A solemn discourse upon the grand covenant, opening the divinity and policy of it: by John Saltmarsh, Master of Arts, and not long since, pastour of Heslerton in Yorkshire.

A solemn discourse upon the grand covenant, opening the divinity and policy of it: by John Saltmarsh, Master of Arts, and not long since, pastour of Heslerton in Yorkshire.

Table of contents

Title page

The Printer to the Reader.

To the Worthy Covenanter.

Covenant. Holy Obligatory Principles.

The Discourse. The Power and Excellency of this Covenant.

Covenant. The Reformation Principles.

Discourse.

Covenant. The Princip. of Extirpation.

Discourse.

A Divine Rapture upon the COVENANT.

FINIS.

§

§

[Page]

A Solemn DISCOURSE Upon the Grand COVENANT, Opening The DIVINITY And POLICY of it: BY John Saltmarsh, Master of Arts, and not long since, Pastour of Heslerton in Yorkshire.

London, Printed for Laurence Blaiklock▪ 1643.

The Printer to the Reader.

[Page]

Courteous Reader, The Effigies of this Embleme should have been cut, but that time could not permit.

An Angell reaching forth an hand out of a cloud, holding a chaine, which is let downe to three women, each one having her arme linkt in it, over each a Title Anglia, Scotia, Hibernia, with Harpes in their hands, at the distance of a stream betwixt another woman with the title of Roma in a sad posture, her Tripple Crowne seeming to decline with her face towards the three; with this Inscription, Revel. 17. 1. And there came one of the seven Angels which had the seven vials and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither, and I will shew unto thee the judgement of the great Whore that sitteth upon the waters.

[Page]

[...]

To the Worthy Covenanter.

[Page]

[Page]

I Could have given more, and more easie and common observations; but these times call for discourses that worke higher, and more quaintly; I say not this to force any reputation upon these notions.

This Covenant is [Page] the most glorious rise of a Reformation in any age; mighty and powerful are the principles of it: and though this season of our solemnity be cloudy & our evening bloody, yet it is our Saviours interpretation,

When it is evening, you say it will be faire weather, for the skie is red.

Covenant. Holy Obligatory Principles.

[Page]

In Praeamb.Having before our eyes the glory of God,

In Praeamb.And each one of us for himselfe with our hands lifted up to the most high God.

Artic. 6.And this Covenant we doe make in the presence of Almighty God, the searcher of all hearts.

[Page] As we shall answer at that great day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed.

The Discourse. The Power and Excellency of this Covenant.

[Page]

A Covenant is the last resort of the godly and wise Christian; and with this, he draws himself neerer Heaven, and closer to that glorious Essence, and the immediate flowings and emanation of an Almighty power: A Covenant is such an Obligation, as layes [Page] an ingagement upon the soule; and as in tossings and storms at sea, the Mariners find out no safer course then by casting out Coards and Anchors, to hold them at some Period; so in civill waves and spirituall fluctuations, there cannot be a more secure experiment, then this of Covenanting, wch is like the casting out our Coard and Anchors as they did in S. Pauls storme, Vndergirding[Page]the Ship, and casting out foure Anchors. Covenants, they are Divine Engines, which the godly have found out to winde up their soules from irregular wandrings and strayings, into heavenly heights and stations, the onely remedy, and preventive against Relapses, and Apostasies; and those vertues & operations the Saints have ever found in Covenants: for such resolutions of [Page] soule are but the finer cordage, which the Spirit spins out and twists from the substance of its owne essence; and now God and his Angels have something to hold our soules by, even the operations and effluxes of our own spirits: and though God need none of those, but is able to keepe us up by the immediate and indistant workings of his holy Spirit, yet he is a God that is pleased [Page] to take us at our own rebound, and to admit us into that holy consotiation, Wee as workers together with him.

He that covenants with God, by that very act doth carry up himselfe unto Gods throne, and cites his soule to his Tribunall, and then the majesty of God looks on him with a fuller gleame; & so long as that glorious interview continues, or any sparkling [Page] or raying of it, man is awed from sinning, and stands trembling like the people of Israel, while God appeard upon the Mount.

