Kingdome nor c. Thus you would argue us into a confusion of interests Againe by the other expression quoted from your papers page 7. doe you not argue thus Whatsoever is intended for the good peace and security of both Kingdomes must be done by the mutuall advice and consent of both Kingdomes But the disposing of the Kings person while in this Kingdome and upon the same ground the disposing of all the Militia Forts Castles Townes and Forces by Sea and Land all offices and places of Trust yea all our estates and interests are intended for the good peace and security of both Kingdomes Therefore these must be disposed of by the mutuall advice and consent of both Kingdomes Brethren confident we are you will sooner beate out English mens brains than force that argument into their heads surely God hath given us a better stocke of reason and humanity than thus to be charmed into bondage and slavery we have read your owne words declared by you 1641. viz. that neither by your Treaty with the English nor by seeking your peace to be established in PARLIAMENT nor any other action of yours you doe acknowledge ANY dependency upon them or make them Iudges to you or your Lawes or any thing that may import the smallest prejudice to your Liberties Are you so tender of the Mint and Cummin of Scotlands Liberties that you will not admit of the smallest prejudice thereof and shall the Parliament of England the grand Trustees of the Kingdomes Liberties dispence with the Great things of Englands interest betraying their trust and breaking their covenant yea and bringing upon them the guilt and cry of so much bloud as hath been shed in the just defence of the Kingdomes interest Brethren did you come to free us from slavery by others that you might enslave us to save us from rods that you might whip us with Scorpions to deliver us from the little finger of the King that we might feele the loynes of the Scot Doubtlesse brethren though we thankfully acknowledge that your help was seasonable in the day of our trouble which we hope we shall never forget yet were we not so profane as to contract the parting with our birthright for that Scottish pottage and therefore remember your promise page 4. That you woùld not stretch your selves beyond your line and that which is within the EXPRESSE condition of your solemne League and Covenant the duty of your Allegeance the Treaty and Declaration between the two Kingdomes And before we leave this we pray againe remember the word EXPRESSE and doe not presse us with an extorted sense for we shall never abide it In the next place you begin methodically to speak unto two heads First of the best and most probable meanes to procure a good agreement with the King for setting Religion and a lasting Peace And next of the Propositions which are to be the foundation of the peace and safety of both Kingdomes We shall not take upon us to speak unto every particular expression of yours wherein you seeme to reflect upon the Parliament our daily imploiments and busines of our callings not affording us those opportunities of knowing and understanding the severall transactions which it is very likely have passed between the Parliament and you and we doubt not but an answer to satisfaction will be given by that Honourable Assembly whom you have blemished by your writings and the publication thereof but such things which are of most plaine and obvious observation whereof there is plenty sufficient to take away those scandals which are cast upon the Parliament are these that we shall insist upon First then in your method you begin with that which you call The best and most probable meanes to procure a good agreement with the King for the setling Religion and a lasting peace and you say It is still your opinion and judgement that it must be by a personall Treaty with the King and that his Majesty for that end be invited to come to London with honour freedome and safety If you are of that opinion we pray you tell us what satisfaction for bloud and security as to peace you have received from his Majesty that this Kingdome if possibly may be of your opinion Have you concluded a peace with his Majesty without the Parliament of England Then have you broken your Treaty If you have not say so You know they are not of your opinion for a personall treaty but we would gladly weigh your reasons for it we can better beare your reasons then blowes you tender us your reasons by the halfe dozen Let us see your Position and your reasons your position is this The best way to procure a well-grounded Peace is by a personall treaty with the King at LONDON Here we are to consider first the thing a personall Treaty secondly the place at London We shall looke upon your reasons with reference to both First for the thing your first reason is The sending of Propositions without a Treaty hath been oftentimes assayed without successe and the new Propositions are lesse advantagious to the Crown than the former were 1. What if Propositions have been successelesse heretofore Doth it follow they will be so still English spirits to speake without vanitie are more noble and generous then to despaire because of repulse So many Garrisons had not been taken by some and so few by others if this Argument had prevailed with all as it hath with some 2. These foure Bills were so model'd as might have administred hopes of his Majesties concurrence being in order to a Treaty had you not anticipated by charging the new propositions to be lesse advantagious to the Crown than the former were and which we have cause to suspect hath made this last addresse to his Majesty through your means as successelesse as the former hath been contrary to the hopes and expectations of many And the truth is his Majesties answer and your lines doe so consimilate that a man would thinke that Sir John Cheisly was the Scribe to both Your next reason is this The Kings removall from the Parliament was the cause of the warre therefore his returne may be the means of peace 1. That may not follow especially as the case now stands when pretended friends change principles for self-ends and forgetting their solemne League and Covenant decline the Parliament and the Kingdoms interest and turn Royalists 2. Was not this reason as valid when you did concurre to send Propositions Your third reason is this In a personall Treaty the Commissioners of both Kingdomes may give reasons of their desires but Propositions without a Treaty may be esteemed impositions 1. We make no question but the Parliaments propositions carry their reasons in their foreheads and may be easily discerned by an English eye And doe not you know that the King of England is bound by his Oath to grant the just desires of his Parliament
