Christian Doctrine and practical use of Saving Knowledge Directory for publick Worship Propositions concerning Church Government and Ordination of Ministers c. And other Writings clearing and confirming these Truths approven by this Church and agreeable with the Word of GOD. The advancing and promoving the power of this True Reformed Religion in our selves and others against all Ungodliness and Profanity And the securing and preserving the purity thereof against all Error Heresie and Schisme and namely Independency Anabaptisme Antinomianisme Arminianisme Socinianisme Familisme Libertinisme Scepticisme Quakerisme and Erastianisme shall be more studied and endeavoured by us And as we declare we willingly agree in our Consciences with this Doctrine of the Church of Scotland in all points as unto Gods undoubted Truth and Verity grounded only upon His written Word So we resolve constantly to adhere unto and maintain and defend and profess and confess and when called of GOD to be willing to suffer for every point of the said Doctrine as we shal desire to be approven and confessed by Christ Jesus before God and His Holy Angels 2. We shall also study more sincerity uprightness and heart integrity in the Worship of God and not satisfy our selves with the forme of it without the Spirituality that the Object of it requires And shal endeavour to Recover and Preserve the Liberty and Purity thereof from all Corruptions Novations or Inventions of Men Popish Prelatical Erastian or any other And if we cannot get these Corruptions Reformed and removed we shal study to keep our selves free of Communion and Participation with the same 3. We shall likewise by all Lawful means endeavour the Recovery and Re-establishment of Presbyterial Government which is the only order of Christs House of Divine Institution and seek to have it Redintegrated in all its parts Priviledges and Courts of Kirk Sessions Presbytries Synods and General Assemblies And that the true Discipline of the same Church may be impartially Exercised Both which we shall endeavour to Preserve aginst all that seek to Subvert and Pervert the same And when Restored and Recovered in its freedom and integrity shall Cordially submit unto the same as becomes the Flock of Christ 4. In like manner the carrying on the Work of Uniformity in the three Kingdoms shall be desired designed prayed for studied and endeavoured by us by Remonstrances Supplications Admonitions Testimonies and all other means possible lawful expedient and competent unto us in our capacities and that before all Worldly Interests whether concerning the Magistrate or our selves or any other whatsomever According to the Second Article 1. We shall do our outmost endeavours to have the Land purged of Popish Idolatry the Monuments thereof destroyed and so far as lies in our power shall never suffer the same to be reintroduced or errected again But shall endeavour to have the Penal Statutes against Papists of late stopped and suspended by the Tolleration revived left in full force and duely put in execution against those Enemies of Religion and all good Government 2. We shal Endeavour the extirpation of Prelacy by all approven means according to our Capacities and Vocations And in order thereto we shall never submit to that Prelatical Hierarchy of Arch-bishops Bishops c. having power of Order or Jurisdiction over preaching Presbyters whether Erastian or only Diocesan in any form or degree howsoever Reformed accommodated restricted or limited by Cautions or provisions of Men Since frequent and fatal experience hath taught this Church that they cannot be kept long within banks or bounds And the Word of GOD hath condemned that Office and Subordination it self in any degree We shall also by all lawful and legal means seek the removing of their substitute Curats depending on them from the Parish-Churches on which they have intruded And shall never submit to the Ministry of hear or receive Ordinances from nor pay any Stipends unto any Man that enters into the Cure of any Perish at the door of the Bishops Collation or Patrons Presentation 3. Because many have of late laboured to supplant the Liberties of the Kirk and have in a great measure obtained their design by the late Indulgences and Toleration We shall refuse withstand and witness against all such Encroachments on the Liberties of this Church in all times coming And shal withdraw our selves from CoÌ„munion with any such Meetings or Congregations that hold their freedom from and are modified by such Usurpations Purposing and promising to use all endeavours to have a settled Ministry according to Christs Institution without any dependence on subordination unto or homologation of an Ecclesiastick Erastian usurped supremacy in the Civil Magistrate Furthermore we shal strive to recover when recovered Maintain and Defend the Kirk of Scotland in all her Liberties and Priviledges according to our power against all who shall oppose or undermine the same or encroach thereupon under any pretext whatsomever 4. And as on the one hand we here enter into Vowes to detest and abhor all Superstition Heresie and Profaneness and