he have not his default is sufficient to make all the rest lyars who in that case cannot truly say We of all sorts calling to minde the Plots in all places resolved after mature deliberation Sweare c. 7. If it were agreed who are the greatest Enemies of our Religion we should be better able to judge of the increase and exercise of their power and malice Vpon that principle which the Scots have taught us No unity in Religion without unity in Ecclesiasticall Government we must conclude against the Covenanteers that they who sweare to extirpate the Government are Enemies to the Religion of the Church of England But if they intend by Enemies the King and Bishops and other misnamed Malignants whom they traduce for an intention of subverting Religion it is a calumny as void of truth as full of malice nothing was ever denied by his Majesty or opposed by his Followers which might conduce to the settlement of the true Reformed Protestant Religion And if it be such a permanent truth that when ever any man sweares this Covenant The power of these Enemies is at that time encreased I wish they would consider what a strange Enemy they have to deale with who growes stronger by their opposition Qui saepiùs vinci potest quà m illi vincere and take heed they be not given up to incureable blindnesse and hardnesse of heart that they cannot see or will not acknowledge the hand of God working against them and themselves fighting against God 8. It is not true that their Supplications Remonstrances Protestations and Sufferings have been any meanes to preserve themselves or their Religion from destruction First for Supplications we have not heard of any from Ireland without effect save such as are put upon the Covenanteers score Nor have the Scots been repulsed in any desires which concerned themselves it was their crime which is our misery they would needs be in alienâ Republicâ curiosi And such supplications as have been presented in the name of this Kingdome were either for fashions sake desiring the Kings consent to things they resolved to do without it and after the rejection of that gracious Message of Ianuary 20th which might have prevented all those unreasonable demands insisted upon since Non ut assequerentur sed causam seditioni To send an Army to present a Petition was a strange addresse of Subjects to their King Nor need they impute their Remonstrances of all the conceived errours in Government or their Protestations to defend his Person accompanied with a f Declaration against his syncerity in Religion and resolution to hazard their lives against Him and his Army which the very next day they performed accordingly but if supplications and sufferings were truly meanes why do they not continue to supplicate since they have no right to command Why do they not like Christians rather suffer still then offer wrong Rather submit to the Lawes in force then by violence compell their Soveraigne to receive new ones from them 9 Their Resolution to enter into this League for the preservation of themselves and their Religion from utter ruine and destruction implies a double untruth that both they it may be utterly destroyed Though our Bodies and Estates have been long exposed to the perill of destruction yet our soules are shot-free we may take our Saviours g word for it and Animus cujâ—sque est quisque When Pandora's box of feares and jealousies was first set open we were told of dangers though we could see none then save that it was certain ruine for any man to thinke he was not in danger but we have now too just cause to believe their predictions who by that artifice got so much power into their hands as is sufficient to undoe the Kingdome and by this Covenant vow so much obâ—tinacy as not to entertain any thoughts of peace till either that be done or they perish in the worke and if they shall yet will their Religion if it be that which they professe the true Protestant never faile for Magna est veritas praevalebit h the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it i it is founded upon a Roâ—ke and all the Enemies of God cannot overthrow it k because it is of God 10. The pretended truth of that which followes is obtruded upon the people to serve for a shooing-horne to draw on the Covenant which is falsly affirmed to be according to the commendable practice of these Kingdomes in former times The Subjects of England neuer entered into a sworne Covenant such as this is either amongst themselves or with other Nations If the late Rebells in Ireland did any such thing none but equall Rebells will thinke their Example worthy of commendation So then if neither England nor Ireland ever did the like tâ—en not these Kingdomes Scotland onely remaines the neare and neighbouring Example whereof l Master Henderson proposeth to our Covenanteers as worthy their best observation he would not say imitation for Examples are the weakest Arguments and in matters of doubtfull right those that urge them commonly go beyond their Copy It is but a poore defence Societatem alieni criminis innocentiam vocare Nor will the late Scots Covenant 1538 serve to justifie this now For first in relation to themselves there is a great difference in the occasion then and now Their Religion and Liberties they then affirmed to be invaded now they cannot pretend any such matter Secondly for the efficient cause that Covenant was made onely betwixt Subjects of the same Kingdome but this is a League amongst People of different Countries and Lawes Thirdly that was not without some stampe of royall Authority being alleadged to be the same for substance with the generall Band formerly subscribed and allowed by King Iames 1580. and enjoyned by severall Acts of Councell and generall Assembly 1581 1590. and to justifie their explanations upon it many Acts of Parliament were produced But this is wholly contrary to the Kings Command and some part of it against the whole current of English Parliaments Fourthly the maine matter in both Episcopacy though it was supposed or suggested to be against Law in Scotland yet was m not required to be abjected but the practice of it forborne and the matter referred to a free generall Assembly Whereas here though it be so deeply rooted in our Lawes that no man can tell what is Law without it it is vowed to be utterly extirpated and that without the advice of the Clergy in Convocation without a free Convention of both Houses in Parliament without His Majesties Assent or Approbation Fiftly for manner of prosecution n the Scots then professed to perswade not enforce men to Covenant disclaimed all threatnings but of Gods Iudgements all violence but of reason Whereas o now if their greatest Peers doe post-pone or refuse to take this Covenant all their goods and rents must be confiscate and their persons made
the glory of God and the maintenance of true Religion and weigh withall Their strength and His weaknesse at that time he having but a few men to guard him lesse money to pay them nothing at all to arme them save a good Cause the onely thing that his adversaries wanted and see how the Scales are turned since how they are enforced to call in Forreigne assistance and verifie their owne prophetick feare of invasion we cannot but acknowledge His Majesty found that blessing which he desired but whether it were the curse of God that thus farre hindered the accomplishment of their desires we are not forward to pronounce After they had been twice foyled by His Majesty first by His Pen and since by His Sword when writing and fighting would not serve the turne they fell to vowing and swearing their City Covenants led the way and to bring on the Scots this Nationall followesâ— which their owne elect d Orator tells them As it is the last Oath they are like to take in this kind so it is their last Refuge Tabula post naufragium If this help them not they are like to remaine till their dying day an unhappy People This then being as is supposed their Achilles upon which the fate of Greece depends I have adventured to encounter it Though I must confesse the mindes of all men being long agoe preengaged and the grand controversie not likely to be decided by any other dispute then of the sword Discourses of this kinde are much out of date Nor can I conceive what other great advantage they can make of this Covenant unlesse it be to enrich themselves by the injust spoiles of some few men resolvedly honest who by refuseing of it shall give testimony to the world that they value the salvation of their soules above that of their Estates As for those many softer tempers who may be wonne by perswasions or forced by constraint to the taking of it they will no sooner have opportunity to free themselves from those inducements then they will hold themselves freed from any obligations laid upon them by this Oath which is no other then a band of iniquity as I shall endeavour to prove by thiâ— ensuing Discourse CHAP. II. The Grounds of the Covenant and false Assertions laid downe in the Preface disproved THe more sacred any Ordinance is in it selfe the more prodigiously Sacrilegious is their sinne who would abuse it to injust ends Such are all those who traiterously affected to the King of Heaven without any warrant from his Law upon false suggestions and surmises of their own dare counterfeit his Signe Manual a Vow and affix his Great Seal an Oath to any illegall Ordinance of their own invention The Preface to this Covenant if it be no part of it as a Maister Henderson saies it is yet it containes the grounds of it which ought to be so true and evident as might be fit foundations to build a Solemn Oath upon so unquestionably certaine that at least the Covenanteers themselves should not doubt of them Whereas here they present us with almost as many untruthes as lines and some of them such as themselves know and confesse to be false 1. For it is not true that all sorts of Commons in the three Kingdomes either yet have or probably ever will take this Covenant nor that it is indeed what is here insinuated and commonly given out a Nationall Covenant between the Kingdomes When the Covenanteers in the close declare their desire to be humbled for their own sinnes and the sinnes of these Kingdomes as they put a distinction betwixt their sinnes so must they admit a vast difference betwixt themselves and these Kingdomes of which they are but an inconsiderable part I mean for their worth and I hope for their number too 2. It is not true that all those who take the Covenant upon their own Principles Live under one King the States of Scotland and the two Houses in England are commonly affirmed to be above the King at least Coordinate with him His authority is b said to reside with them though the person of Charles Steward be not there This indeed makes them Kings but not one King so long as England and Scotland are not one Kingdome As for other inferiour Covenanteers they must be Subjects but whether to one or the many Kings let it be thus tried King Charles Commands they shall not swear this League the many Kings Command they shall and their Subjects they are to whom they obey 3. It is not true that all the Covenanteers are of one reformed Religion c The Scots have often Petitioned for unity in Religion and d professed there can be no hopes of it till there be first one form of Ecclesiasticall Government this being not yet effected amongst themselves they must not pretend to be of one Religion 4. It is not true that in making this Covenant they could have all those goodly things before their eyes which they here boast off Vision is properly of things present the Liberty and Peace of England Ireland could not be visible to them through the deplorable Estate of the one and the distressed Estate of the other Kingdome But if they meant the phrase in a figurative sense yet am I loath to beleeve they looked upon the Glory of God and the honour of His Maiesty with the same eye That they intended to make him a glorious God in the same sense they endeavour to make his Majesty a Glorious King 5. It is not true that they did or could possibly call to minde the plots attempts and practices against the true Religion and professors thereof which have been in all places ever since the Reformation It is now above sixscore yeers since Luther first broke the ice no doubt many plots have been against our Religion or the professors of it some perhaps bare plots stifled in the wombe and never known but to the plotters others might come to the birth attempts and practices but at such a distance of time and place that none of the Covenanteers could be privy to them then or were acquainted with them since either never committed to story or those Histories not now extant or at least not read noâ— observed or forgotten by the Covenanteers who therefore cannot now call to minde the plots in all places ever since the Reformation 6. And if they have not done so then is the succeeding position likewise false they did not enter into this Covenant after mature deliberation Surely two or e three dayes after the first proposall was too short a time to ripen such a Deliberation But if it must be held an essentiall marke of malignancy not to swallow without chewing whatsoever is offered by such hands who pronounce the sentence by that Law Qui dubitant desciverant If any one Covenanteer be truly guilty of such a politique rashnesse as to sweare upon trust that others have maturely deliberated though
