Lawful Authority was that in the year 1638 when the young Embryo of a Covenant was first hatch't in Scotland about Glascow and which serv'd for a Type and Copy to those several that have since follow'd This Primitive one was agreed to in opposition to the King's Proclamation for the dispersing of the dangerous Rabble but his Majesties Security was then dreaded even by those that declar'd so much for his Preservation and straight in defiance of the King's Commands they read their own Protestations made by the Lord Hume and Lord Lindsey and others of several degrees and quality which they publish'd straight at Lithgow and other places as Edenburgh and to shew how much they dar'd Authority they made the Heralds that came to see the Commands of their King Obeyed stay to see them very formally contradicted and exposed And it was high time then to Vnite for the Justification of those Villanies which nought but Impudence and a Combination could defend And I have still observ'd that they all along drew up these Instruments according as they grew more and more Rebellious making them perfect Leagues of Guaranty to defend themselves like Out-laws and a sort of English Banditi from the punishments that the Statutes of Treason would have inflicted And I am sorry to find that our Associators already fly to these Extremities to which none of the late Rebels came till they had made a further progress and this bold leap shrouldly insinuates that they have proceeded further then the Nation is aware of and that they are conscious of more Treason than is yet discover'd These were the occasions of drawing up their first Covenant in Scotland which was preach't up at Glascow to be Christ's Contract and the people desir'd to be hand-fasted to him by shaking hands with it by one Cant a zealous ignorant Bigot that pretended himself an Ambassador from Heaven though indeed onely that of Sir Henry Wottons sent abroad to lye for the Publique And thus we see such Zealots are forc'd to make one sin subservient to another and Blasphemy a Pander to Rebellion The correspondency that there is between this Old Combination and our late new One is observable in this that the one was to justifie a Protestation against the King's Pleasure for dispersing the Rabble and dangerous Multitude the other to contradict his Will in the legal Succession of his Brother And thus in some sense it agrees with the very Primitive Vnion my endeavours shall be to show its agreement with all the rest and of which in truth our Association seems a choice sort of Epitome And I don't doubt but its Author had a collection of them on his Desk for his better information and thought his Subject very justisiable because example for it but that he has of the deposing the King and murdering of him too if he has a mind to plead Prescription and make Treasonable Practices like the legal Proceedings in Parliament warrantable by Presidents An English Oath and Covenant comes out on the 6 th of June 43. and seem'd the effect of the Cities importunity His Majesties Loyal City yet I think seldome call'd so but in some Appeal from the Countrey or in the head of their own Petitions The Citizens promise the Loan of Forty Thousand Pound demanded by the Parliament upon condition an Holy League and Covenant be impos'd on the whole Kingdom A great summ for the purchase of their own Slavery but a small price for the Head of a King To please this City that Bedlam of deluded Fools and Mad-men gull'd always with the specious names of Liberty and Religion and as yet not wise enough to see even through a transparent Fallacy and experienc'd Cheat to please these peevish Ideots they have their humor an the Parliament the money out comes an Oath subscribed by a great number of the Worthy Members and the scandalous Roll to be fill'd up by the Gentlemen of the Shop and Yard many of which afterward serv'd a longer Apprentiship in the bloody Rebellion than e're they did in their own Profession and Employment About the 24 th of August 43. The Scots being â—ickl'd with the promises of our English Committee that was sent thither with an unlimitted Commission and ordered to close with them upon any Conditions first put out a Declaration to publish their intentions of assisting their Friends the Parliament in England and so the bargain is struck for rooting out Monarchy and Episcopacy and the King sold before he came to their hands and strait all that were not incapacitated either by Youth or Old Age all from Sixteen to Sixty that could but lift an hand against their Soveraign are muster'd up for the march And then to secure to themselves the promises of their Chapmen which were no less then a share in all the Revenues of the Church the cunning Merchants instead of Bond and Obligation the common ties in ordinary Traffick invent a new sort of security by solemn League and Covenant which was presently sent over to their State-jobbers at Westminster on the 31 of the same Month and on the 25 th of September following was by them subscrib'd in St. Margarets Church a most improper place for