whatsoever shall be found contrary to found Doctrine and the power of Godliness and to keep our selves so far as we can from all partaking in other Mens sins by consent unto assâ—ciation incorporation combination communion complyance with or conniving at their siâ—s So We resolve in the Lords strengâ—h to guard against all Schisme and sinful Separation or unjust rash and disorderly withdrawing from Congregations Societies or Families or any part of the Communion of the true Reformed Covenanted Church of Scotland holding purely and intirely the Doctrine Worship Dâ—scipline and Government of the same in Principle and Exercise according to the Rules of Christ and standing Acts and Constitutions of this Church And that we shall neither gather nor set up formed separate Churches or Societies under other Ordinances Government or Ministry distinct from the Presbyterian Church of Scotland Nor withdraw from Minister or Member of that Body for any offence in any case where either the offence may be legally removed without our withdrawing Or cannot be instructed to be condemned by the Word of God or the Constitutions of this Church Or is in it self an insufficient ground of withdrawing Or a thing to be condescended upon forborn or forgiven But shall study to maintain Union and Communion in Truth and Duty with all the Ministers and Members of the said Church that do and in so far as they do follow the Institutions of Christ According to the Third Article 1. We shall endeavour with all sincerity reality and constancy according to our Vocations and Capacities by all possible lawful means to seek the removal of those things that corrupt prelimite or preclude the right constitution of Parliaments and other Judicatories The rescinding and taking away of these wicked Acts and Oaths that give entrance unto the Enemies of the Reformation to sit there as Members and exclude those that are honest and well affected to the Covenant and Cause of GOD. And
dividing our selves from the Recusants and making defection to the party imposing them and opposing the Covenants And by Combination of those that preferred Peace to Truth and Ease to Duty by the terror of threatned continuance of Persecution and the perswasion of a promised Relaxation and immunity from Troubles many Ministers have been divided from the Testimony of the Church of Scotland against the encroaching Supremacy and Absolute Power and one from another and have made defection to that part and Party that were advancing these Encroachments and Usurpations on the prerogatives of Christ and Priviledges of his Church by receiving Indulgences and Tolerations from them in their own nature destructive unto and given and received on terms inconsistent with the Duties of the Covenants which were contrived and conferred on purpose to divide them from this cause and from their Brethren that more tenaciously adhered to it and did effectuate that design in a great measure And others gave themselves to a detestable indifference in complying with conniving at and not witnessing against these defections but passing them over in a secure and submissive silence And yet many of us have not shewed our dislike of these backsliding courses by discountenancing withdrawing from and keeping our selves free of all participation with them And others have withdrawn that have not mourned for the sin of these things to the irritation and offence rather than conviction of these they withdrew from Moreover in the same Article we are sworn all the dayes of our lives zealously and constantly to continue in this Cause against all Letts and Impediments whatsoever And what we are not able our selves to suppress and overcome to reveal and make known that it may be timely prevented or removed And in the National Covenant never to cast in any Lett or Impediment that may stay or hinder any such resolution as by common consent shall be found to conduce for so good ends but on the contrary by all lawful means to labour to further and promove the same And if any such dangerous and divisive motion be made to us by word or writ that we and every one of us shall either suppress it or if need be incontinent make the same known that it may be timeously obviated agreeing very well with Scriptures Num 14 9 10 Neh 6 3 6 8 9 10 11 c. Psal 69 9 Isa 8 12 14 Acts 4 19 Acts 20 24 21 13 Gal 2 5 Phil 1 28. Nevertheless many have been the lets and impediments that have been cast in the way to retard and obstruct the Lords work by Prelacy Supremacy Indulgences Tolleratâ—on and absolute Tyrannie and complyances therewith enacted by Law and all the mischiefs establâ—shed by a Throne of iniquity these 28. years Yet few have ever zealously contented and fewer have constantly continued in contending against these obstructions so destructive to the cause Many have keeped Secret the first motions and appearances of these things while they might have been suppressed and overcome And the generality have passed them over in silence and made not known nor adverted unto the Evil of these things when declared by witnessing against these things when they could not be otherwise removed or