as if thereby likewise there were a notorious breach of the Solemn League and Covenant Will ye be pleased to weigh and consider what is offered to your view in the short ensuing Answer tending to satisfaction and resolution Answ. 1. Be it known unto the Objecters whether Scots or English that at least some of the prime promoters endevorers and contributers unto the doing of justice and judgment on the capital Delinquent and Delinquents are persons truely fearing God exercising themselves to have always consciences voyd of offence towards God and men partaking in their measure of all the properties and marks of true Church members asserted in Psal. 15. And who have not forgotten God nor delt falsly in his Covenant so that whatever cometh on them they will not they may not suffer their integrity to be taken from them 2. Let all men know whoever they are That Ministers of the Gospel and people professing the Gospel fearing God have not been wont to esteem it nor yet do think it any disparagement at all to be zealous with a perfect zeal against the crying sin of blood-guiltiness Doth not the Moral Law expresly prohibit murther And doth not the Iudicial Law expresly direct unto the satisfactory expiation thereof by putting to death the blood-guilty And is not Gods controversie with a Land defiled with blood 〈◊〉 judgment be executed Blood-guilty King Saul left unto himself and doing execution on himself 1 Sam. 31. 4. Had he been alive when inquisition was made for blood by occasion of a three yeers famine he ought to have been put to death as well as those of his bloody house were because of his sinister zeal in slaying his servile subjects the Gibconites see 2 Sam. 21. 1 2 6. David for his blood-guiltiness in the exposing Uriah to the sword of the Ammonites deserved death his own mouth conscientiously passing sentence however the One absolute Lawgiver who might do what he pleased according to the full Soveraignty of his own Will exchanged his death for his childe 's at that time see 2 Sam. 12. 5 12 13. All this the Objectors do know well enough howbeit they are someway transported to elude herein Non tutum est ludere sacris Cavete 3. It is taken for granted That the contrivers urgers and takers of the Solemn League and Covenant did mean endevor and act according to the sacred conditions of an Oath prescribed in Jerem. 4 2. Thou shalt swear The Lord liveth in Truth in Iudgment and in Righteousness If otherwise it is a taking of Gods Name in vain An Oath may not be vinculum iniquitatis an obligation to sin This plea the defendants have against the plaintiffs 4. In the preamble unto the taking of it it is expressed That the end of the Covenant as a last refuge was the preservation of the takers of it and their Religion from utter ruine and destruction So that the six particular Articles of it were intended and pretended to have a tendency to such an end and not otherwise Now such hath been the end and hereunto have served the means of the defendants in this case Let the adversaries judg if otherwise apparent 5. In the Parliaments Order of Septemb. 25. 1643. about the taking of it It is required That the Ministers who were appointed to tender it should read it and then explain it and then perswade to the taking of it This Order seemeth to imply not onely a necessity of the explaining of it but also a requisitness in so taking of it as explained in its just sense and latitude and end and not otherwise And this also is the plea of the Covenanters honestly and uprightly disposed as all must needs acknowledg 6. Whereas the title prefixed unto the Covenant is A Solemn League and Covenant for Reformation and defence of Religion the honor and happiness of the King and the Peace and Safety of the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland The explanation must needs be That such Reformation and defence ought to be prosecuted in lawful and just ways and means for the accomplishment thereof and not otherwise And in this sense no doubt the faithful Covenanters have taken it 7. It must needs be understood rationally That the course for the due accomplishing of what is in the title or more full expression of the six Articles of it ought to have their mutual consistency without any prejudice to any of the particulars whether they be absolute or conditional onely whether they be primary or subservient onely Our Lord Christs vindicating of his Disciples touching the keeping of the Sabbath against the calumnies and exceptions of the Pharisees see Matth. 12. 