agree in the means 2. Unity and that Scripture 3. Uniformity that every thing be done according to Scripture decency and order that we be one of one way and of one mind and walk by the same Rule 4. Order none stirring out of his place all studying to be quiet and to follow their own business peaceably and obediently knowing them that rule over them 5. The power of Grace and Religion which is a wisdome from above first pure then peaceable and the power of Religion makes for peace 1. By subduing lusts whence come worse 2. By working that love that beareth all things c. 1 Cor. 13. 3. By enlightening the mind difference come from ignorance if we have grace to practise what we know God will reveal other things in due time and we shall all agree 4. By subduing that covetousness ambition pride envy c. that disturb the world 5. The power of Grace in us will convince all men that God is in us of a truth and so will pacifie the world The 6th thing that makes for peace a great care of weak and wilful ignorance which is lazy and will not search for truth bashful and is ashamed to do it sullen and will not understand 7. Take care of interest private or publick keep up a frame of spirit that looks rather what is just necessary and true then what is expedient and useful 8. Be humble and teachable neither proud nor self-conceited pertinacy nor think seriously on this obvious truth a man may erre put on meekness and long-suffering 9. Take care of respect of persons and of prejudice 10. Be deliberate and sober proving all things 11. Have a zeal always guided by knowledge 12. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory 13. Prudently suspend your judgement and practise and if you have faith have it to thy self 14. All lawful condiscention and forbearance one with another forbearing and receiving one another and bearing one anothers burden 15. Wait by prayer on the God of peace for your selves for your Ministers for your Magistrates 16. Mark them that cause divisions and avoid them 17. Give up your selves to your faithful Ministers whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation 18. Be wise unto sobriety and rather believe then dispute avoiding all unnecessary questions 19. Take care of an Innovating Spirit stand in the way ask which is the good way and walk therein and you will find rest for your Souls 20. Consider one another so as to provoke one another to love and to good works 21. Let the spirits of the Prophets be subject to the Prophets 22. Correct and keep down the rising of our knowledge with humility in our selves and charity towards others 23. So long as there is sound agreement in fundamental truths and in the simplicity of the Gospel silence all disputes in matters meerly notional and curious which have no necessary influence into faith and godly living 24. Let there be a joynt obedience to the truths wherein all agree and pursuance of the end which all profess whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same things Phil. 3. 26. 25. Out of a serious and single-hearted love of truth let us address our selves to the search of holy Scriptures 26. A mutual and brotherly love which is a very great means to work upon the judgements of one another and to take off all impediments as usually arise from personal prejudice in disquisition of truth 27. Keep your selves to the Analogy of faith the form of sound words 28. Labour against the inward grounds of contention as pride self-love envy malice and covetousness and endeavour after a meek charitable yielding and submissive disposition of heart and frame of spirit that may let fall private interest for the publick 29. Meet and converse together for a mutual good understanding of one another 30. Wait upon God for further illumination in all truth 31. Let the grounds of Religion be laid by Catechising 32. Suppress the beginning of religious debates by a fair and amicable communication among your selves Thus we have given a sincere account of our selves which we beseech the Lord to bless to confirm the weak to direct the doubtful to convince gain-sayers and to gain peaceable and sober men favour with God and men A SOLEMN VOW That we have taken VVE the Ministers of the Gospel in the Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland 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 Jesus Christ the honour and happiness of the Kings Majesty and his Posterity and the true publick liberty safety and peace of the Kingdomes wherein every ones private condition is included and calling to mind the treacherous and bloudy 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 publick 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 practise of these Kingdomes in former times and the example of Gods People in other Nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutual 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 And because these Kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocatious against God and his Son Jesus Christ as is too manifest by our present distresses and dangers the fruits thereof We profess and declare before God and the world our unfained desire to be humbled for our own sins and for the sins of these Kingdomes especially that we have not as we ought valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospel that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof and that we have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our hearts nor to walk worthy of him in our lives which are the causes of other sins 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 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 may turn away his wrath and heavy indignation and establish these Churches and Kingdoms in truth and peace And this
