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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34948	A serious expostulation with that party in Scotland, commonly known by the name of Whigs wherein is modestly and plainly laid open the inconsistency of their practices I. With the safety of humane society, II. With the nature of the Christian religion, III. Their two covenants are historically related, and prov'd to be no sufficient warrant for what they do, IV. Their new doctrine of a pretended forfeiture, is prov'd to be groundless.	Craufurd, James, 17th cent.	1682 (1682)	Wing C6865; ESTC R4965	39,666	64

terrible Manner that King Ahaziah's did which were sent against the Prophet But hitherto those that have appear'd in Arms against the King have been so far from giving any evidence of God's Fighting for them or authorizing their Proceedings by Miracles that he rather has seem'd to disown them by casting a Damp upon their Spirits when they stood most in need of some extraordinary Assistance I appeal to those who were at any of those unhappy Engagements against their Prince whether they did not find that Heat and Flame which upon other Occasions they were able to express suddenly quencht when they were just about to act have not some of their Teachers upbraided them in the Psalmist's Words that like the Children of Ephraim Psal 78. v. 9. Being armed and carrying Bows they turn'd back in the Day of Battel Have not the Troops that were sent against them confess'd they could not much glory in their Victories because they were so easily obtain'd To be plain I am afraid we are become equally the Object of the World's Contempt and of its Hatred our late Behaviour having brought upon us the Imputation of Cowardise as well as Disloyalty Third Consideration If the Persons for whom I undertook this Argument think fit to reade what has been said upon the first two Points I hope they will not give over here but will vouchsafe to consider with me in the third place whether any Obligation lying upon us from the late Covenants be a sufficient Warrant for what we do Now the best Method I can propose in this is to give a brief Account of the Rise and Progress of both Covenants with some impartial Reflexions upon them in which if my Reader will not rest satisfied he shall have no occasion at least given him to think me tedious Our late Soveraign being fully persuaded that no Church did approach so near the Primitive Purity in Worship and Discipline as that of England was resolved to make his Native-Countrey share in what he judg'd so great a Blessing and in order to it had a Liturgy and a Book of Canons published for the use of Scotland where he was unhappily made believe he should meet with Approbation from the better sort and with Complyance from all But the Peoples insolent and mutinous Behaviour in affronting and disturbing the Persons who were ordered to read the Service in the Churches of Edenburgh did shew how ill they were disposed to receive it This Popular Tumult the first Sunday was soon after back'd with Petitions and other Marks of their Dislike which obliged the Council to advance slowly until they gave the Court advice of what had past And before the King could come to a Resolution in a Business of so great Importance such as were no Friends to the Government not only ventur'd to publish their Dissatisfaction and to enflame the Kingdom with strange Jealousies of Popery and Arbitrary Power but likewise formed themselves into several Tables as they called them of Noblemen Gentlemen Ministers and Citizens and by a new Authority took upon them to sum up all the Grievances which they intended should be redressed and tho his Majesties not urging the Liturgy upon that Kingdom when he saw it could not be done in a peaceable way might have quieted all their Minds yet finding their Party strong beyond Expectation they were loth to let slip so favourable a Juncture but boldly resolved to secure themselves against all Attempts of this kind by entering into a National Covenant in which they pretended only to renew that which had been sworn in the Reign of King James Those who adhered to the King's interest could by no means allow of this manner of proceeding which appeared equally disingenuous and undutiful The discontented Party alledged in their own behalf the President given them in the late Reign which the others thought did no ways favour their Cause seeing the Covenant then taken was stampt with Royal Authority whereas theirs now seem'd directly opposite to it for there could not be the least Pretence to the King's consent which they never so much as desired 'T is true it was upon the humble Motion of a general Assembly that the former King's Council had order'd the National Covenant to be taken the last time with a Bond to maintain the true Religion and the King's Person But this instance of the General Assemblies Motion which they laid hold on was so far from justifying that it rather condemned their Proceedings in regard that the General Assemblies not enjoyning the Covenant till they had first obtained his Majesties Consent made it evident that in the Assemblies Judgment the Oath could not be renewed without that Authority which first imposed it Nor could they expect any Sanctuary from the Acts of Parliament for it had been declared by more than one that all