overcome Yet many of us have our selves cast in Lets and Impediments obstructive to the Cause by our Defections Divisions and Disorders against Common Consent precipitencies without coÌ„mon consent even of our Brethren adhering to the Testimony Many a divisive Motion hath not been counted dangerous as those which tended to divide us from the Covenanted Cause And many a good and necessary Motion hath been counted Divisive namely such as proposed the necessity of confessing and forsaking sin Besides these and many other breaches of the Articles of the Covenant in the matter thereof which concerneth everyone of us to search out and acknowledge before the Lord as we would wish his wrath to be turned away from us So have many of us failed exceedingly in the manner of following and pursuing the duties contained therein not only seeking great things for our selves and mixing private interests and ends concerning our selves and friends and followers with these things that concern the publick good but many times preferring such to the honour of God and good of his Cause and retarding Gods work untill we might carry alongst with us our own Interests and Designs It hath been our way to trust in the means and to rely upon the arm of flesh for success albeit the Lord many times hath made us meet with disappointment therein and stained the pride of all our glory by blasting every carnal confidence unto us We have followed for the most part the counsels of flesh and blood and walked more by the Rules of Policy than Piety and have hearkned more unto men than unto God. In the Conclusion of the Solemn League and Covenant there is a Profession and Declaration before GOD and the World of our unfeigned desires to be humbled a Ez k 7 16 for our own sins and b Ezek 9 4 for the sins of these Kingdoms especially that we have not c Matth 22 5 valued as we ought the inestimable benefite of the Gospel that we have not laboured for the d Acts 2 42 1 Tim 6 13 14. Purity and e 2 Tim 3 5 Power thereof and that we have not endeavoured to f Ephes 3 17 Colloss 2 6 receive Christ in our hearts nor to walk g Colloss 1 10 worthy of Him in our lives h 2 Thes 2 11 12 which are the causes of other sins and transgressions so much abounding among us All which we are under many obligations to confess and mourn over from the Word And of our true and unfeigned purpose and desire to endeavour for our selves and all others under our power and charge both in publick 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 real Reformation that the Lord might turn away His Wrath and heavy Indignation and establish these Churches and Kingdoms in Truth and Peace Yet we have refused to be Reformed and have walked proudly and obstinatly against the Lord not valuing His Gospel nor submitting our selves unto the obedience thereof nor seeking after Christ nor studying to honour Him in the excellency of His Person nor employ Him in the vertue of His Offices not making Conscience of Publick Ordinances nor Private nor Secret Duties nor studying to edifie one another in Love. The Ignorance of God and of His Son Jesus Christ prevails exceedingly in the Land. Even our Eathers in their purest times confessed in their Acknowledgement of Sins That the greatest part of Masters of Families among Noblemen Barons Gentlemen Burgesses and Commons neglected to seek God in their Families and to endeavour the Reformation thereof And albeit it had been much preswaded yet few of the Nobles and Great Ones could be perswaded to
as to exclude themselves from coming under the Bond of it And in that case they must have some to tender it to them we find the Officers of the Church as Moses also was an extraordinary one imposing it as Jehojadah both to King Joash and to the People 2 Kings 11.17 2 Chron. 23.16 a precedent justifying Mr Robert Douglass by Commission from the Gen. Assembly his tendering the Covenant to King Charles the II. at his Coronation And Ezra made the Priests the Levites and all Israel to swear it and it was acknowledged that this matter belonged unto him Ezra 10.4 5. even without the consent of the Magistrate or him to whom they were subject at that time then a Heathen the King of Persia And if it be so tendered and taken without the consent of the Magistrate yet his after dissent or discharge cannot loose the obligation of it As to that of Numb 30. It is altogether beside the purpose For the Magistrate is neither the Father nor Husband of the Church thô in some sense to the Church Isa 49.23 having a power as a nursing Father not as a generating Father Comulative not Privative Nor hath he such power over his Subjects as a Father over his Child or Husband over his Wife Certainly these heads of Tribes vers 1. were Politick Fathers as Magistrates yet it is not allowed to them to Disanul Vacate or make void these Vows but to the Father or Husband of the Party making them from whom these heads of Tribes are spoken to as distinct and the command is given to these Magistrats only to see it observed and ratified Again National Covenants for Religious Ends and Interests are not to be supposed of that nature of these Vows which