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<NAME>John Latta</NAME>
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<DIV1 TYPE="treatise">
<PB N="1" REF="1" MS="y">
<HEAD>CERTAINE SCRVPLES AND Doubts of Con&s;cience about taking the Solemn League and Covenant.</HEAD>
<P>THe Vowes and Covenants which wee finde in Scripture to have beene made by the People of God, either engaged them onely in &s;ome &s;uch generall expre&s;&s;e termes as the&s;e, viz. <HI>To follow the Lord God of their Fathers; To keepe clo&s;e to his Commandments, Statutes, Te&s;timonies or Ordinances</HI> with all their &s;trength, (or the like) <HI>as they were recorded in the Booke of God;</HI> And &s;uch was that of King <HI>Io&s;iah</HI>'s, when <HI>he &s;tood in his place and made a Covenant before the Lord, to keepe his Commande|ments and his Te&s;timonies, and his Statutes with all his heart, and with all his &s;oule, to performe the words of the Covenant which are written in this Booke. And the inhabitants of Ie|ru&s;alem and Benjamin did according to the Covenant of God, the God of their Fathers.</HI> 2 <HI>Chron.</HI> 34.31.32. So that all &s;uch as acknowledge the Word of God, though but in the Letter onely, could not &s;cruple at &s;uch a Covenant as this of <HI>Io&s;iah</HI>'s. Or &s;econdly, the Vowes and Covenants which are countenanced in Scripture to have beene made or required by Gods &s;ervants, con&s;i&s;ted <HI>of few Articles, nay, of a very few words only,</HI> for the mo&s;t part, that every one might cleerly &s;ee what, and fully under&s;tand to bee warrantable, that which he was required to vow or &s;wear; and &s;uch was that of <HI>Iehoiada</HI> when hee made a Covenant betweene the Lord and the King and the People, <HI>That they
<PB N="2" REF="2">&s;hould be the Lords people,</HI> 2 <HI>King.</HI> 11.17. And &s;o <HI>Io&s;ua</HI> ha|ving a&s;&s;embled all the Tribes of I&s;rael together, exhorted them to feare the Lord, to &s;erve Him in &s;inceritie and in truth, &s;aying, <HI>As for me and my Hou&s;e we will &s;erve the Lord;</HI> and the people an&s;wered <HI>God forbid that we &s;hould for&s;ake the Lord to &s;erve other gods:</HI> now therefore &s;aid <HI>Io&s;ua, Put away the &s;trange gods which are among you, and encline your hearts unto the Lord God of I&s;rael:</HI> and the people &s;aid unto <HI>Io&s;ua, The Lord our God will we &s;erve, and his voice will wee obey: &s;o Io&s;ua made a Covenant with the People that day, Io&s;.</HI> 41.1.14.15.16.23.24.25 And &s;urely it may &s;eem to be ve|ry nece&s;&s;ary, that all Oaths, Vowes, and Covenants &s;hould relate only to the very Scriptures them&s;elves, or bee ex|pre&s;&s;ed in &s;o few and cleere words, as every one might under&s;tand them to be ju&s;tifiable, and vow or &s;weare no|thing but in Truth, Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, and Judgement, as the Prophet <HI>Ieremie</HI> requires, <HI>Ier.</HI> 4.2.</P>
<P>Con&s;idering therefore with my &s;elfe, and &s;eriou&s;ly en|deavouring how far according to the&s;e Scriptures I might keepe a good con&s;cience, and comply with that authoritie from whence the Solemne League and Covenant comes recommended and inforced, after many &s;ad cares &amp; fears, de&s;iring Gods a&s;&s;i&s;tance for my guide, I may &s;afely &s;ay I have not found meanes to informe me otherwi&s;e, but that this Covenant comprehending in generall the Lawes and Government of 3. Kingdomes Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall and Civill, which (to &s;u&s;pend how ju&s;tifiable al of them are according to the Word of God) my whole life time would not bee &s;ufficient to informe me only what they are, cannot po&s;&s;i|bly by m<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter"> be &s;ub&s;cribed unto <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="blotted" EXTENT="1 word"> Truth, Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, and Iudgement,</HI> which from the mouth of the Prophet <HI>Ieremie</HI> was before recited as nece&s;&s;arie to an Oath. 2. Le&s;t this
<PB N="3" REF="2">generall and &s;hort Apologie &s;hould not &s;ufficiently execu&s;e me, in &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion to better under&s;tandings, with all hu|mility and meekne&s;&s;e of &s;pirit, I am driven to doubt ex|ceedingly whether this League and Covenant bee not in|con&s;i&s;tent or contradictorie to it &s;elfe. And 3. whether it doe not much di&s;agree and vary from the Prote&s;tation, which by the &s;ame authoritie wee have already beene re|quired, and in &s;ome degree compelled to &s;ubmit unto; &s;ome of the particular rea&s;ons which moved me to thinke &s;o, (to omit &s;undry others for brevity &s;ake) being the&s;e that follow: <HI>viz.</HI></P>
