614 ?be HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. VI. K. Charleal. !t Chrift's gofpel, the liberties of their country, the adminiftration of róß '° juflice, and puni(hment of iniquity againft all his enemies within the " realm and without ; and this they do from their very hearts, as they hope God will be their defence in the dayof death, and the coming of " the Lord Jefus Chrift. To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit, " be all honour and gloryeternally." Me hand of Then follows a recital of the ads of parliament, by which the reform- de'ence , ed religion was eftablifhed among them. But inflead of the bandof de- fence annexed to the covenant of 1580. they framed a new one, fuited to the prefent time, in which, after reciting the king's coronation oath, they declare, " That as they will defend the king's royal perfon and authority, " they will alto fupport the authority of parliaments, upon which the fe- c curity of their lands, livings, rights and properties depend, and with- " out which neither any law, nor lawful judicatory carafe-eflablifhed. " They declare the late innovations brought into the kirì to be contrary " to the doétrine and difcipline of it, and contrary to the covenant above- " mentioned, and therefore they will forbear the practice of them till " they are tried, and allowed in a free affembly and in parliament; and " not only fo, but they protnife and fwear, by the great name of God, to " refift all thefe errors and corruptions to the utmoft of their power, all " the days of their lives. They then promife and (wear over again, to " defend the king's perfon and authority in the prefervation of the afore- " faid true religion laws and liberties of the kingdom, and to afìift and " Rand by one another at all adventures, without fuffering themfelves to " be divided by any allurement or terror from this blefí'ed and loyal con- " junction, and without being afraid of the odious afperfions of rebellion " or combination, which their adverfaries may cart upon them. And con- <, elude with calling thefearcher of hearts to witne(s to their fincerity, as " they thall anfwer it to Chrift in the day of account, and under pain of " the lofs of all honours and refpe& in this world, and God's everlafting " wrath in the next." All this was fworn to and fubfcribed with great ferioufnefs and devotion, firft at Edinburgh in the month of Fehruary 1637-'8. and afterwards in the feveral counties and (hires, where it was re- ceived by the common people as a facred oracle, and fubfcribed by all who were thought to have any zeal for the proteftant religion, and the liber- ties of their country. The privy-counfellors, the judges, the bi(hops, and the friends of arbitrary power, were the principal perlons who re- fufed. The univerfitiesof St. Andrews and Aberdeen were faid to oppofe it, and thofe of Glafgow did not fubfcribe without fome limitations. There cannot be a more folemn and awful engagement to God, and each other than this! What the reafons were that induced king lames, and the whole foots nation, to enter into it in the year 1580. and 1590. are
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