The Seven Things That We Here Promise, Vow, and Protest in the National Covenant. (Part II)
Now (with the good leave of the great assembly) I will here take occasion to speak something concerning our national covenant, vow, or protestation in particular. And here I will first set down the protestation, prudently commended to us by the honorable house, in these words:
“I, A.B., do in the presence of Almighty God, promise, vow, and protest, to maintain and defend, as far as lawfully I may, with my life, power, and estate, the true reformed Protestant religion expressed in the doctrine of the Church of England, against all popery and popish innovations within this realm, contrary to the same doctrine; and according to the duty of my allegiance, his majesty’s royal person, honor, and estate, as also the power and privileges of Parliaments; the lawful rights and liberties of the subjects, and every person that makes this protestation, in whatsoever he shall do in the lawful pursuance of the same. And to my power, and as far as lawfully I may, I will oppose, and by all good ways and means endeavor to bring to condign punishment all such as shall either by force, practice, counsels, plots, conspiracies, or otherwise, do anything to the contrary, of anything in this present protestation contained. And further that I shall in all just and honorable ways endeavor to preserve the union and peace between the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland; and neither for hope, fear, nor other respect, shall relinquish this promise, vow and protestation.”
Touching this national covenant or protestation, we may here observe and consider:
(1) What we here promise, and vow to maintain, and so what we here renounce.
(2) What it is to maintain and defend the true Protestant Religion.
(3) Why and for what ends, we entered into this protestation.
(4) How far this promise and protestation does bind us.
(1) First, what we here promise, vow and protest, namely: various things, which I conceive are in number seven.
[1] And the first, is to maintain and defend with our lives, power and estate, the true Reformed Protestant religion, expressed in the doctrine of the Church of England, against all popery and popish innovations, within this realm, contrary to the same doctrine. I will not set down the principal doctrines of the true reformed Protestant religion, and the anti-Protestant or popish doctrines and innovations, which we here protest against.
I will only set down some arguments and reasons, why we should with our lives, power and estates, maintain and defend the true reformed Protestant religion in the general, and consequently, every particular branch and part of it against all popery and popish innovations, and every part and parcel of popery, and they are these:
{1} Because God has commanded it, and everyone ought to make conscience of the commands of God, and to his uttermost power observe and keep them. Jude 3: “It was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you, that ye should earnestly contend for the faith,” namely: the doctrine of faith, which was once delivered to the saints – not only contend, but contend earnestly, with all vehemence and intention of spirit, with all our might. To this purpose also is that of the apostle to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:13: “Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me,” and 1 Corinthians 16:13: “Stand fast in the faith, that is, both in the doctrine and grace of faith” – and no less is pressed on us in Leviticus 18:4-5, Deuteronomy 4:40 and 5:32-33 and 6:3, 17, and in very many other places: “Ye shall keep my statutes, my judgments, my ordinances, and commandments.” And if we cannot without drawing guilt on our souls break the lawful, just and good commands of superiors, how much less may we break the righteous laws of God.
{2} Our eternal salvation is built upon this. There is no other Religion, no other way or means in the world by which we can be saved – Acts 4:12, 1 Corinthians 15:2 – “By which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory (or hold fast) what I preached unto you.” If we deny, renounce, or forsake this, never look to go to heaven, never hope to see the face of God with joy.
{3} God’s glory is greatly promoted and advanced hereby, as by the denial of the true faith or religion, he is greatly dishonored, it confirms others in their idolatrous, false or superstitious ways, and opens the mouths of the adversaries and wicked men to speak evil of, and blaspheme the truth and good ways of God.
{4} The true reformed Protestant religion is the badge of the true Christian, and true servants of God, their livery and cognisance whereby they are distinguished from all idolaters, Pagans, Mohammedans, papists and Jews that still cleave to the Mosaical rights, long since abolished by Christ; yea, by the sincere embracing and profession hereof, the true Christians and servants of God are distinguished from all hypocrites.
{5} The gospel (upon which the true reformed Protestant religion, which we profess, and is established as the public doctrine of this Church of England, is undoubtedly built) was confirmed by many miracles from heaven, and truly divine. Look throughout the whole Book of God, and see how many divine ratifications there have been of the gospel, and consequently of the true religion, which we do now publicly, through God's great mercy, prefesse: It is the same with that of the apostles and people of God in those first primitive times, and which our blessed Savior himself taught, professed and sealed with his blood, and this should be a great inducement to us to embrace, maintain, and defend it to the death.
