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truth_n	church_n	religion_n	true_a	7,548	5	5.1593	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67901	A review of the Covenant, wherein the originall, grounds, means, matter, and ends of it are examined: and out of the principles of the remonstrances, declarations, votes, orders, and ordinances of the prime covenanteers, or the firmer grounds of Scripture, law, and reason, disproved.	Langbaine, Gerard, 1609-1658.	1645 (1645)	Wing L371; ESTC R210023	90,934	119

he have not his default is sufficient to make all the rest lyars who in that case cannot truly say We of all sorts calling to minde the Plots in all places resolved after mature deliberation Sweare c. 7. If it were agreed who are the greatest Enemies of our Religion we should be better able to judge of the increase and exercise of their power and malice Vpon that principle which the Scots have taught us No unity in Religion without unity in Ecclesiasticall Government we must conclude against the Covenanteers that they who sweare to extirpate the Government are Enemies to the Religion of the Church of England But if they intend by Enemies the King and Bishops and other misnamed Malignants whom they traduce for an intention of subverting Religion it is a calumny as void of truth as full of malice nothing was ever denied by his Majesty or opposed by his Followers which might conduce to the settlement of the true Reformed Protestant Religion And if it be such a permanent truth that when ever any man sweares this Covenant The power of these Enemies is at that time encreased I wish they would consider what a strange Enemy they have to deale with who growes stronger by their opposition Qui saepiùs vinci potest quàm illi vincere and take heed they be not given up to incureable blindnesse and hardnesse of heart that they cannot see or will not acknowledge the hand of God working against them and themselves fighting against God 8. It is not true that their Supplications Remonstrances Protestations and Sufferings have been any meanes to preserve themselves or their Religion from destruction First for Supplications we have not heard of any from Ireland without effect save such as are put upon the Covenanteers score Nor have the Scots been repulsed in any desires which concerned themselves it was their crime which is our misery they would needs be in alienâ Republicâ curiosi And such supplications as have been presented in the name of this Kingdome were either for fashions sake desiring the Kings consent to things they resolved to do without it and after the rejection of that gracious Message of Ianuary 20th which might have prevented all those unreasonable demands insisted upon since Non ut assequerentur sed causam seditioni To send an Army to present a Petition was a strange addresse of Subjects to their King Nor need they impute their Remonstrances of all the conceived errours in Government or their Protestations to defend his Person accompanied with a f Declaration against his syncerity in Religion and resolution to hazard their lives against Him and his Army which the very next day they performed accordingly but if supplications and sufferings were truly meanes why do they not continue to supplicate since they have no right to command Why do they not like Christians rather suffer still then offer wrong Rather submit to the Lawes in force then by violence compell their Soveraigne to receive new ones from them 9 Their Resolution to enter into this League for the preservation of themselves and their Religion from utter ruine and destruction implies a double untruth that both they it may be utterly destroyed Though our Bodies and Estates have been long exposed to the perill of destruction yet our soules are shot-free we may take our Saviours g word for it and Animus cuj●sque est quisque When Pandora's box of feares and jealousies was first set open we were told of dangers though we could see none then save that it was certain ruine for any man to thinke he was not in danger but we have now too just cause to believe their predictions who by that artifice got so much power into their hands as is sufficient to undoe the Kingdome and by this Covenant vow so much ob●tinacy as not to entertain any thoughts of peace till either that be done or they perish in the worke and if they shall yet will their Religion if it be that which they professe the true Protestant never faile for Magna est veritas praevalebit h the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it i it is founded upon a Ro●ke and all the Enemies of God cannot overthrow it k because it is of God 10. The pretended truth of that which followes is obtruded upon the people to serve for a shooing-horne to draw on the Covenant which is falsly affirmed to be according to the commendable practice of these Kingdomes in former times The Subjects of England neuer entered into a sworne Covenant such as this is either amongst themselves or with other Nations If the late Rebells in Ireland did any such thing none but equall Rebells will thinke their Example worthy of commendation So then if neither England nor Ireland ever did the like t●en not these Kingdomes Scotland onely remaines the neare and neighbouring Example whereof l Master Henderson proposeth to our Covenanteers as worthy their best observation he would not say imitation for Examples are the weakest Arguments and in matters of doubtfull right those that urge them commonly go beyond their Copy It is but a poore defence Societatem alieni criminis innocentiam vocare Nor will the late Scots Covenant 1538 serve to justifie this now For first in relation to themselves there is a great difference in the occasion then and now Their Religion and Liberties they then affirmed to be invaded now they cannot pretend any such matter Secondly for the efficient cause that Covenant was made onely betwixt Subjects of the same Kingdome but this is a League amongst People of different Countries and Lawes