1 2 9. may vindicate the objected against in the case in hand 8. Touching the endevor Covenanted in the first and second Articles it is charitably hoped That all the takers of it have complied therein more or less according to their calling capacity and opportunity thereunto Every one standeth or falleth to his own master howbeit it is most probably conjectured That such Parliamenteers and their adherents who voted against the Concessions of the King in the treaty at Newport in reference to Religion and Covenant as no just ground and foundation for a good Peace argued thereby much faithfulness to the Covenant Ye your selves acknowledg Testim against Tol. pag. 12 That those Concessions if acquiesced in were dangerous and destructive both to Religion and Covenant 9. The third Article of the Covenant in the first branch of it touching Endevor mutually to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments and Liberties of the Kingdoms must be understood of known and just Rights and Priviledges and Liberties otherwise there must needs be a transgression of the Rules prescribed above mentioned see Iere. 4. 2. Answ. 3. 10. Touching the second branch of the third Article viz. To defend and preserve the Kings person and authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms it is to be taken notice of That this branch is propounded and taken conditionally and with limitation viz. With respects unto the ends specified Supream or subordinate Authority is custos utriusque tabutae the Keeper of both Tables Now as the Governors do act answerably to the just nature of their Offices they ought to be honorably assisted and defended but if they shall act contrarily even tyrannically then it may and ought be said and done unto them as just means and opportunity do serve thereunto as Iehu said to Ioram see 2 Kings 9. 22. 24. What peace so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many And Jehu drew a bowe with his full strength and smote Jchoram between his arms and the arrow went out at his heart and he sunk down in his chair 11. Whether the fourth Article of the Covenant hath not been endevored by our Covenanting Parliament and their adherents for discovering Incendiaries Malignants and evil Instruments whoever
they have been for the hindering Reformation of Religion c. contrary to the League and Covenant and for the bringing them to publike tryal and to receive condign punishment as the degree of the offence deserveth Let the lookers on yea and your own consciences judg 12. Whether the fifth and sixth Articles of the Covenant are not likest to be fulfilled if ye shall do and approve as our Parliament hath done and doth Let the Reader understand 13. Lastly Let the Apostolical retorsion be reverently observed and made use of viz. see Rom. 2. 13. Thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking of the Law dishonorest thou God And likewise the expostulation and conviction used by Samuel against King Saul who boasted of his performing Gods Commandment in bringing the Delinquent Amalekites to condign punishment when yet he had spared King Agag alive so as he himself was necessitated to put him to death O that that the mouths of unworthy complainants against miscensured Covenant breakers who yet have not deit falsly in the Covenant however calumniated might hereby be stopped and whereas in truth such bitter complainants themselves taking the Covenant in their mouths are deep in the breach of it c. The premisses duly weighed and considered your faithful Remembrancer observing your worthy and effectual Admonition in your Seasonable Testimony against Toleration to the secluded Members of Parliament pag. 12 13. And he taking noticae how gracious ye are not onely in the eyes of your Estates and Ministers but also in the eyes of very many in our Land taketh encouragement and confidence to stir you up to exhort all those in whose hearts ye are ingratiated both in Scotland and England to repent of miscarriage in any kinde and degree hitherto and to set and prepare their hearts fully to seek God if yet every thing that doth offend may be taken away and that so the grand work of Reformation both in Doctrine and Discipline may be no longer obstructed but that a great door and effectual may be opened there being so many adversaries This is moved the rather because friends do at least a little suspect but enemies do strongly charge the sometimes subscribing and conforming Hierarchical Ministers in both Nations in too great a generality of them that whatsoever pretence may seem to be of their being Covenanters as if they hankered still after Egypts garlick and flesh pots under the deceiving and deluding notion of moderate Episcopacy Sith there is such a tumultuous stir because the Kings destructive Concessions were not accepted nor he spared whose expressions sounded to the last breath Episcopacy Episcopacy But to draw to a conclusion Give your zealous Remembrancor leave to represent in a word unto your affectionate compassionate bowels of love to the brotherhood What if your selves and brethren in Scotland and by your advice the Ministers of London Province together with others in some Counties of this Nation ambitious to tread in your and their steps shall set all your hearts and hands more and more to understand and pursue an holy and just way of brotherly peace to be walked in with those godly brethren that are otherwise minded then your selves in some lesser points of the Discipline till God shall further reveal to them whilst you that are perfect do minde the same thing and do endevor to walk by the same rule of Church-government held forth in Scotland and other Reformed Churches and in our own Church now also Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity see Psal. 133. 