the mixture or addition of their own interest for God will have our work wholly for himself and if we be faithfull in it he will not forget to give us what we need to have for our selves otherwayes he will not onely cast us off and our work but will curse both it and us Again I say Let England take example at her Neighbour yet I am sure God in his Judgement will remember his Mercy unto Scotland and for his own Name sake will keep his promise unto his faithfull ones whereof he hath a great number of all ranks and conditions in that distressed Countrey and will not suffer this proud insulting Enemy to domineer thus ever his poor people far lesse set up again his abominations and profane his holy Name but God will arise and throw his Enemies to the dust for it is against him they fight and for his sake they thus trouble vex now oppresse his People And although that all men at this great last blow were struken with astonishment yet many take courage to go on with the Service of the Cause of God with their whole heart and strength acknowledging Gods Justice in this his thus chastising them and confessing heartily their sins by which they have so provoked God to anger and are truly sorry not so much for their sufferings they now lie under as for their offending their good God on whom they are resolved to rely and in whom they will constantly trust and to whom they will more neerly adhere then ever let him deal with them as he pleaseth they are the Servants he is the Lord they are the Pot he is the Porter they are the Creatures and he is the Creator whose will is alwayes good not onely it self but for us if we be obedient and faithfull unto him But I will hold thee here no longer So recommending thee to God I go to the Discourse it self A short and true Relation of divers passages of things wherein the Scots are particularly concerned from the first beginning of these troubles to this day IT is not unknown to men of understanding how that many sinistrous reports one after another raised of the Scots for their faithfulnesse constancy to the Cause of Religion and Liberty in these Dominons by Malignants that is by Atheists Libertines Papists Prelatists and Sectaries of all kindes officiating in their severall wayes for the Common Enemy and spred abroad by the contrivers thereof with the help of their instruments Agents and Favourers then received by the simpler sort not knowing the truth of things lesse the drift of the Malignants in these calumnies otherwayes well-meaning people for the truth is no sooner made known unto them but they willingly lay hold on it and being admonished of the pernicious designe of the adversaries they do abhorre and detest both it and them hath done and yet doeth great prejudice according to the intent of the Enemy unto the service now in hand of the Common Cause of Church and State these two inseparable twins which both Kingdoms do now maintain and intend to do unanimously with heart and hand as they stand bound and united to lay aside all other and former tyes by the Nationall Covenant through the great Providence of God in mercy to both so that they prove faithfull and constant to this Cause of his and of his people according to the said Covenant against all opposition whatsoever whether by declared and open war or by clandestine and indirect undermining Wherefore after long forbearance with grief of mind and compassion to see faithfull men and earnest in this Common Cause so maliciously traduced and in them the good Cause so much wronged as likewise so many well-affected men to the said Cause so grosly abused by crafty lyes and impudent untruths I have thought fit for the good and service of the Common Cause to the advancement whereof every one is obliged to contribute according to what he hath as he will answer one day to him whose Cause first and principally it is to undeceive many well-minded men and to right in some measure those faithfull men to the Cause who are so wickedly slandred in giving unto the publike this true and short Discours whereby the truth of divers things will be made more known lyes in a kind repressed and the service of the Common Cause somewhat furthered at least it will not be so far kept back as it hath hitherto been by these undermining courses And the rather do I undertake this task that those in a manner are silent by whom most men do expect the clear truth of things of this kinde not so generally known should be conveyed to all by a particular publication of them in writing to the end that this course of so maliciously lying against trusty men may be stopped and the well meaning men no longer thus abused But these of whom men look for performance of this duty going about the main work they are come hither for in all earnestnesse and singlenesse of heart with care and diligence and not without a great deal of drudging to and from as faithfull and trusty labourers do take but little notice of this wicked practise of their and the cause its Enemies by lyes howsoever industriously devised and cunningly set forth as altogether below them chosing rather that their own good carriage with constant resolution and faithfull endeavours and that of their Country-men engaged with them in the same businesse although in another way in sincerity of heart advancing the publike work now in hand should speak for them both then either a flourishing tongue or a nimble pen Here although I value much the goodnesse of these men to relye rather upon their own their Countrey-mens honesty and integrity in and about the work then upon the setting forth of any Declaration by writing of their own and their friends faithfull proceedings and fair carrying on of things in the publike service Yet in this I cannot esteem their prudency for albeit native beauty ought not to be set forth by painting and patches being compleat in it self yet it must be kept free from spots and and dirt and made seen unto all under a modest and comely dressing by which means it is more pleasing and better liked of every one And although where there is no fault no Apologie ought to be made yet to make the truth openly known when it is desguised for the information of those who take things meerly upon trust and to stop the going on of wicked men with lyes is not only an Act of Wisdom but of Piety yea of Necessity if men will not abandon the interest of a good cause to the malice of the Enemies thereof and as it is said by the wise man Thou art not to answer a fool according to his folly that is in exorbitancy c. lest in so doing thou become like unto him even so by the same wise man thou art ordained to answer a fool
might have undone the Kings Army and consequently invaded England if they had pleased and that with small opposition instead of doing wrong to any English they supplied the wants of those who were come against them with Victuals which then did abound in the Scots Army but was very short in the Kings having the flower of the Kings Army in their power I mean the party that went to Dunslaw they suffered it to return back in safety and used it with all civility notwithstanding these chosen ones had come against promise and without cause to destroy them and to invade the Countrey Thereafter the Peace being made the Scots according to the agreement went quietly home and laid down their Arms as was promised Then the Plot the abused King and his good Counsell had at Berwick to draw the Chief men of Scotland to him for to destroy them and the breach of the Parlement the burning in London of the Articles of agreement made at the borders and many other like things did not move the Scots to recede in any measure from their dutifull respects to the King nor from their love to the English Nation neither the imprisonment of their Commissioners against the Law of Nations and the safe-conduct granted unto them upon publike Faith nor the great Forces prepared against them by Sea and by Land nor the many lyes spred against them through all England nor the Prelatical excommunication so canonically spewed out against them in all the Churches and Chappels of England All these things I say did not make them give the least expression of disrespect to the King nor disaffection to the English Upon this the Scots published a Declaration anew unto the World whereby they made known unto all how hardly they were dealt with all for not onely the things stipulated with them were not kept to them but also more and greater wrongs than formerly were done to them Yea a second expedition of War undertaken to destroy them and to fill up all more lyes of no lesse importance than the conquering of England made and spred abroad of them with other thunderbolts of the Prelaticall censure shot against them Also they make known by this Declaration their Christian resolution and just enterprise with their good intentions in taking Arms again for their own defence and the Cause which they maintain And by it assureth their Brethren of England although they were resolved to come into their Countrey to seek out their Enemies who were there gathering against them and not to suffer these wicked ones to come unto them and so make their own Countrey the Seat of the unhappy War Yet they had not the least thought to do any hurt to any body in England except to their professed Enemies So far were they from having the least thought of making a conquest And that when they had brought their Enemies to reason they would go home in Peace All which was thereafter performed by the Scots to the full For first being entred into England and having rencountred one party of their Enemies and routed it when it was in their power to pursue the Victory they stayed at New-castle till things were agreed upon betwixt the King and them This incoming of the Scots gave occasion and liberty to divers of the Nobles of England