THE COVENANT WITH A Narrative OF The Proceedings and Solemn Manner of Taking it by the Honourable House of COMMONS and Reverent Assembly of DIVINES the 25th day of September at Saint Margarets in Westminster ALSO TWO SPEECHES Delivered at the same time The one By Mr. Philip Nye The other By Mr. Alexander Hendersam Published by speciall Order of the House LONDON Printed for Thomas Vnderhill at the Bible in Wood-Street 1643. THE COVENANT That was read svvorn unto and subscribed by the Honourable House of Commons and Reverend Assembly of DIVINES the 25. of September WE Noblemen Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospell and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdomes 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 Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ the Honour and happinesse of the Kings Majestie and His posterity and the true publique Liberty Safety and Peace of the Kingdomes wherein every ones private condition is included And calling to minde the treacherous and bloody Plots Conspiracies Attempts and practises of the enemies of God against the true Religion and Professors thereof in all places especially in these three Kingdomes ever since the Reformation of Religion And how much their rage power and presumption are of late and at this time encreased and exercised whereof the deplorable Estate of the Church and Kingdome of Ireland the distressed Estate of the Church and Kingdome of England and the dangerous Estate of the Church and Kingdome of Scotland are present and publique Testimonies We have now at last after other meanes of Supplication Remonstrance Protestations and Sufferings for the Preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter ruine and destruction according to the commendable practise 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 himselfe with hands lifted up to the most high God doe sweare 1 That wee 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 Kingdomes of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the example of the best Reformed Churches And shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdomes to the neerest Conjunction and Vniformity in Religion Confession of Faith Forme 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 2 That we shall in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy that is Church-government by Arch-Bishops Bishops their Chancellours and Commissaries Deanes Deanes and Chapters Arch-deacons and all other Ecclesiasticall Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophanenesse and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to found Doctrine and the power of Godlinesse lest we partake in other mens sinnes and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues And that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdomes 3 We shall with the same Sincerity Reality and Constancy in our severall Vocations endeavour with our Estates and Lives mutually to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdomes And to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties Person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdome That the World may beare witnesse with our Consciences of our Loyalty And that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish His Majesties just Power and Greatnesse 4 We shall also with all faithfulnesse endeavour the discovery of all such as have beene or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evill Instruments by hindering the Reformation of Religion dividing the King from his People or one of the Kingdomes from another or making any Faction or Parties amongst the People contrary to this League and Covenant that they may be brought to publicke tryall and receive condigne punishment as the degree of their offences shall require or deserve Or the supreame Judicatories of both Kingdomes respectively or others having power from them for that effect shall judge convenient 5 And whereas the happinesse of a blessed Peace betweene these Kingdomes denyed in former times to our Progenitors is by the good providence of God granted unto us and hath beene lately concluded and setled by both Parliaments We shall each one of us according to our Place and Interest endeavour That they may remaine conjoyned in a firme Peace and Vnion to all posterity And that Justice may be done upon the wilfull opposers thereof in manner expressed in the precedent Article 6 We shall also according to our Places and Callings in this common Cause of Religion Liberty and Peace of the Kingdomes assist and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintenance and pursuing thereof And shall not suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever Combination Perswasion or Terrour to be divided or withdrawn from this blessed Vnion and Conjunction Whether to make defection to the contrary part Or to give our selves to a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this Cause which so much concerneth the Glory of God the good of the Kingdomes 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 knowne that it may be timely prevented or removed All which we shall doe as in the sight of God And because these Kingdomes are guilty of many sinnes and provocations against God and his Sonne Iesus Christ as is too manifest by our present distresses and dangers the fruits therof We professe and declare before God and the world our unfained desire to be humbled for our owne sinnes and for the sinnes of these Kingdomes especially that we have not as we ought valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospel That we have not labored for the purity and power thereof and that we have not endeavored to receive Christ in our hearts nor to walk worthy of him in our lives which are the causes of other sinnes and transgressions so much abounding amongst us And our true and unfained purpose desire and endeavour for our selves and all others under our power and charge both in publicke and in private in all duties wee owe to God and man