2. Were they not impositions as well when you did concurre to send propositions as when you did dissent The King may have some just desires to move for the Crowne and for himself as that be may have his Revenues c. 1. It is true the Crowne aod Revenues goe together in England however it is in Scotland neither doe we presume any propositions shall be sent by the Parliament in prejudice to the Crown or Crown-Revenues both being for the Kingdoms honour and safety 2. Was not this likewise as good a reason when you did concurre Your next reason A personall Treaty with the King is the best way to beget a mutuall confidence c. 1. That is as the Treaty may be managed and so may propositions as instructions be given 2. And was not this likewise as good a reason when you did concurre Your last reason is this we cannot expect his Majesty will grant in terminis whatsoever propositions shall be sent unto c. neither will the Houses of Parliament give full power to commissioners to make altrrations as they shall see cause He is to passe Bills in terminis why not propositions being matter for Bils Confident we are had he wrested the sword out of the Parliaments hands as it is wrested out of his hands they should have had such propositions as he would have judged fit for traitors it may be the axe in stead of the halter heading in stead of hanging for traitors hath he proclaimed them without recalling it to this day 2. Was not this also as valid when you did concurre as now it is Thus your weighty reasons for the thing A personall Treaty vanish into the aire Let us now examine your reasons for the place at London for there lies the emphasis of your motion and perhaps designe 1. Propositions have been often essayed without successe and therefore the personall Treaty must be at London 2. The Kings removall from London was the cause of the warre and his returne or presence may be a remedy Ergo the Treaty must be at London Thirdly in a personall Treaty things may be mutually debated for that is the summe of your reason Ergo the Treaty must be at London Fourthly the King may have some desires to move for the Crowne Ergo the Treaty must be at London Fifthly a personall Treaty is the best way for giving and receiving satisfaction Ergo the Treaty must be at London Sixthly it cannot be expected his Majesty will grant all the propositions neither will the Houses give full power to their Commissioners to make alterations as they see cause upon debate Ergo the Treaty must be at London Brethren we shall not so much prejudge the weaknesse of our countreymen as to shew them the difficiencie of these starved suggestions Englishmens eyes are in their heads and they need no spectacles to see mountaines only we would gladly know your meaning by the advantage of the Crown and motions of the Crown which ever and anon you hint out to us if our judgements faile us not as possibly they may for we are no Statesmen but as the late times have made us all enquire into State-cases we say if our judgements be right both the King and the Crown and all things belonging unto them as such are for the Kingdomes advantage and for no personall interest whatsoever in prejudice of that we have had many things which they call Aphorismes divulged amongst us as that THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE IS THE CHIEFEST LAW THE KING IS ABOVE EVERY PARTICULAR MAM BUT LESSE THAN THE WHOLE KINGDOME that THE KING IS THE KINGDOMES BUT THE KINGDOME IS NONE OF THE KINGS except with a distinction and twenty more such sayings which are our ordinary discourse and we thinke there is a great deale of equity justice and reason in them and a light to instruct us to give unto the Magistrates their due and to preserve our selves from tyranny and by these things were we rallied by the Parliament together to maintain the truth of these sayings and we have paid for our learning it hath cost us deare and we would not quickly forget all like dunces untill we are knockt into our former lessons your talking so much of the advantage of the Crown and motions for the Crown seems to us to interfier with these sayings Having exhibited your reasons such as they are for a personal Treaty you fall into invectives with the Parliament of England thus If they were esteemed enemies to the Parliament and peace of the kingdome who advised the King to withdraw from his Parliament what estimation will the world have of them who will not suffer him to returne to his Parliament when he offers to cast himselfe into their arms The plaine English whereof is this to insinuate into the people that the Parliament of England being against the Kings treating at London are the Kingdomes enemies and so to stirre up the people against their Parliament Is this like Commissioners of State Would you suffer such things in your owne Kingdome Is this according to your solemne League and Covenant Is this your brotherly love your zeale for the parliament of England and the interest thereof We say no more but better is a neighbour that is near than a brother that is farre off But secondly if the Parliament be the Kings enemy because they will not admit of a personal Treaty at London what were you when you refused the same things Doe not you give a just occasion for the Cavaliers to call you Enemies all-a-row Having dispatcht the first particular in your method viz. The readiest meanes for a lasting peace which you say is a personal Treaty with the King at London you fall to the second viz. The consideration of the propositions which are to be the foundation of peace and therein First to consider and remove the differences which you divide into three heads which are 1. Matters of Religion 2. The interest of the Crown 3. The union and joynt concernment of the Kingdomes First you begin with that of Religion and hint it in one of your biting parenthesis as a most flagitious neglect that it is put by the Parliament amongst the last of these new propositions 1. You know Brethren that that may be primum in extentione which is ultimum in executione we use to make our hedge before we plant our garden 2. Religion was not the first of those propositions which were sent to New-Castle with your consent as appeares in print but now you are more zealous than before 3. The best sort of English-men loves Religion in the bottome to have it in designe as well as pretence to make Religion the end and not the means unto their intentions 4. We have generally observed that the emptiest zelots are the greatest advocates for the circumstances of Religion time and order mighty matters in some mens eyes You commend the King