{6} This has been recommended to us by the blood of all the martyrs, of our blessed Savior himself, of his apostles and disciples. They all suffered for this, they loved not their lives unto the death, they willingly suffered the loss of all for and in the defense of it, and sealed it with their blood, stuck to it to the death, and so recommended it to us as a most precious jewel and rich treasure, much better than life itself, and surely this should much animate us to stick close to our religion, the true Reformed Protestant religion to the death, seeing we have so many thousands, yea hundred thousands that have died in the defense and cause of it.
{7} This has hitherto and will ever preserve us. As it is our religion for which we are maligned, hated and plotted against by the papists and other adversaries of the truth; so it is that (or rather God, because of that) that has hitherto preserved us in spite of all the devils in hell, and wicked men on earth, and all their hellbred desperate plots and malignant designs against it and us, that we have been and still are preserved, to the admiration even of the enemies themselves. And this will ever preserve and protect us if we stick close unto it, we have God's word for it in Revelation 3:10: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the earth, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” And if we deny or forsake this, never look to prosper, the promises even of temporal blessings are made on this condition, that we stick close to it. See Deuteronomy 5:32-33, 6:17, and chapter 28, and Revelation 1:3.
So that if either we regard the command of God, or the glory of God, or our own temporal or eternal good of soul or body, we must maintain the true Reformed Protestant religion against all popery and popish innovations, we must stick close to it, and maintain our religion, unless we will lose soul, body, our estates, and all, at least the true comfort of all.
And what do we protest against? Is it not popery and Antichristianism, a doctrine containing many positions blasphemous against God and Jesus Christ, and destructive to all Christian magistrates, kingdoms, and commonwealths; a doctrine (to use the words of learned Master Bolton in his sermon preached at Paul’s Cross) most false and accursed from heaven, and is ever attended with this inseparable curse, that it will plague the kingdom that nourishes it, and pay it home at length with a witness, except some right, round and resolute course be taken in the mean time to root it out as in conscience, policy, reason, and religion it ought to be, which if once effected, would cut the thread of the papists hopes forever, making a party or faction here, cut the throat of all plots against the king’s person, crush the pope’s heart for any probability or possibility of ever reestablishing, or erecting his accursed tyranny in this Island again, and preventing such most bloody, barbarous, and unheard of usage (or butchery rather) as there hath been of late, and still is in Ireland.
[2] Secondly, we promise, vow and protest with our lives, power and estates, to maintain and defend (as we are by our allegiance bound) his majesty’s royal person, honor and estate (Romans 13:1-2), and there is great reason for it. Of each severally.
{1} His Royal Person; because as the Jews said of Josiah, he is the breath of our nostrils, under whose shadow we shall be preserved alive (Lamentations 4:20). We are all bound by the sixth commandment to preserve, as our own person, so the person of our neighbor, though our inferior, much more his who is our Sovereign, and the Lord's anointed, who is worth ten thousand of us, as the people said of King David in 2 Samuel 18:3 – the chief pillar of the commonwealth.
{2} His honor, dignity and majesty, that it may have it’s due respect, esteem, and reverence which belongs to it; 1 Peter 2:17: “Fear God, honor the king” – and that both inwardly reverencing him in the heart (Ecclesiastes 10:20), and outwardly in speech, gesture and action, as Nathan and Bathsheba did Solomon (1 Kings 1:23, 31). We ought by the sixth commandment to maintain the good esteem and dignity of our neighbor by all good and lawful means – much more the king’s.
{3} His estate, i.e. his just and lawful revenue or maintenance. The Apostle says in 1 Timothy 5:17 that “they that rule well are worthy of double honor,” i.e. honor of maintenance as well as of esteem and reverence, much more he who is custos utrius{que} tabulae, the father of the commonwealth, and sovereign patron of the public good, whose care is for the whole kingdom. So Romans 13:6-7: “For this cause pay you tribute also, for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing, Render therefore to all their due, tribute,” etc.
[3] Thirdly, we promise, vow and protest, with our lives, power and estates, to maintain and defend the power and privileges of Parliament. What these are we may in part see in their own declaration published January 17th, and some others of theirs published since.
And there is great reason why we should maintain them in all their just rights and privileges.
