The Nullity of the Pretended Assembly at St Andrews and Dundee, Treatise 5
Becauſe in theſe (as in other Papers relating to the preſent publick Differences) the ſolemn Acknowledgment of Sins, and Engagement to Duties are frequently mentioned (And it being conceived by the fearful ſlighting of the ſame, which of late hath appeared in the Land) that they are forgotten by the moſt part, and caſt by as out of date; Therefore it was thought fit they ſhould be hereunto ſubjoyned.
A Solemn Acknowledgement of publick Sins and Breaches of the Covenant; And a ſolemn Engagement to all the Duties contained therin, namely thoſe which do in a more ſpecial way relate unto the Dangers of theſe Times.
WE Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen, Burgeſſes, Miniſters of the Goſpel, and Commons of all ſorts within this Kingdom, by the good hand of God upon us, taking in ſerious conſideration the many ſad afflictions and deep diſtreſſes wherwith we have been exerciſed for a long time paſt, and that the Land after it hath been ſore waſted with the Sword and the Peſtilence, and threatned with Famine, and that ſhame and contempt hath been poured out from the Lord againſt many thouſands of our Nation who did in a ſinful way make War upon the Kingdom of England, contrary to the Teſtimony of his Servants and deſires of his People, and that the remnants of that Army returning to this Land, have ſpoiled and oppreſſed many of our Brethren, and that the Malignant party is ſtill numerous, and retaining their former Principles, wait for an opportunity to Raiſe a New and Dangerous War, not only unto the rending of the bowels of this Kingdom, but unto the dividing us from England, and overturning of the work of God in all the three Kingdoms: And conſidering alſo that a cloud of calamities doth ſtill hang over our heads, and threaten us with ſad things to come, We cannot but look upon theſe things as from the Lord, who is righteous in all his wayes, feeding us with the bread of tears, and making us to drink the waters of affliction, until we be taught to know. How evil and bitter a thing it is, to depart from him, by breaking the Oath and Covenant which we have made with him, and that we may be humbled before him by confeſſing our ſin, and forſaking the evil of our way.
Therefore being preſſed with ſo great neceſſities and ſtraits, and warranted by the word of God, and having the example of Gods people of old, who in the time of their troubls, and when they were to ſeek delivery and a right way for themſelvs, that the Lord might be with them to proſper them, did humble themſelves before him, and make a free and particular confeſſion of the ſins of their Princes, their Rulers, their Captains, their Prieſts and their People, and did engage themſelves to do no more ſo, but to reform their wayes, and be ſtedfaſt in his Covenant; and remembring the practiſe of our Predeceſſors in the year 1596. wherein the Gen. Aſſembly, and all the Kirk Judicatories, with the concurrence of many of the Nobility, Gentry & Burgeſſes, did with many tears acknowledge before God the breach of the National Covenant, & engaged themſelves to a reformation, even as our Predeceſſors and theirs had before done in the Gen. Aſſembly and convention of Eſtates in the year 1567. And perceiving that this Duty, when gone about out of conſcience and in ſincerity, hath alwaies been attended with a reviving out of troubles, and with a bleſſing and ſucceſs from Heaven: We do humbly and ſincerely as in his ſight, who is the ſearcher of hearts, acknowledge the many ſins and great tranſgreſſions of the Land: We have done wickedly, our Kings, our Princes, our Nobles, our Judges, our Officers, our Teachers, and our People: Albeit the Lord hath long and clearly-ſpoken unto us, we have not hearkened to his voice, albeit he hath followed us with tender mercies, we have not been allured to wait upon him and walk in his way; and though he hath ſtriken us, yet we have not grieved: nay, though he hath conſumed us, we have refuſed to receive correction. We have not remembered to render unto the Lord according to his goodneſs, and according to our own vowes and promiſes, but have gone away backward by a continued courſe of back-ſliding, and have broken all the Articles of that ſolemn League and Covenant which we ſwore before God, Angels and Men.
Albeit there be in the Land many of all ranks, who be for a Teſtimony unto the truth, & for a name of joy & praiſe unto the Lord, by living godly, ſtudying to keep their garments pure, and being ſtedfaſt in the Covenant and Cauſe of God; yet we have reaſon to acknowledge that moſt of us have not endeavored with that reality, ſincerity, and conſtancy, that did become us, to preſerve the work of Reformation in the Kirk of Scotland; many have ſatisfied themſelves with the purity of the Ordinances, neglecting the power therof; yea, ſome have turned aſide to crooked wayes, deſtructive to both. The prophane, looſe, and inſolent carriage of many in our Armies, who went to the Aſſiſtance of our Brethren in England, and the tamperings and unſtraight dealing of ſome of our Commiſſioners and others of our Nation in London, the Iſle of Wight, and other places of that Kingdom, have proved great lets to the work of Reformation, and ſetling of Kirk government there, wherby Error and Schiſm in that Land have been encreaſed, and Sectaries hardened in their way. We have been ſo far from endeavoring the extirpation of Prophaneſs, and what is contrary to the power of godlineſs, that prophanity hath been much winked at, and prophane perſons much countenanced, and many times imployed, untill iniquity and ungodlineſs hath gone over the face of the Land as a flood; nay, ſufficient care hath not been had, to ſeparate betwixt the precious and the vile, by debarring from the Sacrament all ignorant and ſcandalous perſons, according to the Ordinances of this Kirk.
