'AN W
E S S A YJ
To Prove
The Perpetual Obligation
OF THE
National Covenant
Church ofsCQTLANVi
IN A
Letter from a Low of the Covenanted Work
^ of Reformation, to his Correfpondent.
Containing an Account
i. Of the Rife and ProgrcJs of the National Cove-
nant, with the fundry Shapes and Modes wherein
it hath appeared in this Church.
2, The Views that the Perfons concerned had or might
have had in the Rife and Progrefs of it.
•3. Arguments to prove its Perpetual Obligation.
4. Answers to the Objections againft its Perpetual.
Obligation.
5. The Use and Improvement which in thisprefenc
Juncture fhouldhe made of this Controversy*
To6ec e: . i
A POSTSCRIPT,
Containing
REMARKS on Three Scandalous Letters, fubverfive
pf all True Religion in the Church, and Loy-
alty in rhe Nation, by an Anonymous Author,
induftriouflv handed about, under the Name of An-
swers to Queries rut by the Reverend Mr. Adams9
to the Reverend fylr. (?— — j Minifter at T — n.
2 Chron.xxiii. 16. And Vehoiada made a Covenant between
him, and between all the People , and between the Kiftg$
that they fhould be the LORD's People. _
Printed in the Year MDCCXXVIL
Courteous Reader*
IE S T the Printer fhould
^j have made the Price of
this ESSAY too high, I have
forborn to mark on the Margin
the Authorities on which I have
narrated Matters of Fad: : But
I affaire you they go on the Cre-
dit of Buchanan, Knox, Colder-
"woody Spotifwcod, Puffendorfy
and fundry others: As alio the
Adls of Parliament, and Gene-
ral AfTemblies of this Church.
im 1
tin?* tirtM'M&&&$ ##^p 9
A N
~ S S A Y,
T O
'Prove the perpetual Obligation
of the National Covenant of
the Church (^Scotland, &c.
in a Letter from^ &c.
SlTy
WITHOUT further Apology,
that you may have my Thoughts
on this Subject, which I intend
mainly for my own Exoneration, prefum-
ing you underftand the Cafe better than
my Felf 5 I fhall confider
I. The Rife and Progrefs of the Natio-
nal Covenant, i&ilb the fundry Shapes and
A 2 Modes,
4 $he Rife and Trogrefs
Modes] wherein it hath appeared in this
Church.
II. The Views that the Perfons concerned
therein had, or might have had, in the Rife
and Progrefs of it
III. / /hall offer fome Arguments to prove
its perpetual Obligation.
IV. Endeavour to anfwer the fever al Oh*
jeelions made againji it, and its perpetual
Obligation.
Laftly, Shew, what life and Improvement,
ioth you, my felf, and all others, who love
the Proteftant reform'd Religion, ought, in
this Junclure, to make of it for promoting
Godlinefs.
fir ft, As to its Rife^ and Progrefs, with
the fundry Shapes and . Modes, wherein it
hath appeared in this Church, I remark,
in general, That God, in his favourable
Providence, having, toward the End of the
fir ft Century, that is, about the Year 89-
after the Birth of Chrift, when Domitian
the RomatiEmyexor, that cruel Perfecutor,
exercis'd his Power againft the Chriftians
in the Empire, caufed many Gofpel Prea-
chers and other Chriftians flee from under
his Jurifdi&ion to the Weftern Britijh Ifles,
efpecially, thefe belonging toScotland ; they
got Shelter there, and thence propagated the
Gofpel into the Continent, fo as, at length,
in
of the National Covenant, &c f^f-
in the Reign of Donald I. King of Scots,
about the Year, 20 3. The King himfelf and
many of all Ranks received the Chrifti-
an Faith 5 and fo Chriftianity became
the National Religion, and continued in its
Purity through a Succeifion of many .Ages
under a Presbyterian Government. But
at length, as it befel the reft of the Chur-
ches in Europe •, fo it happen'd to that of
Scotland : By Degrees it degenerate into
Prelacy and Popifh Superftition ; tho* by
the Favour of Providence, an honeft Te-
ftimony was kept up, from Time to Time,
againft that Defe&ion by fundry Perfons of
eminent Piety and Learning, as, James
Resby, the Ltfflcls, Paul Craw, &c.
who feal'd the Trfith with their Blood.
Thereafter, in the Year 1527, the Lord
ftirred up Mr. Patrick Hamilton, Mr. George
Wijeheart, Mr. Walter Mill, and others, in
the Reign of King James V. who, with fin*
gular Courage and Zeal, preached and pro-
fefs'd the reform'd Religion, having been
finftruded by 'the Writings of Luther, Oe~
i colampadius, &c. eminent Preachers in Ger~
many. About that Time alfo, the Refor-
mation began in Switzerland, Geneva^
France and England, by eminent Preach-
ers and others, as Zuinglhts, Cafoin, Cran-
mer, &c.
A 3 Thus
<1 fflhz Rife and Twgnfs •
' Tlvs {food the Cafe with the leformU
in codand, toward the Era ofrhe Reign
of Kir.g James V. anno i~?9, who caufea
forhe cf them to be burnt, others ha aim-
ed, and ethers imprifoned •, and, by me' In-
ftigation of the Biilnps and Prieits, put a
Lift of a great many more of them into
the Hands of lames Hamilton, a Baftard of
the E. of ArranSj and conftitute him
Judge for profecuting them.
In the Year 154?, the King, through
Diioontent at the Defeat of the Army he
fem to invade England, died, and left
Mary his only lawf il Child, an Infant, to
fucceed him ^ who, by the Artifices of the
Queen Mother, $£c. was afterward' car-
ried to France ', and married to the Dau-
fh?n.
Btftton, Archbifhop of St. Asdrews, and
Cardinal, forg'd a "Will, as by the King,
naming therein himfelf and three others
e Regents, during the Queen's Mino-
rity. But the States of the Kingdom find-
ing out the Deceit, chofe James Earl of
Arran, who, being a weak and unliable
Man, was, by the Intrigues of the Popfb
;ons, fbon rurnM out of that Dignity,
and the Qneeri Dowager vuX. in his Room *y
as will appear by and by. The Cardinal
carried on the Perfections againft the
Reformed,
ef the National Covenant, &c. 7
Reformed, particularly, MxWifebeart, and
other Preachers. It pleas'd God however,
in a very convenient Seafon, to fend Mr.
Knox, Mr. IVillock, and other eminent Prea-
chers, who fpreadthe light of the Gofpelin
feveral Countries and Cities of this Land :
And, fo foon as they began to be favour'd
by many Perfons of all Ranks in the Caufe
of Chriit and the Reformation, the Re-
formed began to enter into Covenant with
God, for promoting Religion, and AfTocia-
tions among themfelves, for their mutual
Defence therein. And the
Firft Inftance of it was at Edinburgh
the Occafion of it was this. The Cardi-
nal, of his own Inclinations, and by the
Inftigation of the Queen Dowager, and
other Papifts, went on, under the Autho-
rity of the Earl of Arran Regent, to per-
fecute the Proteftants, particularly, he con-
demn'd Mr. George Wifebeart, and caufed
him be burnt at St. Andrews, This ftirred
up fundry Proteftants, fome of whom had
perfbnal Grudges at the Cardinal, to kill
him in his Caftle at St. Andrews •, which
they, and others who came to them after^
ward, held out, till fome Troops by the
Queen Dowager's Procurement, came from
France to befiege it ; whereupon it was fur-
render'd on Articles, which occasioned
A 4 John
8 The Rife and Trcgrefs
John Knox's being put, and kept, in the
French Gallies a confiderable Time after.
But, an Englifh Army, a little afterward,
coming to Scotland \ the Queen Dowager,
the Regent, and their Party, with the French
Soldiers, retired to Stirling -, but, after fome
Time, made Head again. However, at
length, a Peace being concluded between
England and France, the Englifh withdrew,
and the Queen Dowager made away for
Paris. Some Time after fhe return'd, and,
by Commiffion from the Queen and the
Dauphin her Husband, was made Regent
in the Room of the Earl otArran, who there-
upon was created Duke of chattleherault,
with a Penfion •, and fo the Queen Regent,
with her Popifh Counfellors, proceeded
further to perfecute the Reform'd, and fet
up Popifh Superftition in all Places of
the Kingdom. On which the Proteftants
refolv'd to go on in the begun Reformation,
and commit themfelves and that Work to
God. And in Order thereto, they did, on the
third Day of December, 1 5 5 7, at Edinburgh y
folemnly enter into Covenant with God,
and Aflbciation with one another, as hath
b en faicft It was fubfcribed by the Earls
of Argile, Glencairn, Archibald Lord Lorn^
Ermine of Dun, 8cc. The Tenor whereof,
follows. We perceiving, how Satan in his
Mem-
^£7
of the National Covenant, &c. J>
Members, the Antichrijis of
cur Time, cruelly do raze, n The National
r . . ' , J t i Covenant Jty?
je eking to overthrow and de- form d at Edin-
ftroy the Go/pel of Chr'ift and ** Anno
his Congregation, ought, ac-
cording to our hounden Duty, to ftrive in
our Matter's Caufe even unto the Death,
leing certain of the Viclory in him : The
which our Duty being well confiderd, we
do promije before the Majefiy of God and
his Congregation, That we, ( by his Grace )
fhall, with all Diligence continually apply
our whole Power, Subjiance, and our very
Lives to maintain, fet forward, and ejiablifh
the moft blejfed Word of God, and his Con-
gregation : And fhall labour according to our
Pmer, to have faithful Minifters, truly and
purely to minifter Chr'ift" s Gofpel and Sacra-
ments to his People : We fhall maintain
them, nourifh them, and defend them, the
Congregation of Chriff, and every Member
| thereof, according to our whole Powers, and
waging of our Lives, againfi Satan, and all
wicked Power, that doth intend Tyranny or
Trouble againfi the forefaid Congregation;
Unto the which holy Word and Congregation,
we do join us ; and fo do forfakc and re-
nounce the Congregation, with all the Super-
ft it ions, Abominations and Idolatries thereof.
And moreover, fhall declare our f elves mani-
fifi
10 *Ihe Rife and Trogrefs
feft Enemies thereto, by this our faithful Pro-
mife, before God, teftifed to this Congregation^
by our Subfcription at thefe Vrefents.
About that Time, the Congregation, as
the Proteftants were then called, not only
entertain'd what found Preachers they
could get, and wrote to Mr. Knox to come
hither, and to Calvin to forward him, but
alfo made many other publiclc Steps for
Reformation, appointing the Scriptures to
be read, and Prayers in defolate Congre-
gations •, and the Town of Dundee, I think,
was honour'd before any other, to have in
it ere&ed the Face of a publiclc reform'd
Church, where John Willock, John Knox
and other eminent Minifters often preach'd
and adminiftred the Sacraments-, which
provok'd the Regent to caufe fummon
all the Preachers to appear before her at
Stirling on the 10th. of May, 15:59. And,
when the Congregation could not prevail
with her to diicharge the Summons, they
refblv'd to keep the Diet with their Prea-
chers -, and accordingly the Proteftants of
Angus and Merns, the People of Dundee,
the Earl of Glencaim, with the Proteftants
of the Weft, &r. met at Perth for that-
End, whither came alfo John Willock ; John
Knox was in the Town before. The Con-
gregation form'd a Camp a little weftward
of
w
of the National Covenant, ($r. it
of St. Johnftoun, and the Queen Regent's
Army had march'd as far as Auchterarderv
On which an Agreement, confifting of
fundry Articles, was made 5 one of which
wis, %i-at the Congregation fhould leave St.
Johnftoun patent to the Regent and all the
'Lieges $ and that, at her Departure, (he fhould
, leave no French Soldiers in it. It was fur-
ther agreed, That none (loould he molefied9
for their being of the reformed Religion.
The Congregation fubmitted on fet Pur-
1 pofe to flop the Mouths of fuch as alledg-
ed they deiign'd to rebel, and make off the
Authority of the King and Queen, tho*
they generally reckon d, the Regent would
not ftick to the Articles. Wherefore, be-
fore their Departure, on the laft Day of
! May, Anno 1559. They
Renewed the former Covenant with fbme
Alterations in Terms durable to 'the Cir-
j cumftances they were then in: 'Tis fub-
fcribed by Argyle, James Stuart, Robert
Lord Boyd, Ochiltree, 8cc. The Tenor where-
of follows, The Congregations of the Weft
Country, with the Congregations
of Fife, Perth, Dundee, Angus, 3£SS+?
Merns and Montrofe, being con- vTond Time &
veend in the Town of Perth, in m - 1JSZ*
the Name of Jefus Chrift, for fating forth
his Glory, under flan ding nothing mors Necef-
fary
+■
it The Rife and Trogrefs
fary for the fame, than to keep a conftant
Amity ) Unity and Fellowfhip together, accord*
ing as they are commanded by God, are con-
federate and become bounden and obliged in
the Pre fence of God, to concur and ajfifi to-
gether in doing all 1 kings required of God
in his Scripture ; that may be to his Glory ^
and at their whole Powers to deftroy and put
away all Things that doth Difhonour to his
Name, fo that God may be truly and purely
vjorfhipped. And, in Cafe that any Trouble be
intended againlt the faid Congregation, or
any Part or Member thereof, the whole Con-
gregation (hall concur, affift and conveen to-
gether, to the Defence of the fame Congrega-
tion, or Perfon troubled-, and (hall not f pare
Labours, Goods, Subftance, Bodies and Lives^
to maintain the Liberty of the whole Congre-
gation, and every Member thereof, againji
whatfoever Perfon [hall intend the faid trou-
ble for Caufe of Religion, or any other Caufe
depending thereupon, or lay to their Charge un-
der Pretence thereof, alt ho3 it happen to be co-
loured with any other outward Caufe. In Wh-
ite ffing and 'Tefiimony of the which, the whole
Congregation aforefaid have ordained and ap*
pointed the Noblemen and Perjons tofubfaibe
thefe Prefents.
The Queen, the Duke ofCbattleberault,
and Monfieur dVfelle with his French Men
enter'd
cf the National Covenant, t&c. t j
enter'd the Town, and, in difcharging their
Vollies againft the Fore-ftair of Patrick Mur-
ray, where many People looked out, they
kill'd his Son of 10 or 1 2 Years of Age -
the Father was a zealous Proteftant, and a
very godly Man ; and the Queen Regent
being inform'd, faid it was a Pity it fell
not on the Father. She violate all the Ar-
ticles, which drew oft from her Side ma-
ny Proteftant Noblemen and Gentlemen,
who afterward join'd heartily with their
Brethren in carrying on the Reformation.
