by the two Houses that they insist upon it twice in one leaâ—e of the same b Declaration Their c petitioning his Majesty to pasâ—e an Act for establishing a new Oath and that he would be pleased to enter into a more strict allyance with some neighbour Nations are sufficient convictions of their want of Authority in themselves either to impose a new Oath upon the Subjects of this Kingdome or to enter into a new League with those of another unlesse the consent of his Majesty be first obtained 3. Iâ— any private Men Town City or County may lawfully take this Covenant of their own accord and free willâ— which is the way to ingratiate themselves the more then in other cases of the like kinde they may at any time of their own accord without any command from Superiours enter into a League of mutuall defence with other Countries and binde themselves by a solemne Oath to performance And then farewell not onely the ancient Authority of the King but that moderne Priviledge of Parliament which claimes that d no County can binde it selfe without their consent But if all the Kingdome be therefore bound to take this new Covenant because it comes to them as commanded by the two Houses though there were no Law for it before then must all our Histories be purged all our Law-bookes taught to speake another Language and all those Declarations revoked wherein the Lords and Commons of this Parliament so many e times disclaimed all power of making any new Lawes without his Majesties consâ—nt CHAP. IV. The matter of the Covenant examined and proved first to be against Truth NExt to the Efficient we shall survey the materiall Cause of this Oath and allow it faire triall by the Lawes of God and the Land If it be endited upon the Text of Ieremie 4.2 It will be found guilty in the highest degree as destitute of all those conditions required to a lawfull Oath Truth Iudgement and Righteousnesse For the first though this be for the maine a Promissory Oath to the formall Truth whereof as such no more is required but that the meaning of the parties swearing be truly conformable to the words of their Oath that they truly intend to performe what they sweare yet is not the whole frame of it meerly promissory some assertions are interwoven either actuall or virtuall by way of implication which may be justly suspected for want of Truth and iâ— that be proved upon any one of them all the Covenanteers are ipso facto guilty of perjury I shall but point at some particulars I. Those words wherein they swear the Preservation of Religion in the Church of Scotland do imply that the Religion of that Church is in all the particulars there mentioned Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the word of God Which is justly doubtfull in some and flatly false in others 1. The Doctrine of that Church so farre as it is distinct from their opinions concerning Discipline and Government and other matters of practice I have no purpose to quarrell I acknowledge the ancient Articles of their publique confession for true but if by Doctrine they understand all the modern explanations and other doctrinall positions which have issued from their Generall Asâ—emblies in later times I could bring more instances and more objections against the truth of these Doctrines then I know how to answer But I forbear to make the wound wider then necessity requires 2. As touching their manner of Worship if we should deny they would be hard put to it to prove those formes which they use in Marriage Baptisme the Lords Supper Publique Prayer Preaching Catechizing and other of Gods Ordinances to be according to his word 3. Much lesse their Discipline and Government by Classes and Assemblies higher and lower which they pretend to be iure divino and perpetuall Some of their ablest Scholars have acknowledged their moveable temporary Deacons not to be consonant to divine Institution And if we might be admitted to argue before equall judges we should go near to prove as much against their ruling Elders which first justled the Superintendents and since the Bishops out of that Church If they will submit to that rule the Presbytery in Scripture must submit to Episcopacy that at best was but a Delegacy under the Apostles who were in right the primitive Bishops and from whom ours challeng by undeniable succession II. When they swear the Reformation of Religion in England in Doctrine as well as Discipline according to the woâ—d of God they falsly imply that our Doctrine is erroneus and not according to the word Which though it be scandalous to us is advantageous to the Covenanteers The Articles of our Church most true in themselves cannot be wire-drawne and forced to comply with their designes and therefore no wonder if they desire to have them altered They must therefore set the Diall by the Clock and seeing the present Doctrine of the Kingdome condemnes their practice and opinions they must so farre reforme it that it shall not contradict them When a new Assembly of Divines must be convented to tell the People such things are according to the word of God which all men knew to be contrary to the Law of the Land seeing the Royall assent could not be obteined to authorize a Convention of such Persons and in such an uncouth illegall way as was desired it was inavoydably necessary that the Doctrine of our Church in the 21. Article should be reformed which teacheth That Councells may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of Princes When they are resolved to extort those rights from their Soveraigne by force which he is unwilling to part with upon entreaty then 't is fit the 35. Article be reformed which confirmes the Homily against Rebellion as containing Godly and wholesome Doctrine and necessary for these times In truth never so necessary for any times as these the like whereof England never saw before When they have vowed the extirpation of Episcopall Government Root and Branch is it not high time to reforme the 32. Article which talks of Bishops Priests and Deacons much more the 36. which addes Arch-Bishops and confirmes the book of Consecration and Ordination When that Doctrine must be instilled into the people that the King is no more then the Prince of Orange or the Duke of Venice onely Maior singulis but minor universis and that when his commandâ— and those of one or both Houses are different theirs must and ought to be obeyed as with whom the suprem power doth reside then surely a Reformation of the 37. Article is indispensably and eminently necessary by which the Subjects have been led into that dangerous and deadly Heresie that has cost so many thousand lives That the Kings Maiesty hath the chiefe power in this Realm of England unto whom the chiefe government of all not onely particular persons but Estates of this Realm whether
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
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