Neither have the Priviledges of the Parliaments and Liberties of the Subject been d…ly tendered, but ſome amongſt our ſelves have labored to put into the hands of our King, an arbitrary and unlimited power deſtructive to both; and many of us have been acceſſory of late to thoſe means and wayes, whereby the freedom and priviledges of Parliaments have been encroached upon, and the Subjects oppreſſed in their Conſciences, Perſons, and Eſtates: Neither hath it been our care to avoid theſe things which might harden the King in his evil way; but upon the contrary, he hath not only been permitted, but many of us have been inſtrumental to make him exerciſe his power in many things tending to the prejudice of Religion and of the Covenant, and of the Peace and ſafety of theſe Kingdoms; which is ſo far from the right way of preſerving his Majeſties Perſon and Authority, that it cannot but provoke the Lord againſt him unto the hazard of both; nay, under a pretence of relieving and doing for the King whilſt he refuſes to do what was neceſſary for the Houſe of God, ſome have ranverſed, and violated moſt of all the Articles of the Covenant.
Our own conſciences within, and Gods judgments upon us without, do convince us of the manifold wilful renewed breaches of that Article which concerneth the diſcovery and puniſhment of Malignants, whoſe crimes have not only been connived at, but diſpenſed with and pardoned, and themſelves received unto intimate fellowſhip with our ſelves, and entruſted with our Counſels, admitted unto our Parliaments, and put in places of Power and Authority for managing the publick Affairs of the Kingdom, whereby in Gods juſtice they got at laſt into their hands the whole power and ſtrength of the Kingdom, both in Judicatories and Armies, and did imploy the ſame unto the enacting and proſecuting an unlawful Engagement in War againſt the Kingdom of England, notwithſtanding of the diſſent of many conſiderable members of Parliament, who had given conſtant proof of their integrity in the Cauſe from the beginning, of many faithful teſtimonies and free warnings of the ſervants of God, of the ſupplications of many Synods, Presbyteries and Shy…es, and of the Declarations of the Gen. Aſſembly and their Commiſſioners to the contrary: Which engagement as it hath been the cauſe of much ſin, ſo alſo of much miſery and calamity unto this Land, and holds forth to us the grievouſneſs of our ſin of complying with Malignants in the greatneſs of our judgment, that we may be taught never to ſplit again upon the ſame Rock, upon which the Lord hath ſet ſo remarkable a Beacon. And after all that is come to paſs unto us becauſe of this our treſpaſs, and after that grace hath been ſhewed unto us from the Lord our God, by breaking theſe mens yoke from off our necks, and putting us again into a capacity to act for the good of Religion, our own ſafety, and the Peace and ſafety of this Kingdom, ſhould we again break his Commandment and Covenant by joyning once more with the people of theſe abominations, and taking into out boſome thoſe Serpents which had formerly ſtung us almoſt unto death: This as it would argue great madneſs and folly upon our part, ſo no doubt, if it be not avoided, will provoke the Lord againſt us to conſume us until there be no remnant nor eſcaping in the Land.
And albeit the Peace and Union betwixt the Kingdoms be a great bleſſing of God unto both, and a Bond which we are obliged to preſerve unviolated, and to endeavour that juſtice may be done upon the oppoſers thereof: Yet ſome in this Land, who have come under the Bond of the Covenant, have made it their great ſtudy how to diſſolve this Union, and few o… no endeavors have been uſed by any of us for puniſhing of ſuch.