And thus Divine Covenants, as they exalt and situate a soul in more glory then before, even in the glorious face of God, so they are the spirituall stayes, and supports, and strengthnings of a soule.

God him selfe first drew forth his owne [Page] essence into this course of Covenants to Abraham and Moses, and Joshua, and his people, and from that Covenant he went higher, to one of grace, besides the particular obligations of his, to Noah & other Saints, not as if he received any consolidation or confortation by it, or any such act of covenanting that hee had not before; not as if he begun to re-act upon himself in any new [Page] operation (farre be it from his immutable essence) hee was as firme and unchangeable in the eternall immanency of his own, before ever he passed himselfe abroad into any such act of paction: and therefore he could not shew himself to man in the likenesse of any other notion, than, I am.

Only he was pleased to light us by a beame of his own nature, into this duty of [Page] holy confederation, & to shew us a new way of spirituall advancement and establishment: how sacred then? and how inviolable▪ ought these to be? which are made with a most high God; when even pactions and promises and Covenants in friendships and lower confederations, are reputed holy.

[Page] Thus far of the power of the Covenant upon the soul in that grand and heavenly ingagement; now there is a power reflexive, and that is a returne it makes from Heaven, and in that return it brings with it something of God; for the soule going up thither by a spirituall might and holy violence, brings away from thence graces and blessings, and the resort of many temporall mercies, as when Moses had been looking God in the face, he brought a divine lustre upon his owne, home with him.

We see Nehemiahs Covenant had excellent concomitances, [Page] the dedication was kept with gladnesse, and singing and Psalteries, and the people offered themselvs willingly, and the businesse at Ierusalem, and all the affaires of Gods house went better on in all the particulars. Nehem. 11. 3. 12. 27.

The Covenant of Iudah drew along with it the like blessings; the Lord was found of them and gave them rest; and one more superlative blessing not inconsistent with our calamity▪ Maachah was remoued from being Queene, because she had made an Idoll in a grove, 2 Chron. 5. 25, 26.

And for this Covenant [Page] of ours I am bold to say, it hath been in heaven already; it came not only from thence in its first inspiration, but it hath had a return backe, and by the power of that reflexive act, it hath brought downe with it cheerefull concurrencies & contributions in both kingdomes, and there are divine stirrings, and movings, and aspirations in the people of late: and as in the Poole of Bethesda the stirrings and troubles in the waters were the only signe of the Angels comming downe: So these waters in both kingdomes, which in the holy Spirits language are people, doe [Page] stirre and move more of late, not onely in their highest and supreame representative, but in their own places, which is an indication of some Divine vertue, descended and co-operating.

Covenant. The Reformation Principles.

[Page]

In Praeamb.1 To endeavour the advancement of the kingdome of Iesus Christ.

Artic. 1.The Reformation of Religion in Doctrine, worship, and Discipline, according to the word of God and the example of the best Churches.

Art. 6.The unfained desire to be humbled for our sinnes, and the sins of these kingdomes.

Discourse.

[Page]

THese are such maxims as will make a kingdome holy and happy; for holinesse is the foundation and basis to all other blessings, and hath a perpetuating quality, and it is such a condition as God takes in at the felicitating of a person or people: Seeke first the kingdome of God, and all things [Page]shall be added unto you.

The advancement of Gods kingdom, was alwayes the advancement of the kingdome of Israel; and the glory of the one declined and set in the declination of the other: for the Arke and the glory departed together, and both expired at once in a dolefull Ichabod.