they not be willing in the day of his power to enter a religious Covenant with him and amongst themselves Whatsoever be the condition of the people of God whether in sorrow and humiliation before deliverance or in rejoycing and thanksgiving after deliverance this is it which the Lord waits for at their hands which they have been used to performe and with which he hath been so well pleased that it hath been the fountaine of many deliverances and blessings unto them When a people beginneth to forget God hee lifteth up his hand against them and siniteth them And when his people humbled before him lift up their hands not only in supplication but in Covenant before the most high God he is pleased such is his mercy and wonderfull compassion First to lift his hand unto them saying I am the Lord your God as we have it three times in two verses of the 20th of Ezekiel And next he stretcheth out his hand against his Enemies and theirs It is the best work of Faith to joyn in Covenant with God the best work of love and Christian Communion to joyn in Covenant with the people of God the best work of the best zeale to joyne in Covenant for Reformation against the Enemies of God and Religion the best work of true loyalty to joyn in Covenant for the preservation of our King and Superiours and the best proofe of naturall affection and to bee without naturall affection is one of the great sinnes of the Gentiles to joyn in Covenant for defence of our Native Countrey Liberties and Lawes Such as for these necessary ends doe withdraw and are not willing to enter into Covenant have reason to enter into their own hearts and to look into their faith love zeale loyalty and naturall affection As it is acceptable to God so have we for it the precedent and example not onely of the people of God of old of the Reformed Churches of Germany and the Low-Countreys but of our own Noble and Christian Progenitors in the time of the danger of Religion which is expressed in the Covenant it selfe The defect was They went not on throughly to enter in a Solemn Covenant an happinesse reserved for this time which had they done the corruptions and calamities of these dayes might have been prevented And if the Lord shall be pleased to move loose and enlarge the hearts of his people in his Majesties Dominions to take this Covenant not in simulation nor in luke-warmnesse as those that are almost perswaded to be Christians but as becommeth the people of God it shall be the prevention of many evils and miseries and a meane of many and rich blessings spirituall and temporall to our selves our litle ones and the Posterity that shall come after us for many Generations The neere and neighbouring example of the Church and Kingdome of Scotland is in this case worthy of our best observation When the Prelats there were grown by their rents and Lordly Dignities by their exorbitant power over all sorts of his Majesties Subjects Ministers and others by their places in Parliament Councell Colledge of Justice Exchequer and High Commission to a monstrous dominion and greatnesse and like Gyants setting their one foot on the neck of the Church and the other on the neck of the State were become intolerably insolent and when the people of God through their oppression in Religion Liberties and Lawes and what was dearest unto them were brought so low that they chused rather to die then to live in such slavery or to live in any other place rather then in their own native Countrey Then did the Lord say I have seene I have seene the affliction of my people and I have heard their groaning and am come down to deliver them The beginnings were small and contemptible in the eyes of the presumptuous Enemies such as use to be the beginnings of the greatest works of God but were so seconded and continually followed by the undeniable evidences of Divine Providence leading them forward from one step to another that their Mountaine became strong in the end No tongue can tell what motions filled the hearts what teares were poured forth from the eyes and what cryes came from the mouthes of many thousands in that Land when they found an unwonted flame warming their breasts and perceived the power of God raising them from the dead and creating for them a new world wherein should dwell Religion and Righteousnesse When they were destitute both of moneys and munition which next unto the spirits and armes of men are the sinewes of Warre the Lord brought them forth out of his hid treasures which was wonderfull in their eyes and matter of astonishment to their hearts When they were many times at a pause in their deliberations and brought to such perplexity that they knew not what to chuse or to do for prosecuting the work of God only their eyes were toward him not only the feares and furies but the plots also and policies of the Adversaries opened the way unto them their devices were turned upon their own heads and served for the promoting of the work of God The puritie of their intentions elevated above base and earthly respects and the constant peace of their hearts in the midst of many dangers did beare them out against the malitious accusations and aspersions put upon their actions all which were sensible impressions of the good providence of God and legible characters of his work which as the Church and Kingdom of England exercised at this time with greater difficulties then theirs have in part already found so shall the Parallel be perfected to their greater comfort in the faithfull pursuing of the work unto the end Necessitie which hath in it a kinde of Soveraignty and is a Law above all Lawes and therefore is said to have no Law doth mightily presse the Church and Kingdom of Seâ—tland at this time It is no small comfort unto them that they have not been idle and at ease but have used all good and lawfull meanes of Supplications Declarations and Remonstrances to his Majestie for quenching the combustion in this Kingdome And after all these that they sent Commissioners to his Majestie humbly to mediate for a reconcilement and Pacification But the offer of their humble service was rejected from no other reason but that they had no warrant nor capacity for such a Mediation And that the intermixture of the Government of the Church of England with the Civill government of the Kingdom was such a mystery as could not be understood by them Although it be true which was at that time often replyed that the eighth demand of the Treatie and the answer given thereunto concerning the Uniformity of Religion was a sufficient ground of capacitie and the proceedings of the Houses of Parliament against Episcopall Government as a stumbling block hindering Reformation and as a prejudice to the Civill State was ground enough for their information The Commissioners having returned