come up to the full length of your desires c. That is take the Covenant Your zeale for the Covenant and His Majestie runs together though His Majestie and the Covenant are a great way asunder your loyalty and allegeance will suffer you to indulge the King in His refusing to subject to the matters of God the solemne League and Covenant and yet your brotherly affection and honesty will admit of quarrelling with the Parliament of England for not haling urging and pressing Him to come to the full length of their desires viz. to take the Covenant The Commissioners of Scotland can give a dispensation but the Parliament of England must not so much as appeare to favour him upon paine of dispensing with the matters of God asham'd of Christ denying him before men and his denyall of them at the great day of the Lord It seemes you would make us younger brethren not only in the matters of the world but in matters of God too Thus farre for the businesse of the Covenant the primum mobile of all other motions and therefore ever and anon you refer unto that The next thing omitted by the Parliament is the Proposition for confirming the Ordinance concerning the calling and sitting of the Assembly of Divines The calling and sitting of the Assembly of Divines was not intended in sempiternum neither do we beleeve but an authoritative dismission of that revered Assembly especially for a season would be as acceptable to themsâ—… as serviceable to the respective places whereto they belong for the weeding up of those tares of errour and prophanesse which the enemy hath sowne in their absence and it is no parradoxe to affirm that the sitting so long of so many learned and godly Ministers together for the suppression of Errour Heresie and Wickednesse and advancing the affaires of Jesus Christ hath been an occasion through their absence from their people of more Errour Heresie Profanesse and prejudice to the affaires of Christ than did appeare before men erre not knowing the Scriptures and how can men but erre when their Teachers are long removed into corners The next thing omitted was the Proposition for Reformation of Religion in England and Ireland according to the Covenant According to the Covenant That implies that the Covenant must first be taken and then the Reformation must be setled according to the Covenant you have said enough to the Parliament for their prophane neglect to presse the King to the Covenant that they should omit no lesse then the solemne League and Covenant though you can dispence with him but will you have the King to settle Religion in England and Ireland according to the Covenant and not take the Covenant then would you have Him settle a Religion against His Conscience and is that reasonable a blind Sacrifice is not acceptable The next thing omitted was the Proposition for setling unity and uniformity in matters of Religion betweene the Churches of both Kingdomes according to the Covenant The reply to the last might well serve for a reply to this also according to the Covenant is the burden of your song and it seemes the life of your game by the Churches of God in both Kingdomes do you not meane the two Nationall Churches that is the two Nations themselves for it concernes us now to know your meaning if you interpret that which you call matters of Religion as you have done the solemne League and Covenant for you have an excellent facultie of interpretation You may call community and parity of interests matters of Religion and if so it may be the Parliament may thinke fit to omit the Proposition for setling unity and uniformity in matters of Religion betweene the Churches of God in both Kingdomes according to the Covenant and one Kingdome at least is engaged to them for it But secondly why do you make the solemne League and Covenant the unicum necessarium the ballance of your Sanctuary and the golden reed to measure your Temple you have not a tittle of the word of God but all your crie is the solemne League and Covenant instead of the Word of God the Jew hath his Talmud the Turke his Alkeron the Papist his Masse-booke the Prelate his Service-booke and must we have the solemn League and Covenant instead of the Oracles of heaven the Word of God Better it is that this brazen Serpent should be broken to pieces and ground to powder then that men should fall down and worship it though formerly a healing benefit was received from it It was the hypocriticall Pharise's pretending to heaven though minding the earth who making void the Law of God did teach for doctrine the traditions of the Elders Let us not put up mans posts the Covenant by Gods posts the holy Scripture Having done with the Parliaments omissions in matters of Religion you fall upon their Commissions and excesse the first thing you complaine of under that head is that instead of the Propositions which they have omitted so farre as concernes Religion You find nothing but a meere shadow of Presbytery Government and instead of uniformity of Religion a vast deformity or multiformity of Heresies and Sects A liberty granted for all sorts of service and worship of God an opening a doere to Atheisme to all Religions to liberty of conscience being indeed liberty of errour scandall schisme heresie dishonouring God opposing truth hindering Reformation and seducing others First do you find no more in the Propositions as concerning Discipline and Religion but a meere shadow of Presbyterian government we have no reason to thinke but the Parliament supposeth it such a Presbiterian government in the very substance thereof as they can imagine to be most agreeable to the Word of God and according to our solemne League and Covenant If you can informe them better confident we are their eares are open shall they receive the patterne of the house of God from their Scotch Brethren for the Word of God If they see but the shadow they are not far from the substance If they honour the shadow which is all they see what will they do to the substance when their eyes are open Is it not better that they should doe as they see and see what they doe than to drive a great trade of confidence about the will of God in Discipline with a small stocke of Scripture to maintaine the same did all men truly see what they act and act what they see we should have more love and lesse wrangling more truth and lesse shew men would not be so forward in pretence of zeale for government in the house of God with the neglect of the government of their owne tongues and pens in reproaching and slandering whole States and Kingdomes you see little but the meere shadow of GOVERNMENT in the Parliament we see little but the meere shadow of RELIGION in some others Secondly Perhaps the KINGDOME sees little as