ratifying such a bloody Covenant a Contract which Heaven it self could never sanctifie and which for its lying and hypocrisie seem'd the very draught of Hell Now the method I shall take shall be to Parallel our discover'd Association both with this Holy League that was drawn up by the English and the solemn One that was afterward sent them by the Scots and upon the comparing of the several Paragraphs digress a little into some needful Animadversion but for a little while still continue some general Observations These Treasonable Bonds and Obligations our old Rebels bound themselves in that so they might both be secure of one another and Rebel with a sort of Publique Manifesto and no person question the notoriousness of that Fact which by being so publiquely divulg'd and impudently own'd was made a little famous and this no doubt made Mr. Nye to give it such an Elogy but not content to impose on the frailty onely of a few credulous Mortals they endeavour to abuse even Omniscience it self entitle Heaven to those Villanies which nought but the depth of Hell could contrive call that their Rebellious Association an Holy League make their own abominable Cause that of the Almightie's certainly these Men that declar'd so much for Religion could hardly be suppos'd to know their Bibles where they might soon have found God's dislike of such proceedings where Rebellion is made worse then the sin of Witchcraft and altogether as much an Imp of Hell and the Devil but the profane madness of Zealots is such that they can imagine even the Deity concern'd above for the Seditious Murmurings of the Rabble below and that when ever their Vicegerents are complain'd of by the Faction they are strait by the King of Kings for their
upon as a people so weak and inconsiderable and our King's Protection and Alliance not worth the seeking Sure the Nation that has beat the Dutch and fought the French with all his lusty Guard of Switzers is not so suddenly dwindled into Pigmees and only fit to sight with Cranes and perhaps this Associator and his Crew may upon grapling find that 't is no such easie matter to subdue those Guards he would so willingly remove and that his Majesty has too stout a Party of Cavaliers to suffer a second Plunder and Sequestration Thirdly Though he suspect the Treasury to be at so low an Ebb to have nothing visible in it but dry Dust and barren Sand and so to give occasion for such a seasonable Vniting against the Government he may find himself much out in his Sounding and that his Will and good Wishes were the plummet instead of Reason and Deliberation and that the Tide there by his leave is too high for him yet to wade through into Rebellion and now 't is time to parallel another Paragraph Associat We therefore endeavoured in a Parliamentary way to exclude the D. but finding the means utterly rejected we thought fit to propose to all True Protestants an Vnion amongst themselves by Solemn and Sacred promise of mutual assistance and hold it our bounden Duty to joyn our selves in a Declaration of our united affections and resolutions in the Form ensuing Scotch solemn League We have now at last after other means of Supplication Remonstrances Protestations and Sufferings for the Preservation of our selves and Religion after mature deliberation resolved and determin'd to enter into a Mutual and Solemn League and Covenant which we all Subscribe and with our hands lifted up to the most high God c. Holy League June 6. 43. And finding that many ways of force and treachery are continually attempted to bring to utter ruine and destruction the Parliament and that which is most dear unto us the Protestant Religion it is thought fit that all who are true hearted and Lovers of their Countrey should bind themselves each to other in a Sacred Vow Here the Associator has shown himself a right siltching Plagiary and not only Copied out the Sense of his originals but almost the very words after many Remonstrances Supplications Protestations after a Parliamentary way to exclude the Duke He might as well have said Now there remains nothing to do but to drive the King out of his Palace Proclaim all his followers Delinquents all his adherents Enemies to King and Countrey send post to Scotland Messengers to the Field-Conventicles get another Army from the North swallow a second Solemn League and then we shall have exactly a second 43. the perfect Revolution of a sad Platonick Year as well as a Plato redivivus But I hope the times will prove kinder to this Associator than he willingly wou'd be to himself And though so resolutely posting to the Devil he may meet with many a kind block in the way such a Covenant is sooner drawn up than Subscribed to and more of Subscriptions may be got than of Horse Men and Arms to defend it and though all the Villany should succeed even to Rebellion there is power enough left in the Government they fancy so weak to keep them from setting up again their Idol of a Common-wealth and making the deluded people fall down and worship the Gods of their own hands Finding our selves not able to