were not about necessary but indifferent things and it seems rashly and unadvisedly engaged into for the Father had no power to make null or of no effect the Maids engagements to necessary and indispensable Duties And as to these things which he might disallow and disanul it is said The Lord shall forgive her intimating there was something iniquous in it However as the Father holding his Peace did ratifie the Vow verse 4 and was not to rescind it afterwards verse 15. So this Achillean Argument of the Prelatical and Malignant Party against our Covenants adduced from this place hath no Nerves because the Father as they sense it or the Magistrate held his peace at and gave his consent to the Renewing both the National Covenant and Solemn League and Covenant thô afterwards he made Inquiries Prov. 20.25 and rescinded it by an audacious Heaven-dating Law. But dare these Gentlemen say that it was in the power of such a politick Father as Ahaz or Joash or Jeconiah or Zedekiah who after Vows made Inquiry to disallow or disanul the Covenant of Israel and yet it was without their consent and against their will that any such Covenant was made being made in their Minority or in their extremity when forced to it Quest 4 A Fourth Question may be If the Covenant be to be Renewed in what form Whether in the first unalterably Or may it be Renewed with Alterations Ans As it is plain here is someway another Covenant beside the Covenant which he made with them in Horeb So it is as evident it is rather a Renovation of the former than a Substitution of another rather a Translation of the Form than of the Matter with accommodation to the Circumstances Sins and Duties of that time when they were in the Land of Moab someway altered from the case they were in at Horeb Which were the Motives of their Renewing it at this time and may conduce for our direction at other times when to Renew National Covenants For then at Horeb they were newly delivered out of Egypt and had seen the Wonders done there and at the Red sea and in conducting them to Horeb. Now after their abuse of these and many superadded Priviledges afterwards after they had gone through the weary Wilderness they were arrived at the Borders of Canaan and put in expectation of the complement of their promised Deliverance when they were to receive and did receive from the Lord right Judgements true Laws good Statutes and Commandements Covenant wise with alluring Proposalls that if they would obey His Voice and keep His Covenant then He would make them His peculiar Treasure and a Kingdom of Priests and an holy Nation Exod. 19.5 c. Now they had forsaken broken and forgotten in a great measure this Covenant Then they were solemnly adopted into a Covenant relation with GOD to be His People Now they had made Apostasie and Defection in many respects In a word they had received many more Mercies and had committed many more Sins now then at that time Therefore it was expedient they should Renew it And it is easie to observe several Alterations as to the Form of it from that in Horeb Exod. 19 and Exod. 24.3 7. The former was more full and particular suiting all â—imes The Book of the Covenant contained all the Judgements promulgaâ—ed upon Mount Sinai This as here Renewed did also contain the â—ame but more generally proposed with a particular Acknowledgement of the Sins against and Breaches of that Covenant from verse 2. â—o 9. and with a new Engagement to the Duties thereof and a more express explication and application of the universality and extent of its Obligation As we find likewise in all the Renovations of the Covenant of Israel formerly mentioned Which makes it lawful for a People that would now Renew Scotlands Covenants to do it with suitable explications and applications to the times II. The following part of the Chapter from verse 2 to verse 9 doth hold forth to us both their Acknowledgement of Sins introductory and their Motives inducing to take on new Engagements Quest 5 Quest What may be the Motives to Renew the Covenant Ans 5. The first thing here is the consideration of the Wonders of Wisdom Faithfulness Power Justice and Goodness of the Lord appearing in their Deliverance out of Egypt which they had seen done before their Eyes v. 2. The great Temptations wherewith He proved their Faith Vers 2.3 Patience Humility and Love and the great Temptations wherewith they provoked Him to Anger the Signs of His presence protection and power continued many great Miracles wrought in their behalf notwithstandâ—ng of all these Temptations v. 3. Which consideration should exceedingly aggravate their Sins or their Acknowledgement and animate their Zâ—al in taking on new Engagements This also may be a Motive to the Godly in Scotland to Renew their Covenant with GOD with humble acknowledgement of the Breaches thereof aggravated from all the wonderful appearances of GOD in ordinances and providences boâ—h of Judgement and Mercy wherewith this poor place of the world hath been signalized beyond others We are called to remember what the Lord did in delivering this Land from the darkness of Paganisme Popery and Prelacy