THE SCOTTISH Mist Dispel'd OR A cleare Reply to the prevaricating Answer of the Commissioners of the Kingdome of Scotland to both Houses of PARLIAMENT Upon the new Propositions for Peace And the foure Bills sent to his Majesty 1647. By an English COVENANTER LONDON Printed by M. S. for Henry Overton at the entring out of Lumbert-street into Popes-Head Alley 1648. THE SCOTTISH MIST DISPELD IT was a good saying of Solomon that he that walketh uprightly walketh surely but he that * perverteth his waies shall bee knowne Sincerity sits upon the lips of many but her competitresse keeps her out of the hearts of most Pretence of Piety in keeping Covenant was Absoloms policie to raise a warre what our Scotch brethren mean by their late papers intituled The answer of the Commissioners of the Kingdome of Scotland to both Houses of Parliament upon the new Propositions of Peace and the foure bills to be sent to his Majesty is as much our wonder as the papers themselves neither can we judge it any other than a designe to prepossesse the people of England with scandalous prejudices against their Parliament calculating their scriblings for the meridian of fooles which makes no observation of by-gone transactions but are presently charm'd into their Northern net by the guilded language of their devout chantings as if the kingdome of England like some of the Indies was a rich pleasant and golden Island but the inhabitants thereof men in statute but children in understanding ignorant of the value of their owne commodities willing to sell their English treasures and that upon trust for Scottish toyes receiving nothing in hand but two credulously presuming upon very faire and devout promises and a solemne Covenant that their trading with them will be all for their good in the latter end Brethren though the naucious vapours of a SCOTCH MIST be sum'd up into the braines of some of our weake brethren of our owne countrey rendering them a little light-headed and making them speake like Englishmen on the otherside Tweed yet are wee not infected therewith We have read your papers and shall let you know that we ken the difference between plaine juggling and plaine dealing and that others may see as well as our selves let impartiall ingenuity examine your papers and judge of the case In the first place you tell the Parliament of England by your scratching pen and the people in print with what patience you have in pursuance of the solemn League Covenant and Treaties betwixt the kingdomes used your best endeavours for the setling religion and a happie peace If you haue used your best endeavours to these ends it was in pursuance of the Covenant and so you were bound to it neverthelesse we thanke you for it being concern'd in it onely remember Solomons counsell Let another man praise thee and not thine owne mouth a stranger and not thine owne lips Prov. 27. 2. But what you meane by setling Religion is past our kenning if by religion you meane discipline for that 's all the religion some men mind then you know we have many Religions contended for amongst us we have the Kings religion and that is Episcopacy we have the Parliaments religion we meane in the sense delivered though wee are confident they do not place their religion in discipline and that is Presbitery we have the Scotch religion and to give its proper name that is Independencie for they call upon us like Oracles from heaven to heare them though they themselves will be Independent as to us Which of these religions have you used your endeavours to setle amongst us If any of you after Moses example have been taken up into the mount of God and have talked with our Lord and Master mouth to mouth and immediatlie received the law of Church Government from the hands of Christ written by his finger in Tables of stone and have Comission from him to charge the people to hearken to you upon pain of being cut off from the people we shall acknowledge your peculiar favour with the most high God and that you are the onely independent people of God in the world and that all Israel must hearken to God we repent of our former deafnes and shall henceforth submit to your judgments for conscience sake but if it hath never bin with you after this manner we have no cause to fear the guilt of Rebellion though we say to you as was said to Moses who made you rulers over us it is not our ambition to subject our selves to a rod of iron a golden Scepter will better please us your Scotch Independency is as distastfull to us as that in England or Amsterdam If you say it is the COVENANTED Religion according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches we wait with patience and hearty prayers and hands lifted up to the most high God for the speedy-setling of that amongst us but assure your selves except you will impose your Scottish sense upon our English words intollerable slavery we resolve to be according to our solemne League and Covenant English Presbyterians and not Scotish Independents If your endeavours have been in truth for the setling not onely of Religion but a happy peace you will take heed of wrangling with your peaceable brethren we have no minde to fight nor yet to be beaten and therefore we obtest you your own words in your severall Letanies by the coniunction and parity that word stickes except with an English interpretation of interests by the treaty between the kingdomes by the solemne league and covenant by all your promises professions and declarations by the dreadfull threatnings of Gods judgments upon trucebreakers by the anatomizing of all your hearts at the great day by the just retribution of the righteous judge to every man according to his wayes by the everlasting seperation between the upright the hypocrite in the day of the Lord by the indeliable blot that will fall upon you and your posterity by the scandall of religion the just vindication of the dishonour of God by the prejudice of the Gospel by the grief of the godly by the intollerable consequences of the enemies blasphemie by the offence of the Jewes by the rejoycing of the Turks by the animation and encouraging of Antichrist by the cry of all the blood that hath been shed in the just defence of this kingdomes interest by all the bonds of truth and righteousnesse that you do not engage us in another warre You tell us in the front of your papers that Propositions were agreed on Anno. 1644 with advice and consent of the Parliaments of both kingdomes presented to his Majesty at Oxford by commissioners of both and treated upon at Uxbridge 1645. that you did earnestly and frequently presse the sending of these Propositions again to his Majesty wherein the Houses would not concurre with you but on the contrary after very long delay thought fit to make
