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england_n	english_a	king_n	scot_n	6,292	5	9.4575	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52748	The case of the Common-wealth of England stated, or, The equity, utility, and necessity of a submission to the present government cleared out of monuments both sacred and civill, against all the scruples and pretences of the opposite parties, viz. royallists, Scots, Presbyterians, Levellers : wherein is discovered severally the vanity of their designes, together with the improbability of their successe and inconveniences which must follow (should either of them take effect) to the extreme prejudice of the nation : two parts : with a discourse of the excellencie of a free-state above a kingly-government / by Marchamont Nedham, Gent.	Nedham, Marchamont, 1620-1678.	1650 (1650)	Wing N377; ESTC R36610	87,941	112

Scots gape after this gude Land who with those of other Nations must be Satisfied out of the Purses of our own whilst those that are their Leaders will be gratified with this that and the other Mans Lands and possessions And that this Insinuation is no Fiction but well grounded upon Precedents out of our owne Histories in the Practices of our Kings may appear by the Proceedings of the Conquerer who being forced to extraordinary Courses to satisfie his forein Soldiery made bold so frequently with the Estates of his Subjects that the great Lords of the Kingdom fearing it would come to their Turns at last to part with their Possesions by way of prevention fled out of the Land some into Scotland some into Denmarke and other Parts to trie if by aide from abroad they might recover Themselves and their Fortunes again at home But by this means they hapned to lose all so much the sooner for miscarrying in the Designe their Estates were possess'd and their Offices supplied by the Norman Favorites Thus also King Stephen himself being a Foreiner and relying most upon forein Arms to preserve him in possession was constrained to take the same Course for the satisfaction of his forein Auxiliaries which consisted most of Flemings and Picards whom he especially trusted in his greatest Actions neglecting and oppressing the English Thus did Henry the third also in his wars with the Barons against whom bringing in Foreiners He for reward invested them with others Lands and Honors and laid heavy Impositions besides upon the whole Kingdom to make Them Satisfaction And in those variations of Fortune between the two Houses of Yorke and Lancaster as often as either of Them had occasion to make use of forein Arms to assert their Titles the Estates of the Adverse Party and the Purses of the People were sure to goe to wrack for the Pay of the Soldiery From hence then it appears that if the Prince put himselfe in possession by Arms we shall be so far that way from any ease of our burthens that they will be doubled and trebled yea and tenfolded upon us Lastly The Prince's Confederation with the Scots and our English Presbyters were there no other Reason might be enough to terrifie any ingeniously minded People from giving their assistance be they Royalists or not For if the Kirke be able to bind the Prince to hard Conditions and prove like the Sons of Zeruiah too strong for him so that his Interest bow to theirs then in stead of a Regall which is more tolerable we must all stoop to the intolerable yoke of a Presbyterian Tyranny that will prove a plague upon the Consciences Bodies and Purses of this free Nation The Scots by this means will effect their Designe upon us by stretching their Covenant-union to an equality of Interest with us in our owne Affairs And the English-Grandees of that Party will seat themselves again in the House and exclude all others or else a New Parliament shall be called of Persons of their owne Faction so that if they should carry the day all the Comfort we shall have by casting off the present Governers will be only that we shall have these furious Jockies for our Riders Things perhaps shall be in the old Statu quo as they were when the late King was at Holdenby whose Son must then lay his Scepter at the Foot-stole of the Kirke or else they will restore him by leisure as they did his Father into the exercise of Royalty By which means we should be brought again as far as ever we were from a condition of Settlement and the Common-wealth reduced to Ashes by endlesse Cumbustions On the other Side put case the Prince have the better end of the Staffe of the Presbyters they relying upon his Courtesie as well as the rest of the People then in case he carry the day They and All are at his mercy and no Bar will be in the way to hinder him from an Ascent unto an unlimited Power So that you plainly see this present Combination of Royallists and Presbyters which soever of them be most prevalent must of necessity put the Nation in hazard between Scylla and Charybdis that we cannot chuse but fall into one of the pernicious Gulphs either of Presbyterian or Monarchicall Tyranny All these Particulars being seriously considered how Improbable it is in the first place that the Prince should goe on with Successe in his Designe and then what miserable