<P>The Title &s;ayes, <HI>A Solemne League and Covenant for re|formation and defence of Religion, the Honour and Happine&s;&s;e of the King, and the peace and &s;afety of three Kingdomes, of England, Scotland, and Ireland;</HI> the contents of the &s;aid Covenant &s;ignifying as much. But I have not met with any Declarations to a&s;&s;ure us, that Commi&s;&s;ioners of each Kingdome re&s;pectively, e&s;pecially of that of Ireland, have beene cho&s;en, a&s;&s;embled together, had power, or did a|gree upon this League and Covenant, without which, or &s;ome &s;uch equivalent proceedings, wee cannot po&s;&s;ibly know that it was the joynt con&s;ent, re&s;olution and de&s;ires, that all three Kingdomes &s;hould mutually enter into &s;uch a League and Covenant, and without this, either King|dome may ju&s;tly bee offended with the other, for &s;o farre meddling in their affaires without being called there|unto.</P>
<P>The Preamble beginnes with, <HI>Wee &amp;c. of all &s;orts in the Kingdomes of England, Scotland, and Ireland, being of one Reformed Religion:</HI> and yet we know mo&s;t of the Iri&s;h to be Papi&s;ts, be&s;ides &s;o great a Popi&s;h partie in England and Scotland, and even the Prote&s;tants &s;o much differing
<PB N="4" REF="3">among&s;t them&s;elves, that a very co&s;iderable number which have al&s;o &s;ub&s;cribed to this League and Covenant, I meane the Independents, who po&s;&s;ibly may not di&s;agree from the re&s;t in any other point except their Independen|cie, though they have beene mo&s;t active for the Parlia|ment, are at this pre&s;ent in great doubt and anxiety of minde, whether they &s;hall be permitted to breathe in that ayre where they were borne and bred, which may move a doubt whether according to the Preamble they be all of one Religion: And if it be &s;aid, it is not expected that Papi&s;ts &s;hould take the Covenant. I an&s;wer, that accor|ding to the 7. In&s;truct. the Mini&s;ters are to profer it to all the Inhabitants and Lodgers of the Pari&s;h, and if the Pa|pi&s;ts may refu&s;e it Scot-free, I hope the wi&s;edome and ju&s;tice of both Hou&s;es will in due time be plea&s;ed to grant as great a liberty unto Prote&s;tants.</P>
<P>The Covenant &s;ayes, <HI>We &s;hall &s;incerely, really, and con|&s;tantly, through the grace of God, endeavour in our &s;everall places and callings the pre&s;ervation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland, in Doctrine, Wor&s;hip, Di&s;cipline, and Government again&s;t our common enemies.</HI></P>
<P>Doubt: Whether it bee not expedient and nece&s;&s;ary for every one that vowes and &s;weares any thing, to know and under&s;tand throughly what it is which he vowes and &s;weares, &amp;c. and therefore whether it be not fir&s;t requi&s;ite for me to know what is the Doctrine, Wor&s;hip, D<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;cipline, and Government of the Church of Scotland, before I &s;weare and vow the pre&s;ervation of it: for although by the tenour of the&s;e words it appeares to be the Reformed Religion, yet the opinions of Reformed Prote&s;tants, both for Doctrine, Wor&s;hip, Di&s;cipline and Government, are &s;o various and differing, &s;ome &s;o thwarting and extrava|gant,
<PB N="5" REF="3">as that I may not undertake unadvi&s;edly to endea|vour the pre&s;ervation of them at adventure: and what the whole Doctrine, Wor&s;hip, Di&s;cipline and Government of the Church of Scotland is, I profe&s;&s;e my &s;elfe &s;o far forth ignorant, as that <HI>I cannot with judgement, under&s;tanding, and a &s;afe con&s;cience, vow the pre&s;ervation of them all.</HI></P>