than they can be induced to abide in duty by the best Iâ—structions of those that watch over them No wonder that a peopâ—â— dwelling among Infidels be in hazard of seduction when a few Infidâ— tollerated to dwell among the Lords people will readily seduce theâ— therefore is that command given Exod. 23. ult They shal not dwel in thy lanâ— lest they make thee sin against me The example of the Popish Prelatical at Malignant faction in Brittain and Ireland the suffering them not only to dwell but to creep into places of Power and Trust in Scotland after they were once in a good measure expelled And especially in process of time the stupid submission to the Restitution of their Government of Church and State and to the Re-introduction of their wicked Establishments abjured by Covenant and to the imposition of wicked Laws contrary to the Covenant did gradually induce first particular persons among us then whole Families after that Tribes Parishes and Provinces to this dreadful sin of Covenant-breaking 2. Heart defection The heart turning away from the Lord ver 18. Vers 18. is the first step to external defection in Profession Practise or Principle from the Covenant of God The back-slider in Heart shal be filled with his own way If any Man draw back the Lord will have no Pleasure in him and then he is Plagued with Hardness of Heart and Blindnes of mind â—o run upon sins against the Covenant of God not for seeing nor fearing the curse of it The Lords People in Scotland turned first away from the Lord in Heart fell from their first Love Liveliness Tenderness Sincerity and Fervor in Heart Religion and then they could not but be a Prey to the tentations of the time the wicked Examples and Laws drawing and driving to Covenant breaking 3. Inclinations to Idolatry of any sort To go and serve the gods of these Nations ver 18. Idolatry is a breach of Covenant and inclination to it does easily insnare in the guilt of it Where a man begins once whorishly to look after idols of any kind he is readily and righteously left to follow his look Not only is it Idolatry to worship Wood and Stone Silver and Gold but to give Gods due to any other Object contrair to the 1st Command And to worship Him any other way then he hath commanded contrair to the 2d Command There are many heart idols as Self the World c. Covetousness being Idolatry There are many land-idols of jealousie as when any wicked Interest and Course is set up in competition with and opposition to and complied with in prejudice of Christs Interest and Cause Thus in this Land the Establishment of Erastiansime Prelacy Supremacy and Absolute Power ascribing to Kings of Clay what is the incommunicable Prerogative of the Prince of the Kings of the earth and Peoples love of the World self peace ease liberty c. Incomplyance with these Interests have been the Idols of these Nations And their heart turning away from the Lord to these have led them to forsake the Covenant 4. Hereupon follows the root that beareth Gall and Worm-wood ver 18. which is a bribed blinded or seared Conscience or an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God Heb. 13.12 A root of bitterness springing up whereby many are defiled Heb. 12.15 When the heart turns away from God then it inclines to Idols when it is so bewitched then the Conscience that is first Reclamant gets a bribe from the perverted will and affections to hold its peace at and to excuse sin and then its dictats are Gall and Worm-wood being blinded with Error it seeks arguments to justify the sinful Practice and at length is so seated that it is proof against all reproof and wholly benummed with the deceitfulness of sin under the energy of strong delusions which are bitter in the end This hath been the fourth step leading in breach of Covenant in Scotland when first the Tentation was presented of bowing to these Idols of jealousie above mentioned and the Question stated shall we Comply or Renounce the Covenant People first consulted their own Interest and Credit and then when that was determined to be secured the Conscience was soon lulled asleep and perswaded to applaud the fleshly conclusion and then the judgement was set on work to find out plausible Arguments and after vows to make inquiry to get shifts excuses and defences for their complyances and to excogitate pernicious principlâ— about the Magistrates power in Church affairs his power in loosing the obligation of Covenants and the indifferencie of forms of Church Government and the smalness of such points to be heads of suffering c. to justifie their breach of Covenant These roots have brought forth the bitter fruits of gall and wormwood that have brought this Land under the curse of the Covenant 5 Secure self-flattering presumption blessing himself and saying I shall have peace Verse 19. thô I walk in the imagination of my heart c. ver 19 This is the highest step of preparatives to and the heinousest aggravation of the sin of perjury and the bitterest fruit that growes from the root of Apostacy from God including many ingredients of the unpardonable sin trampling upon Light the presumer being supposed to hear the words of this curse and