Inconveniences must needs follow such a Successe in case he prevaile not only to the Prejudice of any one Party but of All I may undeniably conclude that all mistaken Royallists as well as others who live now under the Protection of the present Government are concerned out of necessity and in respect to their owne well-being and benefit to wish well thereunto rather than prosecute the private Interest of a single Family and of a few Fugitives its Dependants to the hazard of their owne Families with the Peace and happinesse of their native Country CHAP. II. Concerning the Scots I Am sorry I must waste Paper upon this Nation but seeing They make Themselves Considerable by being troublesome it will not be amisse to sound the Depth of their present Design which that I may the better doe give me leave to trace them in their Encroachments from the first to the last upon the English Nation Not to mention those of elder date let us begin with King James who being a native Scot out of love to his Country-men or rather to himselfe that he might keep them quiet by stopping their mouths with the sweet morsels of England was pleased to admit many of them into his Court then into his Councell and to be partakers of Honours and Offices equall to the best of our English His Son the late King knowing danger might come of discontent out of the Northern Corner followed the same Course that his Father tooke to oblige Them holding them in Pension giving accesse to all Beggars with such faire Entertainment that most of Them staid here and none returned empty This heaping of Favors upon Some stirred up the Appetites and Emulation of others who seeing themselves neglected and not like to share in any of these Enjoyments by the Favor of the King bethought them of an other way to make Themselves as considerable as the rest of their Country-men and gain an Interest with the English Seeing they could not thrive with the Court They would trie what They could doe without it Hereupon being men of Power in their owne Country They became most Zealous Assertors of the Presbyterian Discipline against the Episcopall by which means they gained the Friendship of all the Religious Party in England then persecuted by the Bishops who were at Court the only Favourites Hereupon these Leaders of the Scotish Presbyterians beginning to grow active and forward in establishing their own Form at home and also to propagate it abroad by encouraging their Friends gave

Declarations that they should be so neglected This may serve as a third evidence of their Covenant-designe of Encroachment whereto may be added one more when the King was at Carisbrooke Castle whither the Commissioners of Parliament were no sooner arived with Propositions againe but the Scots Commissioners were at hand and for the same reason protested furiously against Them By which insolent demeanors and expressions from time to time and crying up the Covenant for their defence it is clear enough what their Intentions were when they urged it upon us and that notwithstanding all the specious Pretences of brotherly Love their Designe in it hitherto hath beene onely to scrue themselves into an equall Interest with us in this Nation Having smelt out their Project thus farre give me leave to trace them on to the end as briefly as may be The Royall Party being totally suppressed and so no further occasion to make use of the Scotish Army the Parliament with some difficulty made shift to send them home into their own Kingdome But being defeated of their Aims and expectations they could not so rest having failed of their ends by pretending for Parliament they resolved next to try what they could do upon the Kings Score and so the Grandees turn'd the Tables in hope of an After-game by closing with Hamilton upon the Royall Accompt not doubting but if they gained the day this way to recompence their Travels with much more Advantage The Covenant like a nose of wax apt to be turned any way served this enterprize every jot as well as the former though the Designe were different from what it was the great ones not caring much what became of the Kirk Interest since they had agreed for the security of their owne which must needs have been very considerable if they could have redeemed the King and restored him into the condition of an absolute Monarch Therefore the Kirk seeing themselves left thus in the Lurch thundered out their Curses amaine upon that Hypocriticall Engagement as destructive to the Covenant But the Grandees being at a losse in this likewise upon Hamilton's Defeat and followed home to their owne dores by the brave English Army were glad to cry Peccavi to the Kirk and also to our English Commanders whom they dismissed with many promises of fair Carriage for the future Within a while after a new dore of hope being opened to them by the supposed Succession of the late Kings Son They to ingratiate with him proclaime him their King and here the Grandees and the Kirk joyning hands againe become friends and offer their Service for his restitution upon Terms of the Covenant which is their Plea now at this very day So that the Covenant which was pretended to be framed at first