severall alterations therein which were principally in matters that did concern the neare union of the Kingdomes Propositions were sent to the King long before the time you speak of so that surely the Parliament of England did endeavour the peace of the kingdome before our Scotch brethren put them upon it you would make us beleeve that you alone minde the peace safety of the Kingdome of England as if your own interest was forgotten and ours remembred pure love unmixed friendship if the Houses would not so suddenly concurre with you to send the Propositions again we do presume they had reason for it neither do we conceive that the Scotch Commissioners have cause of offence if the Houses did not presently act upon their first motion being not Commissioners to direct the Parliament of England if they thought fit to make severall alterations we think fit to acquiesce in their judgements having chosen them to judge for us neither can we presume their least neglect of those matters which do near concern the union of the Kingdomes though perhaps with reason enough their judgment and yours may not concurre in those things it is likely they were carefull to maintain a distinction and prevent a confusion of both Kingdomes interest they would avoid an occasion of your claming from the new Propositions something like a negative voyce and right of joynt consent with this Kingdome in all things in relation between the King and the Kingdomes of England and Ireland which heretofore you have taken from the Covenant and Treaty Brethren religion teacheth contentednesse and the doctrine of Community is reckoned in England among the novelties for which we beleeve there will be no tolleration It may be the two kingdomes may not think fit that though we are all of one language under one King in one Religion yea in one Covenant yet that we might be altogether one as was once the wish of one of your honest and honourable Commissioners would you not have the honour of the Kings of England preserved in their Royall Title to two Kingdomes of England and Scotland and not that two should become one although we heartily desire to be one with you one in religion one in affection and one in assistance yet let us remaine two Kingdomes though we hold parity of interests in things spirituall and desire to be one with you in Christ and one in the Spirit yet like united Israel Covenanted Israel of old in their dividing of the Land of Canaan among their Tribes let you and we rejoyce in our distinct portion love one another cleave together and be content let Tweed divide but nothing else Brethren may be brethren without community in each others Patrimonie Again you urge that it was agreed upon betwixt the Kingdomes that the same Propositions should be presented again to his Majestie at his comming to Holdenby the performance wherof being delayed by the Houses for divers moneths you did wair patiently yet upon a sudden they did appoint a peremptory day for sending the Propositions to his Majesty First you had notice of the day and were earnestly prest unto the thing and the cause of your delay your owne consciences can tell better than we whether it was not by way of designe yet neverthelesse before you charged the Parliament with delayes now you blame them for their haste why should brethren be so froward such relations inhebits wranglings Secondly did not both Parliaments agree that those very Propositions that were sent to Newcastle should againe be sent to the King If so what shew of reason can be imagined why you should not though upon the sudden concurre with the sending them since they could not be altered Brethren le ts have fair play above board Again in the same page you affirm thus that finding no successe in that way of sending Propositions to the King and insisting upon his positive answer thereunto without giving any reason for the justice of our desires or hearing any Proposition from his Majesty we did in November last propose to the Honourable Houses and with much earnestnesse desire that their might be a personall Treaty with his Majesty here at Lond. it being in all probability the best meanes to obtain a peace First whereas you appropriate the successelesnesse of sending Propositions to the King to your not giving reasons for the justice of yours desires we demand Did not one of your selves rally a whole army of arguments and reasons against the Kings refusall to signe the Propositions at Newcastle in a Rhetoricall speech before him to that purpose professing among many other motives that upon his Majesties refusing the Propositions both kingdomes will be constrained for their mutuall safety to agree and settle religion and peace without him And moreover there was added If your Majesty reject our faithfull advice and lose England by your wilfulnesse your Majesty will not be permitted to come and ruine Scotland Further pressing him thus We know no other remedy to save your Crown and Kingdomes than your Majesties assenting to the Propositions Yet now you are pleased to say that not any reason hath been given for the justice of your desires If your desires were not just why did you press him to grant them But secondly is the case thus indeed you were not alwayes of this opinion as you confesse page 6. Brethren let 's make a little use of this We see now what reason there is of a brotherly forbearance of varieties of judgment yea and of the same persons though changing their judgments over and over yea even in things civill much more religious being more enigmaticall than these by farre you were against the Kings personall treaty with the Parliament at London now you are for it Suppose the Parliament of England hath not yet attained to your new light beare with them a while till your reasons prevail You tell us that indeed heretofore his Maiesties presence might have bred divisions and continued our troubles and when his Maiesty desired to come hither from Oxford with freedom and safety it was thought unfit and denyed by the Houses and the Commissioners from Scotland but that argument now hath no force at all for the case of affaires the Kings condition and ours which were given for reasons in that answer to his Maibsty are quite altered from what they were then the King had Armies in the fields and Garrisons and strong holds to returne unto now he hath none of these Brethren were these all the reasons then given why you could not admit of a personall Treaty with his Majesty at London viz. because then the King had Armies in the field and Garrisons and strong holds to returne unto had it been our assertion as it is yours we should have feared that divine hand of Justice which met with Ananias and Saphira Acts 5. And that all might see your dealings herein we have here added your owne