The Lord Ruthven, the Earl of Rothes, with
their Followers the train'd Bands of Dun-
dee and St. Andrews, and many others, met
on Coupar-muir, and by the Advice of Mr.
James Haliburton Provoft in Dundee, en-
camped on an advantageous Plat of Ground.
The Regent,the Duke,and Monfieur iOJellc
"with their Troops, lay at FaulUand fome
Time, and thence marched towards St. An*
drevus, in Queft of fuch of the Congregation
as they reckoned were there / But finding
them ready at Coupar-Muir, fhe made witn
them an Accomodation for eight Days, and
promis'd ftie fhould appoint Commif Goners
in that Time to treat with them of a ta-
iling Peace. But fhe failing in this, the
Congregation agreed, that the Brethren of
Fife, Angus, Merns, and Strathern fhould
meet
*4 ^he Rife and Trogrefs
meet at St. John/ton, to reftore the Prote-
ftant Inhabitants to their Houfes there,
and expel the French left by the Regent,
contrary to Agreement, in that Town. They
accordingly met, and with them the Earl
of Mont eith, the Laird of Glenorch, and fun-
dry others, and execute what they intend-
ed. The Common People of their Party,
contrary to the Inclination and Orders of
their Leaders, delinked the Abbay of
Scoon.
The Regent and her French Men went
on to ftrengthen their Intereft, and perfe-
cute the Congregation. The Congregation
conveen'd about Edinburgh, to afiift Leith
againft the French ; but that Town, by the
Treachery of fome in it, fubmitted to
Monfieur dtOfelk. The Lord Erskine,
Captain of the Caftle of Edinburgh, de-
clared for the Regent and French-, which
obljg'd the Congregation, on Articles not
very advantageous to them, to retire to
Stirling, where they for the third Time
The c tr.ant Renew'd their Covenant and
kia&Atht third Affectation, with fome Altera-
Timeac Stirling, ■ fam fuite^ f0 their thdl Cir-
cumftances. It bears Date at
Stirling the ift Day of Auguft, 15:5:9. It
luppofes, That they had mainly in View
the carrying on the Reformation 3 but be-
caufe
of the National Covenant, &c. if
caufe a great many underhand Dealings
were us'd'by the Queen, her Husband, and
the French Councils in France, and the
Queen Regent with hers, to divide the
Congregation among themfelves, the fore-
faid Bond was agreed to and fubferibed as
hath been faid.
Thereafter, the Congregation under-
standing, That the Queen Regent never
meant to keep to Articles, nor fuffer the
Reformation to go on, they found Means
to addrefs Queen- Elizabeth of 'England and
her Council for their Support They were
encourag'd to this in Regard England had
carry d on the Reformation to a confidera-
fcle Length 5 and becaufe it was their L>
tereft to hinder the French from getting too
much Footing in Scotland, feeing the Wars
between England and France were carrying
on elfewhere. And that the French deWd
to fupprefs all that flood for the Liberty of
this Nation, was evident, from the Hazard
the Earl 0f An an, the Dulce of Chat-
tleherault s Son, had been in in France, and
the Impnfonment of a Brother of his un-
der Age. The Earl efcap'd from France
came Home, and informed his Father - On
this he joyn'd the Congregation, and the
Lord James contmu d to adhere to them
notwithstanding the many Artifices us'd by
the
lS The Rife and Trogrefs
the Regent to divide them ; fometimes orl
Pretence,That the Duke, and, other Times,
the Lord James, defign'd to ufurp the Au-
thority, and difpoffefs the King, Queen,
and Regent •, from which Imputation they
both clear'd themfelves by Letters to all
the three, and to the Lieges, by open Pro-
clamation.
^ The Regent however carry'd on her De-
figns againft the Reformation as fhe could,
and every Day brought French Soldiers in-
to the Nation, efpecially into the Town of
heith. This brought the Congregation
often together, who, at length, at Edin*
Burgh the 21ft of Ocleber, fet down Arti-
cles againft her Government ; on which, in
Name of the King and Queen, they fufpend-
ed her from the Adminiftration, caus'd the
fame to be intimate by found of Trumpet
at the Crofs of Edinburgh -, and wrote her
felf a Miffive to that Purpofe. The Day
following they fummon'd Leitb to furren-
der ; fhe retir'd to the Caftle of Edinburgh,
and fo the War went on ; but the Succels,
for the moft Part, was on the French Side.
Remarkable is the Behaviour of Captain
Alexander Haliburton, Brother to the Pro-
Voft of Dundee, who with his Followers
made a noble Stand againft the French,
while
of tie National Covenant, &c. i*
while purfuing, and he and many of his
Men loft their lives in f he Adion.
. The Congrc/ n, after this, departed
from Edinfotr6 0 Stirling, where Mr:
Knox preach'd to \ hem a very encouraging
Sermon. The Regent fent Advertifement
to France of thefe Adventures, defiring the
Duke of Guife to come hither,1 and take
the Honour of the Conqueft. On which he
fent the Marquifs d'Elbeaf and Martiques,
with new Troops from thence, and promi-
fed, that himfelf fhould follow ; which he
indeed intended, but was driven back to
Diep, and all their Tranfports, with eigh-
teen Companies of Foot loft-, the Ship
wherein himfelf afnd the other Principals
were, was, however, fav'd, and he acknow-
ledge, That GOD fought for Scotland.
In the mean Time, the F) -ench Garrifon
continuing in Leith, fent many Parties over
to Fife, who burnt, flew, and moft barba-
roufly us'd the Inhabitants. The Congre-
gation defended themfelves and their
Friends, as well as they could,- and op-
pos'd the French marching along the Co ft
of Fife, with a Delign to deftroy St. An*
jkcws and Dundee. One T hing fell out du-
ring thefe Adventures, 'hat is very remar-
kable : The Congregation order'd Andrew
Sands, a Man of Religion and Courage,
B from
1 8 The Rife and Trogrefs
from the Harbour of Dundee with two
Ships to Leith-Road, where Martiques and
his Company had arriv'd in two Ships, out
of which the Principals had gone to Leith,
and carried their Trunks and Papers with
them before Sands came up : But when he
and his came up with the French Ships at
Anchor, he boarded them both, and, in
Sight of the French in Leith and Fife, car*
ried them away for Dundee Harbour. A*
bout that Time Advertifement was given
to Monfieur cTOfelle, who commanded the
French in Fife, that two Ships defcry'd at
Sea, were Englijh, come to affift the Con-
gregation, and that greater Numbers fol-
Fow'd ; on which he, and his Troops under
his Command, retreated by Stirling to
Leith. And, after fundry Turns of Provi-
dence, and Intrigues of State between the
Queen of England and the Congregation,
on the 2d of April, 1560, an Englijh Ar-
my enter'd Scotland, march'd toward Leith,
and at length fat down before it, and began
the Siege.
„! r : The Congregation being
Tht Covenant ■. ,, -^. ,° , ,., t>
rene^'d the gather d at Edinburgh, did, on
SSL£gi2 the 27th of April that Year,
renew their former Covenants
and Afjociations to the fame Purpofe as for-
merly. But becaufe the Tenor is very
long,
of the National Covenant, &c. 19
long, and to be feen in Knox's Hiftory,
Page 24.6, and 247. under the Title o£
*fhc laji Band at Leith, I forbear to record
it here.
• In the mean Time the Siege went on,and
there were fundry Skirmifhes between the
Befieg'd and the Befiegers, in which fome-
times the one, fometimes the other had the
Advantage 5 all the Proteftants in the King-
dom favoured the Engl't/h, and all the Pa*
pifts and Malignants the Regent and the
French 5 and both fpoke and a&ed accord-
ingly. The Regent had retired to the Ca-
ftle of Edinburgh, where, before the War
ended, Ihe died 5 and the Lord Erskine, the
' Captain, declared for the Congregation and
the Englifh.
At Length Monfieur Rondam and the
' Bifhop of Valance came to Scotland with
Commiffion from the Queen ,and the
King, who had then facceeded to the Crown
of France ^ and Sir William Cecil and Dr.
Whitton from the Queen of England^ who,
together with the Congregation, concluded
a Peace, a main Article whereof was, That
a Convention of the Eftates of this Kingdom
(houldmeet at Edinburgh on the 20. July
next thereafter 5 which did accordingly meet,
and John Knox preach'd before them with
great Succefs, a Preaching upon fome Texts
B 2 of
no The Rife aiidTrogrefs
of the Prophet Haggai. The Reform'd
having fupplicate the Parliament to pro-
mote and eftablifh the Reformation, they
were ordered to draw up in fundry Heads,
what they believ'd and would have profef-
fed, which they accordingly did ^ and
it was read again and again, and, with-
out any Objection, approven ; the Bifhops
faid nothing to the contrary *, Athol, So-
mervel and Borthwick faid, they would be-
lieve as their Fathers believ'd. That Com-
pofure confifteth of Twenty five Articles
or Heads, and is commonly call'd the Con-
fejjion of Faith. About that Time the firft
Book of Difcipline was compos'd by Knox
and others, and approven and fubfcrib'd
fcy a great many of all Ranks in the Tol-
fcooth of Edinburgh,, on the 27. of January,
Anno 1560, tho'fome of a licentious Tem-
per, and others, out of Covetoufhefs, who
poffefs'dthe Church-Lands, refus'dit, tho'
they had hitherto concurred in. all the Steps
of the Reformation.
The King and Queen refufed to ratify
the Peace made at Leith, and the Proceed-
ings of the laft Parliament ^ and, on the
contrary, fent an Ambaflador hither to
the privy Council, who, by .the late Peace
at Leith, had the Adminiftration, demand-
ing, Wat the League with England fhould
bo
of the National Covenant, &c. 21
le broken, the ancient League with France
renewed, and the Bi/hops and ether Church*
men rejior'd to their ancient Places. The
Council delayed an Anfwer, till the Par-
liament fhould meet in May following.
In the mean Time, the Papifts made all
the Head they could, under the Earl of
Huntley and others, let up the Mafs where
they could, and thought to have difap-
pointed the Meeting of the Parliament,
but were difap pointed themfelves : For the
1 Proteftants conveen'd at Edinburgh, the 7th.
of May, 1 5 6 1, and in the 'Tolbooth, the
chief of them fign'd a Supplication to the
Council, and others conveen'd with them,
againft Popery, and for Reformation :
Which got a good Anfwer, and the French
I Ambaflador was difmifled with a Nega-
tive, in very ftrong Terms, to every De«*
mand of his.
The French King dying in the Interim,
and leaving the Scots Queen a Widow,
without IfTue, the Reformation went on,
and me, at laft, arriv'd in Scotland, on the
19th of Auguft, 156 1. Sundry French of
Quality, and others, came in her Compa-
ny. She had Mafs faid in the Chapel of
Holy-Rood-Honfe t which the Body of the
People would have oppofed, but the Pro-
teftant Lords, of too much Complaifance,
protected it.
B 3 The
iz The Rife and Progrefs
The Queen, with her evil Counfellors,
did all (he could to embarafs the Refor-
mation, and encourage Profanity. Which,
at length, drew, by the Advice of Mr.
Knox and others, the Congregations of the
IVtft to meet
At Air the 4th of September, 1562. and
renew the Covenant for Re-
' TbC covenant formation. It was fubferib'd
feneved ;he - . - _ -,7
Fit Time by the Earl of dlencairn^
■«Air. Anno Lord Boyd^ Ochiltree, and ma-
ny others.
No Intreaties of the Preachers nor Pro-
teftant Nobility could prevail with the
Queen to fupprefs Idolatry, and attend
the Preaching of the Gofpel. She made
a Progrefs to the North, and after fundry
Adventures, particularly a Battle fought
againft the Earl of Huntley, who had ma-
ny of his Friends and Men kill'd, fbme
taken Prifoners, and himfelf died of Grief $
The Court return'd to Edinburgh, where
they fpent their Time in Banquetting,
t)runkennefs and Mafquerading, &c.
The Queens Behaviour to fundry Perfons
was the common Talk, particularly, to
Monfieur Chattelet, whom fhe choos'd fre-
quently in dancing the Purpofe; and,
whom (he aftenvar&'f&tts (£■*!>& <execuiwj
without allowing him to fpeak a Woi;d, it
v feems,
5V%
of the National Covenant, &c. 2j
leems, on Purpofe, to remove the Scan-
dal. The Minifters preach'd continually
againft the Diforders of the Court, which
incens'd her againft them.
The Queen was, at length, married to
the Lord Darnly, Son to the Duke of Le-
nox, whom fhe, a little before, created
Duke of Rot hf ay, Qfr And, upon the Mar-
riage, caus'd him be proclaim'd King 5
which incenfed the Nation to have a King
fet over them without their Confent. He
was a Man of a light Temper, and fpent
his Time in Hunting, gfr. without fide-
ing, at firft, either with the Proteftants
or Papifts, but was afterward, by the
Queen's Artifices, brought to Popery -, and
fo continued, till he became fufpicious of
criminal Intrigues between the Queen and
David Rizie, an Italian Fidler, whom fhe
raifed to be her Secretary for Foreign AC*
fairs. His Jealoufie prompted him to join
to himfelf the Earl of Morton, Lord Ruth-
ven. Lord Lindfay, and others, who took
the faid David from the Queen's Elbow,
< and caus'd flay him in a low Gallery in
!the Abbay. From that Time, the Queen
defpifed the King, order'd his Name to be
kept out of all publick Wr^ts 5 and, at laft,
f&l . ' ilheRife and -Trogrefs
- .In the mean Time, me was brought to
*Bed ofa Son, afterward King James Yh
/Upon her Recovery, fhe began fbon to in-
trigue with the Earl of: Botbwel, who moft
dhjurioufly forc'd his lawful Wife to take
•out a Divorce againft him, that he might
marry the Queen.! She continuing ftill to
-perfecute Religion and opprefs the Lieges,
ihe States, at length imprifon'd her in
Loch-Leven Cattle, caus'd her refign the
Government in Favours of her Son, then a
Child about two Years of Age \ i and nomi-
nate the Lord .James, fometime before
created Earl of Murray, to be Regent, du-
ring the King's Minority. He was her Ba-
llard Brother, much given to true Religi-
on, of a fweet .Temper, great Vivacity, of
a quick Apprehenfion, very fhccefsful in
Enterprizes, valiant in Battle, prudent in
Counlels : God had honour'd him to be the
chief Inftrument of the Reformation, he
was generally belov'd by good Men. The
Queen efcaped from Loch-Leven-, her Party
took Arms, but were fupprefs'd, and fhe
fled to England.
King James- VI, hardly two Years of
Age, was placed on the Throne, July 25:.
