Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
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A88756
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A confutation of the Solemn League and Covenant, against the persecuting dividing sense put upon it by such who seeke more themselves and their ends, then the glory of God, or the peace of the kingdomes. / By R.L. A true friend to all reall covenanters.
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R. L.
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1648
(1648)
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Wing L53; Thomason E443_38; ESTC R204751
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17,854
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15
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judgements then that spirit which is come into the World to leade us into all truth Exclaiming against the authority of popish Fathers councells c. over us in matters of Faith It being a principall branch of Popery to believe as the Church believes which we have chiefly covenanted against That wee and our posterity after us may as Bretheren not as Masters and servants for the Scribes and Pharisees love the uppermost roomes at Feasts and the chiefe places in the Sinogogues and greetings in the Markets and to be called of men Rabbi Rabbi but be not yee called Rabbi for one is your Master even Christ and all yee are Breathren Mat. 23.6 7 8. and call no man father upon earth for one is your father in Heaven Live in faith and love c. Not in envying strife and vaine jangling about things indifferent in Faith and Love not in forme custome and tradition in Faith and Love which is the unity of the Spirit not uniformity of Church Government Worship Discipline c. though the latter is likewise included where it doth not prejudice the former And the Lord may delight to dwell in the middest of us c. Acts 7.48 Esa 8.18 Ioel 3.21 Psal 132.13 Psal 87.2 Who delights not to dwell in Tents made of hands whose habitation is not in Discipline outward Worship or formes of Religion for the Lord hath chosen Zion hee hath desired it for his Habitation he loveth the gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Jacob though Iacob were not without Altars and Sacrifices no more then Zion Zion representing the spirituall Church of God not the carnall for God hath not his Habitation nor dwelling place in or among none but such as have their dwelling place in him hee that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Bloud dwelleth in me and I in him Io 5 56. which relateth to the spiritual union betwixt Christ and a christian not to an outward profession of the Gospel So Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians writing of the new Ierusalem the spirituall Church of God where only God dwels speaking of Christ the chiefe corner stone in whom saith he yee are also builded together for a habitation of God through the spirit Eph. 2.23 Pet. 1.1.4 1 Cor. 12.13 and if yee be not thus builded together in chiefe and made one with him by pertaking of the Divine nature by being baptized into him through that one spirit it is not your building together in outward Leagues and Covenants discipline and formes of worship though never so pure that makes you a habitation for God to dwell in The second Head That we shall in like manner without respect of persons indeavour the extirpation of Popish prelacy that is Church-Government by Archbishops their Chancellors and Commissaries Deanes Deanes and Chapters Arch-Deacons and all other Ecclesiasticall Officers depending on that hierakchy c Not onely the names formes and offices of the Government but chiefely the evill of the Government which was their Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction over the people Their exalting formes traditions and ceremonies above and against the purest godlinesse their troubling and persecuting good Christians under the name of Heritickes and Schismaticks forcing multitudes out of His Majesties Dominions to injoy their liberties elsewhere which is taken notice of by the Parliament in their protestation made the 5. of May 1641. all which kinde of disposition and persecuting principles we are fully and really Covenanted to extirpate in others as well as in them Superstition Which word includes all manner of ceremonous worship crept in among us by the customes and traditions of men contrary to the word of God and forced upon us by the decrees and determinations of Councels and Synods all which are wholy superstitious Heresie Which word signifies a peremptory obstinacy in a grosse visible error in opposition to a fundamentall known truth that is in opposition to the very foundation upon which religion viz. the power of Godlinesse is grounded not every small difference among Christians in matter of Opinion or Judgement about discipline Goverment or points so disputable which are hard to be determined Schisme Which signifies Division or striving about Religion by some few violent persons to the great prejudice of the generality of godly Christians not a Christian sober contending for the faith of the Gospell against the traditions and customes of men Paul withstood Peter to the face before Barnabas and all the Saints at Antioch yet Paul was no Schismatick nor Peter a Heritick for practising such things in the Church as were reproveable and blameable by Paul Prophanesse Which word signifies a fleshy carnall abusing of spirituall and holy things or the prophaning of the Lords day his names c. the administring spitituall Sacraments or Ordinances to Carnall Ignorant Scandalous people this is is that the Lord much complaines of in Scripture Ezek 12.8 thou hast despised my holy things and prophaned my Sabbaths so in ver 26. her Priests have violated my Law and prophaned my holy things Heb. 12.16 1. Timoth. 1 9. they have put no difference betweene the holy and prophane so it includes all manner of evill scandalous conversation whether in words or deeds This word in the Covenant is so little taken notice of though it be lesse disputable and the sinnes against it more scandalous and provokeing to the pure eyes of our God who cannot behold iniquitie Heb 1.13 then difference in opinion among Godly people and if there were a better reformation of the former the latter would be more easily obtained prophanesse being to be driven out from among us as Christ drove the buyers and sellers out of the Temple and holinesse of life with unity among brethren to be led in by cords of love and strength of reason But we walking so much by contrary meanes find by wofull experience contrary effects and consequences Whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound doctrine that is sound doctrine which destroyes all our own things whether parts abilities workes or righteousnesse and exalts Christ alone to be all in all for us and in us Rom. 3.22 23. 1 Cor. 12.6 Ephes 1.23 Col. 3.11 That is sound doctrine which is preached in no other name and authority Ioh. 7.16 but Gods as the doctrine was which Christ taught my doctrine is not mine but his that sent me not that which derives its Authority from Counsells Fathers c. who have many of them preached for doctrine the Commandements of men And the power of godlinesse These two things are well placed neere together for where the one is wanting the other is seldome found the power of godlinesse being constantly attended with sound doctrine though among the purest graine there may be sowne some teres for the more ye finde of the power of godlinesse in any man or society of men the more of sound doctrine is there to be expected and if the power of godlinesse be wanting in