for mentioning Religion in the first place in his addresse to the Parliament and to charge the Parliament with profanesse for post-poning Religion But wherein doth the piety of the King so much consist is it in asserting the Episcopacy or the toleration of all sorts of Religions only prohibiting the Masse and the publishing of Atheisme and blasphemy or wherein else Is it true that the King whom your generall Assembly so deeply charged with guilt of the shedding the bloud of many thousands of his best Subjects hath passed through the valley of Bacha weeping and lamenting with ashes upon his head and sackcloth on his loines for his former wayes exhibiting his repentance as a doore of hope that his three Kingdomes will be happy in him notwithstanding all that is past have you heard that his heart is tender that it hath melted before the Lord for all his abhominations that he hath cut downe the groves broken the Altars destroyed the Images which were a provocation to the eye of Jealousie hath he given satisfaction for bloud and security for peace untill which you once professed you would never assent unto his comming to London to treat hath he recall'd his Declarations and Proclamations against his Subjects English and Scotch as Traitors and Rebels c is it thus indeed or * are you like men that dream as once you were that you applaud the King for his zeale for Religion putting the Reformation of that in the first of his proposals to the Parliament at the best and chiefest foundation of peace If the cause be thus deferre not our joy your very feet would be beautifull to us would you bring us these glad tidings it would be unto us as the resurrection from the dead but if you have no such newes to cheere us with all no such fruit from the tree of life to revive our hearts sicke through our hopes deferred what 's your meaning of this Royall applause do you thinke your consciencious Brethren Presbyterian or Independent will commend you for this Having done with the Order you now come to the materiall differences and alterations concerning Religion which you branch out into the Parliaments errour of omission and difficiency and into that of commission and excesse The first thing you complaine of under the head of omission is no lesse than the solemn League and Covenant and here you abound with your pathetick interogations to affect the hearts of those whose eyes are in their bowels whose understandings are drown'd swallowed up in their passions after this manner And shall the Covenant which is as solemne a vow as creatures on earth can make to God in Heaven c And againe shall the Covenant for the preservation of c. And againe like the Papists which holds up their Idolatrous Eucharist in the eyes of the people that they may fall down and worship it shall the Covenant which both Houses recommended to the Assembly of c Yet againe as if here lay all your baite to catch gudgins shall our mutuall and solemne League and Covenant subscribed by the Parliaments of both Kingdomes c Once more yet for if this Springe failes all our sport will be lost shall the Covenant even with those that tooke it to be already out of date c. To all which we reply First What if the Parliament thinke it â—â—â— fit to trouble His Majestie with pressing the Covenant in the Propositions for Peace was it not your owne reason * for the altering your judgements about sending Propositions will you not give the same allowance to others which you assume to your selves are you all for having will you give nothing Secondly If the Covenant be laid aside out of date deleted as your words are your perverting it hath beene the occasion of it did we promise to take the Covenant and after to submit to what sence thereof our Brethren of Scotland would please to impose upon us hath not the Covenant been so perverted that many Covenanters are ready to enter into a new Covenant against the sence that is put upon the old Brethren we haue taken the Covenant in a true proper plaine English sense as well as your selves and stand unto 〈…〉 Thirdly Whereas you 〈…〉 that the Covenant is brought in by the Parliament in the 7th qualification of the 14. Pâ—â—position only as a hooke to catch some into the notion of Delinquency we reply that if any 〈◊〉 on this side Tweed should have said the Covenant was made a hooke to catch men into Delinquency you would have marked him with an M. or an S. for a Malignant or Sectary we will not say the Covenant was first intended as a booke to catch men into the notion of Delinquency though you are so bold and peremptory to charge this upon our Parliament to their very teeth and that in the face of the Kingdome tempting their civility and patience above measure the like affronts we presume were never offered to any Nation by Commissioners of another State yet we wish it had not been used as a hooke to catch not a few but even the Parliament and Kingdome of England into a new designe by introducing another Nation to be one of the Estates of this Kingdome and to have a negative voice in all things concerning their welfare You tell the Parliament from their omission of the solemne League and Covenant to your very much wonder that they are so liberall in the matters of God and so tenacious in what concernes themselues Your zeale for the Covenant is your zeale for God that is your zeale to introduce your Nation to be one of the Estates of this Kingdome and to have a negative voyce in all things concerning our welfare Your zeale to intermeddle with the Militia of England with disbanding our Armies with conferring titles of honour with the revenue of the Crowne with all our goods by vertue of the solemne League and Covenant Is your zeale for the matters of God and the Parliaments care in their preservation of the pure and unmixt interests of this Kingdome according to their solemne League and Covenant without suffering you to intermeddle therewith is their prophane tenaciousnesse in that which concernes themselves See my zeale for the Lord was Iehu's tone when the tune of his heart plaid another game As for the King you are pleased to tell us Though His MAIESTY shall not come up to the full length of your desires yet WE must never depart from our Covenant It seemes you have a royall sence to bestow upon His Majestie but vae pauperibus woe to the poore they must abide the fire of this purgatory is it true here also no penny no Pater-noster Is there no allowance for tender consciences except it be of Kings and Princes You say your zeale for the Covenant doth not abate or diminish your loyalty and duty to the King though he cannot
