unto their former obedience and that when you had possessed your selves of his Magazines and strongest Towns and Forts your selves for them off part have been defented foyled lost what you held put to great streights for Men and Money notwithstanding a rich and populous City wholly at your devotion will conclude certainly there is little encouragement for you to go on in your designes much lesse for other Churches to take example by you and to enter into League or Association against those powers God hath deputed over them and to joyn together in such attempts which tend so much to the dishonour of God the Scandalizing of the Profession of Iesus Christ and the ruine and overthrow of Christian Kingdoms and Common-wealths Sir you need not much wonder to see a writing come to your hand in this manner considering the Violence and Tyranny under which we live when it is almost Capitall to make any scruple or objection which may question the Infallibility of that great Court or be a means to retard their proceedings in the grand designe And we could not so much confide in you as to have recourse unto you and expresse our doubts by way of Conference when we hear of many that are so fiercely carried on in promoting of this Cause That they have vowed to betray their neerest friends that shall but speak to the prejudice of it Besides we are come neer to that passe that the Roman State was in Domitians time when as Tacitus writes ademptum esset per inquisitiones loquendi audiendique Commercium two men cannot without suspicion and danger talk together nor dare one neighbour disclose his doubts and ask the advice and counsell of another More then that we have by this means taken a more exact view of the severall branches of this Oath together with your explanation of the same If now you have any thing to return to these things which we much doubt we shall expect your Answer in some publique manner that so the benefit may redound to more and what you shall do in this kinde we shall accept with all Candour as it becometh Christians and Your Friends Courteous Reader BE pleased to take notice that before these Observations could with conveniency be conveyed into the hands of that Divine of the Assembly mentioned in the Title who by his explaining and pressing of this Covenant gave occasion to them he was taken out of this life yet as Charity bindes us we must hope that before his departure hence he had space and grace to repent of his errours and of this in speciall one of his last though doubtlesse none of his least commissions If these Animadversions upon that Covenant such as they are may be a means to keep any who are yet free from entring into a League so unlawfull so unchristian or to reduce any who through weaknesse have been drawn into it that so they might see and forsake their errour and not by obstinate persisting adde another offence unto the former He that collected them with that intention and now presents them to the Publique view will account so good effects an abundant requitall for his pains A Solemn League and Covenant for Reformation and defence of Religion c. WE Noblemen Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospell and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland by the Providence of God living under one King and being of one Reformed Religion having before our eyes the glory of God and the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the honour and happinesse of the Kings Majesty and His Posterity and the true publique Liberty Safety and Peace of the Kingdoms wherein every ones private condition is included and calling to 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 and publique Testimonies We have now at last after other means of Supplication Remonstrance Protestations and Sufferings for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter Ruine and destruction according to the commendable practice of these 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 solemn League and Covenant wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our hands lifted up to the most high God do swear I. That we shall sincerely really and constantly through the Grace of God endeavour in our severall places and callings the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common Enemies the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the Example of the best Reformed Churches And shall indeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the neerest conjunction and Uniformity in Religion Confession of Faith Form of Church-government directory for Worship and Catechizing that we and our Posterity after us may as Brethren live in Faith and Love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the middest of us II. That we shall in like manner without respect of persons indeavour the Extirpation of Popery Prelacie that is Church-Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops their Chancellors and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons and all other Ecclesiasticall Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophanesse 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 reallity and constancy in our severall Vocations endeavour with our estates and lives mutually to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments 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 evill 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
