Exhortation to Taking the Solemn League and Covenant, Text 2
THE DECLARATION of the Kingdoms of ENGLAND And SCOTLAND, Joyned in Arms for the Vindication and Defence of their Religion, Liberties, and Laws, againſt the Popiſh, Prelaticall, and Malignant Party
By the Honorable Houſes of the Parliament of England, and the Honorable Convention of Eſtates of the Kingdom of Scotland, Jan. 20. 1643.
IF either Chriſtian Duty, which, by reaſon of the Light of the Goſpel ſo clearly ſhining amongſt us, might have been expected from the Profeſſors of Religion; Or if naturall Affection, which, even in the Heathen and Infidells, ignorant of Chriſt, hath abounded toward their Native Countrey; Or ſincere reſpect to His Majeſties Honour and Happineſſe, could have been found in the waves or hearts of our common Enemies, the Enemies of Truth and Peace; If they had either feared God, or regarded men, or yeelded to our Importunities, We had not, after ſo many Petitions, Declarations and Remonſtrances as have filled all mens ears and hands, been put to this neceſſity of a new Declaration (which therefore muſt be more patheticke and preſſing then any of the former) Nor after ſo many troubles and ſufferings of the Kingdome of Scotland, after the deſolation of the Kingdome of Ireland, and after ſo much blood, and ſo many unnaturall Tragedies in the Kingdom of England, had we been redacted to this preſent condition, and joynt poſture of Arms, the Lord, whoſe counſels are a great depth, and who is righteous in all his wayes, and holy in all his Works, hath juſt cauſe of controverſie againſt us, and this whole Iſland.
But who would have believed, That our Religion, Liberties, and Laws, which for ſo long a time have endured Oppoſition and Aſſaults of forreigne Power, envying our happineſſe, would have been oppoſed, oppreſſed, and trod under foot, by the craft and cruelty of our own Natives and Countrey-men?
In this our extremity, firſt of all we declare, That we place not our confidence in our own counſells and ſtrength, but our confidence is in God Almighty, the Lord of Hoſts, who will not leave nor forſake his people; It is his own Truth and Cauſe which we maintain, with all the Reformed Churches, and which hath been witneſſed and ſealed by the Teſtimony, Sufferings, and Blood of ſo many Confeſſors and Martyrs, againſt the Hereſie, Superſtition, and Tyranny of Antichriſt: The glory of his own Name, The exaltation of the Kingdome of his Son, and The preſervation of his Church, and of this whole Iſland from utter ruine and devaſtation, is our Aym, and the End which we have before our eyes. His Covenant have we in both Nations ſolemnly ſworn and ſubſcribed; which he would not have put in our hearts to do, if he had been minded to deſtroy us: The many Prayers and Supplications which theſe many yeers paſt, but eſpecially of late have been offered up with Faſting and Humiliation, and with ſtrong crying and tears, unto him that is able to deliver and ſave us, are a Seed which promiſe unto us a plentifull Harveſt of Comfort and Happineſſe: and the Apoſtaſie, Atheiſme, Idolatry, Blaſphemies, Prophaneneſſe, Cruelty, Exceſſe, and open Mocking of all Godlineſſe and Honeſty, have filled the cup of our adverſaries to the brim, and threaten their ſpeedy and fearfull deſtruction, unleſſe it be prevented by ſuch extraordinary repentance, as ſeemeth not yet to have entred into their hearts.
Upon theſe and the like Grounds and Conſiderations, being confident that this War wherein both Nations, now firmly united, are ſo deeply engaged, is of God; we reſolve with courage and conſtancy unto the end, to do our part; and the Lord, who hath ſtirred up our ſpirits, diſplayed his Banner before us, and given the Alarm, do that which ſeemeth him good.
Secondly, although every man is to hope for the principall reward of his ſervice from God, rewards every one according to his workes; yet we finde our ſelves bound in conſcience and equity to Declare, That beſides thoſe who have the Publick Faith ingaged to them for their ſecurity, ſuch as ſince the beginning have done valiantly, and dealt faithfully in this Cauſe, and ſuch as have choſen rather to ſuffer the ſpoyling of their goods, then to aſsiſt the Enemy, or to take Armes againſt their Religion and Countrey, and ſhall continue conſtant in the ſame courſe of doing or ſuffering unto the end, ſhall be according to their Merits taken into publick Notice and Conſideration; their loſſes (ſo farre as may bee) repaired, and themſelves honoured and rewarded by ſuch meanes and wayes, as we truſt God in his providence ſhall afford, and the Parliaments or Eſtates of the two Kingdomes reſpectively ſhall in their Wiſdome, Juſtice, and Thankfulneſſe, judge moſt convenient: ſo that no man who hath been eminent in action, or hath ſuffered any notable loſſe for the publick, ſhall be neglected or ſleighted, but one way or other ſhall bee thankfully remembred, to his owne honour and the good of his poſterity.