who leagu'd themselves together without the knowledg of their Soveraign were to be punished as Movers of Sedition and Disturbers of the Publick Peace Besides their want of Authority they laid themselves open to another most dangerous Censure while under colour of copying a Covenant and Bond allowed of in the late Reign it plainly appear'd they had not taken their measures by that Standard but had explain'd many things rather according to their own than King James's Mind and had also added several new Articles of most pernicious consequence both to the King's Person and the establish'd Government The King's Person was endanger'd in so far as by their new Bond they enter'd into a mutual Defence of one another against all Persons whatsoever without excepting his Majesty This the Royal Party said was in Effect to declare that if he offer'd to thwart them they must then oppose him by adhering to their Covenant Nor were they more favourable to the established Government in which they made a wide Breach by taking upon them to cancel all the Acts of Parliament and of General Assemblies that authorized the high Commission the five Articles of Perth or the sitting of Bishops in Judicatures Now by these and several other Instances of this kind it seem'd strange with what face they could make their Covenant and Bond pass for the same with the former Kings seeing it was not to be presum'd that the Father design'd to lessen either his own or his Son's Authority Nor to teach his Subjects how to combine without being Rebels nor yet to favour the extirpating the Articles of Perth and other Things after his Death which in his Life he had so industriously promoted Whatever Influence these Pretences might have upon undiscerning People or such as gave an implicite Credit to whatever their Pastors taught them the World abroad had much different Thoughts Nor could all the Endeavours that were used to win many of the Reformed Religion in France to a good Opinion of such Courses for they having long inveighed against that wicked Association at home call'd the Holy League found their Mouths now stop'd when the Protestants contrary

at so dear a rate might justly have challeng'd their entire Obedience upon the Principles of Gratitude as well as Duty but upon the woful Rupture which soon after followed betwixt him and his English Parliament the Spirit and Temper of our Covenanters did discover it self more than ever Far from being satisfied with the great Trouble they had occasion'd at home or with the Settlement procur'd to their Hearts Desire they cherish the two Houses in their unreasonable Demands about Religion and as it is most ingenuously observed by a late Writer of our Nation shew themselves now as violent in pressing England's Uniformity with Scotland as they were formerly in condemning the Design of bringing Scotland to an Uniformity with England 'T is not my Task to meddle with the Differences betwixt the King and his English Parliament which I leave to the excellent Pens of that Nation but sure I am there was not the least Reason for Scotland's espousing the Parliaments Quarrel or for fomenting their Jealousies of a Prince who had so lately given us such undoubted Marks of his transcendent Bounty in yielding to all that our Covenanters demanded besides by the Explication of the Covenant we obliged our selves to assist his Majesty in every Cause that concern'd his Honour and so ought to have been thankful for his Majesty's Condescension in suffering us to continue neutral yet notwithstanding these Obligations The Parliament's Interest was so dear to our Commissioners then at London that forgetting the Quality of Mediators in which they first appear'd they sided openly with the Houses against the King Nor were our Ministers at home less partial our Pulpits did ring with Curses against some who were for a Neutrality as Enemies to the Cause of Christ and the Reformation of England all were invited to join in so meritorious a Work and at length all Sense of Duty was so entirely cast off that the chief Promoters of those Designs adventur'd to assume to themselves a most undoubted Prerogative of the Crown in summoning a Convention of Estates without the King's Leave From a Convention call'd without Authority there was no reason to expect any legal Proceedings or Complyance to the King who yet vouchsafed to approve of their Meeting upon Condition they would observe such Limitations as were prescrib'd in his Letter But the Business of England and the raising an Army being the only Things which he forbid them to meddle with were the first which fell under their Consideration and Commissioners being sent from the Parliament of England to treat about an Army our Convention of Estates notwithstanding the King 's special Command to the contrary received them with open Arms agreed readily to their Demands and exprest such an hearty Desire of a strict Union betwixt the two Kingdoms that their warm Consultations did in a few Days hatch the solemn League and Covenant It was strange to see a League which so highly concern'd a King two Kingdoms differing much in Laws and Constitutions and two Churches differing no less in Worship and Discipline so easily and suddenly concluded It was first seen afterwards approved and lastly sworn in the General Assembly all within the short Period of three Days