<P>Covenant. <HI>Reformation of Religion in the Kingdomes of England and Ireland, in Doctrine, Wor&s;hip, Di&s;cipline and Government according to the Word of God, and the be&s;t Re|formed Churches.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Doubts.</HI> It is not declared in this Vow, nor in the Pre|amble, whether this Reformation bee meant of the Do|ctrine, Wor&s;hip Di&s;cipline and Government in the King|dome of England and Ireland, as they are &s;ettled by Act of Parliament, or as they are practi&s;ed at pre&s;ent in &s;ome parts of both Kingdomes onely, and &s;o for that of Scot|land. But I &s;uppo&s;e it is at lea&s;t under&s;tood of all three a|like, or el&s;e the meaning of this Covenant would be more perplext. If the Reformation be meant of what is &s;etled by Law, I pre&s;ume it will be required from every &s;ubject to proceed with all humility and mode&s;tie, endeavouring nothing again&s;t a &s;ettled Law, &s;ave in a lawfull way: and to &s;ay nothing of the Wor&s;hip, Di&s;cipline and Govern|ment, though as before I profe&s;&s;e not to know each parti|cular Doctrine of the Church of Scotland, yet I pre&s;ume and am willing to hope, that for Doctrine onely, ours of England differs &s;o little from that of the Church of Scot|land, that they will both require Pre&s;ervation or Refor|mation much alike. And though I am de&s;irous of a ble&s;|&s;ed Reformation from the bottome of my heart, and &s;hould be mo&s;t ready to contribute my mite for endeavo|ring to compa&s;&s;e it, yet I mu&s;t humbly confe&s;&s;e, I doe not
<PB N="6" REF="4">under&s;tand the Rule of this Reformation, as it is literally expre&s;&s;ed in this Covenant which &s;aves, <HI>according to the Word of God, and example of the b<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;t Reformed Churches.</HI> For this I conceive is either a double Rule, or a &s;ingle, but mixt Rule compo&s;ed of the Word of God, and the ex|ample of the be&s;t Reformed Churches, and in both &s;en|&s;es the Reformation mu&s;t bee according to the example of &s;ome Reformed Churches, (and yet I &s;uppo&s;e none will &s;o farre pre&s;ume on their perfection, but that they may po&s;&s;ibly finde them&s;elves to need a farther Re|formation) but which are the be&s;t Reformed Churches, and untill that be agreed on by all three Kingdomes, or how agreeable this example of the be&s;t Reformed Chur|ches will be to the Word of God, which &s;hould bee my onely Rule, I am not able to informe my &s;elfe &s;o &s;uddenly as to &s;ub&s;cribe at pre&s;ent with judgement or knowledge of what I vow.</P>
<P>Covenant. <HI>Shall endeavour to bring the Church of God in the three Kingdomes to the neere&s;t conjunction and unifor|mity in Religion Confe&s;sion of Faith, Forme of Church Go|vernment directory, for Wor&s;hip and Catechi&s;ing.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Doubt.</HI> In the beginning of this Article, <HI>I vow to endea|vour the Pre&s;ervation of the Doctrine, Wor&s;hip, Di&s;cipline and Government of the Church of Scotland,</HI> which for Go|vernment I conceive to be Presbyterian: <HI>The Reformation of Religion in the Kingdomes of England and Ireland in do|ctrine, wor&s;hip di&s;cipline and government:</HI> which for go|vernment e&s;tabli&s;hed by &s;everall Acts of Parliament is E|pi&s;copall: and here in the end of this fir&s;t Article, I vow the endeavoring <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">n uniformity of Church Di&s;cipline and Government in all three Kingdomes, which mu&s;t bee meant a Presbyterian uniformity of all three Kingdomes,
<PB N="7" REF="4">or el&s;e the end of this fir&s;t Article would contradict the beginning of it. For what&s;oever it be in Scotland, I vow the Pre&s;ervation of it; &s;o that however I &s;eeme to vow a Reformation in England and Ireland according to the Word of God and the example of be&s;t Reformed Chur|ches, yet it mu&s;t be Presbyterian, and jump ju&s;t with that of Scotland which I have vowed to pre&s;erve, or el&s;e I cannot po&s;&s;ibly conclude all three into a uniformitie, ac|cording to the latter end of this Article: and yet as I vow my endeavoring of Pre&s;ervation, Reformation, and Uni|formity, &s;o mu&s;t they be performed, all alike &s;incerely, re|ally, and con&s;tantly.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t then, unle&s;&s;e the Presbyterian Government and Di&s;cipline be intended to bee &s;etled, that the three King|domes may bee brought into a uniformity tho&s;e that take the Covenant, vow them&s;elves into a uniformitie of &s;uch a Government as they them&s;elves at time of taking it knew not what it was; onely the Covenant &s;ayes it mu&s;t be according to the Word of God, and the example of be&s;t Reformed Churches; but which are the be&s;t Refor|med Churches, or what Government will prove to bee mo&s;t according to the Word of God, and example of be&s;t Reformed Churches, is the greate&s;t Controver&s;ie this Kingdome has now in que&s;tion, and &s;o far, or rather, im|po&s;&s;ible to be determined into a uniformity, as the Wheat differs from the Tares; the Church of God from the World; the Sheepe and Lambs from Wolves; and the Seed of the Woman from the Serpents Seed: or if in|tended to be decided by the Sword or Civill Powers, which God forbid, I humbly propound unto the Wi&s;e|dome and Piety of both Hou&s;es of Parliament and the Synod, Whether it may not likely cau&s;e a more bloody
