Relation of the Sufferings of Ministers in Scotland Since 1660, Section 20

Relation of the Sufferings of Ministers in Scotland Since 1660 · Section 20

p. 327SECTION XX.

The dreadfulness of the sin of covenant breaking particularly of abjureing the nationall Covenant & the solemne league & Covenant, manifested.

MAny sad particulars have been mentioned, which may occasion grief & sorrow unto all the people of God, yet there is one other which putteth on the copestone, & may deservedly make that land a gazeing-stock, & a hissing unto all nations round about, who may stand astonished, & wonder what is become of Covenanted Scotland: For it was not enough for the Parliament to condemne the Covenants, which were solemnely sworne, & subscribed by Parliament, & at their command by all ranckes of people in the land, & by the King himself as was showne in the 2. Section. But they formed a declaration, Septembr 5. 1662. which they ordained to be subscribed by [all officers of state, members of Parliament, privy councellers, Lords of Session, Commissioners in the exchequer, members of the college of justice, Sheriffs, Stewards or commissaries, their deputies and clerkes, Magistrats and councells of Brughs, justices of peace, and their clerks, or any other who have publick charge, office, and trust within the Kingdom] And by the subscribeing of this declaration they promise as followeth.

I—do sincerly affirme and declare that I judge it unlawfull to subjects upon pretence of reformation, or any other pretence whatsoever to enter into leagues and Covenants, or to take p. 328up armes against the King, or those commissionated by him, and that all these gatherings, convocations, petitions, protestations, and erecting and keeping of Councell tables, that were used in the begining, and for carrying on of the late troubles, were unlawfull and seditious. And particularly that these oaths, whereof the one was commonly called, The nationall Covenant, (as it was sworne and explained in the year 1638 and thereafter) and the other intituled A solemne league and Covenant: were and are in themselves unlawfull oaths, and were taken by, and imposed upon, the subjects of this Kingdom, against the fundamentall lawes, and liberties of the same. And that there lyeth, no obligation upon me, or any of the subjects, from the sa…ds oaths, or either of them, to endeavour any change or alteration of the government, either in Church or state, as it is now established by the lawes of the Kingdom.

May not the heavens be astonished at this? And may not all the world wonder, that the only qualification necessary or qualification sine qua non of a Magistrate (who should be a man fearing God, & a Man of truth, &c. Exod. 18: 21. 2 Sam. 23: 3. Neh. 7: 2. & 13: 13. should be periury of the deepest dye? May it not be for a lamentation, that no other should be in a capacity to administrate justice, but such as are singular for unfaithfulnesse? Cicero in offic; Lib. 1. sayeth the ground work of justice is faithfulnesse and truth, that is to say; constancy and truth in words and Actions: and how can such execute justice betwixt man & man, & presse faithfulnesse in words & Actions, who are ringleaders in unfaithfulnesse themselves? How can they presse & force others to stand to their obligations & compacts, when themselves have broken all bonds, & declared themselves not obliged to stand to any obligation which they have made unto the great God of heaven & earth? What justice can be expected from them, who will make no conscience of their oath de fidel… administratione? And how can it be expected that such shall make any conscience of their oath de fidel… administratione who have already declared & avowed themselves perjured, & foresworne? For it is a presumption in law, that qui semel mal… …mper malus in …odem genere. How can such be judges in a p. 329reformed land who would not be suffered to be judges amongst heathens? How can those be admitted as judges in Scotland whose oath according to the lawes & constant practique thereof, will not be admitted before any judge in a matter above Ten shillings money of Scotland? But oh how few is there found of all the Magistrats in the land, who have refused to subscribe this declaration! And how may this stand on record to the perpetuall infamy (the punishment assigned to perjured persons by the law of the 12. Tables) of this generation, that it did both sweare a Covenant with God, & now hath openly & avowedly anulled, cancelled, & broken the same, & thereby declared themselves to be the most infamous & perjured generation, that ever stepped upon ground. And a generation whose oaths, let be their words & promises, are no more to be regairded, then if they were all Samnite…, with whom (as Liv. sayeth Annal lib. 9.) the Romans refused to enter in termea of peace, because of their frequent treacherous Actings: or Carthaginians of whom it is said that they were alwayes perjured: or Cretians, who are alwayes lyars, Ti…. 1: 12. And what will binde such whom oaths will not binde? How fitly may that of Iav…nal, … Satyr 13. be applyed to this generation?

Sunt qui in fortun… jam casibus omni… p…nunt,

Et nullo credunt, mundum rectore movers;

Natura volven…e vices & lucis & anni,

Atque ide… in…repidi quacunque altari…ngunt,

Est alius metuens ne crimen po… sequatur.