of whom some since have betray'd the Cause of God of his people what by open Warfare and what by clandestine undermining to desire of the King a Parliament for the good of the Kingdom The King then durst not refuse their demand by reason of the Scots more then the continuance of it which he granted likewise therafter for the same Cause Then the King finding that the Parliament did not onely crosse but quite spoile his designes be plots with his Army which he had raised against the Scots to come and destroy the said Parliament and to take the spoile of London for their reward But the businesse being discovered faileth besides they durst not undertake howsoever they had promised for fear of the Scots who then were so neer The King continuing in his wonted courses after a little pause tryes the Scots if they will do the deed and offers unto them for recompense not onely the spoile of London but also the foure Counties next adjacent unto their Countrey to be adjoyned hereafter to it with Jewels of great value in pawn for performance if onely they would be engaged into the businesse All these great offers could not make the Scots willing to give their consent in any kinde to this wickednesse For they not onely rejected the Kings offers but also giveth notice of the Plot to the Parliament and to the City of London that they might make their best use of it So you may see how that the Scots under God are the cause of the Assembling of the Parliament of the continuance of it being assembled and of the preservation of it from totall destruction and ruine The King seeing that he was stopped by the Scots first in their own Countrey next in England to carry on his great designe takes the Irish Papists by the hand rather then be alwayes disappointed and they willingly undertake to levie Armes for his Service that is for the Romish Cause the Kings designe being subservient to the Romish Cause although he abused thinks otherwayes and beleeves that Rome serveth to his purpose But to begin the Work they must make sure all the Protestants and if they cannot otherwayes by Murthering and Massacring them for they knew them according to the Principles of Religion and State to be forward either for the Covenanters of Scotland or for the troublesome Parliament of England if not for both But the Irish neither would nor durst enter to any open Action so long as the Scots Army in England was afoot therefore by all means it must be sent home and cashiered and to facilitate the businesse the Court-Parasites Instruments of Iniquity with their Emissaries must raise and spread abroad jealousies of the Scots among the people of the Countrey and City namely in and about the Houses of Parliament who having not before their eyes the reall Honesty and Integrity of the Scots known by so many faithfull and loyall expressions and not keeping in their mind the many good offices done to them by the Scots giveth in sillinesse of mind ear and place to the crafty tales and apprehensions invented by the Agents of the Common Enemy to bring them to confusion and trouble So the Plot taketh by the silly ones and is set forward by the hid Malignan's Yea in a word it is managed with such addresse and successe that the Scots must go home and till they had done it there could be no quiet but increase of jealousies The Scots although they were not acquainted with the hight of mischief that was intended against the Church and State in these Dominions by the Common Enemy nor with the wayes of it yet albeit they thought it
A SHORT AND TRUE RELATION OF Some main passages of things wherein the Scots are particularly concerned from the very first beginning of these unhappy Troubles to this day Published by Authority Zech. 8. 16. These are the things that ye shall do Speak ye every man the truth to his Neighbour execute the Judgement of Truth and Peace in your Gates 17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his Neighbour and love no false Oath for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord LONDON Printed by R. Raworth for R. Bestock at the Kings head in Pauls-Church-yard 1645. To the Faithfull Reader Christian Reader MAy it please thee at this time to receive a free and true Discourse of sundry and main occurrences of businesses here amongst us tendred unto thee by a reall Friend and faithfull Servant of thine in the Lord who makes it a good part of his earnest study to enquire in all seriousnesse after the truth of those things which thus busie us all in these miserable dayes of ours every where what in thoughts what in words what in deeds with the motives occasions reasons and ends thereof and this forsooth not to content his vain curiosity and meerely to feed his empty brains with notions as many read Books and bearken after news but for the good of the Publike unto the Service whereof he freely and cheerfully devotes his pains and labours and so with pleasure he in all freedom of heart imparts unto others of what he jugeth to be true and conducing to the good of Church and State without unjust partiality or base siding with any faction the great disease in these our evil dayes of foolish and weak men And the principall occasion of those our great and long sufferings with the tedious delays and many hinderances of carrying on the publike Work by action in the Field and Counsell at home to the benefit of Church and State This he doeth without regard to the persons of any whosoever having no intent to offend the least by cynicall mordacitie nor mind to curry favour with the greatest by insinuating flattery being by Gods great mercy towards him unworthy worm pretty free from the chief cause of these distempers ordinary to most men For on the one part he knows no man who hath so far wronged him in his own particular as to move him unto anger or wrath against the person of any and he hath ever thought it contrary to good Christianity and dissonant from morall honesty to inveigh scurrilously against mens persons as Pamphleteers do now adayes Wherefore he speaketh of the failings in divers kindes and degrees wherewith he is highly offended and much scandalized of men of all ranks and conditions in both Kingdoms without designation of their persons by name Yea he is so far from naming any man in particular for his errors that he makes mention but of a very few by name and those with eloge and praise wishing from his heart that he had just occasion to name all those to their advantage at whose faults he points at Further he heartily blesseth God who in his Fatherly care towards him hitherto and he hopes will do so to the end being assured that he who giveth the principall will not deny the accessory if he thinks it fit for his own Glory and our good hath provided for him wherewith to sustain his nature without great excesse or much want and hath schooled him both by precept and practice to live and be content of little and so not being so urged by a neer nipping necessity or imaginary poverty as to selt or betray the Truth for a morsell of Bread nor so led away with the exorbitant desire of preferment or profit as to cog in upon any terms by flattery lying and faining with those in whose hands for the present the disturbation of such things is amongst us now adayes He dare be bold to speak home to the Point and tell down-right the truth of things wherein the Church and State are so much concerned not fearing to be crossed in his private interest and put back from his hopes by displeasing the gods Moreover he preferreth the possessing of himself with calm and freedom of spirit having his little viaticum such as it is simple and course to the glistering slavery with toiling and moiling of ambitious and covetous ones to whatsoever hight with lustre and fair shew they attain unto in the eyes of the World and opinion of men knowing that it is dear bought with losse of time and often of credit and conscience and to be nothing but a meer shadow which in a moment vanisheth To the performance of this usefull and necessary Duty he conceiveth himself bound in conscience before God and man for these respects and reasons First Every one of us all in our severall ranks and stations ought so far as in us lyeth advance the Glory of God and hinder whatsoever is contrary to it or against it for he is the Lord our God Then being bound to the hearty Love of our Neighbour we ought with earnestnesse procure his true good and hinder him from receiving evil or committing sin whereby evil may come upon him This is inculcate in the Scripture over and over again Yea we are bidden rebuke our Brother or Neighbour plainly when he sinneth in any kinde otherwise we are said to be haters of him namely we are to hinder him from walking about with lyes among the people and from conspireing with the wicked Read Levit. 19. 16 17. Next The Church whereof we are Children and the Countrey whereof we are Members requireth and expecteth of us all that with our whole power and might we procure in all uprightnesse and singlenesse of heart their true good and stop whatsoever appears to be against the same either word or deed thoughts being onely known to God To this we are not onely bound at once by a generall tye but we iterate and renew it from time to time as we receive benefits by them or from them according to the ordinary practice of us all Thirdly Are we not all obliged by our late Nationall Covenant and sworn to advance the setling of the Church-Reformation according to the Word of God and conforme to the best Reformed Churches and to the setling of a solid Peace to the good of the People by putting forward the Service and opposing the open and declared Enemy with the crafty Malignants of whatsoever kinde secretly undermining us in the pursuance of this our good Cause by cabales factions lyes devises and plots and with whatsoever else the wicked heart of man full of wyles for his own and his Neighbours ruine All those tyes and bonds are shaken off and broken by the most part of us either through negligent lazinesse and remisse slacknesse not minding them and not having before our eyes as we ought the least part of our duty or through base connivence and treacherous compliance to the