<PB N="8" REF="5">and la&s;ting War, than Prerogative, Priviledge, Propriety, or all three together. But if it be &s;aid that wee endeavour the Pre&s;ervation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland again&s;t our common enemies onely, and that afterwards, or in other re&s;pects the Church of Scotland will likewi&s;e &s;ubject it &s;elfe unto a Reformation, if need require; I an&s;wer that the&s;e common enemies will be al|wayes, and therefore according to the Covenant, I mu&s;t alwayes endeavour the pre&s;ervation of Presbyterian Go|vernment in the Church of Scotland; and being by this Covenant to reforme England and Ireland according to the Word of God, and bring them all three unto the nee|re&s;t conjunction and uniformity, I doe by undeniable con|&s;equence conclude, and grant the pre&s;ent Doctrine. Wor|&s;hip, Di&s;cipline and Government of the Church of Scot|land to be according to the Word of God, and that I will, if it lay in my power, or if po&s;&s;ibly I can hereafter, bring England and Ireland unto the &s;ame. Secondly, if it bee not meant that wee mu&s;t in virtue of this Covenant ab&s;o|lutely endeavour the Pre&s;ervation of the Doctrine, Wor|&s;hip, Di&s;cipline and Government of the Church of Scot|land in the &s;tate it is at pre&s;ent, without condition how far it may appear agreeable to the Word of God, then would it follow, that each man might &s;ub&s;cribe the Covenant with a mentall re&s;ervation, to examine afterwards whe|ther the Doctrine and Government of the Church of Scotland were according to the Word of God or no, and &s;o far forth onely under&s;tand them&s;elves to bee engaged for the Pre&s;ervation of it, which I conceive our Brethren of Scotland would not approve of, but intend to bee &s;ole Judges thereof them&s;elves. But I quere whether the Iri&s;h will not object and aske, what ground and authority the
<PB N="9" REF="5">Engli&s;h or Scotti&s;h Subjects have, to reforme the Doctrine, Wor&s;hip, Di&s;ci|pline or Government of the Church of Ireland, and whether they have not as ab&s;olute power in their owne affaires and Kingdome, as the Engli&s;h have in England, or the Scotch in Scotland? If it bee &s;aid, they were a conquered Nation; I doe not finde their Conqueror plundered them of their Religion; and if he did, it was but in exchange to leave them another: and how that can be taken from them, or how wee may deny them the Law of Nature, (which both Engli&s;h and Scotch lay claime to) for defending them&s;elves, or their Religion, when they them&s;elves, the whole Kingdome of Ireland, (as much the whole Kingdome of Ireland, as the Engli&s;h Subjects can bee &s;aid to bee the whole Kingdome of England) &s;hall apprehend and declare them to be in imminent danger, is not for me to determine: and thirdly, If the Presbyterian Government and Di&s;cipline be not that, in which all three Kingdomes by this Covenant are meant to meet in uniformity, but that each man or party may under&s;tand it according to their owne &s;en&s;e; then I quere whether the Independents or Papi&s;ts (or they, as well as Independents, or &s;uch as are &s;till in heart for Prelatie Reformed, can take it with this Re&s;er|vation) may not each of them expect and require, that all three Kingdomes by force of this Covenant, &s;hould bee obliged to e&s;tabli&s;h the Popi&s;h or In|dependent Government, upon as good grounds in their owne opinions and under&s;tandings, (which doubtle&s;&s;e was their re&s;erv'd intention when they tooke the Covenant) as the Kingdome of Scotland can alledge for &s;etling the Presbyterian? And yet if wee will, as was &s;aid before, reconcile this fir&s;t Article to it &s;elfe, we mu&s;t nece&s;&s;arily under&s;tand our &s;elves engaged to bring the Kingdomes of England and Ireland for Doctrine, Wor&s;hip, Di&s;ci|pline and Government, unto a uniformity with that of Scotland, which is Presbyterian: But for the pre&s;ent I am not &s;ufficiently &s;atisfied in my owne heart, to &s;ay that Presbyterian, as it is practi&s;ed in Scotland, is above all o|thers according to the Word of God, and the example of be&s;t Reformed Churches, neither hath this State determined &s;o as yet.</P>