The advancement of Christs Kingdome hath been the designe of God from all eternity, [Page] and it is the designe of the godly too: God revealeth his secrets to his servants, and we have the mind of Christ. Now knowing so much of the counsels, and designes, and secrets, and minde of God, we are carried on by the same Spirit to be aiding to that designe: now though the kingdom of Christ be such a name as imports glory and dominion, yet it is not a glory of this world, [Page] but a spirituall glory seated in bare and simple administrations; such as are foolishnesse to the Greek, and to the Jewes a Rock of offence: and this kingdome of Christ like other Monarchies, hath its rise and growth, its ages & improvements, according to the propheticall latitude, being at no fulnesse nor perfection till the rest of the Monarchies be consumed before it: this is that small excrescency [Page] advancing out of the Mountaine, and by a power insensible exalting it selfe through all oppositions, working through Atheisms, Paganisms, Idolatries, Superstitions, Persecutions, and all the carnall machinations, into a lustre glorious, in the judgement of those onely, who can spiritually discerne: the advancement of this kingdom is onely attainable by a Reformation to the [Page] word of God; & here we shall take occasion to part with all the Models and Idea's wch are not to be found in holy Scriptures; it is markt there as a grand transgression to walke after the imagination of our owne hearts: and that was laid to Jeroboam's charge, That his Priests, and Sabbaths, and worship, were such as he devised in his own heart: God will indure no such rivallity nor conjunctures [Page] with himselfe: it is an incompleating the worke of God to build his house with our own timber: and as he made this world at first onely after the patterne of his owne counsels, so in this second work of the setting up a spiritualll structure for his glory: God thinks none worthy of coordination, in those things wherein his glory shal be sure to suffer in a distribution with his [Page] creatures, and his owne Image hath ever pleased him best, & therefore he made the best piece of his creation according to it.

And where this kingdome of Christ is, there is holinesse of Doctrine, holinesse of Government, holiness of Ordinances, holinesse of Life; GOD hath had a people at first whom hee made his owne, by speciall adoption, by eminent priviledges, by rare [Page] providences, by lawes and institutions, by worship and administrations.

And now because darknesse in part is hapned to Israel, God will still have a people that shall be his, and have their lawes and usages and forms from him; their guidance & providences from him.

This kingdome of Christ is a company of godly gathered by his own Spirit, having their Lord and Saviour [Page] in the midst, confederated by an holy and sacramentall paction, ruled by the law of his will and Spirit; obeying his cōmands, whither in silent inspirations or lowder exhortations, either by a word behinde us, and a saying, Seeke yee my face; or by outward intimations and interpretations of his will, from such wayes of distribution & administration as hee hath ordained; studying [Page] what will adorne the Gospell of Jesus Christ, and those that walke in the light and glory of it, Being transformed frō glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Now these principles, viz. The advancement of Christs kingdome, and humiliation for sinnes, are such as will bring God into this kingdome, and seat him and determine his presence, as the Tabernacle and [Page] Arke & Temple were the engagements and enthronizations of, & mysterious fixations of Gods divinity.

They are likewise an advancement of the nation too, setting it higher then other nations, that was the preferment of the Jewes, That to them the Oracles of God were committed. Therefore they were said to dwell in the light, when other nations sat in the Region and shadow of death.

[Page] And that principle of reformation according to the Word of God and the best reformed Churches, brings us closer to God, and consociates us with heaven, and makes us arrive at the highest mystery, even the deniall of our selves, our owne inventions, will-worship, and superstitions; pulling down at once all our relations to Rome and Popery, and working to the patern, so That [Page]things which shal be seen shall not bee made of things which do appear: we shal likewise be associated to the Church of Christ, and so incorporated more cleerly and purely and mystically, into the body of Christ, we shall be now in a capacity wth them to partake equally of graces and priviledges: and thus the kingdom of Christ gathers power and latitude, and stretches to the breadth of that [Page] Prophesie, Of the fulnesse of the Gentiles, and gathers strength too against the present antichristian Monarchy; & by that other principle of humiliation, we obtain the qualification and condition for mercy and peace, wee approach into tearms of reconciliation with God; if the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, God will forgive and abundantly pardon. What is it that [Page] thickens the clowde over us, but the evaporation and exhalation of our sins and iniquities, For your iniquities have turned away these things, & your sins have with-held good things from you.

Covenant. The Princip. of Extirpation.

In Preamb. Calling to mind the treacherous and bloody plots, conspiracies, attempts, and practises of the enemies of God.

Arttic. 2. That we shall in like manner endeavour without respect of persons the extirpation of Popery and Prelacy.

Discourse.

[Page]

HEre lies the propheticall power of it against the Church of Rome, or Antichristian Monarchy, and the bloody plots and conspiracies are such fresh remembrances, as seal us to strong and perpetuall endeavours; we can read in the leafs of our former ages their conspiracies still in [Page] red Letters, and at this day we have a succession of their bloody Designes, and I conceive the rise we take from their own foundations in blood, is but in holy parallel to him, into whose remembrance great Babylon came to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of wrath; and to his own peoples resolution, Happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us; and the treacheries [Page] and tyrannies of Gods enemies have ever drawn along with them this resolution in Gods people; Amalek▪ and Ashur, and Egypt, are standing examples of Divine revenge.