incapeable of any benefit or office in the Kingdome Lastly the case in England and Scotland is not now the same the edge of those Lawes which were formerly urged against them is taken off by a late p Act of Parliament Whereas our Lawes stand yet in full force and no man can be assured but the King may one day recover so much strength as to put them in execution 11. The next Assertion being equally false is equally destructive to the foundation of this Covenant which is not as is affirmed according to the example of Gods People in other Nations which Text if we expound by q M. Hendersons Comment either of the Israelites of old or the Protestants in Germany and the Low Countries of later times it will but serve to set out the ignorance or impudence of the Contrivers It is true the Iewes made many r Covenants but none like to this For 1. All theirs were terminated within themselves they did not vow the Reformation much lesse extirpation of any Common Enemy Syrians or Babylonians of another Nation or Religion for which yet they might have a better colour then our Brethren of Scotland now have 2. The object of their Covenants was not like this of oâ—rs no pretended Priviledges or disputable Liberties in matter of State nor any conjecturall fancies or probable opinions in point of Religion but either an universall obedience to the whole Law or a more strict observance of such particular Precepts wherein they found themselves most defective 3. No one of their Covenants was ever sworne against the will of the Magistrate but alwayes at the personall command and example of their Supreme or at least subordinate Rulers not opposed but countenanced by the Supreme A circumstance which had it ever been omitted by them might have been thought lesse necessary in regard the matter of their Covenant was alwayes enjoyned by God himselfe Next for Germany we must remember that Countrey is of a much distant constitution from the Kingdome of England Many Princes and some Cities there doe not acknowledge the Emperours Supremacy as we doe our Kings yet never made any such Covenant as this against him The first and principall by the Protestants at s Smalcald was not of sworne Subjects against their Soveraigne but together with their Princes for mutuall defence onely not to offend any And their last Covenant in the Pacification at * Passan after much effusion of blood and the ruine of many Noble Families ended in this that no man should be troubled for his Religion whether Romanist or Reformed Lastly the highest straine that I meet with in any Covenant made by the Protestants in the Low Countries is no more then this t To defend themselves and oppose the Inquisition The never vowed to extirpate either Popery or Prelacy though the Prelates were of a different Religion but in some of their u Covenants bound themselves to preserve them and plead in their Petitions for the expediency of tolerâ—ting divers Religions in the same State Nor can I but admire the confidence of that Orator who would impose upon his Honourable and Reverend Auditors a thing so contrary to all experience urging the example of those Countries for extirpation whose constant and continued practice in the toleration of all Religions is almost without example If this be not enough to disprove the truth of this ground their owne Writers * M. Henderson M. Nye and M. x Mocket shall witnesse against it who with one mouth confesse this Covenant to be such a thing as they never read nor heard of nor the World ever saw the like It is not then according to the former practice of these Kingdomes nor the example of Gods People in other Nations Onely the Holy League in France which y some of our Covenanteers so much disclaime was so fully parallell to this in all circumstances that if I had leasure to confront them the Reader would say Bithus and Bacchius were not more alike I could with a wet finger out of the z Authenticke Histories of that League derive the whole pedigree and progresse of this and point out thence the maine Heads and particular insinuations of such Remonstrances and Declarations as ushered this Monster into the world Sed spatiis disclusus iniquis Praetereo CHAP. III. The unlawfulnesse of this Covenant in respect of the Cause Efficient as made by Subjects against the will of their Superiour in such things as necessarily require his consent HAving discovered the grounds of the Covenant to be false we may well presume the superstruction it selfe is rotten and ruinous as will more fully appeare upon a strict survey of all its causes and ingredients First in respect of the Cause efficient which is the parties covenanting swearing vowing and inter-leaguing one with another the unlawfulnesse of it does appeare in this that it is made by such as are or should be what they professe Subjects all living under one King not onely without any leave obtained or so much as once desired but contrary to the known will and expresse command of this their lawfull King and that in such matters whereto his consent and approbation is necessarily required without which they could neither lawfully take it at first nor after his dislike is made known to them ought they to persist in it so as to hold themselves bound by it though the matter of it were in it selfe otherwise just and good For without controversie the parties Covenanting as to some parts of this Oath are as much subject to their supreme Head the King as the daughter to her father or the wife to her husband I shall not here need to question whether the King be Minor Vniversis it will serve the turne if he be Maior Singulis for in this Oath every man sweares for himselfe as a private person not in any publique capacity If then by the a Law of God the vow of the daughter or wife was so farre in the power of the father or husband that he might confirme or cancell it as he pleased and God refused to accept of it from the woman unlesse the man to whom she was subject did ratifie and allow it Vpon the same ground of subjection though the matter vowed in this Covenant were not otherwise unlawfull yet being such wherein the parties vowing are and ought to be subject to the King it is in his power to irritate their Oath to declare it void and null and if they persist in it they sin 2. This shewes the Covenant to be unlawfully taken but much more unlawfully obtruded upon others as a new solemne Oath which they have no authority to impose that do it The same Engine by which they dismounted the late Canons and diâ—charged that Oath will serve to fetch off any Ordinance oâ— Lords and Commons commanding this That a new Oath cannot be imposed without an Act of Parliament was a Truth so undoubted
minor make a maior part or some of the present maior part may dye or be removed or be absent or alter their opinions and so vary the sense of the Houses especially in that great businesse of Reformation in Doctrine and Government conâ—erning which neither the two Houses nor their assistant Divinesâ— as themselves b confesse are yet agreed Fourthly if it shall hereafter appeare that the major part at the time of their taking and imposing this Oath did understand it in one sense and the major part at the time of declaring shall expound it in another it must be doubted in whether sense it shall be obligatory And lastly if the greater part of Lords shall declare it in one sense and the greater part of the Commons in another whose Declaration must carry it Vpon the resolution of these doubts it will appeare that many well meaning Covenanâ—eers whiles they laboured for such a Reformation as themselves conceived to be according to Gods Word were zealously perjured by not endeavouring it in that sense which the Houses will declare was onely intended III. This maine doubt being premiâ—ed which has an influence upon all the rest I shall onely mention such others as I am perswaded the chiefe Covenanteers themselves are not agreed upon Where first I conceive in the top branch of this Covenant it is not onely doubtfull wherein the Doctrine and Discipline of Scotland consists which are here sworne to be preserved but how farre the preservation of them is intended and who are meant by common Enemies Since the ancient Confession of that Church has been so much improved by moderne explanations and all these confirmed by a Nationall Oath since their Discipline is such a mystery that many of themselves are not fully agreed upon it since their first and second Book of Discipline contain severall platformes and the Contents of those foure Volumes of the Acts of Generall Assemblies ratified at Glasgow are not yet published it is a hard case that any man should be forced to sweare to preserve what no body knowes IV. Next I cannot tell where to â—ix that Character of common Enemies which Master Hendâ—rson obscurely paraphraseth Syrians and Babylonians c and Master Nye more expresse but not more satisfactory tells us that Popery and Prelacy are the chiefe For considering Church government in England and Ireland is by Episcopacy and that of Scotland by the Presbytery this Covenant being supposed to be taken by all the three Kingdomes it followes that neither Papists nor Prelates are enemies to both Governments who stifly maintain the one to be of Divine or Apostolicall Institution but the Separatists are common Enemies who hold a distinct Forme of Pastorall and Independent Government to be â—niversally enjoyned by the Word of God and both Episcopacy and Presbytery to be humane inventions and Antichristian V. I am sorry I should be forced to question what is meant in the next Clause by the Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government of England Whether that which has been constantly avowed by this Church and accepted for such by other Nations Or if that Government be already abolished by the Votes of both Houses if the life and soule of that Discipline be taken from it by new Expositions made upon the late Act for taking away the High Commission if that Forme of Publique Worship the Book of Common Prayer be suspended by an Order if the ancient Doctrinâ— be already altered in part or in whole by the extemporary