prisoners and they shal fall under the stain for all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still Isa. 33. 15. He that despiseth the gain of oppression that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his ears from hearing of bloud and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil He shal dwell on high his place of defence shal be the munitions of rocks Jer. 6. 6 7. For thus hath the Lord of Hosts said Hew ye down trees and cast a mount against Jerusalem this is the City to be visited she is wholly oppression in the midst of her As a fountain casteth out her waters so she casteth out her wickedness Violence and spoil is heard in her before me continually is grief and wounds Jer. 5. 26. For amongst my People are found wicked men they lay wait as he that setteth snares they set a trap they catch men Versâ— 27. As a cage is full of birds so are their houses ful of deceit therefore are they become great and waxen rich Vers. 28. They are waxen fat they shine yea they overpass the deeds of the wicked they judge not the cause of the fatherless yet they prosper and the right of the needy do they not judge Verl 29. Shall I not visie for these things saith the Lord shal not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this Jer. 22. 13. Wo to him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness and his chambers by wrong that useth his neighbours service without wages and gives him not for his work Vers. 14. That saith I will build me a wide house and large chambers and cutteth him out windows and it is cieled with cedar and painted with vermilion Vers. 15. Shalt thou reign because thou closest thy self in cedar did not thy father eat and drink and do judgment and justice and then it was well with him Vers 16. He judged the cause of the poor and needy then it was well with him was not this to know me saith the Lord V. 17. But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousnes and for to shed innocent bloud and for oppression and for violence to do it Ezek. 22. 13. Behold therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made and at the bloud which hath been in the midst of thee Vers. 29. The People of the Land have used oppression and exercised robbery and have vexed the poor and needy yea they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully Hos. 7. 1. When I would have healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephralm was discovered and the wickedness of Samaria for they commit falshood and the thief cometh in and the troups of robbers spoil without Amos 3. 10. For they know not to do right saith the Lord who store up robbery and violence in their palaces ver 11. Therefore thus saith the Lord God An adversary there shal be even round about the Land and he shal bring down thy strength from thee and thy palaces shal be spoiled ver 15. And I will smite the winter house with the summer house and the houses of I very shall perish and the great houses shall have an end saith the Lord. Mic. 3. 11. The Heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for money yet will they lean on the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us none evil can come upon us ver 12. Therefore shall Sion for their sakes be plowed like a field and Jerusalem shal become heaps and the Mountain of the House as the high places of the Forrest Zeph. 3. 1 Wo to her that is filthy and polluted to the oppressing City ver 3. Her Princes within her are roaring Lions her Iudges are ravenous Wolves they gnaw not the bones til the morrow vers 8. Therefore wait ye upon nie saith the Lord til I rise up to for the prey my determination is to gather the Nations that I may assemble the Kingdoms that I may pour out on them mine indignation even al my fierce anger for all the Earth shal be devoured with the fire of my jealousie Zeph. 1. 9. In the same day will I punish all them who leap on the threshold who fill their masters houses with violence and deceit Exod. 2 2. 21 22 23 24. Ye shal neither vex a stranger nor oppress him for ye were strangers in the Land of Egypt Thou shalt not afflict any widow or fatherless child if thou afflict them in any wayes and they cry â—t al unto me I will surely hear their cry and my wrath shall wax hot I will kill you with the sword and your wives shall be widows and your children fatherless The Sixth Article The sixth Article relates to the abusing and prostituting the Publick Faith of the Kingdom in the way of borrowing of Monies and otherwise which no question is not one of the least provoking Publick sins in the Land As private men ought so far to have their faith and credit in estimation for the love of righteousness and truth as not to engage the same but when they do sincerely intend and really endeavor to perform what they promise so much more ought publick persons and the Judicatories of a Land have such regard to the Publick Faith of a Nation as not to engage the same but when there be some real purposes and honest endeavors to fulfil it Because the prostituting and breach of Publick-Faith as it is an high provocation before God so it is a great deal more pernitious reproachful slanderous and injurious and of a worse example amongst men especially when it becomes common and is used as a state engine to draw in mens propriety from them under a vail and shadow of righteousness and is attended with a kind of conslraint upon men to take the Publick Faith for security as it was in this Land Job 15. 4. Yea thou castest off fear and restrainest prayer before God Psalm 37. 21. The wicked borroweth and payeth not again but the righteous sheweth mercy and giveth Isa. 59. 12 13 14. For our transgressions are multiplied before thee and our sins testifie against us for our transgressiont are with us and as for our iniquities we know them In transgressing and lying against the Lord and in departing away from our God speaking oppression and revolt conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falshood And judgment is turned away backward and justice standeth a faa off for truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter Yea truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey Aud the Lord saw it and it displeased him that there was no judgment The Seventh Article The seventh Article mentions two sins that many of this Land are guilty of in their first taking of the National Covenant and solemn League and Covenant and renewing thereof The first whereof is The ignorance that was in many or the want of the necessary
