Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	england_n	king_n	kingdom_n	4,625	5	5.7154	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88579	A cleare and necessary vindication of the principles and practices of me Christopher Love, since my tryall before, and condemnation by, the High Court of Iustice. Whereby it is manifested, that a close prison, a long sword, a High Court, and a bloody scaffold, have not in the least altered my judgment. Whereas also the cruelty of the sentence, the insufficiency of the proofs, and my own innocency, are demonstrated. As also my grounds and reasons of giving in a narrative, and the lawfulness of the matter and titles of my petitions (though to usurpers) manifested and maintained. Together with a declaration of my judgement concerning Cromwells unlawfull invasion of the kingdom of Scotland. Written by me Christopher Love, Master of Arts, minister of Lawrence Iury, London; penned by me the eighth of August, fourteen days before my death.	Love, Christopher, 1618-1651.	1651 (1651)	Wing L3148; Thomason E790_5; ESTC R202748	58,288	49

that encreaseth that which is not his c. We punish him with death who breakes open a house and robs but one Family but what a thousand deaths doth he deserve who breaks into a Kingdome and robbes many thousand Families even a whole Nation The Prophet Hab akkuk pronounceth A woe to him that builds a Town with blood and establisheth a City by iniquity Hab. 2. 12. What a woe then shall befall Cromwell that doth not build Townes with blood but destroys many Townes by blood but builds up none that doth not stablish a City but destroyes many Cities in ENGLAND and SCOTLAND by Iniquity 5. A fifth reason may be drawn from the Covenant and Treaties between the two Nations I begin with the Covenant so far as it concerns Scotland In the first Article we promise to endeavour the preservation of the reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government But Cromwells invading Scotland tends directly to the destruction of the reformed Religion in Scotland both in Doctrine by the many Heresies the Army spreads amongst them and in Worship by those who are above Ordinances and in Discipline and Government by those that are inveterate enemies to the Presbyteriall Government and are most of them for Independency or Anabaptisme Brownisme or Scepticisme c. In the third Article we promise to preserve the liberties of the Kingdoms But Cromwells invading Scotland brings England under guilt and Scotland under beggery and slavery In the fourth Article we promise That we shall endeavour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or ev●ll Instruments by hindring the Reformation of Religion dividing the King from his people or one of the Kingdomes from another If these things be the brands that the Covenant puts upon Incendiaries Malignants or evill Instruments then is not Cromwell and his Faction the great Incendiaries Malignauts and evill Instruments who have hindred the Reformation of Religion nay blemished the very name and destroyed the very face of Religion and have they not divided the King from his people not only by interrupting his agreement with the Parliament and dividing him from them but by dividing his head from his body and have not they divided one of the Kingdoms from another and by this unjust invasion laid such seeds to dissentions and irreconcileable differences as are likely never to be healed yea so divided as never likely to be united together any more In the fifth Article it is said Where as the happinesse of a blessed peace between these Kingdomes denyed in former times to our pr●genitors is by the good provide●ce of God granted unto us and hath been lately concluded and setled by both Parliaments we shal each one of us indeavour that they may remaine conjoyned in a firme Peace and Union to all posterity Let the world judge whether Cromwell and his invaders have endeavoured that the Kingdoms may remain in a firme peace and union to all posterity he was so far from endeavouring to have this Union kept to all posterity that he dissolved this Union within seven years after he promised to preserve this Union for he took the Covenant in the yeare 1643. and entred Scotland in a bloody Hostile manner in the yeare 1650. Thus you see Cromwells invasion of Scotland is repugnant to the whole scope and tenour of the Covenant it is contrary to the Articles of the Treaty between both Kingdoms for this is one among the rest That one Nation shall not wage war with each other but give three moneths warning before hand but Cremwell did not not give three dayes warning to Scotland before he invaded their Land 6. I may draw the sixth reason from the judgement of the Parliament when free and full they were still averse to any breach with and war against their Brethren of Scotland as knowing it would endanger the Protestant Religion and godly party in both the Nations I well remember the King called a Parliament here in England in April 1640. on purpose to raise money to carry on the Warre against the Scots but the