Hic put…t esse deo…, & pejera…, atque …a secum;

Decernat quod…unque volet, de corpore …ostro,

Isis, &c.

The weight, on fortune, some lay, of each thing,

And think, no God, the world doth governe,

Nature alone, by runing round, doth bring

About both dayes, and years, hence they do learne,

To touch each altar without fear,

And boldly every thing to swear.

p. 330But others feare lest plagues their guilt pursue,

Thinke there are Gods who punish will such crimes,

Yet they'll for sweare (o such a wicked crue,

Resolving so to do at severall times.

Let God decerne, with what desease

He will us punish, if he please.

And how many now are regairdlesse of all oaths; to whom that of juvenal, …. Sat. 13. doth fitly quadrat.

Vt sit magnatamen, certe lent… ira Deorum est,

Sicurent igitur cunctos punire nocentes,

Quando ad me venient: Sed & exorabile Numen.

For…asse experiar; Solet Hic ignoscere, multi

Committunt eadem diverso crimina fa…o;

Ille crucem sceleris, pretium …ulit hic diademae.

And that Ibid.

Tam fdcile & pronum est, superos contemnere testee.

i. c.

Suppose it true that divine wrath be great

Its pace is slow, so will it come but late:

If it a truth be, that the Gods doe care,

To plague & punish all who guilty are,

How longe a time, I pray thee, may it be,

Before they come to reckon, & reach me;

Yea I may mercy find, God's exorable;

He useth to give pardons & is able,

It's often seen, that men doe perpetrate

The same vile crimes, & yet with diverse fate,

One hath the gibbet for his crimes reward;

To others, crowns for crimes are oft prepar'd.

So bent are men now to defy,

Heavns-witnes; ev'n the Deity.

But moreover this oath must be pressed on others beside the persons mentioned, by the privy councell, which hath power for this effect; & though already many (& alas too too many) have subscribed this declaration, & thereby abjured their former oath & engagement, & so not only have brought infamy & p. 331disgrace upon themselves; but have also hainously provoked the Lord, to send a sword, which shall avenge the quarrell of his covenant, & the broad curse, which shall consume both the timber & the stones, of their houses: Others cannot be blamed for refuseing to write after their copie, If these three things be considered. 1. How sinfull & hainous a crime it is to break these covenants. 2. What dreadfull judgments may be expected to follow upon the breach of covenant &. 3. How weak the grounds are whereupon such goe as cry down the lawfulnesse & standing force of these covenants. The first of these, shall be spoken to, in this Section, & the rest in the following Sections.

The sinfulnsse then of this practice will appear; if these Tuelue particulars be considered, & laid to gether.

1. There is in the breach of these covenants, a clear breach of promise: All covenants are promises, & these covenants have in them a plaine & clear promise: Now a promise is arationall Act of a man (as Aquin. sayeth 22 …. Q. 38, Art. 1.) by which he declareth. & ordereth his purposes to another; And these are of two sorts. Either that which is called Pollicitati…, & this (a… Grotius sayeth de jur. bel & pac. Lib. 2, c, 11, §. 3.) is when the will doth determine it self for the time to come with a sufficient evidence shewing the necessitie of persevering & this (as he addeth) doth either oblige simply or under a certane condition: Or else such as are full & compleat, promises; Such as promises of giving & promises of doing, & in these (as he sayeth 1b. §. 4. Beside the determination there is also a signe of voluntary resigneing the right over unto another. He further there proveth, That these promises do binde. 1. By shewing from scripture, viz. Neh, 9: 8. Heb. 4: 18, & 10: 23. 1 Cor. 10: 13. 1 Thes. 5: 14. 2 Thes. 3: 3. 2 Tim. 2: 13. How God who is above all law should yet do contrary to his nature, if he should not keep his promises. 2. By that passage of Salomon. Pov. 6: 1. My so… if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thine hand with … stranger then art thou snared with the words of thy mouth, those … taken with the words of thy mouth. So that pomises are strong bondes & ought to be keeped: hence that.

p. 332Verbaligant homines Taurorum cornua fun…s,

Buls by their horns, men binde with cords;