exclude the Duke we think fit c. He might as well have said Are resolved to bring it about one way or another But how long hath it been a warrantable piece of Doctrine to attempt that by foul means which they despond of getting by fair sure the Lawfulness of this can never be justified by the best of their Casuists neither Dr. O. nor Mr. B. will preach up this as sound Doctrine at present I don't know what might be done were Conscience Liberty tolerated again and one of them made the mouth or Prolocutor of an Assembly for 't is observable that such mens opinions proportionably widen with their Authority and as soon as their dominion which is founded in Grace begins once to be enlarged by it too they Commence Latitudinarian in Cases of Conscience answerable to the extent of their Power and Government and thus a fellow trots along a pretty sober Republican as long as the Law can bridle him and make the Beast submit to Monarchy but grows a Devilish head-strong Rebel when once the Reins are got between his Teeth And I believe only the thoughts of his having unhorsed his Rider makes our Associator so bold as to kick at him too But I hope he 'll find there is Law enough left to back him yet and that there are Whips Scourges Axes and Gibbets notwithstanding they are now grown no more terrible than Bug-bears and Scare-crows as if only design'd to frighten Children and Small-birds And all this boldness infus'd into all sorts of villains with a Dose of Ignoramus I don't see but upon the same grounds these following Proceedings may be very justifiable and the Gentleman shall give me leave to insert a Clause or two for him in his Association which by negligence I fancy and not want of good will were omitted We therefore endeavor'd in a Parliamentary way to remove all evil Counsellors from the King some of which were impeach't as also several of the Arbitrary Judges of High-Treason on purpose to bring them to condign Punishment But these means of the King and Kingdoms safety being rejected Ergo And what then must we therefore presently swear to draw the one out of the Council-Chamber by the Ears and dragg the other out of Westminster-Hall to the Block But here you shall have the Tenor of the Oath and the Copies from which it was drawn Associat I A. B. Do in the presence of God solemnly Vow Promise and Protest to maintain and defend to the utmost of my power with my person and Estate the true Protestant Religion the Power and Priviledges of Parliament the lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subject Scoth Covenant I A. B. With hands lifted up to the most High God do swear That I shall sincerely really and constantly endeavour the preservation of the Reformed Religion in Scotland c. That I will with the same sincerity c. endeavour to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament and the Liberties of the Kingdom Holy League I A. B. In the presence of Almighty God do declare Vow and Covenant in order to the security preservation of the true Reformed Religion and Liberties of the Subject c. Certainly they must be the softest fools in the World an easie sort of Ideots below the cunning of common brutes that can be cheated with the same bait whose disguised hook they have already felt and smarted by I believe the contriver of this Oath intended the imposing it onely on Fools and Mad-men
satisfaction depos'd And God will make the Sons of Princes bow down unto ye the greatest that have afflicted and despised ye shall lye at your fect Heyrick to the Commons May 27. 46. p. 31. The natural horror and detestation I have always had of these late proceedings though onely acquainted with their Narratives has oft made me thank my God that I had no being in this World when it was arriv'd to such an Insuperable wickedness when Vice seem'd to have fix'd her Pillars here in this Isle and made it sin almost to a Non ultra the kind breath that I first drew was with a restor'd Peace and a recall'd Soveraign and with both those I hope it will expire too And this just resentment and pardonable passion against such villainous Practices will oft transport me into some digression the design being only to make a comparison between those two Old Covenants and our late New One but if the Parallels are not so Mathematical or the Lines observe no such Geometrick distance any deflexion will be very excusable when the very hand trembles that draws them But to go to the Comparison though our late Association does not carry in its impudent Front an impious Name too though Holy League now be none of the Sanctified Title for Rebellion yet the effects of it may be as dangerous and the intent as full of Treason neither would it have been a piece of Policy or even common Prudence in the Contrivers to have call'd it either League or Covenant for those very people that would have applauded the design might have dislik'd such an Appellation And many that are ready enough to engage in a Treason would be loath to have a T burnt in their Fore-head Association will be easily swallow'd when League might stick a little