Lord Generall and all other Commanders in chief and Governours of Townes Forts Castles and Garrisons as also to the Earl of Warwick Lord High Admirall of England true Copies of the Solemne League and Covenant to the end it may be taken by all Officers and souldiers under their severall Commands II. That all the Knights and Burgesses now in Parliament do take speciall care speedily to send down into their severall Counties which are or shall hereafter be under the power of the Parliament a competent number of true Copies of the said League and Covenant unto the Committees of Parliament in their severall Counties And that the said Committees do within six dayes at the most disperse the said Copies to every parish church or Chappel in the severall Counties to be delivered unto the Ministers Church-wardens or Constables of the severall Parishes III. That the said Committees be required to return a certificate of the day when
they received the said copies as also the day they sent them forth and to what Parishes they have sent them which certificate they are to return to the Clerk of the Parliament appointed for the Commons House that so an accompt may be given of it as there shall be occasion IV. That the severall Ministers be required to read the said Covenant publikely unto their people the next Lords day after they receive it and prepare their people for it against the time that they shal be called to take it V. That the said League and Covenant be taken by the Committees of Parliament in the place where they reside and tendred also to the Inhabitants of the Town within seven daies after it comes to the said Committees hands VI. That the said Committees after they have taken it themselves do speedily disperse themselves through the said counties so as three or four of them be together on dayes appointed at the chief places of meeting for the severall divisions of the said counties And summon all the Ministers Church wardens Constables and other Officers unto that place where after a Sermon preached by one appointed by the Committee for that purpose they cause the same Minister to tender the League and Covenant unto all such Ministers and other Officers to be taken and subscribed by them in the presence of the said Committees VII That the said Committees do withall give the said Ministers in Charge to tender it unto all the rest of their Parishioners the next Lords Day making then unto their said Parishioners some solemn exhortation concerning the taking and observing therof and that the said Committees do also return to the severall Parishes the names of all such as have taken the Covenant before them who yet shall also subscribe their names in the Book or Roll with their neighbors in their severall Parishes And if any Minister refuse or neglect to appear at the said summons or refuse to take the said Covenant before the Committee or to tender it to his Parish that then the Committees be carefull to appoint another Minister to do it in his place VIII That the League and Covenant be tendred to all men within the severall Parishes above the age of eighteen as wel lodgers as inhabitants IX That it be recommended to the earl of Manchester to take speciall care that it be tendered and taken in the Vniversity of Cambridge X. That for the better incouragement of all sorts of Persons to take it It be recommended to the assembly of Divines to make a brief Declaration by way of Exhortation to all sorts of Persons to take it as that which they judge not only lawfull But all things considered exceeding expedient and necessary for all that wish well to Religion the King and Kingdom to joyn in and to be a singular pledge of Gods gracious goodnesse to all the three Kingdoms XI That if any Minister do refuse to take or to tender the Covenant or any other person or persons do not take it the Lords day that it is tendred that then it be tendred to them again the Lords day following and if they still continue to refuse it that then their names be returned by the Minister that tenders it and by the Church-wardens or Constables unto the Committees and by them to the House of Commons that such further course may be taken with them as the Houses of Parliament shall see cause XII That all such persons as are within the severall Parishes when notice is given of the taking of it and do absent themselves from the Church at the time of taking it and come not in afterwards to the Minister Church-wardens or other Officers to take it in their presence before the return be made be returned as refusers The manner of the taking it to be thus The Minister to read the whole Covenant distinctly and audibly in the Pulpit and during the time of reading thereof the whole Congregation to be uncovered and at the end of his reading thereof all to take it standing lifting up their Right hands bare and then afterwards to subscribe it severally by writing their names or their marks to which their names are to be added in a parchment Roll or a Bock wherein to the Covenant is to be inserted purposely provided for that end and kept as a Record in the Parish XIIII That the Assembly of Divines do prepare an Exhortation for the better taking of the Covenant And that the said Exhortation and the Declaration of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland joyned in the Armies for the vindication and defence of their Religion Liberties and Lawes against the Popish Prelaticall and Malignant party and passed the 30. of Ian. last be publikely read when the Covenant is read according to the fourth and sixth Articles And that a sufficient number of Copies of the said Declaration be sent by the persons appointed to send the true Copies of the said Covenant in the first and second Articles FINIS An Exhortation to the taking of the Solemn League and Covenant for Reformation and Defence of Religion the Honour and happinesse of the King and the Peace and safety of the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland IF the power of Religion or solid Reason if Loyalty to the King and piety to their native Countrey or love to themselves and naturall affection to their posterity if the Example of men touched with a deep sense of all these or Extraordinary successe from God thereupon can awaken an embroyled bleeding remnant to imbrace the soveraigne and onely means of their recovery there can be no doubt but this Solemn League and Covenant wil find wheresoever it shall be tendred a people ready to entertain it with all cheerfulnesse and duty And were it not commended to the Kingdom by the concurrent encouragement of the Honourable Houses of Parliament the Assembly of Divines the renowned City of London multitudes of other persons of eminent rank and quality in this Nation and the whole Body of Scotland who have all willingly sworn and subscribed it with rejoycing at the Oath so graciously seconded from Heaven already by blasting the Counsels and breaking the power of the Enemy more than ever yet it goeth forth in its own strength with such convincing evidence of Equity Truth and Righteousnesse 〈◊〉 may raise in all not wilfully ignorant or miserably seduced inflamed affections to joyn with their Brethren in this happy Bond for putting an end to the present miseries and for saving both of King and Kingdom from utter ruine now so strongly and openly laboured by the Popish faction and such as have been bewitched and besotted by that viperous and bloody generation For what is there almost in this Covenant which was not for substance either expressed or manifestly included in that solemn Protestation of May 5. 1641. wherein the whole Kingdom stands ingaged untill this day The sinfull neglect whereof doth as we may justly fear open one floodgage