Thirdly that was not without some stampe of royall Authority being alleadged to be the same for substance with the generall Band formerly subscribed and allowed by King Iames 1580. and enjoyned by severall Acts of Councell and generall Assembly 1581 1590. and to justifie their explanations upon it many Acts of Parliament were produced But this is wholly contrary to the Kings Command and some part of it against the whole current of English Parliaments Fourthly the maine matter in both Episcopacy though it was supposed or suggested to be against Law in Scotland yet was m not required to be abjected but the practice of it forborne and the matter referred to a free generall Assembly Whereas here though it be so deeply rooted in our Lawes that no man can tell what is Law without it it is vowed to be utterly extirpated and that without the advice of the Clergy in Convocation without a free Convention of both Houses in Parliament without His Majesties Assent or Approbation Fiftly for manner of prosecution n the Scots then professed to perswade not enforce men to Covenant disclaimed all threatnings but of Gods Iudgements all violence but of reason Whereas o now if their greatest Peers doe post-pone or refuse to take this Covenant all their goods and rents must be confiscate and their persons made

that Church therefore it is unlawfull to sweare to preserve them by a solemne Oath which might be majoris boni impeditivum This inference will be no newes to the House of Commons it was urged with much vehemence and heard with approbation against the late Oath enjoyned by the Canons b My Authour concludes by a dilemma that whosoever takes such an Oath inavoidably falls upon a rocke of perjury either for saving his Oath he must deny obedience to the King or by obeying the King he must breake his Oath Master Nathaniel Fiennes a better Oratour than Souldier upon the same Argument discourseth thus c It is against the Law and light of Nature that a man should sweare never to consent to alter that is not so much as the Covenan●eers here ●weare constantly to endeavour to preserve a thing which in its own nature is alterable and may prove inconvenient and fit to be altered And in case the Scots should thinke fit upon any occasion to alter some parts of their Discipline or Ceremonies in their Worship whether must our English and Irish Covenanteers endeavour to resist any such alteration or sit still and let them take their course holding the Scotish per●ury sufficient excuse their own II. When they sweare to cut out their intended platforme of Reformation by a double patterne first of Gods Word and then of the best Reformed Churches the latter might have been well spared it was added without any necessity but not without much inconvenience For suppose there were two best Reformed as certainly lesse than two cannot pretend to the name of Churches which must they conforme to Of if there be but one best how shall they know which it is If Discipline hold the same course with Doctrine and must be prescribed by Gods Word more than one Forme cannot be admitted There may be many errours but one Truth many by-wayes but one right But if in Discipline and Worship for certain and perhaps in some things concerning Government too the Scripture have not so fully and evidently defined but some doubts are left which require a further determination Who shall be Iudges in this case Must we sit upon all other Churches and pronounce against them uncalled unheard Or seeing it is a point wherein they are all equally concerned shall they be equally admitted to Vote with us And when they are all met at least by their Delegates shall it be referred to most voyces to determine which Church is best Reformed Then what if some two or three nay what if all have equall voyces each Delegacy voting for their own Church as it is most likely they will who shall have the casting Voyce We are now where we begun unlesse haply the Irish Church will sit down to English and so we may carry it by a double Vote Or rather shall that Church be taken for the best reformed upon whom the most second Voyces do concurre the first being commonly the childe of affection but the second the off-spring of judgement So not improbable but our Church might carry it again for I could produce t●e testimonies of many Authours of best note in other Reformed Churches very liberall in their commendation both of the Doctrine and Government of the Church of England Or if it were a thing easily to be agreed upon which Church is the best reformed it might not be fit to sweare Conformity to that example the best that is is not the best that may be The best existent may have some errours as well as faults and therefore no absolute patterne for Reformation What is best to another Church may not be best for us What is best for our time and place is not so for another No necessity then to reforme according to the best example if it were agreed upon And till it be so it had been best for us these troubles excepted to stay where we were I conceive the reason of this addition wherein they go lesse having before sworne to reforme according to Gods Word afterwards sweare to do it according to the example of other Churches to have proceeded from the Scots who having no better plea from Gods Word than others will yet challenge our Covenanteers upon this Clause to declare them the best reformed Church or otherwise why did they abjure their own and sweare to preserve the Scotish Church Government which though it be none of the best yet our men have thus farre followed the Scotish Example not of any other Reformed Church Some want Bishops because they cannot tell how to have them their Princes being of a different Religion wil allow none but of their own Some enjoy the Thing under another name of Superintendents Some are willingly without them because settled in such a Government as they finde most suitable with a popular State and dare not venter upon a change But I have not heard of any Church the Scotish