s8 The HISTORY of the PuRITANS. VoL. II !<.,.Charles I. has not taken the covenant. On the 29th of 'Jan. 1644. it was ~rdered ~ by the commons, that the folemn league and covenant be upon every day of fdfl:ing, and public humiliation, publickly read in every church and congregation within the kingdom; aod every congregation is enjoined tlJ have one fairly printed in a large letter, in a table fitted to be hung up in a public place of the church or congregation, to be read by the people, All young miniiters were required to take the covenant at their ordina– tion ; none of the laity were continued in any office of trufl:, either civiL or military, who refufed it. When the war was ended, all the noble– men, knights, gentlemen, and officers who had oppofed the parliament. were obliged to fubmit to it, before they were admitted to compofition, Abridg. p. Notwithfianding all this feverity, Dr. Calamy fays, Mr. Baxter kept his 10 4· people from taking the covenant, as fearing it might be a fnare to their confciences; nay he prevented its being much taken in the county he Jived in, by keeping the mini!lers from offering it their people, except King forbids it. the city of Worcefler, where he had no great interell. The king could not be unacquainted with thefe proceedings, for the covenant lay before the parliament and alfembly almofl: a month, during which time his majelly took no public notice of it; but a fortnight after it had been fubfcribed by both houfes, and by all the clergy and laity with– in the bills of Mortality, he i!fued out the following proclamation, dated from Oxford, OClober 9· in the nineteenth year of his reign. By the king. Rufh. Vol. " wHEREAS there is a printed pap~r, entitled a.fo!enmleague and V. P· 48z. " covenant, fir reformation and defence qfrelrgion, &c. pretend– " ed to be printed by order of the houfe of commons, Septembtr 2 I. " which covenant, though it feems to make fpecious expreffions of piety " and religion, is in truth nothing elfe but a traiterous and feditious corn– " bination againft us and the efiablifhed religion and laws of this king,– '' dom, in purfuance of a traiterous defign and endeavour to bring in " foreign force to invade this kingdom: We do therefore ftraitly charge " atid command all our loving fubjeCl:s, of what degree or quality foever, " upon their allegiance, that they prefume not to take the faid feditious " and traiterous covenant. And we do likewife hereby further inhibit " and forbid all our fubjeCl:s to impofe, admini!ler, or tender the fa id " covenant, as they, and every one of them, will anfwer the contrary " at their utmofl: and extreamefl: perils." His majelly fent the like declaration into Scotland, to which the ftates ef that kingdom paid no further regard, than to fend him the reafons of their
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