And for Extirpation, it is but a retaliation to their own just cruelty, who would raze out the name of Israel, that it should be no more in remembrāce.

And what hath their endeavor in our kingdom [Page] of Ireland been, but an eradication of our memories.

And our confederations now, cannot but be powerfull in the very notion; Nationall Leagues have brought forth great effects in States and Kingdoms, in the mutuall aydings and assistings; and therefore Israel sent to Syria, and Iudah to Assyria, and Iudah to Israel, and other Kingdoms have sought to one another [Page] for such combinations, in any grand Enterprise; That famous Designe of Christendom, which was such a universall confederatiō against the Turk, onely it was a Designe in a wrong channell; Therefore the more spirituall that Leagues are, the more powerfull; that which made Israel so famous in their conquests to Canaan, was the Association of the Tribes, and the Ark of God amongst [Page]them, therefore the Philistims cryed out, Woe unto us, the Ark of God is in the camp of the Hebrews; and when they marched with the Ark amongst thē, Iordan vvas driven back, and the mountains and little hills were removed, the walls of Iericho fell; And certainely this grand and blessed Association of the three Kingdoms, is a glorious portent to the destruction of Rome it [Page] self, carrying amongst them such an Ark and Gospel; this is the first time that ever the Sun saw such a Triple Confederation▪ against the Triple Crown, so many States, so solemnly combined against the Popish Hierarchy; this is the time the spirit of God hath set up a Standard; this is a fair rise, and improvement to the prophecy, When the Princes of the earth shall gather themselves together,[Page]and shall agree to make her desolate.

I know there hath been many confederations, but they were narrower then this, and so, opposings, and strong ones too, and by confederacies too; yet those were but single to this, when our Princes in their eyes appeared in their graduall Extirpations, our Henry, and Edward, and Elizabeth, when in Scotland, they against the French power and [Page] Idolatry, ayded by a power from this kingdom▪ yet these were not from such strong resolutions, such able Principles, such a sacred Covenant; they were but ordinary and civil contributions, & weak strivings, and so had shorter expirations, and relapses, and had little more of Religion, then brought them into the fields, and enabled them to break down Images: The Confederations [Page] and Covenants in Germany, so many Princes and States entring into a solemn Protestation upon Luthers discoveries; The Conferations of those in Holland, and those States in the Netherlands; The Confederation of those Princes in France; But these had their ebbings and flowings. But now, as if this were the Antichristian crisis, and as if the Reformation had recovered the Period [Page] of declination, three kingdoms strike into a sacred League; And now methinks I hear the Angel saying to us, The Prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty dayes, but loe Michael one of your chief Princes came in to help me, and now I am come to make you understand what shal befall in the latter daies; now methinks the set time to favour Sion is come, her servants take pleasure in her stones.

[Page] And for the Extirpation of Prelacie, though it be a government rivetted into our Laws and usages; and into the judgments, and Consciences of some, through a mistasten and colluding Divinity, yet let us not like the Iews, lose our Gospel, with holding our Laws too fast; I know this kingdom hath ever been a retentive nation of Customes, and old Constitutions, and it parted but sadly with its old Prganisme, and with its latter Antichristianisme; in the es [...]lation of Abbies and Priories; And hence it is that Reformations in this Nation, hath been with [Page] such little power and duration, for we have ever easily gone back with a new successour, never taking in so much of the power of godlinesse, as should be able to make us live Protestants to another succession; and especially the Superstitions and Idolatries of late, were woven with such strange and plausible Insinuations; Episcopacy was got upon the bottome of mis-interpreted Scriptures; and the whole Government upon a pretended Antiquity; and the Innovations upon a spirituall Decency and [Page] Order; upon an Ecclesiasticall Magistrality, and Reverend Infallibility, and prodigeous Policy; as if theire were no way to bring a Papist to Church, but by going with him to Rome first; if we considr well we shall finde cause enough to remove these as not consistent with the holy simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; nor the spiritmall purity; we were then trading with Popery, when we ignorantly thought, we had not enough to serve us frō the Scriptures of God, now we see they are perfect, & cōplete in Iesus Xt; let us cast away those weak [Page] & beggarly rudimēts, of the which we are now ashamed; & they do not savour the things of God, who would now (like Saul at Endor) raise up Aron, and the whole Hierarchy, and bring us back again to the Law, forcing us under that cool shadow, of Types & Ceremonies, drawing the curtains of the Law before the light of the Gospel; we serve now in the newnesse of the spirit, not in the deadnes of the letter.