Declarations of an upstart Assembly if these Declarations that Order those Expositions those Votes be indeed binding to this whole Kingdome as the Covenanteers pretend they are it will be impossible for them or any man to affirme what is now the Doctrine Worship Government and Discipline of the Kingdome of England there being no Generall Forme left in which the Kingdome is any way required or supposed to agree and the particular Formes may be as many and different as the persons and opinions of the Reformers VI Those words following According to the Word of God are in themselves very materiall and the misapplication of them is a matter of great consequence I doubt whether they ought to be restrained to the Clause immediately foregoing touching Reformation of Religion in England and Ireland or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} they must be extended to the preservation of Religion in Scotland too and so every Covenanteer be bound to maintain that the Scotch Discipline Church Government is according to the Word of God I am confident the Scots themselves do now intend them and will hereafter expound them in this sense and I raise that confidence upon these reasons First because the Generall d Assembly that Church with the assent and concurrence of the e Lords of Secret Councell in that Kingdome have declared to our two Houses that their Kirke-Goverment by Assemblies higher and lower is jure divino and perpetuall Secondly because in that forme of this Covenant which came from Scotland the words ran thus Preservation of Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God Now upon the other part there is equall reason to believe that not onely many particular English Covenanteers as possessed with an opinion of another Government but that our Lords and Commons at Westminster do not in this point concurre with the sense of the Scots For first they f declare in answer to that Declaration of Scotland that one Forme of Church Government will hardly be obtained in all his Majesties Dominions unlesse some way might be found for a mutuall debate in framing that one Forme Whence it must be collected that the Forme they aime at is not yet framed and therefore not that which the Scots practise Secondly their reforming that draught of the Covenant agreed upon in Scotland and reducing that Clause According to the Word of God to a more proper place and swearing in their new project of Reformation to have an eye not onely to Gods Word but to the example of other Reformed Churches without any expression of or restriction to that of Scotland do perswade with me that ouâ—English Covenanteers do not conceive the Scotish Discipline and Kirk-Government to be according to the Word of God VII Their Vow to extirpate whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of godlinesse points at some new discovery not yet made I would be resolved who are designed for that inquisition how farre their Commission shall extend and by what rules they must pronounce what Doctrines are sound what rotten what they must take to be contrary to the power of godlinesse what not If Bishops be upon the file either because some have too much enlarged the Philacteries of their Authority or have been otherwise personally faulty or because Superiority and distinction of degrees amongst the Clergy are discovered already to be contrary to found Doctrine and the power
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} there will be no danger of breaking Priviledge But if all these were high violations of the Parliament Priviledges all the Covenanteers are sworne to enquire after and punish the offendors without respect of persons 5. I cannot see that those who had a speciall hand in the creation have ever had a due care for the conservation of many new Priviledges They who declared it to be no ordinary but a high breach of Priviledge to d intercept any Letters or Messengerâ— comming to or from the Parliament have since countenanced the interception of His Majesties Letters commanded the imprisonment of His Messengers and done enough to prove themselves either guilty of Priviledge-breaking or no Parliament Who if they shall pretend in case of Priviledge as they have done in point of Law that whatever they doe or command or approve how contrary soever it may seeme to be to their confessed or declared Priviledges yet must not be taken for a violation of Priviledge because it is approved by them in whom the Privilegilative power is supposed to reside I confesse this might be urged with good coherence to their other principles nor should I know well what to reply if I were not furnished out of their Store-houâ—e Where I find them telling the King August 25. 1642. that till he have recalled His Declarations and Proclamations and taken downe His Standard e they cannot by the fundamentall Priviledges of Parliament treat with him Yet within a few moneths after though the Royall Standard was not taken downe nor any Proclamations recalled those very men who before refused to grant are now f petitioning for a Treaty to His Majesty at Colebrooke and we find them actually Treating at Oxford Whence we conclude seeing they did afterwards what they had formerly declared by their fundamentall Priviledges they could not doe not onely in some cases they possibly may but in this particular according to the principles of their owne Declarations they actually did violate a Priviledge of Parliament and that a fundamentall one VII There can scarce be imagined any invasion upon the Publique Liberty more manifest or of greater consequence than is the imposing of this Oath by such as have no Authority to exact it and the submitting to this usurped Authority is in all them that take it a betraying of the Liberty of the Kingdome We have already proved that no new Oath can be imposed but by Act of Parliamentâ— Besides what can be more in prejudice of the Liberties of England then forcing all the Subjects to sweare to defend the Liberties of Scotland and the unknown Priviledges of their Parliament Are we not hereby made sworne vassals and slaves to another Nation Do we not give them a Supremacy over us or if their obligation be reciprocall yet I doubt whether in case they prove perfidious that will serve to excuse our perjury If by swearing to preserve the Liberties of the Kingdome they sweare as their g Expositours beare us in hand against all Arbitrary Power whereby the Rulers will and pleasure is made the onely Rule of the Subjects obedience their Oath strikes at none more than the Masterâ—Covenanters to whom I feare the description in that Authour is most aptly fitted New proud ambitious domineering Officers of the first Head VIII Seeing no Act of Parliament can be made without his Majesties consent no new Oath imposed without an Act of Parliament their pressing of this Covenant by any Ordinance their entering into League with two Forreigne Nations and inviting others to joyne in the like Association is such a palpable violation of the Kings Authority which they sweare to preserve and a contradiction so grosse as none can reconcile unlesse He to whom nothing is impossible IX What is the whole Designe of the Covenant but an apparent dividing of the King from his People Or which is all one of the People from their King What but a sowing of division between the Kingdomes by hiring the Scots to take part in our dissensions What but a sworne Faction amongst the People of this Land being a combination of some who confesse themselves not to be the Kingdome And yet they would seeme to sweare against all these in the fourth Article That they who here sweare against Faction and Division have been the Authours and are still the upholders of Division and that by Faction is plaine from their constant refusall to descend to any Treaty for accommodation First when his Majesty wooed them to it from Nottingham then when the most substantiall Citizens petitioned for it at London Againe when in Iuly last the Lords remaining at Westminster did Vote for it when the major part of Commons then present did entertain the first motion of it when the many poore People and the weaker sexe did offer up strong cries and teares for it yet so potent was the prevailing party of the Common-Councell of London of Master Pennington's election and therefore at his devotion as not to spare their greatest Patriots all their former service could not protect their names or persons from the rude hands and ruder tongues of those enemies of Peace from whom the poore Petitioners found such barbarous entertainment as pitied me to see I take no pleasure to remember Nor need I mention the many gracious overtures from his Majesty that have been spurned at and rejected since That which most irremoveably pinnes the Faction upon the Covenanteers sleeves is their entering into such a League as this with Forreigners which they would never have purchased at so deare a rate had they confided in the native Forces of our own Kingdome Besides the very ground of the Contestation decides the Controversie The Covenanteers fight for Subversion of the Lawes and Government established his Majesty as by their confession he is bound to do and his other Subjects for preservation of them Say then who are the Faction Whether they who willingly submit to all Lawes now in force and are ready to pay equall obedience to all such as shall be established in a free Parliament or they who not onely deny obedience but vow to extirpate the present Lawes and Government CHAP. IX That many particulars vowed and intended by the Covenant are simply and absolutely unlawfull HAving already demonstrated the iniquity of the Covenant upon such generall Heads of Discourse as by sound consequence doe inferre no lesse I proceed to the proposall of such other particulars as are found primâ facie without any help of deduction immediately unlawfull in themselves I. Such is the maine matter of the first Article if not of the whole Covenant The alteration of Religion in England and Ireland Which if it were false and erroneous as it is falâ—ly suggested to be yet being already setled by standing Lawes in both Kingdomes such as the King is sworne to defend as much if not more then any other for any Subjects by force of Armes to goe about to introduce