Parliament utterly refused to grant any money to so ill a purpose and did all they could to disswade the King from the Warre with Scotland publiquely protesting against the War as dishonourable and dangerous to Religion and both Kingdomes whereupon through the designes of the Prelates and Popish party that Parliament was dissolved within 10 dayes after it was called Although the dissolving that Parliament was a great grief of heart to all the godly in this Nation yet it was a rejoycing that the Parliament refused to engage in the War of Scotland After this there were publique Thanksgivings throughout all England enjoyned by King and Parliament for the Pacification between England and Scotland If the wisdome of the Parliament in the year 1640. judged it unlawfull to wage War against Scotland upon the sollicitations of the King and Bishops because they would obtrude Popish Ceremonies upon that Nation may not we judge it much more unlawfull to wage War with Scotland to bring Blasphemies Heresies and Slavery upon them and that after we have had a Brotherly assistance from them and have entered into Covenant with them There are l●●●e pretences to justifie the War with Scotland in the year 1650 by Cromwell than in the year 1640. when the King intended to wage war with them 7. A seventh Reason may be drawn from the intollerable mischiefs sad consequences and unexpressible calamities likely to befall the Protestant and Covenanting party in the 3. Kingdoms the mischiefs and sad consequences of Cromwells invading Scotland I shall reduce to 8. heads 1. The War with the Irish Rebels is by this means neglected and lengthened out had Cromwell staid in Ireland and had but one half of the Souldiers he hath now in Scotland in all likelyhood the Irish Wars had been ended long before now the Rebels destroyed and the English had had a quiet and peaceable possession of that Land But Cromwell through the counsell of the Pope King of Spaine and the Iesuites had rather fight with the Protestant covenanting party in Scotland than with the Rebels of Ireland 2. By this means most grievous and burdensome Taxes are continued and increased I shall mention one thing which to the vulgar may seem incredible viz. That the Iuncto at Westminster have by the Excise Customes Sequestrations and Taxes received more money in one year than all the Kings of England put them all together since the Conquest did raise upon their Subjects for such a space of time yet the Kings called Oppressors and these called Saints c. 3. A totall eradication of the Presbyteriall Government in both the Kingdoms Presbytery is the But at which the Prelates of old and the Sectaries of late have shot their invenomed Arrows 4. A great indangering of all the Protestant Churches and States in Europe The Kingdomes of England and Scotland make up the greatest

never to imploy that life against you I shall receive from you but bold it my duty to lay out my life for the glory of God the good of his people the peace and safety of this Commonwealth I have promised four things in this Petition the lawfullnesse whereof as the case stands I shall sufficiently evince First I promised neither to plot contrive or designe any thing prejudjciall to the present Government This is the same in terminis with what is promised in my second and third Petitions To vindicate which I refer my Reader to what I said there Secondly I promised In my place and calling to oppose any Malignant designes whatsoever whether in this or the neighbour Nations that may tend to the ruine of this Common-wealth In which words I desire the Reader to take notice First That I hold my self still bound to oppose malignant designs as much as ever I did I still retaine as great a dislike of a Malignant interest as ever Secondly When I mention Malignant designs I do not understand the honest Scots undertakings in preserving their King Country Religion and all against the invaders to be a Malignant designe farre be it from me I should once imagine it but by Malignant designs I mean such which the Covenant expresseth the Covenant brandeth them for Malignants Incendiaries and evill instruments who divide the King from his people or one of the Kingdoms from another they are the Malignants which I did oppose and should oppose who did labour by Arms to force the two Houses of Parliament this the Cavaleers would have done but could not but this the Army hath done Thirdly I do not say I shall oppose all designs that may tend to the ruine of the Government of the Common-wealth but that may tend to the ruine of the Common-wealth that is to the ruine of the body of the people of this Nation Thirdly I promised Never to implo● that life against you I should receive from you This is the same in termin●s with that in my third Petition could they give me a thousand lives I would not imploy one for them yet if they had given me my life I would not imploy that life against them Fourthly I promised To lay out my selfe for the glory of God the good of his people the peace and safety of this Common-wealth That is not the