The Fastening of Saint Peters Fetters, Tract · Section 3 · Subsection 3
Subſectio Tertia.
The promiſſory part of the Covenant, is in theſe ſix Articles.
I.
THat we ſhall ſincerely, Containing exceptions to the firſt Article of the Covenant.really, and conſtantly, through the Grace of God, endeavor in our ſeveral places and callings, the preſervation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland, in Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline and Government, against our common Enemies; The Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline and Government, according to the Word of God, and the example of the beſt reformed Churches: And ſhall endeavor to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms, to the neareſt conjunction and uniformity in Religion Confeſſion of Faith, Form of Church-Government, Directory for Worſhip and Catechizing; That we and our poſterity after us, may as Brethren live in Faith and Love, and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midſt of us.
II.
That we ſhall in like manner, without reſpect of perſons, endeavor the extirpation of Popery, Prelacy (that is, Church-Government by Archbiſhops, Biſhops, their Chancellors and Commiſſaries, Deans, Deans and Chapters, Archdeacons, and all other Eccleſiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy) Superſtition, Hereſie, Schiſme, Profaneneſs, and whatſoever ſhall be found to be contrary to ſound Doctrine, and the power of Godlineſs; lest we pertake in other mens ſins, and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues, and that the Lord may be one, and his Name one in the three Kingdoms.
III.
We ſhall with the ſame ſincerity, reallity and conſtancy, in our ſeveral Ʋocations, endeavor with our eſtates and lives, mutually to preſerve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments, and the Liberties of the Kingdoms, and to preſerve and defend the Kings Majesties perſon and authority (in the preſervation and defence of the true Religion, and Liberties of the Kingdoms) that the world may bear witneſs with our Conſciences of our Loyalty, and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminiſh His Majeſties juſt power and greatneſs.
IV.
We ſhall alſo with all faithfulneſs endeavrr the diſcovery of all ſuch as have been, or ſhall be Incendiaries, Malignants, or evil Instruments, by hindring the Reformation of Religion, dividing the King from His people; or one of the Kingdoms from another, or making any faction or parties amongſt the people, contrary to this League and Covenant, that they may be brought to publick trial, and receive condign puniſhment; as the degree of their offences ſhall require or deſerve, or the ſupream Judicatories of both Kingdoms reſpectively, or others having power from them for that effect, ſhall judge convenient.
V.
And whereas the happineſs of a bleſſed Peace between theſe Kingdoms, denied in former times to our progenitors, is by the good providence of God granted unto us, and hath been lately concluded and ſetled by both Parliaments: we ſhall each one of us, according to our place and intereſt, endeavor that they may remaine conjoyned in a firm Peace and Ʋnion to all poſterity: And that Juſtice may be done upon the wilful oppoſers thereof, in manner expreſſed in the precedent Articles.
VI.
We ſhall alſo according to our places and callings in this common cauſe of Religion, Liberty and Peace of the Kingdom, aſſiſt and defend all thoſe that enter into this League and Covenant, in the maintaining and purſuing thereof, and ſhall not ſuffer our ſelves directly or indirectly by whatſoever combination, perſwaſion or terror, to be divided and withdrawn from this bleſſed Ʋnion and Conjunction, whether to make defection to the contrary part, or to give our ſelves to a deteſtable indifferency or neutrality in this cauſe, which ſo much concerneth the glory of God, the good of the Kingdoms, and the honour of the King; but ſhall all the dayes of our lives zealouſly and constantly continue therein, againſt all lets and impediments whatſoever; and what we are not able our ſelves to ſuppreſſe or overcome, we ſhall reveal, and make known, that it may be timely prevented or removed; All which we ſhall do as in the ſight of God.