excepted which ever cast out her Bishops by violence if they were of the same Religion and vowed to root them out by the sword contrary to the Law and command of the Supreme Magistrate If Scotland be not in this an Example to our men as some of their Apologetiques profe●se they are not then I am confident this course of Reformation is without Example in the sight of men I wish it be not without excuse in the eye● of God III. In the next Clause I doubt the Scots have put another slurre upon the rest of our Covenanteers who having got them first to sweare the preservation of the Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government in the Church of Scotland have induced them since to vow their endeavours to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdomes to the nearest coniunction and uniformity in all these particulars For there being no meanes imaginable by which this nearest Coniu●ction may be obtained but either by a mutuall condescension of all the three Churches or an absolute submission of some two to the third all hopes of condescending in Scotland by the former part of the Oath being taken away it remaines that the other two must totally sit down and submit to the Scots Onely endeavour fully to informe themselves what the Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government of the Scotish Kirke is and then they have no more to do but conforme to it Againe though a tolerable uniformity in all the three Kingdomes were much to be wished and by all lawfull meanes to be endeavoured yet the very nearest coniunction is not fit to be sworne That excludes all variety not onely in Confession of Faith and Forme of Ecclesiasticall Government but in rites of Worship and rules of Catechizing for if any difference be admitted the conjunction is not simply nearest Nor perhaps is such an absolute uniformity morally possible All men will never be of one minde and the●efore a mutuall toleration in some things may conduce more to the preservation of the Church than a violent Conformity The Apostles times had

of them before the preservation of the common Liberty His Majesties Person and Authority For so it is declared q that the Kings Authority and Person can be no way maintained bu● by upholding the power and priviledges of Parliament V. That passage where they sweare the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Malignants c. carries with it a probable injustice and certaine inconvenience For it engageth every Covenanteer not onely to be a common delator and accuser of his Brethren but even of himselfe too if he ever were or shall be any way guilty The old Oath Ex officio so long cryed out upon as unnaturall and injust that it was thought fit to be abolished by an r Act made this Parliament was not halfe so bad as this new Oath is For by this a man sweares to discover himselfe though there be no common fame against him never any suspition of him though no Iudge ever question him no other person accuse him though he be now reformed and have altered his resolution yet if he was ever peccant he is bound by this Oath to discover himselfe that he may come to his tryall and so receive condign● punishment VI That last clause to bring all to publique triall that they may receive condigne punishment carries fire in the taile of it sufficient to consume the better halfe of the Kingdome It is but a small matter to tell their Souldiers that if they deny Quarter to any Malignants in his Majesties Army they are guilty of perjury by anticipating that tryall which by this Oath they shall be brought to I shall rather apply my selfe to the Lords and Commons at Westminster who have already passed sentence s That all such persons as upon any pretence whatsoever assist his Majesty in this Warre with Horse Armes Plate or mony are Traitors unparalleld Traitors and ought to suffer as Traitors and their punishment is here Vowed as it was before threatened to be speedy and exemplary How the King of Denmarke or the Prince of Orange will escape does lesse Trouble me then to see the sworne cruelty of these Covenanters who have vowed the hanging of the greater part of this Kingdome and without any hope of mercy or pardon If it were to be doubted which party were guilty of Treason those whom the King hath proclaime● or whom these Votes have declared yet this is out of question that many who sometimes assisted the one are now turned to the other side many yet perhaps assist that party with money to which they are lesse cordially inclined if all these as they are declared Traitors for so doing t upon whatsoever pretence they did it must suffer the condigne punishment of Traitors the Covenanteers will have as little comfort in the payment of this Vow as Iephta had in his If the City be not startled at this consequence yet for pities sake to their poore friends in the Countrey who have payed Contributions to His Majesties Army let them put on some bowels of compassion let not judgement so farre triumph over mercy as to vow nothing but punishment no pardon Why should they devote that little blood to the axe or the halter which the sword shall spare in this gasping Kingdome We have not forgotten him that told us what we now finde they were not in a right way that made choice of such a Rubricke to their Reformation And those who Sit and Vote and vow to punish according to those Votes may remember if we be Traitours it is not long since they were so and it is not certain what they may be VII When each man has sworne to go before another in the example of a reall Reformation he is bound upon his Oath not to expect till a generall Reformation be publiquely debated and agreed upon not to forbeare till he see whether the right rule will be commended to him in an orderly way he must not stay for the command of Authority or company of his neighbours but where he conceives the Doctrine to be erroneous the Worship superstitious or otherwise faulty the Discipline and Government not so exactly according to the Word