Government of this Common-wealth but of the Community or whole Body of the people I thinke there is none that will question the lawfullnesse of this promise Thus you have seen to a tittle both the Narratory and Promissory part of all my Petitions wherein I have declared and promised nothing that will strengthen this Government that doth contradict my Principles wound my Conscience or justly offend my Godly Brethren I promise nothing in a way of active concurrence or complyance with their State Government neither to preach or pray for them fight or act for them in the least Thus I have justified the lawfullnesse of the titles of my Petitions c. Also of the matter of them both of the Narratory Promissory and Petitionary part of them I now begin to justifie my practice in giving in a Narrative of the whole transaction This I did not out of constraint but voluntarily In my Narrative offence is taken at two things First That I accuse my selfe Secondly That I accuse others yet at first I did refuse to doe either To this I shall give a clear and satisfactory answer to justifie what I have done It is true before I was condemned to dye I deemed it against the Law of Nature to accuse my selfe and against the law of love to accuse my Brother therefore then would do neither And I am still of this judgment before a man sees his accusers face to face and is convicted I would not have a man confesse a word in a case of that nature as mine is but as the case stands with me being a condemned man I conceive it is not against the Law of Nature to confesse against my selfe nor against the Law of Love to confesse against my Brethren who are partakers with me in this businesse I shall begin with the first viz. To prove the lawfulnesse of my practice in giving in a Narrative of what I had done This is not forced from me I offered this from the begining I mean since I was condemned I would not do it before to let them know what I had done in this whole businesse but it would not be accepted unlesse I would name other men which I was then loath to do but upon further consideration I afterwards inclined to it The Reasons which induced me to give in a Narrative of what I my self had done I being now a condemned man are these First As self justification can do me no good so self accusation can do me no hurt before I was convicted I would not confesse a word that were to make me guilty of mine owne blood if out of my owne mouth they should condemn● me then confession might have been a prejudice to me but now it can be none Secondly My acknowledgment may soften and sweeten the spirits of those toward me in whose hands my life is remove many prejudices out of their minds that I am not obstinate or perverse when they shall see me deale with them with an ingenuous freedom and opennesse of heart to them Thirdly I do it to take off jealousies out of the minds of them who are in power who surmise plots and designes carrying on against them who suspect there is not a full discovery of this businesse upon this ground therefore I shall discover what I well remember and distinctly know in this businesse Fourthly I am willing the world should know the worst I have done therefore I shall acknowledge not only what is proved against me but those things none in the World could accuse me of they are such things as I need not I ought not be ashamed of viz. That I desired as a private man there might be an agreement between the King and the Scots upon the interest of Religion and tearms of the Covenant or that I relieved Massey with money not upon any Military accompt but meerly as a supply for his personall necessities c. these are things I am not I need not be ashamed of Fifthly If I should now conceale what I had do●● the World would thinke w●rse of it than it is and worse of me than I am Sixthly I intend upon the Scaffold to make an acknowledgment of what I have done and why may I not do it before I need not ought not be ashamed to justifie what I have done upon the Scaffold I have done nothing either by the Lawes of God or of this Nation for which I ought to dve although by their bloody Lawes they have condemned me to dye These are the reasons why I have confest against my selfe I am now to give reasons why I have in my

their blood are directly guilty of all the blood shed in Scotland 2. By no kind of consequence can the guilt of Scotland's blood be charged on me I would fain know what act I have done that hath a remote tendency to the sheding of blood in Scotland Can I be said by Consequence to be guilty of the blood of Scotland only for praying the King may agree with the Scots upon the interest of Religion and terms of the Covenant there is no more consequence in this than to say Tenterden Steeple is the cause of Goodwin Sands nor no more consequence than in the Iesuits Argument that because CHRIST did feed the multitude with five Loaves and two Fishes therefore there must be seven Sacraments Thirdly For my part I am a man of such an obscure station that it was not within my sphere to be able to doe any thing to promote the