knowledge of the things contained in the Covenants The Lord requires of al those that take an oath That they do it in judgment Jer. 4. 2. And thâ—u shalt swear The Lord liveth in truth in righteousness and in judgment and the Nations shall bless themselves in him That is That they take it with such a measure of discretion judgment and understanding as is needful for men in their station in order to the Duty which by their Oath they tie themselves to But it is beyond question that many in the Land do swear these Covenants without the knowledge and understanding of the heads thereof so far as was needful for them in their station who when they were catechised on the particulars do know little or nothing thereof Which no doubt is one cause why they have so little minded and followed and do so little mind and follow the duties contained therein Jer. 5. 4. And I said Surely these are poor they are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord nor the judgment of their God The other is The taking of these Covenants without reality and sincerity in order to the performance thereof Which was to swear not in truth as the Lord requireth Jer. 4. 2. And thou shalt swear The Lord liveth c. not falsly Hos. 10. 4. They have spoken words swearing falsly making a Covenant thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field And with an heart that was not right therfore have they not been stedfast in the Covenant Psal 78. 36 37. Nevertheless thâ—y did flutter him with their mouth and did lye to him with their tongues for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant The judgments therefore mentioned to have been in some example in others fear and in not a few principles of policy for attaining their own ends Other bad principles certainly there were in sundry persons be side these but these are mentioned as the most common and which haâ—â—â—way with most of these who were guilty either of ignorance or of hypocrisie in the entering into these Covenants Many did take the National Covenant in example of others it being counted praise-worthy and commendable after such a defection as was then in the Land to engage in such a duty and to be reckoned amongst the repairers of the breach Many did take the solemn League and Covenant for fear because the refusing to take it was attended both with Ecclesiastical and Civil Censures and therefore did they rather choose to hazard on the OATH of GOD then to run these hazards amongst Men which doth not yet condemn the injoyning the taking of these Covenants upon a good and warrantable principle It is lawfull for the Judicatories of a Kirk and State to injoyn to men cohabitation with their wives and to children obedience to their Parents to subjects obedience to their Magistrates and suchlike under such respective relations Yet as these persons sin against God if they give obedience only from a principle of carnal fear neither doth the influence that these relations have on them make the commanding of these things under those relations to be a sin because they are in themselves duties which are commanded of God the neglect whereof may in regard of scandall be censured by the Kirk and in regard of the prejudice that redounds to the honour of God and good of our neighbour be punished by the civil Magistrate In taking of both Covenants though there were many whom a principle of the fear and love of God did move yet there were not a few whom after-discoveries have made manifest who were acted thereto by carnall wisedome and policie for attaining their own base and corrupt ends such as riches places of preferment and lively hood and ease and hence mainly hath issued that sin which followes in the next Article The eighth Article The following of the Work of God pursuing the ends of the Covenant not in a holy and spirituall way setting the Lord alwayes before our eyes and acknowledging him in all our paths according to the direction given us of God which hath the promise of the Blessing Psalm 37. 5. Commit thy way to the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to passe Prov. 3. 5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thy own understanding in all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shal direct thy paths But in a carnall politick way abusing Gods Interest for our own interest and ends is a fearfull transgression howsoever it is often palliated with specious pretences as Iehu his zeal against the house of Ahab 2 Kings 10. 16. Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD so they made him ride in his chariot Yet the Lord doth not suffer it to go unpunished Hos. 1. 4. And the LORD said unto him Call his Name Iesreel for yet a little while and I will avenge the bloud of Jesreel on the house of Jehu and will cause to cease the Kingdom of the hous of Israel v. 5. And it shall come to passe in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jesreel 1. Consequent Two Consequents of this carnal way are mentioned the one is the walking in the way of our own hearts more then in the Counsel of God For when mens hearts are not single and streight in reference to the glory of God they love not to walk according to the simplicity of the Word of God but turns aside to their crooked ways to chuse such carnal midses as seem most plausible to their carnal hearts for compassing their corrupt ends a siu that was confessed in the publick solemn Confession of sins in the year 1648. And yet never have these crooked paths been more troden in and these counsels of flesh and blood been more hearkened to then since that time which is one of the causes why the sword doth abide in our cities and consume our branches and devours For this the Prophet threatens against Israel because of their own counsels The other Trusting more in the arm of flesh then in the arm of the Lord which hath been a constant and continued sin in this Nation these years past in doting on multitudes skill and abilities of men and numbers and strength of horses whence have issued the corrupt mixtures in our Armies and the imploying of all ranks of persons how malignant and prophane soever what wonder then though our Armies have not prospered but have oftentimes met with a curse in stead of a blessing Jer. 17. 5 6. Thus saith the Lord Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord for he shall be like the heath in the desart and shall not see when good cometh but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness in a salt Land and not inhabited From this same fountain hath proceeded needless alienation of