of the Kingdoms assist and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and pursuance thereof and shall not suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination perswasion or terror to be divided and withdrawne from this blessed union and conjunction whether to make defection to the contrary part or quit our selves to a detestable indifferency or neutrallity in this cause which so much concerneth the glory of God the good of the kingdome 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 againsts all lets and impediments whatsoever and what we are not able of our selves to suppresse or overcome we shall reveale and make knowne that it may be timely prevented or removed all which we shall doe as in the sight of God The principall thing contained in this sixth head is a mutuall assistance of each other in the pursuing and obtainining the ends of the Covenant which is in a brotherly firme uniting against the Common Enemie to the Covenanted cause viz. the preservation of the purity of religion the liberty and freedome of the people c. To endeavour to retaine unity where we cannot uniformity and to prefer the concurrence and assistance of one approved tryed friend to the Covenanted cause though differing in some particular circumstances before the compliance of many others which stood neuters to it or opposed it when we stood most in need of their help And because these Kingdomes are guilty of many sins and provocations against God and his sonne Iesus Christ as is too manifest by our present destresses and dangers the fruits whereof we professe and declare before God and the world our unsained desire to be humbled for our own sins and for the sins of these kingdomes especially that we have not as we ought valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospell that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof that we have not endeavoured to receive Christ into our hearts nor to walke worthy of him in our lives which are the causes of out sinnes and transgressions so much abounding among us and our true and unfained purpose desire and endevours for our selves and others under our power and charge both in publike and in prevate in al duties we owe to God and man is to amend our lives and each one to goe one before another in this example of a reall reformation that the Lord may turne away his wrath and heavy indignation and establish these Churches 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 performe 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 successes 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 joyne in the same or like Association and Covenant to the glory of God the inlargement of the kingdome of Iesus Christ and the peace and tranquility of Christian kingdomes and common wealthes c. What can be more said or what words can more fully containe to discover a people cordially and really sensible of the crying sins of persecuting and destroying good people under bad names exalting the forme of Godlinesse against the power thereof of opposing the Letter of the Gospell against the Spirit of it Let the Consciences of all Covenanters judge acknowledging the cause of the Kingdoms present distresses and dangers to flow from their many sins and provocations committed against God and his Son Jesus Christ especially the not valuing the mosteemable benefit of the Gospel but rather sliting deriding persecuting the most precious part thereof vid. The spirit and power of it not labouring for the purity power thereof but rather imprisoning it by the tradition and forme of it not indeavouring to receive Christ in hearts drawing neere to him with our mouths but having our hearts farre from him not walking worthy of him in our lives vid. Not living at all to him but to our selves promising â—eall not formall Reformation desiring to be strengthned by his holy Spirit whose teachings enlightnings and strengthnings are now become a by-word to many Covenanters ayming at the incoridgment of other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of the same yoak of Antichristian tyranny and now make it the very worke of the Covenant to put the same yoake upon the neeks of our dissenting brethren which our own selves then groaned under like those Scribes and Pharisees Christ admonisheth the people against for they binde heavy â—â—â—thens and grievous to be borne and lay them on other mens shoulders Mat. 23.4 but themselves will not move them with one of their fingers For now the whole League and Covenant which containes thus many good Christan Engagements is all contracted or rather detracted into these three things viz. the Establishing and Setling Church Government according to that of Scotland the suppressing and punishing of Hereticks and Schismaticks c. The defending of or restoto his Majesty his Power and Greatnesse Now let us review the Covenant upon these particulars and see what we are engaged to in relation to these things and let the Covenant continue a rule and not be a snare to any much lesse to its true friends The preservation of the reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Disciplune and Government against our common Enemies What is this to the setting of it up in England against the judgements of our best friends or if our brethren of Scotland should finde cause to make a more through Reformation in that Kingdome are we bound by this Covenant to hinder them our covenant to preserve the present Reformation in either Kingdome is no engagement to hinder reformation in both Kingdoms if those in whom the power of Reforming is find cause therefore what we are by this Covenant engaged to in relation to Scotland is to assist them against any that shall endeavour to drive the Reformation back again toward the Idolatrous superstitions of Rome not those which endeavour the pressing of it forward toward the pure rule of the Word The Reformation of Religion in the Kingdome of England and Iroland in Doctrine worship Discipline and Government according to the word of God and the example of the be best referned Churches It doth not say according to the length and breadth in every thing to a tittle of that in Scotland neither doth it name this or that form of Government or particular Church or churches but only saith the word of God and best reformed churches which is wholly in the breast of the Reformers which