headed monster of archbishops, bishops, their chancellors and
commissaries, deans, deans and chapters, archdeacons, and all other
ecclesiastical officers depending on that hierarchy, is the beast,
wherewith we fight in this covenant, which hath been found so
destructive to church and state; let us not fear to take this sword of
the covenant of God into our hands, and say to this enemy of Christ, as
Samuel said once to Agag, (at what time he said within himself, "surely
the bitterness of death is past") "As thy sword hath made women
childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women." So hath
prelacy flattered itself, finding such a party to stand up on its side
among the rotten lords and commons, the debauched gentry, and abased
people of the kingdom: "Surely the bitterness of death is past." "I sit
as a queen, and shall not know widow-hood, or loss of children." In the
midst of this security and pride, the infallible forerunners of her
downfall, let us call her forth, and say, as thy sword, prelacy, hath
made many women childless, many a faithful minister peopleless,
houseless and libertyless, their wives husbandless, their children and
their congregations fatherless, and pastorless, and guideless; so thy
mother, papacy, shall be made childless among harlots, your diocese
bishopless, and your sees lordless, and your places shall know you no
more. Come, my brethren, I say, and fear not to take this Agag,
(prelacy, I mean, not the prelates) and hew it in pieces before the
Lord.
_Object._ 4. A fourth and main objection that troubles many, is, that in
the following article there are divers things of another nature that
should fall within the compass of such a covenant, as that which the
text holds forth, "to join ourselves to the Lord." There be
state-matters, and such too, as are full of doubt, and perhaps of
danger, to be sworn unto. I shall answer, first, the general charge, and
then some of the particulars which are most material. In general, I
answer, there is nothing in the body of this covenant which is not
either purely religious, or which lies not in a tendency to religion,
conducing to the securing and promoting thereof. And as, in the
expounding the commandments, divines take this rule, that that command
which forbids a sin, forbids also all the conducibles and provocations
to that sin, all the tendencies to it: and that command which enjoins a
duty, enjoins all the mediums and advancers to that duty; circumstances
fall within the latitude of the command: so in religious covenants, not
only those things which are of the substance and integrals of religion,
but even the collaterals and subserviences that tend either to the
establishing or advancing of religion, may justly be admitted within the
verge and pale of the covenant. The cities of refuge had their suburbs
appointed by God, as well as their habitations, and even they also were
counted holy. The rights and privileges of the parliaments, and the
liberties of the kingdom, mentioned in the third article; they are the
suburbs of the gospel, and an inheritance bequeathed by God to nations
and kingdoms, and, under that notion, holy. Concerning which a people
may lawfully reply to the unjust demands of emperors, kings, or states,
as Naboth once to Ahab, when demanded to yield up his vineyard to his
majesty: "God forbid, that I should give the inheritance of my father."
These be the outworks of religion, the lines of communication, as I may
so say, for the defence of this city; which the prelates well knew, and
therefore you see, it was their great design first, by policy to have
surprised, and, when that would not do, then, by main strength of
battle, to storm these outworks: well knowing, that if they once had won
these, they should quickly be masters also of the holy city, religion
itself, and do what they listed. And, therefore, the securing of these
must of necessity be taken into the same councils and covenant with
religion itself.
This premised in general, we shall easily and apace satisfy the
particular scruples and queries as I go.
1. _Scruple._ The most part that swear this covenant are in a great
degree, if not totally, ignorant what the rights and privileges of the
parliament, and the liberties of the kingdoms are, and how can they then
swear to maintain they know not what?
1. By the same argument no man, or very few, might lawfully swear to
maintain the king's prerogatives in the paths of allegiance and
supremacy; nor the king himself swear to maintain the liberties of the
subject, as he doth in his oath at his coronation. 2. But there is
hardly any person so ignorant but knows there are privileges belonging
to the parliaments, and liberties belonging to the subject. 3. And that
it is the duty of every subject, according to his place and power, to
maintain these; so that, in taking of this covenant, we swear to do no
more than our duty binds us to; in which there is no danger, tho' we do
not in every point know how far that duty extends in every branch and
several thereof. 4. In swearing to do my duty, whether to God or man, if
I be ignorant of many particulars, I oblige myself to these two things.