The Ministers made this wonderful Unanimity pass with the People for an undeniable Testimony of the Divine Approbation tho others who could never be convinced that the former Covenant received its Seal from Heaven entertain'd no better Opinion of this but did attribute their Agreement only to the dexterous Management of the Leaders who had such a powerful Influence and Authority over the rest that they seldom fail'd in any Thing they proposed The whole Negotiation ended without any Debates Yet there was apparent jugling on both Hands for the English Commissioners had a great mind to carry with them a Scotish Army but had no liking at all to our Presbytery and therefore consenting to a Reformation according to the Word of God told one another that they understood well enough what to make of that at home the Scotish on the other Hand designing to get Presbytery establish'd in England cast in the Words of Reforming according to the Practice of the best reformed Churches hoping this made sure for theirs as the most perfect Model that could any where be found our Ministers were likewise for abjuring Episcopacy as simply unlawful but neither the English Commissioners then in Scotland nor the Parliament or Assembly of Divines at Westminster thought fit afterwards to declare that Institution unlawful whereupon the Article was conceived to import only an abolishing of Episcopacy as it was then in England without condemning what the Primitive Church had allow'd in all its Purity To describe all the subtile Arts which were used the manifest Elusions and Breaches wherewith we charged England and England us together with the fatal Consequences of this Covenant in both Nations would require much pains and leisure It will suffice at present to make some brief Reflections which may serve to cool our too great Fondness of it All that could be alledg'd against the National Covenant was of force against this besides many Material Circumstances to render it yet more inexcusable for if we never find Subjects lawfully united among themselves without the Prince's leave much less could the Subjects of one Nation take upon them to make a League with those of another contrary to the King's Command and in Prejudice of his Authority Ought we not to have been contented with the Enjoyment of all we could desire at home without medling in the Concerns of another Nation who generally did not appear fond of an Alteration and never were fitted for our Church-discipline Was there no more regard due to a Soveraign who had deserv'd so well at our hands than even to pursue him out of his native Countrey and grudge him that Liberty of Conscience in England which he had graciously yielded to us in Scotland We read of many Nations that engag'd in Wars for the Enlargement of their Soveraign's Empire or Authority over Strangers we alone shall be known to Posterity as guilty of helping Strangers to shake off the Allegiance due to a Prince born among our selves But besides these general Reflexions every one of the six Articles whereof this Covenant consisted lay open to several Exceptions As I. It seem'd hard that every ignorant Person in Scotland should be obliged by Oath to endeavour the Reformation of England according the Word of God and the Practice of the best reformed Churches What knowledg alas could Persons of so mean Capacity or Education be presumed to have of Differences among reformed Churches of which they were to judge upon Oath how could they weigh the Advantages of Holland above Geneva of France above Holland or of Scotland above France and accordingly endeavour the Reformation of England truly 't is to be doubted that more was here required of the meanest and weakest of the People than many of our ablest Ministers could well have

perform'd how could such Persons examine nice Questions about Church-Government according to Scripture which have divided the learned World and yet the Vulgar were to judge of such seeing by those Rules they swore to proceed Nor do I see any shift unless we allow them to resign their Judgment by an implicite Faith in their Teachers which makes no decent Evasion for a Reformed Church The second Article was lyable to the same Exceptions with the former They swore To extirpate Popery Prelacy Superstition Heresy Schism Profaneness and whatsoever should be found contrary to sound Doctrine and the Power of Godliness This I take to have been a very hard Task for every one to perform and more certainly than ought to be required of any Man in Things which are not plain beyond controversy as all such Points were not then amongst them for we find that one Minister did often inveigh against Opinions as savouring of Popery which another as positively deny'd charging the contrary Opinions as leading to Schism and ignorant Persons who under pain of Perjury were equally engag'd against Schism and Popery must have found strange Storms raised in their Minds and their tender Consciences dreadfully rack'd while they could not understand which of the opposite Opinions they might safely embrace Tho the former Part of the third Article concern'd Things of a quite different Nature yet the Objections are much of the same kind by that all were engag'd to defend the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament But alas who could expect that common People should be put to