the Crosse notwithstanding he had power infinitely sufficient to repell all the violence of his enemies so did his Apostles follow him in the like example t rejoycing in their life time that they were counted worthy to be beaten for his name and Saint Paul reckons it for a speciall grace and favour to the u Philippians {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} c. that they not onely beleeved in in Christ but suffered for his sake and when they had finished their course and fought the good fight of Faith they gave up their lives a willing sacrifice in testimony of the Truth of their Religion Conformable to this patterne was the constant * Doctrine and Practice of the Primitive Church The most ancient Apologists for the Christian Faith use this as an Argument to prove the Religion of their Persecuters to be false and their own trueâ— that stood in need of humane force to maintain it but theirs stood by the sole power of God Pudeat te eos colâ—re quos ipse defendiâ— pudeat tutelam ab ipsis expectare quos tu tueris Those good Christianâ— were content to trust God with the defence of his own Cause and indeed they durst do no otherwise their Religion enjoyned them not to kill but be killed for it Nor was this for want of ability but authority They who best knew their own strength professed to the face of their adversarieâ— that both for number and experience they were nothing inferiour It was in their power to have oppoâ—ed if their Religion would have permitted One of them makes Peter put this question to his Master Cur haberi praecipis gladium quem vetas promi Nisi fortè ut videaris potuisse vindicari sed noluisse Hence it came to passe that when both Swords were in a manner united after the Emperours were converted to the Christian Faith yet Heretiques were cut off by the Spirituall not by the Temporall The first Generall Councels of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon condemned those Arch-Traitors in Religion Arius Macedonius Nestorius Eutiches but not to death The Councell of Constance was the first that proceeded in that kinde against Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague Lastly as the Harmony of Reformed Churches in their publique x Confessions does not admit of any division or violent resistance against the supreme Magistrate so has it been the constant Doctrine of all the Protestant Divines generally from Luther down till our times and more particularly of this Church of England as may be more fully seen in the Exhortation to obedience published in Edward the sixth's dayes and the Homily against Rebellion confirmed by the Articles of our Church under Queen Elizabeth The contrary Doctrine being ever reputed peculiar to the worst of Papists the Iesuites and the practice of it made a marke of Antichrist So as I dare averre these three last yeares have produced more seditious Pamphlets in that kinde within this one Kingdome then all the Christian world ever saw before to the shame of our Nation and scandall of our Profession 5. Fifthly this course of violence is contrary to all experience of former times by which it is found that Religion hath ever been better propagated by the sufferings of the true Professours than by force Persecution to the Church being like pruning to the Vine as it was first planted so has it been watered and fructified most by blood Sanguine fundata est Ecclesia sanguinâ—â—râ—vit Not by shedding the blood of others but willingly powring out her own The constant patience of Martyrs was the most winning Rhetoricke to perswade others to the Faith it being most likely those opinions should be true for which they so willingly laid down their lives at least common pitty is a powerfull Oratour to perswade with the People with whom the punishment makes the Martyr that he who suffers has a good Cause Whereas should he make resistance to defend himselfe or use violence to compell others that might be upon other ends of profit vaine glory revenge and what not The persecution in other places drove the Protestants hither in Edward the sixth'â— dayes as to a common Sanctuary which much advanced the Reformation in England and the cruelty of the Papists under Queen Mary was disposed by the Providence of God to perfect the Reformation both in France and the Low-Countries whither no lesse that y thirty thousand strangers were banished from hence for Religion The flames of our English Martyrs did but give more light to the Truth of the Gospell which their Enemies thought by that meanes to suppresse their Funeâ—als were the most effectuall Sermons for the Peoples Conversion The bloody Massacre at Paris was y found to advance the Religion in France and the rigorous pressing of the Inquisition made way for casting Popery out of the Low Countries where the present Toleration of all Religions is acknowledged by the Lord a Brook for a speciall meanes that makes it flourish 6. Sixthly it is against that innate principle of the Law of nature Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris Those who pleade most for extirpaâ—ion of Heretiques when it comes to be their own turne to be under the Crosse stand for Liberty of Conscience and declaime against persecution for Religion as a thing utterly unlawfull â—o the very Iesuites Cardinall Allen and Creswell in his Philopater And surely if we will not suffer iâ— from others we may not use it our selves 7. Seventhly 't is against the Law of our Land Wâ— have alwayes deprecated that aspersion which ouâ— adversaries would cast upon it professing we do not punish any Heretiques with death but Seminaries for Sedition and Rebellion not for Religion And here I must observe that the Lords and Commons in Parliament primo Elizabethae confesse they had no meanes to free the Kingdome from the usurped power and authority of the Pope but with the assent of the Queenes Majesty so farre were they from thinking it lawfull to raise Armes for extirpation of Popâ—ry when it was established by the Law of the Land 8. Eighthly it is against the common rules of prudence and Civill Policy to use that as a meanes to propagate which is more likely to tend to the extirpation of our Religion I speak of the Protestant which in the generality being not so populous as the Roman if we shall extirpate them heâ—e where we are stronger we must expect the same measure from them in other places where they are stronger and then in all humane probability our Religion is like to come to the worst in France Germany Poland and other Popish Dominions If they shall take the same course what can we have in equity to object against them Si quis quae fecit patitur is he not rightly served 9 Lastly it is utterly destructive to all Civill Government for if any be allowed to take up Armes for propagation or defence of their true
to the maintaining of an unnaturall Warre in the bowels of England The Covenanting Committees have committed more rapes upon the common Liberty in one yeare than all the Courts of Star-chamber and High Commission from their first Erection Iudges have been taken off the Bench by armed men and sent to Prison for refusing to do against their Oaths and conscience as Iudge Mallet Others have been so awed that they durst not do their duty and the better to hold a rod over them they have been impeached and committed for High Treason yet brought to sit upon the Bench again before any Triall or Sentence of Absolution as Iudge Bartlet Commands have been sent to prohibit their proceedings in severall particular cases Iustices and Iurors have been superseded from enquiring upon Routs and Tumults and the common Iustice of the Kingdome hath been obstructed by Ordinances prohibiting the holding of Assises notwithstanding the Generall Protestation for the free course of justice New Oaths are enforced upon the Subject without Law The usuall course of pricking Sheriffes not observed but mock-Sheriffes appointed by a new forged Broad Seale Master White and his assistants triumph in the Suspension Sequestration or Deprivation of many painfull learned and pious Ministers Many noble Personages and other Patriots are Parliament-men in name but the Power and Authority is wholly devolved upon a few whose resolutions and determinations if they be brought at all are onely brought into the House for countenance and execution not for debate and deliberation All military charges encreased and exercised Souldiers against their will