1. To use the best means to inform myself of the particulars. 2. To
conform myself to what I am informed to be my duty. Which yet, in the
case in hand, doth admit of a further latitude, namely, that which lies
in the very word and letter of this article (as in most of the rest) in
our several vocations; which doth not bind every one to the same degree
of knowledge, nor the same way of preservation: as for example, I do not
conceive every magistrate is bound to know so much, no, nor to endeavour
to know so much, as parliament-men; nor every member of parliament so
much as judges; nor ministers so much as the lawyers; nor ordinary
people so much as ministers; nor servants so much as masters; nor all to
preserve them the same way; parliament-men by demanding them, lawyers by
pleading, judges by giving the sense and mind of the law, ministers by
preaching, magistrates by defending, people by assisting, praying,
yielding obedience. All, if the exigencies arise so high, and the state
call for it, by engaging their estates and lives, in case they be
invaded by an unlawful power. And in case of ignorance, the thing we
bind ourselves to is this, that if at any time any particular shall be
in question, what the parliament shall make appear to be their right or
the liberty of the subject, we promise to contribute such assistance for
the preservation or reparation thereof, as the nature of the thing, and
wisdom of the state shall call for at our hands, in our several places.
2. _Scruple._ But some are offended, while they conceive in the same
article, that the clause wherein we swear the preservation and defence
of the king's person and authority, doth lie under some restraint, by
that limitation; in the preservation and defence of the true religion,
and the liberties of the kingdom. To which we reply. 1. It maintains him
as far as he is a king: he may be a man, but sure no king, without the
lists and verge of religion and laws, it being religion and laws that
make him a king. 2. It maintains his person and estate, as far as his
majesty himself doth desire and expect to be defended; for, sure his
justice cannot desire to be defended against, but in the preservation of
religion and laws; and his wisdom cannot expect it, since he cannot
believe that they will make conscience of defending his person, who make
no conscience of preserving religion and the laws; I mean, when the ruin
of his person and authority may advance their own cursed designs. They
that, for their ends, will defend his person and authority against
religion and liberties of the kingdom, will with the same conscience
defend their own ends against his person and authority, when they have
power in their hands. The Lord deliver his majesty from such defenders,
by what names or titles soever they be called. 3. Who doubts but that
religion and laws, (wherein the rights and liberties of kingdoms are
bound up) are the best security of the persons and authority of kings
and governors? And the while kings will defend these, these will defend
kings? It being impossible that princes should suffer violence or
indignity, while they are within the munition of religion and laws; or
if the prince suffer, these must of necessity suffer with him. 4. I make
a question, whether this limitation lie any more upon the defence of the
king's person and authority, than it doth upon the rights and privileges
of parliaments, and the liberties of the kingdom, since there is no
point or stop in the article to appropriate it more to the defence of
the king's person and authority, than to the preservation of the rights
and privileges of the parliaments, and the liberties of the kingdoms? 5.
And lastly, this clause is not to be understood exclusive, as excluding
all other cases wherein the kingdoms stand bound to preserve his
majesty's person and authority, but only as expressing that case wherein
the safety of his person and authority doth most highly concern both
king and kingdoms, especially at such a time as this is, when both are
so furiously and implacably encountered by a malignant army of
desperate parricides, papists, and their prelatical party.
These objections answered, and difficulties removed, we proceed to the
examining of the rest of the particulars, in the following articles.
The discovery of incendiaries or malignants that have been, or shall be,
to which the fourth article binds us: doth it not lie also in a
necessary tendency to the securing and preserving of this covenant
inviolable with the most high God, in point of reformation? For can we
hope a thorough reformation, according to the mind of Christ, if
opposers of reformation may escape scot-free, undiscovered and
unpunished? Or, can we indeed love or promote a reformation, and in the
mean time countenance or conceal the enemies of it? This is clear, yet
it wants not a scruple, and that peradventure which may trouble a
sincere heart.
_Object._ It is this, having once taken this oath, if we hear a friend,
or brother, yea, perhaps a father, a husband, or a wife, let fall a word
of dislike of the parliament, or assembly's proceedings in either
kingdom; or that discovers another judgment, or opinion; or a word of
passion unadvisedly uttered, and do not presently discover and complain
of it, we pull upon ourselves the guilt or danger of perjury, which will
be a mighty snare to thousands of well affected people.