Anno 1 J 67. The States of the Kingdom ap-
proved the Reiignation, and own'd the Earl
of Murray Regent, and put the young
King
of the. National Covenant, &c. 15
King in' the Hands of the Earl of Mary
Captain of Stirling Caftle. So the Govern-
ment proceeded, notwithftanding all that
the Queen's Party could do in the con-
trary.
- By this Time God had wonderfully blef-
fed the Gofpel in Scotland, and multiplied
the Preachers thereof, who, by common
Confent, were diftributed, as feem'd moft
to Edification, John Knox to Edinburgh,
Chriftopher Goodman 'to St. Andrews, Adam
Herwt to Aberdeen, Mr. John Rue to St.
Johnftoun, Paul Math-wen to Jedburgh, Wil-
liam Chryt'ifon to Dundee, David Fergufon
to Dumfermline, Mr. David Lin d fay to
Leith, and others to other Places. Befides
thefe, fundry other Minifters, then call'd
Superintendents', were appointed to travel
up' and down the Countries, to promote
the Reformation, and report their Dili-
gence, from Time to Time, to the gene-
ral Affemblies of the Church.
In the Year 1567, The Confeffion of
Faith, above-mentioned, was ratified in the
firll Pari, of King James VI. In which
alfo, fundry other Acts were made againft
Popery, and in Favours of the Reforma-
tion •, which, on that Footing;, fubfifted,
and went on, from Time to Time, during
the Government, -firft of the Earl of Mur-
ray,
2,6 *¥he Rife and*Progrefs
ray, then by the Duke of Lenox, thereafter
by the Earl of Mar, and laftly, by the
Earl of Morton, all fucceifively Regents,
during the King's Minority. Tis true,
the Tulchan Bifbops were fometimes pre£
fed on the Church, That hungry Cour-
tiers might, by their Means, poffefs ma*
ny of the Church's Rents : But the ge-
neral AiTemblies met often, and adted free-
ly, obliging all fuch Bifhops to have the
Charge of particular Flocks, and be no
more in the Church than any other Mi*
nifters.
Anno 1578. The King took the Govern-
ment upon himfelf, and, after
The cove- many Struggles between the
mnt rer.ew'd ~ J p^z . .
th-6th,-an4 lincere Protellors and the Mi-
i$S!*flfr nifters on the one Part, and
wo, 1638^ the malignant Popifh Party
on the other 5 an Abbreviate
of the forefaid Confeffion was made and
agreed to, under the Name of the Natio-
nal Covenant 5 the fame for Subftance with
the former ones, but larger, and adapted to
the Circumftances the Church was then in.
In the Year, 1580, it was fubfcrib'd by
the Minifters and many others, and by the
King and his Houlhold that Year 5 there-
after by Perfons of all Ranks, in the Year
1581, "by Ordinance of the Lords of the
Secret
of the National Covenant, &c. 27
Secret Council, and Ads of the General
Aflembly. Subfcrib'd by all Sorts of Per-
fons in the Year 1590, by a new Ordi-
nance of Council, at the Defire of the Ge-
neral AfTembly, with a general Bond for
maintaining of the true Religion, and the
King's Perfon. And fubfcribed in the
Year, 1638, by the Noblemen, Barons,
Gentlemen, BurgefTes, Minifters and Com-
mons then underfubfcribing, to main*
tain the {aid true Religion, Sec. And a-
gain fubferib'd, Anno, 1659, by Ordinance
of Council and Adt of the General Aflem-
bly.
At length, in the Year, 1592, the Pref-
byterian Government was, in its full Ex-
tent, ratified in the firft of the 12 Pari.
of King James VI. And fo continued for
fundry Years, till a Popifh Party about
the King, and the Hopes, he had conceiv'd,
.of fucceeding to the Crown of England,
when Queen Elizabeth mould die, indue'd
him to obtrude upon the Nation the Eftate
of Bifhops, and force them on the Church,
as far as he could $ and fo the Defection
went on, all the reft of his Reign, and
feveral Years of that of his Son Charles
I, who, by the Inftigation of the Scots and
Englifh Bifhops, efpecially, of Archbifhop
Laud7 that Firebrand, who put Britain
and
s8 Tl?e Rife and *Progrefs
and Ireland into the outmoft Confufion of
Perjury, Bloodfhed and Rapine, caus'd
compile a Commoner ay er Book, and a
Book of Canons for Scotland •, which, to-
gether with the Rites of the Church of
England, were, by the Authority of the
privy Council, -^efs'd upon the Nation.
But in the Year 1637. when the Prela-
tick Clergy began to officiate in Edinburgh
after thefe fuperftitious Modes, the People
oppos'd it in a tumultuary Way, and the
Nobility, Gentry, Minifters and others,
that from Time to Time had been defpis'd
and opprefs'd by the Bilhops, took that
Opportunity^ meet and advife with one
another at Edinburgh. The Refult of which
was, that they fwore and fubfcrib'd the Na-
tional Covenant and Bond, for Maintenance
of the true Religion themfelves, and wrote
their Miifives to all Parts of the Kingdom
to do the like •, referring to the Determi-
nation of the next General AfTembly, whe-
ther the Government of the King by Bi-
fhops, and the five Articles of Perth, were
underftood to be abjur'd by it.
The King and privy Council, obferving
their Authority was like to be weaken'd by
thefe Meafures, Enacted, That all the Na-
tion (hould fwear and fubfcnbe the very fame
National Covenant in terminis, and under-
ftand
y7j
of the National Covenant, fyc. 29
fiand it, fo as Prelacy and the five Articles
of Perth 'Were not abjur'd by it : This was
prefs'd on many with great Rigour and
Force. . The Neceffity of the King's Affairs
oblig'd him, againft his Inclinations, to
inditi a General Aflembly of the Church
to meet at Glafgow in the following Year
1638, which accordingly met, where the
Marquefs of Hamilton was Commiffioner for
him, who, oblerving the Way they were
like to ad, diflblved them and withdrew :
They however continued to fit, j declar'd
that Prelacy and the five Articles of Perth
were abjur'd by the Covenant and Bond
thereto annexed, and appointed the famen of
new to be fworn and fubfcrib'd ^ which was
accordingly done in the Year 1639. This
was the Rife and Progrefs of the National
1 Covenant, and the feveral Shapes and Modes
in which it hath appeared, whence the
Reader may fee they were all along de-
\ fenfive.
That Affembly depos'd all the Bilhops,
excommunicate fome of them, and fettled
the Order of the Provincial Aflemblies, and
* of the Presbyteries, much as we now
have them.
< The Aflembly at Edinburgh 1639, Se£
fion 23. Supplicate the Earl otTraquair his
j Ma jelly's CommjiTioner, and the fecret
Council,
\6 The Rife and Prcgrefs
Council, to enjoin, that the Confeffion and
Covenant fliould be fubfcrib'd by the Sub-
jects of all Ranks and Qualities $ which was
granted by Adt of Secret Council, Augujt
30. that Year: "Which, together with the
Commiffioner's Declarations thereanent
were made to that AfTembly, who alfo inter-
pofed their own Authority to that Purpofe.
'Tis reinarkable, that in the clofe of that
Supplication, the AfTembly prefs it from
the Example of their PredecefTors, Anno
1589. This they alfo enjoin'd iii the
AfTembly Auguft 8. 1643.
The King's Affairs, by the Influence of
evil Counfellors, fpecially the Englifh Bi-
fliops, of whom Laud was the Head, and
the excommunicate Scots Bifhops, who had
retired to London, were more and more
embarafs'd •, which coft him his Life, and
rais'd Oliver Cromwel the Ufurper ; and the
Anarchy in the State, and Difbrder in^ the
Church, continued long. In the meantime,
on the News of the Father's Death, the
Scots proclaimed his Son Charles II. King,
who having agreed to their Proportions,
was folemnly crown'd at Scoon, and fwore
Publickly, and fubfcrib'd the National Co-
venant and Solemn League and Covenant,
making the greateft ProfeiTions of his fin-
cere Purpofes to adhere thereto, and pro-
mote
of the National Covenant, '&c. 3 1
Tnote the Defign of them in all his Domi-
nions: But, being fundry Times beaten
by Cromwel and his Officers, he was intirely
routed at IV ore eft er, Anno 165 1, whence
he retired to France \ and Cromwel's Ufurpa-
tion went on. In the mean time, the Scots
Royalifts manag'd after their rude barba-
rous Way : But the Presbyterian Ministers
continued to Pray for the King's Reftora-
tion, and the grave and foher People of all
Ranks did what they could to promote it,
except that the Earl of Argyle, the Lord
Wariftoun and others, gave fomeCompliance
with the Ufurper Cromwel, who had liv'd
a compleat Example of* Prudence in Coun«
fel, Valour in the Field, Hypocrifle in
the Church, and Wickednefs in his Ufur-
pation, died, and left his Son Richard, a
Man exceedingly weak, to Succeed in the
Government. Wherefore his Military Of.
ficers began to intrigue for bringing Home
* the King : But General Monk, then in Scot-
j land, by the Afliftance of that Nation, loon
I got the Afcendant of them all 5 and fb the
King was reftored and enter'd London May
29. 1660.
By the firft Aft pafTed in the 2. Sefllon
of his firfl: Parliament, held by the Earl of
■ Middleton his Commiflioner, and begun
upon 8. of May Anno 1662, Prelacy in its
full
-$f 7/se Rife 'and 'Progrefs
full Extent was reftored, upon. the Foot-
ing of his Majefty's Royal Prerogative b-
ver all Perfons and Caufes Ecclefiaftical
and Civil, inftead of Presbytry, which, the
Year before, in the firft Sefiion, had been
abrogate.
In the fecond Act of that 2d Seflion of
Parliament, Act for Prefervation of his
Majefty's Perfbn, &c. It was declared, a-
mong other Things, That the National Co-
"vmant^ as it was fworn and explained 'Anno
1638, and thereafter, was an unlawful
Oath. And, by the fifth Act of that Setfion
of Parliament, all in publick Truft were
obliged to fubfcribe a Declaration againft
it, as, by the AfTembly at Glafgow 1628,
It was explained to abjure Prelacy, and the
five Articles of 'Perth.
After this, the ^ Defection went on in
Scotland, and the moft horrid Barbarities of
Bloodfhed, Oppreffion and Rapine, by the
Inftigation of Prelates and corrupt Church-
men, were exercis'd by the civil Govern-?
ment on Preachers and People of all Ranks,
that adhered to that Covenant ; which fr^ni
the Year 15*5:7, until that Time had been
current, with but a few Interruptions, a-
mong all Perfons that regarded Religion
and common Honefty.
Mhafl
of the National Covenant, &r. 33
I fhall not here Remark all that I might
on the Parties that renewed that Covenant .
afterwards, and fuffered for their doing fo $
their Adions on the Matter were juft, but,
whether the Timing and Manner and Way
in which they manag'd them was Prudent,
I will not determine ^ but am fure, that the
•fconeft Teftimony they gave, from Time
to Time, for Presbytery, and the Obliga-
tion of the National Covenant , has, by the
BlerTmg of God, been the Means of prefer-
ving the Doctrine, Difcipline and Govern-
ment of this National Church, as we now,
by the Favour God, enjoy thefe $ and I
would not, for any Thing, entertain uncha-
ritableThoughts of the many precious Chri-
ftians, both Minifters and others, who have
loft their Liberties, Fortunes or Lives in
the Defence of it, in the late Times of
Prelacy and arbitrary Power, and I am
fure too, he muft have an odd Confcience,
a bitter Spirit, and a ftrange Brow for a
Bargain, that hath read the Hiftory of thefe
Times, and yet would think or fpeak dis-
gracefully of thofe precious Worthies, who,
both on the Score of the Matter, and For-
mality of the National Covenant, fuffered
in their Lives, Eftates or Liberties from
and after the Reftoration of King Charles II.
■until. November 1688, when the glorious
C Liberty
54 *Fhe Rife and Trogrefs
Liberty of this National Church began to
dawn by the Noble Adventures of the
Prince of Orange, afterward our King, a
Perfon of the greateft Vivacity, and in
all other Refpe&s, of the brighteft Cha-
racter, of any Prince that livd on Earth
in his Time j efpecially, if it be confi-
der'd, that, under his aufpicions Govern-
anent, the honourable Eftates of this Na-
tion, did, with his hearty Confent, in his
and his Royal Conforms firji Parliament>
Sejf. 2. Aft 18. refcind Forfaultures and
Fines, to the Number of four hundred and
upwards, of them therein mention'd -, be-
iide a general Claufe in the Act, including
all others, who, in the Commencement
forefaid, fuffer'd for Non-Conformity with
the wicked Courfes of thefe Times. That
Catalogue hath in it Perfons of all Ranks
in the Nation; Noblemen, Gentlemen,
Burgefles, Minifters of the Gofpel, and
Commons of all Sorts $ many of whom,
and others, not therein namd, had loft
their Lives, or been baniftYd by Iniquity
eftablifh'd by Law ; and 'tis remarkable,
that their Majefties and Eftates did, by
that Acl, rehabilitate, redintegrate and
reftore fo many of the faid Perfons, as
were then living, and the Memory of
them, who were dead, and their Suocet
fore
of the National Covenant, &c.f%f
Tors and Pofterity to their Goods, Fame,
and worldly Honour, ©r. and fhall, any
of us hint at dilgracing their Memory >
The Scaffolds and Fields, in fundry Towns
and Countries of the Nation, fmok'd with
the Blood of thofe Innocents *, and fliall we,
contrary to all the Rules of Charity to the
Principles of the bleffed Revolution, and
to the Foundation of our prefent Standing,
fey, they did but throw away their
Lives*
Secondly, I come to confidei the Views,
that thePerfons principally concern'd had,
or might have had in the firfl: framing and
Xubfeguent renewings of this National Co-
venant, from Time to Time, on which I
fliall be very {hort
When I read the Form and Mode, in
which it appear'd, Anno 1557, confider
the Perfons fubfcribing, and the Hazard
they were in, on the Account of their
Profeffion and Actings, I cannot get my
felfforc'dtohave an uncharitable Thought
,of them, but muft believe, excepting here
the common Infirmities of the Lord's
People, they had in View the Honour of
God, and the Good of their own Souls,
and of the Souls of others : For after the
Congregation had, a little before that
Time, written for Mr. Knox to come from
C 2 Geneva
^6 The Rife and Trogrefs
Geneva to this Land, and to Mr. Calvin to
forward him, as hath been faid : When he
was as far in Way as Diep, having re-
ceiv'd Letters from his Friends, to flop,
In Regard, they apprehended the Congre-
gation to be fainting in their Purpofe, he
from thence wrote the Congregation a long
Letter of the Date, October, 27th. Anno
1557, which indue d them, then in the
utmoft Hazard of Wrath from the Popifh
Government, influene'd and encouraged by
the Court of France, to fwear and fub-
fcribe the Form recorded, Page 4.