Thirdly, although newtrality and indifferency in the time of the danger of Religion be a thing deteſtable to God, who willeth all Chriſtians earneſtly to contend for the Truth: and ſuch as have beene Newtraliſts or indifferent in the times of civill diviſion and danger of the Common-wealth, have beene in all Nations ſeverely puniſhed as pernicious and publick enemies: Yet that the conſciences of all men may bee the more convinced, and all pretexts removed, We give now PUBLICK WARNING to ſuch perſons to reſt no longer upon their Newtrality, or to pleaſe themſelves with the naughty and ſlothfull pretext of Indifferency, but that they addreſſe themſelves ſpeedily to take the Covenant, and joyne with all their power in the defence of this Cauſe, againſt the common Enemy; and by their zeale and forwardneſſe hereafter, to make up what hath been wanting through their lukewarmneſſe; this they will finde to be their greateſt wiſdome and ſafety; Otherwiſe We do Declare them to be publick Enemies to the Religion and Countrey, and that they are to be cenſured and puniſhed as profeſſed Adverſaries and Malignants.
Fourthly, Becauſe a great many of the multitude of the people, upon ignorant Miſtakings, falſe Informations, and Threats, or Compulſions, againſt their wils and inclination, have been induced or conſtrained to joyne in Armes with the Enemies againſt their Religion and Native countrey; We doe Declare that all common Souldiers, who upon the humble acknowledgement of their former errours, ſhall offer themſelves willingly and ſpeedily to take the Covenant, and ſhall joyne heartily and really in the defence of this Cauſe, as becommeth good Chriſtians and lovers of their Countrey, ſhall be freely accepted into the Covenant, and their former errour paſſed by; otherwiſe let them expect the puniſhment of wilfull Delinquents and Malignants.
Fifthly, becauſe ſome of the Scottiſh Nation, upon their own private reſpects, or upon ſpecious pretences and faire perſwaſions, have joyned themſelves in Armes with the popiſh Prelaticall, and Malignant party, againſt the Parliament and Kingdome of ENGLAND, and not conſidering the nature of the Cauſe in which they have been ingaged, nor the deep intereſt of the Church and kingdome of SCOTEAND, upon which this War was to turn in the end, have been fighting againſt their ovvn Religion and native Kingdome: We do therefore again WARNE all ſuch, of vvhatſoever quality, & in vvhatſoever place, ſpeedily to vvithdraw themſelves from that Faction, to confeſſe their miſtakes, and to joyne in the Covenant and cauſe of God in both Kingdomes before the first day of March next; otherwiſe we Declare, in the behalfe of the Kingdome of ENGLAND, that they are to expect no favour, but are to be uſed as deſperate Malignants. And We Declare in behalfe of the kingdome of SCOTLAND, if they either continue in Arms after the foreſaid first day of March, or withhold their help and aſsiſtance from their Native country in the time of trouble & danger, they are to be cenſured & puniſhed as publick enemies to their Religion and Country, perfidious tranſgreſſours of their Nationall Covenant, and their eſtates diſpoſed of for the uſe of the Publick.