in the Throat The distinguishing Streamers of Blew and Green Ribband at present take mightily though the bloody colours of a Parliament Army would not be presently so pleasant a spectacle But yet here there is almost an Identity of practice the Almighty is most solemnly invok't in the beginning of the Oath Priviledges of Parliament Laws of the Kingdom Liberties of the Subject Popery Protestant Religion all the same numerical pretensions the same Words Expressions and Out-crys and what can be the consequence but that the same Rebellion will follow too When that Holy League was bought by the City in forty three at forty thousand pound when the Citizens had been the Parliaments Chapmen it was thought fit they should be their Factors too and in order thereunto they were hired to put off those gross Commodities of Mutiny Petitioning Besieging of West-minster and White-hall railing at the King abusing of his Council bawling for Justice with Noise Tumult and Insurrection and all the confus'd representations of a wild and distracted people Such Factious drudgery being most proper to be carried on by those Tylers Straws and Masinelloes unbecoming the gravity of a Senate that sate brooding on the pure Elements of Treason drawing out the Schemes and Plat-forms of a Common-wealth and being too certain in their State-Astrology calculated the future ruine of Three Kingdoms Circumstances I fancy were much the same when this Modern Vnion with Oath and Obligation was first contrived which 't is very probable was drawn up by some politick Head that knew what Influence it would have on the Juncture of affairs no doubt 't was first hatch't when the last Parliament sate at London when the Licentiousness of the City was such as nothing but the Tumults in the late Times could exceed it and perhaps nothing but an Act and fear of Punishment obstructed the concourse of the Rabble with their Old way of Petitioning with Blunderbusses Pikes and Staves White-hall was then often times block't up with this Armed Rout when their Leagues and Covenants were on the Anvil And we have those now that when this Association was a hammering could threaten to pull the black Man out of it Dissenting Protestants were then to be favoured and conniv'd at And now the Laws to be Repealed for exempting them from punishment The King then declar'd a favourer of Popery Now suspected ready to introduce it The Queen then traduc'd for a Plot on the Nation And now aspers'd with the same Accusation His Majesties Friends past for Evil Counsellors And now Betrayers of the Liberties of the Subject Judges and Privy Counsellors were then impeach't And I think some of them meet with the same dealing at present The proceedings in Ecclesiastical Courts were then examin'd Now taken into consideration Montague Manwaring Clergy-men scouted Thompson and others taken into custody The King to have no Money till Grievances were redressed None now till the Bill of Exclusion is past Tumultuous Petitioning then encouraged and promoted Now a Proclamation against it to be examin'd and the advisers punish'd Arbitrary Power then the sole cry Now the doleful burden of the Song This was the state of Affairs when their Leagues were a making This our Condition now the Association is a Foot All the difference is the King is not yet driven out of his Palace nor a Parliament Army yet in the Field Thus having Parallel'd the Circumstances of Time and Affairs when these Engines of Rebellion were set a work we will fall a comparing these Instruments of the Devil themselves The Introduction to the Solemn League and Covenant begins in this manner Solemn League We Barons Knights and Burgesses And in the same words the Contriver Ushers in his Association Associat We Knights Burgesses c. But one would think this Verbal transcription might have been civilly spared till these Knights and Burgesses had shaken off all their Allegiance to their Prince and been upon the same terms with the King that they were when they called in the Scot and took the Covenant that was cut and dried for them in the North. I fancy were the rude Animal that Penn'd it known to the Lower House he would have but little thanks for complementing them with the first place in his Paper and placing so many worthy persons in the highest rank of his Treason as if they were to be as Eminent for that as they are for their Love and Service to their Countrey why had it not better and more civilly begun without naming any body Or if there must needs have been some Head to this Rebellious Monster the word Citizens might have serv'd to compleat this prodigy of intended Treason I am sure this Instrument expresses more the sense and clamour of their mighty Babylon than of the Countrey Representatives And then why not We Mayor Aldermen and Sheriffs as well as Barons Knights and Burgesses But he proceeds very methodically and according to the true Standard of all Leagues and Covenants Associat Finding to the grief of our Hearts the Popish Priest and Jesuits with the Papists and their Adherents and Abettors have for several years pursued a most Pernicious and Hellish Plot to Root