<P>Covenant. <HI>We &s;hall in like manner, without re&s;pect of per&s;ons, endeavour the extirpation of Popery.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Doubt.</HI> Extirpation of Popery (as I humbly conceive) cannot otherwi&s;e be wrought, than by Gods working upon the hearts of Papi&s;ts; by &s;trong arguments deduced from Rea&s;on and Scripture to convince the con&s;cience, or el&s;e, if they &s;till remaine popi&s;h, by bani&s;hing or putting them to death, though they &s;hould continue &s;o meerly for con&s;cience &s;ake, and cannot po&s;|&s;ibly of them&s;elves be otherwi&s;e then Popi&s;h; But whether it be for good of
<PB N="10" REF="6">all three Kingdomes to lo&s;e &s;o many Popi&s;&s;e. Subjects, and ju&s;tice in the States to bani&s;h them their native Country; and whether it &s;tand with Chri|&s;tian Liberty and Charity to put them all to death, the Queen men Maje&s;ties per&s;on, or any of the Royall Offspring, nay the King him&s;elfe, if he turne Papi&s;t, not being excepted, I humbly crave to be in&s;tructed, &s;ince I &s;uppo&s;e this Covenant, my apprehen&s;ion of it being &s;uch, would in con&s;equence and pur&s;uit thereof, engage me to the death of all, in ca&s;e the could neither be per&s;waded to leave their Popery, nor their Country.</P>
<P>Covenant. <HI>We &s;hall in like manner endeavour the extirpation of Prelatie (that is Church government by Archbi&s;hops, Bi&s;hops, &amp;c.)</HI></P>
<P><HI>Doubt.</HI> Epi&s;copall Government is &s;etled by Law both in England and Ireland, and therefore I conceive it is only intended that all three Kingdoms &s;hould endeavour in a lawfull way to have it repealed againe; for &s;ince it is Legall (though it were again&s;t the evidence of Scripture) if my &s;elfe or other private men may pre&s;ume to be Judges, and vow extirpation of it, in time, no law would finde obedience, or be &s;ecure. For though I &s;uppo&s;e a good Chri&s;tian &s;ubject may lawfully endeavour in a meeke and humble manner, the repealing any Law found incon&s;i&s;tent with the word of God: yet I am fearfull, whether &s;uch an expre&s;&s;ion as this be warrantable in a private Chri|&s;tian &s;ubject, <HI>viz. To vow &s;incere, reall, and con&s;tant endeavouring the extirpation of Prelatie, &s;ince as yet it &s;tands firme by Law.</HI> And though it &s;hould bee obje|cted and granted too, that both or either Hou&s;e of Parliament have power to declare the &s;en&s;e and meaning of any Act of Parliament, or that an Ordi|nance of both Hou&s;es, or an Order of either, may for the pre&s;ent require obe|dience; yet I quere whether &s;uch Order or Ordinance be of force after &s;uch a Parliament bee ended, again&s;t any thing e&s;tabli&s;hed by Act of all three E|&s;tates? If not, then this may po&s;&s;ibly happen to be the ca&s;e of Prelatie &s;etled by former Acts of Parliament, but concluded for the pre&s;ent by both Hou&s;es to be extirpated; and therefore I &s;cruple at this Covenant, becau&s;e it would oblige me for ever <HI>con&s;tantly</HI> to the extirpation of Epi&s;copacy, though this Parliament were ended, and the Bill prepared for that purpo&s;e &s;hould never have effect.</P>
<P>Covenant. <HI>We &s;hall in like manner endeavour the extirpation of &s;uper&s;tition, here&s;ie, &s;chi&s;me, prophanene&s;&s;e, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Doubt.</HI> As was afore&s;aid of Popery, &s;o mu&s;t the extirpation of all the&s;e be wrought by the Holy Gho&s;t immediately, convincing of the con&s;cience, ba|ni&s;hment, or death; and this la&s;t to carnall minds may &s;eeme the &s;urer. Some Here&s;ie was death by Law, but whether the &s;ame puni&s;hment bee due to all
<PB N="11" REF="6">&s;uper&s;titions, Heretickes, Schi&s;matickes, and prophane per&s;ons, is my feare; and yet this Covenant obliges me to endeavour the extirpation, and con&s;e|quently, the bani&s;hment and death of all alike: Be&s;ides here I covenant the extirpation of here&s;ie, when as in the words immediately going before, I vow the extirpation of Prelatie, which may be found here&s;ie in Law, and make the Article contradictory to it &s;elfe, ingaging me unavoydably, not only to be guilty, but al&s;o acce&s;&s;ory in endeavouring to procure mine owne ba|ni&s;hment or death.</P>