To which I answer. 1. The objection lays the case much more narrow than
the words of the article, which distinguisheth the incendiary or
malignant, which is to be discovered by a threefold character, or note
of malignity. _First_, Hindering the reformation of religion.
_Secondly_, Dividing the king from his people, or one kingdom from
another. _Thirdly_, Making any faction or parties amongst the people,
contrary to the league and covenant. Now, every dislike of some passage
in parliament or assembly's proceedings; every dissent in judgment and
opinion; every rash word or censure, that may possibly be let fall
through passion and inadvertency, will not amount to so high a degree of
malignity as is here expressed, nor consequently bring one within the
compass of this oath and covenant. A suitable and seasonable caution or
conviction may suffice in such a case.
2. But, suppose the malignity to arise to that height here expressed in
any of the branches thereof; I do not conceive the first work this oath
of God binds us to, is to make a judicial discovery thereof; while,
without controversy, our Saviour's rule of dealing with our brethren in
cases of offence is not here excluded; which is, 1. To see what personal
admonition will do; which, toward a superior, as husband, parent,
master, or the like, must be managed with all wisdom and reverence. If
they hear us, we have made a good day's work of it; we have gained our
brother; if not, then the rule directs us yet. 2. In the second place,
to take with us two or three more; if they do the deed, thou mayest sit
down with peace and thankfulness. 3. If, after all this, the party shall
persist in destructive practices to hinder reformation, to divide the
king from his people, or one kingdom from another; or lastly, to make
factions or parties among the people; be it the man of thine house, the
husband of thy youth, the wife of thy bosom, the son of thy loins: "Levi
must know neither father nor mother," private relations must give way to
public safety; thou must with all faithfulness endeavour the discovery,
thine "eye must not pity nor spare." It is a case long since stated by
God Himself; and when complaint is made to any person in authority, the
plaintiff is discharged, and the matter rests upon the hands of
authority. Provided, notwithstanding, that there be, in the use of all
the former means, that latitude allowed which the apostle gives in case
of heresy; "A first and second admonition." This course, not only the
rule of our Saviour in general, but the very words of the covenant
itself, doth allow, for, though the clause be placed in the sixth
article, yet it hath reference to all, viz., "What we are not able
ourselves to suppress or overcome, we shall reveal and make known." So
that, if the malignity fall within our own or our friends' ability to
conquer, we have discharged our duty to God and the kingdoms, and may
sit down with comfort in our bosoms.
That which remains in the other two articles, I cannot see how it
affords any occasion of an objection; and the reference it hath to the
reformation and preservation of religion, is easy and clear to any eye,
that is not wilfully blind; the preservation of peace between the two
kingdoms, in the fifth article, being the pillar of religion; for how
can religion and reformation stand, if any blind malignant Samson be
suffered to pull down the pillars of peace and union? Besides, it was a
branch of that very covenant in the text, as well as of that in our
hands. The children of Israel and Judah, which had a long time been
disunited, and in that disunion had many bloody and mortal skirmishes
and battles, now at length by the good hand of God upon them, take
counsel to join themselves, first one to another, and then both unto
God. Let us "join ourselves," and then to "the Lord, in a perpetual
covenant." Surely, not only this copy in the text, but the wormwood and
the gall of our civil combustions and wars, which our souls may have in
remembrance to our dying day, and be humbled within us, may powerfully
persuade us to a cheerful engagement of ourselves, for the preservation
of a firm peace and union between the kingdoms, to all posterity.
And lastly, as peace is the pillar of religion, so mutual assistance and
defence of all those that enter into this league and covenant, in the
maintaining and pursuance thereof, (mentioned in that sixth and last
article) is the pillar of that peace, _divide et impera_; desert one
another, and we expose ourselves to the lusts of our enemies. And who
can object against the securing of ourselves, and the state, against a
detestable indifferency or neutrality, but they must, _ipso facto_,
proclaim to all the world that they intend before-hand to turn neutrals
or apostates?