for the preservation of this Parliament and the Liberties of the People against the usurpations of regall Power is now that the Scots can serve their designe no longer that way become the Ground of their present Combination with the Prince and their Presbyterian Brethren in England for the destruction of our Liberties being resolved this way since they have failed in all the rest to trie whether they can accomplish their profane Projects through the Covenant by insinuating themselves into places of Honour Profit and Power that they may domineere in the possessions as their Pharisaicall Priests would over the Consciences of the English Thus having made way in discovering what the designe of the Scots ever hath beene and is at this Instant under the faire Covert of the Covenant certainly no man that is master of an English spirit but will abhorre the Hypocriticall pretences and Encroachments of that perfideous Nation And therefore now that all men may beware how they be drawne into an Engagement with them I shall according to my way manifest first the Improbability of their Successe and then the Inconveniences which must necessarily follow in case their designe be successefully effected First As to the Improbability of Successe consider by way of Comparison the great difference between the English and Scotish Soldiery Ours are heightned with extraordinary Pay bravely accomplished strong Horse well disciplin'd veterane Soldiers better Spirited by reason of a more generous education and to all these add the advantage of being Englishmen and the Reputation of having been so long victorious let these considerations be laid in the balance against the Scots fresh men for the main newly raised a People of farre lesse generous Soules poor in Body Pay and other Accommodations save what they have purchased by proguing here in England Judge then in reason what these are able to doe against so brave an Army that contemns and scorns Them as having beaten them with a handfull in comparison of their numbers home to their owne dores an Army that to all worldly Advantages hath hitherto had a speciall Protection from Heaven God having Sealed them for his owne by many miraculous victories and Successes to the wonder of the whole world Secondly consider that our English Army are all of a Nation Natives and unanimous especially upon the appearance of any Invaders whereas the Scotish will be made up of divers Factions Royalists and Presbyterians that com in pursuance of different ends which for the time that they continue together must needs be a cause of many Confusions and partialities of Counsells to the prejudice of their Enterprises and Proceedings a spring of perpetuall Emulations that will soone untwist the Confederacy so that in short time they must fall asunder like a Rope of Sand and the private Soldiery be disposed to entertaine thoughts of some new Engagement to the ruine of the first Thirdly We shall not only be provided for them here if they dare be so unworthy as to invade us but 't is like this Common-wealth may find work for them at home and to cure their madnesse divert the humour with Phlebotomie by way of Revulsion Fourthly It is like they will be farre from running much hazard to gain Successe unto the Designe For if they provr a little unfortunate the humour will alter one good beating will make them understand there is another way of Interest and Thriving than under the wings of Royalty It may chance to make them remember because they cannot forget how long they have lived without a King in Scotland while the Grandees and the Kirk did all and that the English have dealt more ingenuously to have no King than a Presbyterian mock-Mock-King One Rout with this consideration puts them presently into the humour of a Republique as well as England And then they will have no more work to doe but to raise the Market and get Chap men for their King to put him off handsomly that they may pay their Army and goe home again like Scots Lastly the Scots having no just Ground of a Warre against England can hardly be prosperous in the Attempt The Covenant can be none being extinct as I have proved in the former part of

such an Alarm to the Bishops that they to crosse the Designe fell foule upon all of the Opinion here in England and not onely so but pressed the King to establish an Episcopall Vniformity in both Kingdoms even in Scotland as well as England The forcing of this upon the Scots was a Cause of the Commotions in that Kingdom whereupon a war ensued betwixt the King and Them through the instigation of the Bishops which was soon ended to the Advantage of the Scots in Money and Credit and to the dishonor of the King and the Episcopall Party This happy Successe wrought a very reverend opinion of them in the hearts of the well-affected Party in England who stood for the purity of Religion and a liberty of Conscience against Episcopall power and Innovations as also for the Lawes and Liberties of the Nation invaded by the Prerogative And for redresse of these things the King was necessitated to call a Parliament who not obtaining such Reliefe of Grievances as they expected by reason of a Corrupt Councell