to tush at all threatnings blessing himself in his deliberate sinning with delight not only securely but self-willedly and resolutely proceeding from evil to worse promising to himself peace not only outward purchased by resolved perjury but inward in the sleep of a feared conscience A man so far left of God cannot withstand the tentations to Covenant-breaking No bonds can restrain his running headlong down the precipice to destruction Yet the full amount of all this presumption hath been very frequent in this apostatizing Generation on the front of whose perjury and perfidy in complying with the mischiefâ— framed into Laws by a Throne of iniquity this motto hath been legibly written I shall have peace thô I walk in the imagination of my heart V. From verse 20 to 28 the punishment of breach of Covenant is threatned predicted and described with reference to a twofold breach of Covenant procuring a twofold punishment personal perjury threatned with personal National with National judgements First Verse 20. Personal perjury is in two verses maâ—e obnoxious to many terrible threatnings every clause thundering vengeance Quest 16 If it be asked What may every Covenant breaker expect The Spirit of God Answers 1. The Lord will not spare him This is a Meiosis importing far more than is expressed to wit a threatning of inexorable ineluctable and irresistible judgement wherein there shall be no allay of Mercy as Ezek. 5.11 Ezek. 7.4.9 implying nevertheless alwayes an exception of Repentance Otherwise the Lord will not spare the presumptuous Covenant breaker be who he will be he King or Beggar Magistrate or Minister or private Person 2. But then the anger of
in danger of the yoke of Antichristian Tyranny or to joyn in the same or like Association and Covenant to the Glory of God the enlargement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the peace and tranquillity of Christian Kingdoms and Common-wealths These Covenants abovewritten formerly Nationally Taken and Renewed and still Nationally Binding We in our private Station only Swear and Subscribe in their genuine sense conform to the Explication and Application thereof in our present Acknowledgement of the publick Sins and Breaches of the same and Engagement to the Duties contained therein which do in a special way relate to the present times and are proper for our capacities therein A Solemn Acknowledgement of PUBLICK SINS AND BREACHES OF THE COVENANT AND A Solemn Engagement to all the DUTIES contained therein namely these which do in a more special way relate unto the dangers of these times Anno 1689. WE all and every one of us by the good hand of God upon us taking in serious consideration the many sad afflictions and deep distresses wherewith we have been exercised for a long time past And remembering that as the Land in the dayes of our Fathers was sore wasted with the Sword and the Pestilence and threatned with Famine for their Breaches of Covenant shortly after they first entered into it For which Shame Concempt was poured out from the Lord against many thousands of our Nation when they did in a sinful way make War upon the Kingdom of England in the year 1648. contrary to the Testimony of His Servants and desires of His People and the remnant of that Army returning to this Land spoiled oppresed many of the Faithful at that time And after our Fathers in their Solemn Acknowledgement of Sins and Engagement to Duties had confessed the guilt of that Malignant Association and obliged themselves for the future never any more to connive at comply with or countenance Malignancy Yet they joyned themselves again with the people of these abominations And upon terms destructive to the Nations and Churches Interest dishonourable to God and prejudicial to Posterity accepted their mock Repentance and admitted Malignants to places of Power and Trust And by a precipitant Treaty at Breda with the head of them Charles II. brought him over and made him King upon his mock-subscription of the Covenant notwithstanding he had given manifest discoveries of his Treachery and Enmity to Religion and Liberty in his Commissionating James Graham to invade this Kingdom in the mean time of the Treaty Whereby GOD was mocked his Church cheated and the State betrayed And then a woful defection and division was caused and carried on by the Promoters and Abetters of the Publick Resolutions who notwithstanding the Malignant Party was still numerous and retaining their former Principles waited for an opportunity to raise a new and dangerous War not only to the rending of the bowels of this Kingdom but unto the dividing them from England and overturning of the Work of God in all the three Kingdoms did yet intertain and encourage them in their Armies For which breaches of Covenant the anger of the LORD was evidently seen to smoke against the Land which after the Defeat at Dunbar and at Worcester was brought in subjection to the English for several years So in process of time calling to mind how the Malignants again recovering power and restored to the Government were suffered peaceably at their own pleasure and leasure to overturn the Glorious