way it must be done or how far this reformation must proceed we know not Then if this Reformation please not unconstant heads there must be another League for Reformation This is plainly to swear to we know not or care not what The Reformation of Religion in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government Here 's all out of frame it seems nothing right yet there is nothing in the Doctrine of our Church expressed in the 39. Articles and Homilies but all consonant to the harmony of the Confessions of other Churches The greatest Corruption in Doctrine that is amongst us is in that point of Obedience to the Prince as they shall finde who read the Homilies against Rebellion and Disobedience And for Discipline and Government what is amisse therein hath rather proceeded from the fault of these that exercise it then from the Discipline it self But you cry out and say It must be no longer dissembled A great many things there are to be reformed A great deal of Superstition to be cast out Defects in the Liturgy in the Government Sir it is not fair to bring a generall Defamation when you have no speciall charge We wonder you have sate thus long and framed no Articles of impeachment against the Liturgy that the world may see how true this Accusationis But the Liturgy is used just as the Ministers are accused silenced sequestred yet never called nor heard to speak in their own defence Certainly this could not but be we know not whether advantagious to the Cause or not yet a means of more satisfaction to the minds of men if you had expressed what particulars you except against in our Discipline and Worship For though we daily hear our Liturgy cryed down as Popish our Ceremonies as Superstitious raggs of Antichrist c. yet it is by such as we have little cause to resigne our understandings to unlesse we could see their mindes more calm from passion For while we behold them boyling to such uncharitablenesse their discourse must needs be frothy and their brains as empty of sound judgement as their tongues are full of bitternesse We cannot but think them to be led with a blinde zeal when they call light darknesse and know not to distinguish betwixt gold and drosse The Letany they say is conjuring because we pray to be heard by Christs Nativity and Circumcision by his precious death c. a childish cavill and the Buriall Popish because there is no Scripture from one end to the other that prayers were said at Burials It may be your self is convinced with some such powerfull argument for we hear you neglect the form appointed which if it be so we may well be affraid to entrust the reforming of our Religion into such weak hands though you are vouchsafed the titles of Godly and Learned According to the examples of the best reformed Churches And who shall judge which are the best reformed what hinders that this Church should not be as well reformed as any unlesse because it seems not to be so far removed from some Ceremonies used in Popery we know that vertue consists not in the furthest distance from one extream but in a prudent mediocrity between both so that Church is best reformed that keeps a distance in her Worship as well from Irreverence and Profanesse as Superstition The wise Reformers of this Church had an eye to this It was their principall care to abandon Popish Superstitions yet so as by decent orders established to procure a reverent respect unto Gods service The last branch of this Article is To endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the neerest conjunction and uniformity of Religion confession of Faith form of Church-government c. That we and our posterity may as brethren live together in Faith and Love We are glad to hear any thing of Love which is grown so much a stranger that we had thought the very name of it had been quite buried in forgetfulnesse God onely is he that can unmask the heart if men dissemble But let the world judge how little you seek this in earnest when you have blown up such sparks of dissension as have set these Kingdoms in a combustion and rent in pieces Cities Villages Families and are these the works of those that endeavour to live in love But Sir is it not possible to retain Christian love and unity in the difference of Rites and Customs and outward accidentall forms of Worship and Government Calvin respons ad Versipellem Mediat Did not the Eastern and Western Churches retain Communion notwithstanding the Difference about observing Lent and Easter Hear him whose judgement we doubt not you much approve and that is Master Calvin As concerning rites in particular Augustin Ep ad Cassula saith he let the sentence of Augustine take place who leaves it free unto all Churches to retain their own Customes yea sometimes it profiteth and is expedient that there should be a difference lest men should think that Religion it tyed to outward Ceremonies Possble therefore perchance you will grant it is but not so easie Well then it will the more commend our Christian dispositions that we can retain true brotherly love where it is hard to be retained To conclude we wonder how those men dare speak of Love who have raised and fomented the most unnaturall division that ever was or how their hearts can be affected at all with Christian Charity who think the abolishing or changing of those things they contend for in this Reformation worth so much Christian blood-shed besides the ruining of the happinesse of the Kingdom and endangering the very substance of Religion The second Article That we shall in like manner endeavour the extirpation of Popery The most warrantable course that could be taken for this end the Kings Majesty to whom this care belongs in chief was pleased long since to commend to the two Houses that is That the Children of Papists might be brought up in the Protestant Religion and why was it not then accepted But if this extirpation must be by murthering or banishing all of that Religion depriving them of their Estates and goods in which by the law of God and man they have Propriety we doubt whether it may be done without manifest breach of the sixth and eighth Commandements Now we must swear That we will extirpate them yet the manner how it must be done is not exprest Prelacy that is Church-Government by Archbishops Bishops Deans and Chapters c. Here Prelacy is set between Popery and Superstition and so it is handled in that unworthy manner that our Saviour was by the spitefull Jews when he was Crucified between two Theeves that so he might be thought as notorious a Malefactour as those were with whom he suffered Now this question may well arise from hence How those men your self as we suppose and others who have taken Sacred Orders shall be dispensed withall for their Oathes of