expence of Blood and Moneys If he means the Guards which is very probable because he says still kept up in and about the City of London then I deny that they are to the Terrour and Amazement of all good People for none but the bad are concerned for it and 't is strange that those which are so much for the preservation of his Majesty's Person won't allow of a competent Guard to preserve him from the Bullet of a Pickering or the Blunderbuss of Mr. Colledge And yet these Gentlemen that are so mightily apprehensive of an unaccountable Danger of Arbitrary Power and its being set up by the King's Guards are the very same persons that grin at his Majesty's thanks for his Declaration to govern by Law blazoning that gracious act to consist party per pale of weakness and impertinencie and this they do with these their two bandied argumentations First That such a Submissive Declaration argues too great condescention in a Monarch and weakly makes him Appeal to his Subjects And secondly That the declaring his intention to rule by Law was as impertinent as the thanks for it unnecessary because that by those Laws and his Coronation Oath his Majesty is obliged to do it I think I have express'd their meaning in as civil terms as they usually complement his Majesty withal And now they may fairly give me leave to tell my own sense and judgment of these their sentiments and opinions In my poor Apprehension this gracious Declaration seems 〈…〉 all their froward Petitions And will these bawling Bratts not so much as be pleased with the very Rattles they cry for They still bawl'd for frequent Parliaments and here the King promises they shall have them Popery must be kept out and Property secured And in this he declares to preserve the Protestant Religion and protect them in their Rights and Priviledges The dread of A bitrary Power was the Burden in all those Papers and Parchments they presented And there they are assured that he will govern according to Laws and take them for his sole Measures And now must the same factious Scriblers that writ such smooth Panegyrick on all their Petitions be hired to make such Satyrical Animadversions on his Majesties Declaring to gratify them And shall the King be urg'd and vex'd into Compliance with all their petulant Requests and then have his good Nature traduc'd for Easiness and Folly And shall both Meekness and Tyranny by turns abuse the Government secure an Odium upon it by making both Extreams serve for the purpose If so for God's sake let them shew me the Possibility of keeping up a Monarchy amongst such perverse and implacable Republicans and as for the Condescention they talk of his Majesty is somewhat beholden to these Gentlemen for being so jealous of his Honour But I would ask them what other way could be taken to bring his Majesties Subjects into right understanding of his good Inclinations towards them These Arguers are Conscious to themselves with what black Representations they have blemish'd his Government and to whom shall the King appeal for his Justification but to his poor Subjects that are scared out of their Loyalty by their false and scandalous Suggestions Won't they allow the King what is granted to the most profligate Wretch and Criminal at a Bar not so much as to make his Defence not to have the benefit of every common English Man And what they themselves would expect if they had their Deserts and were arraigned for Treason Sure they show themselves most inveterate Traytors that after they have represented their Prince as a Tyrant would put him out of a possibility of shewing himself Gracious and Merciful they know they have a great advantage with the Rabble against their King upon even Terms why then must he be Libell'd and not suffered to venture a Reply And why shall his Majesty be denied what their Hamburg Sheriff did attempt to vindicate himself in Print All the Answer they can make to it is That then the People will be brought into their Wits again and they will lose the benefit they make of their Distraction The other Whirlbat which they flourish about mightily and put into the Hands of every young Combatant that has a mind to skirmish for the Cause is briefly this That both the King and the Thanks were needless because the King could not do otherwise by Law and his Oath But this is like all the rest of their Arguments against the Government full of Cavil and Spite We will grant them the King can't bring in Arbitrary Power by Law but if they tell the People that it will be brought in without it is the King bound by Law to tell them he intends no such thing These factious Gentlemen are as much bound by the Law and their Oaths of Allegiance to live like dutiful Subjects and to love their Soveraign and should they declare thus much to their King under their Hands as they would do did they really love him I fancy they would be very much netled should not his Majesty return them so much as Thanks for such a Testimony and perhaps grumble too if they were not prefer'd for such a work of