I might make the fame Reflections,
upon the Main, on all the fubfequent Re-
newings of it, Annis, at Perth 1559, At Air
that Year -, at Edinburgh -1560, at Air 1562,
at Edin. and thro* the whole Kingdom
1580, 1581, 1590^ 1658, 1659, and at
the Coronation of King Charles II. at Scoon.
I will not deny, but that, in fundry of
thofe Periods, carnal Men and Hypocrites
inight have defignd the increafing their
worldly Intereft out of the Church's Rents;
others, Refentrnents of the Covetoufhefs
and Pride of the Popifh and Prelatick
Clergy, and their own religious Pride and
Vanity : But I am fure, the Contexture of
this National Covenant in all its Shapes,
and particularly, as it ftands, and is bound
up
off be National Covenant, (jc. ^gv
up with our Confeffwn of Faith., and as it,
with the general Bond for Maintenance of
the true Religion and the King's Perfon
-and Government annexed to it, and fworn
and fubfcruVd Anno 1638, 1659, is, with-
out all Exception, in the Form really good ;
.and it were the moft uncharitable Thing
imaginable to diilike it on the Score of
fome pernicious Defigns, fome Perfons
might have had, in going into it.
"fis true, That the Views of King
Charles II, and the Malignants of his
Party, could not but appear to the think-
ing Men of that Generation, to have been
Hyp°crify iR Religion, and a State In-
trigue to promote his Affairs : But the
extraordinary Affection that the Stots Na-
tion, innate to them, had, at that Time, to
Loyalty to their Princes, made them over-
look that, on Hopes, they had Power e-
nough firffc to fettle him on the Throne,
and then to keep him to his Engagements ^
tho' in this, the wife Providence of God
thought fit to difappoint them.
Thirdly, I come to offer fome Arguments
for the Perpetual Obligation of the Natio-
nal Covenant upon the Pofterities of thofe,
who firft form'd it, and of thofe who-
afterward, from Time to Time, renew-
ed it. And to this Purpofe, I propofe
to be confider'd, 1. 'That the Matter of it
C 3 is
3 8 -Arguments for the Terpet. Obligation
is perpetually binding. 2. tfhat, according to
the fever al Shapes and Modes, in which it
.has appear' d, it is fo too.
1. That the Matter of the National Co-
venant of the Church of Scotland is per-
petually binding, will not be denied by
any Presbyterian ; it engages to Reformat
lion from Popery, Prelacy, Superftition,
and every Thing that's contrary to found
Doctrine and the Power of Godlinefs $ and
engages to found Dodtrine, Faith, Religion,
Difcipline, right Ufe of the holy Sacra-
ments, and Reformation of Life according
to the Scriptures.
I fliall not here confider the Queftion $
if Prelacy, fuch as it was in Scotland,
Anno 166 1, and afterwards, was abjur'd
by it, before the Year 1638, tho', for my
Part, I am fully perfwaded of it, and I
think, all honeft Presbyterians are fo too <,
fcut that not lying in my Way here fo di-
rectly, I come,
In the 2d. Place, to fhew, That the Na-
tional Covenant, according to the ieveral
Shapes, and Modes, in which it hath ap-
peared, is perpetually binding. For, if
any Engagements whatfoever can be flip-
po's'd binding on Pofierity, National Cove*
trams mull be fuch, where the Matter is
Xeiormation, adhering to God's Inftituti-
of the National Covenant, &c. ^g$
©ns, and keeping his Commandments, as
the Matter of this is, altho' a Claufe re-
specting Pofterity be not contain'd in
them 5 yea, it is fo too fometimes even
fe the Cafe of indifferent Things. And, to
make all this out, we need only to reflect
on fome Paffages of Scripture, where we
will find I. That publick Promifes, fuch
as that of the Nobles of the Jews, anent
remitting Ufury, Hebe. ?. 12, 13. which,
if it had been broken by their Pofterity,
they had been involv'd in the Curfe, tho' its
contain'd no Claufe ^ exprefly refpedling
them. 2. Publick Adjurations, where the
Community, either exprefly or tacitely
confents thereto and the View of them, are
perpetual, and the Matter either indiffe-
rent, or objectively binding, oblige Pofte-
rity ^ as in the Cafe of JofhuaFs adjuring
the People, not to build Jericho, Jo(b. 6.
26. And accordingly, the Breach of it
brought the Curfe upon Hid the Betb elite.
1. Kings, 16. 34. 3. Publick Vows do
bind Pofterity, fo did Jacob's, Gen. 28.
SI. and his did own it, Hof. 12. 4. He
bad Power over the Angel, and prevail' '</—*-
He found him in Bethel, and there he
fpake with us. 4. Publick Oaths do oblige
the Pofterity of thofe who enter into them,
in the Cafe above-ftated ^ Jofepb exacted an
C 4 Oath
40 The Terpetual Obligation
Oath of the Children oHfrael, That they
fhould bury his Bones in Canaan, Gen.
?o. 2?. And, long after all that Genera-
tion was dead, their Pofterity thought
themfelves bound, and acted accordingly,
Exod. 13. 19. Jefh. 24. 32. 5. National
Covenants with Men, where the Oath of
God is interpofed, are binding on Pofte-
rity •, Saul and his bloody Houfe, with the
whole Nation of Ifrae% after many Ages,
were plagu'd for his breaking JofhuaFs Co-
venant with the Gibeonites, altho' he and
the Elders -of lfrael were brought into it by
the Guile of that People. 6. National Co-
venants with. God, before Men, about
Things objectively obliging, are perpetu-
al, and binding upon Pofterity, efpecially,
if they are of an hereditary Nature, the
Subject permanent, and the End good, as
was always in the Cafe of this National Co-
venant ♦, and hence, fuch Covenants ai£ cal-
led perpetual, Jer. 5:0. $. 'They (Ball ask the
Way to Zion, — A Come, and lei us join our
/elves to the. Lord in a Perpetual Covenant,
that (hall not be forgotten. Tis plain, That
the folemn National Covenant, the Lord
enter'd into with the People oitfracl, Deut.
29. renewed afterward by Jofljiiah, Heze--
kiah, Jehojadah, Jofiah, Ezra and Nehe-
■mi ah, were binding on Pofterity, tho'
Claufes,
$99
of the National Covenant, &c 41
Claufes exprefly refpecling them were
not infert -, and the People were often
plagu'd of God for their Breaches of it.
'Tis true, the feveral Forms of the Na-
■tionai Covenant of this Church had not any
Claufes in them exprefly refpecling Pofte-
rity, until the general Bond for the Main-
tenance of the triie Religion was form'd ^
.yet it cannot be denied, That, all along,
•before that Time, the Subfcribers meant,
it fhould refpedl Pofteritjr, even as thefc
Scripture Covenants I have already men-
tion'd. This in our Nation hath been of-
ten folemnly ratified by Authority of
Church and State, and made the Founda-
tion of the People's Compact with the King
in the Coronation Oath of Scotland 5 And
as it was fubfcrilM, Anno 1638, it has
Claufes expreiiing its Perpetuity.
Fourthly ', I fhall endeavour to Anfwer
.the feveral Objections againft the National
Covenant, and its perpetual Obligation. ^
1. 'Tis objected. That in the Preamble,
the Expreflioiis, We all, and every one of
us prote/t, after due Examination of our Con-
fciences — and therefore we believe with our
.Hearts, conffs with our Mouths. And in
the clofe of the Bond annexed thereto, We,
from the Knowledge and Ccnfcience of our
Duty to God — and other Expremons, are
fo
42 Objections againjl it) audits
fo very folemn and ferious, as necefl#rily
fuppole every one of the Subfcribers to
have been in a State of Grace, and truly
religious : Whereas it was very well
known, That too many of them were Hy-
pocrites, and others perverfly wicked. To
this it is
dnfwer'd, That the Covenant itfelf, and
the Bond annex'd to it, being very ferious
and folemn, fuch a ferious and folemn
Preamble is very agreeable to its Nature and
Pefign \ and 'tis to be lamented, That all
the Subfcribers came not up to the fame ;
yet that's no relevant Objection : For the
Preamble expreffes rather what the Sub-
fcribers ought to be, than what really they
were, or might reafonably be fuppos'd all
to be. Mojes never imasin'd, That all
that great Company he took into Covenant
with God, Dent. 29. 10. and downward,
were true Converts \ and yet Chap. 7.
ver. 6. he fays to them, Thou art a holy
People unto the Lord thy God, Sec. And
Chap. 28. vet. 9. it may be too on that
very Day he took them into Covenant, he
fays, The Lord (hall eftabli/Jj thee an holy
People unto himfelf. Further, 'tis well
known, That fuch as have a competent
Meafure of Knowledge, and a juftifiable
Profeilion of Religion before Men, are,
according
&3
perpetual Obligation, avjwer'd. 4 j
according to Scripture, and the Rules of
this Church, admitted folemnly to renew
their perfbnal Covenant with God at the
Lord's Table, tho' alas they are but the
fmalleft Number of that Sort that are re-
ally in a State of Grace.
2. Tis objected, That the Church of Scot-
land 'having foraetimes made confenting
to the Covenant a Condition of Church
Communion, ftraitned the Door motfe
than ever God intended, or is ufual in any
other Proteftant Church. To which it is
Anfwer'd, That there is nothing con-
tain^ in the National Covenant, abftradting
from the Government of the Church by
Bifhops, and the five Articles of Perth,
but what all the reform'd Churches in Eu-
rope believe and profefs •, and I hope no
Presbyterian will grudge, on Account of
thefe excepted Refpecls, efpecially when
he confiders, That the Prelatifts in Scot-
land have, for moft Part, been always
looking Southward to Rome 5 particularly
now, when their Darling the Pretender
is there, Befide, all the Proteftant Chur-
ches have, on the Matter, enter'd into the
like Covenants \ which, in the like Cir-
cumftances of their firft entring into
them, they reckon'd perpetually Binding.
The Proteftants in Germany enter'd into a
League
44 Objections againft it , and its
League and Covenant at Smalcald, Anno
1530, and renew'd it at that Place Anno
1535 •, the Bohemians at Prague j the Swift,
Proteftant Cantons at fundry Places and
Times ^ the United Proteftants, headed firft
hy the Lord of Brederode, and afterward
hy Lewis Earl of Naffau, at fundry Times
and Places, in the Beginning of their Re-
formation, came into folemn Covenant and
Affociation to promote Religion, and main-
tain their Liberty againft the King of
Spain, and the bloody Inquifition. Frede*
rick L King of Denmark, for himfelf, and
his People, made a League with the Prote-
ftant Princes of Germany, for carrying
on the Reformation of Religion }* and fo
did Henry VIII. of England with the fame
Princes. Charles Gu ft avus Duke of Sun der-
mania, and the Swedes, enter'd into a
League and Covenant againft Popery ^
and becaufe Sigifmund then King of
Poland, who ought to have fucceeded to
the Crown, was for Popery, and againft
the Reformation, he and his Son were
both put by the Succeffion, and the faid
Charles put in his Room. Moreover, what
elfe are the XXXIX Articles of the Church
of England, and Confent requir'd to them,
than a National Covenant upon the Mat-
ter : And I prefume, That any Man ipeak-
ing
perpetual Obligation, anfwerd. 45*
Ing overtly, or writing againft the Tranfc
■adtions above-mention'd, or againft the
Confeflions of the feveral other Proteftant
Churches, which alfo have fomething of
the Nature of National Covenants in them,
tho' they contain not exprefly an Aflbcia-
tion for mutual Defence,' is competent
enough in thefe Churches to hinder from
Church Communion in fealing Ordinances
among them \ and I think any Man would
"fee wonder'd at, that Would reafon againft
the perpetual Obligation of them, in the
Circumftances in which they were enter'd
into.
3. 'Tis ohjeeledy That the Covenant was
fore'd upon the People by. the Church, un-
der Pain of Cenfure *, and, at the Re-
tjuenY of the Church, by the State, under
Civil Penalties-, as appears from the Sup.
plication of the General Aflembly Anno
. 1 559, to n^s Majefty's High Commiflioner,
f§c. from the Ad of the Lords of Coun-
cil in their Anfwer to that Supplication,
an A& of that fame Aflembly, and alfo
from another A£fc of the Aflembly 1645.
Anf. The Supplication objected fhews,
•That at that Time the Malignants about
the King imprefs'd him with a Jealoufy,
That the Church intended to fhake off his
Authority 5 wherefore* to exprefs their
Abhor-
4 6 Objections againft it? and its
Abhorrence of that groundlefs Imputation;
they at that Time were warm, I confefs,
in preffing the Covenant : But I hope no
reafonable Man will, from that one fan-
j>os'd wrong Step conclude, againft the
Warrantablenefs of the Covenant it felf, or
againft its perpetual Obligation : And f pre*
fume, if the wifeft Presbyterian now in
Scotland had liv'd at that Time, he had
thought it Very proper to give into thofe
Meaftires, efpecially feeing the Preferva-
txon of the King's Perfon and Authority,
in the Defence of the true Religion, is one
confiderable Article fworn to-, and fo it
Was then, as formerly, wholly Defenfive.
Befide, the AfTembly 1649, Seff. 19. and
elfewhere, appoints fuch Exa&nefs in re?-
ceiving the Engagers, &c. and inftrudting
them, and others, That they fubfcribe witfr
Judgment and in Right eoufnefs, that 'tis a
Wonder any mould Quarrel it.
4. 'Tis objefted, That the National Cove-
nant is declar'd illegal by A& of Parlia-
ment, Cba. II. Par. 1. Se/f. 2. Aft 2. and
Aft 5. of that Seifion, appointing the De-
claration againft it thereto fubjoin'd, to be
fubfcrib'd by all Perfons in publick Truft.
Item, Cha. II. Par. impofing the Teft, @r.
which to this Day were never repeal'd :
Concluding thence, That the owning the
Obligation
£
91
perpetual Obligation, avfwer'd. 47
Obligation of it, is, according to thefe AQs9
treafonable and rebellious. To which it is
Anfwer'd, That, even by thefe Tyranni-
cal Adts and Declaration mention d, the
National Covenant is not fimply treafonable
tor rebellious -, but as it was fworn and ex-
plain'd Anno 1633, i.e. as it abjures the
.Government of the Church by Bifhops,
the Civil Power of Church-Men, and the
five Articles of Perth, in which Refpects
thefe Ads are refcinded generally. Aft 3.