When I conſider the matter of theſe ſeveral promiſes to have been propounded by a Parliament, on advice had with an Aſſembly of Grave, Learned, and Judicions Divines, who were to diſcover ſin, and make men to diſcerne between good and evil; I cannot but retain a ſtrong conjecture, that it is all good and lawful: And when I conſider His late Majeſties disſatisfaction expreſſed in His Contemplations, to be more in reſpect of the manner than the matter, my conjecture is much confirmed: And when I obſerve His moſt Sacred Majeſty at His late Coronation, to have by Solemn Oath teſtified His allowance and approbation of the Solemn League and Covenant; and by His Royal Declaration from Dumfirmling, to have profeſſed, That on mature deliberation, and being fully ſatisfied of the lawfulneſſe and equity of the Solemn League and Covenant, and every the Articles thereof, Himſelf had ſworn it; and conjureth all his Subjects to lay aſide their oppoſition to it. Loyalty leads my conjecture unto a concluſion: For ſuch ſerious ſcrutiny by ſo ſage and conſcientious perſons, and that under the afflicting hand of that God (who will not be mocked) could not but have deſcribed the ſinfulneſſe of the matter if it be found: But when I weigh the particulars promiſed, and find them to be the Preſervation of Religion, and Reformation wherein it is corrupted, and removal of what is thereunto obſtructive, as to the religious part of it, and the preſervation of the Kings Prerogative, and peoples liberty, and Nations unity, and removal of the enemies thereof, as to the civil part of it; my concluſion is eſtabliſhed; and I find it ſo farre from unlawful, that it binds us not to any thing, which in the nature of it, is not on us a poſitive duty, though not bound by this moſt Sacred Bond; and ſo farre is this Covenant from a repugnancie to our baptiſmal Covenant, as our Dr. hath ſuggeſted in his *Page 12.Analyſis; that as I have in my *Page 22.Analepſis, noted, It is no hard matter to reſolve it into the three heads of our baptiſmal promiſe taught by our Church: For, if I muſt believe the Articles of the Creed, I muſt preſerve ſound Doctrine, and reform to my power what is corrupt: If I muſt keep Gods Commandments, I muſt purſue pure worſhip, and Religion towards God; and Loyalty, Love, and unity towards men: And if I muſt renounce the Divel and all his works, I muſt extirpate Popery, and Papal Prelacy, Superſtition, Hereſie, Schiſme, will all incendiaries, and evil inſtruments, hinderers of Reformation. And now I ſhall pray Dr. Gauden will ſhew us wherein this Covenant is ſo vaſtly different from the Covenant made in Baptiſme; Yet I ſhall conſider once more the matter of the Covenant by thoſe Rules which reſolve the matter of an Oath unlawful; and if it be therein chargeable, I ſhall conſent to the diſcharge of this Holy Bond.
An Oath is (in reference to the matter of it) determined unlawful, when it is unneceſſary, and about trifles; and that is the prophaning of an Oath; yet, will abide a queſtion, whether it do not binde?
But I preſume, none will be ſo childiſh, as to ſay or think the Purity of Religion, Honour and Authority of the King, Priviledges of Parliament, Liberty of the Subject, and Ʋnity of the Kingdom, are trifles; than which, no matters can be more weighty and needful to us, as men or Chriſtians: Nor is it of any force to ſay, Theſe were ſecured by Laws and Profeſſion of a lawful and Religious King; whilſt theſe did not expel the ſpirit of jealouſie, the matter was of that weight, as to render an Oath and Covenant neceſſary.
Secondly, An Oath is unlawful when the matter of it is impoſſible; for ad impoſſibile Nemo teneatur; whether the impoſſibility be in the nature of the thing, or action converſant about it; but our Solemne League and Covenant is free from any appearance of impoſſibility in the nature of the things covenanted: I hope the Reformation of Religion, and preſervation of humane order, peace, and unity, will be owned as poſſibilities beyond the Learning of an Aſſe: Scruples and Doubts about taking the Covenant. p. 7. 8.Very little ground is there for that Scruple which is urged by our Drs. Anonymous friend, That Extirpation is the immediate work of God in the heart; as if it were no way a humane Act within mens power, in reference to the exerciſe and profeſſion a principle or practice in the Kingdom.
Nor is there any impoſſibility chargeable on the Act, which is all along limited unto an endeavour according to our ſeveral places and callings: which might methinks have ſatisfied the ſame Queſtioniſts; that, though Baniſhment or Death be extirpating Acts, yet they might be out of his place and calling, and other Acts did to him particularly belong.
Let it here be noted, that though the Law were (as ſome ſuppoſe) againſt ſomething ſworn in this Covenant, yet this puts not a moral impoſſibility upon the ſame; for that a National Oath is the moſt full and authentick Repeal and diſcharge of former Laws, or the thing ſworn may be effected by a meek and humble endeavour in our places and callings, to have that Law voided, and repealed.