of Religion and Peace setled the fruits of our endeavours much wished and longed for by Nottingham 12 June 1645. Your Lordships most humble Servants LEVEN CALENDAR HAMILTON WE have heard how the Parliament of England sent Commissioners into Scotland to call in the Scots unto its help and to capitulate with them concerning their in-coming We have heard also how that Commissioners were sent from Scotland hither to be at the drawing up of the Covenant betwixt the two Nations who ever since have constantly assisted the Synod in the discussion of Church-affaires more according to agreement betwixt the Nations thereafter there was other Commissioners sent hither to share with the Parliament in the managing of State-businesses of Peace and War wherein now both Kingdoms are jointly ingaged To this effect the Houses of Parliament chuseth a certain number of Lords and Commons to treat of all things concerning Peace and War jointly with the Scots and so together they make up the Committee of both Kingdoms wherein the Scots have a negative voice and nothing is done or at least ought to be done without their knowledge and consent concerning Peace or War directly or indirectly all play under boord and clandestine dealing being forbidden to both equally upon the reason of the common interest of both Those who had been adverse unto the in-coming of the Scots to help the Parl. were much against the setting up of this Committee but at last after some debate the thing is done in spite of opposition So the Committee is set afoot for a certain time of some few Moneths by Ordinance of both Houses The time prefixed for the sitting of the Committee is no sooner expired but those same men with the aid of others whom they had stirred up to that purpose cast in difficulties and will by no means give consent for the continuance of this Committee so for some dayes it is broken up then earnest work there was to get it restablished again but all to small purpose till in the end there is found one Clause in the Ordinance for the setting it up at first which did serve for the restablishing of it maugre those who did oppose it Since that time it hath continued constantly to this day although not without vexation to some namely because the Committee could not sit without the Scots being present Now the Scots called and joined with the English to manage the affaires of the publike Service for the Common Cause of Church and State at first they did think that they were to have nothing or at least little ado but to put forward the publike Service with earnestnesse and vigour against the Common Enemy without any let here by any of their own party and so they resolve with themselves to be very modest and tender with all warinesse in their proceedings with their Brethren of England who had called them hither upon such assurance and were so kinde unto them in their expressions yea so carefull of them that they would have them to lodge neerer for their own convenience and that of their Friends going to visit them and so the Scots remove from the City where they had lodged in former time and are placed in Worcester-house where now they lodge Those who pretend to know more of the Mysteries of the World then other men tell us that the removing of the Scots from the City to Worcester-house was not so much the convenience of the Scots or of their Friends which was intended although so given out as their weaning from their old Friends in the City who formerly had been so usefull and so respective to them by a cunning forcasting of some men to wear them out of acquaintance and intimacie with the City being afraid not to carry on things so easily according to their intent if the Scots were constantly intime and familiar with the City Whatever the end of removing the Scots from the City was it is fallen out so that the Scots being at such a distance have not been able to cherish and nourish their former intimacie and old Friendship with the City as they are bound in gratitude carefully to do and as the publike Service requireth joint with their own advantage Thereafter the Scots finde a harder task then they had promised unto themselves in the beginning for besides the great and main work against the Common Enemy they find some few men here in the party whereunto they are joyned for the Service of the Common Cause of Religion and Liberty in all the three Kingdoms who do not onely shew them but small favour but also as far as can be without open breach crosse and oppose them and in them the publike Service First those who from the beginning did not approve of their in-coming for fear they should eclipse their lustre and diminish their power was cold and adverse to them Next some others of those who had most bestirred themselves and most appeared in the calling in of the Scots to help having done the work of their in-bringing lay down a new ground for the reparing the breach of their own credit which by the miscarriage of things namely in the West as we have said before had been much diminushed and by degrees make up their credit upon the decline of the others whereunto their earnestnesse for the Scots did much serve and the Scots intimacy with them for many gave willingly way unto them when they did see them so intime with the Scots whom they knew to have no by-ends and those men on the other side did endear themselves unto the Scots by sundry good offices for a time which they did unto them in things concerning their Forces in England Ireland employed in the Common Service and by their constant and frequent courting of the Scots they did so take them up that they alone almost were admitted to any privacy then some did laugh in their sleeve to see a few not so considerable before bear such a sway and the Scots led thus by the nose and others did complain saying Why should this be It was expected the Scots Commissioners should have been open and free to all honest men namely to those of worth yea they ought to have been so for the good of the publike Service and for their own credit not captiving themselves as it were to some few ones Further it was said that they should have pressed home businesses more stoutly and more freely then they did as they had done in former times in their own particular affaires when they had not so many professed and powerfull Friends letting nothing passe of that was clearly for the good of the publike By this complying complaisance the Scots Commissioners have given such advantage to those who for a time courted them most for their own ends as it seems for if it had been altogether for the publike the Scots remaining constant to their point and principles although with lesse vigour I confesse then I could
their own men in Carlile for a time is from the constitution of the present affaires in both Kingdoms for having found such knavery and wicked dealing by the chief men in the Northern Countreys they did not conceive it fit for the publike Service to put the place in the hands of those who already possessed with power by the unfaithfull Commissioners trusted by the Parliament with the ordering of things in those places do nothing but oppose the designe of the Parliament expressed in the Covenant and oppresse the people as is made known unto the Parliament by the Commissioners from those Countreys men of credit and worth who have done and suffered much for the Cause against the Common Enemy sent hither from many good people to complain against those wicked ones Enemies to God and to his people And when it shall be thought fit for the Common good of both Nations now so united it will with all cheerfulnesse be left by the Scots And to this the State of Scotland will willingly ingage it self by all the assurances can be require in reason The Common Enemy since he could not keep out Carlile in open War against the Parliament doth his next best to have it in the Malignants his Friends hands that at least indirectly he may do his work and since he failed of both those he striveth by his Emissaries and Agents to make it an Apple of discord betwixt the two united Nations but this will faile him also how cunningly soever he goe's about this designe for the Wisdom of both States is such that the mistake will be taken away shortly and that the State of England will see clearly the Scots in possessing themselves of Carlile and excluding those wicked ones above-mentioned have not onely done a good peece of Service to the publike and the Common Cause of both Kingdoms but also in particular to the well-affected people in those parts who are under the heavy pressure of those wicked ones and had been far more if they had more power whereunto the possession of Carlile were such an addition that it would make them double Tyrants and Brigants As the Common Enemy not onely by open War by Land but also by false undermining by his Agents and Instruments who partly are absolutely addicted to his wicked designe partly by interest of preferment and benefit although they care but little for his ends in the Field or in the Counsell in the City or in the Countrey do what they can with all care and forecasting to stop the publike Service by many and many wayes this is known too well to be so little regarded Even so by Sea he steereth the same course for not onely by open War he doeth oppose the publike Work now in hand in taking and destroying all that he can but likewise he useth indirect means by the help of his Instruments for the hinderance of the