Par. 1. King William and Queen Mary,
Seff. I. and Aft 5. Par. 1. ratifying The
Confeffion of Faith, and fettling Presbyteri-
an Church-Government ; and particularly
Par. King William and Queen Mary, Seff. 2.
,Aft. 27. entituled, Aft rejeinding the Laws
for Conformity.
5. 'Tis objefted, That in the National Co*
tenant, and the general Bond, the Subfcri-
iers are folemnly fworn to maintain the
King's Perfbn and Authority, the Liberties
x)f our Country, Miniftration of Juftice,
and Punifhment of Iniquity 5 and in the
folemn League, Art. 9. the Rights and Pri-
vileges of the Parliament, and the Liber-
ties of the Kingdom, which, more than
the thoufand Part of the Church and Na-
tion of Scotland neither do, nor can be fup-
jjos'd to understand, and fo cannot fwear
ia
48 Objections again /? it, 'and its
in Truth, Righteoufnefs and Judgment:
Befides, they are ingag'd to do all with
their beft Counfel, their Bodies, Means,
and their whole Power, againft all Sorts of
Perfons whatfoever *, which would feem to
engage, by an Oath, all the Subfcribers to
be Soldiers in the Caufe of the Covenant \
and Judges, and Executioners, with Re-
fpect to Malignants. To this is
Anfwered, (i.) That an Oath binding
limply to Particulars of mere Fa& doth,
no Doubt, require that it-be in Truths Righ-
teoufnefs and Judgment, that the Taker
both know the Things (worn to, and be per-
fwaded that they are true ; and righteous •,
•as, if a Man ihould fwear to maintain the
Life, Honour and Eftate of his Friend or
Superior, in fuch and fuch particular Points,
■againft the Ihvaiion and Oppreffion of o-
thers. (2.) On the other Hand, if an Oath
rdo bind to a certain Duty, either general-
ly exprefs'd and qualifi a with Righteouf-
nefs, and agreeable to the* Station and Ca-
pacity of the Taker, the very Notion of
the Duty fo qualified is fufficient to fit the
Perfoii to bind his Soul by fuch an Oath.
Suppofe I mould engage my felf by Oath
to perform all Righteoufnefs, as a Judge,
between Man and Man, it fufficiently qua-
lifies me to come under fuch an Engage-
ment,
>?7
'perpetual Obligation, anfwefd. 49
iment, if I underftand the general Notion
of Righteoufnefs, tho5 I cannot polfibly
know for the Time, every Thing that may
be included therein. (3.) Oaths of a mix'd
Nature, fuch as the Abjuration now in Ufe,
that I may fwear in Truth, Righteoufnefs
and Judgment : 'Tis neceffary, indeed, I
know on what Grounds his Majefty is King
de jure ^ but when, by my Oath I aflert
he has Right to all his other Dominions
to him belonging, 'tis not neceffary, before
I be concern'd to ad, that I underftand
the Ground of his Right to every particu-
lar Place, he, as King of thefe Nations,'
claims a Right to. In like Manner, when I
fwear to maintain the King's Authority,
the Privileges of the Parliament, the Liber-
ties of the People, the Difcipline and Go-
vernment of the Church ^ 'tis ftill under-
ftood, to be in the Defence of the Gofpel,
and according to Juftice (as the faid Cove-
nant qualifies the Oath) tho' I do not clear-
ly underftand the Particulars : I have fwoni
that his Majefty hath not only a Right to
the Crown of thefe Realms, but alfo to all his
other Dominions to him belonging ^ and,
when my Oath is qualified with Righteouf-
nefs, I think I have fworn in Truth and
Judgment, altho' I know not exactly what
his Right is to Madrafpatan in Coromanddy
D Bombay
50 Objections 'againft it? 'and its
Bombay on the Weft Coaft of Cambaia, and
Twelve other Places on the Coaft otCoro-
mandel, Nine in the Gulph of Bengal,
Five in the Mogul's Entire, Eight in A-
rabia F<elix, Three in Perfect, Eighteen in
the Ifland of Sumatra, on the Maly Coaft,
in Si am, China, and fundry other Places
in Afea, befides Seventeen in Africa, and
Twenty four large Countries or Iflands in
America. Is a Man in my Station oblig'd
by my Oath, particularly and clearly to
underftand the King's Right to Jamaica,
Barb a does, Antegoa, St Ckriftopher's, New*
England, Penfelvania, See. Further, the
Oath of the National Covenant, and Bond
annex'd thereto, is qualify'd with, Accord-
ing to our Vocation ~, and in the Preamble,
all Ranks of Men in the Nation, fpecifical-
ly defign'd, plainly declare, That the Co-
venant Engagements, are refpe£tive to the
feveral Places and Relations : A Privy
Counfellor, a Member of Parliament, an
Officer in the Army -, yea, a fingle Centi-
nel, a Minifter in the Church-, yea, a
Husband-Man, with Induftry, tilling his
Ground, and threfhing his Corns, $§c. by
which he is enabled to pay the Taxes, can
as well, according to his Vocation, anfvver
the Ends of the Covenant, as any of the
forme* Sorts in their Stations^ tho' I deny
not
bo-f
perpetual Obligation, anfwerd. $y
not, That they and he too would he
bound to fxght for it, in cafe of extream
Neceility.
6. 'Tis objected , That, many Perfons
very ignorant, not only of the King's Au-
thority, as above •, but alfo of tlie Difci-
pline of the Church, were folemnly fworn
into the Covenant. To which it is
Anfwered, That all that great Company,'
Man, "Wife, Bairn, bought and hir'd Ser-
vant, that, in Dent. 29. 10. enter'd into
Covenant with the Lord, - underftood as
little of the Merits of that Caufe, as the
Scots Covenanters did of theirs. 'Tis to
no Purpofe to deny Confequence from the
\ Old Teftament- Antecedents in this Cafe 5
: or to alledge, there's no Inftance of Nati-
1 cnal Covenants in the New Teftament. For
(1.) The Reafon of the People's coming in-
\ to Covenant with God, viz. the Receipt of
I remarkable Favours from him, great De-
ifedHon from their firft Love to him, and
! their firft Works, preffing univerfal Cala*
^mities, imminent Judgments, and the like,
j is the lame, under both Teftaments. (2.) I
doubt not but that Paffage, Jerem. 70. $.
^They /hall ask the Way to Zion with their
J Faces thitherward, faying, Come, let us jo'm
I cur /elves to the Lord in a perpetual. Cove-
nant which frail not be forgotten, is, at once,
D 2 a Pro-
y 2 Objections againjl it, audits
$ Prophecy of the Return of the .Je-wifb
Captivity from Babylon • and of Ezra and
NehemiaWs National Covenants h and alfo,
of the like National Covenants under the
Difpenfation of the Gofpel : And I could
even think, That in it the Spirit of G O D
had a Refped to poor Scotland, and this
.Covenant. (3.) Even under the New Te-
ilament, there are Inftances of what, by
..Analogy, may be call'd National Cove*
^ants. Acls 16. 33, 34. the Jaylor and
all his, which was a Sort of little Nation,
fceliev'd, made a Profeffion of the Gofpel,
and were baptiz'd 5 and, if the Magiftrates
-of Philippi had done the like, the Covenant
had been farther, fubjectively, extended 5
and, yet further, if thefe having the Ad-
miniftration, and all Ranks in the King-
dom of Macedon : For my own Part, I
can fee no Odds from the Nature of the
Thing. The Corinthians, 2 Cor. 8. 5. gave
themfelves firft unto the Lord, and then to
Paul and his Companions, Minifters of the
Gofpel, by the Will of God 5 which very
ftiortly expreffes the two principal Heads
largely declar'd in the National Covenant,
viz. Subjedion to God, and, under him, to
a Gofpel-Miniftry and Ordinances, in Re-
fped to the Concerns of Salvation, (4-.)
Seeing the Al Wife GOD thought not fit,
within
^perpetual Ohligation-) anfwer'd. ? 5
within the Commencement of the New
Teftament-Hiftory, generally to convert
any one Nation in the "World to the Chri-
ftian Religion, 'tis unwarrantable to infer,
That a Nation, when generally in Profef-
iion it fubmits to the Gofpel, may not en-
ter into Covenant for the Defence of it.
7. If it be objefted, That now the Go-
vernment of the Church is fettled by Law,
an excellent Conjeffion of Faith receiv'd in
the Church, and enacted by Authority of
Parliament, and Formula's declaring, in
ample Form, our Adherence to the Do-
ctrine, Worfhip, Difcipline and Church-
Government by Presbytery ^ the Obliga-*
tion of the Covenant, as to the Formality
of it, is determin'd, and the above Secu-
rities come in its Room.
It is anfwered. The faid Confeffion and
Formula's do not exprefly contain an Obli-
gation on the Subfcribers, to ftand by one
another in the Defence of the Gofpel, as
the National Covenant and Bond there-
to annex'd do •, it is very proper all Ranks
be imprefs'd with its perpetual Obligation,
especially in that Refpedt, feeing, tho' the
Enemies of Chrift's Gofpel have not all the
Power they were wont to have, they have
yet abundance of ill Will • and how foon
a jufl: and jealous GOD may, for our Sins,
D 3 put
£4 *Fhe Improvement.
pirt Power in their Hands, we cannot tell •
J>ut iince the gracious Authority we live
under, has not thought fit hicherto to en-
join the fubfcribing the Covenant, and jet
have remov d all Laws that flood againft
it, we ought, at leaft, freely and openly
to acknowledge its Obligation on us and
our Pofterity. And it may be the AiToci-
ation enter'd into with the Prince of
Orange at Exeter, ought rather to have
fceen continued from Time to Time (muta-
tis mnt a nd 'is) than declar'd determined by
A£t of Parliament, efpecially feeing they
were oblig'd to enter into a new One, on
the Occaiion- of the Plot by Pendergrafs,
Char nock ^ and others.
Laftly, I come, to mate a very fhort Ap-
plication of the Premiffes. And they are
of Ufe to humble all Ranks, under a Senfe
of our miferable Defection and Apoftafy
from the Covenant of our GOD, who,
notwithftanding it feems, remembers the
Kindnefs of our Youth, and the Love of
cur Efpcujals, Jer. 2. 2. May the Confi-
deration of his infinite Gocdnefs lead us to
Repentance :' May the LORD pour out,,
on all Ranks, a 'Spirit of Grace and Sup-
plication, that may engage to own the
Obligation of his Covenant in fuch Man-
ner,
*Tbe Improvement. <;$
her, as may be for his Honour, the Com-
fort of his People, a clear Teftimony a-
gainft our former and prefent Defe&ion .
and of Ufe to convey favoury Impreilions
of C H R I S T's early Love to this poor fin-
ful Land, and for the Prefervation of the
Proteftant Succeffion.
I hope it will give Offence to none that
I, according to the feveral Acknowledg-
ments and Acts of the General Ailemblies
of this Church, take Notice of fundry E-
normities in the Lives and Callings even
of Minifters, and alfo of others 5 and ac-
cordingly fuggeft proper Remedies.
Firfi as to Minifters. "We have much
fruitlefs Converfation in all Companies ;
the "Want of Gravity in our Carriage and
Apparel 5 and more Acquaintance with
other Books than with thofe of the facred
Scriptures 5 a corrupt "Way of entering in-
to the Miniftry by Means of Letters of
Recommendation to Heritors, and others ^
Silence in publick Caufe, and not labouring
I to cure the Difaffecvtion and Apoftafy of the
I People •, "Want of Zeal and Love for the
Conversion of Souls, not being weighted
with the Want of Succefs in reclaiming
Sinners ^ felf-feeking in Preaching, affe-
cting rather a dry Clink of Rhetorical Dif-
courie, than the folic!, convincing, metho-
D 4 dical
yi .•»♦/>*»'
5'<? 27^ Improvement.
dical Way of Preaching, which the LORD
us'd fo fignally to blefs in this Land.
Secondly -, With Refpeft to the People,
Their Want of Confcience in fetting and
keeping up the Worfhip of God in their
Families, their negle&ingFamily-Catechi-
iing and Difcipline, their giving Way to
themfelves and thofe under their Care to
tipple, be drunk, profane the Lord's Day,
and mock at Sin, and jeft the Difcipline
of the Church, particularly againft that
brutal and horrid Sin of Fornication, &c.
As Remedies to thefe Evils, I prefume,
in all Humility, to fuggeft, That, in pri-
vate Trials for Licence to Probationers,
Presbyteries would be very ferious, as far
as poifible, to be fatisfied, That the Par-
ty is well acquainted with an experimen-
tal Work of Grace in his Converfion y
efpecially, That fuch of the Presbytry, as
fuggeft, that a young Man be taken on
Trials, be able, with all the Affurance
that the Nature of the Thing can admit, to
fpeak to that Purpofe : That Minifters be-
ware of encouraging Settlements by Re-
commendation to difaffedred Heritors, till
firft the Body of the People, efpecially, the
beft affected of them, fignify their Satisfa-
ction with his Piety and other niinifterial
Qualifications ; That Minifters take fpe-
<, rial
■Tbe Improvement. 57
ml Care to have their Converfation in Hea-
ven, and that Godly Conference be had a-
rnong them at their Meetings, even at
their ordinary Refrefhments : That they
be more diligent in Catechifmg, vifiting.
Families and the fick $ and generally,
That, in Converfation with their People,
their Difcourfe be to edifying.
As to the People, I humbly fuggeft, That
every one of a Family apart beftow fome
Moments in fecret Prayer, Morning and
Evening; That, in Family-Religion, the
Duties be fhort and ferious, but that no
Part, neither Praife, Reading nor Praye*
fee omitted 5 That on the Lord's Day, Fa-
milies and Perfons be very ferious in their
TVorfhip, and beftow more Time than or-
dinarily 5 particularly, that they be in Fa-
mily and fecret Prayer very importunate,
for God's Prefence and Blefling in and upon
the publick Ordinances. Here, I would
fuggeft three Things, in which, I hope, fe-
rious Chriftians will find Comfort : t. That
Families may, now and then, as Occafion
cafts up, have Family-Fafts 5 2. That eve-
ry well-meaning Ghriftian, immediately
after publick divine Worlhip/go to God in
fecret, and cry for a Bleifing on it. 3. That,
when any Member of a Family goes from
Home, fuppofe it were to a Market, he be
frtry
alone
$S 7 he Improvement.
alone with God in fecret for his Protect
on : And, when he returns, he be likewife,
before he eats or drinks, fome Minutes
with God in fecret.