To conclude, therefore, having thus examined the several articles of the
covenant, and the material clauses in those articles; and finding them
to be, if not of the same nature, yet of the same design with the
preface and conclusion; the one whereof, as I told you, at the entrance,
obligeth us to the reformation of religion; the other, of our lives, as
serving to the immediate and necessary support and perfecting of these
blessed and glorious ends and purposes: I shall need to apologise no
further in the vindicating and asserting of this covenant before us.
Could we be so happy, as to bring hearts suitable to this service: could
we set up such aims and ends as the covenant holds forth; the glory of
God, the good of the kingdoms, and honour of the king, to which, this
covenant, and every several part thereof, doth humbly prostrate itself,
all would conspire to make us and our posterity after us, an happy and
glorious people to all generations.
To them that object out of conscience, these poor resolutions may afford
some relief, if not satisfaction; or, if these slender endeavours fall
short of my design, and the reader's desires herein, I shall send them
to their labours, who have taken more able and fruitful pains in this
subject. To them that object out of a spirit of bitterness and
malignity, nothing will suffice. He that is resolved to err, is
satisfied with nothing but that which strengthens his error. And these I
leave to such arguments and convictions, which the wisdom and justice of
authority shall judge more proper; while I proceed to the second query
propounded, for the managing of this use of exhortation; Why? Or, upon
what considerations we may be persuaded to undertake this service? To
enter into this holy covenant.
And the first motive that may engage us hereunto is the consideration,
how exceedingly God hath been dishonoured among us, by all sorts of
covenant-violation, as hath been formerly discovered at large; in the
avenging whereof, the angel of the covenant stands, as once at the door
of paradise, with a flaming sword in his hand, ready to cut us off, and
cast us out of this garden of God--this good land wherein He hath
planted us thus long. I may say unto you therefore, concerning
ourselves, as once Moses in another case, concerning Miriam; "If her
father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed?" If our
father had but spit in our face by some inferior correction, should we
not be ashamed? Ought we not to be greatly humbled before Him? How much
more, when "He hath poured out upon us the fury of His wrath, and it
hath burned us; and the strength of battle, and it hath set on fire
round about?" Should we not lay it to heart, and use all means to pacify
the fierceness of His anger, lest it burn down to the very foundations
of the land, and none be able to quench it?
Yea, secondly, a wonderful mercy, and an high favour we may count it
from God, that yet such a sovereign means is left us for our recovery
and reconciliation. Infinite condescension and goodness it is in our God
that, after so many fearful provocations by our unhallowed and
treacherous dealing in the covenant, He will vouchsafe yet to have any
thing to do with us, that He will yet trust or try us any more, by
admitting us to renew our covenant with His Majesty, when He might in
justice rather say unto us, as to the wicked, "What have you to do, that
you should take My covenant into your mouths, seeing you hate
instruction, and cast My words behind you?" Certainly, had man broken
with us, as oft as we have broken with God, we should never trust them
any more, but account them as the off-scouring of mankind, the vilest,
the basest that ever trode upon God's ground; and yet that after so many
unworthy and treacherous departures from our God, after so much
unfaithfulness and perfidiousness in the covenant, (such as it is not in
the capacity of one man to be guilty of towards another) that God should
say to us, as once to His own people, "Thou hast played the harlot with
many lovers; yet return to Me, saith the Lord:" Oh, wonder of free
grace! Oh, might this privilege be offered to the apostate angels, which
kept not the covenant of their creation, nor consequently their first
estate, and to the rest of the damned souls in hell! Would God send an
angel from heaven to preach unto them a second covenant, upon the laying
hold whereon, and closing wherewith, they might be received into grace
and favour; how would those poor damned spirits bestir themselves! what
rattling of their red-hot chains! what shaking of their fiery locks! In
a word, what an uproar of joy would there be in hell, upon such glad
tidings! how many glorious churches, as Capernaum, Bethsaida, the seven
churches of Asia, with others in latter times, who have for their
covenant-violation been cast down from the top of heaven, where once
they sat in the beauty and glory of the ordinances, to the very bottom
of hell, a dark and doleful condition; and God hath never spoken such a
word of comfort, nor made any such offer of recovery, and reconciliation
unto them, as He hath done to us unto this day? "Surely He hath not
dealt so with any people." Let it be our wisdom, and our thankfulness,
to accept of it, with both hands; yea, both with hands and hearts. If
God give us hearts suitable to this price that is in our hands,
covenanting hearts, as He gives us yet leave and opportunity to renew
our covenant, it will be to me a blessed security that we are not yet a
lost people; and a new argument of hope, that He intends to do England
good. If neglected and despised, whether this may not be the last time
that ever England shall hear from God, I much doubt, unless it be in
such a voice as that is, "I would have healed England, and she will not
be healed; because I would have purged thee, and thou art not purged,
thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have
caused My fury to rest upon thee." The Lord forbid such a thing: "for,
how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?"