Superarrogation Though all this while they are as much obliged by their Oaths to obey as he is to protect but yet these reciprocal Assurances on both sides may be meerly voluntary Suppose some of these Arguers met with a suspected Band of licentious Libertines whom they thought neither the Law of God or Man could deterr from committing any Villany would not they thank this Banditi for assuring them of a safe Passage without Plundering or Murder I appeal to the whole Kingdom whether some of our suspitious Wretches do not daily represent the King and his Council as dangerous altogether as any such parcel of Russians such as would be for enslaving the Nation and cutting of Throats with our Associators mercenary Forces And must not the King be permitted to wipe off such black Scandals expel such Panick Fears and be thank'd by his Loyal Subjects for such comfortable Promises In short if they are satisfied that the King cannot Rule but by the Law why do they dread so much an Arbitrary Power If they are afraid he will Rule without it why won't they thank him for his Assurance to the contrary This Digression is so fur a pertinent Comment on the last Paragraph we handled in the Association as it clears his Majesty from designing an Arbitrary Sway which the bold Associator would insinuate And now we will proceed to compare the rest of his excellent Stuff Associat Moreover J. D. of Y. having publickly own'd the Popish Religion c. I will never consent that the said J. D. of Y. or any other who hath any way adhered to him and the Papists c. shall be admitted to the Succession of the Crown of England But by all lawful Means and by force of Arms will oppose him and indeavour to
subdue and destroy him and all his Adherents that intend to set up his pretended Title Holy League June 6. That I will according to my Power and Vocation assist the Forces raised by both Houses of Parliament against the Forces raised by the King without their Consent Solemn Leag Negat Oath I. A. B. Do swear from my Heart that I will neither directly nor indirectly adhere unto or willingly assist the King in this Cause c. And that my coming and submitting to this Parliament is without any Design whatsoever Now I would have any one tell me what will be the difference between assisting the Forces of the Parliament against those of the King swearing neither directly or indirectly to adhere to his Majesty and this Clause of Fighting Subduing Expelling Destroying the Duke and all his Adherents when as much a King as ever his father was which is supposed and implyed in this Clause of the Association And that all this shall be done when he comes to the Crown and seeks to set up his pretended Title But why must his Title only be pretended when he will have as much right to wear the Crown as the Head upon which it is now so miraculously placed What can be the result of this but that those men who will think his Title then but pretended have but little better Opinion of his present Majestie 's Certainly upon the same Ground that they will not admit him to the Throne they may pull the present King out of it for it is but rejecting the Duke for giving Life and Birth to the Plot and the King for conniving at the Conspiracy that horrid accusation wherewith some Traytors have already traduced his Majesty and then farewel Government of old England good Night to the best tempered Monarchy in the World But then for the Clause of all Adherents to be destroyed too 'T is such an unlimited piece of Massacre that for ought I see half the Nation must be forc'd to swim in their own Blood by these tender Lovers of their Country and these Patriots put in for a more barbarous cutting of Throats than that of the Danes in the same Kingdom that of Paris in France or Piedmont in Italy This word Adherent must include the extirpating the whole Line of Succession notwithstanding it is pretended only in opposition to the next Heir For it does the Prince of Orange his business whom they all acknowledg a Protestant Prince as much as if he were the greatest Bigot of Rome it is but saying he adheres to his own Father-in-Law one from whose Blood he must derive some of his Pretensions and then the Protestant Prince must be destroyed too according to the word of the Association as an Enemy to Laws Religion and Country But now at last comes a Paragraph not to be parallel'd by the old Covenants only because fuller of Treason and Rebellion The obeying of the Parliament in Forty two and Forty three without a King was pretended somewhat warrantable because his Majesty had unhappily passed an Act for Triennial Parliaments and then another afterwards for their perpetual sitting But this Gentleman without any more Ceremonies without expecting such an unreasonable Grant from the King resolves that Affairs shall be carried on with such a resolute piece of Treason that none but desperate Men and mad such as had bid Defiance to the Laws of God and Man would ever ingage in which read Verbatim if it be possible for any Loyal Heart that loves his King and Country to have so much Patience