of Bishops and others about the King which alienated him from his great Councell the Parliament and afterward caused Him to breake out into a warre against Them were constrained likewise to take Armes in defence of our Liberties Hereupon recourse was had to the Scots for their assistance who having the same Enemies at Court and being equally involved in the same common Danger it was supposed they were concerned in Reason to joyn with the Parliament without any Dispute or Scruple But They considering now was the Time to make their Markets if ever and their owne interest as much English as might be came not off so roundly as was hoped but fell to bartering like Hucksters and no Bargaine would be forsooth without a Covenant They would not joyn except They might be in a manner all one with us and this Vnion must be sealed with that solemn League and Covenant What their meaning was therein we shall know by and by by taking a view of their Actions ever since which are the most sure Interpreters Yet even at that time some men had their eyes in their heads and many Objections were made at divers Expressions in the Covenant and many Desires for explanation of some Articles more fully But the Scots standing stiffe upon their owne Terms and no Conjunction like to be obtained without the Covenant and the necessity of the Parliaments Affairs admitting no delay we were glad to take it as it was offered without further question or Demurrer It was no sooner taken here at London but immediately every one began to make his Advantage through the multitude and ambiguity of Expressions and by it to promote his severall Interest as if it had been made to engage unto a particular Party not to unite two Nations in a common Interest But above all the Scots having had the honor of this Invention conceived themselves much injured by any that denyed them the Prerogative of making an Interpretation and in matter of Religion urged their owne Discipline as the only Patern to Reform the Church by and their Plea had been fair enough out of the Covenant could they have proved it to be according to the word of God which Clause was most luckily inserted Notwithstanding all the Reasons to the Contrary the Scotish Module was still pressed The Scot was willing to ride and having as he thought the English-man fast bridled with a Covenant he began to switch and spur The Throne of the Kirke was the Stalking-horse to catch geese and if that could have been setled then there had been no denying Them whatsoever they would ask They would have seated themselves surely in this fat Soile There would have been no removing them out of our Councels whereof the necessity of our Affaires had made them Members and Partakers For had the Kirk-Interest been once confirmed among us then by vertue of that Authority which they use to controll the Civill power the Parliament must have been subservient to all their ends And since it would have concerned the English Clergy to make their Party strong and maintein Correspondencies for their owne preservation to have gratified their Scotish Founders in all their Desires the Scots might easily have translated the Covenant-union to as good as an absolute Nationall union by gaining a Joynt-Interest with us in our Affairs for ever and consequently in all the Profits great Offices Councels and Concernments of this Nation Now whether this were their Designe or not in the Covenant ab origine I shall not determine but let it be judged by their insolent behaviour here among us after they were admitted to our Counsells and therefore in the next place I shall examine their Proceedings which most evidently represent them in their Intentions It sufficed them not after they were come in that they had an equall Power with us in publique Affairs in the Committee of both Kingdoms at Derby-house which was willingly allowed them for a time so far as concerned the Common cause of both Nations in prosecuting the war but driving a Powerfull Party in both Houses They tooke upon them to meddle with matters relating to the future Peace and Settlement of this Nation distinct from their owne and to provide for an equall Interest with us therein The first most notable Evidence of this though there had been many before was discovered at the Vxbridge-Treaty where Propositions of both Houses for Peace being presented to the King it was found the Scots had so far Provided for Themselves by their Party in the Houses That in time to come the ordering of the English Militia the Power of making War and Peace and all other Prerogatives of Government were to be administred by a proportionable number of Scots as well as English A thing so ridiculous and an Encroachment so palpable that the King Himself in one of His Answers took notice of it and said He was not so much an Enemy to the English Nation as to signe those Propositions or somewhat I am sure to this Purpose A second evidence or discovery of their Encroachments was made upon their delivering in divers Papers to the Parliament at severall times wherein they disputed their Claim and ventured their Logick upon the Letter of the Covenant to prove an Interest in disposall of matters meerly relating to our welfare which they re-inforced afterwards with new Recruits of Argument when the King came into their Army But not knowing well how to maintaine their Arguments They were contented for that time to quit Them and their King too upon such Terms as are notorious to all the world who being at length reduced under the Power of the Parliament and Army Propositions of Peace were sent to him at Hampton-Court wherein no such Provision being made for the Scotish Interest as was in those at Vxbridge their Commissioners here protested against them accused the Parliament of Breach of Covenant and complained highly in one of their