1. Beloved Brethren ye cannot be ignorant That the Canaanite and the Perizzite even the Antichristian Papists Prelatical Royalists Malignant Hyppocrites Blasphemous Hereticks Pernicious Sectaries and Prophane Atheists are in these Lands observing and making advantage of the strife betwixt holy Brethren to harden themselves in sinful folly against Gods ways and to consult and take crafty counsel against his people his hidden ones in the Land and to cut them off from being a people that their name may be no more in remembrance O that in this case the children of faithful Abraham would say as he did to his nephew Lot We are Brethren Let there be no strife between us nor between our Pastors Our Lord Jesus Christ the head of his Church and their pattern when he was in the days of his flesh did suffer long and much those his Disciples that followed him in the regeneration albeit he did not indulge them in their infirmities but reproved them sharply on occasion for their dulness in understanding and for their perversness folly and slowness of heart in beleeving yet notwithstanding he did not therefore reject them but exercised wonderful patience towards them instructing them with meekness and all long-suffering and doctrine Yea and he tells them he gave them example that they should do as he did My good Brethren of England and Scotland do not count it grievous to be called on to remember your guides who have spoken to you the Word of God even those good old Non-Conformists to Hierarchy and Superstition who ruled with God and were faithful with the Saints when Prelacy and the generality of the reputed Clergy compassed God with deceit if ye may follow their faith and being compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses ye may follow peace with holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. I shall produce for instance two witnesses onely whom for their honors sake I do make mention of viz. Mr. Arthur Hildersam of England and Mr. Alexander Henderson of Scotland both of them of blessed memory The one namely Mr. Alexander Henderson of your own Nation whose praise in the Gospel hath been so great in the Churches abroad and whose love so abounded at home in all knowledg and in all judgment in the worst of times with you and in special his most prudent and unwearied acting in the Assembly of Divines at Westminster in England in a time of need till preproperous death put a period to his days I refer the reflecting of thoughts on him to your selves who abundantly knew the proof of him with what natural love he served you in the Gospel He was a burning and a shining light to walk by Be ye followers of him as he followed Christ in walking in love The other namely Mr. Arthur Hildersam of our English Nation of him I chuse to speak in Mr. John Cotton of Boston his expression in giving testimony of him for his singular worth see Epist. prefixed to Lect. on John 4. He was like one of the chief of Davids Worthies not amongst the thirty but amongst the first three This blessed man of God as otherwise and otherwhere so in special in his Lect. 98. on John 4. August 27. 1611. handleth at large and very effectually not with inticing words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power the useful lesson for Gods people viz.
Not to reject or despise any childe of God because of weaknesses whether the infirmities be error of judgment frowardness pride unthankfulness slips in conversation c. Where he directeth likewise unto the duties that are owing to them and that there ought not to be a judging for difference in judgment in Church Controversies nor an estranging in affection nor a neglecting means of reclaiming c. and there prescribing also requisite remedies in this case Vid. ibid. O therefore that such stirring useful inferences from heavenly doctrine by an Interpreter one of a thousand might cause our hearts to burn within us and sway us to vow unto the mighty God of Jacob not to enter into the Tabernacle of our house nor go up unto our beds nor give sleep unto our eyes nor slumber to our eye-lids until such time as some blessed expedient may be found and observed for establishing truth and peace amongst Brethren Now the Lord of peace himself give England and Scotland peace always by all means Grace be with you all Amen Matth. 5. 9. Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God AN APPENDIX Humbly offered and submitted to the most faithful prudent and godly-zealous Patriots of the Honorable House of COMMONS And of the English Nation Tending to vindicate Some late actings and proceedings of the High Court of PARLIAMENT and their puissant Army for the promoting of blessed Iustice and lawful Liberty As also the alteration of set days of Humiliation and appointing of occasional In certain short exemplary Observations and present parallel applicatory Inferences grounded on some select Texts of Scripture 1 Sam. 14. 