Work of our Covenanted Reformation and to cut down the carved work of the House of our GOD as it were with Axes and Hammers by rescinding all the Acts and Laws made in savours thereof and to reintroduce the abjured yokes of Anti-christian Prelacy Erastian Supremacy and Absolute Tyranny Which through our sinful and scandalous Complyance therewith have been so far advanced that there wanted little to the re-establishment of Popery it self in these Lands Having it also in recent memory what indignities have been done to our Covenants in not only breaking them and declaring them void and of no force enacting the breaches of them and abjuring of them but in burning them and making it a capital Crime to own them Which horrid violations and villanies have been generally complyed with or connived at without control For which we cannot but acknowledge and adore the Righteousness of the LORD in giving us up unto and suffering us long to houl under many miseries and calamities of grassant Tyranny Oppression Persecution and Murdering violence these Eight and Twenty years Whereby the Land hath been reduced almost to desolation And considering also that a cloud of calamities do still hang over our heads and threaten us with sad things to come we cannot but look upon these things as from the Lord who is righteous in all his wayes feeding us with the bread of tears and making us to drink the waters of affliction until we be taught to know how evil and bitter a thing it is to depart away from him by breaking the Oath and Covenant which we had made with Him and that we may be humbled before Him by confessing of our sin and forsaking the evil of our way Therefore being pressed with so great necessities and straits and warranted by the word of God and having the example of Gods People of old who in the time of their troubles and when they were to seek delivery and a right way for themselves that the Lord might be with them to prosper them did humble themselves before Him and make a free and particular confession of the sins of their Princes their Rulers their Captains their Priests and their People And did engage themselves to do no more so but to reform their wayes and be stedfast in His Covenant And remembring the practice of our Predecessors in the year 1596. wherein the General Assembly and all the Kirk Judicatories with the concurrence of many of the Nobility Gentry and Burgesses did with many tears acknowledge before God the breach of the National Covenant and engaged themselves into a Reformation even as our Predecessors and theirs had before done in the General Assembly and Convention of States in the year 1567. And the more recent practice of the Godly renewing the National Covenant and Acknowledging the breaches of it both befote they obtained Authority for it in the year 1638. And again by Authority in the year 1639. And that noble Precedent of that National Solemn Acknowledgement of Publick Sins and Breaches of the Solemn League and Covenant and Solemn Engagement to all the Duties contained therein which we are here enlarging condescended upon by the Commission of the General Assembly approven by the Committe of Estates and publickly owned in all the Churches at the renewing of the Solemn League anno 1648. and 1649. Together with the Solemn Renovation thereof accompanied with such confession of Sins as did suit that time yet fresh in our memories by that small Army of the LORDS
secret thoughts which no law of Man can reach yet in our day extorted by threatnings of Torture and Death if they were not discovered in Answers to our persecuters impertinent questions In all which impositions on our Liberties as men we have too stupidly couched under all burdens and complyed with them The Churches Liberties have also been invaded by the Ecclesiastical Supremacy declared by a Blasphemous Law inherent in the Crown and by an Absolute Power which all were required to obey without reserve which are horrid encroachments on the incommunicable Prerogatives of JEHOVAH and His CHRIST as only King and Head of His Church And yet these have been established and homologated by our several involvements in the sin of Prelacy and its attending Patronages robbing the Church of the Liberty of election of Pastors Indulgence and Tolleration to the prejudice of and without a Witness for the Churches Liberties In that same Article we are bound also to preserve and defend the supreme Magistrates Person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms As in the National Covenant is expressed likewise to defend his Person and Authority in the defence of Christ his Evangel Liberties of our Country Ministration of Justice and punishment of iniquity and stand to his defence in the defence and preservation of the foresaid true Religion Liberties and Laws of the Kingdom As the Duty is qualified in Scriptures 2 Sam 5 3 2 Kings 11 17 1 Kings 12 16 2 Chron 26 16 21 Rom 13 3 4 1 Pet 2 14. But as our Fathers in their acknowledgement had reason to say Neither hath it been our care to avoid these things which might harden the King in his evil way But upon the Contrary he hath not only been permitted