Men use to be bound by their words,

A heathen could say of a promise made to another. Vo… me… fat… tuaest. Ovid. 2. Me…amor. And heathens made much of their promises. Yea it is said of some that they refused to sweare any oath, because that would have imported that their bare word & promise, was not be to rested on, as securitie enough. Thus the Scythians, (as Grotius sayeth de jure bell. & Pa…. Lib. 2: c. 13. §. 21.) refused to sweare to Alexander, & told him that colendo fidem juran…, They sweare by valueing their promise. So when at Athens a grave person came to give his oath at the altar all the judges cryed out that they would not suffer it to be done …o quod nollent religone videri, potius quam veritate fidem esse cons…rictam. Spurius posthumus In his speach before the Senate (as Liv. sheweth Lib. 9.) sayeth that promises no lesse then covenants, are religiously regarded by all, apud quos juxta divinas religiones fides humana col…ur. when C. Licinius & L. Sixtus, two T…bunes, were making some overtures tending to the advantage of the people, one whereof was, that in payment of debts, all that which had been payed i… usurie should be allowed in the first place: Claudius Crassus … of the Patricij had an oration to disswade the people therefrom, shewing them how that by this meanes, all faith & trust should be banished, & consequently all humane society should be destroyed: see Liv. Lib. 6. The Romans have been famous for keeping their publick faith, hence in all their straites the people did lend money most willingly unto the Senat, not knowing how it could be better secured: (Liv. Lib. 25.) And therefore they honoured their publick faith as a Goddesse & had a solemne place appoynted for her, in which place all their articles of peace & covenants were sworne, …t ejus, quiea violaret, sacrum diis inferis, caput esset (see Liv. hist Lib. 1. & Lib. 24.) Yea so much did they esteem of their faith, that they did not thinkit enough, not to do any thing contrarie thereunto; But they would not suffer others to do any thing which might seem to reflect on them, & their faithfulness; & therefore (as Liv. p. 333sheweth Lib. 28. when Hanniball had over thrown Saguntum a citie in Spaine, which had befriended the Roman interest, they thought it their dutie to recover that citie out of the hands of Hannibal, & did so. Memorable is the storie of Fabius the dictator, mentioned by Liv. Lib. 22. who (when Hannibal was wasteing Italie, & had spared a piece of ground that appertained unto him, of purpose to make the report goe that he had complyed with him) seeing his fidelity thus in hazard to be questioned, sent his sone to Rome to sell that piece of ground, & with the money thereof he payed what he had promised for the relief of some captives, upon the publick faith: & thus fidem publicam privato impendio exsolvit. When Iugurtha King of Numidia had killed the two Grand children of Masanissa that he might possesse the whole Kingdome. The Romans called jugurtha to answere for this fact & secured him in coming by their publick faith, & because of the saife conduct which they had promised, they sent him away saife notwithstanding that he had owned the wickednesse done by … his companion, And had conveyed him away quietly: See Salust. in jugurth. It is memorable also that when Scipio was warring in Africa against the Carthaginians, there was a truce concluded, & the Carthaginians sent some ambassadours to Rome, to treat for a peace, & in the mean time Asdruball taketh 230 of the Roman ships which had been driven from the fleet by storme, & which the ambassadours that came from scipio upon the report of this, were come, to Carthage they also were in humanely used & hardly escaped; & notwithstanding of all this breach of truce, & breach of the law of nations; the Romans because of their publick faith sent away the Carthaginian Ambassadours saife (See Liv. Lib. 32.) So was it their publick faith which freed Han…o a commander of the Carthaginian forces, notwithstanding that the Carthaginians had put Cornelius As…na a consul in chaines, contrare to their faith & promise. Many such instances might be given, but these may suffice to make such as call themselves Christians to blush, when they see how far they are out striped by such as had no rule to walk by, but the dimme letters of natures light. How may those p. 334religious heathens, (if they may be so called, being compared with the more then heathenish Christians) have hissed Matchiavel out of their common-wealth, & banished him their society, as fitter to live among beasts, with his beastly overtours, then among men; Seing they tend in effect to turne men into bruits; For if no faith or promise be keeped, all humane society shall be broken up, & there must be no trasfieque, no barganeing, but men must be left at liberty, to run & roave abroad, as the wilde beasts of the field, to catch what they can have. Memorable is that which Buch. hist. lib. 9. relateth of the borderers in Scotland who thought so much of the breach of a promise that they would not eat nor speak with such as broke promise, nor suffer him to come into their houses, & for his disgrace they stucke up a glove upon a pole or a spear & carryed it aboutin their publicke meetings.