Agreement between the King and the Scots otherwise than by my poor prayers I was at no meeting as I remember to promote that end Fast onely excepted but one at my house at which time William Drake propounded this question What we should do to promote the Agreement between the King and the Scots at the Treaty at Bred●h he drew out some papers written in Characters which he called A Commission and Instructions to severall persons in Holland to use their I●terest to fu●ther the Agreement between the King and the Scots When I heard it I declared my self against it as being an act of high presumption for private persons to send Commi●●ion and Instructions and an act of notorious falshood to say it was in the name of the Presbyterian party when none knew thereof but those present that I know of yea one of the Witnesses viz. Captain Far swore that all the Company were against sending them I know no more that I have done to promote the Agreement yet the blood of Scotland is charged upon me But suppose I had done a hundred times more than I did to promote the Agreement between the King and the Scots upon the interest of Religion and terms of the Covenant yet how can I be justly charged with all the blood of Scotland for desiring the King should agree with that Kingdom who had proclaimed him King What law of God or of the Land have I broken if I had done so the Covenant counts them Malig●ants Incendiaries and evill Instruments that desire or endeavour the contrary videlicet Divide the King from his people or one of the Kingdoms from another 3. I say no more concerning this I shall be more large in the 3d. viz. Lay down some Arguments to prove the unlawfulnesse of the English Army's invading Scotland Yet I intend not to handle the case of Invasion to shew in what cases only an Invasion of another Nation in a Hostile manner is lawfull I am from all my books that I cannot consult with Casuists in that point all that I shall doe at present is to give some Scripture instances that may hint unto us the unwarrantablenesse of the War with that Nation of the same Religion and in Covenant with us and then give reasons and considerations drawn from interest of State against the unlawfull Invasion of Scotland Had God given me life I intended a large Treatise concerning the Usurpation of the Government of England and the unlawfulnesse of the Invasion of Scotland but my collections being lost and taken away they must dye with me I hope more able hands will write against the Invasion though they cannot fight against the Invaders I will offer but a few Scripture instances that may suggest something against this bloody War with our Brethren in Covenant with us Read Amos 1. 9. 10. 11. 12. I will not turn away the puni●●ment of Tyrus because they have delivered the whole cap●ivity to Edom and remembred not the brotherly Covenant So that Scotland may say as in Obadiah ver. 7. The men of my confederacy that were at peace with me have deceived me and prevailed against me Yea the English did to Scotland as Edom did to Israel Amos 1. 11. Edom did pursue his brother with the sword and did cast off all pitie and his anger did teare continually did not Cromwell do so to Scotland worse than Edom to Israe● let Dunbar fight testifie and the worse than butcherly usage afterwards of the prisoners there taken I may say to Cromwell as God said to Edom for thy violence against thy Brother Jacob thy Brother Scotland shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off for ever Obad. v. 10. then in Obad. v. 13 14 15 it is said Thou should'st not have entred into the ga●e of my people in the day of their calamity yea thou should'st not have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity neither should'st thou have stood in the cross way to cut off those of his that did escape neither shouldst thou deliver those of his that did remaine in the day of distresse Then it followes As thou hast done it shall be done to thee thy reward shall returne upon thine owne head I shall mention one Scripture History that is pertinently applyed and published in Print entituled The History of Pek●h it is worth your perusall Pekah King of Israel did sinfully invade Jud●h had the worser Cause and the lesser number yet prevailed over Iudah then said Oded the Prophet because the Lord was wrath with Iudah he hath delivered them into your hand and yee have flaine them in a rage reaching up to Heaven and now ye purpose to keep under the Children for Bond-men and Bond-women unto you but are there not with you even with you sins against the Lord your God c And doth not C●o●●ell do this to Scotland as Pekah did to Iudah Nay he is not so mercifull for Pekah returned the Captives restored the spoyle arrayed them and shoo'd them gave them to eat and to drinke and carried all the feeble of them upon Asses c. 2 Chron. 28. 15. Cromwell is so accustomed to works of cruelty that he is far from shewing such acts of mercy to his Brethren of Scotland as Pekah did to his Brethren of Iudah There is one Chapter in Ezekiel that I have often thought of which cannot be more aptly applyed to any in the World than to Cromwell and the rest of the invaders of the Scot●ish Nation it is the 35 of Ez●kiel v. 5. to the end Because thou hast had a perpetuall h●tred and hast shed the blood of the Children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity in the time that their iniquity had an end therefore as I live saith the Lord I will prepare thee unto bloud and bloud shall pursue thee and v. 10. Because thou hast said These two Nations and these two Countries shall be mine and we will possesse it whereas the Lord was there therefore as I live saith the Lord I wil do