We have ſuffered many of our Brethren in ſeverall parts of the Land, to be oppreſſed of the common Enemy, without compaſſion or relief: There hath been great murmuring and repining becauſe of expence of means and pains in doing of our duty; Many by perſwaſion or terror, have ſuffered themſelves to be divided and withdrawn, to make defection to the contrary part; Many have turned off to a deteſtable indifferency and neutrality in this Cauſe, which ſo much concerneth the glory of GOD, and the good of theſe Kingdoms; Nay, many have made it their ſtudy to walk ſo, as they might comply with all times, and all the Revolutions thereof. It hath not been our care to countenance, encourage, intruſt and employ ſuch onelyonly, as from their hearts did affect and minde Gods Work; But the hearts of ſuch many times have been diſcouraged, and their hands weakened, their ſufferings neglected, and themſelves ſlighted, and many who were once open Enemies, and alwayes ſecret underminers countenanced and employed; Nay, even thoſe who had been looked upon as Incendiaries, and upon whom the Lord had ſet marks of deſperate Malignancy, Falſhood and Deceit, were brought in, as fit to manage Publick Affairs; Many have been the lets and impediments that have been caſt in the way to retard and obſtruct the Lords Work, and ſome have keeped ſecret, what of themſelves they were not able to ſuppreſſe and overcome.
Beſides theſe and many other breaches of the Articles of the Covenant in the matter thereof, which concerneth every one of us to ſearch out and acknowledge before the Lord, as we would wiſh his wrath to be turned away from us; So have many of us failed exceedingly in the manner of our following and purſuing the duties contained therein, not onelyonly ſeeking great things for our ſelves, and mixing of private Intereſts and ends concerning our ſelves, friends and followers, with thoſe things which concern the Publick Good, but many times preferring ſuch to the Honour of God and good of his Cauſe, and retarding Gods Work, untill we might carry along with us our own intereſts and deſignes. It hath been our way to truſt in the means, and to rely upon the Arm of Fleſh for ſucceſſe, Albeit the Lord hath many times made us meet with diſappointment therein, and ſtained the pride of all our Glory, by blaſting every carnall confidence unto us: We have followed for the moſt part the counſels of fleſh and blood, and walked more by the rules of Policie then Piety, and have hearkened more unto men then unto God.
Albeit we made ſolemn publick profeſſion before the World of our unfained deſires to be humbled before the Lord for our own ſins, and the ſins of theſe Kingdoms, eſpecially for our under valuing of the ineſtimable benefit of the Goſpel, and that we have not laboured for the power thereof, and received Chriſt into our hearts, and walked worthy of him in our lives, and of our true and unfained purpoſe, deſire and endeavour for our ſelves and all others under our power and charge both in publick and private, in all duties which we owe to God and man, to amend our lives, and each one to go before another in the example of a Real Reformation, that the Lord might turn away his wrath and heavy indignation, and eſtabliſh theſe Kirks and Kingdoms in Truth and Peace; Yet we have refuſed to be reformed, and have walked proudly and obſtinatly againſt the Lord, not valuing his Goſpel, nor ſubmitting our ſelves unto the obedience thereof, nor ſeeking after Chriſt, nor ſtudying to honour him in the Excellencie of his Perſon, nor employ him in the vertue of his Offices, not making conſcience of publick Ordinances, nor private nor ſecret duties, nor ſtudying to edifie one another in love. The ignorance of God and of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, prevailes exceedingly in the Land; The greateſt part of Maſters of families amongſt Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen, Burgeſſes and Commons neglect to ſeek God in their Families, and to endeavour the Reformation thereof; And albeit it hath been much preſſed, yet few of our Nobles and great ones ever to this day could be perſwaded to perform Family duties themſelves and in their own perſons; which makes ſo neceſſary and uſefull a duty to be miſ…regarded by others of inferior rank; Nay, many of the Nobiiity, Gentry and Burrows who ſhould have been examples of Godlineſſe and ſober walking unto others, have been ring-leaders of exceſſe and rioting. Albeit we be the Lords people engaged to him in a ſolemn way, yet to this day we have not made it our ſtudy, that Judicatories and Armies ſhould conſiſt of, and places of power and truſt be filled with men of a blameleſſe and Chriſtian converſation, and of known integrity and approven fidelity, affection and zeal unto the Cauſe of God, but not onelyonly thoſe who have been neutrall and indifferent, but diſ-affected and Malignant, and others who have been prophane and ſcandalous, have been intruſted, By which it hath come to paſſe that Judicatories have been the ſeats of injuſtice and iniquity, and many in our Armies by their miſ-carriages have become our plague unto the great prejudice of the Cauſe of God, the great ſcandall of the Goſpel, & the great increaſe of looſneſs & prophanity throughout al the Land. It were impoſſible to reckon up al the abominations that are in the land, but the blaſpheming of the name of