Associat And lest this just and pious Work should by any means be obstructed or hindred for want of Discipline and Conduct or anâ— evil minded Persons under pretence of raising Forces for the service of this Association should attempt or commit Disorders we will follow such Orders as we shall from time to time receive from this present Parliament whilst it shall be sitting or the major part of the Members of both Houses subscribing this Association when it shall be prorogued or dissolved and obey such Officers as shall by them be set over us in the several Countries Cities and Burroughs until the next meeting of this and another Parliament and will then shew the same Submission and Obedience unto it and those who shall be of it I don't doubt but had this Associator been known to both Houses of Parliament their professed Loyalty is such they would have voted his head to be preferred to that honourable place among the Traitors on the Bridge A just requital for paying such a Treasonable deference to that honourable Assembly and so boldly complementing them without their leave into Rebellion A Pious Work indeed and such as I don't doubt without a seasonable repentance and an insinite Mercy will damn the Contriver And lest any evil minded Persons should commit Disorders A very careful Patriot certainly one who will not suffer so much as a little disorder to be committed But it would be a little hard for the poor Mouse that picks a little hole in the Bread to be caught by the neck by the Thief that stole the whole Loaf Strickt discipline indeed that makes the least disorder in raising of Forces so criminal and obnoxious and yet the mustering them up to rebel a work Pious and meritorious Sure the Contriver of this work is not so well acquainted with the House of Commons and their Priviledges as he would be thought to be or else is resolved to act and forge in spight of all equity and truth For none that have stretch't the Power of that Assembly to its utmost extent ever allowed it a right of sitting like so many petty Kings in Representative To issue out Proclamations raise Forces and command obedience from their fellow Subjects I confess we had a Parliament that did all this raised an Army made their Generals fought their King but sure this Associator can't be such a Villain to think the late Representatives of the Nation would all have commenced Traitors and after a most inconsistant rate imitated that Parliament in 41. Which some of they themselves by particular Act since have declared guilty of Rebellion nay to outdo and transcend them in their Treason to sit in opposition to his Majesties Command whereas those did by his unhappy Permission But this bold Associator can go further yet resolves the sitting House shall not only be obeyed as the Supream and Legislative power of the Nation but that the Major Part of those Members whom he civilly supposes ready to subscribe after Prorogation after Dissolution shall be submitted to as invested with an higher Supremacy then any would be willing to allow his present Majesty and that this select Committee in their Respective Countries Cities and Burroughs like so many Stadt-holders in their several Provinces shall create Officers muster their Armies fall a plundering again of Delinquents and hanging up every Malignant Dog that dares but shew his teeth or wagg his
Tyranny as Mr. Baxter represents it to punish Dissenters with a Prison when some of them have been willing to croud thither only to make up a Conventicle perverting the very Penalties of the Law to a further opportunity of breaking it and making that subservient to the Crime which was intended to correct it This Animadversion on our Dissenters and their Advocates is both pertinent to this Discourse and favourable to those it reflects on The one because 't is certain their Faction is concern'd in this Association The other because such offenders deserve to be more severely handled And now you shall see the Disparity between a True Patriot and a Factious Associator the difference there is betwixt one that truly Loves his Countrey and him that only pretends it A True Patriot will endeavor the Peace and Quietness of the Kingdom wherein he Lives and if he sits at Helm will so steer the Bark that it may fail securely in the midst of the greatest danger neither split on the Rocks that threaten it on one side Or running into the Quick-sand that would cast her away on the other will endeavour to preserve the Nation from the Popery we fear and from the Fanaticism we have felt One that has helpt to make it flourish in Peace and Plenty this Twenty Years And will endeavour to keep it in the same Prosperity still One that will with Equal Courage resist an English Rebellion that he would a Spanish Invasion That won't endeavour to satisfie every discontended grumbler but remove all real motives to complaint and murmuring That will keep to the Rules of Law and Justice as the best means to keep the Peace too Free from all Passion and Interest and so can neither trouble the Kingdom by the Turbulency of the