whith a Whore now because he was one of my name some Malignants did charge it upon me but that grosse lye was soon quelled but is now revived and suggested to some in present power on purpose to exasperate them against me But why should I be troubled at these slanders my betters have been falsly accused as well as I two Harlots accused Athanasius that he was uncleane with them when he was the Chastest man of that age Beza was accused of drunkennesse and uncleannesse also who was free from both the Jesuits accused Calvin that he had the foule disease that he was eaten up of V●●min yea the Lord Jesus was accused to have a Devill though the fulnesse of the God-head dwelt in him 4. Object It is reported that I was unnaturall to my Parents that I would not relieve them in their necessities Sol. I am loth to commend my selfe yet when another mans mouth doth accuse me it is lawfull for my owne to praise me My duty and Naturall affections to my parents hath abounded as I had great cause for their tendernesse and care in my education they have been dead above seven years since it is true they had a competent livelyhood in the World but fell to decay and when they were necessitated I speak it truly when I was not worth 20 li. in all the world my parents had ten of it 5 Object It is reported that I neglected Mr. Erbury who was the means of my conversion and education that when he was plundred in WALES and came to ENGLAND in a necessitous condition that I would not relieve him Sol. As for Master Erbury though he is fallen into dangerous opinions yet he being my spirituall Father I do naturally care for him as Timothy did for Paul my heart cleaves to him in love more than to any one man in the World I speake to the praise of God he was the instrument to my conversion near twenty years agoe and the means of my education also in the Vniversity for which kindnesse the half I have in the World I could readily part with for his reliefe It is true about eight or nine years since he was plundered in Wales and did come to see me at Windsor Castle but a Sonne could not make more of a Father than I made of him according to my ability when I had not twelve pounds in all the World I let Master Erbury have six of it indeed he afterward gave me a horse for which I received not much above forty shillings yea I procured him a place in the Army to be Chaplaine to Major Generall Skippons Regiment where he had eight shillings a day 6 Object Others say that what I denyed in Court was afterward proved against me and then I did confesse it Sol. This is a manifest untruth those Protestations I made the first day of my Tryall I made them also the last day rejoycing that they were not falsified nor contradicted by any of the 8 Witnesses but I have spoken to this more largely before If other slanders shall be cast upon me I hope you will have so much charity not to believe reports raised upon me when I shall be silent in the Grave not able to speake in my owne vindication This I say without vanity of falshood I have been kept for these twenty years from the time I first knew God from falling into any scandalous evill but only into those infirmities of unavoydable and dayly incursion unto which all the Godly are subject in the course of their pilgrimage I love not to speak in my own praise yet I judge it lawfull when other mens mouthes falsly accuse me my owne mouth may modestly commend me As an Appendix to what I have already written I have but a few things to desire the Reader to take notice of 1. I am informed that there is something blotted out of my last Petition after it went from me without my knowledge or consent To assure all the World that I was no Malignant I did put this clause in my fourth Petition That in my place and calling I should oppose all Malignant designs whether in this or the Neighbour Nation that may tend to the ruin● of this Common-wealth Somebody blotted out the word Malignant and would thereby hold the world in hand as if I should engage to oppose the King and Scots which are now entred England which was far from my Heart I judge it no Malignant designe for the Scots to defend their Nation and the Title of their King upon the interest of Religion and terms of the Covenant this is an honest and justifiable designe Indeed Mr. Owen and Mr. Bond were with me in the Tower and desired me to put it out but I told them I could not doe it because I said though I would be lookt upon as one that would