The Solemn League and Covenant Cleared, Title page – To the reader
The ſolemne LEAGUE AND COVENANT OF Three Kingdomes, Cleared to the Conſcience of Every man, who is not willingly Blinde, or wilfully obſtinate.
The Antiquity of the Covenant on the Scots-ſide; The ſeaſonableneſſe of it on the Engliſh ſide; The Admirable Wiſedome of GOD, in ſtirring-up the ſpirits of men on all ſides, at ſuch a time as this;
All this with other things mightily conducing to, and promoting of the Militia of Kingdomes, and the Poſturing every Perſon there, is referred to a place, where it may take up more room.
The clearneſſe for the Matter of this Covenant; The ſolemnity for the Manner of it, is the ſubject of theſe few Leaves, and yet to be made more clear to them that have a minde to underſtand.
By E W.
Neh. 9. 38.
And becauſe of all this, we make a ſure Covenant and Write it, and our Princes, Levites and Prieſts, ſeal unto it.
Eze. 20. 37, 38.
I will bring you into the Bond of the Covenant: And I will purge out from among you the Rebels
Imprimatur
EDM: CALAMY, the morrow after wee lifted-up our Hands, and Subſcribed our Names to this Covenant, Octob. 2. 1643.
LONDON, Printed for Chriſtopher Meredith, and are to be ſold at his ſhop in Pauls Church-yard, at the ſigne of the Crane. 1643.
To the Reader.
I Will take leave to ſet down my Comment upon the cleareſt Text, that ever was ſeen in the world, except one, the moſt Sacred Text. What need a Comment then? I will Anſwer with his Queſtion, Who came down to ſee, how it fared with his Brethren, when Goliah was Maſter of the field; Is there not a cauſe? We have 1 Sam. 17. 29.Heards and Droves of Beaſt-like-Men, for Doctors (Teachers of lies) are their Leaders, whoſe *It relates to Paſtors or people, for they are equally brutiſh, Paſtors rather.tender conſciences ſcruple very much at this Covenant, as alwayes they have done; They cannot lift-up their Hands, or Subſcribe their Names thereto; but to lift-up their eyes and hearts unto lying vanities, that they can do; That curſed Liberty for Sports on the Lords Day, that they could approve; Edification of Altars, bowing before them, and ſerving of Images, even all this alſo, and more than all this; They could foment and puton a Bloody Warr againſt their Brethren, this they could do, and no regret of Conſcience at all this; but this entring into Covenant, there they ſtrain. Ʋnreaſonable men! Theſe have not Faith. Faith! nor Reaſon neither, nor any more Sence than a Beaſt has to feel where it pincheth, and to taſte their Paſture, where it is ſweeteſt; They grope at mid-day, blinde with Light; Now ſhew them the Sun in your hand, as the Proverbe is, they ſay they do not ſee it; though Gods-Hand be lifted-up before all Iſrael, and before the Sun, they will not ſee; and though his people hand be now lifted-up to GOD, yet theſe will not ſee, no not now, nor will they yet underſtand. O ye bruitiſh men! When will ye underſtand? When will ye ſhew your ſelves men? For GODS ſake, for your Souls ſake, your own, and the Souls committed to your charge, conſider; Ye muſt ſee, ye muſt underſtand whether ye will or no: That ye may do both ſeaſonably, look into the Covenant again, ſee, what is it you quarrell with, or take offence at there? Ye are not reſolved in ſome Caſes of Conſcience; Have patience, Ile reſolve you anon, according to Truth: In the mean time you will remember, I hope, whoſe Proctors ye are, and be confounded, becauſe of your ſhame. When man commanded you a bloody worke, and abominable Services, how did you gird-up your loyns, and ſtir-up your ſelves, and People by exhortations and prayers! Now GOD and His p…ople cals-upon you to joyn with them in Covenant, and now you draw back!
Object. Yes, and good Reaſon, for when we did ſtir-up our good people to a War with Scotland, then we were for the King, and for Religion, [the Service-Book, for all their Religion is there] now entering into Covenant, wo ſhall go againſt the King, &c.
Anſw. Much might be ſpoken in a fools Ear, and to little purpoſe; I will onelyonly ſay this, L…t theſe men make Conſcience in point of fear (it contains the whole worſhip) to their GOD: and then we will truſt them in point of Honour to their King; Let them ceaſe from fighting againſt GOD, by lying vanities, then we ſhall think them conſcien…ious men, and loyall to our Prince; In the mean time, doing as they do, ſuch things, and taking pleaſure in them, who do the ſame things, which do provoke the Lord to his Fate, we muſt account th…ſe men, as they are, moſt corrupt in their lives, and ſo in their Doctrines, and drawing-back unto Perdition; Take heed, we know the word, It is utter Deſtruction, a periſhing for ever.
One word to thee Reader, whom I take to be an honeſt man; Ignorant enough, but thy ignorance troubles thee, it is thy hearts griefe; Thou art willing to underſtand, and thou liveſt-upright according to thy knowledge: This to thee; I ſaid before, that this is a very clear Covenant; indeed it is, the cleareſt that ever man Penned here below; The Finger of GOD is in it too; by help of That Hand, which wrote th… Ten Words at firſt, this was Indited and Written, ſure enough, for truely it is as the good Word of GOD; Conſider we, as follows, Curſed is he That do's not fulfill all therein contained, with full purpoſe of heart, and endeavour according to his light and power; And yet ſo good and clear though it be, even as is the Work and Word of GOD, yet many there are, as thou ſeeſt and heareſt, Doctors and Maſters in Iſrael, who do fault it. Be not offended at that; My little reading tels me of one, who found fault with all the Works of GOD, His whole Creation; This might have been mended, and ſo might that; here and there it might have been better than it is; Though GOD ſaid of every thing he had mad…, It (was) very good; Now thou heareſt, That GOD Gen. 1. 31.has heard the Works of his Fingers blamed, and was patient the while; And I proteſt unto thee, That I could name the Man, who ſaid, The Word of GOD, His Text, was ſeditious. Do not thou regard what brutiſh men ſay, whoſe gutts are in their head, and brains in their belly, minde earthly things; regard them not, but attend with all diligence▪ To what thou and I have lifted-up our hands, and Subſcribed our Names; This follows, not alwayes in the ſame words; for my Work is Explication, (i. e.) To clear the Text.