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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34784	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.	Henderson, Alexander, 1583?-1646.; Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672.	1643 (1643)	Wing C6621; ESTC R3970	18,809	36

handling the word of righteousnesse and truths that are according to godlinesse as to make men more godly more righteous And if in the Churches of Scotland any more light and beauty in matters of Order and Discipline by which their Assemblies are more orderly Or if to any other Church or person it hath beene given better to have learned Christ in any of his wayes then any of us wee shall humbly bow and kisse their lips that can speak right words unto us in this matter and help us into the nearest uniformity with the word and minde of Christ in this great work of Reformation Honourable and Reverend Brethren there cannot be a more direct and effectuall way to exhort and perswade the wise and men of sad and serious spirits and such are you to whom I am commanded to speak this day then to let into their understandings the weight and worth and great importance of the work they are perswaded unto This Oath is such and in the matter and consequence of it of such concernment as I can truly say it is worthy of us yea of all these Kingdomes yea of all the Kingdoms of the World for it is swearing fealty and allegeance unto Christ the King of Kings and a giving up of all these Kingdomes which are his inheritance to be subdued more to his Throne and ruled more by his Scepter upon whose shoulders the government is laid and in the encrease of whose Government and peace there shall be no end Esa. 9. Yea we finde this very thing in the utmost accomplishment of it to have been the Oath of the greatest Angel that ever was who setting his feet upon two of Gods Kingdomes the one upon the Sea the other upon the Earth lifting up his hand to heaven as you are to doe this day and so swearing Rev. 10. The effect of that Oath you shall find to bethis that the kingdoms of the world become the kingdomes of the Lord and his Christ and he shall reigne for ever Rev. 11. His Oath was for the full and finall accomplishment this of yours for a graduall yet a great performance towards it That which the Apostles and Primitive times did so much and so long pray for though never long with much quietnesse enioyed that which our Fathers in these latter times have fasted prayed and mourned after yet attained not even the cause which many deare Saints now with God have furthered by extreamest sufferings poverty imprisonment banishment death even ever since the first dawning of Reformation That and the very same is the very cause and work that we are come now through the mercy of Jesus Christ not only to pray for but sweare to And surely it can be no other but the result and answer of such prayers and teares of such sincerity and sufferings that three Kingdoms should be thus born or rather new born in a day that these Kingdoms should be wrought about to so great an engagement then which nothing is higher for to this end Kings raign Kingdomes stand and States are upheld It is a speciall grace and favour of God unto you Brethren Reverend and Honourable to vouchsafe you the opportunity and to put into your hearts as this day to engage your lives and estates in matters so much concerning him and his glory And if you should doe no more but lay a foundation stone in this great work and by so doing engage posteritie after you to finish it it were honour enough But there may yet further use be made of you who now are to take this Oath you are designed as chiefe master Builders and choyce Instruments for the effecting of this settled Peace and Reformation which if the Lord shall please to finish in your hands a greater happinesse on earth nor a greater means to augment your glory and crown in heaven you are not capable of And this let me further adde for your encouragement of what extensive good and fruit in the successe of it this very Oath may prove to be wee know not God hath set his Covenant like the Heavens not onely for duration but like also for extension The Heavens move and roule about and so communicate their light and heat and vertue to all places and parts of the earth so doth the Covenant of God so may this gift be given to other Covenants that are framed to that pattern How much this solémn League and Oath may provoke other Reformed Churches to a further Reformation of themselves what light and heat it may communicate abroad to other parts of the world it is only in Him to define to whom is given the utmost ends of the earth for his inheritance and worketh by his exceeding great power great things out of as small beginnings But however this I am sure of it is a way in all probability most likely to enable us to preserve and defend our religion against our common enemies and possible a more sure foundation this day will be laid for ruining Popery and Prelacy the chiefe of them then as yet wee have been led unto in any age For Popery it hath beene a Religion ever dexterous in fencing and muniting it selfe by association and joynt strength all sorts of Professors amongst them are cast into Fraternities and Brother-hoods and these Orders carefully united by Vow one with another and under some more generall notion of common dependency Such States also and Kingdoms as they have thus made theirs they endeavour to improve and secure by strict combinations and leagues each to other witnesse of late yeares that La Sainte ligue the holy league It will not bee unworthy your consideration whether seeing the preservation of Popery hath beene by Leagues and Covenants God may not make a League or Covenant to be the destruction of it Nay the very rise of Popery seemeth to be after such a manner by Kings that is Kingdomes assenting and agreeing perhaps by some joynt Covenant the Text saith with one minde why not then with one mouth to give their power and strength unto the Beast and make war against the Lamb Rev. 17. where you read the Lamb shall overcome the Beast and possibly with the same weapons he is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings he can unite Kings and Kingdomes and give them one minde also to destroy the Whore and be her utter ruine And may not this dayes work be a happy beginning of such a blessed expedition Prelacie another common enemy that we Covenant and sweare against what hath it been or what hath the strength of it been but a subtile combination of Clergy-men formed into a policy or body of their own invention framing themselves into Subordination and Dependencie one upon another so that the interest of each is improved by all and a great power by this meanes acquired to themselves as by sad experience we have lately found The joynts and Members of this body you know were knit together by the sacred engagement of