And as to what impoſſibility did ſeem to lie upon the extirpation of ſome things in this Covenant ſworn to be extirpated by reaſon of the Coronation Oath of His late conſcientious Majeſty, it was greater in appearance than in reality: For, the Oath of a Prince may be vacated by the impoſſibility put on it by the contrary Oath of the people, though tumultuouſly ſworn, as it was in the reſcue of Jonathan from King Sauls Oath: 1 Sam. 14.46.I juſtifie not, nay, I pray God prevent the inſurrection of the natural againſt the political power; but I cannot but take notice that God ſometimes ſuffers it, and produceth his own will by it: as in this caſe, and in the caſting off Samuel, and changing the government; and amongſt us (Horreſco referens,) in ſuffering the madneſs of the people to prevaile againſt His late Majeſty, not only to the contradiction of His Oath, but cutting off His Royal perſon, and ſo clearing the impoſſibility that did appear between this Covenant, and his Coronation Oath: and in bringing His Majeſty that now is, under the ſame Sacred Bonds, to endeavour in His Royal place and calling to effect the ſame things: And in this caſe it is to be remembred, that the impoſſibility being removed, the Oaih becomes obliging, and the act ſworne, a duty.
Let ſuch as pretend an impoſſibility on any part of the Covenant, becauſe of the prevalency of men, affection of the people, countenance of Authority, and the like, learn to diſtinguiſh between the effect and endeavour; there may be an impoſſibility of effect, and yet impoſſibility of endeavour; and D. Saunderſon concludes, that the thing once ſworne, the covenanter muſt endeavour to make the affect poſſible: Indeed we have in the Covenant ſworne with very much Caution, not to effect, but in our places and balling to endeavour; but this muſt not be by a wiſh for purity; and then welcome corruption; a conſent to Reformation, and then compliance in Superſtition; a faint refuſal, and then free reception of the eſtate to be extirpated: No, it muſt be a ſtout and ſtrenuous endeavour with all force and fervor, as Dr. Saunderſon in this caſe well noteth; Obligat hoc genus Juramenti non ad effectum, quem ſupponimus eſſe impoſſibilem; Saunderſon de Juram. praelect. 3. Sect. 4. p. 64.ſed ad conatam quamdiu ſuperat ſpes ulla; Imo quo plures, & majores objiciuntur difficultates, eo obnixius conondum & for tioribus animis obnitendam. I wiſh, Sir, that our ſoft Covenanters, Speedy compliants, and Temporizing Turn-Coats, would ſeriouſly ſtudy this leſſon.
Thirdly, An Oath is in reſpect of the matter unlawful, when it is impious, and expreſly againſt Gods Word and Command; being ſo in it ſelf, and nature of the thing; and then the Rule muſt be admitted; Pacta quae turpem cauſam continent non ſunt obſervanda; And Oath muſt be the Bond of iniquity.
Here Sir, be pleaſed to obſerve, that though I could not conſant to the Drs. oppoſition of Truth, Juſtice, Reaſon, Religion, and duty to God or man, as Iron, Adamantine bonds unto the weak Withs & Cords of an Oath, which is directly contrary to the nature thereof; yet I acknowledge in them ſuch power as no Oath can bind againſt: If he or any will aſſume and make good the aſſumption, That the matter of the Covenant is of its ſelf and own nature contrary to Truth, Juſtice, Reaſon, Religion, or duty to God and man; I will admit the ſequel, and conclude it doth not oblige: But I have yet found none that have herein charged it; ſome indeed oppoſe to ſome part of the Covenant, an Apoſtolical tradition, but no divine inſtitution or direction to any part thereof.
The unlawfulneſſe which I find charg'd on the matter of the Covenant, is uſually accidental in ſome circumſtances converſant about the Act, more than the matter ſw rne, and hath been produced as a juſt barre to the taking of the Covenant, but is in vain now produced to break its bonds laid upon us, as I have before noted. I eaſily grant that the Oath which is not ſworne in truth, in Juſtice, and in judgment, is very prophanely ſworn; yet affirm, it may be ſtrongly binding; and ſo hereupon I might diſcharge this Section as running into the former; but becauſe ſimple men ſeem ſtartled by that unlawfulneſs of matter in the Covenant: which is ſuggeſted in the Oxford Reaſons, for their non-confederacy with the reſt of the Nation, and do commonly produce them as the preſent only plea, to diſcharge the Oath of God; I ſhall make bold to weigh the ſame, and ſee what more ſtrength is in their Scruples as to the matter promiſed, than was in reference to the matter aſserted; and whether an intelligent Caſuiſt would not have eaſily reſolved their doubts, and enlarged their conſciences.