determine such when we hear of Debates started frequently concerning Priviledges which the Wisdom of our greatest Senators is scarce able to accommodate and seldom is it so done as to answer all Objections or satisfy every Member Suppose a Parliament so divided that it comes to a Breach to what Party must the People then adhere who are not able to judge which of the two really maintains their Priviledges where both with Confidence pretend it and back their Pretences with plausible Reasons Nothing could have been more for the Peace of the World than that a greater Reverence had been kept up for Vows and Oaths by not making them too common But seeing our Fathers would not be satisfied without engaging Persons of all Ranks in Oaths 't is to be wish'd that ordinary People had only been bound to live peaceably in their Stations to obey those who by the Laws of the Land were set over them not to countenance Division and Faction nor turn States-men and Censurers of their Superiours for in these and the like Engagements there had only been a further Ty laid upon them to perform easy plain and necessary Duties suitable to their Capacities without medling in Matters beyond their reach Whereas our late Covenants did unadvisedly raise such Persons above themselves injoin'd them Things they could not discharge and contrary to all reason spurr'd those on to be troublesome who stood more in need of a Bridle to check their natural Fierceness and the ill-grounded Opinion they had of their own Sufficiency By the latter Part of the third Article the Subjects Allegiance to the King was limited to the Preservation and Defence of the true Religion as if Princes Rights whatever they are ought not to be maintain'd without any manner of Restriction this was a clear Diminution of the King 's just Power and Greatness and consequently inconsistent with what they swore before in the National Covenant But how ill they intended from the Beginning to maintain the King's Power and Greatness their Positions as well as their Practices do declare If we look critically into the History of that Time we see manifest Gradations in their Encroachments upon the Royal Authority At their first entring into the National Covenant it was alledg'd that the Body of the Nation consisting of Church and State might unite to resist the King Some Years after when the Union betwixt the two Kingdoms was so vehemently carried on it was declared lawful to assist our Neighbours in extorting from our Soveraign the same Terms for them which of his Royal Bounty he had formerly vouchsafed to grant us At last we advanced a Step higher and boldly maintain'd That a few Associate Counties might take Arms against the Authority both of King and Parliament and that having Power they wanted not Right upon all Occasions to curb the Excesses of Government Now here we may observe that the extravagant Proceedings of some Western Counties upon these seditious Principles fix'd upon them the Name of Whigs which contemptible Mark of Distinction was for many Years appropriated to us till of late that to the Grief of all Men it is become more universal and has now unluckily crept into the next Kingdom and notwithstanding its infamous Rise is there too liberally bestow'd upon some and too much gloried in by others Thus the Barbarous Name of Guelphs which had for a long Time been given to those in Germany that oppos'd the Emperour was at length fatally transplanted from its native Soil into Italy a warmer Climate where it took deeper Root and became for many Ages the Fomenter of terrible Disorders But I hope our Prince's Wisdom will think fit to give an early and effectual Check to this and all other Names of Faction which insensibly undermine the Government alienate Mens Affections from one another make wicked Men more desperate when they see themselves discover'd especially when by the same Means they are enabled to discover the Strength and Number of their Party besides many other unforeseen Inconveniences which may help to bring us back into our former dreadful Confusion The fourth Article did in the Judgment of many set up a new Inquisition sufficient to make all tremble that were disaffected to the Cause and 't is plain their violent Courses gave too much ground for this Complaint such as out of real Conscience towards God or Sense of Duty towards their Prince refused to sign the Covenants were after a strange manner declared Enemies to God and the King proceeded against as Traitors and forced either to undergo Banishment or languish in Prison while their Estates became a Prey to those who appeared most zealous in persecuting them This inevitable Danger obliged many to disguise themselves into a seeming Compliance to what in their Hearts they did detest And these Methods being then made use of to settle the Purity of the Gospel among us no wonder if there were more of Hypocrisy than of the Power of Godliness in our Profession or if God were thereby provok'd to disown us and our Cause and to leave the Nation for many Years to groan under an heavy Bondage The fifth Article which was for executing Justice upon all wilful Opposers falls under the same Exceptions with the former and might be illustrated with too many Instances of Cruelty which those Times afford us How were our Scaffolds dy'd with the Blood of our Nobility and Gentry who oppos'd