losse of the Head or by consumption of the inferiour Members these are scruples which others may resolve But if Treason be a charge which a Parliament cannot be capable of as they n declare it is and I believe it to be true because perhaps as some Romish Doctours have asserted the Popes infallibility teaching that he cannot erre as Pope for if he do he ceaseth to be Pope so if the maior part of one or both Houses shall consent unto approve or command any treasonable Act they thereby cease to be a Parliament who are presumed in Law to be no lesse than they professe His Maiesties faithfull and loyall Subiects Then if the Members at Westminster by raising Warre against the King o by forging a new Great Seale and declaring the old one by which they were called and do sit to be of no force by calling in an Army of strangers or by any other Act or Vote of theirs be trulâ— guilty of that charge â—hey are no longer to be looked upon as a Parliament Lastly if the equitable sense of the Law may take place here which has been pressed so much in other cases it must be acknowledged that the Essence of that great Councell does not consist in the place but the persons for the place may be changed yet the Parliament remain still the same When we see farre more of the Lords with his Majesty than at Westminster when we finde upon strict account that the maior part of the Commons are either drivâ—n away or have deserted that Cause when we observe how many Members of either House do daily hazard or have already spent their lives in the service against it when we weigh their qualities abilities and estates with those of their opposites and finde them to be men of the best ranke in their Countries of known integrity for their lives of unspotted zeale to Religion of sound judgement and knowledge in Law of publique thoughts to the good of the Kingdome as well as loyalty to the Kiâ—g which hath engaged them in this Warre by which they have lost more already than the opposite Faction ever had and expect to gain nothing but the testimony of a good conscience when we consider how many of those that are most active at Westminster by reason of their undue election had never any right to sit there and suppose that many others still remaining are not alwayes carried along with the streame when we remember by what meanes the Bishops who are acknowledged by Parliament to represent one of p the three Estates of the Realme were thrust out contrary to the Fundamentall Law and how by that meanes all succeeding exorbitancies have been falsly fathered upon the Parliament we cannot but pronounce upon these premises that the Parliament is in truth for that cause which is owned by his Majesty and not for that which passeth under the false usurped name of King and Parliament CHAP. XII The true End of framing and enjoyning this Covenant the bringing in of the Scots absolutely unlawfull HAving done with the many specious and pretended Ends of the Covenant we are come to the true End of Covenanting at this time which the Schooles would call Finis applicationis finis operantis This in particular persons may be divers as the desire of advancement in some the hope of impunity in others but the main general End which first set the Contrivers on worke about framing this Covenant and keepes them still at it by pressing it upon this Kingdom was the bringing in of the Scots a The Covenant is one of the postnati of that Kingdome it was begotten and borne in Edinborough onely our English Commissionerâ— played the Midwives and helped to licke it over into some fashion Vnlesse the Faction in England would engage themselves and their Adherents in such a Combination those conscientious Brethren of Scotland refused to assist in this Rebellion as they are now ready to do being upon their march to invade us A thing so repugnant to the Weale of this Kingdome that no true English heart but will abhorre the mention of it and so unjustifiable in respect of them that no Scot who has any sense of Religion to God of gratitude and duty to their native King or of brotherly charity to this neighbour Nation will ever dare to draw his sword in this quarrell I. First how farre it may endanger the being of this Kingdome to admit an Army of strangers into her bowels none such an infant in discretion or History but is able to descerne The calling in of forreigne Force if it were not Treason by Law is a thing so odious in Nature to any that is touched with affection to his native Countrey that his Majesties greatest Enemies could not suggest a calumny more malicious against him nor more powerfull to steale away his Subâ—ects hearts from him than by giving out that he intended to make use of forreigne aide when they supposed they had brought him to so low an ebbe that he would never finde sufficient succour from his own Subjects They are now driven to as great an exigency and make no scruple of acting that course which no necessity would suffer to enter into the Kings thoughts Such was his tender care and fatherly affection to His people He chose rather to run the hazard of His owne ruine then owe his preservation to any hands but such as God should raise up in his defence among His owne Subjects These waies of the Covenanteers doe both justifie the Commission of Array against all their former objections which grant it lawfull in the comming in of strange enemies and if His Majesty should follow their example and hire an army to assist him from some other Nation whatever were the consequents of it they must beare the blame that first led the way and he would be clear before God and man II. Secondly this intended invasion is so injust in respect of the Scots that all who heare of it must cry shame upon them who at the same time enter into a solemne Vow inviolably to observe the Articles of the late Treaty of Peace betwixt the two Nations and to endeavour that they may remaine conjoyned in a firme peace and union to all posterity and that justice may be done upon the wilfull opposers thereof and at the same time seise upon Berwick and put a Garrison in iâ— contrary to an expresse Article of that Treaty of Peace so lately concluded and setled by both Parliaments and are now upon the poynt to power an Army into this Kingdome whereby it appeares that though we made peace with them they made none with us and we conclude as a former b Parliament did against them that it were better for us to be at open war with them then under such a feigned peace III. They cannot say nor doe they pretend that any one Article was violated upon our part unlesse it were by those whom they come to
defend What cause then have they for this invasion Is it for their own necessary defence Nothing is threatened nothing intended against them Is it to revenge any injury we have done them If any were done on either part we have dearly paid for it already and by the Act of Oblivion all former bitternesse should be forgotten but Chi offende non perdona they wronged us so much they will never dare to forgive us Is it for the lawfull recovery of any right that we have taken and detain from them Nor so nor so What then is it which may give any colour of justice to this expedition Forsooth no other then the good of Religion in England the deliverance of their Brethren out of the deeps of affliction the preservation of their own Religion and themselves from the extremity of misery and the safety of their native King and his Kingdomes from destruction and desolation Ad populum phaleras We must be very silly if we be cheated with such faire words 1. Concerning the first we have already disputed and I hope proved that it is not lawfull to propagate Religion by Armes Nor is it true that those whom they call their Brethren in England suffer any thing for their Religion or need shed one drop of blood in defence of that power without which Religion as they pretend cannot be defended It has alwaies been and still is the passionate desire of his Majesty to preserve the protestant Religion and the just power of Parliaments He has often profferd and is still ready to performe to passe any Lawes that shall be presented to him for hindering the growth of Popery and securing the just Priviledges of Parliament He has onely refused to consent to such an alteration in Religion and Government as the Enemies of our peace would force upon him under the generall name of Reformation who are not yet agreed what is meant by it more then Extirpation And therefore if the Scots should sit still and hold their peace they need not feare the curse of Meroz when they looke upon the cause which these men maintaine Which if it were indeed what it is notâ— the cause of Religion it were but common to them with other Christian Churches which lye groaning as they tell us under the yoak of antichristian Tyranny If the Scots think themselves bound in Conscience and have any calling or Commission from God to be the Catholique Reformers of other Nations they should doe better to begin their Reformation in other popish Countries where there is more need of it and where lesse exception can be taken to it where it may be free from any suspicion of Rebellion against the Prince as being not their own Native King and of ingratitude and perfidiousnesse to the Countrey as having not received equall courtesies from them nor entered into the like union and pacification with them as they have done with England God forbid that those weapons which our money hath put into their hands should be drawne to cut our own throates or that our Kingdome should be ruined because they think it fit to be reformed 2. And concerning the second if they do not enter into England and lift up Armes against their owne King who as they confesse hath promised and done as much for them as may secure them in their Religion and Liberties we shall never blame them But if they shall conceive of themselves or be perswaded upon reports from hence that those who adhere to His Majesty in the present quarrell are none but a popish prelaticall and malignant party whereas it is evident to the world that the greater part of this whole Kingdome sides with the King otherwise their assistance had never been implored never purchased at so high a rate that many thousands of the best repute for Religion towards God and affection to their Countrey to the certaine damage of their Estates and hazard of their lives doe appear in this cause upon no other incentives but of Conscience and Loyalty it is but a groundlesse pretence in the Scots to talke of providing for their owne preâ—ervation against those that meane them no harme No pretended experience of former times much lesse any principles of their owne Declarations or conceived jealousies oâ— the vindictive disposition of the English can warrant them before God or cleare them to the world if they shall take advantage of our present weaknesse and attempt a conquest of us now because it is possible if we once recover of these distempers and be united amongst our selves we may be strong enough to resist them hereafter Nor is there any necessity that the condition of one Kirk and Kingdome either in Religion or Peace should be common to both the present evidence of their quiet and our unrest proves it otherwise And if we should ever be restored to our right wits and former quiet whether they consider the peaceable disposition of His Majesty His Princely Clemency towards all and tender affection He has ever borne to His Native Countrey or the Loyall disposition of His adherents in these troubles falsly called Malignant and Preiaticall whose constant practice hath ever confirmed their Doctrine of subjection to the Magistrate and to whose profession and interest nothing is more repugnant then a Civill War by which they may loose all but are sure to gain nothing or they consider the present condition of this whole Kingdome harrased and spoyled by these intestine divisions which will certainly produce this good effect that if once we see an end of these Warres we shall better know to value Peace hereafter and not be easily engaged againe From these grounds of common reason they might conclude more solidly more charitably that what ever be the event in England if they doe not imbroyle themselves without cause they may for ever enjoy their Religion and Liberties and need not feare an afterclap from hence And let them remember thus much more of Israels leading into captivity that they never revolted from their God till they first revolted from their King Rebellion led the way Idolatry followed after and both ended in Captivity God preserve both them and us from such a judgement But let them take heed how they dally with edge-tools how they make solemne Oaths to God Protestations to the world promises of Peace and Vnion to their neighbours when they intend nothing lesse How they begin a Nationall Warre against us without any provocation from us or previous denunciation from them contrary to the late Treaty onely upon conceipt that if the power of this Kingdome be recovered into those hands out of which it was wrested by violence and injustice we may possibly according to the Treaty within three moneths denounce War against them 3. And concerning the third if the question be not whether they should presume to be arbitrators in the matters now debated by fire and sword betwixt His Majesty and those whom they call the Houses of Parliament