he must presently fall aboard with his Reformation worke publiquely professe what his opinion is and apply himselfe to the practice of that which he is perswaded in his own conscience is right and must endeavour to set up that Idoll in the Church which he has already erected in his own imagination and labour to extirpate all that oppose it and refuse to bow down to it that so he may go before others in the example of a reall Reformation And surely those Brethren in London who begin to joyne themselves into Church Societies are thus farre to be commended What though it be as the u Assembly tell them unfit uncomfortable unseasonable yet being by them iudged lawfull now after they have sworne it becomes necessary And I wonder why the Presbyterians should not be as zealous in fetting up their Government and endeavouring to goe before others in an exemplary way I wish they would begin their Reformation in London with extirpation of Schisme which it will be no hard matter to finde and by that time it shall be extirpate out of the City Religion and Peace may once again revisit the Countrey CHAP. VII That many things vowed in this Covenant are not possible to be fulfilled TO make good this charge which is a further ●vidence of injustice in the Covenant as involving the takers in down-right perjury we shall propose such particulars as are either morally or absolutely impossible to be performed I. That constancy of endeavour and zealous continuance which they sweare to use all the dayes of their lives in the observance of most Articles is more than they can assure the work of Reformation may be longer and their other avocations greater than they imagine and in the interim of their hopes their endeavours may flagge and their zeale remit Besides the particulars of their Vow are so many and of so different natures as must needs distract their thought● and employments which being fixed upon some must divert their endeavours from the rest And if they shall in truth all the dayes of their lives endeavour to extirpate the Government of the Church they will never live to effect it II. The mutuall preservation of the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments in all three Kingdomes cannot alwayes be possible To evidence this Truth I shall suppose what the Covenanteers will easily grant First that the word Parliament is here secondarily if not principally intended for the two Houses in the respective Kingdomes exclusively to the King Secondly that the Parliament of Scotland if not that of Ireland hath as much right and priviledge to all intents and purposes concerning that Kingdome as our Parliament has in relation to England Thirdly that whatsoever Rights and Priviledges have been challenged by our Lords and Commons of this Parliament are

an alteration however veiled under the specious title of Reformation is a thing not onely directly contrary to the positive Constitutions of these Kingdomes and without warrant or example from divine Law but utterly against Scripture Reason the practice of the true Church of God in all ages the very nature of Religion it selfe and the common principles of civill Policie I might for methods sake parcell this Section and shew first that all force for Religion Secondly that all force against the King is unlawfull But because I find both swords united in the present undertakings of the Covenanteers I shall not divide them in my discourse 1. First That to labour the advancement of Religion by way of Force contrary to established Lawes and the Prince's will has no warrant by way of command or approbation from Gods word must be taken for granted till those who are otherwise minded can shew the contrary and will be needlesse to perswade if we prove in the second place that it is against expresse testimony of Scripture Our Saviour a professeth his Kingdome is not of this world and addes for then would my servants fight Which words as they evince that it is lawfull for Subjects to fight at the command of their temporall King for the maintenance of his wordly Estate so doe they insinuate that Christs Kingdome being Spirituall cannot must not be advanced by temporall Armes b The weapons of our Spirituall Militia are not carnall but Spirituall We have no command from Christ our spirituall Head to kill and slay the common enemies of our Religion but contrarywise to c pray for our persecutors not to resist evill Perhaps upon the same conceit o● Gods glory and advancement of their Religion they persecute us as we Vow to extirpat● them St Paul out of the abundance of Zeale d {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} did at first e persecute the Saints of God yet not without f authority from the Magistrate and therefore his case was different from this of the Covenanteers and he obtained pardon it was a sinne then because he did it ignorantly Our Saviour left it not untold to his Disciples and in them to the Church g that the time would come that whosoever killed them would think he did God service those very murtherers had the glory of God for their ends but that could not excuse their actions Heu primae scelerum causae mortalibus aegris Naturam nescire Dei They were truely ignorant of those meanes which God requires for the advancement of his Kingdome h These things they will doe because they have not known the Father nor me He will not have the i tares extirpate out of his field the Church till the time of harvest and by the proper reapers k M. Nye in his exhortation to the Covenant has made choyce of a text sufficient to break the neck of it He bids us be zealous as Christ was to cast out all he never cast out any by fire and sword but let us doe it in an orderly way and with the Spirit of Christ whose servants we are l The servant of the Lord must not strive sure then he must not kill and slay but be gentle to all men I hope Papists and Prelates may passe for men apt to teach not to inforce Patient not violent in meeknesse instructing not in fiercenesse consumeing