Service of the Common Cause now in hand Hence it is that the Parliaments Ships not so vigorously opposing the Enemy and not giving timely assistance to their Friends interessed in the Cause so many of the Enemy his Ships without resistance go up and down so freely and that there are so many Ships Barks c. both English and Scots taken by the Enemies Further the Coasts of Scotland are not so carefully garded and kept as they were promised to be by agreement which hath given and giveth still a great advantage to the Enemy and hath done a great hurt to the Friends who are employed in the Cause against the Enemy and in them to the Service of the Cause These things have given occasion of complaints to many men bemoaning their own condition and how that the good of the people and the Service of the Common Cause are no more and better looked to yea some in grief of heart after their great sufferings hardly taken notice of by those of whom they expect some redresse say that not onely there is a great neglect but in appearance there is some secret connivence by those who should follow this Service But to another businesse It is known to every one almost how that for many and many dayes and meetings there hath been a great deal ado in the Synod with some few factious and phantasticall head-strong ones men without love to the Peace of the Church of God for the Government of the Church by Parochiall Presbyteries subaltern to Classicall and Classicall subaltern to Synodicall which all being after so many debates with Patience Goodnesse and Charity towards those men demonstrated evidently to be according to the Word of God wherein it is grounded conform to the practice of the Church planted and governed by the Apostles and their successors for above two hundred yeers after Christ and conform likewise to the best Reformed Churches now adayes But at length the thing is concluded upon by the Synod and approved by the Houses of Parliament maugre all opposition made by the disturbers of the Peace of the Church in the Synod and of the sticklers for them anywhere else Yet those restlesse spirits will not be quiet for they give out that they will perform at last the thing they have been so much urged to and for so long a time to wit they will give unto the Publike the Modell of Government they would be at to which they will stand to But those who have a shrewd ghesse at those men and at their wayes assure us that as they will not tell what they absolutely and positively professe nor what they would be at they will never give a set Modell of Government unto the Publike whereunto they mind to stand For whatsoever they do in opposition of the Government above named they cannot agree among themselves unto any one thing for so many heads so many wayes dissonant one from another according to the nature of untruth and errour which is uncertain and not constant to it self Yea there be some who say That those men will not settle upon any thing at all except it be upon continuing in phrenaticall Fancies and those of the most exacter sort amongst them are named Seekers not of God or his Truth and of Peace but of themselves and of novelties at the best which ever hath and will be troublesome to the Peace of the Church Truely as those factious ones by rejecting all dependancy and subalternation of inferior Presbytereis to superior in Church-government have acquired unto themselves the Name of Independents so if you cast your eyes upon the courses of those mens seeking of preferment and benefit they may justly all be called Seekers For there was never a generation among men so nimble and so active about preferment and benefit as those men are The Jesuites are far short of them howsoever cryed up through the world for this for they run up and down with care and cunning to lay hold on power and moneys wherin they have come to good speed by their crafty insinuations
wicked courses of the Enemies against the Cause we say we maintain I am sure at least we ought or by open and professed Apostasie we have joyned our hearts and affection with the Common Enemy who so actively by all means opposeth this Cause of God and persecuteth his people for it This is done both in Scotland and England not by a few but by many not by little and small ones but by the Chief and Leaders of the rest not by stopping things of humane infirmity and weaknesse but with study and an high hand Here we shall say a word or two of the carriage of those two Nations in the going on with the Work of the Lord for the setling of the Church and quiet of his People We shall begin at those of Scotland who some few yeers ago were lifted up with praises among men for their faithfull minding and following earnestly this great Work of God all by-ends laid aside for which God blessed them from Heaven and made them be called happy among men for they had their hearts desire in the businesse and their Enemies were subdued by them But now leaving off their former integrity and sincerity to the Cause of God and their Love unto him following the devices and desires of their own corrupt hearts in pride coveteousnesse and factions notwitstanding the earnest and pressing admonitions both in private and publike of the Prophets and Ministers of God they continue in their evil courses preposterously minding themselves and their worldly foolish interest of ambition and avarice more then God and the Cause of his Church and people For this God as it were by an essay to try them if they would laying aside their lewd by wayes mind him and his Service heartily and sincerly sends amongst them an hand-full of contemptible profane and wicked villains whom at first they despise and neglect but going on in their wonted wayes while the holy Name of God is profaned by those Sons of Belial a part of their Land is wasted the poor people spoiled and slain with all other barbarous usage and so these number and power of the Slaves of Iniquity growing they are plotting caballing and devising how to supplant another and increase their severall faction the seed of dissension being sowed amongst them by the Enemy to divide and so more easily compasse his ends upon them which they would not and could not see blinded with their corrupt passion Then God to admonish them anew suffers some of those whom they had employed against the Sons of Rebellion to betray their trust and omit divers good occasions in all appearance to make havock of these villains yea some to run over unto them in the hour of fight and so these Enemies of goodnesse to advance their pernicious designe do what they list Yet all this will not die with those hard-hearted and stubbling men still employing and busying their thoughts how to bear down one another yea some there were amongst them who were not sorry in their hearts of the progresse that those despisable villains made in the Countrey against the Service of the Common Cause conceiving it did help to the setting up of their faction But since the affronts and blows they received at divers times from those contemptible fellows did not move these ingrate Children God sends a Pestilence amongst them which rageth with such fury that hardly the like hath been heard of in that Land to try if at last they would leave their slacknes remissenes in pursuing the Service of the Cause of Gods Church and People their conniving and complying with his Enemies yea their helping those villains with means and advice in opposing the Cause of God and oppressing his People But they remain obdured like Children of disobedience in their perverse wayes So at length God in his wrath delivers them up to the hands of their wicked Enemies making them as far to be scorned and misprised for their not heartly minding him his Service as they had been before esteemed and extolled for their adhering to him and doing his Service faithfully Yea the Chief men of them who had been cried up for Valour and Wisdom are constrained to flie away and have their lives for a prey So God who from the beginning of all those unhappy disturbances till this last time had made Scotland a Mirrour of his Mercy in testimony of its faithfulnesse adhering unto him makes it an example of his Justice for its back sliding from him And thus Judgement begins at the House of God now let England look seriously to it for the same very sins which have been committed in Scotland and for which it now lieth under the heavy rod of a chastising and angry God are now raigning in England namely ambition and avarice with many more which have not been seen in Scotland example heresies errors and Sects of all sorts to the dishonour of God and to the withdrawing of the People from his Truth are connived at and countenanced by those who are in Authority Then there be some of power and credit who are so far from furthering the Reformation of the Church as they and we all are sworn to by the Covenant that they hinder the same not onely by secret undermining and by plots but by a continued open profession against it Next There be great oppressions vexations concussions and injustices done unto the People by divers in Authority the cry of all which is as loud if not louder unto Heaven then the cry of the sins of Scotland It may be that God as he hath not be gun so soon to shew his Mercy unto England as he did unto Scotland will not send his Judgement upon it so speedily yet doubtlesse without a serious Repentance and a true turning unto God Judgement will come and the longer it is a coming the heavier it will be It is not the good Cause of Church and State that will do Englands turn more then the Temple and the Law of old did save Judah from ruine nor the same good Cause hath kept Scotland from punishment the good Cause ill managed by negligence ambition avarice faction self-conceit and other vices of that kinde draweth vengeance upon those who have the managing of it and make the Cause to be in derision Never good Cause hath been worse managed by the ignorance of weak ones and the malice of other wicked At last God will maintain his Cause no thanks to thee without thee for he needs not thy help to do it but since he hath been pleased to make use of thee in the Service of this his Cause he expects faithfulnesse and zeal to it from thee free from worldly and humane interest Otherwayes vengeance is at thy door for God as he will not in his Worship and Cult have linsey-wolsey of mens inventions intermingled with his pure and sacred Ordinance so he will not in managing the Service of his Cause and of his People that men bring in