2. There is in the breach of those covenants, a clear breach of an oath. The covenants are sworne covenants, & so the breach thereof is the breach of an oath, & this is no small sin. Heathens acknowledged a great bindeing force in oaths: hence Cicero de offic. lib. 3. sayeth, That an oath is a religious affirmation, & what is promised, God being witnesse, should be performed. & againe, He who violateth his oath violateth this faith. & againe our fore-fathers, would have no bonde straiter then that of an oath, as the lawes in the 12. tables shew, and their covenants whereby they did binde themselves even to their enemies and the observations of their censores, who took notice of nothing more then of peoples keeping their oaths. An high account then have even heathens had of their oaths: Yea Livy sayeth that faithfull promises are sufficient to rule a city though there were no lawes nor Magistrats. Memorable is the story of Regulus who being taken captive by the Carthaginians, having given his oath either to returne to Carthage, a prisoner, or procure in his place the liberation of some of the Carthaginians then prisoners at Rome, gote liberty to goe to Rome & when he came thither, It was not found honourable for the people of Rome to render back any captives, yea himself (though he would not vote, as a member of the Senate affirming that as long as he was under p. 335the oth of the enemy he was not a free senator) disswaded the… from rendering up any captives, because such as they had among their hands, were able & eminent commanders of the Carthaginian forces, & himself was but an old broken man & altogether uselesse. When the Senat had thus resolved, Though he had many strong temptations to break his oath, as the offer of liberty to stay at home in his own countrey, with his owne dear family, & to enjoy the honour & privileges of a member of the senate: & upon the other hand the thoughts of his cruell & bloody enemies, & their not oriousnesse in perfidy▪ Yet for all this, conforme to his oath, he returned, & rendered himself their prisoner; and when he did so (sayeth Cicero de offic. lib. 3.) his case was better then if he had stayed at home a perjured old captived Senator. And Cicero when he is againe speaking of this same businesse sayeth that he could do no otherwise then, when nothing was accounted surer then an oath. And upon this account is it that this Regulus is so praised by Siliu… …t. as Grotius sheweth de jur bel. & pac. lib. 2. c. 13., § 16.

Qui longum semper famagliscente per avum,

Infidis servasse fidem memorabere Poe…is.

Through ages all increas'd shall be,

Thy spreading fame & memory,

Whom all the terrours fierce of death,

To Punicks made not break thy faith.

Memorable also is that passage of Pomponius the Tribun, who when Titus (afterward Tarquatus) son to Manlius, came in upon him early in the morning while he was in bed, & drawing his sword, swore that he would presently kill him, unlesse he would give his oath, to let his father goe free (against whom there was an action intended) having given his oath thus out of fear, resolved to keepe it, & therefore according to his oath he letteth Manlius goe free tantum illis temporibus jusjurandum valebat oaths were in such an account in those dayes, (sayeth Cicero ubi supra) Memorable also is the story of those whom Hannibal took p. 336captive, & sent to the Senat upon oath to returne unlesse the Senat would liberat some of his commanders, & when the Senat refused to do this (for they would redeem no capitives, though they might do it, at never so easie a rate, that their souldiers might resolve either to die or to overcome) they returned according to their oath, & rendered themselves prisoners, but which is most remarkable, there was one among them, who after he had given his oath, & was coming away with the rest, returneth into the enemies campe, a little, as if he had forgotten some things, thinking, by this meanes, to free himself of his oath, & so when the rest returned to Carthage, he stayed: But the Senat getting notice of the matter, took him, & sent him bound hand & foot unto Hannibal: & upon this sayeth Cicero relating this matter ubi supra, fraus distringit, non dissolvit perjurium; fuit igitur s…ilta calliditas perverse imita… prudentiam, all his wiles could not help him out. It is reported of Nerva. That when he was made Emperour to give a proof of his Mederation, he swore that none of the Senate should be killed by his command, which was very acceptable because Domitian a little before had caused execute severall of them upon small occasions: And such respect had he unto this oath that when severall of the senators had conspired against him, he spared them, because of his oath (see Dion: in Nerva) Now shall heathens who had no more but the dimme star-light of nature make so much of oaths, & shall Christians trample them under foot? When there is no greater security imaginable betuixt person & person, & betuixt nation & nation; Nor no other way for ending of controversies, for secureing peace, & mutuall fellowship, but an oath; shall Christians make no conscience of these bonds, though the law of nature, & the law of nations, cannot imagine a bonde beyond that? It was a foule staine upon King Iames. 2. To kill VVilliam Earle of douglas in the castle of Sterlin after he with some nobles present had assured the said Earle of his life by their subsciptions, & it did so irritat the Earles friends; that they took the publick write & put it upon a board, & tyed it unto a horsetaile, dragging it thorow the streets: & when they came to the market place they p. 337proclamed both the King & the nobles perjured covenant breakers And thereafter when Iames the Earle's brother had rebelled against the King, he was desired to submit; but he answered that he would never put himself in their reverente, who had no regaird to shame, nor to the lawes of God or man, and who had so perfidiously and treacherously killed his brother and his cusines. Yea shall Christians, not only goe beyond the law of nations & suffer heathens to out stripe them in that which natures light doth dictat: But will they also break all the barrs of the Lord's exexpresse word, & cast the cords of oaths behinde their backs, after that the Lord hath so often commanded the contrary. Scripture, is clear for peoples standing to their oaths which they have sworn in the Lord. They are to swear in truth, in judgment and righteousnesse, Ier. 4: 2. They must not take the name of the Lord in vaine, Which if done at all, is done by fore swearing, or swearing falsly. It is the qualification of one who is to inherite heaven Psal. 15. That though he swear to his own hurt he will not change. Such false sweareing is expresly against the minde of God as these scriptures do cleare, Levit. 6: 3. & 19: v. 12. Numb. 30: 2. Ier. 5: 2. & 7: 9. Ezek. 16: 59. & 17: 16, 17, 18. Hos. 10: 14. Zech. 5: 3, 4. & 8: 17. Mal. 3: 5. Many precedents in scripture cleare it to be duty to stand to oaths: As these Gen, 21: 31. & 24: 9. & 25, 33. & 26, 31. & 31, 53. & 47, 31. compared with Cap. 50, 5. So Gen. 50: 25. compared with Exod. 13: 19. Iosua 2: 12. comp: with Cap. 6: 22. So Ios. 9: 15, 20. 1 Sam. 24: 21, 22. 2 Sam. 19: 23. compared with, 1 King. 2: 8. 1 Sam. 20: 17. compared with, 2 Sam. 21: 7. 1 Sam. 30: 15. 1 King. 1: 13, 30. Neh. 5: 12. Now shall Christians make no more of all these, them Sampson did of the new ropes? Shall neither law of nature, law of nations, nor yet the law of God be of any binding force? If so, they declare themselves not only to be no Christians, But to be no men. Sure then it must be a hainous iniquity for any who are engaged in this Covenant, to cast it behinde their heels, & contradict what they have there sworne. It is a great sin to break a promise, but it is a greater sin to break an oath; because an oath is a greater ground of security, & in an oath the dreadfull name p. 338of God is invocated to attest the sincerity of the promises & purposes of the promisers & this maketh the obligation stronger, & so the breach of this bond must be the sader.

