Some New Blazing Stars Styling Themselves New Lights, Section 3
Section III.
Containing ſcandalous, ſeditious, ſcurrilous paſſages againſt the Nationall Vow and Covenant, preſcribed by Parliament.
THis National Vow and covenant was deemed at firſt the onelyonly probable means under God to unite our three Kingdomes and the proteſtant party of all ſorts together in a mutuall, brotherly, inviolable League againſt the common enemies of our Religion, parliament, Lawes and Liberties: It was therefore univerſally preſcribed to the Members of both Houſes, the Aſſembly of Divines, Lawyers of all ſorts, the Officers and Souldiers in the Army, and to the Miniſters and people of all conditions under the parliaments power in all our three Dominions, being refuſed, oppugned at firſt apparently by none but papiſts, Royaliſts or Malignants: And the Houſes were ſo impartiall in the preſcription of it, that ſuch Members of the Lords or Commons Houſe, who did but ſcruple the taking of it, were ſuſpended the Houſes till they did conforme. But now of late, a generation of Independent Sectaries, conceiving this Covenant to thwart their licentious, ſchiſmaticall whimſeys, not onelyonly generally refuſe to take it, and plead a ſpeciall priviledge and exemption from it (as if they were more priviledged perſons then any Peeres, Commons or Subjects whatſoever, and muſt be left at large to doe what they lift, when all others are obliged, (and which is ſtrange to me and others, ſome Independent Miniſters,) if not Members of Parliament who have taken it themſelves, and enjoyned it to others, have yet adventured to plead for an exemption of this meer refractory party from it, which much encourageth them in their obſtinate refuſall of it, and hath ſo animated this ſeditious, lawleſſe generation, that they have lately in print, not onelyonly oppugned, but derided, libelled againſt this ſacred Covenant (which we have all moſt ſolemnly in Gods preſence ſworne, and under our hands ſubſcribed to maintaine to the utmoſt of our power, euen with the hazard of our lives and fortunes) which, I beſeech you, let us all now moſt chearfully, really obſerve, by proceeding againſt the contemners infringers of it, or elſe for ever as readily, as ſolemnly renounce it, to our eternall infamy, as we at firſt chearfully ſubſcribed to it.
I ſhall begin with John Lilbournes Letter: pag. 6. 7. It may be in ſtead of ſatisfying my deſire, you will run and complaine to the Parliament, and preſſe them with their Covenant, to take vengeance upon me. If you doe, I weigh is not; for I bleſſe God I am fitted to doe or ſuffer whatſoever the Parliament ſhall impoſe upon me; but if you doe, take theſe two along with you: if you put them in mind of their Covenant, tell them, I think they have ſworne to root out all Popery, but yet have establiſhed Tythes, the very root and ſupport of Popery, which I humbly conceive is a contradiction to their Covenant &c. A bold cenſure and ſcandall.
The Arraignment of perſecution, thus traduceth and jeers the reverend Aſſembly of Divines and Covenannt together: page 33. 34. Perſecution, Is thy name perfect Reformation? Perſe. Yes my Lord: Judge. Who gave you this name? I, Reaſon, His God-fathers & God-mothers in his Baptiſme, wherin he was made a Member of the Aſſembly, and an inheritor of the Kingdome of Antichriſt. Judge, Who are your God-fathers and God-mothers? Perſ. My Lord, Maſter Eccleſiaſticall ſupremacy, and Maſter Scotch-government are my God-fathers; Miſtris State-ambition, and Miſtris Church-revenue are my God-mothers, and I was ſprinkled into the Aſſembly of Divines at the taking of the late SOLEMNE LEAGVE AND COVENANT. Judg. 'Tis ſtrange that at the making of the late ſolemne League and Covenant, blood-thirſty perſecution ſhould be anabaptized preſent Reformation: then HERES A DESIGNE OF BLOOD IN THE COVENANT, if under the name of Reformation the Clergy have infuſed the trayterous, blood-thirſty ſpirit of perſecution into it. J. Human. My Lord, there was never any Nationall or provinciall Synod but ſtrengthned the hand of perſecution, and that under the vizor of Religion, J. Reaſon, As ſoon as theſe underling Divines are from under their Epiſcopall Taskmaſters, and beginning to encroach upon your Lordſhips power, they preſently take this notorious, bloody traytor perſecution, ſtript by your Lordſhip of his High-commiſſion habit, and out of their zeale dreſſe him in a divine ſynodicall Garbe, and change name from perſecution, and chriſten him Reformation, ſo to engage your Lordſhip and the Kingdome of England and Scotland in blood, to ſettle and eſtabliſh bloody perſecution BY COVENANT, over the Conſciences of honeſt and faithfull men to the State, under the ſpecious and godly pretence of Reformation: page 39. By the late SOLEMNE LEAGVE and COVENANT, good Lord deliver us.
The ſacred Decretal runnes in the ſame ſtraine: page 13. 19. When we had introduc'd the Brethren of the holy League, we ſo joyned their hands in the Synodian hands of Presbytery▪ that their League could not be inviolate, their COVENANT (the bed of their contract) undefiled if our presbitry were not concluded. Martyn will tell the people, that we contrive Oaths and COVENANTS meerly to enſnare and catch the people in our wiles; make them carry a face of Reformation according to the Word of God, and thereby betray their innocent ſubſcription to our presbyterian conſtruction.
John Lilbourne in the unlicenſed printed Reaſons of ſending this Letter; pag 4. complaines againſt the Parliament; that the COVENANT was as earneſtly preſt upon tender conſciences, though their faithfulneſſe were no what doubtfull, as upon Newtrals and Malignants, and refuſing, becauſe of ſome expreſſions, put from Offices of truſt, and publike imployments.
Yet moſt of our ſectaries and Independents (in immitation of the Cavaleers) have entred into Ants covenants againſt this SOLEMNE COVENANT, in their private Congregations, to defend… and maintaine their owne Independent government even to blood &c. whatever forme of government the Parliament ſhall eſtabliſh; the very extremity and height of ſeiſme and ſedition, if not of profeſſed rebellion againſt ſupreame Authority; which makes them thus to villifie, traduce and contemptuouſly refuſe the taking of this SOLEMN COVENANT, and plead exemption from it, for feare of diſ-ingaging ſo faithfull conſiderable A PARTY as they have in the Army; who in time (perchance) will preſcribe their new Church-covenants unto us, or elſe exclude us from our Native ſoyle, as now they doe from their Independent Congregations and the Sacraments, unleſſe we will ſubmit unto them.