THE CASE OF THE COMMON-WEALTH OF ENGLAND STATED OR The Equity Vtility and Necessity of a Submission to the present GOVERNMENT Cleared out of Monuments both Sacred and Civill against all the Scruples and Pretences of the opposite Parties viz. Royallists Scots Presbyterians Levellers Wherein is discovered severally the vanity of their Designes together with the Improbability of their Successe and Inconveniences which must follow should either of them take effect to the extreme prejudice of the Nation TVVO PARTS With a Discourse of the Excellencie of a FREE-STATE above a KINGLY-GOVERNMENT The second Edition with Additions collected out of Salmasius his Defensio Regia and M. Hobbs de Corpore Politico By Marchamont Nedham Gent. Salustius Incredebile est memoratu quantum adeptâ libertate in brevi Romana civitas creverit Fr. Guicciard Histor. lib. 10. Liberae Civitates DEO summoperè placent cò quòd in iis magis quàm in alio genere Rerumpub commune Bonum conservetur Jus suum cuique aequaliter distibuatur Civium animi vehementiùs ad Virtutem Laudem accendantur RELIGIO colatur Sacra peragantur London Printed for E. Blackmore and R. Lowndes 1650. To the READER PErhaps thou art of an Opinion contrary to what is here written I confesse that for a Time I my Self was so too till some Causes made me to reflect with an impartiall eye upon the Affairs of this new Government Hereupon beginning seriously to search into the nature of it with the many Pleas and Objections made against it And supposing those learned men who wrote before these Times were most likely to speak truth as being un-interested in our Affairs and un-concerned in the Controversie I took a view of their Reasons and Iudgments and from thence made so many Collections that putting them in order and comparing all together they soon made a Conquest over me and my Opinion I know the high Talkers the lighter and censorious part of People wil shoot many a bitter Arrow to wound my Reputation and charge me with Levity and Inconstancy because I am not obstinate like themselves against Conscience Right Reason Necessity the Custome of all Nations and the Peace of our own But this sort of men I reckon inter Bruta animantia among whom to do well is to hear ill who usually speak amisse of those things that they do not or will not understand From them therefore I appeale to the Great Tribunall where it is known I have in this dealt faithfully and to the more sober Intelligences here below with whom these Papers must needs find the more free entertainment because free from partiality and the least tincture of Faction And that they may be the fitter to walk abroad in the world I have divided them into Two Parts and accommodated Them with a Method suitable to those two Parties whereof the world consists viz. the Conscientious man and the Worldling The former wil approve nothing but what is just and equitable and therefore I have labored to satisfie him as I have done my Self touching the Justice of Submission The latter will imbrace any thing so it make for his Profit and therefore I have shewn him the Inconveniences and Dangers that will follow his opposition of a settlement Now though the other should continue obstinate in their erroneous pretences yet of this latter sort I dare promise my Self an abundance of Proselytes the greater part of the world being led more by Appetites of Convenience and Commodity than the Dictates of Conscience And it is a more current way of perswasion by telling men what will be profitable and convenient for them to do than what they ought to do But Prethee read and then do what thou list I have onely one word more that is to our modern Pharisee the Consciencious Pretender and principall Disturber of the publique Peace If hee will not be convinced by so clear Testimonies but raise more dust about our ears to amaze the People it must be concluded That all this noise of Church-Reformation Conscience and Covenant is a mere malicious Designe to drive on a Faction for the casting down of our present Governers that they may set up Themselves in the Seat of Authority Farewell and be wise Being convinced of the Truth of these Things I conceive my Self obliged to shew others the same way of satisfaction The Contents of the first Part. CHAP. I. THat Governments have their Revolutions and fatall Periods CHAP. II. That the Power of the Sword is and ever hath been the Foundation of all Titles to Government CHAP. III. That Non-submission to Government justly deprives men of the benefit of its Protection