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B05243 The declaration of the Convention of Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland concerning the present expedition into England, according to the commission and order given from their meeting at Edenburgh, August 1643. Scotland. Convention of Estates. 1643 (1643) Wing S1216A; ESTC R187402 6,472 18

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of our late troubles and dangers from the vindictive disposition of the enemies of this kirke and kingdom which they conceive to be the fountaine whence have issued all these evils and from the grounds of common reason That we cannot long like Goshen enjoy our light if darkenesse shall cover the face of other reformed kirks that Juda cannot long continue in liberty if Israel be led away in captivity and that the condition of the one kirke and kingdome whether in Religion or Peace must be common to both If England shall subdue the enemies of Religion without that assistance which they call for from us at this time what help can we expect from them in the houre of our tentation which we have deserved and the Lord may bring upon us when he will God forbid that we should give them cause to laugh at our calamity and mock when our feare commeth and if they shall be given over into the hand of the Enemy which God in his mercy avert will not the enemy strengthened with increase of power be the more insolent and unresistable and will not the power of England turned into the hands of Malignants turne also enemy against this Kinke and kingdome and upon such pretences as be already invented and yet they will alledge according to the late Treaty of peace within three Moneths space denounce a nationall war against us And concerning the third the question is not whether we should presume to be Arbitrators in the matters now debated by fire and sword betwixt his Majesty and the houses of Parliament which may seeme to be forraigne and extrincecall to this Nation and wherein we may be conceived to have no interest but whether our mediation and intercession being rejected by the one side upon hope of victory or suppose by both sides upon confidence of their owne strength and severall successes it be not our duty it being in our power to stop or prevent the effusion of Christian blood Or whether we ought not to endeavour to rescue Our Native King his Crowne and Posterity out of the midst of so many dangers and to preserve his people and kingdome from ruine and destruction If every private man be bound in duty to interpose himselfe as a reconciler and sequestrator betwixt his neighbours armed to their mutuall destruction if the sonne ought to hazard his owne life for the preservation of his Father and brother at variance the one against another Shall a kingdome sit still and suffer then king and neighbouring kingdome to perish in an unnaturall war In the time of animosity and appetire of revenge such an interposing may be an irritation But afterwards when the eyes of the mind no more blood-run with passion doe discerne things aright it shall be no grief nor offence of heart but matter of thanksgiving to God and to the Instruments which have kept from shedding of blood and from revenge The Covenant is now solemnly taken in England and is countenanced there already from heaven with marvellous successe The Propositions and Articles of the Treaty are with wonderfull unanimity concluded in both houses of Parliament cessation of armes is agreed upon with the Irish Rebels and they notwithstanding all the barbarous and unparalleld cruelty exercised by the upon the Protestants people of God in that kingdome honoured with the title of his Majesties Subjects It is therefore now high time for all true hearted Scottish men and good Patriots abroad especially such as upon faire and plausible pretences have been formerly mistaken or seduced to take arms against this Cause of God and Religion timely to remember their nationall Covenant and seriously to bethink themselves of the duty which by so manifold Obligation they owe to their Religion and native Countrey in this time of so great distresse and danger to both lest despising or neglecting this our warning and intimation they either perish by wilfull persisting in their own wayes against God their Countrey and Covenant or come too late there be no place left for repentance It is also most necessary for all the good people of all ranks and degrees within the kingdome to deny themselves and their own ease or what earthly thing is dearest unto them to lift up their eyes and behold the worke of God unto which they are called and with heart hand to joyn in this so religious so just and so necessary expedition and which upon the truth of God our own late comfortable and never to be forgotten experience and the prayers of the people of God we may be assured will in end against all difficulties and opposition be crowned with such successe as may be honour to God confusion to his presumptuous and incorrigible enemies propagation to the true Religion and comfort to all the unfeigned lovers of truth and peace which against all calumny and contradiction hath been is and shall be the summe of our desires FINIS