3. There is in this, a clear breach of a vow, for in these covenants there is a promise made unto God, & that is a vow. Now the obligation of a vow, is no lesse then the obligation of an oath; For in every vow there is an implicit calling of God to witnesse, & a vow is of the like nature with a promissory oath, & so should be performed with the like faithfulnesse (sayeth the confession of faith, at Westminster cap. 22. Sect. 5.) That lawfull vowes ought to be observed with all carefulnesse, many both precepts & precedents in scripture do cleare as Num. 30: v. 2, 4, 8. 1 Sam. 1: 21, Deut. 12: 11. & 23: 21, 23. Ps. 76: v. 11. Eccles. 5: 4, 5. Gen. 28: 20. Numb. 6: 21. & 21: 2. Iudg. 11: 30. compared with, Levit. 27: 28, 29, Ps. 132: 2. & 22: 25. & 56: 12. & 16: 5. Prov. 20: 25. Isa. 19: 11. Iona. 1: 16. & 2: 9. Nah. 1: 15. So then the sin of violating these oaths or covenants, being likewise the violation of a solemne vow, made unto the Lord, after which it is not lawfull so much as to make inquirie, must be great.

4. There is in this, a clear breach of a Covenant made with man, for in the league and covenant, The King, the Parl. & the people of the three Kingdomes, do mutually covenante each with other, for the performance of those things which do concerne them in their severall stations, either as to the work of reformation, or as to the preservation of each others mutuall rights & privileges. King and Parliament do Covenante to preserve the peoples liberties: King and people Covenante to preserve the privileges of Parliament: Parliament, & people Covenante to preserve his Maj. person honour & authority. And all the people stipulat & engadge each to other; so that here without all doubt, there must be a clear breach of a Covenant, and this must be a grievous sin; for very heathens looked upon the breach of a Covenant as a hainous & uncouth thing, & did abhominat the same. Hence Collicrates did disswade the Ach…ant from hearkening to Perseus the King of Macedon who intending warre against the Romans, was seeking to make peace with them: p. 339Because it would be a breach of the Covenant which they had made with the Romans: see Liv. lib. 41. To break Covenant is a sin against the law & light of nature, & so condemned amongst very heathens Rom. 1: 30. & for which the Lord gave them up to a reprobat minde, v. 28. The obligation of a Covenant is the highest assurance, & greatest ground of security that natures light could finde out, betwixt nation & nation, or betwixt man & man, in matters of greatest concernment: And this ground of assurance is generally rested on, by all, unlesse they have to do with a Hannibal, or with the Samnites, whom no Covenant could binde. Hence is that saying sides supremum rerum humanarum vinculum est] faith is the highest assurance in humane matters. It is spoken to the dishonour of Philip King of Macedon] that none could call him a good King, because that usually he despised oaths, and broke his promise upon any light occasion, so that no mans promise was lesse esteemed of] & of Hannibal [that in warring against Rome he did wadge warre more against his owne faith and promise; and rejoyceing in lyes and deceit, as so many excellent arts, he resolved to leave behinde him a notable memory, of himself, but so as it should be uncertane, whether as of a good man, or of an evil man.] The Trojans accuse themselves of this iniquity apud Homer: As rendered by one, thus.