And generally, becaufe Admiffion to the
Hord's Table, and coming to it, is the
great Criterion of Religion, fpecial Care
would be had on the one Hand, to avoid a
promifcuous Admiffion and going to it, left
the Lord be thereby provok'd to abhore
that fblemn Part of his Worfhip \ and,
on the other Hand, that the People, in this
unconftant Time, do not fpurn at that fa-
cred Ordinance.
I profefs, 'tis not Arrogance, has led me
into the above Cenfure of any of the re-
verend Miniftry of this National Church,
but the Hopes I conceiv'd, that laying the
PremiSes before the People, into whole
Hands this Effay may come, might engage
them the better to bear with the Duty of
Minifters in their Calling and Office 5 and,
if it mail have, in fomeMeafure, its denYd
Effect, I'll be encourag'd to offer more on
that Subject, with Refpect unto the People,
as the Lord mail give Opportunity.
I am fo far from thinking, that preffing
the People publickly, by Oath, Subfcrip-
tion, or otherwife, to own the Obligation
of the National Covenant of this Church,
would
The Improvement. $9
would have a good Effect, that I believe
the doing it, in this Jun&ure, would be
attended with man)?" obvious Inconvenien-
cies : But I am humbly of Opinion, 1. That
the Church, in her feveral Judicatures,
Ihould acknowledge the famen, as Occafion
cafts up. 2. That Minifters mould, in
their Preaching and Catechifing, let the
People into the Hiftory of this Church in
the feveral Periods thereof, and the WrenV
lings of our Reformers and Sufferers for a
covenanted Work of Reformation, which
God hath hitherto honoured to be the
Means of our prefent {landing and work-
ing in the Lord's Vineyard. 3. That Mi-
nifters and ferious People mould pray
warmly, ' That the Lord may pour out
4 from on high, his Spirit, to fit, and qua-
c lify this National Church, to make a fo-
* lemn Acknowledgment of publick Sins
c and Breaches of the Covenant, and a ib-
* lemn Engagement to all the Duties con-
* tain'd therein, more efpecially thefe, that
c relate to the Dangers of thefe Times -, and
* that all, who fear the Lord, may, with
c Patience and Hope, wait for fuch a Sea-
I * fon, is the Prayer of,
Sir,
Toms, Sec.
POST-
to
POSTSCRIPT.
Advertifement,
WHEN three anon)nnous Letter^
tending to the Subversion of all true
Religion and Order in the Church, and
Loyalty in the State, and which are, in
Writ, induftrioufly lent about, fell into
my Hands, after I had refolv'd on publish-
ing the preceeding EfTay, I was once mind-
ed to engrofs them here, which, I almoft
thought, might be a fufficient Confutation
of them : But, on Reflection, I ghefs'd, it
might be better to make the following Re-
marks on them, as an Antidote to the more
incautious Reader, into whofe Hands they
may be induftrioufly put.
Remarks on the fir ft Letter to tie Reverend
Mr. Adams Minifter of the Go/pel at K d,
containing an Anfwer to the Queries proposed
by him to the Reverend Mr. G s Minifter
of the Gofpel at T n, concerning the Nati-
onal Covenant, &c.
The firft Paragraph contains the mod
diigracefl.il Reflections on our Forefathers,
as if their promifing to continue, during
Life, in the Obedience of the Doctrine and
Difcipliae of this Church, under the Pains
con-
6//
POSTSCRIPT. 6x
contain'd in the Laws, and of the fearful
Judgment of G O D at the Great Day, did
import, That they were of Opinion Reli-
gion, i.e. (as he explains it in the Pro-
grefs of his Letters) the true Grace of
GOD, was to be produc'd by human Pe-
nalties, That they made the Authority of
Man the Ground of Faith, &c. and then
concludes, That either they made the leaft
Variation from the Doclrine and Difci-
pline of that Time infer the divine Judg-
ment, and thence alledges, that was an
aflerting their own Infallibility, and (ve-
ry ironically ) palling a modeft Sentence
on every Man and Church, who. in the lean:
differ'd from them h or elfe, That they
were to accompany the Church in all the
poffible Changes it might undergo in Do-
ctrine and Discipline. On which I
remark, i. That the fcurrilous Author, ei-
! ther of Ignorance or Defign, takes no No- .
tice, that the Compilers and Subfcribera
of the National Covenant exprefly declare,
that the Doctrine, then own d, ( and ftill
continuing in this Church ) is that reveaFd
to the World by the preaching of the blef-
fed Evangel. 2. That he groundlefly in-
iinuates, that the Doctrine of this National
■ Church and Covenant was peculiar to our
! Reformers -7 tho' they plainly fay, it was
receivd
&i Kemarh on the frji Letter.
receiv'd by many and f undry notable Kirks
and Realms. 3. That they were ib far
from paffing a Sentence of Divine Judg-
ment againft others, who, in fome Points
of Difcipline, difFer'd from them, that the
General AfTembly, Anno 15 66, wrote in
another Strain to their Brethren the Bi-
fhops of England, on the Occafion men-
tion'd in their Letter. 4. That they are,
by that Covenant, no farther bound to ac-
company the Church, than the Church fol-
low Chrift in the blelfed Evangel. ?. I
am fure, it never came into their Minds,
That faving Grace was to be produc'd by
legal Penalties, ( efpecially, feeing they
exprefly abjure the Popifli Opus operatum )
ibut that, under the Penalties contain'd in
the Laws of the Land, they fhould conti-
nue in the outward ProfefTion and Practice
of the Doctrine and Difcipline of the
Church ; which, at that Time, was necef-
lary as a Teft to know their Friends and
Enemies, and fo very proper for their own
Defence.
In the 2d Paragraph he falls on the So-
lemn League, which he fays, as appears to
liim from the \ft and 4th Articles of it, was
defign'd in Effecl to put the Faith of the three
Nations and their religious Practice under
the Command of the Clergy and Army — ,
and
THemarfa on the firfl Letter. G$
find makes a Mock of the exprefs Defign of
it, viz. That the three Nations might dwell
together in Unity -, as if it were ridiculous
to expert the Lord's Dwelling among a
People, the rather, that they agree in the
Truth and Uniformity of Religion, exprefc
lty contrary to fundry Paftages of Scripture.
I will not trace him with Refpect to the
Solemn League, it being none of my pre lent
Bufinefs-, I mull only remark 5 i. That
he is miftaken in denying, That the Inqui-
iition and nerfecuting Spirit of Popery is
abjur'd in it : For that's exprefly abjur'd in
the National Covenant, and that again is
expreflly adopted by the Solemn League, Ar.
i. 2. That whoever lhall read that League
and the National Covenant of this Church,
and compare them with the Situation of
Affairs in thefe Times, will, at fir ft Sight,
fee, the whole was neceffary in the De-
fence of the Gofpel, and the King's Safe*
I ty and juft Greatnefs, efpecially, in the
Time of King James VI. when a Popifh
'and malignant Party were continually
forming Intrigues againft both *, firft with
the Queen Mother, and then with the
King of Spain : Our Anceftors then acting
fuchaPart as Jebojadab, 2 Kings 11. 4,
@r. 3. That his Senfe of our Lord's Words,
My Kingdom is not of this World, is very
odd,
#4 Remarks on the fir ft Letter.
odd, and his Saying, That Religion always
abates in Proportion, as human Authority
prevails. What thinks he of the noble Pro-
mifes, That Kings fhould be nurfing Father s^
and their Queens nurfing Mothers to ths
Church ? What, was it worfe with the
Church under the aufpicious Government
of Hezekiah, Joftah, &c. than under the
wicked Princes, that went before, or fuo
ceeded them?
Then the Author goes on to anfwer the
Queries put by the Reverend Mr. A — /,
who, I doubt not, has fully and convincing-
ly replied : But, feeing that the Letters
containing thefe Queries with the Author's
Anfwer s are in my Hand, I humbly offer
a few Thoughts on thefe Anfwers.
And, as to the ift Query, He cleverly
miftakes the Meaning of it, as if the
Church, as a Society, had an intrinfick
Power, abftracledly from the Word of God,
to prescribe and impofe their own Terms
of Communion, even by Contract and
Covenant ; whereas the Querift all along
Intends it in the exprefs'd Senfe of the
National Covenant 5 namely, That it was
enter'd into according to the bleffed Evan-
gel : And I am fure, whatever Divifions
arife in the World, by Accident from the
Chriftiah Religion, the reveal'd Intend-
ment
'Remarks on the fiji Letter. 6$
ment of it is, That all its ProfefTors fliould
keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond
of Peace.
His Anfwer to the 2d and 3d Queries, is
the moft infipid Stuff I ever faw ; 'tis well
known, the Prince of Peace faid, Mark 9.
50. Have Salt in your [elves, and have Peace
one with another -, That Paul enjoin'd the
Ephefians Chap. 4. v. 3. to keep the Unity
cfthe Spirit, Sec. and that he required the
Corinthians Chap. 16. v, 17 to mark them
which caufe Divifwns, See. which any wife
Man will reckon equivalent to enjoining
them a Covenant •, and that they, by their
Profeffion, reftipulate, I think, will be as
little queftioned. I'm as little of a perfe-
cting Spirit as the Author h but am fure,
that Chriftian Exhortations to Meeknefs
and Forbearance, yea, Church Cenfures, are
very confiftent with being in Covenant with
God and one another -, and even in fome
Cafes, .as the Execution of a Murderer as 3
Sacrifice to the Juftice of the Law, the
Good of his Soul may be intended by the
Deftrudtion of his Body.
His Anfwers to the ^th, $tft, 6th, -jth and
%tb Queries are childifh : I only remark,
that the very Nature of confenting to a
Form of Doctrine, as was among the Primi-
tive Chriftians with Refpeft to the Apoftles
E Creed,
66 Remarh on the fir ft Letter.
Creed, the Kicem Faith, and the Creed of
Atbanafius, came up to the Import of a Co-
venant with Gpd, and among themfelves 5
efpeeially feeing, all Chriftians, particu-
larly Preachers, were bound to carry with
them, where ever they went, Letters of
Communion^ hearing their Confent to the
Orthodox Faith •, which Remark, I think
will be very grating to the Author, who all
along breathes after an odd Sort of Liberty,
which he knows is very acceptable to moft
Men, that on that Footing, he may build
his Reputation, becaufe it feems he cannot
fee how to do it any other "Way.
In his Anfwer to the gtb and 10th Que-
ries, he jumbles a great many different
Purpofes to confufe the State of the Cafe,
which I think is clear'd above ^ and it feems
he will not believe it juft for a Man in the
Caufe of Religion to ac~fc defenfively,till they
are leading him forth to Execution. If the
King of Britain had not acted otherwife de-
fenfively thefe two Years bygone, thefe Na-
tions had been given up to Popery and Sla-
very. As to the Inftance of the Difciples
defiring Fire to come down from Heaven
againft the Samaritans, 'tis not to the Pur-
pofe : For, as a new Method of Religion
was but in Emlryo at that Time j fo our
Jword never intended it fliould be propaga-
ted
(yfy
Remarks on thefiffl Letter. 67
fed by Civil Penalties, and yet that hinders
not, but that the Profeffors of it may be
brought under a Tell or Trial -, and often
God has fixed Marks of his Difpleafure up-
on Hypocrites, as in the Cafe of Ananias
and Sapphira.
His Anfwer to 11 12 and 13th Queries
are not to the Purpofe ; That Prophefie
'Rev. 17, 16, was not only defigned to re-
frefh the then perfecuted Church 5 but it
alfo infinuates that the Adtors were to per-
form that Work with Honour and Approba-
tion, which never was, nor could be in the
Cafe of our Lord's Murderers.
His Anfwers to the 14th, 15th, and 16th
Queries are not worth noticing.
His Anfwer to the 17th Query is very
fenfelefs. The Church of Scotland has been
hitherto freer of Divifions than any other
Proteftant Church in Europe •, and if Per-
fons of Libertine Principles-,like the Author,
were duly and timely marked, there would
■fee lefs Divifion and more Edification 5 and
I think, 'tis in a great Part owing to the
Confcience of the perpetual Obligation of
the National Covenant, that our Divifions
are fo few. I am fure alfo, that the moft
ferious and religions Part of the Nation
think that they ,by their Forefathers,took the
Covenant in the Year 1580, (i. e.) 6$
E 2 Years
£8 Remarks on the fr ft Letter.
Years fooner than he imagines, and I'm of
the Mind they took it in the Year 1557,
that is 170 Years fince.
His Anfwer to the 18th Query is a long
Libertine Cant, not deferving a Reply, and,
againft the Wickednefs and Folly of which,
we have had in Scotland a ftancling glori-
ous Teftimony fince the happy Revolution •>
when our Princes have poflefTed their juft
Authority and Greatnefs, the Church her
juft Rights, and the People true Chriftian
Liberty*, and were the Obligation of the
Covenant better known, and more confci-
entioufly regarded,$there would be a propor-
tionable Increafe of true Religion and Pie-
ty. His Story abopt King Charles II. is in-
fipid ^ for, 'tis plain, that fuch a venerable
Body, as the Affembly of this National
Church, could never be in fuch Danger of
giving up the Liberties of the People to the
Appetite of a Tyrant, as Fourteen Bifhops
are.
I cannot fpend Time in Reply to his An-
fwer to the 1 9th Query. On that to the 20
I remark, ill, That 'tis very like he's a
Presbyterian Minifter, and I am forry at
it. 2. That on the Matter he is an Apoftate*
and glories in it. 3. That he's the moft
uncharitable "Wretch I have Occafion to
confider of, for what be fays-amounts to this,
that
Remarh on thefirjl Letter. 69
7% at no honeft Man was ever a Covenanter-,
and if the Church (hould again make it a farm
of Communion, they would underftand them-
f elves to be Knaves, andfuffer none, but fucb
as they defigtfd Jhould be Knaves, to come into
Church Communion with them.
He is fo choak'd with the 2 2d and 23d
Queries, and fome Regard to his Reputati-
on, that he can't breathe as ordinarily,
nor fpeak fo intelligibly to me as I can make
any Reply 5 only he does well to neglect
the Glory of the Sufferers for Religion, for
if he mould fufFer for his, his Memory
would be very unfavoury: Befide, being
out of Breath, he has forgot that the gloria
ous Stand made by our worthy Anceftors,
was on the Footing of their Covenant with
God, and Affbciation among themfelves for
that very Purpofe.
When jrou mall read the Author's Anfwer
to the 24th Query, you will fee it wants no
Reply-, the Author is very unconcerned a-
| bout giving Offence, and very uncharitable
to a vaft Number of Minifters and People
i in Scotland-, but when he brings them all to
; Mr. F- — -A- cTs Temper, it feems he'll
be in a better Humour.