<P>Covenant. <HI>We &s;hall with the &s;ame &s;incerity, reality, and con&s;tancy, in our &s;eve|rall vocations endeavour with our e&s;tates and lives, mutually to pre&s;erve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments, and the Liberties of the Kingdomes.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Doubt.</HI> The Rights and Priviledges of Parliaments of three Kingdomes, with the liberties of the &s;ame, are of &s;o va&s;t extent, and con&s;i&s;t in &s;o many particulars, as that I cannot imagine how I might po&s;&s;ibly bee informed of them all; and yet if I &s;hould &s;ubmit unto this Covenant, I quere, whether I were not altogether as much engaged to the pre&s;ervation of &s;uch Popi&s;h Rights, Liberties and Priviledges, as the Popi&s;h Parliaments of Ireland &s;hould declare to be their birth-right and inheritance; as unto the pre&s;ervation of what&s;oever &s;hould be declared to be the Rights, Priviledges and Liberties of Seotland by the Parliaments of that Kingdome?</P>
<P>Covenant. <HI>To pre&s;erve and defend the Kings Maje&s;ties Per&s;on and Authori|tie in the pre&s;ervation and defence of the true Religion, and Liberties of the King|domes.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Doubt.</HI> 'Tis like enough that according to the Civill e&s;tabli&s;hed Lawes, one Kingdome may have greater Priviledges and Liberties than another; but if it mu&s;t bee carried by mo&s;t voyces, if the multitude be Judges, or &s;uch as they make choice of to bee their Repre&s;entatives: I quere whether either Kingdome in likelihood will yeeld it &s;elfe to be inferiour unto the other in Liberties and Priviledges? and though each Kingdome had heretofore pub|li&s;hed what their re&s;pective Priviledges were, yet by inherency of the Le|gi&s;lative power, they might upon every fre&s;h occa&s;ion be &s;till declared grea|ter; &s;o that if I defend the Kings Maje&s;ties per&s;on and authority in pre&s;er|vation of the Rights, Liberties and Priviledges of that Kingdome which has the lea&s;t Liberties and Priviledges, then I quere, whether I mu&s;t not inevi|tably be a Traytor unto his Maje&s;ties per&s;on and authority, and injurious to the other Kingdomes which have greater; and &s;o <HI>vice vers&acirc;?</HI> And &s;econdly, if the Kings Maje&s;ties per&s;on and authority may not be pre&s;erved at all times,
<PB N="12" REF="7">and in all ea&s;es, without limitation and condition, or untill the three King|domes agree concerning the true Religion; it will be que&s;tionable whether they may bee defended for the pre&s;ent, &s;ince the Kingdome of Ireland will doubtle&s;&s;e &s;ay, that Popery is the true Religion, though England and Scot|land &s;hould agree in Prote&s;tancy: For in England or Scotland there have beene fifty Prote&s;tants for every Papi&s;t tis to be feared, there are well near as many Papi&s;ts for every Prote&s;tant in Ireland; and the Iri&s;h &s;ubjects be|ing Papi&s;ts, will doubtle&s;&s;e a&s;&s;ume unto them&s;elves as great priviledge in Ireland, as the Engli&s;h Prote&s;tant Subjects &s;hall in England, or the Scotch in Scotland; and will likewi&s;e thinke they have altogether as good rea&s;on to be their owne Judges, and as well able to under&s;tand what their priviled|ges are, how farre they extend, and what is requi&s;ite and nece&s;&s;ary to &s;ecure their Liberties and Religion.</P>
<P>And becau&s;e I would not &s;eeme wilfully &s;ingular in &s;o great a number as have &s;ub&s;cribed to this Covenant, let &s;uch as reade the&s;e Doubts, be plea&s;ed to under&s;tand, that being de&s;irous to comply as much as po&s;&s;ibly I might, with a good Con&s;cience towards God and man, I have beene forward to reade all &s;uch Treati&s;es and Pamphlets as were likelie&s;t to informe my an|der&s;tanding, and &s;atisfie me wherein I doubted: Among&s;t others I met with the Exhortation which the Synod hath publi&s;hed by Order of both Hou&s;es, for encouraging men to take the Covenant, and there in <HI>Pag.</HI> 2 mee|ting with the&s;e words: viz. <HI>What is there almo&s;t in the Covenant which was not for &s;ub&s;tance either expre&s;&s;ely, or manife&s;tly included in that Solemne Prote&s;tation of the St. of May,</HI> 1641. <HI>wherein the whole Kingdome &s;tands ingaged unto this day?</HI> And con&s;idering how I had taken the &s;aid Prote&s;tation, I began to marvaile with my &s;elfe &s;o much more, why I &s;hould now &s;tumble at this League and Covenant, if there were no more in it than in the Prote&s;tation; whereupon I betooke my &s;elfe to reade them both againe, and comparing them toge|ther how farre forth they would hold parallel, be&s;ides &s;ome others, I finde the&s;e no &s;mall differences which follow.</P>