Rumpentes foedera sacra.

…uratam que fidem pugnamus, non quibus est fas.

Who sacred leagues annihilate,

Their faith though sworne do violate,

'Gainst those on whose side stands no right

We do & may with courage fight.

Yea it is reported that the Romans would not break Covenant even to such as had broken unto them, & therefore when Sergius Galba would have cut off 7000 of the Lusitanians who had broken Covenant, in a most perfidious way; he is accused by Libo a tribun of the people for wounding the honour of the Romans in recompensing, perfidiousnesse with perfidiousnesse p. 340& sayeth Appianus [persidia persidiam ultus, contra Romanam dignitatem, barbaros …abatur] It was a great evidence of basenesse in the Sax…s when the pick…s refused to make any Covenants with them, because that with them, Covenants, which with others were the surest bond of friendshipe, were but snares for the simple. So Buchan in vi…. Gorani. So that natures light teacheth the obligation of Covenants to be inviolable. And also the light of the scriptutes teacheth the same, Ios. 9: 19. Neh. 9: 38. 2 King. 11: 17. Ezek. 17. throughout, Ier. 34: 18. &c, Gen. 21: 27. 1 Sam. 18: 3. & 20, 16. Gen. 31: 36. & 44; 49, 50, 52. Neh. 5: 11, 12. 1 King. 5: 12. & 20, 34.

5. There is in this, a breach of Covenants whose tye & obligation is sacred, & religious: of Covenants which God will owne as his, he being called to witnesse therein, by an oath, which was interposed. All Covenants confirmed with an oath; whatever the things be, religious or civill, concerning which; they are made, are owned of God as his (hence the Covenant: betwixt David & Ionathan is called the Covenant of the Lord, 1 Sam. 20: 8.) & upon this account the violating of those sworne Covenants must be a hainous & great transgression, & therefore Zedekiahs fault in breaking his Covenant with the King of Babilon, is aggraiged upon this score, Ezek. 17: 19. & so… judgments are threatened therefore [Therefore thus sayeth the Lord God, as I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my Covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his owne head] The oath is called God's oath, & the Covenant God's Covenant, which v. 16. is called the King of Babilon his oath, & his Covenant: And upon this account the sin is aggraiged & he is the more assured of judgments, because of his breach of this Covenant. So likewise that Covenant mentioned, Ier. 34: 8, 9, 10. wherein th… princes & the people did sweare to let their. Hebrew servants goe free, is called God's Covenant v. 18. & upon this account sorer judgments are threatened v. 19▪ 20. And I will give the men that have transgressed my Covenant, which have not performed the words of the Covenant, which they had made before me—into the hand of their enemies, So then the breach of this Covenant, which was sworn with hands p. 341lifted up to the most high God, & in an eminent way, before the Lord, must be the breach of a Covenant which God will owne as his Covenant & as his oath, & therefore the greater sin.

6. It will be the breach of Covenants made with God, for they containea vow & a promise confirmed with an oath, made for doing of such things, as God commandeth in his word, & therefora greater sin; for Covenants made with God should be more bindeing & inviolable then Covenants betwixt man & man; For in Covenants betwixt man & man, there may be dispensations in, & remissions of the obligation: & moreover the ground of those Covenants may faile. Now none can either dispense with, or grant remissions in, the matters of God. Moreover Covenants made with God, are more absolute, & lesse clogged with conditions, & so more obligeing. And therefore the sin of breaking such covenants, must be the greater; & all may be sure that God shall avenge the quarrell of these Covenants, which are his owne, he being in them, not only judge & witnesse, but also altera pars contra…ens, the party with whom the Covenant is made Lev. 26: 15, 16, 17, 25.