much as any men and so wish withall that we did close so unanimously in one common subjection that there were no note of distinction left and no quarrel remain but this one viz. who should be most Loyal and faithful we would have our fellow Subjects live as strictly and as warily as we do and they will see the very money that is spent upon their vanities would procure them places as well as ours does us and as for such of them as the iniquity of the times or their own faults have made poor our very excesses would support them and what we throw away idly would relieve them we are ready to joyn in any expedient that may accommodate all grievances that if it be possible we may have no more complaining in our streets In a word those that are well inclined on all sides are ready to agree but that there are some crafty and subtle men on both sides that would keep our distances and animosities to serve their private ends which they propose sometimes to themselves out of the publick ruine aggravating all things with the most odious circumstances and endeavouring to inflame the vulgar to a temper uncapable of restraint or Government that now we are at such a distance we look upon it as no lesse a providence that God keeps the people within the bound of Law and the reverence of Authority then that he keeps the Sea within its channel and the waters within their banks And thus indeed since our seclusion have we endeavoured to approve our selves Gods faithful Children and Servants by honour and dishonour by evil report and good report as deceivers and yet true 29. The great discourse of the Nation at this time is their Taxations from which some would perswade the world we under our present discontent make some advantage in reference to which our sense hath been always this 1. That all our payments are our advantage we allow his Majesty a part of our Estate to secure the whole we support his Government he protects our lives and estates from that rage and rapine which in a few daies may destroy the industry of many years we teach men constantly not to be so impertinent as to complain of any common charge or burthen which seems necessary to the present policy under which we may have leave to live peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty no safety to us without the restraint of other mens lust and violence and no restraint without a Government that is able to raise a constant guard to every man that would live securely under his own Vine and under his own Fig-tree We know that there are four pillars of Government and Order 1. Religion that setleth the heart of men 2. Justice that ordereth their lives 3. Counsel that may apply the Rules of Justice and Religion to particular occasions 4. Treasure which last is so necessary that without it Officers will be corrupted Counsels betrayed Armies ill paid and disciplined Trade obstructed and a poor Nation will lye open to the dangerous attempts of an untoward people at home and the unneighbourly encroachments of potent Princes abroad 2. All payments are of our own imposing by our consent in Parliament 3. Our late miscarriages occasion our present grievances 4. Yet we are not now under the eighth part of former payments We tell our people that our King affords us Christian protection and therefore we may very well allow him dutiful assistance by our lives estates and prayers 30. Here we thought to have concluded but that there remains two particulars more whereof we think fit to give an account and then we shall set a period to this importunity The first is this viz. Why we have been so importunate both a little before the 24 of August and ever since against Popery Ans It s true that we had verily thought Popery had rendred it self justly odious by its own abominations in doctrine worship and bloudy slaughters and that in these daies of light and knowledge to imagine a possibility of its return upon the Protestant Churches which yet hath been the Opinion of divers eminent for Learning and Godliness among us was groundless fear where no fear was yet really considering 1. The vast numbers of Popish Emissaries Priests and Jesuites that swarm among us English Colledges as we are certified being much emptied by the reason of multitudes sent hither whose ways are subtil and close whose industry is indefatigable whose influence and efficacy upon all sorts of persons is powerful whose support from abroad is past finding out 2. The printing and vending so many English Popish books which considering the Apostasie of some the indifference of others distracted by our unhappy divisions cannot speak less then a great inclination to a revolt to Popery 3. The toleration of Popery publickly by them pleaded for 4. The Jesuites designs and models of reducing England to Romes obedience followed and promoted by many deluded Protestants 5. The union of forreign Popish power which how soon the Court of Rome being ever vigilant to improve such occasions for the propagation of its own greatness may make use of for the extirpation of the Protestant Religion we need not divine 6. The whole body of Popery published by Sectaries especially Quakers upon these considerations we were awakened to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints having not the least thought of any dangerous intimations to the people as if our Governours or Government both which we think in our consciences clear in that matter had any inclinations for or were to give any countenance to that Mystery of Iniquity And it was therefore that we recommend to our beloved Congregations 1. The love of the truth in sincerity 2. Serious endeavours to heal the sad breaches and divisions which are among us 3. To read good books 4. To make Conscience of all Family duties 5. To attend on publick Ordinances 6. To be well grounded in the principles of Religion and to watch over their hearts 2. It was given out that we the dissembling Party had made an accommodation among our selves the naked truth whereof is this indeed we have endeavoured to follow the things that make for peace which we have reduced to these heads following 1. Peace with God if our ways please the Lord our Enemies will be at peace with us 1. Of Nature in one common grace wrought in us by one Spirit if we had all one new Nature we should have all one mind 2. Of Judgement 1. In principles of Doctrine which we draw up which are 1. Few 2. Plain 3. Weighty 4. Clear 5. Subservient to godliness 6. Universally professed 2. Principles of obedience of Worship of government contained in the ten Commandments the Lords Prayer the Belief and the Scripture 3. Of affections one heart where there cannot be one mind kindly affectionate one to another loving as Brethren 4. Of ends they that agree in the end will in time