they be Ecclesiasticall or Civill not in some cases onely but in all causes doth appertain Lastly when they were to take such an Oath as this without the consent and against the command of the Magistrate so utterly destitute of all the conditions required to a Lawfull Oath they could do no lesse then reforme the 39. Article which requires those conditions So that it cannot be denyed but they have strong inducements to reforme the Doctrine as well as the discipline and Government of England and as they vow them both in one clause so perhaps they intend them both in one sense the Reformation of Doctrine as well as Government must be a totall Extirpation of Branch and Root we must not have one chip left of the old block III. Their swearing the first Article to this end that they may live in Faith and that the Lord may be one amongst them implies that before and at the time of their entrance into this Covenanâ— they neither lived in Faith and so were Infidels nor was the Lord one amongst them and so without God in the world which I hope is not true But if faith be here taken for obedience as sometimes it is or for an assent to the truth of that Doctrine which is a acknowledged by the world for the Confession of Faith of the Church of England so I grant their late and present demeanour iâ— a sufficient demonstration they have not lived in that faith And I confesse we have been told in effect by some of their fore-runners that the Lord is not one where Prelacy is not extirpate b That the true Church of Christ consisteth of Saints Covenanted with God and themselves having power to Christ and all his Ordinances which the Assemblies of England want being violently compel'd to submit to another Christ of the Bishops devising and so are no true Church For the true visible Church is but one as the Baptisme but one and the Lord but one Iohn 10. 16. This was the scandalous imputation of the Brownists upon our Church in the beginning of their separation and it is shame and misery we should live to see it confirmed by a Solemne Oath IV. When they sweare in the second Article to extirpate Prelacy and that for this end least they be partakers in other mens sins this implyes not onely that Episcopacy is a sin which is an errant untruth but that if they should not labour for the extirpation of it in such a violent manner as they doe they should be guilty of that sinne This conceit was the maine ground of Separation both to the ancient Donatists and our moderne Brownists they both imagined that if the Church be any way stained with corruption in Doctrine or Discipline her Communion is hatefull and defiled and that whosoever joynes with her is c partaker of her sins and so in danger of her plagues Which is certainly false our Saviour did not partake in the sinnes of the Iewes yet he did communicate with them So long as we neither command nor counsell a â—inne to be done nor consent to the doeing of it nor commend it when it is done but barely permit it though it be naturally yet if it be not legally in our power to hinder it we are no way guilty of it God himselâ—e does permit sinne without sinne And if any man will be a Reformer without a Commission he must look to be checked with a Quis requisivit Israell sinned not by staying in AEgypt nor Lot by remaining in Sodom till the Lord sent Moses to call them and the Angell to fetch him out It was their affliction but not their fault to see those unrighteous dealings of their Neighbours which did vex but not pollute their righteous soules All sinne is to be avoyded but not by all meanes some are possible which are not lawfull Death is a certaine cure for all distempers but a man may not kill himselfe to avoyd intemperance nor make away his Children in their infancy to prevent the sinnes of their age The President of the New Assembly with his twenty assistant Brethren have published some truthes in this Argument which might have been of singular use had they come in time sufficient to stop that current of blood which has flowed from other principles then that which they now Preach to others but doe not practice themselves d They tell their more zealous Brethren who having conspired with them to extirpate this Government and sworne every man to goe before another in the example of a reall Reformation begin to gather themselves into Church societies Although it be the duty of all the Servants of Christ to keep themselves alwayes pure from corruption in Religion and to endeavour in an orderly way the Reformation of it yet it is an undoubted Maxime that it belongs to Christian Magistrates in an especiall manner to be authorizers of such a Reformation If this Maxime had been as well followed as it was knowne we had never had a Rebellion to make way for a Reformation How can they without blushing talke of an Orderly way to others who know their call and sitting to reforme where they doe is altogether disorderly But suppose the sins of Government did involve every one of our Nation in a common guilt what is this to the Scots Though Israell offend no necessity that Iudah should sin They may have sinâ— enough of their owne to reckon for though they should not sweare that those of another Kingdome shall be put upon their score and yet they doe it by vowing to extirpate Bishops c. least they be partakers in other mens sinnes V. That which they have undertaken to maintaine is not truly called in the sixt Article The common Cause of Religion Liberties and Peace of the Kingdomes The many Sects and different opinions among the Covenanteers and the reiterated desires of the Scots for unity in Religion abundantly prove that the same Religion is not common to them all And de facto the Religion Peace and Liberties of England and Ireland have been disturbed when the Scots enjoyed all theirs without opposition and may doe so still unlesse they will thrust their fingers into the fire when they need not The Cause of one Kingdome is not common to another though they be in subjection to the same King Philip the second might have done well to grant a toleration to the Protestants in the Low Countries though he had resolved never to allow the like in Spaine And His Majesty by reason of his necessary absence from thence may have granted some Liberties to Scotland which if he should doe in England would be in e disherison to the Crowne VI In the last Article they professe and declare to the World their unfeigned desire to be humbled for their owne sinnes Which profession the World that sees onely their Actions will â—carce admit to be true For it may well be conceived that the chiefe Heads among the
Covenanteers are the same that projected the Nineteene Propositions whence the World will conclude rather an ambitious desire in them to be exalted then any unfeigned desire to be humbled Besides it is not unknowne to the World that among other Sects which swarme in that great City where the Covenant is so generally taken the Antinomians for number are not contemptible of whose Creed this is a fundamentall Article That God sees no sinne in his elect such as they take themselves to be and they would think it a derogation to the satisfaction of Christ should they be guilty of an unfeigned desire to be humbled for their sinnes if any thus opinionated have taken this Covenant he makes the rest lyars as well as himselfe VII Lastly though it cannot be denyed but the present distresses and dangers of these Kingdomes are the fruits of their sinnes yet to undeâ—take as they here doe to determine for what sinneâ— in particular God is pleased to inflict these Iudgements upon us is an Act of State proper for such as are of Councell to the Almighty and should not be avowed by a solemne Oath without a speciall warrant by Revelation Besides I doe not find such a Harmony betwixt this Confession of sinnes here and that formerly published in the f Ordinance for Humiliation And it is not long since the Assembly informed their two Houses that impunity was the cause of those reigning sinnes Incest Adultery Fornication Blasphemy c. but they forbore to tell us who were the cause of that impunity were not they who pulled downe those Courts where such sinnes were punishable Amongst other provoking sinnes they make this one that we have not laboured as we ought for the purity of the Gospell I am affraid there is a bad designe lurks under these good words which the Covenanters are now in labour of probably the introducing of the long agoe pretended holy Discipline or some like Monster already Christened before it be borne by the name of Purity and Reformation If so then is it false that the not labouring for such a Purity is any cause of our present distresse For in all Queene Elizabeth and King Iames his Reigne and the first fifteene years of King Charles for fourescore years together though we wanted this pretended Purity yet we wanted not the happinesse of a blessed Peace Which in the Iudgement of our g English Solomon is a strong evidence that God was well pleased with that forme of Religion established by Law Yet was he informed then as Queene Elizabeth had been before by the frivolous suggestions of some light Spirits of divers errours both in Doctrine and Discipline which stood in need of Reformation Nor did we ever groane under the heavy hand of God as at this day till men of like humours upon the same grounds have reenforced those opinions by the Sword which their Predecessours failed to make good by Discourse These things if they be not all formally false because in some sense they may be true yet being not certainly true they are all guilty of a virtuall falshood because in some sense they are false and seeing no man can know in what sense he ought to sweare them now or shall be required upon his Oath to beleeve them hereafter he cannot therefore sweare them in truth and Iudgement CHAP. V. That this Covenant by reason of the many ambiguityes in it especially this Who shall be the authentique Interpreter of it cannot be sworne in judgement I. EVery Oath ought to be conceived in such familiar language as may be least obnoxious to misconstruction and though few or none can be so voyd of obscurity but a man disposed to quarrell with words may easily finde himselfe matter to work upon Yet in other Oathes all doubts of this nature may be quickly removed for when a Vow or an Oath is taken by any man of his owne accord he knowes in what sense he meant it at the time of emission and in that he is bound to make it good But when an Oath is imposed by the authority of another the taker is bound in that sense which the impoâ—er meant it so as it be not repugnant to the ordinary signification of the words and such as may rationally be presumed to be intended by that authority But if any man shall conceive the words of an Oath to be meant by the imposer in such a sense as he would not willingly swear but can frame to himselfe a different construction of them according to which onely he will take the Oath and resolves to be bound by it this will no more excuse him from perjury then if he should make all the Vowes and take all the Oathes in the world with an actuall intention not to be bound by any of them which is utterly contrary to the nature of all of them II. Vpon these premises I infer that the present Covenant cannot be sworne in judgement not so much because it is clogged with many doubtfull clauses which may be common to it with other Oathes as because it is infested with this one fundamentall doubt proper to it selfe Who shâ—ll be the authentique Expositor of it It should seem here in England by their way of proposall at first not commanding it by Ordinanceâ— but recommending it by their owne Example and a requiring the ministers to explain it to the people that the Members at Westminster desired it should be a free Vow and then every Covenanter must be his owne Interpreter not withstanding the many inconveniences that must ensue upon it For every man abounding in his owne sense instead of swearing union they shall sweare division and by their Vow to preserve all such as take the Covenant in the same words they shall be obliged to destroy all such as take it in a contrary sense to themselves But if this be an Oath imposed by the Authority of the remaining Members at Westminster for England the Convention of Estates for Scotland and I know not who for Ireland the clearing of all doubts must in equity depend upon the Imposers intentions This ministers occasion to many other doubts as first whether the States in Scotland and ours of England did not at first intend some materiall clauses in severall senses and whether hereafter their expositions may not interferre and neither being superiour to other what must be done Secondly whether all the Members of both or either House in England nay whether the greater part of them did upon the taking of the Covenant concur in the same sense if not it cannot be any way obligatory as according to the sense of the Houses Thirdly if there were a full agreement of the major part present in the same sense at the first taking yet hereafter when they shall come to expounding the major part then may declare themselves in an other sense then was first intended for either some other Members may come in by that time and concurring with the now