God, ſwearing by the Creatures, prophanation of the Lords day, uncleanneſs, drunkenneſs, exceſs & rioting, vanity of apparrel, lying & deceit, railing & curſing, arbitary & uncontrolled oppreſſion, & grinding of the faces of the poor by landlords & others in place and power, are become ordinary & common ſins; And beſides all theſe things, there be many other tranſgreſſions, whereof the land wherein we live is guilty: All which we deſire to acknowledge and to be humbled for, that the world may bear witnes with us, that rightouſnes belongeth unto God, and ſhame & confuſion of face unto us as appears this day. And becauſe it is needful for theſe who find mercy not only to confeſs, but alſo to forſake their Sin; therefore that the reality and ſincerity of our repentance may appear, We do reſolve, and ſolemnly engage our ſelves before the Lord, carefully to avoid for the time to come all theſe offences, whereof we have now made ſolemn publick Acknowledgment, and all the ſnares and tentations which tend thereunto: And to teſtifie the integrity of our reſolution herein, and that we may be the better enabled in the power of the Lords ſtrength to perform the ſame, we do again renew our ſolemn League and Covenant, promiſing hereafter to make conſcience of all the duties whereunto we are obliged in all the heads and Articles thereof, particularly of theſe which follow:
1. Becauſe Religion is of all things the moſt excellent and precious, the advancing and promoving the power thereof againſt all ungodlineſs and profanity, the ſecuring and preſerving the purity thereof againſt all error, hereſie, and ſchiſm; and namely, Independency, Anabaptiſm, Antinomianiſm, Arminianiſm, Socinianiſm, Familiſm, Libertiniſm, Scepticiſm, and Eraſtianiſm, and the carrying on the work of uniformity ſhall be ſtudied and endeavoured by us before all wordly intereſt, whether concerning the King, or our ſelves, or any other whatſoever. 2. Becauſe many have of late labored to ſupplant the liberties of the Kirk, we ſhall maintain and defend the Kirk of Scotland, in all her liberties and priviledges, againſt all who ſhall oppoſe or undermine the ſame, or encroach thereupon under any pretext whatſoever. 3. We ſhall vindicate & maintain the liberties of the Subjects in all theſe things which concern their conſciences, perſons and Eſtates. 4. We ſhall carefully maintain and defend the union betwixt the Kingdoms, and avoid every thing that may weaken the ſame, or involve us in any meaſure of acceſſion unto the guilt of thoſe who have invaded the Kingdom of England. 5. As we have been alwaies loyal to our King, ſo we ſhall ſtill endeavour to give unto God that which is Gods, and to Caeſar the things which are Caeſars. 6. We ſhall be ſo far from conniving at, complying with, or countenancing of Malignancy, injuſtice, iniquity, prophanity, and impiety, that we ſhall not only avoid, and diſcountenance thoſe things, and cheriſh and encourage theſe perſons, who are zealous for the Cauſe of God, and walk according to the Goſpel; But alſo ſhall take a more effectual courſe then heretofore in our reſpective Places and Callings, for puniſhing and ſuppreſſing theſe evils, and faithfully endeavor that the beſt and fitteſt remedies may be applied for taking away the cauſes thereof, and advancing the knowledge of God, and Holineſs and Righteouſneſs in the Land. And therefore in the laſt place, as we ſhall earneſtly pray unto God, That he would give us able men fearing God, men of truth, and hating Covetouſneſs, to judge and bear charge among his people, ſo we ſhall according to our Places and Callings, endeavor that Judicatories and all places of Power and Truſt both in Kirk and State may conſiſt of, and be filled with ſuch men as are of known good affection to the Cauſe of God, and of a blameleſs and Chriſtian converſation.
And becauſe there may be many, who heretofore have not made conſcience of the Oath of God, but ſome through fear, others by perſwaſion, and upon baſe ends, and humane intereſts, have entered therunto, who have afterwards diſcovered themſelves to have dealt deceitfully with the Lord in ſwearing falſly by his name, Therefore we who do now renew our Covenant in reference to theſe duties and all other duties contained therin, Do in the ſight of him who is the ſearcher of hearts, ſolemnly profeſs, That it is not upon any politick advantage, or private intereſt, or by-end, or becauſe of any terror or perſwaſion from men, or hypocritically and deceitfully, that we do again take upon us the Oath of God, But honeſtly and ſincerly, and from the ſence of our duty, and that therefore denying our ſelves and our own things, and laying aſide all ſelf intereſt and ends, We ſhall above all things ſeek the honor of God, the good of his Cauſe, and the wealth of his people, and that forſaking the counſels of fleſh and blood, and not leaning upon carnal confidences, we ſhall depend upon the Lord, walk by the rule of his word, and hearken to the voice of his ſervants: In all which profeſſing our own weakneſs, We do earneſtly pray to God, who is the Father of mercies, through his Son Jeſus Chriſt, to be merciful unto us, and to enable us by the power of his might, that we may do our duty unto the praiſe of his Grace in the Churches. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · James Guthrie, The Nullity of the Pretended Assembly at St Andrews and Dundee (1652)