Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A58614
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A declaration of the Committee of Estates of the Parliament of Scotland in answer to some printed papers intituled, The declaration of the Parliament of England, and the declaration of the army of England, upon their march into Scotland.
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Scotland. Parliament.; England and Wales. Parliament. Declaration of the Parliament of England.
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1650
(1650)
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Wing S1214; ESTC R34039
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26,589
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42
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A DECLARATION OF THE COMMITTEE of ESTATES OF THE PARLIAMENT of SCOTLAND In Answer to some Printed Papers Intituled The Declaration of the Parliament of England and the Declaration of the Army of England upon their March into SCOTLAND â—â—inted by Evan Tyler Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty 1650. Edinburgh Iuly 1650. THE Estates of Parliament understanding that divers persons Subjects of this Kingdom with their ships and goods had been lately seased at Sea and carried into the Ports of England And being likewise informed that an Army was marching Northward to In-invade this Kingdom Being resolved so far as is in their power to use all possible wayes and means to prevent War and Blood in these Kingdoms did upon the 22. of June last send tâ—…o Messengers into England with Letters to Mr. Lenthal Speaker of the House of Commons the Lord Fairfax and the Governour of Newcastle Complaining of the Injuries done unto us and desiring to know whither they would observe the rule and order prescribed in the large Treaty betwixt the Kingdoms concerning the remonstrating first the breaches of Peace seeking reparation using all fair means and giving three Moneths warning before any Engagement of these Nations in War to which Letters we did long before this time expect an Answer but in place thereof Our messengers are there detained and A Declaration is emitted by those who arrogate to themselves the Title of the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England that they have judged it just and necessary that an Army be forth with sent into Scotland which accordingly is advancing to our Borders to Invade the Kingdom without any previous Warning The justice of this their undertaking they offer to demonstrate from the late Invasion of England Authorised and Commanded by the Parliament of Scotland in which designe they say all of us concurred to make a Prey of the English though some difference fell amongst us who should have the greatest Power of Command and thereby the greatest opportunity of advancing of either party under the specious pretence of the Covenant This doth not well consist with what they say Page 3. Concerning such in this Nation who may have kept themselves fâ—ee from the guilt of these things and far lesse doth it consist with the truth but we desire not to be our own Judges in the matter let them ask their own Consciences whether ever any people in the World did more evidence their freedom from guiltinesse in a time of defection then we did in that matter of the Engagement against England Did we not dissent and protest in Parliament against it Did not all the Judicatorâ—es of the Church unanimously oppose it and declare against it did not the Ministers faithfully and freely Preach and Pray against it and generally all that feared GOD in the Land Petition against it did they not suffer for not concurring in it Yea many choosed rather to expose their Lives and estates to the mercy of their Adversaries tyrannizing over them then to contribute one six-pence toward the furthering of that Engagement whereof the Commissioners of both Houses residing in this Kingdom were witnesses as by some of their number was represented to the House of Commons who upon consideration thereof wrote a Letâ—er to the General Assembly Professing they were assured that these impious and unwarrantable Actions could not be done with the approbation and assent of the Religious and wel affected people of the Kingdom of Scotland and that they did understand there was very few amongst those who were in the Engagement against them that first engaged with them in the Covenant and Cause but such as are professed Enemies to them however they were then content to proceed thereunto that they might the bâ—tter deceive the people of England and that therefore they were unwilling to impute such evils to this Nation in generall Did we not before we heard any thing of he defeat of the Engagers resolve to rise in Arms against the promoters of it being in Arms did we not refuse to make any agreement with them though never so much to our advantage untill in the first place Berwick Carlile should be restored to the Kingdom of England Concerning which L. Generall Cromwel professed in his Letter of the 15. of October 1648 that he shoâ—â—â— ever be ready to bear wiâ—nes of our forwardnesse to do right to the Kingdom of England and in a former Letter of the 19. September Acknowledgeth our care of the Interest of England and desire to preserve the unitie of both Nations Did not both Houses of Parliament by their Votes of the 28. September 1648. appoint that in case the Noblemen and others that dissented against the Invasion of the Kingdom of England by the Army under the Command of the Duke of Hamiltoun shall desire the assistance of L. Generall Cromwell that he be ready to afford them all seasonable relief and assistance which Votes were communicated to us by Lieu. Generall Cromwell himself and in the same Letter after a particular enumeration of all the wrongs and damages sustained by the Kingdom of England from the Engagers he did demand in the name of England this security that none who had been active in or consenting to the said Engagement should be employed in any Publick place or tâ—â—st whatsâ—ever which was a cordingly granted by the Committee of Estates and ratified in Parliament Did We not also send Commissioners to both Houses of Parliament to Treat and correspond with them in all thing which might concern the continuance of the former Amitie and Friendship betwixt the Kingdoms and authorised to joyn with them in presenting the Propositions of Peace to his Majesty which Commissioners were received and our interest in the Propositions of peace acknowledged by both Houses of Parliament This is a short but true accompt concerning our carriage in relation to that Engagement how matters stand betwixt us and the lawfull authority of England And as touching those who now quarrell with us if their own consciences condemn them not as we have reason to think they do there is one greater then their consciences even the Lord Jesus Christ who knoweth all things let Him Judge between us concerning the truth or falshood of that which they would charge upon us that all of us concurred in designe to to make a prey of the English though some difference fell out who should have the greatest power of Command It is not the first time we have met with Calumnies of this kinde from that party but we shall studie to bear it the more patiently that still it is for our adherence to the Cause of Christ we are reproached And as for the good people of England we trust they will not readily give belief to such suggestions against the wel-affected of this Kingdom when they consider we have two severall times returned from England with strong Armies when there was better opportunity to have prosecuted such designes Touching