_Thirdly_, We may be mightily encouraged to this service, in as much as
it is prophesied of, as the great duty and privilege of gospel-times.
You see the evangelical day, is one of those days wherein this prophecy
and promise must be fulfilled. And it is the same privilege and
happiness which was prophesied of, under the type of the sticks made
one, in the hand of the prophet Ezekiel, (Ezek. xxxvii. 16. 22.) For,
though in the literal sense, it be to be understood, as it is expressed,
of the happy reunion of that unhappy divided seed of Jacob, Joseph and
Ephraim, Israel and Judah; yet in a gospel sense, it is to be applied to
the churches of Jesus Christ, in the latter days, which tho' formerly
divided and miserably torn by unnatural quarrels, and wars, yet Christ,
the King of the Church, hath a day wherein He will make them one in His
own hand: the great and gracious design which we humbly conceive Christ
hath now upon these two nations, England and Scotland, even after all
their sad divisions and civil discords, to make them one in His right
hand, to all generations. And this gives me assurance, that the work
shall go on and prosper, yea, prosper gloriously, it having a stronger
foundation to support it than heaven and earth, for they are upheld but
by a word of power. But this work, which is called the new heavens and
the new earth, is upheld by a word of promise; for "we, according to His
promise, look for new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwells
righteousness." I say, by a word of prophecy and promise, which, it
seems, is stronger than God Himself; for His word binds Him, so that He
can as soon deny Himself, as deny His promise. There shall be therefore
an undoubted accomplishment of these things, which are told us from the
Lord. God will find, or make a people, who shall worship Him in this
holy ordinance; and upon whom He will make good all the mercy and truth;
all the peace and salvation which is bound up in it: only therefore let
me caution and beseech you, not to be wanting to yourselves and your own
happiness: "Judge not yourselves unworthy of such a privilege," nor
"reject the counsel of God against your own souls; sin not against your
own mercies," by withdrawing yourselves from this service, or rebelling
against it. "God will exclude none, that do not exclude themselves."
Yea, further, this seems to speak an argument of hope, that the calling
of the Jews, and the fulness of the Gentiles, is not far behind;
inasmuch as God begins now to pour out His promise in the text upon the
churches, in a more eminent manner than ever we, or our fathers, saw it
in a gospel sense: and, surely, gospel performance must make way for
that full and universal accomplishment thereof, which shall unite
"Israel and Judah, Jew and Gentile, in one perpetual covenant unto the
Lord, that shall never be forgotten." The gospel day is nothing else but
the dawning of that great universal day in the text, wherein God will
make one glorious Church of Jew and Gentile; the day star whereof is now
risen in our horizon: so that I am humbly confident that the same shores
shall not bound this covenant, which bound the two now covenanting
nations; but, as it is said of the gospel, so it will be verified of
this gospel covenant; "The sound thereof will go into all the earth, and
the words of it to the ends of the world." There is a spirit of prophecy
that doth animate this covenant, which will make it swift and active;
swift to run: "His word runs very swiftly." And active, to work
deliverance and safety not only to these two kingdoms, but to all other
Christian churches groaning under, or in danger of, the yoke of
Antichristian tyranny, whom God shall persuade to join in the same, or
like association and covenant. So that, me-thinks, all that travail with
the Psalmist's desire "of seeing the good of God's chosen, and rejoicing
in the gladness of His nation, and glorying with His inheritance," will
certainly rejoice in this day, and in the goodness of God which hath
crowned it with the accomplishment of such a precious promise as here
lies before us: while none can withdraw from, much less oppose, this
service, but such as bear evil will to Zion, and would be unwilling to
see the ruin and downfall of Antichrist, which this blessed covenant
doth so evidently threaten.