What fhould I fay more of him? over and above all thefe Things, he had a certaine Kind of extraordinary unfpeakable Excellency, my fraile Penne, and dull Stile not being able to expreffe the fame, gathered (out of Question) by him long agoe from the plentifull Garden of the King his Fathers all admired Bazilicondoron, long fince in his Youth dedicated unto him.

I dare fweate, none will thinke an ill Thought, much leffe fpeake an ill Word of him, unleffe it be fome Janus-faced Machivillian, or hollow-hearted Gunpowderers, who as they would have blowne up King, Progeny, and State, cannot choofe now but barke against him, who was a Terrour to all the Papists in Christendome.

As he was a Man, no queftion but he had Imperfections as others (otherwife he could not have converfed with Men) which I profeffe, I neither knew, nor delighted to fearch after; or if I had, you know of all others, I am rather bound to cover and conceale the fame with Shem and Japhet, than with Ham to fhew his Nakedneffe; if I were able, yet certainely whatsoever they were, fuch a Number of noble Vertues did cover and weigh downe the fame, eclipfing their Light, that they could not easily be perceived, unleffe it were perhaps by fome maliciously bent, who though they might have gathered great Store of Honey, have rather chofen (like Drones) to open the Gall; whom I alfo leave to the Gall of Bitterneffe, untill it confume them.

Wherefore now fince his Soule refteth in Heaven (whereof I intreat you doubt not) let us alfo leave him: For his good Life in generall, his unfaigned Love to Religion, his Love to good Men, his found and saving Knowledge, and Practice of the fame, his attentive and reverent Hearing of the Word, his humble flexible Heart, easily caft downe and drawne by the fame, with many other good Things, which were in him, are fure Signes of the Favour of GoD, and confequently of his Salvation. To which if we confider with what innumerable Prayers, and ftrong Cries, his Soule was attended unto Heaven, we may reft fully fatisfied of his Felicity: For although the Extremity of Paine from the Beginning of his Sickneffe, did as it were stupifie and bereave him of Senfe, that he could not give those wifhed Teftimonies to the World at full; (the LORD choofing to try him in the Furnace of Affliction) yet fince we fhall be judged not according to our Death, but according to our Life; (although his Death in fuch an Extremity, as is fhewed, was very good) we may certainely conclude, that his Soule now praifeth Go D.

Wherefore when we miffe him where we were wont to fee him, let us lift up our Mindes to a higher Watch-tower, remembring that his Soule now refteth in Heaven, where all Cares, Troubles, Sores, Sickneffes, Croffes, and Afflictions, shall no more annoy him; where the Feares, Jarres, Jealoufies, Discontentments, Mutinies, Uproares, and Diffentions of State shall never vex him; where he fhall hunger no more, thirft no more, defire no more, having all Tears wiped from his Eyes, in Place of those fraile ones, which could not here endure the Sight of the Candle, now beholding Him whose Eyes are tenne thoufand Times brighter than the Sunne, following the Lambe

whither

whitherfoever he goeth, and in the Heaven of Heavens injoying the bleffed Fruition of his GoD, in the Company of Millions of his Saints and Angels, waiting for the full Revelation and Felicitie of the Sonnes of GoD, and Renovation of us all, when GOD fhall be All in All; where let us leave him (of whom we are not worthy untill we be gathered unto him) admiring his incomprehenfible Wisdome which did bereave us, untill he let us know by Experience, how he will bring Light out of Darkeneffe: For fince he is Goodneffe it felfe, his Will (whatsoever it be) muft needs be good : And I pray you, what, how many, how great, and how wonderfull Things hath the Almighty done with this one Blow? In humbling of fome, curbing the Pride of others, cafting fome downe, and againe in raising up of others, letting all fee, as in a Mirrour, the vaine Inconftancie of Greatneffe, making fome others inexcufable, if they receive no good from fo fenfible a Leffon, with infinite more, knowne onely to the All-fufficient, All-feeing Majefty.