against my Covenant and trespassed against my Law Hos. 10. 4. They have spoken words swearing falsly in making a Covenant thus Iudgement springeth up as Hemlock in the furrows of the field Rev. 2. 5. Remember therfor from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come to thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent This sin is aggravated by several circumstances mentioned in the Article which are clear in themselves and need not to be insisted on therefore passing these we come to speak of the special Heads and Steps that are condescended on in the Paper 1. Step. The first is declining from that purity of conversation that integrity of heart that zeal of God that seemed to be in many at their first entry to the Covenant and a falling off into loose walking self-interest and indifferency About the time of the first renewing of the Covenant there was an sensible change to the better in mens carriage and conversation most of all these who joyned in opposing the defection not onely reforming themselves from common and grosse sins such as drunkennesse uncleannesse swearing prophaning the LORDS Day flighting of the Ordinances self-seeking covetousnesse and oppression c. but giving themselves to the Duties of Religion and Righteousnesse such as sobriety Edifying Discourse Chaste behaviour hallowing of the LORDS Day diligent seeking of the LORD in secret and in their Families attending on the preaching of the Word as often as opportunity is offered liberality love charity one towards another a Publick spirit and zeal for GOD but all these things are now decayed in many and they are again growen as ill if not worse then before which as it is an evidence of great unsoundnesse of heart so hath it brought many sad reproaches on the Work of GOD in our hands and hath proven a great stumbling block to many in the neighbour Land to make them averse therefrom and hath given them no small advantage to speak both against us and it though these who do reject and speak ill of any part of the precious truth of God be not to be justified in so doing yet certainly they are much to be condemned who by their untender and loose walking minister occasion thereto Wo to these by whom offences come 2. Step. The second Step is the sitting up of many Professors in the Land under the Gospel and becomming formal and remisse not entertaining tendernesse and sobernesse of minde a sin that relates especially to the Godly in the Land not a few of which have much decayed in former tendernesse and zeal and diligent seeking of God and sober and exact walking studying to root themselves in the solid knowledge and love of the truth and invaluing and improving the Gospel the means of grace unto a loathing and denying of themselves and a growing into and loving and imploying of the Lord Jesus Christ. By which deadnesse of spirit hath seized on some and lazinesse of spirit on others whereby it hath come to pass that they have been tempted to step out of the way and some to turn aside to the left hand to imbrace Malignant courses and some to the right hand to imbrace errour whose sin is so much the greater then the sin of others by how much their knowledge and the LORDS loving kindness to them hath been greater then to others and this declining of Professors and falling off from their first love if it be not deeply mourned for and if they do not timeoussy lament after the Lord as it may prove a snare to many more then yet it hath done so it is like to be amongst the chief causes that may provok the Lord to remove his Candlestick from us Rev. 2 4. Neverthelesse I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love v. 5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come to thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent 3. Step. The third is the secret falling off of some and open falling off of many to the opposite party after their entering to the Covenant especially the defection carried on by Iames Graham and his party and that of the year 1648. by the authors and abettors of the unlawfull Engagement which particulars are so well known that we shall not need to stay upon them Onely we desire that it may be remembered that as they were early begun and long in ripning that of Iames Graham having begun in the year 1639. and ripned till the year 1645. and that some of the chief Authors of the unlawfull Engagement having begun in the year 1644. and ripned till the year 1648. and did take hold upon and infect very many of all ranks throughout the Land so have they been really and unfeinedly repented of by very few to this day which we doubt not is one of the reasons why so many of these who had hand in these bloudy and backsliding courses have fallen by the sword and are gone into captivity 4. Step. The fourth Step is The neglecting and condemning the purging of Judicatories and the Army in the year 1649. and afterward from scandalous and disaffected men and of constituting the same of men of known integrity and affection to the Cause and of a blameless and Christian conversation That it was a duty so to have constituted and purged the Judicatories and Armies ought in reason to be questioned by none it being a duty holden forth in the Word of God That the Rulers of thousands Rulers of hundreds Rulers of fifties and Rulers oftens amongst the People of God should not only be able men but such also as fear God men of truth hating covetousness Exod. 18 21. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the People able men such as fear God men of truth hating Covetousness and place such over them to be Rulers of thousands Rulers of hundreds Rulers of fifties and Rulers of tens And let them judge the People at all seasons Deut. 1. 15. So I took the chief of your Tribes wise men and known and made them heads over you Captains over thousands Captains over hundreds Captains over fifties and Captains over tens and Officers among your Tribes v. 16. And I charged your Iudges at that time saying Hear the causes between your brethren and judge righteously betwixt every man and his brother and the stranger that is with him v. 17. Ye shall not respect persons in Iudgment but you shall hear the smal aswel as the great you shall not be afraid of the face of man for the judgment is Gods 2 Sam. 23. 3. 4. The God of Israel said The Rock of Israel spake to me He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God and he shall be as the light in the morning when the Sun riseth even a morning without clouds as the tender grasse springeth out