[Page] THe next thing I observe, is the Politicall excellency, those sound maxims for the kingdomes duration, as the preservation of Parliamentary rights, and Nationall rights, and Royall rights, that they exceed not, nor exorbitate; and this is no more then to reduce the kingdome into its primitive contemperation, and to keep the mixture even: for we see that whilest [Page] the power of Monarchy would needs take in such poyson'd principles, as the Divines and Privadoes did instill, carrying up the notion of a King into an higher firmament thē its own, the whole State was in a posture of ruine: for nothing hath more betrayed kingdoms into destructive alterations then exorbitancy of government; and States must respect their fundamentals and originals [Page] in their present constitution; for those infuse secret dispositions into al the Orders & subordinations, and that ingagement inables to incline to their own interests; & then in their inclinations & pursuit thither, tumults and stirres are wakened, and there is a noise of some new & treasonable endeavour; when it is but the naturall workings of each degree for its owne preservation; & [Page] hence have these late aspersions been borne & received, the Princes and people being carried on by the strength and violence of a late predominancy, almost out of sight of their true fundamentals, till they have forgot their interests, & maligne those that would bring thē back: and for the temper of our English Monarchy, I will not say more to the praise of the constitution, (so [Page] many having spoken before mee) than its own duration, breathing to this day, under the succession of so many ages, and never distemper'd, but when the fiduciary power would needs be severer and taller then the rest, and entertaine designes of trying strengths & interests, to see If the fire out of the bramble would at length come forth, and consume the trees of the Forrest. And whereas [Page] there are some other subordinate principles in order to these; as the discovery of Incendiaries and Malignants; certainely they that shall suffer any relations to corrupt them to secrecy, are men of too narrow affections for the latitude of a kingdome; they are only in the reputation of Patriots and Fidelio's to their countrey, who have such a command of spirit, as they can open and close as [Page] the occasion of the State requires.

And I do further observe, that we are obliged to a mutuall preservation of the peace of the kingdomes, and in speciall of the Reformation of the Church in Scotland.

For the first, it is bottom'd upon the foundation of our government, which is a concentration of the three estates in one; and there is such a samenesse almost in [Page] the fundamentals of the three, and there is such a Monarchicall onenesse which influences into all, that if any alteration begin in any one of them, it will soon like an infection (where there is consanguinity of nature) spread and make over to the rest; so that there is as much policy in suffering our care and faithfulnesse to enlarge & acquaint it selfe with the interest of the other Estates, [Page] which are in no other sense foreigne, than onely in the distance of place.

And for the particular preservation of the Church of Scotland, it is as concerning an interest as any of the rest; what godly soul will repine to take up the care of another Church; he was (we know) a sanguinary man that replyed, Am I my brothers keeper? And we may take notice there how God [Page] cals for an account of every relation at our hands. It was an holy principle that perswaded the Apostle To take care of all the Churches: & the more neer wee approach to such endeavours, the more neer we are to the designes and activity of God & Angels, whose businesse and administration is universall; and especially should our care bee for that Church and State, which hath been the [Page] conservatory of the Gospell, and kept alive that holy sparke, which wee in this kingdom do warm our souls by at this day; she was that Philadelphia who kept the Word of his patience.