oppose Malignant designes yet I would not be lookt upon as one that would oppose the honest Scots or as if I thought their actings were Malignant designes I sent the Petition to Sheriffe Titchburn if he observed it he will justifie me that the word Malignant was in the Petition Whether they have blotted out any thing more or put any thing in God knows I am not ashamed to own the Petitions I have given you the Substance of them in my vindication I desire you to take notice also that by Common-wealth I do not understand the present Government I wish that were ruined but by Common-wealth I understand the Body or Community of the People of this Nation I shall in my place and calling oppose any Malignant designes that may tend to their ruine 2. I desire you to take notice that it is very likely they will not publish the Depositions of the Witnesses in Court but the private Examinations taken from them in private and patcht together by Mr. Scet and Captain Bishop they were not ashamed to produce them and read them in open Court and some of the Witnesses had so much honesty left as to dissavow them in open Court Believe nothing beloved but what was sworn in open Court nor all that neither for some of the Witnesses swore falsly as I made appear in my Defence 3 I desire the Reader to take notice that there is a lying Pamphlet put forth entituled A short Plea for the Common-wealth In which there are many grosse lies especially in things which relate to me It is not fit for me to enter the Lists with him It becomes not a dying man to write of Controversies which will beget dispute therefore I shall not answer the Book though I could easily do it but only sum up the many Lies he relates concerning me As In Page 3 second Edition He insinuates he is loath to say it out for shame or to name me yet he would deceive the Reader by saying The meetings of these Traytors here produced the first Treaty at the Hague And elsewhere he saith That I am chief of these Traytors so

according to thine anger and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them and I will make my self knowne amongst them when I have judged thee c. It is in Scripture record accounted a more deplorable judgment to have Nations of the same Religion and under the same Government to wage War one with another than to have a War with any other Nations whatsoever read 2 Chron. 15. 5 6. Nation shall rise against Nation that is the Kingdome of Israel against the Kingdom of Iudah who were of the same Religion and also under the same Government during the Reignes of Saul David Solomon and part of Rehoboams so in 2. Chron. 28. 9 10. per totum many instances out of Scripture might have been produced to suggest to you how unwarrantable a thing it is for Cromwell with his English Army to invade spoyle and lay wast their poor Brethren of Scotland We are commanded Zech. 7. 9. 10. ●o shew mercy and compassion every man to his neighhour oppr●sse not the Widdow nor the Fatherl●ss nor the stranger nor the poor and I t●none imagine ev●ll against his Brother in your heart and the reason may be drawn from Mal●chy 2. 10. Have we not all one Father hath not one God created us Why doe we deal treacherously every man against his brother by prophaxing the Covenant of our Fathers I have no more to say in this matter but will say of Cromwell though he may prosper for a while against the people of God yet I may say of him as God did of J●hojakim Tkine eyes and thi●e heart are not but for thy covetousnesse and for to shed innocent bloud and for oppression and for violence to do it therefore thus saith the Lord They shall not lament for him saying ah my brother or ah my sister they shall not lament for him saying ah Lord or ah his glory he shall be buried with the buriall of an ●sse c. Ier. 22. 17 18 19. I am in the next place to give some reasons to prove the unlawfullnesse of the invasion of our Brethren of SCOTLAND I shall lay down a few considerations whereby you may see the evill nature and dangerous consequence of this War First This Warre with Scotland is worse than the former war intended against Scotland in the year 1640. it is worse in many regards 1. The First war was called Bellum Episcopale this may be called Bellum Haereticale if I may so say the first War would have brought in Popish ceremonies this War brings in damnable Heresies and hellish blasphemies by the first they would have scrued up Monarchy into Tyranny by this they will pull down Monarchy and turne all to Anarchy 2. This War in the year 1650. is worse than that intended about the yeare 1640. because then we were not under so many Covenants and Engagements one towards another as now we are Cromwell invaded them after a Covenant and Articles of Agreement for assistance made with them after help and Brotherly assistance received from them yet he hath forgotten the Brotherly Covenant with them and all the kindnesses we have had from them in the day of out deep distresse Thirdly This war hath not such an Authority as the former had the first was raised by the King and his Councell this