daily pressed by Ordinance contrary to an Act made this Parliament Are we any whit the more secured in our persons or estates so long as the root of all these evils is not truly taken away but onely transplanted Which was acknowledged to be the Arbitrary Power formerly pretended to be in his Majesty but now usurped by the Covenanteers of taxing the Subiects without consent by Act of Parliament If the blow be the same it smarts as sore whatever hand inflict it To change our masters is not to be free If they truly confessed in the case of Hull it were in them an Act of high iniustice should they destroy mens properties when we see them daily do it must we call it therefore just They have urged against the King what holds strongest against themselves k If by Law they might charge the Subiect for defence of the Kingdome in time of danger they were ill advised that desired aide of the Subiect in such times and engaged themselves as we know they have done without a salvo jure for repayment Admitting it should be so that without this power of imposing Contributions it were impossible to defend the people it followes not that therefore they may impose such Contributions l If M. Pym's excuse be yet authentique the same Law that enables them to raise Forceâ— for defence of the Kingdome enables them to impose Taxes for maintaining them otherwise that power were vaine and uselesse it will serve the King in good stead he it is who is entrusted with the power of defending the Kingdome he to whom the two Houses themselves sue for protection he to whom they confesse m All mens persons lands and monies are subiect for the publique good V. The last generall End of the Covenant is Peace it is trueâ— the chiefe Covenanteers did once professe their detestation of a Civill Warre n If it might be avoided without alteration of Religion which they conceived to be the main End of their Enemies and such as would draw with it lâ—sse of Liberty and subversion of Law This now appeares to be their own main End for what else is intended by their Oath for Reformation of Doctrine and extirpation of the Government in our Church What was it that altered the Popish Religion into Protestantisme but Reformation And do not these aime at a greater alteration both in Doctrine Discipline Government and Worship than ever the Papists went about If they had been cordially affected to Peace we had never been driven to these sad extremities of war They might have had it before the Sword was drawn or a blow struck no new Religion was pressed upon them no Law denied which might conduce to the publique safety Since the warre begun severall Treaties for accommodation have been proffered to them the most rejected others made fruitles by them But if war be the onely meanes to procure Peace if weakening and impoverishing the Kingdome be the way to preserve it what hopes have we but in desperation May they not yet have Peace if they will embrace it with the same Religion the same old Lawes A gracious pardon is freely offered to all that will accept it The happinesse of a blessed peace concluded between the two Nations what hinders the continuance of it Extirpation of Church Government was no condition of that Pacification Certainly then these destructive wayes of the Covenanteers do not lead immediately to it but are they likely to end in Peace Yes when they have extirpated all opposers Vbi solitudinem fecerint pacem appellant Yet I doubt of that too The chance of Warre is uncertain they could not bring their ends about when they had more strength and lesse opposition which if they shall ever do they must know that Lawes made by the Sword are but short-lived they will be unmade so too Doe they hope so throughly to root up the Royall Vine and spoile the Branches that there will not be left {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} so much as to powre upon the Goates hornes There will never be wanting a Title to the Crown and justice or compassion or faction at home will finde and interest abroad will lend a sword to defend it Besides it will aske some time to extirpate Popery Prelacy Delinquents Malignants c. who being all declared Traitours and by this Covenant devoted to destruction sure they will sell their lives as deare as they can they can expect no worse by fighting than they must undergo by submitting it is more honourable to die by the sword than by the halter Moriendum victis moriendum deditis id solum refert novissimum spiritum per ludibrium contumelias effundant an per virtutem But say the Covenanteers should at last be masters of their most improbous desires the Kingdome by that time will be so exhausted of men and money and other necessaries by a long Warre and the consequents of it Plague Famine and Decay of Trade that it will be exposed for a prey to any stranger that shall thinke it worth invading who cannot want as faire a colour as the Scots either to interpose as Mediators to propagate their Religion to protect or rescue or revenge their injured friends Or if all other States should be asleep while our house is on fire what security can we have from our deare Brethren of Scotland whoâ— though it
Churches patrimony p. 68. VI Their illegall forcing the King to go against his Oath legally taken at his Coronation p. 72. VII Their swearing to have no respect of persons in their Extirpations p. 75. VIII Their allowing their Iudges to punish Malignants as they shall thinke convenient though their offences do not so deserve CHAP. X. That the Covenant is repugnant to those generall Ends for which it is pretended to be taken p. 78. As being I. Contrary to the Glory of God II. Destructive to the Protestant Religion and serving rather to advance Popery III. Derogatory to the Kings Honour p. 80. IV. Preiudiciall to the Liberties of the Kingdomes as taken for the upholding of their power by whom all publike Liberty is already destroyed V. Inconsistent with the Peace of the Kingdomes as tending immediately to nothing but Warre with others and not likely to end in Peace amongst themselves CHAP. XI That the particular Ends of the severall Articles are likewise inconsistent with the matter of them p. 87. As I. A violent Reformation with the Growth of Religion II. A violent Extirpation of what is not sin with the clearing of the Extirpers from sin III. Their swearing absolutely to preserve the power of Parliaments but the Kings Person and Authority with reservation for this End that the world may judge of their loyalty and how they have no intentions to diminish his iust Power Here the world is in part informed wherein the Kings iust Power consists As 1. In making p. 88. of Law 2. In making p. 88. of Law 3. In declaring p. 89. of Law 4â— In executing 5. In appointing Iustices 6. In pardoning offenders p. 90. 7. In disposing of preferments 8. In protecting his Subiects 9. In Supremacy over all Estates 10. In calling adiourning proroguing dissolving of Parliaments p. 91. And how all these Powers are actually diminished if not destroyed by the Covenanteers In treating of the last particular the equity and so the validity of the late Act Against the Dissolution of this present Parliament is ventilated CHAP. XII The true End of framing and enjoyning this Covenant The bringing in of the Scoâ—s absolutely unlawfull p. 96. I. In respect of the English invâ—â—ing p. 97. II. In respect of the Scoâ—s comming Where the three pretended Reasons of their Invasion are debated viz. 1. The gâ—â—d â—f Religion in England p. 98. 2. The 〈◊〉 of their native King p 99. 