one or defraud it by the Temptations of the other A Factious Associator makes it his business to disturb the Countrey wherein he Lives with as much Fear and Jealousie as Thought can suggest or Malice invent for 't is Quietness and Peace that makes him idle and without Employ 'T is a sort of Sea-Monster that shows himself most before a Storm And endeavors to overset that Ship which he is not Capacitated to Steer His Eyes are set on the Publique Ministers of State not to pry into their Actions but murder their Reputations Not to search them like an Eagle but to sacrifice them like a Basilisk 'T is a State Cannibal that delights in blood and triumphs in the Miseries of a Civil War One that makes Religion a pretence for Rebellion Though as empty of the one as brim full of the other One that would flush himself in the Spoils of a New War though glutted almost with the blood that was shed in the Old 'T is the rarified Chamaeleon That out-does the natural one feeds not so much as upon Air But only Popular breath Sets the Nation all in Combustion and then like a secure Salamander lives in the flame One that seems Hells Purveyor and like the Devil makes his Covenanting Imps subscribe their Contracts in their own blood That Sails securely by tacking about with Wind and Tide and exposes the Government to be shatter'd in the Tempest That talks of nothing but the Consumption of the Body Politick only because his Natural one pines with discontent The one will with an earnest even anxious sollicitation of mind seek to reconcile the jarring hearts of Subjects to their Lawful Prince Let them understand the goodness and equity of the merciful King that governs will help his gracious Monarch to make all manner of good impression on his Subjects and give his people all imaginable satisfaction will perswade them to acquiesce with his Majesty's reasons for dissolving an old Parliament and his Gracious promises for calling a new one that will thank him for such kind Assurances and Declaration and not extenuate so gracious an action with a talk of Oath and Obligation will open the blind eyes of the deluded Rabble and take away the Veil of Popularity that blinds the discontented great The other pursues with the greatest aggravation the least slip in the Government stirs up Jealousies and Animosities between King and People to prevent the Reconciliation that would otherwise ensue for then the little Artifices he uses to foment Sedition would be illuded and his Engines of Rebellion Libels Associations Remonstrances would grow rusty and useless He is bound in prudence to make the Peoples Cause his Own and for his security to be guarded by his Whifflers the Rabble is grieved and afflicted when the King comforts his People perverts the best things to the worst sense daubs and disfigures all with his Colours which is like to wipe off the pretence and Varnish of his Cause cavils at the Declaration of his Prince because intended to satisfie the People proves the Parliament unreasonably dissolved because the King gives good reason for it makes the Nation believe it shall never see another when the he Declaration promises the contrary but yet thinks sit to extort it from the King by Petition for fear it should pass otherwise for his Gratious action deludes the silly Mobile with expectations of being great and perswades the Nobility they are not truly so without a Popular greatness The one is for the uniting the people in affection and charity if he can't obtain it in Perswasion and Religion won't multiply foes by Suspition or create dangers out of a Panick fear one that will never hugg a Popish Plot as tenderly as the Nursing-Father of it a Jesuit No such Ambidexter as to make a Bugbear and Darling of the same thing and both equally subservient to his purpose No such mimical Ape as with distorting squinting looks ridicules every thing in his countenance that does not suit with his froward Genius He is a perfect piece of sincerity and never makes a Juglers-box of his Conscience swallowing down Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and bringing up nothing but Treasonable Covenants and Associations like those Impostors that are seen to let down but harmless Tape and Ribband yet disgorge Knives and Daggers He will submit to the Lawful Authority of the State and conform to the constant Discipline of the Church will with an awful respect look upon the Crown and pay his due reverence to the Mitre will oppose the Toleration of all Religion as the ready way to have none He will truly stand up for the Liberty of the Subject and not make it a pretence to enslave them One that will trust his Prince with Money for the support of his Crown and Dignity and allow him a competent Guard for the preservation of his Person One that will swear Allegiance to none but his King And lastly never out of fear of a contingent danger will raise a present War for altering Succession The other is so far from reconciling differences in Religion that he can hardly admit of a good opinion of any not of his own sentiments transubstantiates