of godlinesse The same grand Enquest of Middlesex which found the Bill against Episcopacy may impannell hereafter and upon the same evidence finde against Magistracy The same Arguments which set the Rooters on worke will finde them more employment when this is done when their hands are once in they may proceed for a through Reformation to extirpate all Civill superiority all distinction of Lords and Gentlemen They who put these reasons into the mouthes and that power into the hands of so many knowne Anabaptists may be too weake to wrest it from them when their owne turne is served VIII In the third Article I bulke the Priviledges of Parliament so mysterious and intricat as no man dare undertake to state them truely and onely take notice of that passage where they swear to preserve and defend the Kings Person and authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdomes If his Authority were as well knowne as his Person yet might it well be doubted how farre these words intend the preservation of one or other g Mr Ward in behalfe of the Covenanteers gives two expoâ—itions of them for surenesse either that we sweare to defend his Person and Authority so long as he defends our Religion and Liberties Which is not so much as they sweare to doe for any ordinary person that takes this Covenant For they vow in the sixt Article absolutely to defend all those but here they undertake no more then barely to endeavour to defend the King Or Secondly that in defending Relâ—gion and Liberties we do defend His Maiesties Person and Authority yet may it so fall out that what they doe or intend for his defence may truely tend to his destruction And this we must confesse is not common to His Majesty with the rest of His people who as it seemes has these two Prerogatives left yet unquestioned that as the Kings Commands and none but His may be disobeyed by the Kings Authority so his sacred Person and onely His may be destroyed in His owne defence IX It is further to be observed in the frame of this Oath that contrary to the method of the generall Protestation the Priviledges of Parliament what ever they be have got precedency of His Majesties Person which alteration surely was not without cause It is therefore a doubt very necessary to be resolved when the certaine safety of the Kings person comes in competition with any of their reall or pretended Priviledges which is to be preferred Whether by this Oath they are not bound in such a case rather to suffer his person to perish or actually to destroy him then violate any such Priviledge or leave it unpreserved X. I likewise doubt what manner oâ—liberties those are which the Covenanters ayme at seeing they have never yet claimed any as due by law which were denied them I meet with a new word much in request of late in some Scottish papers The States and though it hath been naturalized by Act of Parliament in England I am not yet willing to understand it When our men would caresse the united Provinces they apply the word to this Kingdome and tell those High and mighty Lords when they complain of that assistance which His Majesty received from thence h We cannot beleive it was done by any direction from their Lordships Neither can we think that they will be forward in helping to make us Slaves who have been usefull and assistant in making them Freemen Whence we may well be jealous â—â—at by Liberties of the Kingdomes they intend no lesse then those of the Low Countries and till they can attaine to be such Free-States in their owne opinion they are no better then Slaves XI When they make it a part of their Oath to bring all Malignants to such punishment as the supream Iudicatories of both Kingdomes respectively shall iudge convenient it should seem they have lost a Kingdome already for {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} they begun with three Kingdomes and now here are but two left I will suppose England to be one and here it will be a grand doubt to determine which is the supream Iudicatory i Whether in some caseâ— the Kings Ordinary Courts of Iustice be not supreme Whether the House of Commons be a Iudicatory at all k Whether the House of Lords be in all cases Whether if they differ in their judgement eitâ—er of them be supreme and which that is or both or neither Whether if they should both concur in matters of universall concernment to the whole kingdome without or against the King they ought to be reputed Supreme Whether if His Majesty should concur with them in things concerning Reformation of Religion the maine businesse of this Covenant the joynt assent of the l Clergy be not regularly required by the Lawes of this Kingdome If this one question about the supreme Iudicatory were rightly stated perhaps all other doubts would not be tanti But this still depending we are left to uncertaine resolutions for all the rest XII In the close of the Covenant it is very uncertaine who they meane by those other Churches groaning under the yoake of Antichristian tyranny Surely none more than those of the Romish Religion who acknowledge the Popes Supremacy Yet Master m Henderson applies it rather to other Reformed Churches which as he sayes when they shall heare of this blessed Conjunction it will be no other than the beginning of a Iubile and ioyfull deliverance unto them from the Antichristian yoake of tyranny Who those Reformed Churches are I professe I do not yet understand unlesse that Civill Dominion which their naturall Princes of the Popish Religion exercise over them be reputed by the Covenanteers a yoake of Antichristian tyranny CHAP. VI That the performance of sundry Clauses in this Covenant cannot be without grand inconvenience or injustice RIght reason will dictate that we ought not to make such a promise as cannot be performed without manifest inconvenience and Religion will adde that it were a sin in such cases to binde our selves by a solemne Oath Many things in this Covenant though they be not simply impossible nor absolutely unjustâ—in toto genere yet in many cases they may prove to be so and therefore cannot be sworne in righteousnesse and judgement If I make good this charge against it then must it be acknowledged a rash indiscreet and therefore a sinfull Vow I. If a quite different Forme of Church-government from that of Scotland be approved by the Word or at least conceived to be so then all such as are so conceited as amongst the Covenanteers not a few cannot with a safe conscience sweare to preserve that Government in any Church which they are perswaded is not according but contrary to the Word of God Again the Discipline and manner of Worship used in Scotland are not onely alterable in themselves but confessed to be so by the a Doctrine of
their differences and so long as we hold to one immoveable irreformable Rule of faith as Tertullian calls that short Creed Catâ—ra iam disciplinâ— conversationis admittunt novitatem correctionis And if the nearest coniunction be not possible sure it is not neceâ—sary iâ— it were so the Scripture which is not deficient in necessaries would not onely have proposed fitting directories but prescribed set formes unto us and limited the times places and manner of worship Which our Saviour has not done being willing as it seemes to leave every Church at Liberty to consult with her owne occasions or necessities and accordingly to constitute as she should finde in Christian prudence to be most convenient for the exegency of the times disposition of the place and temper of the People The use of which liberty we have both practised our selves and allowed in other Churches It must here be remembred that this very thing which is now sworne to bring all the Kingdomes to an uniformity is nothing else for substance then what was intended by King Iames and attempted by King Charles and that upon better grounds then now it is they having both more authority to enjoyne it then the present Covenanteers can justly challenge and presuming to meet with lesse opposition then these have found For whatsoever have been declared since the businesse which these two Princes went about to settle Episcopacy and a Common forme of Worship and Discipline in Scotland conformable to those in England and Ireland was not at first affirmed by any to be so destructive to the Lawes and Liberties of that Kingdome as the now intended alteration is knowne to be against the Lawes of England and Ireland IV. If the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament were once truely stated which are here sworne to be defended with lives and Estates we must be able to make a clearer judgement of the Lawfulnesse of this Oath as to that Particular Buâ— this being a taske which we neither dare undertake nor can go through with it will be sufficient and perhaps not impertinent if we wave the two other Kingdomes and take a short view of some few particular Priviledges pretended to be due to the Parliament of England and see whether they be such as the Subjects ought to sweare the preservation of them before that of His Majesties Person and the publique Liberties 1. As a Councell they d challenge the Priviledge to be advised with in all the great affaires of Church and State whereas their Writ calls them onely to consult De quibusdam arduis And His Majesty is accused for breach of Priviledge because he did not aske their advice in some such things Yet sometimes e he desired it so much till his importunity was voted a breach of Priviledge Here he is in a hard strait like that in the Oracle Si fecero peribo si non-fecero vapulabo Not desire advice and break Priviledge desire it and breake Priviledge too 2. A vote is passed in Ianuary f thaâ—to arrest or detaine any Member of the Commons House without first acquainting thaâ— House and receiving Order from thence is such a Breach of Priviledge as must be vindicated with life and fortunes And yet a g Declaration is issued in November following that in those very cases which were formerly in controversie any Member may be arrested by the ordinary Ministers of Iustice and detained in saâ—e custody till he may be brought to the Parliament It will concâ—rne the Serjeants to be informed in what