present in the Houses at the reading of your papers are carried of their attention unto you by divers distractions and so receive but small knowledge by them Far lesse can the Houses take leasure to publish your affaires unto the world yea I know not if in rigour they are tyed to do it Although I confesse it would be a good turn for the publike and a brotherly office if they would take the pains to do or cause do it howsoever I am sure the Houses are not so obliged to this duty as your selves are neither although they were can they do it so fully as you not being so particularly acquainted with things In a word in duty you ought to make known unto the publike your own proceedings and these of your Countrey-men employed in the service of the Common Cause that it may be made manifest what good you have done alone either by counsell in the Houses or by action in the Field what you have been assistants in and what you ever have been willing to do and are still minded to do providing you be not stopped and if you have been stopped let it be declared where the fault lieth and not you bear the burden of other mens mistakes and errors Next is it not fit that it be published what you have done for such vast summes of money raised upon the publike for your use as is given out and how much you have received of it that if you have received all you may make known what you have done for all and if you have received more then your due you are in conscience and honour to do the publike the service you are pay'd for beforehand as likewise if you have not received all which is raised for you that it may be known how much of it is wanting and enquiry may be made what is become of the rest and so if you make it appear unto the world that there is much still due unto you of your pay far above what you have received then all honest people being truely informed of things will approve your faithfull and fair carriage acknowledge your love and kindnesse thank God for your help and assistance at such an exigence and be heartily civill unto you till God enable them to recompence you for your faithfull pains according to your just deserts and their earnest desires and so things will redound to your credit and advantage You may know and feel all this what I have been saying unto you to be true according to sense and reason by one seule instance to lay aside all others at this time And it is this of the papers you gave into the Houses about the latter end of May last upon occasion of high murmurings against you in and about the Houses by information of Malignants which gave abundant satisfaction to so many of both Houses as either heard it them read as is well known or read them themselves with attention But others of the Houses who are not acquainted with your papers partly not hearing them although present when perhaps they are delivered in by reason of their other thoughts partly being absent at that time remained still ignorant of your affaires and possessed with calumnies against you Far more the rest of the Kingdom After some dayes one Copy of these your papers having fallen by chance in the hands of a well-wisher to the Cause and no enemy of yours was published under the name of the Scots Manifest without your knowledge which hath done more despite to the Enemies of the Truth than any thing you have done this long time and more right unto you then you looked for yea nor your silence deserved yet not so much as is needfull for you and your friends for it did stop the mouths of the wicked calumniators and inform many well-meaning men and divers Members of the Houses there were who had not heard of such a thing before it was printed to say nothing of the generality of the people every where Yea I am told it went beyond Sea and there stopped the mouths of Malignants and gained those who were indifferent and confirmed your friends But what you will say Must the hid things or Mysteries of State be divulged No I do not mean it nor do I say it For I leave the Mysteries of State to the Mystes thereof Onely my simple meaning and honest desire is that these things which are not and ought to be made known to all be not kept in a mist by a mysterious prudency but communicated to the publike such are the things de facto and of reason wherein all are concerned and these are the things I spake of Besides you must think there be many men not particularly employed in the publike Service who have both hearts and brains to serve the Common Cause but cannot do it while all is thus kept in a cloud as in the Romish Church where the Mystes think all men idiots but themselves and keep from the people the things of God Then you will say to tell plainly and openly The Truth perhaps will not be pleasing to all yea perchance not to some of our fellow-Labourers My advice is not that you say or write any thing in intention to displease the least of men far lesse to displease these your Fellow-Labourers But let Truth be said above all things when the publike requires it for its service and we our selves are bound upon our own credit to do it Be angry who will God keep me from neglect and contempt for lying or suppressing the Truth I fear not anger for any publishing of Truth He that is not bold to publish the Truth for timorousnesse belyeth his own knowledge and I dare say betrayeth the Truth You that are trusted with the carriage of things in Truth and for the Truth are not onely bound to make known the truth of what you do and say to the world as it hath been said but further you are obliged in conscience and the publike expects it of you that you presse home the Truth with vigour resolution in all freedom down-right in all places and at all occasions where you meet for consultation deliberation debate and conclusion of things concerning Church or State in Politike and Ecclesiastike Assemblies and in so doing you will gain the price having all honest men to stand to you and will put such a terrour in Malignants that their malice will be much abated Surely I am perswaded had you been stouter in the Synode these strong heads and factious few ones who hitherto have troubled the setling of Church-affaires and are likely to trouble the State if it be not well looked to and neerly had long ere now been quashed and so if you had not been so meal-mouthed with the sollicisme in reason of the time and place I humbly conceive you had not met with so many rubs in your publike meetings nor had your wholsome counsels found such opposition nor your men of war
stiffe-necked Scots who were so firm to their principles and resolved rather to follow on the Work with honour and conscience although with hazard and danger then to yeeld to a base agreement to the prejudice of Church and State Upon this the Court-Commissioners cry out against the Scots as the onely hinderers of their ends and the stoppers of their designes first at home in their own Countrey next here both in the Fields and in the Counsell By this you may see if there were no other instance with whom and against whom the Scots have ado what was the carriage of the Scots Commissioners in the Treaty of both Church and States affaires let both parties freely tell if they did find in the least point of honesty faithfulnesse resolution prudence knowledge or respect amissing in them But the Treaty ends without any conclusion for good nothing being intended by the Court in it but to gaine time more more to abuse the people and so make the best advantage of businesses Things having been carried in the Field almost ever since the beginning of these Wars namely the last Summer not so well as they might have been for the advancement of the publike Service by the fault of some of those who were employed in the said Service whether it was want of skill want of care or want of sincerity and uprightnesse in pursuance of the businesse I will not in this place enquire lesse will I resolve but a fault there was and that a great one and much amisse Wherefore the Parliament upon just reason having tryed divers times to amend the errors of the Armies and correct what was wrong in them in a fair and smooth way but all to small purpose takes resolution to reform wholly the Armies and cast them in a new mould Whereof the Scots Commissioners heairng for their interest in the Common Cause think fit for them to remember the Parliament of two things principally upon the point whereof the first was That in the new mould wherein the Armies were to be cast care should be taken to make choice of men of experience and ability so far as was possible to do the better the duties of the Service for although now and then men ignorant of what they undertake may do perchance a thing well yet it stands that it should be so not with reason which must rule all actions The next was that diligent care should be taken for admitting none to employment in the Armies but such as were trusty and faithfull to the Cause now in hand as it is expressed in the Nationall Covenant wherefore it was desired that every one employed in testimony of his honesty and faithfulnesse to the Cause should take the Covenant publikely The Scots