A review of the Covenant, wherein the originall, grounds, means, matter, and ends of it are examined: and out of the principles of the remonstrances, declarations, votes, orders, and ordinances of the prime covenanteers, or the firmer grounds of Scripture, law, and reason, disproved.

CHAP. IV. The matter of the Covenant examined, and proved first to be against Truth.

NExt to the Efficient, we shall survey the materiall Cause of this Oath, and allow it faire triall by the Lawes of God and the Land. If it be endited upon the Text of Ieremie 4.2. It will be found guilty in the highest degree, as destitute of all those conditions required to a lawfull Oath, Truth, Iudgement, and Righteousnesse.

For the first, though this be for the maine a Promissory Oath, to the formall Truth whereof, as such, no more is required but that the meaning of the parties swearing be truly conformable to the words of their Oath; that they truly intend to performe what they sweare: yet is not the whole frame of it meerly promissory; some assertions are interwoven, either actuall or virtuall, by way of implication: which may be justly suspected for want of Truth; and i•• that be proved upon any one of them, all the Covenanteers are, ipso facto, guilty of perjury. I shall but point at some particu∣lars.

• I. Those words wherein they swear the Preservation of Reli∣gion in the Church of Scotland, do imply that the Religion of that Church is in all the particulars there mentioned, Doctrine, Wor∣ship, Discipline, and Government, according to the word of God. Which is justly doubtfull in some, and flatly false in others.
  • 1. The Doctrine of that Church, so farre as it is distinct from their opinions concerning Discipline and Government, and other matters of practice, I have no purpose to quarrell. I acknowledge the ancient Articles of their publique confession for true; but if by

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  • Doctrine they understand all the modern explanations and other doctrinall positions which have issued from their Generall As••em∣blies in later times, I could bring more instances and more obje∣ctions against the truth of these Doctrines, then I know how to answer. But I forbear to make the wound wider then necessity requires.
  • 2. As touching their manner of Worship, if we should deny, they would be hard put to it, to prove those formes which they use in Marriage, Baptisme, the Lords Supper, Publique Prayer, Preaching, Catechizing, and other of Gods Ordinances to be accor∣ding to his word.
  • 3. Much lesse their Discipline and Government, by Classes and Assemblies, higher and lower, which they pretend to be iure divi∣no and perpetuall. Some of their ablest Scholars have acknowled∣ged their moveable temporary Deacons, not to be consonant to di∣vine Institution. And, if we might be admitted to argue before e∣quall judges, we should go near to prove as much against their ru∣ling Elders, which first justled the Superintendents, and since the Bishops out of that Church. If they will submit to that rule, the Presbytery, in Scripture, must submit to Episcopacy: that at best was but a Delegacy under the Apostles, who were in right the pri∣mitive Bishops, and from whom ours challeng by undeniable suc∣cession.
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  II. When they swear the Reformation of Religion in England in Doctrine, as well as Discipline, according to the wo••d of God; they falsly imply that our Doctrine is erroneus, and not according to the word. Which though it be scandalous to us, is advantageous to the Covenanteers. The Articles of our Church most true in themselves, cannot be wire-drawne and forced to comply with their designes, and therefore no wonder if they desire to have them altered. They must therefore set the Diall by the Clock, and seeing the present Doctrine of the Kingdome condemnes their practice and opinions, they must so farre reforme it, that it shall not contradict them.

  When a new Assembly of Divines must be convented, to tell the People such things are according to the word of God, which all men knew to be contrary to the Law of the Land, seeing the

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  Royall assent could not be obteined to authorize a Convention of such Persons, and in such an uncouth illegall way as was desired, it was inavoydably necessary, that the Doctrine of our Church in the 21. Article should be reformed, which teacheth, That Councells may not be gathered together, without the commandment and will of Princes.

  When they are resolved to extort those rights from their Sove∣raigne by force, which he is unwilling to part with upon entreaty, then 'tis fit the 35. Article be reformed, which confirmes the Ho∣mily against Rebellion, as containing Godly and wholesome Doctrine, and necessary for these times. In truth never so necessary for any times as these, the like whereof England never saw before.

  When they have vowed the extirpation of Episcopall Govern∣ment, Root and Branch, is it not high time to reforme the 32. Ar∣ticle which talks of Bishops, Priests and Deacons: much more the 36. which addes Arch-Bishops, and confirmes the book of Conse∣cration and Ordination?