yet but the meere-shadow of Presbiterian Government and so are fit for nothing more let them be first instructed and then commanded The Parliament are English men themselves who know the disposition of their own Country-men to be such that they will freely run when they are drawne with the cords of men viz. reason and love but are extreame head-strong in case of compulsion they could never endure the bramble should raigne over them when the Kingdome is taught in the substance of Presbytery its likely the meere shadow Will flie away Thirdly It may be the Parliaments designe may be first to feed the Kingdome with substantials of Religion the finest of the flower the milke and honey of the Land of Canaan viz the great Doctrines of faith towards God and repentance from dead works and untill the time of some proficiency therein the shadow of Discipline may be sufficient the substance whereof is but a meere shadow in comparison of these our late Prelates whilst they so hotly contended for Discipline and government in pretence of suppressing a deformity and multiformity of Heresies and Sects Errour Scandall c. Did destroy and crucifie RELIGION and her children when they bowed the knee to DISCIPLINE crying haile Master and kissed it we hope the Parliament will not permit such a Faction againe Whereas you say The Parliament hath granted in their Propositions a liberty to all sorts of Service and Worship of God an opening a doore to Atheisme to all Religions to Error Scandall Schisme Heresie c. we reply Brethren your language reflects upon your descent and your expressions do disparage your honourable employment as Commissioners of State your pens seeme to be rather steered by the hands of some of the late scandalous Pamphlet writers then of the Scotch Commissioners You callumniate boldly but will any thing stick let 's observe your charge The Parliament you say desires the settlement of a vast deformity or multiformitie of Heresies and Sects and grants a liberty for all sorts of Service and Worship of God yea and the opening a doore to liberty of Errour Scandall Schisme dishonouring God opposing the Truth bindering Reformation and seducing others and all this is aggravated in so much as it is done after a most sacred and solemne League and Covenant to suppresse all these according to the Word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches Brethren two things you should have done before you can make this good you know that Religion and the Covenant requires the suppression of these things according to the Word of â—od and the example of the best reformed Churches First then you should have shewed by the Word of God what are these Errors Heresies Scandals c. which you say the Parliament desires a settlement of Secondly You should have proved the methods and waies the rules and directions of the Word of God for the suppression of these and the Parliaments practice in opposition to that and then put it unto the judgement of ingenious men to determine the case have you done this in the eye of the Kingdome before whom you have slandered the Houses of Parliament if not were you not Commissioners of State we would tell you more plainly your deserts but for the present we say no more but this If any man among you seeme to be Religious and bridleth not his tongue much more his pen but deceiveth his owne soule this mans Religion is in vaine Be it known unto you that we verily beleeve that the things you speake of much more the toleration of them and most of all the setling the same are the first-borne of abominations unto our present Parliament and in the meane while we clearely discerne that while you pretend to plead with such imparalleld zeale against Errours Heresie c. you sticke not to abuse the repute and blemish the good name of a whole representative Kingdome at once violating the most plaine evident and obvious rules shall we say of Christianity yea of common justice and honesty and therefore we tell you as you tell the Parliament and take notice of it Certainly 〈…〉 mocked You tell us page 7th that it is far fr 〈…〉 ions that pious and peaceable men should be troubled because in every thing 〈◊〉 cannot conforme themselves to Presbyterian Government for you say you did never oppose such an indulgenâ—e to their Persons as is agreeable to the Word of God may stand with the publique peace and is not destructive to the Order and Government of the Church yet you do from your soules aâ—hor such a generall and vast toleration as is exprest in the Proposition c. Who shall judge of pious and peaceable men in England the Parliament of England or the Scotch Commissioners Againe who shall determine what kind of iudulgence is agreeable to the Word of God may stand with the publique peace and is not destructive to the Order and Government of the Church established in England the Parliament of England or the Scotch Commissioners what meane you by indulgence to their Persons such a kind of indulgence of their persons as pious and peaceable men may have in Spaine Rome Turkie among even Infidels themselves or of a better consideration If we may plough with your owne heifer we may quickly expound your riddle you would not have a toleration of any Sectaries and we see who they are by your large Schedule page 12 Anabaptists Antinomians Arminians Familists Erastians Brownists Separatists Libertines Independents Nullifidians Seekers and the new Sect of Shakers can any man in the least degree withstand your Presbytery and not be rankt among these Sectaries except the Episcopalians for which it seemes we shall have a toleration Cum privilegio Scotico Brethren we are not yet baptized into the spirit of Scotch Presbytery there we are Anabaptists we cannot submit unto the Lawes thereof there we are Antinomians holding that we have power and liberty of will therein here wee are Arminians neither doe wee judge it sinfull though we should act contrary to your Presbytery there we are Familists perhaps we judge that there is not so plaine and cleare a Forme of Church-government and Rule of Discipline to be found out in the word of God as some do suppose and therefore do hold that Christian Magistrates may establish such a discipline it being not contrary to the word of God as they shall judge meet and that we ought to submit unto it here we are Erastians and yet wee judge that we ought to come out of Babylon and decline corrupt and superstitious worshipping of God there we are Brownists and Separatists judging our selves free from receiving the law of Church government from the Scotch Oracle here we are Libertines neither will we depend upon your judgements as infallible here we are Independents extreamly doubting your judgements therein not questioning our salvation though we have no faith therein here we are Nullifidians being extreamly in the dark