to amend our lives and each one to goe before another in the example of a reall Reformation that the Lord may turne away his wrath and heavy indignation and establish these Churches and Kingdomes in Truth and Peace And this Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of hearts with a true intention to perform the same as we shall answer at that great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed Most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his Holy Spirit for this end and to blesse our desires and proceedings with such successe as may be deliverance and safety to his people and encouragement 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 enlargement of the Kingdome of Iesus Christ and the Peace and Tranquillity of Christian Kingdomes and Common-wealths The Proceedings of the Covenant with the manner of taking thereof by the Honourable House of COMMONS and the Reverend Assembly of DIVINES THe Commissioners sent from the Honourable Houses of Parliament to the Kingdome of Scotland having besides other weighty Affaires instructions to take into consideration whatsoever might be effectuall for bringing the two Kingdoms to a more neer Conjunction and Union there was a Committee of the Honourable Convention of Estates in Scotland and another Committee of the Generall Assembly of the Church designed to joyne with them in this great and necessary consultation in which after much agitation the result and conclusion was that a solemne League and Covenant taken mutually by both Kingdomes would be the most conducing meanes to such a happy Vnion Thereupon a form of Covenant by their Common assent was agreed upon and presented to bee read and considered of in the Generall Assembly where it had assent and approbation and was thence recommended to the Convention of Estates by an Order of the Assembly as followeth Edenb. August 17. 1643. Sess. 14. THe Assembly having recommended unto a Committee appointed by them to joyne with the Committee of the Honourable Convention of Estates and the Commissioners of the Honourable House of the Parliament of England Certaine Propositions presented unto them by the aforesaid Commissioners of the Honourable House of the Parliament of England for bringing the two kingdoms to a more neere Conjunction and Vnion received from the aforesaid Committees the Covenant under-written as the result of their Consultations And having taken the same as a matter of so publike concernment and of so deep importance doth require unto their gravest consideration Did with all their hearts and with the beginnings of that joy which they did finde in so great measure upon the Renovation of the Nationall Covenant of this Kirk and Kingdome All with one voice approve and embrace the same as the most powerfull meane by the blessing of God for setling and preserving the true Protestant Religion with perfect Peace in His Majesties Dominions and propagating the same to other Nations and for establishing his Majesties Throne to all Ages and Generations And therefore with their best affections recommend the same to the Honourable Convention of Estates that being examined and approved by them it may be sent with all diligence unto the Kingdome of England That being received and approven there the same may be with publick humiliation and all religious and answerable solemnity sworne and subscribed by all true Professors of the Reformed Religion and all His Majesties good Subjects in both Kingdomes Ar. Jhonston Cler. Eccl. From that Honourable Convention it obtained like approbation with a recommendation to the Kingdom of England as in this Order of theirs appeareth At Edinburgh 17. of August 1643. THe Noblemen Commissioners of Shires and Burroughs now convened having received the Covenant above-written from their Committee as the result of their consultations with a Committee of their generall Assembly and the Commissioners of both Houses from the Parliament of England and having taken the Covenant into their gravest consideration did with all their hearts and great expressions of joy and unanimity approve and embrace the same as the most powerfull meane by the blessing of God for setling and preserving the true Protestant Religion with a perfect peace in all his Majesties Dominions and propagating the same to other Nations and for establishing his Majesties Throne to all ages And being very confident that their Brethren in the Kingdome of England will heartily receive and approve the same Therefore according to the earnest recommendation of that venerable Assembly of this Kirk now thinks it most necessary for the good ends afore-said that it be sent into that Kingdome with all diligence that being received and approved by their Brethren there the same may be with all religious solemnities swerne and subscribed by all true Professours of the Reformed Religion and all his Majesties good Subjects in both Kingdomes Extract Arch. Primrose Cler. Conven. Some Commissioners also were sent from the Generall Assembly of the Church of Scotland with instructions for furthering the Covenant and the intended union of the Churches of both Kingdoms This Covenant being presented to the Honourable House of Commons and considered by them in the severall branches and Articles thereof was recommended to a Committee to be chosen of their own Members and sorne of the Divines of the Assembly together with the Commissioners sent from Scotland to the intent that some expressions might be farther explained and that the Kingdome of Ireland also might bee expresly taken into the same league and Covenant with us Which being done with great care and diligence by those Committees and Commissioners It was then read in the Assembly of Divines and afterwards in the House of Commons and received a most full and universall assent from the Members of both Nemine contradicente This form of Covenant was presented also to the House of Lords by whom likewise it was taken into consideration and approved of as fit to be entred into by the three Kingdomes On Friday the 22. of September it was concluded by the House this Oath and Covenant should be solemnly taken publikely in the Church at Westminster called Saint Margarets Church the Monday following by the House of Commons and the Assembly of Divines To which purpose an Order was sent to the Assembly from the House to give them notice thereof and that some of the Assembly be appointed to pray and to exhort for the more solemn celebrating of so serious and weighty a service The Assembly appointed Mr. Philip Nye to make the exhortation Mr. Iohn White to pray before and Mr. Dr. Gouge to pray after the exhortation The House met at the usuall place and thence went with their Speaker to the Church the Assembly also at the same time with their Prolocutor A Psalme being sung solemne prayer was made after the prayer an exhortation to the Honourable House and Reverend Divines encouraging

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