3. The rescuing this Kingdome from destruction p. 100. III. Their many former Oaths and Protestations to the contraryâ— CHAP. XIII From these premises the Covenant is concluded unlawfull in respect of the Forme p. 104. Errata Page Line For Reade 3 18 left last 6 3 desciverant desciverâ—nt 7 2 and or 8 34 abjected abjured 10 13 Passan Passaâ— 14 35 convented convened ib. 37 knew know 21 21 interferre interfere 23 33 Assembly that Assembly of that 25 6 bulke balke 29 6 to English to the English ib. 20 our one 31 29 must might 37 31 considered considerable Those Quotations which occurre out of the Remonstrances or Declarations of Parliament are taken out of that Exact Collection printed for Edward Husbands and published by speciall Order of the House of Commons made Martii 24. 1642. which is here usually pointed at the most compendious way by these Characters A Review of the Covenant CHAP. I. By what meanes the Covenanteers were reduced to the necessity of entering into this Combination confessed to be their last Refuge WHen the danger is once over to reflect upon the many miseries they have undergone may haply afford some small comfort to such as shall escape but so long as we groane under the present distempers and can discerne no probable end of our sufferings but with our selves it is but a sad contemplation to look back upon our former Peace and enquire by what sleights we were fooled out of so happy a condition He that found the poor man ready to perish in the bottome of the pit and was more inquisitive how he fell in then sollicitous to use meanes how to help him out expressed a greater measure of curiosity then Charity It shall therefore be my chiefest endeavour to rescue if I may the many seduced Scules out of that pit of Destruction into which they are already plunged The danger of those courses that led them thither was wisely foreseene a and timely foretold by His Majesty but urgentibus Imperium fatis salutares Dei atque hominum admonitiones spernuntur If the Contrivers of these great Tropicks in Church and State had at first {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} acquainted us with their designes we should have been affraid to owne and ashamed to abet them No question but what comes last in execution was first in their intention The subversion of Government as well Civill as Ecclesiasticall was the prime aime of those Architects of State who were to erect their private greatnesse upon the publique Ruines For whom it had been in vaine to strike immediatly at the face of Majesty or talke of pulling up Root and Branch the first day At the beginning of our Parliament it was with the common People of this Land as once with the Roman Souldier Miles longo Caesarum Sacramento imbutus ad destituendum Imperatorem arte magis impulsu quà m suo ingenio traductus The tye of Allegiance which had been ever held sacred and the many blessings of a long Peace enjoyed under His Majesty and His Royall Father would not without the help of Arts and Industry suffer them to make a suddaine defection from their Loyalty Their nature therefore fatally inclined to change must be cunningly wrought upon by an odious representation and malitious aggravation of some past grievances their dull restive Spirits must be conjured up by those two vulgar Charmes Religion and Liberty they are commanded to beleeve this is destroyed and that endangered So to bring them out of love with their present condition and make them venture a certaine happinesse for uncertaine hopes By what degrees they were disciplined and broken to a perfect Rebellion I forbeare to rehearse But if the Covenanting Members yet remaining at Westminster of whom onely I desire to be understood through this discourse be the same men that managed the Cause from the beginning and were the true Authors of all those Declarations and Remonstrances fathered upon one or both Houses of Parliament I crave leave once more to put the Kingdome in mind of what they were told before b how they had brought their worke to such a height and degree of successe that nothing seemed to be left in their way able to hinder the full accomplishment of their desires unlesse God in his Iustice should send a grievous curse upon them When we lay this profession of theirs in the ballance with His Majesties Answer to that very Declaratîon c where he desired his actions might no longer prosper then they were directâ—d to
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
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
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
that Church therefore it is unlawfull to sweare to preserve them by a solemne Oath which might be majoris boni impeditivum This inference will be no newes to the House of Commons it was urged with much vehemence and heard with approbation against the late Oath enjoyned by the Canons b My Authour concludes by a dilemma that whosoever takes such an Oath inavoidably falls upon a rocke of perjury either for saving his Oath he must deny obedience to the King or by obeying the King he must breake his Oath Master Nathaniel Fiennes a better Oratour than Souldier upon the same Argument discourseth thus c It is against the Law and light of Nature that a man should sweare never to consent to alter that is not so much as the Covenanâ—eers here â—weare constantly to endeavour to preserve a thing which in its own nature is alterable and may prove inconvenient and fit to be altered And in case the Scots should thinke fit upon any occasion to alter some parts of their Discipline or Ceremonies in their Worship whether must our English and Irish Covenanteers endeavour to resist any such alteration or sit still and let them take their course holding the Scotish perâ—ury sufficient excuse their own II. When they sweare to cut out their intended platforme of Reformation by a double patterne first of Gods Word and then of the best Reformed Churches the latter might have been well spared it was added without any necessity but not without much inconvenience For suppose there were two best Reformed as certainly lesse than two cannot pretend to the name of Churches which must they conforme to Of if there be but one best how shall they know which it is If Discipline hold the same course with Doctrine and must be prescribed by Gods Word more than one Forme cannot be admitted There may be many errours but one Truth many by-wayes but one right But if in Discipline and Worship for certain and perhaps in some things concerning Government too the Scripture have not so fully and evidently defined but some doubts are left which require a further determination Who shall be Iudges in this case Must we sit upon all other Churches and pronounce against them uncalled unheard Or seeing it is a point wherein they are all equally concerned shall they be equally admitted to Vote with us And when they are all met at least by their Delegates shall it be referred to most voyces to determine which Church is best Reformed Then what if some two or three nay what if all have equall voyces each Delegacy voting for their own Church as it is most likely they will who shall have the casting Voyce We are now where we begun unlesse haply the Irish Church will sit down to English and so we may carry it by a double Vote Or rather shall that Church be taken for the best reformed upon whom the most second Voyces do concurre the first being commonly the childe of affection but the second the off-spring of judgement So not improbable but our Church might carry it again for I could produce tâ—e testimonies of many Authours of best note in other Reformed Churches very liberall in their commendation both of the Doctrine and Government of the Church of England Or if it were a thing easily to be agreed upon