as you would have preferred viz. zealous hardy men out of the north whose judgement about the Covenant and Treaty had concurred so as to introduce your nation to be one of the Estates of this kingdome to have a negative voyce in all things concerning our welfare who would have pleaded your co-intrest with the Parliament of England in the Militia of the kingdome disposall of places and offices of tâ—ust in all our particular and proper goods we are confident with you that it would have prevented a world of inconveniences upon the King and his party his Armies in the fields strong Holds and Garrisons which have ensued upon the neglect thereof The last thing you speak unto under this head is viz the interest of the Crowne that is touching the conferring titles of honour which you call the Flower of the Crown and wherewith Kings doe use to recompence the vertue and merits of their good subjects c. Did you not formerly consent to the making voyd of the Titles of honour confer'd by the great Seale after it was carried away from the Parliament have you better considered of the matter and changed your thoughts touching the vertues and merits of those who have assisted the King against the Parliament Is this your zeale against the common enemy of both Kingdoms according to the solemn league and Covenant Is this that just and condign pnnishment wherunto you engaged your selves to bring them what that might be rewarded for their helping the King against the Parliament as we heare your Secretary was as is supposed for his care and pains in this your writings against the Houses with titles of honour Having finished the particulars of the second head viz the interest of the Crown you fall upon the third the union and joynt interest of the kingdoms where you complain First That the Houses have omitted the Covenant in these Propositions We have given you an answer to that once and again you do so tosse the covenant that it 's thought you will quickly bring it out of date the word Covenant is your Shiboleth but we can both pronounce and nnderstand it as well as your selves Secondly you adde that the Houses have rejected all that concerns-unity and uniformity in matters of Religion It is but a temporary Suspension because of their former successesnes your own answer for your rejecting propositions pressing for a treaty contrary to your promise and not a rejection of those things Did they presume the religion of Scotland in the principles thereof to justifie your practices in abusing our Parliament as your Papers have done they would have reason enough to reject all that concerns unity and uniformity with you in matters of religion But confident we are as they have no reason so the least jealousie thereof is not within the confines of their thoughts Next you complaine of the omission of severall things even in heapes all which you summon up in this That generally throughout the Propositions all expressions of joynt interest are left out If by joynt interest you meane such a joynt interest as is according to the expresse letter of the solemn League and Covenant and treaties between the Kingdoms we cannot presume such an omission though there may be a prudentiall suspension at present of some particulars thereof though we know no such thing Secondly if by Joynt Interest you mean such a Joynt Interest as you would extort from the solemn League and Covenant and treaties between the Kingdomes as the sence thereof which was never intended nay abhor'd As that the Militia by sea and land in the Kingdoms of England Ireland the power of making peace and war with forraine States the Kings consent in the enacting of any law the conferring of great places of honour and trust making of Peers of Parliament conferring of titles of honour what revenue the King is to have in England Ireland and how to be disposed c. cannot be transacted and concluded upon without the joynt advice and confent of the kingdome of Scotland If such a kinde of sense meaning only of the solemn League Covenant and treaties between the kingdoms will serve your turn and the expres letter of these is too short for your satisfaction the Parliament of England have reason upon reason that generally throughout the propositions all expressions of joynt interest should be left out Yea if we may be understood in the observation of our due distance from and obliged duty to them we obtest them by all their vowes covenants promises by all their votes orders ordinances by all their declarations proclamations protestations by all our bloud blowes battles by all our vexations contributions and taxations by all our monies horse and plate by all our servants apprentizes and journey-men by all our wounds sores and scares by all the rents rapes and ruines by all the plunderings burnings and sackings by all our widdows fatherles and friendles by all our sayings doings and sufferings for our kingdomes interests by the sad effects of tyranny and slavery by the great trust committed to their charge by our confidence of their faithfulnes therein by the honour of English men by the stain of their posterity kindred and progeny by their principles of humanity justice and integrity by their great account at the last day that they doe preserve our rights lawes interest our priviledges liberties and immunities intire distinct and whole and that they neither sell them give them nor grant them nor yet suffer them to be sold given or granted by any compact Covenant or Treaty as we are most assured hitherto they have not to any Nation Kingdome or people and more particularly that in all their transactions between themselves and our Scotch brethreÌ„ they maintain the distinct interest of England without confounding it with the interest of Scotland and that in all their neighbourly friendly and brotherly Associations for the jojnt benefit of both Kingdomes they never associate in that which is their several distinct and particular rights Whereas you complain that formerly Propositions of both kingdoms were drawn up together in one body now for separating the interests of the kingdoms the Propositions for England are drawne up apart upon the observation whereof with other things you desired a conference and it would not be granted We reply First what mean you by one body mean you the Commissioners of both Kingdoms making that up one body or secondly the Parliament of England in conjunction with the Scotch Commissioners doubtles we cannot thinke that the Parliament of England and Scotch Commissioners were ever known yet to be one body we hope that never such a monster shall be seene in England neither can we imagine that the Commissioners of both kingdomes in one body were to draw up propositions for peace therefore mean you thirdly that this one body was not made up of men but of propositions