took occasion to give these advices to the Parliament upon information given them first that divers new men and of little or no experience were preferred by indirect means and were to be employed in places of command for by ends then that there were divers likewise named for preferment and employment who not onely were suspect to be enclining to Schismes and Sects but also professed Enemies to what is expressed in the Nationall Covenant concerning the Church and consequently to the Common Cause we are all sworn to These advices of the Scots although they were not so much regarded as was needfull yet they did produce this effect that divers men of known worth and experience were named to be kept in the new mould although many were put out and new men unknown for Military vertue put in their places Next after a great debate in the Houses it is ordained that all the Commanders should take the Covenant under pain of cashiering betwixt such and such a day But how this Order is observed I know not I doubt it is not so well as it should be As for the common Souldiers it was not to be pressed upon them which makes men admire not well knowing the reason of things how that the prisoners Souldiers taken of the Enemy should have the Oath tendred unto them in token of their embracing the Parliaments party and cause and these Souldiers of the Parliaments own side are not to be tyed to the Oath of the Nationall Covenant Further all suspected men brought before the Committees namely of examination have the Oath put to them which if they refuse they are censed Malignants yet the Parliaments Souldiers are to be free from the Oath if they please Yea many were astonished to hear that it was debated in the Houses whether those of the Armies should be put to the Oath of the Solemn League or no whereunto the Houses themselves are sworn to and for the maintenance of which we all now stand or at least we ought to stand being sworn to it The reason why some men are backward to take the Oath is that they are adverse to the Government of the Church by Presbytery which the Parliament is now a setling although the businesse do not go on so quickly as by many is wished by reason of so many rubs cast in by severall sorts of men partly through ignorance partly in opposition to the thing for reasons far others then those they hitherto have given out howsoever specious At this occasion it was spoken publikely by one who is a prime man among those who are adverse from the Government above-named of the Church that although in his judgement he did not approve Presbyteriall government in the Church yet he at all times would submit to whatsoever Church-government the Parliament should settle either by passive or active obedience To this is answered Whosoever sayeth that he will obey an Order or Law by passive obedience is already actively in disobedience Further to call obedience passive is as great an absurditie as to call black white for obedience is nothing at all but the act of obeying and to call an act passive is absurd action and passion being more different then black and white for they are Toto genere distant and black and white are under Unum genus not onely Summum of quality but also subaltern of colour Further all vertue consists in action so obedience being a vertue cannot be said to be passive that is in passion Wherefore he who first did invent the expression of passive obedience did not weigh what he said no more then those who since not considering the exact distinction of things have taken it up at the second hand and have made so generall use of it He who thinks that by his passion he giveth obedience unto the Law is mightily mistaken for suffering or passion is laid upon a man for his not obeying and to make him obey Example A man for debt is put in prison the emprisonment which the debtor suffers is not obedience to the Law but one means employed to bring him unto the obedience thereof that is unto the paying of the debt I know Divines speak much of the passive obedience
their Armies compleat to their mind of their own men So the Scots were employed in chief and prime places of command on both sides hence divers men indifferent not as yet engaged by affection to either party conceiving that neither party could have known how to manage or go on with the War without the Scots Commanders wished them many miles beyond Sâ—n To the King went and took Service of him not onely divers who had been Malignants from the first beginning but also some superficiall Covenanters who not diving in businesses did make small scrupule to serve the King in this War it not being against the Letter of their Covenant as they conceived for the King protesting from day to day that he would stand firm to the true Religion and maintain it his intention in taking up Arms being onely to represse some factinus persons who had affronted him and the Parliament not then making it so clear to every one by their expressions that the main quarell the adversary had was the subversion of Religion made some not to discern things so clearly as otherwayes they had done if things had been more plainly set down To the Service of Parliament come divers in good affection being perswaded that the quarrell of England was one and the same with that in Scotland howsoever by the cunning of the adversary disguised and although not then so cleared by the Parliament as was need The Enemy seeing that sundry Scots Officers and Commanders were undertaking Service under the Parliament by his Emissaries up and down doeth what he can to draw them on his side or at least to make them keep off from serving the Parliament In this he did prevaile with some who will have their just reward in due time Then after the War began and some Fieldactions being done the Enemy perceiving how that divers Scots Officers had carried themselves gallantly in the Service of the Parliament returns again to his former courses and deales by his Instruments and Agents here to corrupt and debauche those men of Command upon whom the eyes of many were the Agents of the Enemy go craftily to work to compasse their ends upon those men for first by cunning insinuations they enter in privacy with them Next they make them fair promises with specious words of the Kings good intentions towards the publike good of both Church and State and of the esteem he had of their worth and deserts Then those good Agents for the Enemy under-hand cause give distaste to the Scots Officers by neglecting of them and otherwayes yea by some Boutefeux there were of them quarelled in Westminster-Hall with reproch that they took the Meat out of the English months who could manage and pursue the War as well atleast as they If this quarell had not been timely taken up by the Wisdom of the Parliament it had grown to a great hight according to the designe and desire of the Enemy This crafty dealing of the adversary by his Agents did prevaile so far that some of the Scots Officers not so touched with the interest of the good Cause as they ought to have been nor as they outwardly professed left off the Service of the Parliament for a time upon I know not what foolish excuse and thereafter upon a change fell to the Work again Next there were others so far perswaded as to lay down their Commissions and go to the Enemy and serve him for a while and thereafter leaving him returned hither again The Scots Officers with the Enemy were in high esteem and in good respect among those they did serve till the State of Scotland joyned with the Parliament of England in action for the Common Cause from thence by little and little the Scots with the Enemy became so to be neglected and ill thought of that there were many of them constrained to go away and others have been taken and killed by this side so that for the present there be very few at least of any note with the Enemy On this side likewise the Scots Officers notwithstanding the State of Scotland was now interessed and joyned with the Parliament by degrees came to be littler regarded neglected and divers of them laid aside after that sundry of them had lost their lives fighting valiantly for the Cause others had loosed their blood and others suffered imprisonment at last the Moulders of the new Modell cashier at one dash above two hundred of them brave fellows who constantly had carried themselves with honesty and gallantry without giving them any satisfaction or at least very little for what is justly due unto them and had cost some of them very dear The reason given out against them was That it was to be feared they would not be so earnest and so forward as was required in this new frame Then those cashiered Scots Commanders having danced attendance a long time to small purpose in pursuance of their just demands constant to their grounds although they were thus harshly used they would not abandon the Service of the Common Cause so they resolve to go to the Forces of their Countrey-men and serve with them in the same Cause and sends some of them accompanied with a number of good fellows before towards the Scots Army till the rest were ready Those Scots who went away first towards their Countrey-men being upon their journey they chanced to be at and neer Leicester when the Enemy made his approches to that place The Scots in meer kindnesse and love to those who were engaged with them in the Common Cause without any Commission from the Parliament or from the Scots Generall stay and help their Friends and how manfully their carriage was in the assistance of their Brethren is so known that it will never be forgotten when there is any mention of Leicester-businesse In generall I will say this of them That if they had been seconded the Town of Leicester had not been taken by the Enemy but having expected assistance from those whom they came to help after divers had prodagalized their blood and that some were killed with the losse of their Liberty and of all they had they were constrained to yeeld to force not without being admired by the vainquors for their valour Thereafter those that were taken prisoners finding their opportunity lays hold on it at the first and they carry the businesse so that they not onely gaine their own freedom but make themselves Masters of those in whose hands they were If those things had been done by some other men all the Pamphlets about the City of London should have been full of them In this businesse albeit the Scots did expresse their kindnesse really to their Friends and made known their valour to all Yet here I must tell you they did not shew their prudence for if the Enemy had known them to have no Commission as they had none by Law of Arms he had given them no quarter On the one side the ignorance of the