CHAP. IV. That a Government erected by a Prevailing Part of the People is as valid de Iure as if it had the ratifying Consent of the whole CHAP. V. That the Oath of Allegiance and Covenant are no justifiable Grounds to raise a new War in or against the Common-wealth of England The Intent of the First Part is to prove the Necessity and Equity Of the Second to manifest the Utility and Benefit of a Submission The Case of the COMMON-WEALTH STATED Part I. CHAP. I. That Governments have their Revolutions and fatall Periods THe best of Preachers SOLOMON taking the World for his Text found no other Application could be made of it then this That All under the Sun is vanity and this he proveth as did the wisest of Philosophers by the perpetuall rotation of all things in a circle from * Generation to Corruption Inest rebus cunctis quidam velut orbis c. There is saith Tacitus as it were a wheeling of all things and a Revolution of Manners as well as Times Nor are the huge Bodies of Common-wealths exempted from the same Fate with Plants Brutes Men and other petty Individuals and this by a certain destiny or decree of nature who in all her Productions makes the second moment of their perfection the first toward their dissolution This was observed to our purpose in the present case by the Master of Roman Eloquence Idipsum à Platone Philosophiâque didici naturales esse conversiones Rerumpub ut eae tum à Principibus teneantur tum à populo tum à singulis I have learned saith he out of Plato's Philosophy that Commonweals are altered by Turnes into the severall Formes of Government Aristocracy Democracy and Monarchy Nor can any reason be given For it besides those rapid Hurricanoes of fatall necessity which blow upon our Affaires from all points of the Compasse Sicut variae nascentibus Contingunt pueris animae sic urbibus affert Hora diésque suum cum primùm maenia surgunt Aut genium aut fatum Certum est inevitabile fatum Quod ratio vincere nulla potest quodque Omnia certo fine gubernat Sic omnia verti Cernimus atque alias assumere pondera gentes Concidere has The English of all is That as men

this Treatise besides I shall adde one Reason more It cannot in common sense be supposed to have been intended as an eternall obligation binding both Nations for ever or to bind the English Nation with an implicite Faith to whatsoever the Scots should expound to be righteous and necessary to be done here for ever by way of Government But it appeares intended onely for a certain time for the prosecution of certaine Ends which were common to both Nations as Affaires then stood and therefore being of a transient nature because those Ends by the alteration of Time and other Circumstances are found either not possible or inconvenient the obligation expires of it self This being the state of the Covenant neither the Scots nor any other Party can found a Warre upon it in Reason or Justice If so then having no other Ground for a Warre but Covetuousnesse Emulation and Ambition which as I shewed in the Preamble of this Chapter have been cloaked under the Covenant in all their Ingagements the hand of Heaven will assuredly be against them for their unchristian Practices as may appeare by these examples following First The Athenians carried on with Covetousnesse Emulation and a desire to possesse themselves of the Riches of the Lacedemonians were the Author of the Peloponesian Warre the consequence whereof was that it ended with the subversion of their City walls and the miserable slavery of their People The same end likewise had the Carthaginians for moving an ambitious War against the Romans by the Instigation of Hannibal as also had the Thebans for their unjust invading the Macedonians It is observable likewise how that * Babilonian Queen and Virago as Diodorus Siculus tels us being gre●dy after the Wealth of the Indians invaded them by an unjust Warre in hope to make a Conquest but the Issue was that she was forced to flie home again most sh●m●fnlly for the safety of her life Thus Xerxes invading Greece with a world of Men and Ships was in the end glad of a poor Fishing-boat to get home out of Europe to a worse destiny in Asia being slaine immediately after his Return by his Uncle A●ta●an●s Upon the like occasion Cyrus lost his Army and his life and to quench his B●oud-thirsty humour his Head was cut off and cast into a Hogs head fill'd with Bloud by the Scythian Queen Thus likewise Mark Anthony not content with half the Empire of the World invading his Partner Octavius for the whole lost all being taken alive at mercy laid violent hands on himself to prevent the Fury of the Conquerour Thus Crassus another Roman being of the Scotch Religion a sacred hunger after Gold invaded the Parthians without cause against the advice of the Senate in which expedition he lost his Army and Life and the Parthians considering what he came for poured Molten Gold into his Mouth in Triumph and Mockery To these Examples out of profane History let me adde a few out of the Sacred You may read 2 Kings 15. how Senacherib the King of Assyria mad an impious invasive War against Hezekiah King of Judah the consequence whereof was the Confusion of his Army