THE DECLARATION OF THE Convention of Estates OF THE KINGDOME OF SCOTLAND CONCERNING The present expedition into England according to the Commission and Order given from their Meeting at Edenburg● August 1643. LONDON Printed for R. W. 1643. THE DECLARATION Of the Convention of Estates of the Kingdome of Scotland IT is now wee suppose knowne to the Christian world and will be knowne to after ages what have beene the dangers and distresses of this Kirke and Kingdome in their Religion and Liberties What their endeavours and wrestlings have been for deliverance and how mercifully and marvellously the good hand of God did settle their Religion and Peace against the devices attempts and practices of Papists Prelates and Malignants who had they not been given up to incurable blindnesse and hardnesse of heart would have seene and acknowledged the hand of God working against them and themselves fighting against God But these Enemies of all righteousnesse full of all subtilty and mischiefe do not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord. Their great project and maine designe against the reformed Religion and people of God is not altered but continueth one and the same their furie and malice is not abated and their plots and policies deeper and more wicked then before onely finding their fraud frustrated and their forces beaten back upon one side they have with new stratagems fresh resolutions and greater power assaulted another part of the wall and have made the breach so wide and large that they have entred and begun to roare in the midst of the Congregations of Gods people and ore setting up their Ensignes for Signes which to the unspeakable griefe of all who are not both voyd of Grace and deprived of naturall affection is to besden this day in miserable Ireland and distressed England and unlesse it be prevented by their timeous and speedy deliverance shall wee know not how soon be seen and felt in this Kingdome where as the enemies did begin so shall they end this bloody barbarous and Anti-christian tragedie if the Authors be not interrupted and driven from the Stage before they bring it to their intended conclusion and hellish applause It is wee confesse no small comfort to this Kirke and Kingdome that we have been willing and ready by all good meanes from the beginning to quench this unnaturall fire all who have had place and publike interest the Lords of his Majesties privie Councell the Commissioners for conserving the peace and the generall Assembly of this Kirke and their Commissioners having with all care and faithfulnesse applied themselves from time to time to use al good meanes such as are their humble desires their supplications Declarations and Remonstrances to his Majesty for a blessed Pacification And after all these had proved ineffectuall Commissioners were sent to represent how much this Kirke and Kingdome from their interest in the preservation of their owne Religion the safety of his Majesties Person and their neer relation to their Brethren of England were concerned in the unhappy differences betwixt his Majesty and the houses of Parliament and in all humility and tendernesse to make offer of their mediation and national intercession for removing them in such a way as might most serve for his Majesties honour and the good of his people but after long attendance much contrary to their desires and hopes and to the expectation of al his Majesties good Subjects in both Kingdomes so prevalent were the Counsels of the Popish Prelaticall and Malignant party apprehending their owne troubles and misery in the publike peace and happinesse of the King and his people the offer of their humble service and faithfull indeavours was utterly refused rejected upon no other reason but that they had no warrant nor capacity for such a mediation although authorized by a Commission from his Majesty and Parliament for that effect and that the intermixture of the government of the Church of England with the civill government was such a mysterie as could not be understood by them although it be true which was then often replyed that in the eighth demand of the Treaty of Peace the desire of uniformity in Kirkegovernment was kindly entertained and received such an answer as hath been since a doore of hope to this Kirke and Kingdome of obtaining their desires and although the houses of Parliament who are best acquainted with the constitution of that kingdome and whom it most concerneth have passed their Bill for abolishing of Episcopall government not only as a great impediment to the perfect reformation and growth of Religion which in a Christian kingdome is a sufficient ground but also as very prejudiciall to the civil state government The Commissioners having returned from Oxford without successe and the miseries of Ireland the troubles of England and the dangers and pressures of this kingdome more and more increasing the Lords of his Majesties Councell the Commissioners for conserving the Peace and the Commissioners for the Common burthens all intrusted with the publike affaires of the kingdome respectively found themselves pressed above their place and power with difficulties which required the Common Counsell consent and resolution of the Estates of the kingdome and were necessitate according to the practice of former times his Majesty having denied a Parliament being supplicated for that effect to call a Convention of the Estates that by their wisdome they might consider of the common duty and provide for the publique safety of the Kingdome in a time of such extremity No sooner did the Convention of Estates which was met with more then ordinary frequency and alacrity enter into publike consultation but the good providence of God still watching over this Countrey for good did bring to their hand a discovery of divers treacherous attempts against the Kirke and Kingdom as if the Convention had been called to receive information of the dangers and to provide remedies for the safety of the publique Like as the dangers discovered unto them were made publikely known and with the advice of the Commssioners of the generall Assembly the remedies also were agreed upon and published in print Amongst these remedies a chiefe one was to consider of the renewing of a league and association with England for defence of Religion and the mutuall peace of the Kingdomes against the common enemy and how farre the same might be extended against Prelacie and popish Ceremonies for uniformity in Kirk-government and the externall worship of God as is more fully expressed in the Remonstrance of the remedies of the dangers of Religion But before the Convention of Estates had entered upon this grave consideration Commissioners came from both Houses of the Parliament of England warranted and authorized to propound their desires of the same union strait conjunction of the two Nations against Papists and Prelates with their adherents And to consider with the Estates of this Kingdome of such articles or Propositions as might make the assistance and union