1 On his Anfwer to the 2?th and 26th Qae-
ries, I remark it is all Banter, and what
; Way rejecting the Covenants on which our
E 3 An-
Irt}
7 o Remarks on the fecond Letter.
Anceftors proceeded, and were fo fignally
bleffed cf God, is the Way to defend the war-
rantablenefs of the Reformation, is what I
cannot conceive, nor I think any other
Mortal except himfelf-, and as little what
good his Reveries againft the National Co-
venant can intend. To make Divifion and
raife a Flame, which is the natural Tenden-
cy of his Letters, is what he will not own ;
he cannot hinder me from thinking that he
acts a Part much like Erofiratus when he
"burnt the Temple of Diana at Ephefus.
Whoever the Author is I know not, and
who is meant by Mr. G- s that dar'd not
anfwcr the Queries it matters not ^ for, to
the Grief of the godly, both Minifters and
People, fcandalous Principles are fpread in
thefe fcurrilons Letters handed about, and I
wifh the Lord may put a Stop to them.
Remarks on a fecond Letter to the Reve*
rend Mr. Adams.
The Author complains, That in the Na-
tional Covenant, ( he fhould have faid the
general Bond annex'd to it) that there is
Reference made to feveral Acts of Parlia-
ment ; -which evidences, that it contains an
Obligation to vSq Force and Perfecution a-
gainft all its Oppofers In Reply to
which
Remarh'o?} tie fecond Letter. 7 r
which, I would have it remarked, (i.)
That in the whole Tradt of that Affair, one
that faithfully obferves the Tenor of the
Covenant and general Bond thereto annex'd,
the reftlefs Temper of the Enemies of the
Reformation, as appears from the Hiftory
of thefe Times, will eafily fee, that the en-
tire Management was no more then defen-
Jive of the Reformation than attain'd 5 tho'
it feems the Author has a ftrange Notion of
a juft and neceffary Defence, which he will
never allow to be warrantable at a conveni-
ent Diftance,nor till it be quite ufelefs. (2)
He falls into a Burlefque in Writing Trea*
fon againft the Legiflature, grieving the
Spirits of the Godly, reproaching the Claim
of Right, difgracing the greateft Defence of
the Nation againft Popery and Arbitrary
Power in the Bufinefs of the Coronation
Oath, like thefe filthy Dreamers that defpife
Dominion, and /peak evil of Dignities, Jud. 8.
It would fwell this Poftfcript to follow
the feveral Turnings and Windings of this
fcurrilous Letter in the Procefs of it, parti-
cularly with Refpect to the Government of
King 'Charles I. and the Courfes of that
Time. 5Tis very plain, that by afpiring
after an abfolute defpotick Government in
the State, by the Influence of bad Coun-
fels, by his IJnconcernednefs for the Irifh
E \ Maflacre,
♦
7 2 Remarks on the fecond Letter.
Maflacre, in which, within the Commence-
ment of a few Days, upwards of 200000
Proteftants were kill'd in cold Blood, his
breaking in upon the Conftitution of the
EngUfh Government, by the Inftigation of
the Earl of Stafford, Archbifhop Laud, &c.
altering the Situation of the Communion
Tables, licenfing Sports on the Lord's Day,
levying Ship-Money, gjjk he gave an uni-
verial Difguft to the Subjects of both Nati-
ons : And yet after all, the Presbyterians
every where excufed him, laid the Blame
on his evil Counfellors, did all within the
Reach of their Power ( confiftent with the
Prefervation of their Religion ) to protect
his Sacred Perfon while in Danger by
Cromml and the Englilh Sectaries, regrated
Bis Deaths and exerted themfelves to the
ntmoft for the Reftauration of his Son.
3Twas impoffible in thefe Times, now is,
and I think, will be to the End of the World,
for any Government to preferve external
Order, and keep different Seels from devour-
ing cne another, without giving the Afcen-
tlant to one, and fo conftituting a National
Religion by Authority, whatever Indul-
gence may be given to others. Tis fo in
the united Provinces, fb often objected to
us for Liberty in Religion ^ and it is ridi-
culous to fay our prefent gracious Sove-
0 23
Remarks on thefecond Letter. 7 5
reign, and our other Princes fince the Revo-
lution, extended their Office only to Civil
Concerns ^ for they have always beftowed
their Royal Favour, particularly for the
Maintenance of the eftablifhed Church. His
Ridicule about Jofhua and the Congregati-
on of Ifrael, their going in and out at the
Word of Eleazar the Prien% Davids making
the Tefti monies of the Lord his Counfel-
lors, ®r. and his {peaking of believing in
the General AfTembly \ are really fo infi-
pid, as to anfwer them, would declare a
Man a greater Fool than the Author. The
Sentiments of the Church of Scotland about
interpreting Scripture, and believing the
Truths therein contain'd on the Authority
of God, are fo well known, that no Reply
needs be given to what's faid in the 3d Pa-
ragraph •, Where did ever an Aflembly of
the Church of Scotland pretend to a Magi-
fterial and Infallible interpreting of Scrip-
ture }
The Replyer agrees with the 4th Para-
graph in omnibus, but reclaims again ft his
Application in the 5th : For 'tis plain from
the Acts of the General AfTemblies and the
Hiftories ofthefe Times, That the Church,
in her folemn Acknowledgements of Sins
and Breaches of Covenant, and Injunctions
for reclaiming Papifts, Apoftates, Malig-
fl'ants
74 'Remarks on the fecond Letter.
nants and Incendiaries, us'd all Gofpel Me-
thods •, nor were any delivered over to Sa-
tan and then into the Hands of the Civil
Magiftrate, but fuch as by traiterous Pra-
dtices, and open Rebellion, attempted to o-
verthrow the Conftitution *, and the prohi-
biting of and fearching for erroneous Books,
and fuch as tended further to inflame the
Nation, was as much Duty as this or any
other Government's fearching for inlifting
Soldiers, and importing Arms for the Pre-
tender.
Not to follow the Author's Reveries in
the 6th Section, 'tis well known that our
Reformers, and the Presbyterian Church
always afterward, took fpecial Care to
have the Scriptures ( which was denied to
their Anceftors in Popery ) read and ex-
plained to the People, which, on the Tefti-
mony almoft of every Man, except this
lingular Author, made People of all Ranks
grow in Knowledge in the Matters of Reli-
gion to a "Wonder, elpecially when Order
was, by the Authority of the Church, ex-
actly obferved. I acknowledge that a Man's
profeffing Religion only on the Authority
of Men, is little better than having no
Religion at all 5 but Mens complying
with the wholefome Injunctions of a Church
and Laws of a Nation, for Confcience Sake
i , to
'Remarks on the fecond Letter. 75
to attend the Preaching of the Gofpel, DI-
ets of Catechifing and Religious Conference,
may be, and often is bleffed of God, to*
make Men truly Religious, which procures
a juft Refpec~t on Gofpel Principles from
the Chriftian People to Gofpel Minifters,
who never affect a Dominion over their
Faith.
The 7 Par. is the moft prodigious affront-
ing of Reafon, Scripture and common Senfe
that ever was written 5 and if I may be per-
mitted to make a Conjecture of the Author's
Defign, I think, Providence has permitted
that he mould appear a pure Original,
for his Like never caft up in the World hi-
therto : What are the reveal'd Defigns
of Providence in permitting Herefies and
Divifions, to make the Truth be the bet-
ter underftood ? I had always before under-
ftood the Defign to have been, That they
'which are approved may le made mam f eft.
I. Cor. 11. 19. cfbat Wo belonged to the
Man hy whom the Offence cometh. Math.
18. 7. gjjif. and that the Apoftles Rule, Rom.
16. 17. had been of perpetual Authority.
Now Ihejeech you, Brethren, mark them which
caufe Divifions and Offences, contrary to the
Doclrine which ye have learned 5 and avoid
them. What was the proper Effect of Uni-
formity in the bleffed Days of David, He*
zekiai%
76 'Remarks on the fecond Letter,
zekiab, Jofiah, and other good Kings of
lfrael, Ignorance ? The Ignorance of the
Clergy and People of Spain and Italy, &c.
more then in fundry Provinces in Germany ,
flows not from the Uniformity of the one,
or Divifions of the other, but from the
wrong Principles and Ignorance of the Sa-
cred Scriptures in the former : For I verily
think, on the Principles taught the Spani-
ards and Italians, they know better when
to tell their Beads and fay their Ave Maria's,
than moft of our People do how to perform
Family and Secret "Worfhip 5 and the Ig-
norance of the People of England Row' A. not
from the preciie Uniformity, but from cor-
rupt Principles and other obvious Caufes :
And I apprehend, that the delivering over
this Church, on the Principles of the Natio-
nal Covenant, into the Hands of fome infal-
lible Junto and univerfal Superintendant,
and the frightful Confequences mentioned
in that Paragraph, had been the laft Thing
in the World to be fear'd.
What appears to be a Mercy to him ( in
the 8th Paragraph) namely all the Mi-
fery we fuffer'd after the Reftauration,was,
I'm fure, a Grief to many precious Souls,
whole Sufferings on the Footing of a cove-
nanted Work of Reformation, is the formal
Reafon why he and I poflefi fuch Worldly
Ac-
ozj
%emarh on the fecond Letter. 77
Accommodations for the Sake of the Gofpel,
and an open Door to preach it. I'm fure I
am better fatisfy'd in the prefent mild Ad-
miniftration than he, and never open'd my
Mouth in the loaft, to difgrace the Confti-
tution as he on every other Turn does in
thefe Letters, and yet cannot with him
glory in the prefent # Toleration fb much
abus'd by Perfbns difaffe&ed to the Go-
vernment 5 and for my Part, they are not
above the Number of 3 or 4 in the Mini-
ilry, I have Ground to fufpe<9:, that give in-
to his unbounded Principles of Liberty^ and
I believe his uncharitable Sufpicion of
gloomy Spirits among us, whp pradtife Per*
fecution in Theory, is very ill founded.
Unlefs I fhould have betrayed the Truth;
I could not have wav d calling the Author
Names, but have eafily forborn Jeft 5 for
as my Spirit is weighted with the Matter^
fo I have no Faculty that Way. I hope
the Reader will fee I have gone into the
Merits of the Caufe, and prov'd that the
National Covenant, in the fundry Shapes
wherein it hath appeared in this Church,
is very confiftent with the Gofpel, with
the Principles of the Reformation, very ef-
fectively contributing to the Safety of the
State, diametrically oppofite to the licen-
tious Power and Bride of Church-Men 5 and
that
7 8 'Remarks on the fecond Letter'.
that the People by believing the fame^
believe not Contradi&ions. And here I take
the Opportunity to refer the Reader,, and
particularly the Author of thefe Letters, to
a Story of the National Covenant of this
Church, of greater Antiquity than every one
imagines, noted by Archbifhop Spotijwood
in the Year 500, to this Purpofe. i King
f Congallus, after a little while fickning,
c fent Columla ( a Church Man ) into Ire-
c land to bring home Aidanus the right
c Heir of the Kingdom ^ but e'er he return-
c; ed, the King was dead, and Kinnatellus
c pofTefTed of the Crown, and the good
c Man debating much with himfelf, deter-
c mined at laft to bring home the faid Ai-
c danus, whom Kinnatellus received kindly,
1 after whofe Death Aidanus was crowned 5
c and Columla performing the Ceremonies,
e exhorted the King to the Love of Juftice,
c the Nobles to the Obfervance of Peace,
c and them all to Conftancy in the Chrifti-
c an Profeffion^ with which all the AfTembly
4 comply'd by folemn Oath. And to con-
clude, I heartily pray, that by the Bleffing
of God on this and other Means, the Au-
thor may become as zealous a Covenanter
as my felf.
Sr9
Tours, &c.
N. B.
6 Of
Remarks on thefecond Letter. 79
N. B. I have the Acts of the Aflembly
from 1638, to 1649 inclufive, and yet am
of Opinion, you the Author are quite mi-
fhken in your Matters.
Remarks on a third Letter to the Re-
verend Mr* Adams,
The Letter is exceedingly injurious to
the fovereignty of God, all revealed Reli-
gion, and the Intendment of the Aaronical
Priefthood and Inftitutions, which defign'd
to prefigure the Mefliah his Incarnation,
Pafiion, &c. and the fpirituality of the Got
pel Church, when it fays, that was incor-
porated with the Civil Conftitution of the
Jew'tfb Nation, and made a Condition of
their poffeffing the Land : For in Genefis 17.
1. 15. Abrahams Right and that of his
Poiterity to that Land was fully fettled on
his and their being c'ircumcifed, and walking
before God and being perfect -, and after his
Pofterity had the Moral Law promulgate
to them from Mount Sinai, moft of their
Judicial Laws and Ecclefiaftical ones too
fettled on the Principles of Abrahams Co-
venant with God. About two Years after
their coming out of Egypt, when- their
Right was confummate, they were order-
ed to go up and take Polfeffiqu of the Land5
and
8o Remarks on the third Letter.
and yet for their not adhering to God's Co-
venant, were forced for the Space of 38
Years, to wander through a vaft Wilder-
nefsontheEaft Side of the River Jordan.,
when a great many of their Judicial and
Ceremonial Conftitutions,tho' fam'd on the
Principles of Abraham's Covenant, took
Rife from their Crimes and Scandals ^ fo
that to fay the Right to that Land was fuf-
pended on the entire Body of their Laws,
as Handing in the Pentateuch, is wrong, and
of dangerous Confequence •, for had they
been meek and fubmiifive, their Yoke had
not been made lb heavy, I acknowledge
that God made excellent Ufe of the Laws
occafioned by their Sins, as Reprefentati-
ons of good things to come; but for the
Letter to fay, that the Ceremonial Law was
only a Political Religion,is very unaccount-
able : Tis true it was defign'd to keep the
Seed oilfrael unmix'd with other Nations,
that the Genealogy of the Meffiah might be
without Exception ^ but we know, that the
Ifraelitilh Servants bought with their Mo-
ney, and Strangers that joyned them were
fubje&ed to it, either as Profelytes of the
Gate or of the Covenant, that there might
he an Uniformity in the Church. And the
Diftinction the Author makes between that
Political Religion, as he calls it, and ano^
ther
031
Remarks on the third Letter. Si
ther Religion will not anfwer hisPurpofe :
For all that know any Thing of Religi-
on underftand, that outward Obfervance
of its Rites, and true Grace, are quite
different Things, the laft of which
never did, nor can come under the Cog-
nizance of Mortals, fo as to inflict Pu-
nifhments or beftow Rewards -y yet that
can't hinder enjoying Confoftnity to an
unqueftionable Frame of Religion in the
external Obfervances of it.