which Church is the best reformed it might not be fit to sweare Conformity to that example the best that is is not the best that may be The best existent may have some errours as well as faults and therefore no absolute patterne for Reformation What is best to another Church may not be best for us What is best for our time and place is not so for another No necessity then to reforme according to the best example if it were agreed upon And till it be so it had been best for us these troubles excepted to stay where we were I conceive the reason of this addition wherein they go lesse having before sworne to reforme according to Gods Word afterwards sweare to do it according to the example of other Churches to have proceeded from the Scots who having no better plea from Gods Word than others will yet challenge our Covenanteers upon this Clause to declare them the best reformed Church or otherwise why did they abjure their own and sweare to preserve the Scotish Church Government which though it be none of the best yet our men have thus farre followed the Scotish Example not of any other Reformed Church Some want Bishops because they cannot tell how to have them their Princes being of a different Religion wil allow none but of their own Some enjoy the Thing under another name of Superintendents Some are willingly without them because settled in such a Government as they finde most suitable with a popular State and dare not venter upon a change But I have not heard of any Church the Scotish excepted which ever cast out her Bishops by violence if they were of the same Religion and vowed to root them out by the sword contrary to the Law and command of the Supreme Magistrate If Scotland be not in this an Example to our men as some of their Apologetiques profeâ—se they are not then I am confident this course of Reformation is without Example in the sight of men I wish it be not without excuse in the eyeâ— of God III. In the next Clause I doubt the Scots have put another slurre upon the rest of our Covenanteers who having got them first to sweare the preservation of the Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government in the Church of Scotland have induced them since to vow their endeavours to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdomes to the nearest coniunction and uniformity in all these particulars For there being no meanes imaginable by which this nearest Coniuâ—ction may be obtained but either by a mutuall condescension of all the three Churches or an absolute submission of some two to the third all hopes of condescending in Scotland by the former part of the Oath being taken away it remaines that the other two must totally sit down and submit to the Scots Onely endeavour fully to informe themselves what the Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government of the Scotish Kirke is and then they have no more to do but conforme to it Againe though a tolerable uniformity in all the three Kingdomes were much to be wished and by all lawfull meanes to be endeavoured yet the very nearest coniunction is not fit to be sworne That excludes all variety not onely in Confession of Faith and Forme of Ecclesiasticall Government but in rites of Worship and rules of Catechizing for if any difference be admitted the conjunction is not simply nearest Nor perhaps is such an absolute uniformity morally possible All men will never be of one minde and theâ—efore a mutuall toleration in some things may conduce more to the preservation of the Church than a violent Conformity The Apostles times had
one for himselfe professeth We sweare c. Indeed why should one man sweare for all the rest But what is this to salve the Soloecisme How shall he be said to sweare onely for himselfe whose every word in his Oath includes all others as much as himselfe These things being not certainly possible ought not to be sworne It is all one as if they should sweare they will not dye till they be old nor be sick till they dye CHAP. VIII That the taking this Covenant and other avowed Actions of the Covenanteers are in fact contradictory to the formall words of their Oath VVHat the Civilians call Protestatio contraria facto as if one should kill or rob a man and vow to doe him no wrong is a foule crime which infests many parts of this Solemne Oath The very act of taking or enforcing it besides many other avowed practices of those that take it does contradict the formall words of the Covenant I. So though they sweare in all their endeavours to keep themselves within the bounds of their severall places and callings Yet if we look upon the courses they take we shall find nothing lesse Who are they who can challenge it as the proper duty of their calling to set on foot that Reformation vowed in the first or that extirpation which is the matter of the second Article If Religion and the Controversies thereanent be a thing common to every vocation then is that restriction to severall callings superfluous and in a Solemne Oath profane But if it be the more peculiar function of the Clergy then why doe other men intermedle in matters beside their calling If it be the proper work of a Parliament why do our Assembly men challenge as Ministers of the Gospell to be leaders in this worke of Reformation What have they to do in Parliament affaires Were the Bishops cast out that they might be taken in What just calling can they pretend who were neither summoned by his Majesty to whom the calling of Ecclesiasticall Assemblies doe in right belong nor elected by the Clergy to whom the nomination of Members to such Assemblyes by the constitution of this Kingdome does appertaine So in the third and sixt Articles where they sweare mutually to assist and preserve one another with their Lives and Estates but with like restriction to their severall vocations places and callings either most of those who have actually taken up Armes in this quarrell , Noble-men Knights Burgesses Butâ—hers Tapsters c. are forsworne by undertaking that service which is inconsistent with their professions or if they be not then all the rest of the Covenanters are who being of the same callings have not put themselves in Armes and assisted their brethren with their Lives as they are bound to doe if it be not contrary to their Calling Nor can the Authors or Executioners of those Ordinances be excused from perjury whereby many men have been pressed for Souldiers without any regard to their callings What calling have the Water-men to be imployed in Land-service What calling have the City Tradsemen to come and conquer the Countrey What calling have the framers of this Covenant to exact a new Oath of all this Kingdome or to enter in League with another And if they have no calling that enables them to Command then have the rest no calling to obey and so both the imposing of this Oath on one part and the taking of it on all parts is contrary to that clause so often repeated in itâ—According to our severall callings II. Though they sweare the extirpation of Popery yet if the time would permit I could make it evident from their owne principles that not onely many avowed actions of the Covenanteers are originally popish as their diâ—pensing with Oaths lawfully taken their excluding all Clergy-men from secular judicature their Doctrine of propagating Religion by the Sword a their entering into Leagues and Covenants for that purpose their usurping a more then papall infallibility and omnipotencyâ— their exalting themselves above all that is called God b their rudiments of Rebellion and opposition against the Supreame Magistrate but that very power by which this Covenant is enjoyned which they