them we will renounce and forswear it and the ends thereof are not these the men who are abusers of the Ordinances of God in our neighbour land tolerators of errors proclaimers of liberty dispensers with Bands and Oathes in Gods matters but rigid exactors and oppressors of persons yea of Nations in their Consciences Liberties and Estates in their own matters and for their own ends who have brought great scandall and reproach upon the name of God the the name of his people and the study of piety and who have not only broken the solemn and sacred Covenant betwixt God and these Nations but have in effect rejected it and trampled upon it are become enemies to all the ends thereof and persecutors of the servants and people of God for their adherence to it doe they not follow the wayes of the Prelaticall and malignant party who in the beginning of these troubles came to invade this Kingdome but blessed be the Lord returned with shame are they not walking in the same paths that the late Engagers did against England sinning with an high hand against God his Cause Covenant and People the sinfulnesse of their wayes meanes Instruments ends and aymes and the evident injustice of their quarrell against these who never gave them just ground of offence make it apparent We assisted and relieved England twice since the beginning of these troubles and returned both times peaceably out of the Kingdome Not only their own expressions but their consciences can bear witnesse to our sufferings and opposition in reference to the late engagement and will they requite us with War for our kind assistance hostilitie for friendship and render evill for good Surely he seeth all these things whose eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him and can speak peace unto their helpers and bring in the day of his vengeance and the year of recompence for the quarrell of his broken Covenant upon these who have set up Thresholds by his Thresholds and Posts by his Posts and not onely do so themselves but endeavour to compell and force others to do the same do they thus provoke the Lord to jealousie are they stronger nor he hath he not sworn by his great name that his people shall knov whether his designes or his enemies his counsell or theirs his word or theirs his work or theirs shall stand In the pride of their heart because of former successes and trusting to their Power skill and experience they think to doe with Jerusalem as with Samaria with Israel as with Edom and with the Covenanted people of God as with Malignants against whom they were raised as a scourge and a rod of indignation not considering that when the Lords work is done and the axe boasteth it selfe against the hewer then the Lord useth to send among their fat ones leannesse under their glory to kindle a burning and the light of Israel useth to be for a fire and his holy one for a flame to destroy the briars and thorns in one day saith the Lord. If we shall keep malignancy out of our quarrell and malignant Instruments out of our Counsels and forces and our selves free from every thing which may provoke the Lord and doe every duty that may engage them for us the case of the Ammonites against Jepthah and Israel the case of Jeroboam against Abijah the case of Amaziah gainst Joash the case of Zennacherib against Hezâ—kiah the case of Moab against Jehosaphat and the judgments which came on these Invaders speak terrour to our Adversaries that come against us and courage and comfort to the necessary defenders for the Lord lives and reignes for ever to confirm the word of his servants and perform the counsell of his Messengers and turneth the wisdom of the wise and strength of the strong backward maketh the Diviners mad and the despisers to wonder and perish for he will work a work which they shall in no wise beleeve though a a man declare it unto them Let us therefore arise and be doing for the Cause and for the Cities of our God and the Lord will be with us and will not forsake us if we forsake not him And who then can be against us He will be Jehovah Nissi and spread a banner of love over His people and send the angel of His presence among them for a sun and a shield and will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone a cup of trembling and a torch in a sheif to all that dare meddle with Sion and break the staffes of beauty and bands and he will soon go through the briars and thorns let in battell against him for the Cause and the battell is the Lords Let us wait on His salvation There is cause of humiliatâ—on when we consider our formality in the Worship of God our neglect of duties of true piety our undervaluing of the precious Gospel our unthankfulnes for mercies our stupidity under judgements our manifold backslidings of heart and seâ—f-seeking our not minding as we ought the inward work of Reformation resting too much on the out side of duties the profanes of many in the Land in our Aâ—my and many other transgreshons â—or these things we should lie low in the dust and acknowledge that it were just with the Lord to leave us to let our enemies prevail over us and let in a flood-gate of error heresie schisme and profanesse to overflow the Lanâ— But there is no cause of fear or fainting if we will consider that the Lord delights to be called on as a God who will keep Covenant and mercy to and with his people notwithstanding their failings if we look either to the Lords former dispensations or present engagements for his Work and the honour of his great Name or if we will look to the eâ—emies quarrell their aymes and designes or to the resolutions of this Kâ—rk and Kingdom to stand for the Cause and Covenant against enemies and dangers on all hands If the Lord had intended to destroy the Land he would not have done so much for us and amongst us nor received a sacrifice off our hands Though the enemy should come in like a flood to overflow Immanuels Land His Spirit shall lift up a standard against him and not suffer His people to say a confederacy to such but shall magnifie himself in the borders of Israel Wherefore we desire all the people of the Land to beware that they be not deceived and insnared with the fair offers and smooth pretences of the Sectaries whole words are soft as butter and oil but gall and bitrernesse is in their hearts and actions they have the smooth voyce of Jacob but the rough hands of Esau And we do in the name and by the warrant of the Estates of Parliament discharge all persons whatsoever within the Kingdom to give them aide counsellor assistance or to correspond or comply with them any manner of way under the same paines and certifications that they are discarged to joyn assist correspond or comply with Malignants and Rebels in Arms. Tho. Henderson FINIS