would not side with him in this wicked designe if they were not opposite unto him and for receiving his Irish Rebels to do mischief to both Kingdoms as they pleased if they were not stopped And so since then he hath kept it till within these few dayes and it hath served for a seat and a passage for troubling both Kingdoms The Houses of Parliament on the other side a little latter possesse themselves of Berwick which the King did not regard so much as not so considerable for his purpose and also it was too much in the eyes of men to be seised upon by him at the first beginning When the Scots come into England at this time to help their Brethren who had been so kinde unto them in their troubles and whose Fathers had assisted their Fathers in the Cause of Reformation and Liberty by agreement betwixt the Parliament and them they had Berwick delivered up unto them for facilitating their entrie and advancing the Service they engaged themselves in and if Carlile had been in the power of the Parliament then it had been delivered unto the Scots without any more ado as freely as Berwick was for the very same reason Yea more if it had been required then it had been promised unto the Scots I do not mean of necessity but of meer consideration to the publike Cause Now the Northern Countrey of England through Gods Mercy being pretty well cleared by the help of the Scots of the open professed and declared Common Enemy it is thought fit first to block up and then to besiege Carlile The Scots undertake the businesse and to this purpose sent of their Army thither a party of both Horse and Foot under the command of a Generall Officer and he hath some Forces of the Countrey to assist and help him in the performance of the Service which the Scots did not so hardly presse as to storm the Town for sparing of blood which they are loth to shed if the businesse can be carried on otherwayes witnesse New-castle where they shunned to shed blood and being constrained to it they did shed as little as ever hath been seen upon such an occasion so they resolve to take the Town by want of necessary provisions Those of the Countrey who were joynt with the Scots in the Service were so far from helping them that by the treachery of their Leaders they did what they could not onely to hinder the businesse but also to wrong the Scots in what was in their power for when they were ordered to keep their own quarters strictly and suffer nothing to go unto the Enemy and if he fallied out of the Town to fall upon him they were so far from performing their Order that when it was in their power to hurt the Enemy they shot powder without bullets at him and privately they suffered provision to be carried unto him through their quarters yea by secret combination they agreed with the Enemy that if he would salley out and fall upon the Scots quarters they should yeeld no help unto them although they were joynt with them in the Service Which proceedings of the North Countrey-men by the knavery of their Commanders whereof the chief lately had been in open Rebellion against the Parliament under the Earl of New-castle being made known unto the Scots they had a neerer eye to their actions and oblige them thereafter to play fairer play Those false and deceitfull Leaders seeing themselves disappointed of their former intents by the care of the Scots go another way to work and perceiving by the vigilance of the Scots that the Town receiving no help from without must render it self underhand and not acquainting the Scots enter in a private Treaty with the Enemy and offer him great conditions This being also discovered by the Scots caused them summon the Town and offer to it reasonable conditions which the Enemy did accept although they were not so advantagous for him in all points as those offered by the others The reason why the Enemy did accept the Scots conditions and not the others was first He could not trust to any condition from those who were so wicked that they were not trusty to the party they professed themselves to be of and to their associates Next The Enemy seeing the chief man among those double ones to be but an inferior Officer and one who never had seen greater War then the plundering and spoiling of his own Countrey under the Earl of New castle with whom he had been a Lievtenant-Colonel at the most and now at this time prefered for some ends to be a Colonell Then there was no Committee there who could authorize him to capitulate or make good his capitulation where the Scots were for by agreement betwixt the Scots and the Parliament things of consequence in the War wherein the Scots had a hand were to be ordered by the Committee of both Kingdoms upon the place or with the Scots Army and that not being as there was none then by the Scots Generall his Order and so he ordained according to the first agreement Lievtenant Generall David Lesley to take in the Town upon such conditions as he should think fit for the good of the publike Service and put a Garison in it Those who came out of the Town were conducted unto Worcester who were but six score when they arrived thither the rest being fallen away in their march either upon consideration of the publike or of their own private interest Thus Carlile is put in obedience of the Parliament for the publike Service according to the first agreement And if the Scots had not followed the businesse in all appearance it either had still remained in the hands of open Enemies or at least had fallen in the hands of those Malignants who neither have respect to the credit of the Parliament nor regard to the good of the people for they dishonour the one and waste the other All the while that the Siege was before Carlile there was not onely a neglect but such a malice against the Scots who were at it that they had starved for want if the Scots Army had not sent a good part of the moneys that they had for their marching and taking the Field Thus is the publike served by the Countrey-Committees abusing the Authority they have from the Parliament After all this the Scots are cryed out upon by Malignants yea they write to the Houses against them as Enemies to the publike good to the Parliament and to the people of England notwithstanding that since the very first beginning of those troubles they have carried themselves faithfully honestly and kindly towards England in despite of all Enemies and particularly towards the Parliament who were the cause of assembling it continuing it and preserving it first from the great Plot made against next by actively upholding it when it was very low as it was at their in-coming The reason why the Scots have put a Garison of
and the sillinesse of other men Divers of all ranks not excepting the higher amongst men seeing their wayes advantageous side and cog in with them for profit and employment They on the other side receive none in their Society but those of means and gifts poor people and simple are profane in their account They work hugely with rich mens wives widdows and daughters and stirring fellows in any kinde are good for them And to carry on their businesse more smoothly they plead for charity that there may be a charitable interpretation of their carriage and proceeding when God knows they are destitute of all charity first towards the Church in generall whose peace they disturbe in a high measure and towards particular men for they oppresse and afflict every honest man they can reach in hatred to faithfulnesse unto the good of the Church and State if all were well known and considered for those who strive so much for confusion in the Church aime all Anarchie in the State doubtlesse It is true there be divers simple well meaning men that are insnared in the opinion of those men of Church-government but good people who are not of the Cabale nor of the secret faction who I doubt upon fuller information will leave the error and follow the Truth So there be many honest and well meaning people who adhere and follow the Jesuites who are not acquainted with the mysteries of their iniquity Then with a great deal of deceit they cry out igainst the rigidnesse of Presbyteriall-government as aforesaid to make the people beleeve that it will tye them to such a strictnesse and rigidity or austerity that all Christian Liberty will be taken away from them Wherein they do lye most abominably against the practice of all the Reformed Churches where this Government hath place namely in Scotland and France where if there be any thing amisse of this kinde it is towards lenity rather then austerity Yet those fellows give out that they are more holy then other men and of a stricter life and will not admit to their Society any who will not bind himself to the strictnesse they professe externally but their carriage being neer looked to will be found as far distant from what they professe as the Capuchins hypocrisie is from true piety The businesse is no sooner ended concerning