Let us therefore admire the infinite and incomprehenfible Wisdome of Almighty God, which fo foone tranflated him from this Vale of Darknesse, and Mifery, into that marvellous Joy and Light, although it feem strange unto our blind Eyes: For what know we but that the boyling head-strong Paffions of Youth, evill Company (which corrupteth good Manners) the Raines of Liberty, the Corruption of Time, with infinite other Inticements, whereunto Flesh and Blood are prone, might have corrupted him, when dying with a confumed Body, and a more corrupted Soule, he might with an evill Confcience (though full of Years) have gone to the Grave, with farre more Hatred, loaded with innumerable more Sinnes, than now he did; when by the contrary, with the Love, Prayers, and Teares of all, he was attended. unto Heaven.

Thus have I beene bold to trouble you, and out of my Love (for fatisfying your Curiofity) to exceede the Bounds of a fhort Letter; which if you mildly cenfure, with an impartiall Judgement, pardoning and excufing what you finde amiffe, you fhall encourage me ever to remaine, as ftill I am

Reasons of the present Judgement of the Universitie of OXFORD, concerning The Solemn League and Covenant; The Negative Oath; The Ordinances concerning Discipline and Worship. Approved by general Confent in a full Convocation, June 1ft, 1647. And prefented to Confideration.

M.ET.

A Solemn League and Covenant, for Reformation, and Defence of Religion, the Honour and Happineffe of the KING, and the Peace and Safety of the three Kingdoms, England, Scotland, and Ireland.

W

E Noblemen, Barons, Knights, Gentlemen, Citizens, Burgesses, Minifters of the Gospel, and Commons of all Sorts in the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by the Providence of God living under one King, and being of one Reformed Religion, having before our Eyes the Glory of God, and the Advancement of the Kingdom, of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Christ, the Honour and Happinesse of the King's Majesty, and His Pofterity, and the true publick Liberty, Safety, and Peace of the Kingdoms, wherein every one's private Condition is included, and calling to Mind the treacherous and bloody Plots, Confpiracies, Attempts, and Practices of the Enemies of God against the true Religion, and Profeffors thereof, in all Places, especially in these three Kingdoms, ever fince the Reformation of Religion, and how much their Rage, Power, and Prefumption are of late, and at this Time increafed and exercifed; whereof the deplorable Estate of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland, the diftreffed Eftate of the Church and Kingdom of England, and the dangerous Etate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland, are present and publick Testi- . monies; We have now, at last, (after other Means of Supplication, Remonftrance, Proteftations, and Sufferings) for the Prefervation of our felves and our Religion from utter Ruine and Destruction, according to the commendable Practice of thefe Kingdoms in former Times, and the Examples of God's People in other Nations, after mature Deliberation refolved and determined to enter into a mutual and jolemn League and Covenant, wherein we all fubfcribe, and each one of us for himself, with our Hands lifted up to the most High God, do fwear:

TH

I.

HAT we fhall fincerely, really, and conftantly, through the Grace of God, endeavour in our feverall Places and Callings, the Prefervation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland, in Doctrine, Worship, Difcipline and Government, against our common Enemies; the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland, in Doctrine, Worship, Difcipline and Government, according to the Word of God, and the Example

of

of the best reformed Churches: And fhall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms, to the nearest Conjunction and Uniformity in Religion, Confeffion of Faith, Form of Church Government, Directory for Worship and Catechizing; that we and our Pofterity after us may as Brethren live in Faith and Love, and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us. II.

That we shall in like Manner, without Respect of Perfons, endeavour the Extirpation of Popery, Prelacy, (that is, Church Government by Archbishops, Bishops, their Chancellours and Commiffaries, Deans, Deans and Chapters, Archdeacons, and all other Ecclefiafticall Officers depending on that Hierarchy) Superftition, Herefie, Schifm, Profaneneffe, and whatfoever fhall be found to be contrary to found Doctrine, and the Power of Godlineffe; left we partake in other Men's Sins, and thereby be in Danger to receive of their Plagues, and that the Lord may be one, and his Name one in the three Kingdoms.

III.

We fhall with the fame Sincerity, Reality and Conftancy, in our severall Vocations, endeavour with our Eftates and Lives, mutually to preserve the Rights and Privileges of the Parliaments, and the Liberties of the Kingdoms, and to preferve and defend the King's Majeftie's Perfon and Authority, in the Prefervation and Defence of the true Religion, and Liberties of the Kingdoms, that the World may bear Witneffe with our Confciences of our Loyalty, and that we have no Thoughts or Intentions to diminish his Majeftie's juft Power and Greatness.