sweare to preserve in the third Article is in the highest degree properly Popery I am sure there is nothing in that large discourse of the c Lord Brook against Episcopacy which may not be applyed here with more congruity That power which the Covenant-makers doe pretend to and Popery are all one in re They have the same Rise the same media of their progresse and the same end 1. First d the Rise of Popery was by overthrowing Christs Ordinances in Doctrine as a Heretique but not as Pope in Discipline as Pope This most properly belonging to Christ Royall Office as Doctrine to his Propheticall Doth not the pretended power of the Covenant-makers doe the same I confesse with them Scripture is the rule but who must expound this Scripture Synods Assemblies Committees And though by their owne confession those bind not mens consciences yet they bind them to obedience which obedience they precisely challenge and when any faile thereof they doe without the least scruple of Conscience proceed to Sequestrations Fines Imprisonments Deprivations and what not And so these men making Scripture a rule in appearance doe in truth monopolize all to themselves This is just and flat Popery 2. The same Author proceeding to parallell Episcopacy with Papacy in the meanes of their rising e tells us how Popes dealt with Princes laid pillowes under them with one hand thrust them downe with the other and then trampled upon them This can no way be affirmed of our Protestant Bishops but whether our Arch-Covenanteers when they promised to make their Prince a great and glorious King and protested to defend His Person Honour and Authority did not in the meane time by their underhand practices labour to thrust him downe and by their open violence to trample upon him the World sees in part and themselves know more 3. Touching the meanes of the progresse of Popery he informes thus f That which they have most sounded in the peoples eares is The Church The Church The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord By this as by a stalking horse they come much nearer then else they could And hath not the empty noise of Religion Religion Reformation Reformation heightened the credit of the Covenanteers in the opinion of the people and so been made a stale to their equally Popish ambitious ends 4 Lastly to prove the ends of Prelâ—cy the same with those of Popery he saies g It cannot be doubted but by all these meanes they ayme at the same End which is also the Popes to pull downe all other power and set up their owne Nor is there any great cause to doubt whether the principall Projectors of the Covenant ayme at the like End which they have already effected in too great a
Solomon and Hiram do abundantly prove that Leagues betwixt men of divers Religions is not against the word of God and therefore a League betwixt people of the same Religion for extirpation of such as are not of the same is no way required by it So then this Covenant as to that point is Supra Statutum and therefore Superstition 4. But if this sinne consist rather in using such Acts matter signes or circumstances in divine Worship as are in their owne nature no way apt to expresse that honour which we acknowledge to be due unto God nor reducible to that end for which we intend them surely then there may be Superstition in the inward as well as in the outward Act of Worship and in particular q indiscreet zeale will appeare to be a peece of Superstition for though zeale be of its owne nature apt to be referred to Gods Worship yet thus qualified it is not and then I am confident as Diogenes trode upon the pride of Plato so many of our zealous Covenanteers here vow to extirpate superstition with greater superstition IV. The clearing of that clause which concernes Extirpation of Heresie depends upon the resolution of many questions which we cannot here determine upon this mainely who shall be the Soâ—eraigne Iudge of Controversies to define what Doctrines are Hereticall and what not whether must every man for himselfe fit upon other mens faith and proscribe all that for Heresie which crosseth his owne fancy The Church of Scotland allowes no other Iudge in this point but Scripture which will scarce come home to the point for who shall give the sence of Scripture The Lord r Brook has answered the question aright What is true Doctrine the Scripture or rather the spirit must Iudge but what a Church will take for true Doctrine lyes onely in that Church And amongst the Covenanteers who shall Iudge as the Church In Scotland it is agreed the generall Assembly in England I know not who perhaps a select Committee of some Lay-Covenanteers Such as shall be appointed to convent Ministers for preaching false Doctrine and will not stick to censure him for Heresie and Blasphemy who shall call the Virgine Mary the Mother of God {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} I must once more borrow the words of that Honourable s Author I last mentioned so long as the Church in her tenets intermedles not with State matters under the notion of Religion I suppose the Civill Power is not to interpose If the question be what is Idolatry what superstition what Heresie what the punishment of those crimes who shall Iudge but the Church Whiles Parliaments labour for the Church dealing no further in the affaires of the Church then by Scripture they may certainly they doe well but if they once exceed their bounds the issue will be CONFUSION instead of REFORMATION Yet in regard our Lawes if they should be put ordinarily in execution are somewhat severe in the punishment of Heretiques it was not amisse in the t Parliament to restraine the Power of Ecclesiasticall Commissioners in judging of Heresie to what had been formerly determined by Scripture or by the foure first generall Councells onely when they added Or such as shall hereafter be ordered judged or determined to be Heresie by the highâ— Court of Parliament in this Realme with the assent of the Clergy in their Convocation The matter had not been much different if the words had been a little inverted if they had left the judgement to the Clergy who without disparagement may be thought more compeâ—ent for such matters and reserved the power of approving and confirming to themselves But the Law being as it is we willingly subscribe to it and when the Parliament shall determine with the Convocations assent any matter or cause to be Heresie we shall better know how to conform either our judgement to their determinations or our patience and obedience to their censures In the meane time we must entreat our Brethren of the Clergy convened at Westminster to be perswaded that though the Lords and Commons in the Court were indeed the Parliament yet they in the Chappell are none of the Convocation And so what Heresie is or what to be taken for such by any authoritative definition in this Kingdome we are not like to heare in haist But if Tertullians Prescriptions or that golden Rule of Vincentius Lirinensis Quod ab omnibus quod ubique quod semper c. be of any use for the triall of Heretiques then we can tell whose Disciples the Covenanteers are that sweare to extirpate Episcopall Government if Aërius for affirming that a Bishop is not above a Presbyter was generally reputed by the Christian world for more then thirteen hundred yeares together as well in the Easterne as Westerne Church for a downeright Heretique we can charge those men with no lesse then a Contradiction who with the same breath vow the extirpation of Prelacy and Heresie V. The case is much alike concerning Schisme Which is so neare allyed to Heresie that u S. Paul if he doe not confound them makes that the necessary