{1} Because these are the most happy constitutions, and most effectual for the public good that this or any kingdom can have. And this his royal majesty himself has most princely professed, That often parliaments are the fittest means to keep correspondence between his majesty and his people, and that he will always maintain their privileges as his own prerogative, and their persons as the persons of his dearest children. Yea, this was acknowledged and professed by the Earl of Strafford a little before his death. I did always think the parliaments of England were the happiest constitutions that any kingdom or any nation lived under, and under God the means of making king and people happy. Parliaments are (as one saith truly) the glory, safety and sinews of our nation, the privileges whereof, if once impeached, farewell all that is glorious in free subjects. These have been secunda tabula post naufragium, the only means to save a sinking state, the refuge of the oppressed – the want and breach of which was a main cause of all our miseries of late years, and is now in a manner the only means of recovery.
{2} In these our welfare, laws and liberties, and the comfortable enjoyment of all we have is involved, we stand or fall with them, if they be broken and destroyed, we all extremely suffer and perish with them, if they be kept and preserved we prosper and flourish; therefore great reason we should endeavor what in us lies to defend and maintain the power and privileges of Parliament.
{3} They are persons chosen and entrusted by ourselves, to hear our cries, remove our grievances, supply our wants, settle our religion and peace against the plots and doings of all public and private enemies of church and state, or ourselves; they bear the burden for us, spend their time and strength, employ their gifts and engage their estates, lives and all for us, and therefore we are all deeply engaged to defend and maintain them, and all their just and honorable actions, and stick unto them, to stand or fall with them: therefore it is that very many thousands from most of the counties in this kingdom and principality of Wales, do in their petitions offer themselves, their persons, lives, and estates, to defend and maintain, as the king’s majesty, so his Parliament in all their just proceedings for the public good.
Thus we see there is great reason, why we should with our lives, power and estates, by all lawful ways and means, maintain and defend the true Reformed Protestant religion, the king’s majesty's royal person, honor, and estate, and the Parliament.
Those three cannot be separated without utter ruin or extreme danger to all three, therefore whosoever goes about to separate and divide these, the true Protestant religion, king, and Parliament, or does give any council, or endeavor to set or maintain division or dislike between the king and the Parliament, is by both Houses of Parliament, declared a public enemy of the state and peace of this kingdom, and shall be inquired of, and proceeded against accordingly.
The rebels in Ireland did most shamefully and impudently pretend, and still do in their protestations and their oath also, to defend and maintain the king and his privileges and prerogative, and yet notwithstanding their deep vows and solemn oaths they do clean contrary. Can they possibly be thought to be and stand for the king, that do most barbarously destroy, abuse, and spoil his best subjects, fire his towns, take his castles, forts, and holds? You may be assured that whatsoever the papist and their adherents and abettors here, do or may pretend, they have the same spirit and principles, and will do as their brethren and confederates in Ireland have done, if, and so soon as they have power and opportunity.
It is a legal principle that the king is the head and the Parliament the representative body of the kingdom, so that he that goes about to divide these, doth as he that cuts off the head from the body natural, or destroys the body natural, and yet says he loves the head, seeks to advance and honor the head.
I must therefore here say as our Savior in another case, “These whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder.” It was the policy and advice of a Machiavelian to subdue an enemy, Divide & regna, divide them and you may easily overcome them and rule over them. A faggot or bundle of sticks while tied together, there is no breaking of them, but take them a sunder and then you may easily break them all, one after another: So here while these three concur together, we need not fear all the adversaries in the world, the pope, Spaniard, French, Papists, &c. but if these be divided by the cursed plots of the enemies, look for nothing but ruin or extreme dangers of ruin. And therefore it has been and is the cursed endeavor of our adversaries to divide between these, between us and our religion, and between the king and the Parliament, and between the parliamentary houses themselves to oppose one the other, and so between the king and his faithful and most loyal people and subjects. But let it ever be our endeavor to join and keep these together, and the blessing of him who is the God of peace and unity will rest upon us.
[4] Fourthly, we vow and protest to defend and maintain the lawful rights and liberties of the subjects: such are these, That no man may break open another man's house, chamber door, study, trunks, chests, imprison or arrest his person, or seize on any of his goods, but by authority of law, that no tallage or aid shall be laid, had, or levied by the king or his heirs in the realm without the good-will and assent in Parliament: that no person shall be compelled to make any loans to the king against his will; that none shall be charged by any charge or imposition, called a benevolence, without consent in Parliament, and such like.