7. It will be the breach of Covenants, made with God about morall duties. It is a morall duty to abjure all the poynts of popery, which was done in the nationall Covenant: & it is a morall duty to endeavour our own reformation, & the reformation of the Church, which was sworne to, in both Covenants: It is a morall duty, to endeavour the reformation of England & Irland, in doctrine, worshipe, discipline and Government, which was sworne to in the league & Covenant: It is a morall duty to purge out all unlawfull officers out of God's house, & to endeavour the extirpation of heresy & schisme, & whatsoever is contrary to sound doctrine, which was sworne to there also. It is a morall duty to do what God had commanded towards superiours, inferiours & equalls; which by the league & Covenant, all were bound unto: And therefore the Covevenants are strongly obligeing, being more absolute then other cov: because they binde & vi materiae & vi sanctionis, both by reason of the matter, & by reason of the oath, & so are perpetuall Ier. 50: 5. And therefore a breach of these must be a p. 342greater fault then the breach of such Covenants, as are about things not morally evil, which only binde vi sanctionis, & so it is beyond all doubt that the breach of these Covenants is a most hainous & crying sin.

8. It will be a breach of such Covenants as are so framed as that they cannot be made void though they should be broken, buried & forgotten; Because they are Covenants, about morall, & indispensable duries, & such duties upon which dependeth the glory of God, the advancement of the Kingdome of our Lord & saviour Jesus Christ; The honour & happinesse of the King's Majesty, & his posterity, & the true, publick liberty, saifty & peace of the Kingdomes, & the good of posterity in all time coming, & the Lord's being one, & his name one in all the three Kingdomes: And so the transgessing of such Covenants must be a greater fault then the b…each of such, which are of that nature, as to be made void after some period of time, or after a failzy by the one party. Therefore seing, those Covenants must binde, though all had broken them, & brunt them, also, so long as …fe lasteth; It must be a hainous crime to break them.

9. It will be a breach of Covenants reall & hereditary, such as reach not only the persons themselves entering into Covenant, but likewise their posterity, like that betwixt David & Ionathan, 2. Sam. 9: 7. & 21: 7. & that betwixt Iosua & the Gibeonits: & that mentioned, Deut. 29: 14, 15. For this Covenant is of that nature as shall appear, if that which Grotius de jur. …el. & pac. lib. 2. c. 16. §. 16. Sayeth concerning these Covenants, be considered; where he giveth this as one evidence of such Covenants, viz. When the subject is of a permanent nature & addeth albeit the state of a commonwealth be changed into a Kingdome, the Covenant must binde quia manet idem corpus, etsi mutato capite though the head be changed, the body of the commonw…alth is the same. And againe he sayeth, as grving another evidence of such Covenants. When there is such a clause in the Covenant as that it should be perpetuall, or when it is such as is made for the good of the Kingdome & addeth, When neither ma…er nor expressions can certanely determine, then favorabiliora p. 343creduntur esse realia the most favourable & advantagious are reall Covenants. So that by these marks & evidences, it is clear, that these Covenants are reall Covenants, obligeing not only them but also their posterity; for. 1. The subject or the person, who did first enter into this Covenant; was the body or universality of the people themselves, & then their Parliaments in their Parliamentary capacity, like the oath of Iosua & the princes which did binde the people in all time coming, notwithstanding of what they might have said for themselves, as not owneing the same, but murmureing against it. Yea the King in his princely capacity sitting on his throne, with the crowne on his head, in the day of his solemne inauguration: & this though there were no more, will make it a reall Covenant, binding the people according to that, imperator foedus percussit, videtur, populus percussisse Romanus. As King Zedekiah's oath▪ to the King of Babilon, did oblige the people: Now then seing where either the body of a land, their Parliaments, or their prince, in their severall capacities, do Covenante; the Covenant becometh reall & perpetually obligeing; much more must it be so, where all these three are, & so theseoaths being Regall oaths, Parliamentary oaths, & nationall oaths & covenants, they must be covenants perpetually obligeing; so that as long as Scotland hath a King or a Parliament; Yea though there should be none of those, this obligation would stand, because mutato capite, maneret idem corpus: The subject would be permanent, & therefore the faith of Scotland, being Engaged: so long as Scotland is Scotland, the Engagement standeth & will not be dissolved. The faith of the Medes being Engaged, made it fare the better with their tributary cities, even after the Medes did obtaine the Empire, & had their state changed. So the publict faith of Scotland being Engaged by all persons in all capacities, as long as there are any scotish men to succeed in those capacities the obligation standeth. 2. Consider the very expressions of the covenant & the …nd thereof & it shall appear to be perpetuall, reall & publick: in the preface, there are these words having before our eyes the glory of God, the advancement of the Kingdom of … our Lord & savi…ur p. 344Iesus Christ, the honour & happinesse of the King's Maj. & his posteritie, & the true publick liberty, saiftie & peace of the Kingdoms, wherein every ones privat condition is included▪ sure all this is a publick good, & a publick nationall good, to be endeavoured by the Kingdom of Scotland in all future generations: & againe it is added (for preservation of our selves & our religion, from utter ruine & destruction. So in the first article there are these words. That we & our posterity after us, may as brethren live in faith & l…ve, & the Lord may delight to dwell in the middest of …. And in the second article there are these words. That … Lord may be one & his name one in the three Kingdomes: & in the fift article there are these words we shall each one of us according to our place & interest endeavour that these Kingdomes may remaine conjoyned in a firm… peace and union to all posterity: So that it is beyond all question, that the scope & intent of the covenant is publick & nationall. … Consider the matter of the covenant & this will yet further appear: The very matter sheweth this, for as was said, it is about morall duties; & so, though it were true that juramenti obligatio personam tantum obstringeret: Yet ipsa promiss… haeredes obligaret for in ipsa promissione satis est efficaciae such a promissorie oath is of …orce to binde the posteritie. So then this being a publick, reall, nationall, covenant, It must be a hai…ous offence to transgresse it, & such an offence, as their posteritie after them, were bound to mourn for, when they renewed (as they were bound in conscience to do) the same, …fter the example of those mentioned Ezra. 9: & 10. & Neh. 9: & 10.