forerunner of this But allowing the word for current in the common acception without any scrupulous enquiry into the nature of it we must inferre 1. That this vow of the Covenanteers to extirpate Schisme is contradictory to that vow of mutuall assistance which they make in the sixt Article for being knownely divided in their opinions concerning Church Government they must be one to another mutually Schismatiques 2. The meere taking of this Covenant being in the principall part of it an utter condemnation of the Church of England and a sworne Separation from it as Prelaticall that is in their sense Antichristian can be no other then a most formall vowed Schisme in respect of all those Covenanteers who formerly held Communion with this Church which being a true Church wherein Salvation might be had suppose the worst which I doe not grant that there were some errors in her Doctrine or some unlawfulnesse in her practice yet so long as they are neither required to professe those errors nor to approve those practices as if we consider His Majesties frequent proffers of passing fitting provisions for the ease of â—ender consciences clearly they are not any separation from this their Mother Church is utterly causlesse and unlesse by vertue of some Legislative power a new sense be imposed upon the word this is the greatest Schisme that ever was in any Church since the foundation of Religion If they had not broken it already they might easily observe this part of their Oath for the future for having by this Covenant left amongst themselves no visible Church it quickly followes no Schisme Were it not so I should wonder how it comes to passe that after such a solemne Oath for extirpation of Schisme and that not by publique Order but where every one must goe before another in the example so few should
{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
an alteration however veiled under the specious title of Reformation is a thing not onely directly contrary to the positive Constitutions of these Kingdomes and without warrant or example from divine Law but utterly against Scripture Reason the practice of the true Church of God in all ages the very nature of Religion it selfe and the common principles of civill Policie I might for methods sake parcell this Section and shew first that all force for Religion Secondly that all force against the King is unlawfull But because I find both swords united in the present undertakings of the Covenanteers I shall not divide them in my discourse 1. First That to labour the advancement of Religion by way of Force contrary to established Lawes and the Prince's will has no warrant by way of command or approbation from Gods word must be taken for granted till those who are otherwise minded can shew the contrary and will be needlesse to perswade if we prove in the second place that it is against expresse testimony of Scripture Our Saviour a professeth his Kingdome is not of this world and addes for then would my servants fight Which words as they evince that it is lawfull for Subjects to fight at the command of their temporall King for the maintenance of his wordly Estate so doe they insinuate that Christs Kingdome being Spirituall cannot must not be advanced by temporall Armes b The weapons of our Spirituall Militia are not carnall but Spirituall We have no command from Christ our spirituall Head to kill and slay the common enemies of our Religion but contrarywise to c pray for our persecutors not to resist evill Perhaps upon the same conceit oâ— Gods glory and advancement of their Religion they persecute us as we Vow to extirpatâ— them St Paul out of the abundance of Zeale d {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} did at first e persecute the Saints of God yet not without f authority from the Magistrate and therefore his case was different from this of the Covenanteers and he obtained pardon it was a sinne then because he did it ignorantly Our Saviour left it not untold to his Disciples and in them to the Church g that the time would come that whosoever killed them would think he did God service those very murtherers had the glory of God for their ends but that could not excuse their actions Heu primae scelerum causae mortalibus aegris Naturam nescire Dei They were truely ignorant of those meanes which God requires for the advancement of his Kingdome h These things they will doe because they have not known the Father nor me He will not have the i tares extirpate out of his field the Church till the time of harvest and by the proper reapers k M. Nye in his exhortation to the Covenant has made choyce of a text sufficient to break the neck of it He bids us be zealous as Christ was to cast out all he never cast out any by fire and sword but let us doe it in an orderly way and with the Spirit of Christ whose servants we are l The servant of the Lord must not strive sure then he must not kill and slay but be gentle to all men I hope Papists and Prelates may passe for men apt to teach not to inforce Patient not violent in meeknesse instructing not in fiercenesse consumeing destroying extirpating those that oppose If Seditions Tumults Insurrections Rebellionâ— must goe current for Discipline and Order if the takeing up of Armes defensive or offensive be a worke of patience and meeknesse if the Spirit â—f contradiction be more conformable to the Spirit of Christ then that of suffering the Lord be Iudge for amongst men great Authors are produced on both sides The cheife Covenanters m call it a Spirit of slavery and n advise all to make use of that defence which Nature teacheth every man to provide for But God in Scripture teacheth no such matter o he commands every man to be conformable to the image of his Sonne if we suffer with him that we may be also glorified with him 3. Thirdly this course is against the nature of Religion it selfe For Faith the soule of Religion is an inward act of the Soule which all the Tyranny in the world that the malice of the Divell can invent or the wit of man exercise can neither plant where it is not nor extirpate where it is It is the guift of God freely begotten in the hearts of men not by threatâ— and terrours not by tortureâ— and Massacres but by the quiet still voyce of the word preached Sâ—adenda non câ—genda And therefore St Paul though a lawfull Governour in the Church flatly disclaimes any p domineering power over the Conscience Aâ— for the outward profession of Religion neither is that subject to Force and violence A man may confesse Christ and his Faith in him as freely in bonds as at liberty as gloriously upon the Crosse as upon the throne Feare indeed may incline a weak conscience to dissemble his opinion but cannot constraine him to alter it Fire and Faggot are strong arguments of a weak cause undeniable evidences of cruelty in those that use them but slender motives of credibility to beget Faith in those that suffer by them Lastly for the externall free and publique practice of Religiouâ— duties that I grant may be restrained by the outward violence of man but when it is so it is not required by God who never expects to reap what he did not sow 4. Fourthly it is against the constant commendable practice of the true Church of God in all ages The Saducees thoâ—gh they denied the Resurrection and many other Truths in Religion were tolerated in the Church of the Iewes and our Saviour convinceth them by strength of argument not of armes The example of Christ and his Apostles is beyond all exception worthy our best imitation When many of his Disciples did apostate he used no violence to reduce them but mildly said unto the Twelve q Will yee also go away When the Samaritans who were of a different Religion neglected to entertain him because his face was towards Ierusalem the place of the true Worship he sharply r rebuked those sonneâ— of thunder who would have consumed them with a shower of fire When Peter thought to have defended him by force against a suddain assault made by the servants of the High Priest the Ministers to execute an unlawfull command but imployed by the lawfull Magistrate who by destroying the Master had no other intention but to extirpate that Religion which he had planted he commands him to s put up his sword for all that take the sword though it be in defence of true Religion yet if it be against the command of the lawfull Magistrate shall perish by the sword And as himselfe was content to suffer an ignominious Death upon