and Revenge followed him to his own home so close at the heels that it was executed upon him by his owne Sons while he was at his superstitious devotion in the midst of his Idols Nor have wicked Princes onely beene punished for invading the good but you may read also that the good have had ill Successe in invading the bad Thus good Josiah a most religious Prince warring without cause against Pharaoh Nicho King of Aegypt received his deaths wound at Megiddo and after his death the same King Pharaoh to right himself of the Injury done him by Josiah waged Warre and by Gods permission subduing the Land made the whole Nation Tributary and took King Jehoahaz the Sonne of Josiah and carryed him Prisoner into Aegypt Also another good King of Judah by name Amaziah provoking Jehoash a wicked King of Israel without cause to Battel was utterly Routed the City of Hierusalem taken the Walls demolished the Temple spoiled and Amaziah himself carried away Prisoner to shew how much the Lord of Hosts and God of Battell it displeased with unjust Wars that he will not prosper them though made by his own People against the wicked that are his Enemies But there is one example more which me thinks is very pertinent to our purpose and that is of Ishbosheth the Son of King Saul who laying claim to the Kingdome after his Father by prerogative of Succession made War against David who was chosen King by Gods owne appointment But to shew that Hereditary Succession is no Plea to justifie a Warre against the Powers that are ordained by him he placed marks of displeasure against all that took part with Ishbosheth so that in the end Ishbosheth had his Head strook off by some Commanders of his own Party and brought to David Now I leave this unto those that list to make the Application And withall they may doe well to consider how the Spaniard prospered in 88. in his Invasion against England how ill he hath thrived ever in his Attempts against the Hollander And as for the Scots I suppose that as it concerns them to consider the sad example of the late Hamiltonian Invasion so they and their Adherents may learn from all these together That God will never prosper them if they proceed in their unrighteous Combination Having shewn the Improbability of the Scots successe I shall in the next place discover the great Inconveniences and hazards that our Nation must needs undergoe in case it should happen First It being evident that their designe in urging the Covenant upon us hath been to insinuate themselves into an equall Interest with us in our own Nation it is to be supposed that having hitherto been defeated of their long-expected Prey they come now to prosecute it with the greater appetite And it is to be presumed they will not serve the King with the Covenant at an easier rate than they intended it should have cost the Parliament Secondly It is to be feared this so much desired Interest of theirs may if opportunities fall out right for their Turns be driven on farther by the Sword than yet we are aware of A Nationall Vnion hath been whisper'd often among them heretofore and there 's no doubt but they will bid high for it if ever they have occasion And then it must needs be a very fine world when we are confounded with a Miscelany of Scotish and English when Scots shall be Competitors with us in point of Priviledge vie wealth with us in our own Possessions Honours and Dignities and either impose new Lawes upon us or alter the Old as may make most for their Advantage Thirdly That these things may be is probable enough since their King having no other rewards to give them it is impossible he

worldly Interest that it hath lost the Beauty which it once appeared to have and serves every Sophister as a Cloake to cover his ambitious Designe But since it is arived notwithstanding to such a hight in the opinions of many as to be cried up for the only patern of Government under the Gospel this is to be imputed to the blind Zeal of those that are led and the deceitfulnesse of the Leaders rather than to the Intention of its learned Founder Mr. Calvin For it doth not appear that ever he stretch't his Module so far as the necessity and universality of a Divine Right but seems only to have hewn part of the Building out of the rock of the Scriptures and peeced up the residue by politique and prudentiall Rules such as he conceived might sound nearest the Text and serve most conveniently to cement the dis-joynted Members of the then broken and tumultuous Common-wealth of Geneva into an entire and well-compacted Body It was no sooner lick't into Form there but as it is the Fate of all things new it began to be much extoll'd and admired and the Fame thereof spreading in England as well as other Parts wrought in many of our Country-men an Itching desire to goe thither and instruct Themselves in the Nature and Customs of the Government where of Spectators they soon became Proselytes and returning home with new Affections looked with an eye of disdain upon the Bishops as if Themselves had indeen found out the Patern in the Mount because forsooth the words Presbytery Elder Deacon and Assembly c. sound more Gospel like than Diocesse Church-Warden