but many of us have been Instrumental to make him exercise his Power in many things tending to the prejudice of Religion and of the Covenant and of the Peace and Safety of these Kingdoms Which is so far from the right way of preserving his Majesties Person and Authority that it cannot but provoke the Lord against him unto the hazard of both Nay under a pretence of relieving and doing for the King whilst he refuses to do what was necessary for the House of God some have ranversed and violated most of all the Articles of the Covenant So in our unhappy dayes it is our Sin Shame and Sorrow that we have had to do with men mounted on a Throne of iniquity that have been subverting Religion and Persecuting it designing to introduce Poperie it self and Slaverie Destroying our Liberties Suppressing the Evangel and Oppressing its Professors Enacting and Executing manifest Injustice stoping the Ministration of Justice against Idolaters Adulterers Murderers and other Malifactors and and punishing Equity and Duty instead of Iniquity arrogating and obtaining a Monstrous Prerogative above all Rights and Priviledges of Parliament all Laws all Liberties a power to Tyrannize as be lists without control But as it was our Fathers sin to inaugurate the late King after such discoveries of his Hypocritical emnity to Religion and Liberty upon his subscription of the Covenant So when he burnt and buried that Covenant and degenerate into manifest Tyrannie and had razed the very foundation upon which both his Right to govern and the Peoples Allegiance were founded and remitted the Subjects Allegiance by annulling the Bond of it We sinned in continuing still to own his Authority when opposite to and destructive of Religion and Liberty And many in swearing the Oath of Allegiance including also the Supremacy with the boundless Prerogatives without any Restrictions or Qualifications when all the Authority he had was engaged and exerted in a Rebellion against GOD forgetting foregoing and disowning these Limitations in the Covenant And in putting in his Interest with the Application of the words of the Covenant to him thô stated in opposition to it in the state of the quarrel in our Declarations of war at Pentland and Bothuel-Bridge for which the LORD put us to shame and went not out with our Armies Again we desire to confess and mourn over this as the sin of the Land and breach of Covenant that the Duke of York hath been admitted to the exercise of the Royal Office against the Laws of GOD and man being incapable of the Covenants qualifications of a Magistrate and being a Papist incapable of taking the Oath of Coronation to maintain the True Protestant Religion and abolish and gainstand Popery which for the preservation of the true Religion Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom is statute by the 8 Act Parl 1 K Jam 6 That all Kings at the Reception of their Princely Authority shall take and swear Yet his Authority thô inconsistent with and declaredly opposite to Religion and Liberty hath been owned and upheld by paying the Cess and Supplies expresly exacted for maintaining Tyrannie in the destruction of Religion and Liberty Our own Consciences within and Gods Judgements upon us without do convince us of the manifold wilful renewed Breaches of the Fourth Article which concerneth the discovery of Malignants consonant to the Scriptures 2 Sam 23 6 Esther 7 5 6 Psal 26 5 6 Psal 101 8 Prov 25 5 For their Crimes have not only been connived at but dispensed with and pardoned and themselves received into intimate Fellowship and entrusted with Counsels admitted into Parliaments and put in places of Power and Authority for managing the publick Affairs of the Kingdom whereby in Gods Justice they got at last into their hands the whole power and Strength of the Kingdom both in Judicatories and Armies and did imploy the same unto the enacting and prosecuting an unlawful Engagement in War against the Kingdom of England Notwithstanding of the discent of many considerable Members of Parliament who had given constant proof of their integrity in the Cause from the beginning Of many faithful Testimonies and free Warnings of the Servants of God of the Supplications of many Synods Presbyteries and Shires And the Declarations of the General Assembly and their Commissioners to the Contrary Which Engagement as it was the Cause of much Sin so also of much Miserie and Calamity unto this Land and held forth the grieveousness of our sin in Complying with Malignants in the greatness of our Judgement that we may be taught never to split again upon the same Rock upon which the Lord hath set so Remarkable a beacon And after all that is come to pass unto us because of this our trespass And after that Grace hath been shewed unto our Fathers and us once and again from the Lord our God by breaking these Mens Yoke from off their and our necks and sometimes delivering our Fathers so far from their insultings that He put them into a Capacity to Act for the good of Religion their own safety and the Peace and safety of the Kingdom should they and we again break his Commandment and Covenant by joyning once more