Sixthly, Becauſe there are divers Noblemen, Knights, Gentlemen, Citizens; and others, who by forſaking or deſerting the Parliament of England, and by joyning themſelves to the Enemies of Religion, his Majeſties happineſſe and peace of the kingdomes, have made the Diviſion greater, and the Breaches wider betwixt the King and his Parliament; and thereby contrary to the duty of their places & callings, have been the cauſe of the ſhedding of much innocent Blood, of great Loſſes, and of many Miſeries and Dangers to the publick of both Kingdomes, and of the ſufferings of private men in their Eſtates, and Lives, and yet are not to be reckoned amongſt the prime Authors of this unnaturall War, nor amongſt the malicious and deſperate Enemies of their Religion and country: We do Declare, That all ſuch forſaking their former Oppoſition, returning to their duty, & endeavouring the good of Religion and the publick Peace, ſhall, as to their lives and liberties of their perſons, be ſecured, and ſhall be received into favour: But to the end, that a juſt difference may be made betwixt ſuch perſons returning ſo late to their duty, and thoſe that never departed from it, they muſt expect, that toward the payment of the publick Debts, relieving the common Burdens of the Kingdomes, and repairing of particular loſſes: All which in a great part have been contracted and ſuſtained by their default or procurement: Their eſtates in ſome proportion ſhould be lyable, and that as the wiſdome and diſcretion of Parliament, or of ſuch as ſhall be authorized by them, (who will be as carefull to prevent their ruine as to puniſh their Delinquencies) ſhall finde and judge to be neceſſary for that end. Wherein alſo, the time of their returning and offering themſelves, the reality of their affections and intentions, and readineſſe to joyne in the common Cauſe and Covenant, will be taken into ſpeciall conſideration. And in caſe they perſiſt in their Oppoſition, and ſhall not return before the firſt day of March next, they are not to expect favour, but ſhall be puniſhed as publick enemies to their Religion and Country.
Seventhly, Becauſe Papiſts and popiſh Recuſants, according to the principles of their profeſsion, have ever beene plotting and contriving the change of Religion in this Iland, and the ruine of all the Profeſſours thereof: And after the fruſtration of their attempts, having waited upon ſuch a time as this, have alienated the heart or the Kings Majeſty from his Proteſtant & loyall Subjects, taken Armes againſt the Parliament and Kingdome; and by all their means and power have maintained a bloody and unnaturall War, preſuming in the end to have their execrable Superſtition and Idolatry ſet up in the place of the true Reformed Religion, and the King and his kingdomes to be brought under the power & tyrannie of the Pope. We doe hereby Declare, that all ſuch Papiſts and popiſh Recuſants, who have been, now are, or ſhall be actually in Arms, under the falſe pretence of defending the Kings perſon and authority, are to look for no favour, but to be puniſhed as trayrors and profeſſed and intolerable Enemies of Religion and their Native country. The ſame Declaration We alſo make againſt all ſuch Iriſh Rebels, whether Papiſts or others, who have come over from Ireland, and aſsiſted in this war againſt the Parliament, and Kingdome of England.
And Laſtly, becauſe there are ſome few wicked and divelliſh ſpirits of both Kingdomes, who have kindled and fomented the fire of Diviſion and War betwixt the King and his Parliament, or have miſgoverned his Majeſties Counſels and courſes to his own diſhonour, and to the deſtruction of his loving and dutifull ſubjects, or have infuſed malignancy in others, or have been reſtleſſe and and active Inſtruments of the troubles and miſeries of his Majeſties Dominions.
We doe Declare, concerning thoſe who are or ſhall be found by the Supreame Judicatories of the Kingdomes reſpectively, or their Committees appointed for that effect, to be ſuch, That as the conſcience of their own bad deſervings hath made them to deſpaire of favour, and thereby unceſſantly to work more and more miſchiefe againſt their Religion and Native country, ſo are they to looke for ſuch execution of Juſtice, as is due to traytors and enemies of Religion, of the King, and his Kingdomes for Terror and example to others, in all times to come.
And it is further now Declared, That the whole eſtates reall and perſonall, moveable & inheritance of thoſe that ſhall not come in at the times before limited in the ſixth Article, and of the perſons before excepted from pardon, (as of Papiſts in Arms, Iriſh Rebels, and thoſe who ſhall be found to come within the compaſſe of the precedent Article) ſhall be forfeited and imployed for paying the publicke debts, relieving the common burdens of the Kingdoms, and repairing of particular loſſes.
And this Declaration we make, not from any preſumption or vain-glorying in the ſtrength of our Armies and Forces, but from the ſence of that duty which is required, and expected from the high places and publick relations wherin we ſtand, and from the aſſurance We have of the aſſiſtance of God, by whoſe providence the truſt and ſafety of theſe Kingdomes is put into our hands at this time, having ofter long and grave conſultation, reſolved and deereed, never to lay downe Armes till Truth and Peace, by the bleſſing of God, be ſetled in this Iland upon a firme foundation, for the preſent and future Generations, which ſhall be eſteemed of Us an abundant reward of all that We can doe or ſuffer in rhis Cauſe.