Arch-deacon and high-Commission c. With these Terms * the ordinary Sort of Religious persons not able to see through this Shell of words into the Kernell or Substance of the businesse were easily led to a belief of high matters whereas this new Forme like the Trojan Horse brought an Army of mischiefs in the belly of it which were never so fully discovered as till this Parliament For immediatly after that the Episcopall Form was abolished here as corrupt and Antichristian the chief Sticklers of the Presbyterian Clergy began to shew their Teeth and sitting in an Assembly Cheek by Jo●e with the Parliament intermedled with their Affairs labored to twist their Church discipline with the Interest of State claimed in their open Pleas Discourses and their Confession of Faith a Power in themselves distinct from the Civill and demanded the Voting of this in both Houses as Jure Divino that so the Parliament might for ever cut the throat of their own Authority and Magistracy These and many other Pranks they played in hope to erect their intended Domination And though being often required they were as little able as the Bishops to shew their Pedegree from the Apostles or to derive the lineaments of their form from the Body of the Scripture yet they pressed it on stil and wanted not their Party in Parliament with the assistance of the Scots whose Interest it was to second them And here it might be wondred that so many knowing men and of able Parts should prove so degenerous as to prostitute Themselves and the Majesty of the Nation to serve the ambitious ends of a few Priests but that they had their Ends in it too and were willing to follow the Example of the Scotish Grandees by gratifying the new Clergy in the form of a Nationall Church with Accruments of worldly pomp and Power the better to support their Owne in the State For this Cause it was that They stooped so unworthily to the Designe of the Scots and the Clergy and being all of them combined in Interest they were in a manner necessitated to countenance and comply with each other in their mutuall Encroachments to the dishonour of our Nation the debasing of Parliaments and the extreme hazard of the Libery of our Soules and Bodies All which being considered you may see how exceedingly we are obliged to our present Governers that they strove so mightily against the stream to prevent Them all in their severall Designings and what necessity lay upon them to expell that corrupt Interest out of Parliament and to follow the Counsell of the Poet in cutting * off a rotten Part for the Preservation of the whole by the Power of the Sword By reason of this necessary and magnanimous Act it is that they have made Themselves so many Enemies to the Presbyterian Party For the Scots being defeated of their English Interest the Secluded Members of their Hopes and Priviledges and the Clergie of their Kirk-domination incline all immediately to face about to the Prince and to hedge in him and his Interest with their owne as well as they can in hope of private Revenge and a Recovery without any regard at all to the good and peace of the Publique Then Gentlemen if they prevaile ye will be but in the old posture again As You WERE yea and far worse than you were since all those Church-usurpations which were then but in designe must needs be confirm'd by a new alteration For this Cause it is there are so many Presbyterian Juglings in private such Murmurings abroad and so many Mutinies in the Pulpit such wel-acted Lamentations for the glory of the Kirke and the losse of their Diana that every Prayer is a Stratagem most Sermons meer Plots against the State and upon their Hearers Thus the Nature of their Designe being discovered give me leave in the next place to manifest the Vanity of their Hopes that if men will not forbeare for shame of its hypocrisie they may yet in consideration of the many sad Consequents which may follow As to the Improbability of their Successe First our English Presbyterians are very inconsiderable now in England because above three Parts in four are fallen off since they were able to see through the Pretences of the Grandees of their Party so that the small Remainder can doe little of Themselves and all their hope leans upon Scotland that bruised Reed Secondly As their Party is but small of its Self so there is small likelyhood of an Increase because all the Rest of this Nation are Opposite to them and their waies being either Common-wealths-men or Royallists And though they use all Indeavours to draw in the Royall Party to their own yet it can never be effected by reason that the old Antipathie will revive upon every little occasion For the Royallists looke upon them still as the Authors of their Misery and the Prince who is Head of that Party though He may feed Them with fair Promises can never cordially imbrace them being the old Enemies of his Family Nor will he count them any whit the lesse guilty for their hypocriticall protesting against the Death of his Father For They reduced him Diminutione Capitis into the condition of a Captive They spoil'd him as a King before others executed him as a private man They deprived him of his earthly Crowne and