by Cromwell and a Faction Fourthly the Souldiers many of them doe behave themselves worser than the Souldiers the King and Bishops did raise against the Scots at first the Kings Soldiers were but ignorant and prophane these many of them Hereticks and Blasphemers those did pull down Crosses and Pictures these pull downe Ordinances those drunk with Wine or Strong Drink but these drunk with Error having a spirit of gyddinesse and contradiction against the Truth which is the worst sort of drunkennesse Fifthly far worse in the event also in the Kings and Bishops war not above 14 slain one both sides but in this war Cromwell with a more cruel and bloody minde hath most barbarously slaine at least 10000 of the Scotish Nation since he entered Scotland oh the bloody cruelty of this man 2. A second reason may be taken from the time when Cromwell invaded them it was not when Scotland was over-run with malignity during the time of Hambletons prevalency but it was when the power of that Kingdome was in the hands of the most Religious and Covenanting Party in Scotland after Hamblitons Army was destroyed and Montrosse defeated and the godly party who managed the cause of God for these 14 years faithfully had all the power of that Kingdome in their hands then Cromwell invaded them which to me is an evident Demonstration that the invasion of Scotland was by the instigation of Jesuites and the Papists Party to root out the Protestant Party in ●cotland and to bring their persons in vassalage and thraldome as to their civill Liberties 3. A third Reason may be drawn from the slight grounds Cromwell had to invade Scotland because they would not be a Common-wealth therefore they shall not be a People because they will not break their Covenants therefore Cromwell will break them because the● will not lay their Consciences waste he will lay their land waste and make it desolate because the Scots are for a Scripturall Presbytery and a well-regulated Monarchy for found doctrine and the power of godlynesse therefore it is that Cromwell is so much their Enemy Whatever els may be pretended ●et these were the true grounds why Cromwell and the rest of the Iesuited Spanish Faction did invade the neighbour Nation 4. A fourth reason may be taken from the wicked ends Cromwell aims at in his invading Scotland viz. merely to satisfie his ambitious and covetous desires to be absolute Lord of the Estates Liberties and Lives of all the people in these 3. Nation it doth not content him to have one Kingdome viz. Ireland for Ireton his Son nor another Kingdome viz. England for himself but he must have Scotland also His end is as was that of the Children of Ammon invading Israel in Amos 1. 13. That they might inlarge their borders his end and the end his Souldiers aim is like that of the Chaldaeans that bitter and hasly Nation to march thr●ugh the bredih ●f the Land to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs his end is like that of M●unt Seir who said ●hese two Nations and these two Countreys shall be mine and wee will passesse them So saith Cromwell these two Nations and these two Countrves viz. England and Scotland shall be mine and I will possesse them nor will all this content him he seeks to be an universall Monarch like that Ch●ldaean Monarch in Hab. 2. 56. He is a proud man neither keepeth at home who exlargeth his desire as hell and cannot be satisfied but gathereth unto him all Nations and heapeth unto him all people but shall not all these take up a taunting proverbe against him Woe to him

Body of the Protestant Religion in Christendome being best able to defend themselves and succour other Reformed Churches when indangered and designed to ruine by Popish Enemies therefore the discountenancing of the Covenanting party in England and the ruining of them in Scotland is the readiest way to indanger conquer ruine all other Reformed Churches in the World and how will this imbolden and encourage Popish Adveraries to invade and ruine the Protestants whiles they see England and Scotland who make up the greatest Body of the Protestant Religion in Christendome engaged in an un-Brotherly and un-Christian War between themselves and weakning impoverishing and destroying each other 5. Cromwells invasion of Scotland is an extraordinary ground of joy to the Pope and all his Confederates Had the Conclave of Rome plotted together they could not wish a more happy and hopefull designe to advance the interest of Rome and Catholick Religion that doth more glad and gratifie the Popish party than to see the Protestant party in England and Scotland ruining one another I have read a very remarkeable story of a great Politician in France that is Cardinal Richelieu That a little before his death be left Instructions and advice with the late French King that he would use his utmost endeavour to foment the late differences between the King of England and the Parliament and if it were possible by the sollicitations of his Instruments to draw the House of Commons in England to change their Government from a Kingdome into a Common-wealth