<P>Prote&s;tation. <HI>We vow to maintaine and defend the true Reformed Prote&s;tant Religion expre&s;&s;ed in the doctrine of the Church of England, again&s;t all Popery and Popi&s;h innovations, within this Realme, contrary to the &s;ame doctrine.</HI></P>
<P>Solemne League. <HI>We will &s;incerely, really, and con&s;tantly endeavour the Refor|mation of Religion in the Kingdome of England in Doctrine, Wor&s;hip, Di&s;cipline and Government.</HI> So that from the&s;e very words it appeares they differ as much, as Pre&s;ervation of one and the &s;ame thing does from alteration: but
<PB N="13" REF="7">it is not this I &s;cruple at, and &s;hould be loath not to be with the forwarde&s;t in de&s;iring and endeavouring a ble&s;&s;ed Reformation in a ju&s;tifiable way; and if it be &s;aid there can be no danger of reforming according to the Word of God: I grant it, and &s;cruple whether the <HI>Example of be&s;t Reformed Chur|ches</HI> being &s;o much controverted, and the Presbyterian which a&s;&s;umes Do|minion over their Brethrens Faith, and this Covenant nece&s;&s;arily im|plyes, doe not keepe us from Reforming according to the Word of GOD.</P>
<P>Prote&s;tation. <HI>According to the duty of our Allegiance we will maintaeine his Maje&s;ties Royall Per&s;on, Honour and E&s;tate.</HI></P>
<P>Solemne League. <HI>We &s;hall with the &s;ame &s;incerity, reality and con&s;tancy, in our &s;everall Vocations, indoavour with our E&s;tates and Lives to pre&s;erve and de|fend the Kings Maje&s;ties Per&s;on and Authority, in the pre&s;ervation and defence of the true Religion, and Liberties of the Kingdomes.</HI> Which I &s;cruple at, whether it will not be under&s;tood a kinde of curbe and limitation, whil&s;t Papi&s;ts by this example be moved to hold them&s;elves obliged onely to defend his Ma|je&s;ties Per&s;on and Authority, while&s;t his Maje&s;ty defends Popery; and Browni&s;ts, whil&s;t his Maje&s;ty defends Browni&s;me, and both of them con|ceive that his Maje&s;ties per&s;on and E&s;tate might as well have beene put into the Covenant, or that his Per&s;on and Authority might as well have been left out of it.</P>
<P>Prote&s;tation. <HI>the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subjects, and every per|&s;on that maketh this Prote&s;tation in what&s;oever he &s;hall doe in the lawfull pur&s;u|ance of the &s;ame.</HI></P>
<P>Solemne League. <HI>Wee &s;hall al&s;o a&s;&s;i&s;t and defend all tho&s;e that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and pur&s;uing thereof,</HI> without any conditioning whether what they doe bee ju&s;t or no; and I much de&s;ire to bee informed, whether entring into this League can meane le&s;&s;e than joyning in this pre&s;ent Warre; or whether this pre&s;ent Warre can po&s;&s;ibly bee under&s;tood otherwi&s;e than an offen&s;ive Warre in re&s;pect of the Scots, &s;ince they unprovoked are entred England with a pui&s;&s;ant Armie; and how &s;uch as have vowed in the <HI>Prote&s;tation, to pre&s;orve the &V;nion betwixt all the three Kingdomes,</HI> could afterwards with a &s;afe Con&s;cience vow a&s;&s;i&s;tance and defence unto the Scots in pur&s;u|ance of this League, this Warre, (again&s;t the Engli&s;h, the Forces rai|&s;ed by the King, and &s;o great portions of all three Kingdomes which doe adhere unto them) as the &s;ixth Article of the Covenant requireth of us. And whereas the <HI>Prote&s;tation</HI> engages us in nothing but with the&s;e, or
<PB N="14" REF="8">the like expre&s;&s;e words, <HI>So farre forth as lawfully we may;</HI> it is notwith&s;tan|ding ordered by the Commons Hou&s;e under the 5. of May 1641. <HI>That the Knights, Citizens and Burge&s;&s;es &s;hould intimate unto the Shires, Cities, Burroughs and Cinque Ports, with what willingne&s;&s;e all the Members of that Hou&s;e had made the Prote&s;tation, and &s;ignifie, that as they ju&s;tifie the taking of it in them&s;elves, &s;o they cannot but approve it in all &s;uch as &s;hall take it:</HI> yet this League and Co|venant though it embraces matters of a farre higher nature, and &s;o inco&s;i|&s;tent with it &s;elfe, and with what we had before vowed in the Prote&s;tation, requires every one mo&s;t &s;everely to joyne therein upon penalty of being de|clared <HI>publique enemies to the Religion and Country,</HI> and to be cen&s;ured and pu|ni&s;hed <HI>as profe&s;&s;ed adver&s;aries and malignants,</HI> which may &s;eeme a very har&s;h condition to &s;o many as hold with Independency, who having adventured E&s;tates, Lives, and all they have in the Parliaments &s;ervice, &s;hall now