the more to let in all these calamities upon the Kingdom and cast upon it a necessity of renewing Covenant and of entring into this If it be said the extirpation of Prelacy to wit the whole Hierarchicall Government standing as yet by the known Laws of the Kingdom is new and unwarrantable This will appear to all impartiall understandings though new to be not onely warrantable but necessary if they consider to omit what some say that this Government was never formally Established by any Laws of this Kingdom at all that the very life and soul thereof is already taken from it by an Act passed this present Parliament so as like Jezabels Carcasse of which no more was left but the skull the feet and the palms of her hands nothing of jurisdiction remains but what is precarious in them and voluntary in those who submit unto them that their whole Government is at best but a humane constition and such as is found and adjudged by both Houses of Parliament in which the judgement of the whole Kingdome is involved and declared not onely very prejudiciall to the Civill State but a great hinderance also to the perfect Reformation of Religion Yea who knoweth it not to be too much an enemy thereunto and destructive to the power of Godlinesse and pure administration of the Ordinances of Christ which moved the well-affected almost throughout this Kingdom long since to Petition this Parliament as hath been desired before even in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and of King James for a totall abolition of the same Nor is any man hereby bound to offer any violence to their persons but onely in his place and calling to end eavour their extirpation in a lawfull way And as for those Clergy-men who pretend that they above all other cannot Covenant to extirpate that Government because they have as they say taken a solemn Oath to obey the Bishops in licitis honestis They can tell if they please that they that have sworn obedience to the Laws of the Land are not thereby prohibited from indeavouring by all Lawfull means the abolition of those Laws when they prove inconvenient or mischievous And if yet there should any Oath be found into which any Ministers or others have entred not warranted by the Laws of God and the Land in this case they must teach themselves and others that such Oaths call for repentance not pertinacy in them If it be pleaded that this Covenant crosseth the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance there can be nothing further from truth for this Covenant bindes all and more strongly engageth them to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties Person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms That scruple that this is done without the Kings consent will soon be removed if it be remembred that the Protestation of the fifth of May before mentioned was in the same manner voted and executed by both Houses and after by order of one House alone sent abroad to all the Kingdom His Majesty not excepting against it or giving any stop to the taking of it albeit he was then Resident in Person at White-hall Thus Ezra and Nehemiah drew all the people into a Covenant without any speciall Commission from the Persian Monarchs then their Soveraigns so to do albeit they were not free Subjects but Vassals and one of them the meniall Servant of Artaxerxes then by Conquest King of Judah also Nor hath this doctrine or practise been deemed seditious or warrantable by the Princes that have sate upon the English Throne but justified and defended by Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory with the expence of much Treasure and Noble blood in the united Provinces of the Netherlands combined not onely without but against the unjust violence of Philip of Spain King James followed her steps so far as to approve their union and to enter into League with them as free States which is continued by His Majesty now reigning unto this day who both by his expedition for relief of Rochell in France and his strict confederacy with the Prince of Orange and the States Generall notwithstanding all the importunity of Spain to the contrary hath set to his Seal that all that had been done by His Royall Ancestors in maintenance of those who had so engaged and combined themselves was just and warrantable And what had become of the Religion Laws and Liberties of our Sister Nation of Scotland had they not entred into such a solemn League and Covenant at the beginning of the late troubles there which course however it was at first by the Popish and Prelatick Projectors represented to His Majesty as an offence of the highest nature justly deserving chastisement by the fury of a puissant Army yet when the matter came afterwards in cool blood to be debated first by Commissioners of both Kingdoms and then in open Parliament here when all those of either House who are now engaged at Oxford were present in Parliament and gave their Votes therein it was found adjudged and declared by the King in Parliament That our dear Brethren of Scotland had done nothing but what became Loyall and obedient Subjects and were thereupon by Act of Parliament publikely righted in all the Churches of this Kingdom where they had been defamed Therefore however some men hoodwinkt and blinded by the Artifices of those Iesuiticall Engineers who have long conspired to sacrifice our Religion to the Idolatry of Rome our Laws Liberties and persons to Arbitrary stavery and our Estates to their insatiable Avarice may possibly be deterred and amused with high Threats and Declarations flying up and down on the wings of the Royall Name and Countenance now captivated and prostituted to serve all their lusts to Proclaim all Rebels and Traytors who take this Covenant yet let no faithfull English heart be afraid to joyn with our Brethren of all the three Kingdoms in this Solemn League as sometimes the men of Israel although under another King did with the men of Judah at the invitation of Hezekiah 2 Chron. 30. What though those tongues set on fire by Hell do rail and threaten That God who was pleased to clear up the innocency of Mordecai and the Iews against all the malicious aspersions of wicked Haman to his and their Soveraign so as all his plotting produced but this effect That when the Kings commandment and decree drew neer to be put in execution and the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them it was turned to the contrary and the Jews had rule over them that hated them and laid hands on such as sought their hurt so as no man could withstand them Esth 9. and that same God who but even as yesterday vouchsafed to disperse and scatter those dark clouds and fogs which overshadowed that Loyall and Religious Kingdom of Scotland and to make their righteousnesse to shine as clear as the Sun at noon day in the very eyes