Nor let any complain of restraints in this our Covenant, as if we multiplyed unnecessary oaths, as if like Sauls oath it had troubled the land, there is no such true Liberty, as in these holy restraints; [Page] nor is it any diminutiō to our christian Latitude, that we cannot transgresse nor exceed in this or that; it is rather the sublimation of our Liberty, and a deliverance into the glorious liberty of the sons of God; and as it is the highest perfection, non posse peccare, not to be able to transgresse; so our estate and condition in this our Covenant, is a degree to that, for God, Angels, [Page] and Saints, are not lesse perfect, nor lesse free, because they cannot sin, but is a firmation of soule in the height of holinesse, for as it is the highest aggravation of sin, not to be able to do good, so it is the highest perfection of goodnesse not to be able to do ill; so that I know none that hath a spirituall and discerning soule, that will complaine for want of liberty to transgresse; or that he is in heaven before his time; such chaines are but chaines of gold, nay, but the bracelets of the spouse, and as ir is the devills and reprobates torment and [Page] misery to be held in chaines of darkenesse, so it is the glory of the blessed Saints and Angels to be held in such chaines of light and holinesse; and none but Libertines will complaine, that they are walled in, and that their lusts have not liberty to anger God, and undoe their Country.

I observe another transcendency in it, there have been many Coven [...]nts taken by the people of God, Iosiahs, Iehoshaphats, and Nehemiahs, the Forraigne Protestations and those of our owne, yet none that hath such a Spirituall and [Page] Politicall breadth in it, reaching not only to Nationalls, but all particulars; and taking in the furthest, and most forraigne necessary, and circumstance either in state, or Church.

I might take in other particulars, but they are such as cleere up to your first discovery, only my thoughts have rouled up themselves into this conclusion.

Since the Covenant is of this transcendency and excellency, so solemn and sacred, it were fit there were some holy designe, to worke it more close to the soules of those that [Page] take it, all our happinesse spirituall and civill is now in the successe of our confederation with our God, & therefore there would be as much holy art used in preserving the spirits of people in that height of Covenanting, as there was used in the raysing them up; God himself makes conservation as much his businesse as the creation of the world, and therefore some make it the same act repeated againe.

I should thinke it not unnecessary, that those parts in it which have most of the attestations, & invocation, & imprecation, [Page] and most of the Politicall and civill advantages, be set on by the ministery in frequent inculcations, even to a Catechizing, and by a civill ordinance, or law to that purpose to reminde the ministery, for we complaine of looseness and neglect in former Covenants, and we take no care to enquire into the reasons, & remedies; and certainly the sudden laying aside such nationall & obligatory doctrins, & making them but the musick and solemnity of one day, is the only reason of our relaxations, & apostacies, when as having got the [Page] Soules of men into a Covenanting station, we should apply our strengths and honest designes to keepe them there.

A Divine Rapture upon the COVENANT.

CHildren of Sion, rise, and sit not on

Those flowry banks of Babylō ▪

Her streams are muddy and impure, and know

Her channel's bloody where they flow.

Oh! let us to a Region, where we may

Bathe in pure waters every day,

Waters of Life, and happinesse, which have

A Chrystall Grate in every wave▪

We all make ready to be gone, and mean

[Page] Never to see those banks again▪

Oh stay not, till heavē scourge you with a rod

Vnto the city of your God.

See here a chain of Pearl, and watry dew

Wept from the side of God for you;

See here a chain of Rubies from each wound,

Let down in Purple to the ground:

Come tye your hearts with ours, to make one Ring,

And thred them on our golden string:

Great God, let down some glorious beam of thine,

To winde about his soul and mine▪

And every ones; then we shall joyfull be,

Made sure to heaven and Thee.

Information about this book

Title statement

A solemn discourse upon the grand covenant, opening the divinity and policy of it: by John Saltmarsh, Master of Arts, and not long since, pastour of Heslerton in Yorkshire.

Saltmarsh, John, d. 1647.

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1643

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2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

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A93701

ID [STC]

Wing S501

ID [STC]

Thomason E1208_1

ID [STC]

ESTC R208789

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99867712

ID [PROQUEST]

99867712

ID [VID]

120034

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— A solemn discourse upon the grand covenant, opening the divinity and policy of it: by John Saltmarsh, Master of Arts, and not long since, pastour of Heslerton in Yorkshire., Saltmarsh, John, d. 1647..

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72 p.

Printed for Laurence Blaiklock,. London :: 1643.. (Annotation on Thomason copy: "Octob: 12th".) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.