from his Majesty without successe and the miseries of Ireland the distresses of England and the dangers and pressures of the Kingdom of Scotland growing to greater extremity such as were intrusted with the publike affaires of the Kingdom were necessitate according to the practise of former times his Majestie having denied a Parliament to call a Convention of the Estates for considering of the present affaires and for providing the best remedies which immediately upon their meeting by the speciall providence of God did receive information of divers treacherous attempts of Papists in all the three Kingdoms as if they had been called for that effect And by the same Providence Commissioners were sent from both Houses of Parliament to consider with the Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland of such Articles and Propositions as might make the conjunction betwixt the two Nations more beneficiall and effectuall for the securing of Religion Liberty against Papists Prelats with their Adherents Their Consultations with the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly did in the end bring forth this Covenant as the only meane after all other have beene assayed for the deliverance of England and Ireland out of the deeps of affliction preservation of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland from the extremity of misery and the safety of our native King and his Kingdoms from destruction and desolation This is the manifold necessity which Nature Religion Loyalty and Love hath laid upon them Nor is it unknown in this Honourable Reverend and wise Audience what errors and heresies in doctrine what Superstition and Idolatry in Worship what Usurpation and Tyranny in Government what cruelty against the soules and bodies of the Saints have been set on foot exercised and executed for many Generations and now of late by the Roman Church all which wee hope through the blessing of God upon this work shall be brought to an end Had the Pope at Rome the knowledge of what is doing this day in England and were this Covenant written on the Plaster of the Wall over against him where he sitteth Belshazzar-like in his Sacriligious pomp it would make his heart to tremble his countenance to change his head and Miter to shake his joynts to loose and all his Cardinals and Prelates to be astonied When the Reformed Churches which by their Letters have been exciting us to Christian Communion and Sympathy in this time of the danger of Religion and distresse of the Godly shall heare of this blessed conjunction for uniformity in Religion according to the Word of God and the defence thereof it shall quicken their hearts against the heavinesse of oppressing sorrows and feares and bee no other than a beginning of a Jubilee and joyfull deliverance unto them from the Antichristian yoke and tyranny Vpon these and the like considerations wee are very confident that the Church and Kingdom of Scotland will most cheerefully joyne in this Covenant at the first motion whereof their 〈◊〉 were moved within them And to give testimony of this our confidence we who are Commissioners from the Generall Assembly although we have no particular and expresse Commission for that â—nd not from â—aâ—t of willingnesse but of a fore-sight offer to joyâ— our hearts and hands unto it being a stored that the Lord in his own time will against all opposition even against the gates of Hell crown it with a blessing from Heaven The Word of God is for it as you have been 〈…〉 〈…〉 by the consent and testimonie of a Reverend Assembly â—â— so many godly learned and grav 〈…〉 Divines In your own sense and experience you will finde that although while you are assaulted or exercised with worldly cares and fears your thoughts may somwhat trouble direct you yet at other times when upon seeking of God in private or publike as in the evening of a well spent Sabbath or day of Fast and Humiliation your disposition is more spirituall and leaving the world behinde you you have found accesse unto God through Jesus Christ the bent and inclinations of your hearts will be strongest to go through with this work It is a good testimony that our designes and wayes are agreeable to the will of God if we affect them most when our hearts are furthest from the world and our temper is most spirituall and heavenly and least carnall and earthly As the Word of God so the prayers of the people of God in all the Reformed Churches are for us and on our side It were more terrible then an Armie to heare that there were any servent supplications to God against us blasphemies curses and horrid imprecations there be proceeding from another spirit and that is all That Divine Providence also which hath maintained this Cause and supported his Servants in a marvellous manner unto this day and which this time past hath kept things in an equall ballance and vicissitude of successe will we trust from this day forth through the weight of this Covenant cast the ballance and make Religion and Righteousnesse to prevaile to the glory of God the honour of our King the confusion of our common Enemies and the comfort and safety of the people of God Which he grant who is able to doe above anything that we can ask or think FINIS