there was ever any Reformation amongst us we had thought we had been still in Egypt under the bondage of the man of Perdition when we hear the reputed Zealous men of this age cry out of our Doctrine Discipline Government Liturgie as Popish and Antichristian It 's rare we must confesse to meet with so much ingenuity in the Sermons of most that go your way Well it is confessed by you There is a Reformation amongst us and such a one as hath been countenanced with many excellent favours from above such as are deliverances from imminent dangers from open violence and secret treachery of the enemies of our Religion setled Peace and tranquillity the renown of this Nation farre and neer which have made us a glorious Church as any in Christendome For though afterwards in your discourse you took occasion to cry down those that cry up this Church for a glorious Church yet you had little reason for it so long as you confesse this Church to have been honoured by Almighty God with extraordinary favours which are as precious ornaments and adde an outward lustre to her inward beauty and comelinesse and so make her glorious then it is strange we should be so extreamly weary of this present Government under which we have enjoyed such mercies The benefits that have accompanied it might still be encouragements to us to submit unto it especially when as wise men know well enough alterations in Publique matters are so dangerous for suppose there were something in our Government or Discipline to be reformed as in the best ordered Politie that can be something upon good reason established at first may in time grow burthensome and inconvenient yet are these of such moment as rather then bear them you will engage the Kingdoms in a most desperate War and venture the ruining of Church and State the desolation of the Land nay the shaking of the very foundation of Religion by means of such Heresies as grow apace in such confused times as these Calvin is searce of your minde who though dis-affected to some of our Ceremonies and Liturgie yet is so moderate as to call them toler abides ineptiae trifles that might be born with rather then cause a greater misch of of Schisme or Sedition And certainly for any to think that the reforming or removing these trifles as he calls them is able to countervail half the blood-shed and other mischiefs that are come upon us is altogether unchristian and inhumane too and savours of an heart that hath yielded it self to be ruled by the spirit of perversnesse and disobedience The disease is far more tolerable to us and lesse displeasing unto God then such a kinde of remedie God blesse us from such Physicians whose mediernes put us into a far worse condition then ever our maladies could But not to infist long upon that where your self made but a short stay After you had laid this part of Scripture before the people though indeed it makes nothing for you yet you are so consident as to alledge every place that mentions but the name of Covenans as pleading for you then you passe to a generall division of this Covenant into the Title and Contents The Title viz A folemn League or Covenant there you lay down the nature of a Covenant which you define thus A bond whereby any one bindes himself unto another for the performance of something mutually agreed upon by eath party Here by the way we doubt whether each particular in this Covenantis agreed upon by both parties He to whom we binde our selves is God and of his consent we have no other way to judge but by his will revealed and if we search the whole Book of God we shall not be able to finde any probability of his consent that we should enter into a solemn League for abolishing those Laws and that form of Government under which we live without the consent of Him that by Gods speciall Ordinance is appointed our Soveraign Lord and King Befides each point of this Covenant is not agreed upon amongst your selves For how many be there who are enjoyned to enter into this League that know not what the Doctrine or Discipline of Scotland is that they must defend they hope perchance it 's good because commended to them by men reputed wise underst anding but what rashnesse is it in the mean time for men to subscribe to that which they know not therefore must needs doubt whether it may be done or not Nor are all agreed about the abolishing of Episcopacy If not the greatest yet surely a great part of this Kingdom are well opinioned of that Office and know that the preheminence of some above others in the Clergy is consonant to the word of God and the examples of the parest times and that Prelacy is used very injuriously when 't is ranked amongst those ugly and hatefull names of Papery Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophanenesse of purpose to make it appear alike evill with those whose company it is enforced to keep and that what is amisse therein may with lesse labour and more advantage to the State and Religion both be Reformed then the whole Fabrich be taken down Nor yet are all of those who stand for the abolishing of Episcopacy agreed about this Reformation according to the word of God No question but the Independants when they take this Covenant have another meaning then the Presbyterians have thinking that their Discipline is onely warranted by the word of God and then what mutuall agreement is there or what Consent in the raking of this Covenant amongst those severall sorts that take it though the Contrivers of it have dealt so subtily as to put it into such generall terms that there might be no bogling on starting aside but that each sort might take it though intellding severall senses After this definition you pinoced to the division of a Covenant into Sacred Civill Mixt which difference the nature of the Subject puts upon them as being Sacred onely or Civill onely or partly Sacred and partly Civill This present Covenant you call Sacred though you have no warrant from the Title that is set before it where t is onely called A Solemn League or Covenant nor yet from the matter or contents thereof For the four last Articles of this Covenant containe things meerly Civill as will easily appear to any indifferent judgement And as for the other two which concern Preservation of Religion in Scotland and Reformation in England Religion we grant is Sacred but as for defending preserving resorming they properly belong to the Civill Magistrate and are effected by that power that God hath committed to him So that we cannot perswade our selves that you should think it to be agreeable to the truth to call this a Sacred League onely you perceive that otherwise it might be some disadvantage to the cause The name of Sacred sets it out with greater credit and makes it more readily to be