IV.

We fhall alfo with all Faithfulneffe endeavour the Discovery of all fuch as have been, or fhall be Incendiaries, Malignants, or evill Inftruments, by hindering the Reformation of Religion, dividing the King from his People, or one of the Kingdoms from another, or making any Faction or Parties. amongst the People, contrary to this League and Covenant that they may be brought to publick Trial, and receive condign Punishment, as the Degree of their Offences fhall require or deferve, or the fupreme Judicatories of both Kingdoms refpectively, or others having Power from them for that Effect, fhall judge convenient.

V.

And whereas the Happineffe of a bleffed Peace between thefe Kingdoms, denied in former Times to our Progenitors, is by the good Providence of God granted unto us, and hath been lately concluded, and fettled by both Parliaments, we fhall each one of us, according to our Place and Intereft, endeavour that they may remain conjoyned in a firm Peace and Union to att Pofterity; and that Juftice may be done upon the wilfull Oppofers thereof, in Manner expreffed in the precedent Articles.

VI.

We fhall alfo according to our Places and Callings in this common Caufe of Religion, Liberty and Peace of the Kingdoms, affift and defend all thofe that enter into this League and Covenant, in the maintaining and perfuing

thereof,

thereof, and shall not fuffer our felves directly or indirectly by whatsoever Combination, Perfwafion or Terrour to be divided and withdrawn from this bleffed Union and Conjunction, whether to make Defection to the contrary Part, or to give our felves to a deteftable Indifferency or Neutrality in this Caufe, which fo much concerneth the Glory of God, the Good of the Kingdoms, and the Honor of the King; but fhall all the Daies of our Lives zealously and constantly continue therin, against all Oppofition, and promote the fame according to our Power, against all Lets and Impediments whatfoever; and what we are not able our felves to fupprefs or overcome, we shall reveal and make known, that it may be timely prevented or removed; all which we shall do as in the Sight of God.

And because thefe Kingdoms are guilty of many Sins and Provocations against God, and his Son Jefus Christ, as is too manifeft by our prefent Diftreffes and Dangers, the Fruits thereof; We profefs and declare before God and the World, our unfeigned Defire to be bumbled for our own Sins, and for the Sins of these Kingdoms; efpecially that we have not as we ought valued the inestimable Benefit of the Gospel, that we have not laboured for the Puritie and Power thereof, and that we have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our Hearts, nor to walk worthy of him in our Lives, which are the Causes of other Sins and Tranfgreffions fo much abounding amongst us: And our true and unfeigned Purpose, Defire, and Endeavour for our felves, and all others under our Power and Charge, both in publick and in private, in all Duties we owe to God and Man, to amend our Lives, and each one to go before another in the Example of a real Reformation, that the Lord may turn away bis Wrath and heavy Indignation, and establish thefe Churches and Kingdomes in Truth and Peace. And this Covenant we make in the Prefence of Almighty God, the Searcher of all Hearts, with a true Intention to perform the fame, as we shall answer at that great Day, when the Secrets of all Hearts shall be difclofed; Moft bumbly beseeching the Lord to Arengthen us by his Holy Spirit for this End, and to bleffe our Defires and Proceedings with fuch Succeffe, as may be Deliverance and Safety to bis People, and Encouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under, or in Danger of the Yoke of Antichriftian Tyranny, to joyn in the fame, or like Affociation and Covenant, to the Glory of God, the Enlargement of the Kingdom of Jefus Christ, and the Peace and Tranquillity of Chriftian Kingdoms and Common-wealths.

I

The Negative Oath.

A. B. Do fwear from my Heart, that I will not directly, nor indirectly, adhere unto, or willingly affist the King in this War, or in this Cause, against the Parliament, nor any Forces raised without the Confent of the two Houfes of Parliament, in this Caufe or War: And I do likewife fwear, that my comming and fubmitting my felf under the Power and Protection of the Parliament, is without any Manner of Defign whatsoever, to the Prejudice of the Proceedings of this prefent Parliament, and without the Direction, Privity, or Advice of the King, or any of his Council, or Officers, other than

wha