them to this work as a work of a marvellous high nature and concernment This being ended Mr. Alexander Hendersam one of the Commissioners sent from the Assembly of the Church of Scotland being also desired thereunto made a Speech to the like purpose Then the Covenant was read notice being first given to the Assembly that after the hearing of it each person should immediately by swearing worship the great Name of God and testifie so much outwardly by lifting up their hands which was all done very solemnly and with so much joy seen in their countenances and manifested by clapping of their hands as was sutable to the gravity of such a worke and the sadnesse of the present times Both Assemblies having thus sworn with whom the Commissioners from Scotland joyned the Speaker with the Members of the House of Commons went up into the Chancell and there subscribed their names in a Roll of Parchment provided for that purpose in which this Covenant was fairly written and afterward the Prolocutor the Commissioners from Scotland and the Members of the Assembly of Divines did the like in another Roll which being finished the Name of God was again solemnly invocated and praises returned for vouchsafing this Church and Kingdome so happy and joyfull a day a Psalme was sung and then the Assembly dismissed An Exhortation made to the Honourable House of Commons and Reverend Divines of the Assembly by Mr. Nye before he read the Covenant A Great and solemn work Honourable and Reverend this day is put into our hands let us stir up and awaken our hearts unto it We deale with God as well as with men and with God in his greatnesse and excellencie for by him we sweare and at the same time we have to doe with God and his goodnesse who now reacheth out unto us a strong and seasonable arme of assistance The goodnesse of God procuring succour and help to a sinfull and afflicted people such are we ought to be matter of feare and trembling even to all that heare of it Ier. 33. 9. We are to exalt and acknowledge him this day who is fearefull in praises sweare by that Name which is holy and reverent enter into a Covenant and league that is never to bee forgotten by us nor our posterity and the fruit I hope of it shall be so great as both we and they shall have cause to remember it with joy and such an Oath as for matter persons and other circumstances the like hath not been in any age or Oath we read of in sacred or humane Stories yet sufficiently warranted in both The parties ingaging in this league are three Kingdoms famous for the knowledge and acknowledgement of Christ above all the Kingdoms in the world to swear before such a presence should mould the spirit of man into a great deale of reverence what then to be engaged to be incorporated and that by sacred Oath with such an high and Honourable Fraternity An Oath is to be esteemed so much the more solemn by how much greater the persons are that sweare each to other as in heaven when God sweares to his Son on earth when Kings sweare each to other so in this businesse where Kingdomes sweare mutually And as the solemnity of an Oath is to bee measured by the persons swearing so by the matter also that is to be sworne to God would not sweare to the Covenant of works he intended not to honour it so much it was not to continue it was not worthy of an Oath of his but to the Covenant of grace which is the Gospel he swears and repents not of it God sweares for the salvation of men and of Kingdoms And if Kingdoms sweare what subject of an Oath becommeth them better then the preservation and salvation of Kingdomes by establishing the Kingdome of a Saviour amongst them even our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who is a Mediator and Saviour for Nations as well as particular persons The end also is great and honourable as either of the former Two is better then one saith He who best knoweth what is best and from whom alone every thing hath the goodnesse it hath Association is of divine Off-spring not only the being of Creatures but the putting of them together the cluster as well as the grape is the work of God confort and harmony amongst men especially amongst Saints is very pleasing unto the Lord If when but two or three agree and assent upon any thing on earth it shall be confirmed in heaven and for this because they gather together in his name much more when two or three Kingdomes shall meet and consent together in his name and for his name that God may bee one and his name one amongst them and his presence amidst them That prayer of Christ seemeth to proceed from a feeling sense of his own blessednesse Father that they may be one as thou in me c. Unity amongst his Churches and Children must needs therefore be very acceptable unto him For out of the more deep sense desires are fetcht from within us the more pleasing will be the answer of them unto us Churches and Kingdomes are deare to God his patience towards them his compassions over them more then particular persons sheweth it plainly But Kingdoms willingly engaging themselves for his Kingdome his Christ his Saints the purity of Religion his worship and Government in all particulars and in all humility sitting down at his feet to receive the law and the rule from his mouth what a price doth hee set upon such Especially when as we this day sensible of our infirmity of an unfaithfull heart not steddy with our God but apt to start from the cause if we feele the knife or the fire who binde our selves with cords as a sacrifice to the hornes of the Altar We invocare the name of the great God that his vowes yea his curse may be upon us if we doe not this yea though we suffer for so doing that is if we endeavour not so farre as the Lord shall assist us by his grace to advance the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ here upon earth and make Jerusalem once more the praise of the whole world notwithstanding all the contradictions of men What is this but the contents and matter of our Oath What doe we covenant What doe we vow Is it not the preservation of Religion where it is reformed and the Reformation of Religion where it needs Is it not the Reformation of three Kingdomes and a Reformatiom universall Doctrine Discipline and Worship in whatsoever the Word shall discover unto us To practise is a fruit of love to reforme a fruit of zeale but so to reforme will be a token of great prudence and circumspection in each of these Churches And all this to be done according to Gods word the best Rule and according to the best reformed Churches the best interpreters of this Rule If England hath obtained to any greater perfection in so