moneths this Priviledge iâ— in season and when it goes out 3. Another h Declaration speakes in this manner Though the Priviledges of Parliament doe not extend to Treason Felony and breach of the Peace so as to exempt the Members of Parliament from punishment nor from all manner of processe and tryall as it doth in other cases From these last words we must inferre that in case of Incest Adultery Fornication Idolatry Sacriledge Blasphemy Schisme Heresie Popery Perjury or what you will besides the three excepted particulars the Members of Parliament may sinne Cum Privilegio they are exempted from all manner of processe and tryall 4. I do not know the mysteries of some Priviledges why they are ambitious to entertaine Treaties with forraigne States but when his Majesty desires the like it should be answered i We cannot doe it by the fundamentall Priviledge of Parliament Why the People may take notice of their proceedings but His Majesty may not without k a high breach of Priviledge minde them of him who said He was not worthy to be King Why the meanest Subjects should be admitted to give in their reasons against established Lawes and desires of alteration and the King be l accused for breach of Priviledge for desiring them to retract a privat Order as contrary to an expresse Act of Parliament Why in Sir Iohn Hothams case all m interception of letters to the Parliament should be such a high breach of Priviledge and now his Majesty cannot send a letter but shall be intercepted nor a Messenger to them but shall be imprisoned if not executed by their Commands 5. It is a new peece of Law which our predecessors were ignorant of that all Acts and agreements made by any private Companies or Corporations by any Parish or County nay by any particular personâ— are of no further force in Law then they are confirmed by Parliament and that to make any such till the two Houses be first accquainted and their consent obtained n is an entrenching upon that Peculiar Priviledge of Parliament To binde all or any part of the Kingdome This was the ground upon which they cancelled those agreements made by the Lord Farefax in Yorkshire and the like by their adherents in Cheshire and declared that they who made them were not bound by them 6. The number of Priviledges in this kinde may be infiniteâ— yet we shall be able to set bounds to the measure of them by their owne Declarations Where first the Kings comming to the House of Commons is o affirmed to be the greatest violation of Priviledge that ever was attempted Secondly His wishing he had no cause to absent himselfe from White-Hall is p taken as the greatest breach of Priviledge of Parliament that can be offered And therefore the former must needs be lesse and if there can be none greater what shall we think of those many lesser which have made a greater noyâ—e Let the Reader say if he make any Conscience of his life or have any care of his Estate or beare any Allegiance to hiâ— Majesties Person or any reverence to His Authority or have any considerable portion in the publique liberty whether he can willingly according to the tenour of this Covenanâ— sacrifice his life and liberty his Soule and Estate to the preservation of all and every of these Priviledges and perhaps thousands more which are not yet declared so as to preferre the least
of them before the preservation of the common Liberty His Majesties Person and Authority For so it is declared q that the Kings Authority and Person can be no way maintained buâ— by upholding the power and priviledges of Parliament V. That passage where they sweare the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Malignants c. carries with it a probable injustice and certaine inconvenience For it engageth every Covenanteer not onely to be a common delator and accuser of his Brethren but even of himselfe too if he ever were or shall be any way guilty The old Oath Ex officio so long cryed out upon as unnaturall and injust that it was thought fit to be abolished by an r Act made this Parliament was not halfe so bad as this new Oath is For by this a man sweares to discover himselfe though there be no common fame against him never any suspition of him though no Iudge ever question him no other person accuse him though he be now reformed and have altered his resolution yet if he was ever peccant he is bound by this Oath to discover himselfe that he may come to his tryall and so receive condignâ— punishment VI That last clause to bring all to publique triall that they may receive condigne punishment carries fire in the taile of it sufficient to consume the better halfe of the Kingdome It is but a small matter to tell their Souldiers that if they deny Quarter to any Malignants in his Majesties Army they are guilty of perjury by anticipating that tryall which by this Oath they shall be brought to I shall rather apply my selfe to the Lords and Commons at Westminster who have already passed sentence s That all such persons as upon any pretence whatsoever assist his Majesty in this Warre with Horse Armes Plate or mony are Traitors unparalleld Traitors and ought to suffer as Traitors and their punishment is here Vowed as it was before threatened to be speedy and exemplary How the King of Denmarke or the Prince of Orange will escape does lesse Trouble me then to see the sworne cruelty of these Covenanters who have vowed the hanging of the greater part of this Kingdome and without any hope of mercy or pardon If it were to be doubted which party were guilty of Treason those whom the King hath proclaimeâ— or whom these Votes have declared yet this is out of question that many who sometimes assisted the one are now turned to the other side many yet perhaps assist that party with money to which they are lesse cordially inclined if all these as they are declared Traitors for so doing t upon whatsoever pretence they did it must suffer the condigne punishment of Traitors the Covenanteers will have as little comfort in the payment of this Vow as Iephta had in his If the City be not startled at this consequence yet for pities sake to their poore friends in the Countrey who have payed Contributions to His Majesties Army let them put on some bowels of compassion let not judgement so farre triumph over mercy as to vow nothing but punishment no pardon Why should they devote that little blood to the axe or the halter which the sword shall spare in this gasping Kingdome We have not forgotten him that told us what we now finde they were not in a right way that made choice of such a Rubricke to their Reformation And those who Sit and Vote and vow to punish according to those Votes may remember if we be Traitours it is not long since they were so and it is not certain what they may be VII When each man has sworne to go before another in the example of a reall Reformation he is bound upon his Oath not to expect till a generall Reformation be publiquely debated and agreed upon not to forbeare till he see whether the right rule will be commended to him in an orderly way he must not stay for the command of Authority or company of his neighbours but where he conceives the Doctrine to be erroneous the Worship superstitious or otherwise faulty the Discipline and Government not so exactly according to the Word he must presently fall aboard with his Reformation worke publiquely professe what his opinion is and apply himselfe to the practice of that which he is perswaded in his own conscience is right and must endeavour to set up that Idoll in the Church which he has already erected in his own imagination and labour to extirpate all that oppose it and refuse to bow down to it that so he may go before others in the example of a reall Reformation And surely those Brethren in London who begin to joyne themselves into Church Societies are thus farre to be commended What though it be as the u Assembly tell them unfit uncomfortable unseasonable yet being by them iudged lawfull now after they have sworne it becomes necessary And I wonder why the Presbyterians should not be as zealous in fetting up their Government and endeavouring to goe before others in an exemplary way I wish they would begin their Reformation in London with extirpation of Schisme which it will be no hard matter to finde and by that time it shall be extirpate out of the City Religion and Peace may once again revisit the Countrey CHAP. VII That many things vowed in this Covenant are not possible to be fulfilled TO make good this charge which is a further â—vidence of injustice in the Covenant as involving the takers in down-right perjury we shall propose such particulars as are either morally or absolutely impossible to be performed I. That constancy of endeavour and zealous continuance which they sweare to use all the dayes of their lives in the observance of most Articles is more than they can assure the work of Reformation may be longer and their other avocations greater than they imagine and in the interim of their hopes their endeavours may flagge and their zeale remit Besides the particulars of their Vow are so many and of so different natures as must needs distract their thoughtâ— and employments which being fixed upon some must divert their endeavours from the rest And if they shall in truth all the dayes of their lives endeavour to extirpate the Government of the Church they will never live to effect it II. The mutuall preservation of the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments in all three Kingdomes cannot alwayes be possible To evidence this Truth I shall suppose what the Covenanteers will easily grant First that the word Parliament is here secondarily if not principally intended for the two Houses in the respective Kingdomes exclusively to the King Secondly that the Parliament of Scotland if not that of Ireland hath as much right and priviledge to all intents and purposes concerning that Kingdome as our Parliament has in relation to England Thirdly that whatsoever Rights and Priviledges have been challenged by our Lords and Commons of this Parliament are