the Church-government maugre Independents but there arise other difficulties and rubs in the way to hinder the setling of Government Such obstacles are cast in by the Enemy to stop the building of the Temple First Some will not allow it to be of divine right notwithstanding it is demonstrated to have its ground in the Scripture so clearly that it cannot be denyed and practised by the Apostles and their successors Then There is a great stir concerning the power of the Presbytery to admit and keep off people from the Table of the Lord and to receive men unto the Communion of the Church or to seclude them from it Which power some will have to be onely in the Civill Magistrate Wherein there is a great mistake From the beginning of the World to the giving of the Law both functions of the spirituall Ministery concerning God and Religion and of the civill Ministery concerning the externall Society of men being in one man to wit in the Father and the eldest Son in the Fathers room things were not so clearly distinct But then at the giving of the Law God in his appointed time and in his wise dispensation ordained the functions of his spirituall Ministery of Church and of the civill Ministery of State to be in distinct persons so the power belonging severally to each Ministery was to be exercised distinctly by those who were set aside severally for the severall Ministeries And that the one Minister had power over the things concerning his Ministery as the other over his it is clear by Scripture Thus things did continue from Moses to Christ although now and then not without some alteration or change by reason of the revolutions of affaires in the State of Israel and of Judah In the Christian Church the distinct Ministeries being in distinct persons the power belonging to the severall Ministeries must be in distinct persons according to their Ministeries and although the civill Magistrate or Minister of State is not to exercise the spirituall Ministery nor what belongeth to it yet he is obliged to oversee the Minister of spirituall things to do his duty faithfully and diligently Of those much hath been said and written in former times and of late by men of the clearest judgement and of most understanding in things of this nature Besides the fear of men that the spirituall Scepter and rod of Christ should be prejudiciable to their wordly authority the frequent encroaching of the Ministers of the Church upon the civill Minister to wave what is done elsewhere and hath been in former times here in those Islands not onely of old but in those latter yeers Churches-Ministers ambition avarice having cast us in all those troubles doth furnish just occasion of wearinesse to the civill Magistrate to keep the Ministery power of Church men within the precinct of the Church but it must not be so as to make them like the trencher-Chaplain to say a short grace and no more As the Church Ministers are not to meddle with civill affaires so the civill Ministers ought not to meddle with things meerly spirituall such are the censures of the Church which is commonly called the power of the keyes Further as Prelats with their Emissaries have put Christ out of his Throne in a kinde making themselves Lords and Masters of his Flok and Heritage so on the other side those who take away the due power of the keyes from the Ministers of Christ in his Church doth him a great deal of wrong in his spirituall Kingdom Therefore let us look to it lest when we have pulled down one tyranny Antichristian out of the Church we do not leave it to confusion and Anarchie and so to be inslaved to the phancie and to the humour of weak men But of this let it suffice in this place Moreover as the Scots did constantly in all their own troubles ever from the beginning to this day lay hold upon all the occasions they could meet withall to try if it were possible by fair means to redeem the misled King from his evil wayes and to calm all things with the least noise or stir that could be so it hath been their constant course here both before and since their conjunction in action with the English in this Common Cause to try by fair means if the King could be prevailed with for his own good and that of the people and now at this time after so many advantages obtained of late upon the adverse party they have thought it fit to desire the Parliament to send to the King to try him yet again if at last he will condescend to what is
and makes his addresses unto the Independents but how he hath sped with them it is not as yet fully known things not being manifested but some fidling businesses there have been betwixt him and them whether or no by the whole Cabale or by some few of the prime of the faction it is uncertain First That there was some under-hand-dealing by them the intercepted Letters of Digby unto Leg give a shrewd proof of it Next The Papers found since in the cajeolors friends closet under the cajeolors own hand When these things are tryed to the full we hope the light of all will appear which all honest men wish it may be done exactly and speedily And till then mens minds will not be satisfied and they will hardly refrain to speak of these things howsoever it be taken for they conceive not onely by the opennesse of the time they are free from the thraldom of the corrupt Court but also since they have interest in the businesse and have hazarded all what they have or had for the publike Service they may expresse their thoughts freely of occurrences so it be with discretion sparing mens persons till things be cleared And sincerely I think no innocent man can be angry at this if any in conscience finds himself guilty in any kinde that he will do well to suffer it patiently for fear he suffer more if things go exactly on to a triall The light that happily may be found out of this will not be and cannot be by a mathematicall or metaphysicall demonstration yet by so certain proofes as the nature of the thing can suffer or require for businesses of this nature take probable Arguments for demonstration as we are taught by the Doctors of of the Politicks I know some have suffered for their free expression of these things yet I am confident it had been greater wisdom under favour to let go free speeches rather then to examine them too neerly namely when they proceed without malice or scurrility from honest men who in their zeal perhaps now and then may exceed the exact terms of moderation and this I am perswaded hath been the constant practice of wise men grounded upon this if the discourse be groundlesse it fals of it self If there be any ground by stirring and ripping up speeches things will appear openly which otherwayes in a short time would have been buried in oblivion I forbear instances as in all my discourse keeping my self to generalls although I could have furnished divers examples upon every point I have touched for albeit it be said He that speaks in generall of all and to all speak of none and to none yet every one may make use of what is said in generall and apply it unto himself for the good of the publike and of himself which I wish every one that reads this discourse may do in all singlenesse of heart as it is set forth by him in sincerity who hath no other end in it besides the glory of God the good of Church and State and the true advantage of every honest man without any wrong-meaning but an earnest desire that every one who is right and honest in this Cause without by-respects may continue so till the end and that those who have gone a wrong way may return into the true to the glory of God the advancement of his Cause and of his people with their own praise and benefit Before I conclude I will say this in truth There was never a People in any age who by Gods blessing did carry on the work of Reformation with more wisdom and resolution and successe then the Scots did in their own Countrey and no more compassionate of their Neighbours in distresse nor more forward to help them by action and counsell and to carry on the work of Reformation amongst them then the Scots have been and are to this hour So there was never a People so harshly used in divers kindes by some of those for whose good they have been and are so earnest If this coarse usage went no further then their own persons means and reputation they could passe it with silence and not so much as think of it laying it aside in Christian charity and brotherly love although they suffer much in all these by it since they have joyned with their Neighbours to help them But since by the neglecting opposing and in a word ill-dealing with the Scots the Service and work they are about is wronged stopped and delayed which is mainly and namely to help the setting forward the Reformation of the Church of God as it is expressed in the Nationall Covenant they cannot but take it heavily to heart for the Name of Gods sake Surely those factions ones who have used and at this time use thus their Brethren who have ventured yea lost themselves in a manner with all what is dear unto men for their sake and to do them 2 double good that is to help them out of trouble and to settle 3 true and through Reformation amongst them have much to answer not onely for their malice unthankfulnesse and ingratitude to those who have spent themselves for them but also for their stopping and hindering so far as in them lieth the good work of God and by that means give occasion of the continuance of these miseries wherein we are all now involved and almost overwhelmed God forgive these men and turn them truely unto him if it be his will otherwise let them have no power to hinder his good Cause And thus good Reader I have thought fit to give a little touch of divers main passages of these our troublesome businesses leaving a fuller Discourse of things to another time and another place FINIS