  When that Doctrine must be instilled into the people, that the King is no more then the Prince of Orange, or the Duke of Venice, onely Maior singulis but minor universis, and that when his com∣mand•• and those of one or both Houses are different, theirs must and ought to be obeyed, as with whom the suprem power doth reside; then surely a Reformation of the 37. Article is indispensa∣bly and eminently necessary, by which the Subjects have been led into that dangerous and deadly Heresie, that has cost so many thou∣sand lives, That the Kings Maiesty hath the chiefe power in this Realm of England, unto whom the chiefe government of all (not one∣ly particular persons, but) Estates of this Realm, whether they be Ecclesiasticall or Civill, (not in some cases onely, but) in all causes doth appertain.

  Lastly, when they were to take such an Oath as this, without the consent and against the command of the Magistrate, so utterly de∣stitute of all the conditions required to a Lawfull Oath, they could do no lesse then reforme the 39. Article, which requires those con∣ditions. So that it cannot be denyed, but they have strong induce∣ments to reforme the Doctrine, as well as the discipline and Go∣vernment of England; and as they vow them both in one clause, so

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  perhaps they intend them both in one sense; the Reformation of Doctrine as well as Government must be a totall Extirpation of Branch and Root; we must not have one chip left of the old block.

• III. Their swearing the first Article to this end, that they may live in Faith, and that the Lord may be one amongst them, implies that before, and at the time of their entrance into this Covenan••, they neither lived in Faith, and so were Infidels; nor was the Lord one amongst them, and so without God in the world; which I hope is not true. But if faith be here taken for obedience, (as sometimes it is) or for an assent to the truth of that Doctrine which is a 1.1acknowledged by the world for the Confession of Faith of the Church of England: so I grant their late and present demeanour i•• a sufficient demonstration, they have not lived in that faith. And I confesse we have been told in effect by some of their fore-runners, that the Lord is not one where Prelacy is not extirpate. b 1.2That the true Church of Christ consisteth of Saints, Covenanted with God and themselves, having power to Christ and all his Ordinances; which the Assemblies of England want; being violently compel'd to sub∣mit to another Christ of the Bishops devising; and so are no true Church. For the true visible Church is but one, as the Baptisme but one, and the Lord but one, Iohn 10. 16. This was the scandalous imputation of the Brownists upon our Church, in the beginning of their separation; and it is shame and misery we should live to see it confirmed by a Solemne Oath.
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  IV. When they sweare in the second Article to extirpate Pre∣lacy, and that for this end, least they be partakers in other mens sins; this implyes not onely that Episcopacy is a sin, which is an errant untruth; but that if they should not labour for the extirpation of it in such a violent manner as they doe, they should be guilty of that sinne. This conceit was the maine ground of Separation both to the ancient Donatists and our moderne Brownists; they both imagined, that if the Church be any way stained with corruption in Doctrine or Discipline, her Communion is hatefull and defiled, and that whosoever joynes with her is c 1.3 partaker of her sins, and so in danger of her plagues. Which is certainly false; our Saviour did not partake in the sinnes of the Iewes, yet he did communicate

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  with them. So long as we neither command nor counsell a ••inne to be done, nor consent to the doeing of it, nor commend it when it is done, but barely permit it (though it be naturally, yet if it be not legally in our power to hinder it) we are no way guilty of it. God himsel••e does permit sinne without sinne. And if any man will be a Reformer without a Commission, he must look to be checked with a Quis requisivit? Israell sinned not by staying in AEgypt, nor Lot by remaining in Sodom, till the Lord sent Moses to call them, and the Angell to fetch him out. It was their afflicti∣on, but not their fault to see those unrighteous dealings of their Neighbours, which did vex but not pollute their righteous soules. All sinne is to be avoyded, but not by all meanes; some are possi∣ble which are not lawfull. Death is a certaine cure for all distem∣pers, but a man may not kill himselfe to avoyd intemperance; nor make away his Children in their infancy to prevent the sinnes of their age.

  The President of the New Assembly with his twenty assistant Brethren have published some truthes in this Argument which might have been of singular use had they come in time, sufficient to stop that current of blood which has flowed from other princi∣ples then that which they now Preach to others but doe not pra∣ctice themselves. d 1.4 They tell their more zealous Brethren, who (having conspired with them to extirpate this Government, and sworne every man to goe before another in the example of a reall Reformation) begin to gather themselves into Church societies, Although it be the duty of all the Servants of Christ to keep them∣selves alwayes pure from corruption in Religion, and to endeavour in an orderly way the Reformation of it, yet it is an undoubted Maxime that it belongs to Christian Magistrates in an especiall manner to be authorizers of such a Reformation. If this Maxime had been as well followed as it was knowne, we had never had a Rebellion to make way for a Reformation. How can they without blushing talke of an Orderly way to others, who know their call and sitting to reforme where they doe is altogether disorderly?