36 38 39 40 43 44 45 46 47 48. 1 Sam. 15. 2 3 7 8 9 13 14 15 20 21 24 32 33. 2 Sam. 12. 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 13 14. Zech. 7. 3 5. and 8. 19. Rom. 25. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Psal. 119. 133. Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me 1 Sam. 14. 36 38 39 40 43 44 45 46 47 48. Observation I. 1. Paralel inference KIng Saul had a due Soveraign Power and Supream Authority over the Israelites yea over the chief of them that were of the Army or Souldiery and accordingly did exercise the same even as cause and occasion required see Vers. 36 38. THe Parliament of England hath a due Soveraign Power and Supream Authority over the Nation yea over the chief Officers of their army and accordingly doth exercise the same in giving the Army their Commission and Direction c. This is taken for granted as being many ways sufficiently cleered see Master Prynnes Soverain Power of Parliaments II. The people of Israel yea the chief of the Souldiery acknowledged King Sauls due soveveraignty over them and loyally submitted thereunto as indeed it became them so to do see Vers. 36 40. They said once and again unto Saul Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee 2. The People of the English Nation yea even the chief of the Army and Counsel of War do acknowledg the due Soveraignty of the Parliament and also do submit thereunto as doth become them and as indeed they ought to do Thus much may appear to any ingenuous lookers on both by the Armies Declarations and also by their answerable conformity in the variety of incident occasions III. It is to be understood that the dueness of Sauls Soveraign power and the dueness of the submission of the people and 3. The due Soveraign power of the Parliament and the due submission of the people or chief of the Army have their Consistency in the Rules and Directions contained chief of the Army was onely In the Lord and according to the Oath of God and his direction In giving to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods see V. 45. Eccles. 8. 2. Matth. 22. 21. in the sacred Scriptures under this limitation According to the Oath of God and In the Lord. Note Lex inferioris non praejudicat nec derogat legi superioris that is The Law of the inferior is not prejudicial to neither diminisheth any thing from the Law of the Superior Note Reforming and Reformed Christians do not they dare not pretend or claim otherwise Sith they have learned to search the Scriptures and to prove all things and to observe and hold fast onely that which is good see John 5. 39. 1 Thes. 5. 21. Sauls guard did justly refuse to obey his unlawful command see 1 Sam. 22. 17. IV. King Saul transgressed very hainously and odiously in his devoting and sentencing his son Jonathan most unwarrantably and unjustly to capital punishment even to be put to death Sith such sentence tended not onely to the extream damage and prejudice of his son Jonathan and subjects but also the main violation of Gods Law see Vers. 39. 43 44 45. 4. The majority of the Soveraign Parliament in those their Votes asserting the Kings last Concessions to be a ground and foundation of a good safe peace swerved both highly and hainously Sith such his Concessions if rested in were evidently dangerous and destructive as being contrary to the Scripture and to the Solemn Covenant yea and thus deemed not onely by the Scots as hath been formerly declared but also by a great part of prudent and pious Members of the Parliament and the generality of the truly Religious in the whole Nation V. The people or chief 5. Some of the people of chief of Sauls Army having means and opportunity thereunto other meet means being at that time and on that occasion wanting did worthily hinder and restrain Saul on very just grounds though not altogether regularly from such procedure against Jonathan in his resolved way of acting unwarrantably what ever might have been alledged by him against the people speciously or pretended in case of Soveraign Perogative or Priviledg see Vers 45. This course held by Azariah the Priest and eighty Priests being valiant men in their forceable withstanding of King Uzziah in a case of emergent exigency was approved see 2 Chron. 26. 16 17 18. of the Parliament Army having probable power and opportunity thereunto other punctual regular means being then wanting on that occasion did prudently and worthily hinder and restrain some Parliament Members from entring into the House in that juncture when destructive overtures in agitation were in extream danger of too great concurrence thereunto by the plurality of Votes had not such seasonable anticipation given a stop Doth not extream necessity disregard and pass by lesser Priviledges and subservient Rules which otherwise might deservedly claim a sacred inviolableness Let the instance in the Text Ver. 45. be well weighed besides what is cleered by Christ himself Matth. 12. 3 4 5 c. Like as the Souldiers did well to cut off the Ropes of the Boat and let