And there is reason for it; for these are the glory of free-borne Subjects, and that which does distinguish us from slaves and vassals; take away our liberties and bring in an arbitrary power, that the rulers will and pleasure must stand for a law, and then wherein do we differ from the veriest slaves in the world? It therefore concerns us to defend and maintain our lawful rights and liberties, even nature and common equity binds us to it. So that were there no protestation made and taken, yet we are bound as we are Christians by virtue of our baptism to defend and maintain the true Protestant religion against all popery and popish innovations; as subjects to maintain the king our dread sovereigns person, honor, and estate; as good commonwealths, men, the power and privileges of Parliament, and the lawful rights and liberties of the subject.
[5] Fifthly, (and mark it well) we are here bound by our solemn promise, etc., with our lives, etc. to justify, defend, and maintain every person that makes this protestation in whatsoever he shall do in the lawful pursuance of the same.
And there is great reason for this also, that we should mutually defend each other; for if any suffer in a common cause, as the defense and maintenance of the true religion, the king’s majesty’s person, honor, and estate, the power and privileges of Parliament, etc., all suffer in him, and therefore all and everyone should stand for him, as for themselves. The very heathens would not be wanting to their country, but in a common cause were willing to do or suffer anything, even the greatest dangers; and Christianity should not make more slow, but forward to all civil duties tending to the public good, upon better and higher grounds than nature can afford, namely: out of conscience to God’s command, true Christian love to our brethren and country, &c.
[6] Sixthly, under the like engagement, we promise, vow and protest, to oppose and hinder, and by all good ways and means endeavor to bring to condign punishment all such as shall either by force, practices, councils, plots, conspiracies, or otherwise do the contrary of anything in this present Protestation contained. As for instance, if (which God forbid) we should see or know any person that should rise up against the king or Parliament, willfully infringe their just and good orders and privileges, or endeavor to set or maintain division or dis-affection between the king and Parliament, or between the three kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, be his pretense (as Papists and popish persons want not excuses and colorable pretenses) he is declared a public enemy of the state and peace of the kingdom, and we are by this protestation bound by all lawful means to bring such a person to condign punishment.
So again, do we see or hear any, seeking wittingly and willfully to disgrace, suppress or bring into contempt the true Reformed Protestant religion, or to vent and advance popery, or popish innovations within this realm, to set up any wooden, stone or painted image, cross, or other scandalous resemblances, we are by virtue of this Protestation bound by all lawful means and ways, according to the rules of Christian wisdom and prudence, to bring that person or persons to condign punishment for his demerits.
And we have warrant for this in the word of God. Hushai the Archite did prevent the dangerous plot against David and discovered it to him (2 Samuel 17:7-8, 15. etc.) Mordecai discovered treason against Ahasuerus (Esther 6). Yea the very Pagans would do thus, endeavor to bring to deserved punishment those that were enemies to their idol gods, religion, king, country or public-wealth. And God’s Word requires this of us in Proverbs 24:21-22: “My son, fear thou the Lord and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change,” that is, to bring in any doctrine, worship or discipline, or anything contrary to the true religion or word of God, and the wholesome and good laws of the land, especially such as are fundamental; for their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruin of them both.
Yea in case of seducing from the true to false religion, or worship of God (as is well observed by a godly divine) it is clear that we must bring any to punishment, how near or dear so ever unto us. See Deuteronomy 13:6-10: “If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom entice thee, saying let us go and serve other gods. Thou shalt not consent unto them, nor hearken unto them, neither shall thy eye pity them.” Our love to God and the true religion, ought to overrule our affections to our friends and natural parents in the flesh, much more our affections towards others, which our Savior confirms in Matthew 10:37: “He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of one, and he that loveth son or daughter more then me a not worthy of me.”
And in case of the public-weal, if any person be an enemy to it, and will not be reclaimed, our affection to our country, and the commonwealth must overrule natural and private affection even to such as are near and dear unto us: and Cicero an heathen determines this among other cases, that if a man's own father would betray his country, and do anything that tends to the apparent ruin of the commonwealth, he must not keep silence, but prefer the safety of his country before a father, and endeavor to hinder him, or complain of him. This is just and reasonable, for a public good of such concernment ought to be preferred before a private.
[7] Seventhly, we also promise: in all just and honorable ways to endeavor to preserve the union and peace between the three kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland. And there is great reason for it, because they being now (as it were) one, the division of them or disturbing their peace, is the way to ruin all, especially in these evil times, when all our forces united together will be little enough and too little without God’s more-than-ordinary assistance, to preserve our peace, yea to keep them from sinking and ruin by the common enemy to our religion, to our king and kingdom.
And this is the first thing I here promised to speak off, namely: what we do here promise, vow and protest.