to obey but sweare disobedience themselves and require the like of all others if this be not what is it â—o absolve every man from that obedience which he owes under God unto his Majesty The same Authours told us at the same time g We do here declare that it is farre from our purpose or desire to let loose the golden reines of Discipline and Goverment in the Church and leave private persons or particular Congregations to take up what Forme of Divine Service they please for we hold it requisite that there should be through the whole Realme a Conformity to that Order which the Lawes enjoyne If the reines of Discipline be not now let loose amongst the Covenanteers in whose hands are they If private persons and Congregations be not at liberty what Law does restraine them If there be any new Forme and Conformity established when was it enacted Where may we finde it It will be said though they have abjured Episcopacy h yet they intend to consult with Divines about setlâ—ng another Forme most agreeable to Gods Word most apt to preserve peace at home and unity with Scotland If it were not against the Law of God to rob the Church of all Government as it is against the Lawes of this Kingdome to abjure the present Forme yet may it well be thought to be against common Policy to endanger the safety as we have forfeited the Peace both of Church and State by endeavouring to introduce a new Government not yet known of what stampe it is nor what effects it may produce To forsake all ancient and beaten pathes Et nova ancipitia praecolere avida plerunque fallax ambitio est Great care has been taken for the culling out of such Divines as were most likely to comply in their desires of innovation many moneths have they sat a consulting and are yet as farre from agreement as when they first met If no Forme must be setled but such as hath a concurrence of those three forementioned conditions it is probable there must never be any setled at all What is most agreeable to Gods Word next after Episcopacy may be thought not most apt to preserve peace among so many different Sects at home at least not most apt to preserve unity with Scotland The Scots are resolved their Forme and none but theirs is according to Gods Word i jure divino and perpetuall And the Members at Westminster were once of the same opinion or willing to make the Scots believe so when they told them k they concurred with their own judgement touching Church Government If so what need had they to call Divines to consult Was it to be resolved in conscience whether they might lawfully tolerate what is â—ure divino and perpetuall Or they were resolved upon the conclusion but the Divines must finde out the premises Or which is most probable they never were nor yet are nor perhaps ever will be agreed upon any one Government though they all conspire against Episcopacy as most opposite to their private Factions For if we must have no Government but such as shall please the major part of the Members at Westminster whether they consult the Assembly for fashions sake or in sincerity we are likely to have none at all When Master Speaker shall put every particular Forme to the Question the maior part by reason of distraction in affection or opinion not concurring upon any one one by one they will all be voted out of doors For example Shall the Presbyterie succeed All the Independents all those that are affected to Episcopacy all that are enamoured of any new platforme of prudentiall Government by Lay Commissioners will with one voyce cry Not content And such like for the rest whatever Forme shall be proposed there will be three to one oddes against it Till this difference be reconciled if they will not pardon I hope they may be intreated to reprieve Episcopacy and till we have either found a better which we never shall or be agreed upon another Government Contenti simus hoc Catone IV. But will extirpation of Prelacy be sufficient to glut the malice of the Covenanteers Nothing lesse there is a clause in the Covenant which is younger brother to the câ— in the Canons of as large extent and more dangerous consequence For here they sweare to extirpate all other ecclesiasticall Officers depending upon that Hierarchie That is if they would speak plaine English all the Ministers in England that have been ordained or instituted by the Archbishops or Bishops or have been inducted into their charge by any Archdeacon I hope I need not yet presse the iniquity of this consequence but it is requisite I shew the truth of it And let the Countrey know that the most zealous Covenanteers in the City are composed of Brownists Anabaptists and other Brethren of the Separation who have constantly traduced the calling of our English Clergy as Antichristian l It is the 29th Article of their ancient Confession that not onely the Hierarchy but The Priests and Deacons of England ordained by Bishops are a strange and Antichristian Ministery and OFFICERS not instituted by Christs Testament nor placed in or over his Church Hence it was that when Master Ainsworth and his Company separated from Master Iohnson and his Church it grew to a Law suit betwixt them in Amsterdam who should have the house allowed them by the City for their publique meetings The Iohnsonians objected the other were Schismatickes and the Ainsworthians would needs prove those were Apostates that they had fallen from their first Faith particularly thaâ— they had placed over them one that was made Priest by a Lord Bishops Ordinationâ— and had not ordained or imposed hands upon him again contrary to their 29th Article as also against the 32d Article of their Confession which testifieth that all such as have received any of those false Offices of the Lords Bishops are to givâ— over and leave them The Authour of the Countermarch to Master Iames his Retreat endeavours to prove the Church of England a false Church and to deny some fundamentall points of Doctrine by this Argument because it denieth Christs Kingdome and Prophecy inasmuch as it appointeth men to prophecy to preach and administer the Sacraments by virtue of a calling which Christ hath not appointed for the calling of the Ministers of England is by the presentation of a Patron by the institution of a Lord Bishop and by the induction of an Archdeacon which are the meere inventions and devices of men Therefore the outward calling is false and humane wherefore as it was an errour fundamentall in Ieroboam's Church m that Priests were made after his devising so is it an errour fundatall and corruption essentiall to make Bishops Priests and Deacons which have a devised Office and forme of calling essentially differing from that which God left in the Church for the calling of his Officers and Ministers The Minister
which is truely forraigne and extrinsecal to that Nation they having no relation to nor dependance upon the two Howses or Kingdome of England onely they owe subjection to the same King why then after their mediation hath been rejected as they suppose by both sides upon confidence of their owne strength and severall successes or unwillingnesse to receive conditions from Strangers should they think it their duty though it be in their power to presse that Ecclesiasticall Governmâ—nt upon us by force of Armes which his Majesty hath often declared he will not and the two Houses have never declared that they will accept They have vowed the destruction of all those that adhere to his Majesty under the name of Malignants and evill Instruments and when they come with an Army to pay this Vow call they this stopping the effusion of Christian blood To hew out their way by the sword through all the forces raised for a guard to His Person amongst whom he has yet been safe whose actions have been as full of Loyalty as their adversaries professions is this to rescue their native Kingâ— His Crowne and Posterity out of the midst of dangers To help to sacrifice the greater part of this Kingdome to the malice of those by whom they are declared Traitors is this to preserve his people from ruine and destruction What if every private man be bound in duty to interpose himselfe as a reconciler betwixt his neighbours armed to their mutuall destruction Must they therefore help with armed force to destroy the one party at variance is this the part of a Reconciler What if the sonne ought to hazard his owne life for the preservation of his father at variance with his Brother Must they therefore take up armes to endanger the life of their King tâ—eir Civill father to side with a company of Schismatiques that flatter them with the name of Brethren III. When they ask shall a Kingdome sit still and suffer their King and neighbouring Kingdom to perish in an unnaturall Warre I shall answer this question to their owne content it is not fitting it is not lawfull But let me in courtesie ask them another When a Kingdome hath taken notice of a difference debated by fire and sword betwixt their owne King and some of his Subjects of a neighbouring Kingdome when they have solemnely vowed not to give themselves up to a detestable indifferency and neutrality in that cause when they have observed that the maine poynt in controversie is because the King will not consent to alteration of some Lawes already established which he holds himselfe bound in conscience to preserve after the whole Clergy in their c Nationall Assembly have promised to keep the people under their charge in obedience to his Maiesty and his Lawes confessing it a duty well beseeming the Preachers of the Gospell after their whole d Kingdome has sworne with their meanes and lives to stand to the defence of their dread Soveraigne his Person and Authority in every cause which may concerâ—e his Maiesties Honour with their friends and followers in quiet manner or in armes as they shall be required by his Maiesty after they have acknowledged in their Nationall Covenant that the quietnesse and stability of their Religion and Kirke depends upon the safety of the Kings Maiesty and have therefore universally protested and promised under a solemne Oath and hand-writ upon fearfull paines and execrations e to defend his Person and Authority with their goods bodies and lives against all Enemies within the Realme or without as they desire God to be a mercifull Defender to them in the day of their death and comming of our Lord Iesus Christ after the Nobility Gentry Burroughs Ministers and Commons of that Kingdome have confessed themselves f bound by all the ties of Nature Christianity and Gratitude so fully satisfied and perswaded of the Royall zeale and constant resolution of his Maiesty to preserve the Lawes and Liberties of his Kingdomes that it were the height of disloyalty and ingratitude if they should harbour any scruple or thought to the contrary having so many reall and recent evidences of his Royall goodnesse iustice and wisdome in setling and establishing the true Religion the Lawes and Liberties of that his Kingdom to the full satisfaction of all his good Subiects after all these vowes promises and protestations how can they be so strangely given up to folly and wickednesse as to thinke it their duty it being in their power to come with armed Force to end our quarrels by taking part with them to whom they owe no duty and fighting against that part which is owned by his Majesty to whom they stand bound by all the ties of Nature Christianity and Gratitude who has left nothing undone that might give them content Certainly if they shall so farre forget or cast behinde their backes all these solemne vowes and professions they will one day rise up in judgement against them And if they shall hearken to the call of the Enemies of our Peace and come to assist them in this unnaturall Warre as they threaten to do though in the time of animosity and appetite of revenge such Invasion may be well taken by those who invite them to helpe to destroy their Brethren yet afterwards when the eyes of the minde no more bloodrun with passion do discerne things aright it will be a griefe and offence to all true English hearts to see how they have sold themselves slaves to a viler Nation and they may be more united to cast them out who were so ready upon the advantage of their Divisions to thrust themselves in I shall in the mean while put them in minde that there was a time when they had if not a juster Cause a better colour for Invasion of England yet then they so farre disclaimed all intentions of it as to call the bare mention of it g The despitefull and devilish calumny of the disnatured Enemies of their Kirke and Kingdome I am commanded to forget what they did then but if they shall now verifie those calumnies and falsifie all their solemne Oaths though the King and this Kingdome should not be able to call them to account there is a God in Heaven that sees all their hearts and will judge all their actions And they cannot be ignorant that all the colours which they use in excuse or defence of their intended expedition may with equall nay better reason be alleadged by any other Nation that have a minde to oppresse and subdue upon pretence of assisting us of providing for their own safety or comming to compose our Differences CHAP. XIII From these Premises the Covenant is concluded unlawfull in respect of the Forme HAving thus deduced at large the severall Illegalities of this Holy League both in respect of the Efficient and Finall Causes but especially in respect of the matter it naturally followes that we conclude it in the last place to be likewise unlawfull