by which means England and Scotland would be imbroyled in warres one against another which is the onely and best policy of all to weaken and destroy the Protestant Religion and advance the interest of France and Catholique Religion The truth of this story is asserted by an Italian of good note and credit and published by him and Printed in Italy anno 1645. I shall say no more touching this particular but only this that I doe verily beleeve Cromwels invading Scotland in the year 1650. makes it a year of Iubilee in Rome but a year of slavery to England and Scotland and a year of sorrow to all the Protestant Churches round about us which puts me upon the next sad consequence of this war viz. 6. It will be and is a great grief and sadning to all Protestant States and Churches round about us when they consider how we who have lived under one King united in one Covenant ingaged in one and the same Quarrell that we should ruine and destroy one another and that with such bloody rage and cruell hatred as we doe what a grief is it to them to consider that we who might have been their he●pers are our own destroyers neither able to assist them abroad nor defend our selves at home 7. It will lay lasting foundations of irreconcileable discord between the two Nations That we who were the dearest Friends will be to each other the greatest Enemies 8. There will be a toleration of all Heresies and Blasphemies in the Church and an increasing of all oppression and violence in the State These two usually goe together Iudges 5. 8. They chose new Gods then was there War in their Gates These with manifold more inconceivable mischiefes are likely to arise by reason of Cromwels groundlesse and unwarrantable invasion of our neighbour Nation The last work I have now to doe about this vindication of my self is to take off some aspersions and slanders unjustly laid upon me 1. Some report that I am under great fears of death that much terror and trembling laies hold upon me To which I say That through the sence of the pardoning mercies of God through the blood of sprinkling the bitternesse fear and sting of death is much abated that I am delivered from the fear of death to which all the former part part of my life I was subject unto bondage I speak it without vanity to the praise of Gods glorious grace I formerly have had more feare at the pulling out of a Tooth than now I have at the thoughts of the cutting off my head I mention it to the praise of God who supported me the hearing of the Sentence of Death pronounced against me in the Court did no whit dismay me I had as much calmnesse and quietnesse in my minde at that very ho●●e as ever I had in all my life yea since I have been condemned I blesse God I have not had one troubled thought nor broke one hours rest nor forborne one meals meat yea the very night before I was to suffer I supt as heartily and slept as sweetly as ever I did in all my life the hopes I have of an eternall life doth swallow up the fears of a temporall death 2. Objection But you confesse you have sinned therefore you are put to death for your sinne Sol. I have indeed and I ought to confesse my sinns against God so condemne my self and justifie God acknowledging that I have sinned and he is righteous in all that is come upon me so that it is just with the most high to cut me off in the midst of my dayes and in the midst of my Ministry but yet I never said that I had sinned against God in the particular facts for which that cruell sentence was past upon me I say still as I did at the Bar when I received the sentence of death that God did not condemne me when I was judged that neither God nor my own Conscience did condemne me of sin I have transgressed their bloody Lawes it is true yet not broken any command of God in so doing they have sinned in making such Lawes not I in breaking them I am far from thinking that I have sinned in what I have done to desire the King might agree with the Scots upon the interest of Religion and the terms of the Covenant to relieve that gallant Gentleman Major Generall Massey to pray for and endeavour after the good of the Godly in the neighbour nation of Scotland who are Brethren in Covenant with us I count all this my duty not my sinne yet I deny not but as infirmities doe cleave to my duties so in the way of mannagement of this businesse inadvertency indiscretion and too much opennesse might cleave to these actings of mine but that the thing it self was evill that I never have never shall confesse 3. Object Some are not ashamed to say that I am a debaucht person that I have been guilty of uncleannesse Sol. This I declare in the sight of God is most abominably false as Luther said of himself That he was not tempted to covetousnesse so through the grace of God I can say it without vanity or falshood I have not been tempted to uncleannesse I know no ground of this report but this that on Easter-day night last was six yeare one of my name Master Edward Love a Chaplain in the Army was questioned before Justice Rich dwelling about Chancery Lane for being found in bed