To infer from all that he had faid, That
the Nature of the Je-vjifb Covenants was
fuch as he reprefents, That Jofwb's Re*
formation intended no more than a Com-
pliance with the political Interefts and
Conftitutions of that Nation, is at once
a horrid Impiety againftGod, and a bru-
tal Ignorance of the Situation of the Jew-
i(h Affairs at that Time. The long Con-
tention between the Kings of Egypt and
Babylon^ which then was at the higheft,
fhould have led Jofiah and his Council,
had they proceeded on Principles of
Policy, to quite other Meafures than fo o-
penly and avowedly to deftroy rhe Reli-
gion both thefe Nations were fond of$
efpecially feeing his Country lay between
their Empires, and the Jews almoft al-
ways obliged to join with the one or
F the
82 Remarks on the third Letter.
the other : No, that righteous and religious
Prince intended by his Reformation, and
renewing the Covenant with Ijrael's God,
to obey the divine Command, that in
that Way, God might beftow Grace on
his People, and that he might maintain
the Church and Nation againft Pharaoh
Ncchoy who then was carrying on his
Wars againft the King of Babylon, with
whom Jofiah was Confederate.
The Reflections the Letter makes on 2
Chron. 34. 31, 32, 33. are extremely fenfe-
lefs : For, 'tis plain the Intendment of that
Covenant and Reformation was a Compli-
ance with the Law of the Lord, and in that
Way to expect the divine Grace and Fa-
vour ^ and that People ferving God all
theJDays of Jofiah, intends no more than
the" outward Serving of God in the Rites
of Religion. But I hope, in that Way,
there was more Ground to expecl the di-
vine Grace, to make Men truly Religi-
ous, than in the licentious and idolatrous
Reign of Manafleh.
The Story of King Afas Covenant, in-
troduced on the Back of the other, and the
Inferences drawn therefrom, I could not
read without a Blufh, and am afhamed
to take up Time on it \ only I muft re-
mark (1.) That all Mortals hitherto, except
&33
Remarks on the third Letter 3 3
abfolute Atheifts, who deny the Being of
God, have agreed to that general Law, That
every Man ought to be puniflied that will
not ibek him $ and that they fhould feelc
him with all their Hearts : And if itfhould
he abfolutely certain, that a Man profef-
ling to do it, does but mock when he pre-
tends to worfhip, I am fure that, by all
the Laws agamft Atheifm, he ought to be
punifhed : But, thefe Cenfures and Penal-
ties being concerned in Things only that
appear, the Searching of the Heart muft
be left to God : And, if the Author fhall
own the Scriptures according to their genu-
ine Senfe exprefTed in the Confeihon of
Faith, (which, I prefume, he has again
and again fubfcribed) and live regularly
in his Station, I fhall alwa}rs fay, he feelcs
the Lord God of Ifrad with all his Heart
and Soul ^ and if, notwithstanding, he fhall
be really a Hypocrite,I fhall leave it to God
to punifh him, and my Hand fhall not
be upon him. (2.) I remark, that the Peo-
ple were required to be truly religious, i. e.
to have Grace, and exercife it, and they
undertook it : But the Penalty threatned
. refpedted no more than their external Be- *
haviour, which might declare the quite
Contrary of their Profeifion and Engage-
ments. (3J I wonder what Thoughts the
F 2 Au-
$4 Remarks on the third Letter.
Author has of Engagements taken by Spon-
fors at the Baptifm of Infants. Are not
thefe really Covenants? Are they not
Engagements to feek the Lord God of their
Fathers with all their Hearts ? And yet
all the Penalties, fo far as Men are con-
cernd, refpect their external Behaviour.
The Reflection the Author makes here, is
but a Snare to catch the Ignorant : For,
whatever be the real State of a Man, with
Refpect to Grace, no Penalties were ever
intended againft any that liv'd regularly
according to God's Word, either in the
tfraetuifb Church or the' Chriftian ^ and
that no more was there premifed to the If-
ratites, and actually given them, than ex-
ternal Reft, is falfe : For an Increafe of
Grace and future Glory was promifed to
the godly among them y and in that Way
Grace was promifed to others that honeft-
ly fought it. Tis a "Wonder the Author's
virulent Pen let thefe "Words drop from it,
That that Covenant only hound them to
be hearty in the external Service of God ;
for, if a Man be hearty in the external
Service of God, I rauft think he is truly
religious.
HntkiaWs Covenant is alfb brought in,and
the Defign of it (to turn away the Wrath
of God from that Nation; explained into no
more
02?
Remarks on the third Letter. ?S
tnore than to have aRelationtothe external
Jt^ilh Law, and the averting of a temporal
Punifhment, and that the Former, his and
JLzra's Covenants, were no more than Ci-
vil Adts of Indemnity for former Breach-
es of the facred Laws of the great God :
When IreadZk/tf. 27. n6.Gal. 3. 10. and
other fuch Scriptures, and compare them
with the Words in the Letters, I'm fhock'd
to the laft Degree. What! were all the
Crimes, Enormities and atrocious Wick-
ednefs of the People of Ijrarf and Judah,
during the Reigns of their Idolatrous Kings,
no more than a Breaking in on the Civil
Conftitution, and their iolemn renewing
Covenant in the Periods refer'd to, no more
than their accepting an Indemnity from
their religious Princes.
The Author having laid down and
made fure, as he thinks, his Principles,
which I'm fure are the moft pernicious
that ever were, goes on to infer, That
nothing of the Jrjuijh Reformations, and
their renewing their Covenants with God,
may be lawfully imitated by Chriftians,
with Refpecl to their Religion. On
which, I remark (1.) That whatever God's
fecret Purpofe, which doth not concern
us, was, I'm fure he never made any De-
clarations againft other Nations coming
in-
86 Remarks on the third Letter.
into that Religion ^ tut, on the Contrary,'
that all who would fubmit to the Confti-
tutions of it, fhould be welcome. As to
the Laws againft marrying with other Na-
tions, thefe had a peculiar View y and Nehe-
miaFs forbidding his ill-defignmg Neigh-
bours to affift him in his Buildings, doth
not alter the Cafe neither. (2.) It hath
been hitherto, according to Scripture, a
current Principle, That religious Magi-
ftrates are peepers of both the Tables of
the Law 5 and tho' Chrift's Kingdom be
not of this World, u e. tho' his Difpen-
fations of Grace, and his Rewards and
Punifhments, mainly refpeft the other
World *, yet that hinders not, but that
Magiftrates, efpecially if they are Chrifti-
an, may be Minifters for Good, Rom. 13.
1 9. Is it an Ad of Violence in a Civil
Magiftrate to command, even upon Pen-
alties, ' that his Subjects read God's Word,
pray to him. That in all their Wa}<s they
acknowledge him^ that they attend whol-
fome Inftruftion, &c. > Was it an Act of
Violence in Abraham, even before the If-
rariitijl) Oeconomy was -fully fettled, to
command his Children and Servants to
know the Way of the Lord ? Was it an
Aft of Violence in Artaxerxes, tho' not
embody 'd in that Church, to order Ezra
Remarks Oh the third Letter. 87
7. 29. tfhat wl at ever was commanded
ly the God of ' Heavt 77, (hould he done di-
ligently for the Houfe of the God of Hea-
ven. (9.) When the covenanted Refor-
mation was in greateft Credit in Britain
and Ireland, there were comfortable Tra-
ces of Religion that increafed, till Oliver
Cromwell's Ufurpation began in the State,
and a boundlefs Liberty, like that the
Author pleads for, broke in upon the
Church •, which at laft made "Way for Ty-
ranny and Prelacy, which, we all know,
irought Ignorance along with it. (4.) Tho'
It is not warrantable to banifh, burn, or
hang a Man for want of Grace $ yet, it
is very lawful to punifh him for Athelfmy
Socinianifm, prophaning the Lord's-Day,
Drunkennefs, ©r. according to the De-
merits of his Crimes. (5.) It is ftrange
the Author cants over and over, That the
Jews had temporal Promifes annexed to
their Obedience, fuch as the PofTeifion of
the Land of Canaan. Do not all honefl
Chriftians know, that under that Shadow
Heaven was intended. (6.) I acknowledge,
that the Believers among the Jews never
dream'd, that Grace could be communi-
cate by external Laws and Penalties : But,
I believe, that thro' Faith, they expedted
Grace and Glory in the Way of Conformi-
ty
88 Remarks on the third Letter,
ty to the reveal'd Conftitutions of Religion
among them : And,I'm fure,a wife Scots Co-
venanter had never other Sort of Thoughts.
(7.) The Religion of the Je-vos, as to the
Grace and Spirituality of it, was juft the
fame with the Chriftian, only, we have
more Spirit and fewer Ordinances -5 which
juftly gives the Names of Carnal to theirs,
and Spiritual to ours, hut does not alter
the Nature of the Thing 5 and fo does not
hinder Chriftians from Covenanting with
God on the fame Grounds.
The Defign of the National Covenant
in Scotland was never to eftablifh a Na-
tional Religion i but to eftablifh the Religi-
on of Jefus Chrift in the Nation •, and as
foon as they were capable, they propagate
that Reformation as far as they could,
wrote to all the reformed Churches a-
broad, defiring the neareft Union with
them-, and I believe, were it in their
Power, they would by Gofpel-methods,
fpread the fame into all the Nations and
Corners of the Earth ^ fo far are they from
fencing themfelves from Communion with
other Nations in their Religion. His Bur-
lefque on the Reformation, and the Inftru-
ments of it, follows indeed from his per-
nicious Principles, but thefe being naught,
the other wants no Remarks only
'tis
03J
Remarks on the third Letter. 85
'tis a Wander to fee any Man write anent
Religion, and fo far out of his Wits, as
ftill to forget the Word of God, the Foun-
dation of it ^ thence ■' it is, he can fee no
Odds between the Reformation made by
our Anceftors and Popery.-
That the National Covenant Is popular
among well-meaning Chrifhians I acknow-
ledge, and that it was neceffary for begin-
ning and carrying on the Reformation, is,
from what hath been above-faid, very
plain, notwithftanding all his Confide-
rations on the the Contrary.
On the Firft of which, I remark (1.) That
the Reformation did actually confift with
a Covenanting thereabout. (2.) All other
Mortals, except the Author, can eafily fee,
That our Anceftors engaging to God to
reform, and to affift one another therein,
are very confiftent with all the Rules of
Religion and Prudence.
On his Second Confideration, I remark,1
That our Fore-fathers never intended, tha€
the formal Ground of their Profeifion, or
of the Power of the Church, fhould be hu-
mane Laws, but the Authority of God
reveal'd in the Scriptures -, and why may
not human Laws require Men to keep the
Lord's-Day* read the Scriptures, abftain
from Adultery, &c'- as well as Jofiab com-
G ' mand*
£o Remarks an the third Letter.
manded his People to feek the Lord God
of their Fathers, obferve the Law of Mo~
fes, Sec.
Tis ftrange,That in his^/WConfidera-
tion, he fhould fay, If Men in Power have
a Right to eftablifh Religion by National Co-
venants and Laws, there will be an End
vf all Reformation, Sec. For, if Men in
Tower ihall eftabliiTi Religion by the Laws,
or Covenants agreeable to the Word of God,
(which he neglects all along in his Let-
ter) what fliould hinder fuch Reformation
to go on ? It feems he is little acquainted
with the Hiftory of the Reformation of
this Church, when he fays, That every Step
taken in it condemns it /elf '-, and charges
our Reformers with the Guilt of Re-
bellion. Our noble Anceftors, in that
"Work, obferv'd a greater Submiffion than
the French, Dutch, Germans, Swedes, Hel-
vetians, Silefians, Bohemians, Hungarians ;
8cc. did in theirs : But, it feems, it is no
great Matter to him, with one Dafh of his
Pen, to condemn almoft all the Reform-
ed Churches in Europe.
In his fourth Confideration, he has a
ftrange Notion, as if it were unwarrant-
able for Men to enquire after Truth, or
praclife any Duty conform to it, unlefs
it fhould firft arife from Rulers -, which
has
Remarks on the third Letter. 91
has not been the Way of Providence in
any Nation of Europe, except England and.
Denmark : And if the envious Author will
not allow the Lawfulnefs of our Reformers
Covenanating for Reformation, yet he may
at leaft allow it, for preferving the Re-
formation attain'd. Which in the Fifth
Confideration he feems to grant under the
Name of a Covenant, provided it iirport
no more than a Civil Aflbciation ; and he
is miftaken about the Covenants or Bonds
enter'd into by our Reformers before the
Year 15:60, for theyconfift in a folemn
Tow to God to promote the Reformation
of Religion, as well as a Com-promife to
ftand by one another in doing it.
All that I remark on the confus'd Poft-
fcript of that Letter is, That factious and
four fpirited Men, and Parties, like the
Author and his Accomplices, having cart
up in the feveral Ages and Periods of the
Church, made it necefTary for her, from
Time to Time, to form many and very
particular ConfeiTions of Faith -, and con-
Tenting to them by Oath or Subfcription,
reaches * one great Defign of Church-cove-
nanting : And if an Obligation by Oath
or Subfcription, to ftand by one another
in Maintenance of the prefent Confeilion
of the Church of Scotland, and the Frc-
teftant
$1 Remarks on the third Letter.
reliant Succeffion, in the Defence of the
Evangel, and a iincere Refolve to follow
Holinefs , might be peaceably obtain'd,
it would be all I plead for ^ and that, I'm
fare, the Author is heartily againft. This
is what all honeft Men earnestly pray for,
and many hope the Lord will fooner or
later grant fuch a Time of Refrelhing
from his Prefence.
And to conclude,the Principles laid down
in thefe Letters, at once condemn all the
Wars that have hitherto been in the wide
"VYoiidjin Defence of the Orthodox Faith o
the Proteltant Religion in Europe, fince the
Welled Reformation from Popery, as wel
as Covenants and Aflbciations therefore
I wonder what Conceptions he muft have
of ConfLiutms Wars againft Lwimns, &c
of the Proteftant Princes of Germany a-
ft Chcuies V. of Queen Elizabeth who
afnfted all her Neighbours in Defence o
the Proteftant Religion, the Wars- of Gu-
ftamus Adolphus, Sec. For, I'm perfwaded
it is but a Trifle with him, to condemn
his poor Country-men in the fundry Ste'ps
ihey have talc-en, at and fince the
'Rcformaton •, and particularly, in bring-
ing about the glorious Revolution in the
-Year i6S3, and contributing what they-
I ever fince, to maintain the Wars ill
for the Defence of it.
FINIS.
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