  But suppose the sins of Government did involve every one of our Nation in a common guilt; what is this to the Scots? Though Israell offend no necessity that Iudah should sin. They may have

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  sin•• enough of their owne to reckon for, though they should not sweare that those of another Kingdome shall be put upon their score: and yet they doe it, by vowing to extirpate Bishops, &c. least they be partakers in other mens sinnes.

• V. That which they have undertaken to maintaine is not tru∣ly called in the sixt Article, The common Cause of Religion, Li∣berties, and Peace of the Kingdomes. The many Sects and different opinions among the Covenanteers, and the reiterated desires of the Scots for unity in Religion, abundantly prove that the same Religion is not common to them all. And de facto the Religion, Peace and Liberties of England and Ireland have been disturbed, when the Scots enjoyed all theirs without opposition; and may doe so still, unlesse they will thrust their fingers into the fire when they need not. The Cause of one Kingdome is not common to ano∣ther though they be in subjection to the same King. Philip the se∣cond, might have done well to grant a toleration to the Protestants in the Low Countries, though he had resolved never to allow the like in Spaine. And His Majesty, by reason of his necessary ab∣sence from thence, may have granted some Liberties to Scotland, which if he should doe in England would be in e 1.5 disherison to the Crowne.
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  VI. In the last Article, they professe and declare to the World their unfeigned desire to be humbled for their owne sinnes. Which profession the World, that sees onely their Actions, will ••carce admit to be true. For it may well be conceived that the chiefe Heads among the Covenanteers are the same that projected the Nineteene Propositions, whence the World will conclude rather an ambitious desire in them to be exalted, then any unfeigned desire to be humbled.

  Besides, it is not unknowne to the World that, among other Sects which swarme in that great City where the Covenant is so generally taken, the Antinomians for number are not contemp∣tible, of whose Creed this is a fundamentall Article, That God sees no sinne in his elect, such as they take themselves to be; and they would think it a derogation to the satisfaction of Christ should they be guilty of an unfeigned desire to be humbled for their sinnes: if any thus opinionated have taken this Covenant, he makes the rest lyars as well as himselfe.

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• VII. Lastly, though it cannot be denyed, but the present di∣stresses and dangers of these Kingdomes are the fruits of their sinnes, yet to unde••take (as they here doe) to determine for what sinne•• in particular God is pleased to inflict these Iudgements upon us, is an Act of State proper for such as are of Councell to the Al∣mighty, and should not be avowed by a solemne Oath, without a speciall warrant by Revelation. Besides, I doe not find such a Harmony betwixt this Confession of sinnes here, and that for∣merly published in the f 1.6Ordinance for Humiliation. And it is not long since the Assembly informed their two Houses, that impunity was the cause of those reigning sinnes, Incest, Adultery, Fornica∣tion, Blasphemy, &c. but they forbore to tell us who were the cause of that impunity; were not they who pulled downe those Courts where such sinnes were punishable?

Amongst other provoking sinnes they make this one, that we have not laboured as we ought for the purity of the Gospell. I am affraid there is a bad designe lurks under these good words, which the Covenanters are now in labour of; probably the introducing of the long agoe pretended holy Discipline, or some like Monster already Christened before it be borne, by the name of Purity and Reformation. If so, then is it false, that the not labouring for such a Purity is any cause of our present distresse. For in all Queene Elizabeth and King Iames his Reigne and the first fifteene years of King Charles, for fourescore years together, though we wanted this pretended Purity, yet we wanted not the happinesse of a bles∣sed Peace. Which in the Iudgement of our g 1.7 English Solomon is a strong evidence, that God was well pleased with that forme of Re∣ligion established by Law. Yet was he informed then, as Queene Elizabeth had been before, by the frivolous suggestions of some light Spirits, of divers errours both in Doctrine and Discipline, which stood in need of Reformation. Nor did we ever groane under the heavy hand of God, as at this day, till men of like hu∣mours upon the same grounds, have reenforced those opinions by the Sword, which their Predecessours failed to make good by Discourse.

These things if they be not all formally false, because in some sense they may be true; yet being not certainly true, they are all

guilty of a virtuall falshood, because in some sense they are false: and seeing no man can know in what sense he ought to sweare them now, or shall be required upon his Oath to beleeve them hereafter, he cannot therefore sweare them in truth and Iudge∣ment.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Harmon, Confess.
• b 1.2

  Counter-march to M. Iames his Re∣treat. 1607.
• c 1.3

  Ibid. & Protestation Protested. pag. 14.
• d 1.4

  Considera∣tions to di∣swade men from further gathering of Churches. Decem. 23•• 1643.
• e 1.5

  vid. 27. ••en. 8. c. 24.
• f 1.6

  Feb. 1••. 1642 E.C. p. 917.
• g 1.7

  K. Iames his Proclamation for Uniformi∣ty. 1. Iacobi. March. 5.