10. It will be the breach, of covenants obligeing perpetually, by the very persons who did solemnely sweare & enter into these covenants. This cannot but be a great aggravation of this crime. If it would be a sin for their posteritie some … of yeers after this, to transgresse these covenants, will it not be a greater sin for them, to beak them, in their own dayes's How unspeakably hainous must it be that the very persons who lifted up their hands & swore as they …hould answere to God in the great day, do run counter their own oath, & transgresse p. 345that Covenant? Was it so great a sin for Saul to break that Covenant made with the Gibeonits as did provoke th… Lord to send Three yeers famine, & his anger to burne sore against the land, till Seven of Saul's posteritie were hanged up before the sun, when this was Three hundred yeers, or more, after the Covenant was made, would it not have been a greater sin if in Iosua's dayes, he & the very princes who made the Covenant had broken it? Sure the posteritie after some hundereds of yeers might have said more for themselves, & have pretended ignorance or forgetsulnesse of the thing, or some one thing or other, which, for shame, the self same persons who entered into Covenant could not once mention: So then it is beyond all question, that this doth aggraige the guilt of this generation, that it is the same generation (for the most part) which did sweare these Covenants that doth now break them; seing they cannot yet be ignorant or forgetfull of the many evident demonstrations which God gave of his owneing of these Covenants both at the swearing of them & afterward, so long as people made any conscience of standing by them.

11. It would be the breach of Covenants sworne with the greatest solemnities imaginable: whether or not that be true That quanto crescunt &c. as the solemnities do grow so groweth the oath: Shall not be now debated, though it seem a truth that solenne juramentum non magis obligat exse & naturâ suâ quàm simplex, that an oath accompanied with solemnities hath no stronger obligation of it self, and in its own nature, then a simple oath wanting such solemnities: Yet as Doct. Sanders. sayeth de jur. Prom. obl. Prael. 5: §. 12. The solemnities of the oath do aggraige the sin of perjurie necessaryly and inseparably for which he giveth two reasons. 1. Because of the greater deliberation; for these externall rites & solcmnities are used of purpose to strike into the minde a greater reverence of the Action and a greater sense of religion, that so the man might goe about the Action with greater attention, & deliberation, and every sin caeteris paribus, is the greater that it is done against a deliberat Act of the will. 2. Because of the greater scandall for the more solemnely any thing … p. 346done it is the more observed, & bymoe, & therefore the scandall is the more notorious & pernicious. Scripture is likewise clear for this, as may be seen, Ezek. 17. where the perjurie of that King is aggravated from this, among other things: v. 18. when l… he had given the hand, that is, when he had solemnely engadged himself, by this rite & ceremony of giving his hand. So …. 34: 19. when th… sin of the breach of Covenant is spoken of, this is mentioned that they passed between the parts of the calfe, a rite used in making of solemne Covenants it was to have some beast or other divided in two, & the Covenanters were to passe thorow betwixt these parts. And therefore the breach of those Covenants must be a horrible provocation; for in them, they gave, as it were, their hand to God, when they lifted it up & swore: & what more solemnity can be used about the making of a Covenant then was used at the making of these? was there not here, as may appear to any who will but look back to what is said upon this subject in the second Section, a swearing unto the Lord with a loud voice & with shouting and with trumpets and with cornets? (as it were) as 2. Chron. 15: 14. The transgressing of those Covenants must then be a sin unparallelable.

12. Adde to these. That it would be the breach of such Covenants against which there is no just exception why they are not of bindeing force; and this shall be made to appear in the 22 & 23 Sections following: And this will further aggravat the hainousnesse of this sin of breaking these Covenants.