our weak Brethren which ofsend through ignorance and out of a well-meant zeal are in the simplicity of their hearts miscarried into erroneous wayes whether of doctrine or practise for the merciful conversion of the not-obdured and wilful opposers of the Truth for the seasonable confusion of the desperately malicious enemies of God and his Church for the settling of the Church of God in righteousnesse order and peace for the prevailence and happy successe of the Gospel against all Schism Heresie errours in Opinion and wickednesse of life for the discovery and defeat of all the devices and machinations of Satan and all his accursed Instruments against the Church of Christ in all parts of the world and especially in these disjoynted members of it wherein we are interessed for the incouragement and prosperity of all those that are faithful in the Land and that are hearty well-wishers to our Sion for the averting of those heavy and desolatory judgements which our sins have thus long and loud called for and lastly for the making up of our deplorable breaches and reuniting of all honest and faithful hearts in a firm concord and Christian love 10. That we shall every week set apart one day for this holy purpose wherein we shall humble our selves in private fasting and prayer till it shall please our God to return to us in his wonted Compassion and to put an end to these deadly distractions under which we labour 11. That we shall willingly abridge our selves of our wonted pleasure not giving our selves leave to enjoy any publick meetings of mirth and jollity nor take the liberty of those lawful Recreations which we have formerly made use of whiles the Hand of God lies thus heavily upon this Church and Nation 12. That it shall be the desire of our hearts that all which shall condescend to joyn together in the profession of this holy Fraternity be knit together in an entire affection to one another and be ready to show all mutual respects of Christian love and observance to each other upon all occasions being withall in all mecknesse of spirit charitably affected to and lovingly conversing with those their Brethren and Neighbours which are not yet so sensible of the just cause of their humiliation 13. That in the conscience of our own wants and infirmities we shall make it our care to spend our main censures upon our selves and our own enormities Not being apt to flie out upon the weaknesses and defects of our Brethren bearing with those that are otherwise minded in matters of an inferiour nature not aggravating the blame of those their Actions or Opinions which may be capable of a gentler and milder construction and reserving the edge of our zeal for those foul and grosse offences which carry open guilt in their faces making head against them by all spiritual resistence and godly endeavours of Reclamation 14. That whensoever we shall be called to deliver the Message of God to his people in publick Auditiories we shall not fail to lay open and bewail the sins of the time and to rouze up our Hearers with all zealous Exhortations to a lively sense of just sorrow for the universal overflowings of wickednesse and to a vehement and godly striving against the stream thereof by their prayers and utmost endeavours 15. That we shall heartily labour not to be found defective in the use of all good means whereby the peace and welfare of Gods Church may be procured and maintained and shall carefully avoid all such wayes and meanes which may in any sort endanger the widening of the unhappy breaches and multiplying of the many and miserable distractions thereof These are the Laws to which we have thought fit in these doleful times to bind our selves in the presence of that God who hath graciously wrought in us a feeling compassion of the publique evils beseeching him who is the Father of all mercies to inable us by the powerful operatio of his good Spirit to an effectual performance of all these our holy engagements that after the short time of our mourning in this vale of tears we may be admitted to be the blessed partakers of that eternal joy which abides for all his in Heaven Christian Brethren of what quality soever I cannot fear lest it will seem too much boldnesse in me to invite you all to take part with me in this holy Fraternity which you shall highly wrong if you look upon it as mine or any meerly humane institution No the Founder of it is in Heaven it is the charge of the Holy Ghost himself by the hand of his chosen Vessel Weep with them that weep If our tears therefore be as they are most just ye are bound to add yours to them and shall offend if ye forbear Neither can you be ignorant that the Son of God himself whiles he was visibly here upon Earth did not only own it as well-pleasing to him but encouraged it with the promise of an assured comfort and crowned it with no lesse title then Blessednesse And if ye look for a more ancient precedent even before the Lord of Life was manifested in the flesh ye do apparently find this Fraternity of singular note in old Jerusalem Ye know the Man cloathed with white Linnen which had the Writers Inkhorn by his side had this charge from the mouth of the Lord himself Go through the midst of the City through the midst of Jerusalem and set a mark upon the foreheads of the Men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof Lo here a company of Mourners marked out for Mercy even whiles the Sanctuary is contemptuously defiled and all Jerusalem is in blood Shall I now need any other motive to win you into the Brotherhood of this sacred Order Know then that they which sow in tears shall reap in joy and he that goeth sorth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtlesse come again with rejoycing bringing his sheaves with him Know that they are not Tears but Pearles that thus fall from your Eyes dearly precious to the Almighty and carefully reserved in his Casket for the decking of your Souls to all Eternity Know that even the Lord of Glory was a man of sorrows and that he bedewed Jerusalem with his Teares ere he watered is with his Blood If therefore ye will be moved either with the sweet and unfailable promises of a gracious acceptation and a blessed remuneration of everlasting comfort or led by the Precept or the Example of that dear Saviour whose Name ye professe to bear refuse not delay not to enter your selves into this so holy ancient and highly priviledged Fraternity of Mourners in Sion Mourn then my Brethren mourn heartily but as the Apostle in another case Mourn not as men without hope Be not disheartened O ye faithful Mourners in Sion as if ye were hopelesly condemned to a perpetual darknesse and were doomed to dwell under a Cloud of endlesse sorrow The