not|with&s;tanding upon the &s;cruple of this Covenant only, bee cen&s;ured and pu|ni&s;hed <HI>as profe&s;&s;ed adver&s;aries;</HI> and yet in the Preamble among&s;t &s;undry Rea|&s;ons therein &s;pecified, which moved the Members of the Commons Hou&s;e to take the Prote&s;tation, one of them is there declared to be, <HI>That multitudes had beene driven out of his Maje&s;ties dominions,</HI> mo&s;t of which are knowne to hold with Independency, or to be &s;o farre forth Non-conformi&s;ts, as they mu&s;t be forced to returne againe and remaine &s;till exiled, rather than &s;ubmit unto a Power and Dominion to bee exerci&s;ed over their Con&s;ciences, in a manner little differing from that which was practi&s;ed by the Bi&s;hops. I know the&s;e &s;cruples are not all alike important, but my humble &s;uit is, they may bee con&s;idered all together, and accepted of as a ju&s;t motive of a doubting Con|&s;cience to be di&s;penced withall, for not taking the Solemne League and Co|venant.</P>
<LIST>
<HEAD>Twelve Queries.</HEAD>
<ITEM>1. VVHether the Covenants we reade of in Scripture were ever a|gain&s;t the Kings expre&s;&s;e Commands and Proclamations?</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. Whether ever any League or Covenant of Subjects were countenan|ced in Scripture again&s;t their lawfull Soveraign, or again&s;t a party of fellow Subjects for adhering to their King?</ITEM>
<ITEM>3. Whether the <HI>Oxford</HI> party may not as well enter into &s;uch another League and Covenant as tho&s;e of <HI>London,</HI> and &s;o &s;trengthen them&s;elves &s;till farther to prolong the War, and quite ruine all three Kingdomes?</ITEM>
<ITEM>4. Whether if the Parliament Party have the greate&s;t part of the King|dome adhering to them, they ought not to bee &s;o much more regarded and
<PB N="15" REF="8">re&s;pected; and if they be the le&s;&s;er, whether they bee not &s;o much more ex|cu&s;able in &s;eeking to encrea&s;e their forces, and defend them&s;elves again&s;t the violence of their adver&s;aries?</ITEM>
<ITEM>5. Whether if tho&s;e at <HI>Oxford</HI> have the greate&s;t part of the Nobility, Gentry, and whole Kingdome concurring with them, together with the per|&s;on of the King, they be not very con&s;iderable, and &s;o likely to prolong the War, untill both parties bee full weary of it, and cur&s;e all &s;uch as have beene active in &s;triking both the fir&s;t or &s;econd blow?</ITEM>
<ITEM>6. Whether in this re&s;pect a Treaty, and an Act of Pacification, with an honourable and &s;afe Peace might not be behoovall unto both?</ITEM>
<ITEM>7. Whether &s;uch as hold with Independency are not the mo&s;t con&s;ider|able parts of the Parliaments Armies, and mo&s;t to be confided in?</ITEM>
<ITEM>8. Whether if the Parliament &s;hould yet longer defer declaring a liberty of con&s;cience unto the Independents, they may not have &s;ome diffidence, and thinke the Parliament does it afterwards onely out of nece&s;&s;ity which they have of their pre&s;ent &s;ervice, and &s;o bee jealous of the continuance, which is the greate&s;t ob&s;tacle and hindrance of an Accommodation between the King and Parliament?</ITEM>
<ITEM>9. Whether if the King profer as great a toleration of their different opi|nions, as the Parliament, the Independents may not likely begin to adhere unto the King, in regard the Parliament having found &s;o great advantage of their per&s;ons, have notwith&s;tanding &s;o long delaid to declare a toleration of their tender con&s;ciences?</ITEM>
<ITEM>10. Whether it bee not according to the Independents principals to ad|here unto that &s;ide which is mo&s;t inclinable to peace, as very &s;crupulous in making an offen&s;ive war, whether for Liberties or Religion, and mo&s;t con|&s;cientious of &s;ubmitting to the powers?</ITEM>
<ITEM>11. Whether for all the&s;e re&s;pects they are not to be held very con&s;ide|rable, and much to bee regarded and e&s;teemed, both by the Kings and the Parliaments party? And la&s;tly,</ITEM>
<ITEM>12. Whether it may not &s;tand with the wi&s;edome and honour of the Par|liament, by &s;ome Declaration to re&s;tore &s;uch into a good opinion of their Brethren, who have hitherto beene held in &s;tate of malignancy for refu&s;ing this Covenant out of con&s;cience, and countenance &s;uch as having taken it doubtingly, and touched in con&s;cience with remor&s;e, de&s;ire to humble them|&s;elves for &s;o hainous an offence, both before God and man?</ITEM>
</LIST>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