Religion against the Civill Lawes and will of their Prince whosoever has a minde to rebell may do it upon the same pretence and ought not to be questioned by any humane Authority for though they do but pretend Religion yet is it impossible for any Iudge to convince them of such pretence not can any thing be urged in defence of the true Religion which may not be made use of by a false II. The extirpation of that ancient Government by Bishops which has obtained in England ever since the first plantation of Christianity in this Nation to which we principally owe the Reformation of that Religion we now professe of which none have been more zealous more able propugners than our English Bishops who by their constant preaching of it their learned Writings for it their pious living in it and patient dying for it have sealed unto us that pretious Faiâ—h through which we hope by the mercy of God for the salvation of our soules who have bâ—en the Founders or most eminent Benefactours of most Churches Colledges Schooles Hospitalls and other publique Monuments of piety and devotion which have rendered this Nation so famous abroad and so magnificent at home Of whose Government all the Clergy of this Land have testified their solemne approbation at their entrance into holy Orders and to whom all beneficed Ministers have sworne obedience at their institution and therefore it was b M. Bagshawes Argument if ever they assent to the alteration of this Government they are really periured Which Hâ—s Majesty and all His Royall Predecessors at their Coronation have by a more particular and solemne Oath vowed to protect which God himselfe by extraordinary blessings from Heaven as King c Iames of blessed Memory did acknowledge has approved and ratified Which by the Catholique consent of the Churches of Christendome both in Asia Africk Greece Russia and other parts of Europe that never acknowledged any subjection to or dependence on the See of Rome hath been constantly embraced and the oppugners of it universally branded for Heretiques which in most of those few Churches that want it by their best and ablest Members hath been frequently desired which of all other formes has undoubtedly the best title to Divine or Apostolicall Institution Against which nothing is or ever could be justly objected but the humane infirmities and personall failings of some particular men from which no Government is or can be totally exempt If it be not unlawfull to sweare the Extirpation of this Government so deeply rooted by the fundamentall Lawes of this Kingdome both Common and Statute as Monarchy it selfe or the new-named Soveraigne Power of Parliaments cannot pretend to be built upon a surer foundation let it be piously and prudently considered whether the same Engines by which the Covenanteers would subvert the Government of the Church will not be of equall â—trength and fitnesse to pull up the Government of the State Suppose neither King nor Bishop were of divine Right certainly Parliaments are not Suppose both Kings and Bishops faile in the performance of their trust is there no expedient but the Government must be abolished Sure it is not impossible for Parliaments to be guilty of a like defailer must they be exposed to the like justice No Bishop no King is granted to be an old received truth by d one who was none of the best friends to either Government When I consult with history and experience and behold the example of some Neighbour Nations I say no more but Vestigia terrent A strict account must one day be given for every drop of Christian blood that has been shed in the common Cock-pit of Europe these fourescore yeares last past III. If it were as certainly true as it is prodigiously false that Episcopacy were an Antichristian invention and therefore fit to be abolished yet it would concerne our Reformers to provide us of another Government before they take this away If Christ did indeed prescribe one set Forme to be perpetually and universally observed in his Church and Episcopacy be not that one as we contend it is let our adversaries first agree amongst themselves what it is and we shall then know how to proportion our conformity to the authority and reasons of those that enjoyne it Or if it were left at large in the power of the Church Catholique or particular to ordaine what Forme she shall think most convenient we still demand who that Church is and what that Forme must be here in England In the meane time this is certaine in it selfe and generally acknowledged on all hands an absurdity so grosse as cannot fall into the imagination of any Christian that Christ should at any time be thought to have a Church without any Government or that it should be in the power of any man I doe not except a Parliament to extirpate the present and so leave the Church voyd of all Government I e read indeed of a Law amongst the Persians that after the death of the King there should be a five dayes Cessation of all Law and Government {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that the People by that want might learne to know what a great blessing it is to enjoy the Kiâ—g and the Law As the end was good so in a civill State the thing was not injust But in a Church the case is quite otherwise The time was when the House of Commons took it for an imputation cast upon them by Malignants against whom they remonstrate to the Kingdome in these words f They infâ—se into the People that we meane to abolish all Church-Government and leave every man to his owne fancy for the service and worship of God absolving him of that obedience which he owes under God unto his Majesty whom we know to be intrusted with the Ecclesiasticall Law as well as with the Temporall to regulate all the Members of the Church of England by such rules of Order and Discipline as are established by Parliament Were that House now turned Covenanteers I should say those Malignants if they were bad Counsellours were good Prophets Is not all that a present Truth which is here laid down as a false aspersion When the Government by Arch-bishops Bishops Chancellours Commissaries Deanes Archdeacons and all other Ecclesiasticall Officers is according to the tenour of this Covenant utterly extirpate if all Church Government be not taken away let them shew us what remaines if every man be not left to his own fancy for the service of God let them say what other rule the Covenanteers have to walke by while they are in expectation of a new Directory If the rules of Order and Discipline by which the Bishops did governe under the King be established by Parliament and no other so much as pretended so to be if his Majesty require obedience to these Rules according to those Lawes with the execution whereof next under God he is intrusted when the Covenanteers not onely refuse
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