destroying extirpating those that oppose If Seditions Tumults Insurrections Rebellion● must goe current for Discipline and Order if the takeing up of Armes defensive or offensive be a worke of patience and meeknesse if the Spirit ●f contradiction be more conformable to the Spirit of Christ then that of suffering the Lord be Iudge for amongst men great Authors are produced on both sides The cheife Covenanters m call it a Spirit of slavery and n advise all to make use of that defence which Nature teacheth every man to provide for But God in Scripture teacheth no such matter o he commands every man to be conformable to the image of his Sonne if we suffer with him that we may be also glorified with him 3. Thirdly this course is against the nature of Religion it selfe For Faith the soule of Religion is an inward act of the Soule which all the Tyranny in the world that the malice of the Divell can invent or the wit of man exercise can neither plant where it is not nor extirpate where it is It is the guift of God freely begotten in the hearts of men not by threat● and terrours not by torture● and Massacres but by the quiet still voyce of the word preached S●adenda non c●genda And therefore St Paul though a lawfull Governour in the Church flatly disclaimes any p domineering power over the Conscience A● for the outward profession of Religion neither is that subject to Force and violence A man may confesse Christ and his Faith in him as freely in bonds as at liberty as gloriously upon the Crosse as upon the throne Feare indeed may incline a weak conscience to dissemble his opinion but cannot constraine him to alter it Fire and Faggot are strong arguments of a weak cause undeniable evidences of cruelty in those that use them but slender motives of credibility to beget Faith in those that suffer by them Lastly for the externall free and publique practice of Religiou● duties that I grant may be restrained by the outward violence of man but when it is so it is not required by God who never expects to reap what he did not sow 4. Fourthly it is against the constant commendable practice of the true Church of God in all ages The Saducees tho●gh they denied the Resurrection and many other Truths in Religion were tolerated in the Church of the Iewes and our Saviour convinceth them by strength of argument not of armes The example of Christ and his Apostles is beyond all exception worthy our best imitation When many of his Disciples did apostate he used no violence to reduce them but mildly said unto the Twelve q Will yee also go away When the Samaritans who were of a different Religion neglected to entertain him because his face was towards Ierusalem the place of the true Worship he sharply r rebuked those sonne● of thunder who would have consumed them with a shower of fire When Peter thought to have defended him by force against a suddain assault made by the servants of the High Priest the Ministers to execute an unlawfull command but imployed by the lawfull Magistrate who by destroying the Master had no other intention but to extirpate that Religion which he had planted he commands him to s put up his sword for all that take the sword though it be in defence of true Religion yet if it be against the command of the lawfull Magistrate shall perish by the sword And as himselfe was content to suffer an ignominious Death upon

Religion against the Civill Lawes and will of their Prince whosoever has a minde to rebell may do it upon the same pretence and ought not to be questioned by any humane Authority for though they do but pretend Religion yet is it impossible for any Iudge to convince them of such pretence not can any thing be urged in defence of the true Religion which may not be made use of by a false II. The extirpation of that ancient Government by Bishops which has obtained in England ever since the first plantation of Christianity in this Nation to which we principally owe the Reformation of that Religion we now professe of which none have been more zealous more able propugners than our English Bishops who by their constant preaching of it their learned Writings for it their pious living in it and patient dying for it have sealed unto us that pretious Fai●h through which we hope by the mercy of God for the salvation of our soules who have b●en the Founders or most eminent Benefactours of most Churches Colledges Schooles Hospitalls and other publique Monuments of piety and devotion which have rendered this Nation so famous abroad and so magnificent at home Of whose Government all the Clergy of this Land have testified their solemne approbation at their entrance into holy Orders and to whom all beneficed Ministers have sworne obedience at their institution and therefore it was b M. Bagshawes Argument if ever they assent to the alteration of this Government they are really periured Which H●s Majesty and all His Royall Predecessors at their Coronation have by a more particular and solemne Oath vowed to protect which God himselfe by extraordinary blessings from Heaven as King c Iames of blessed Memory did acknowledge has approved and ratified Which by the Catholique consent of the Churches of Christendome both in Asia Africk Greece Russia and other parts of Europe that never acknowledged any subjection to or dependence on the See of Rome hath been constantly embraced and the oppugners of it universally branded for Heretiques which in most of those few Churches that want it by their best and ablest Members hath been frequently desired which of all other formes has undoubtedly the best title to Divine or Apostolicall Institution Against which nothing is or ever could be justly objected but the humane infirmities and personall failings of some particular men from which no Government is or can be totally exempt If it be not unlawfull to sweare the Extirpation of this Government so deeply rooted by the fundamentall Lawes of this Kingdome both Common and Statute as Monarchy it selfe or the new-named Soveraigne Power of Parliaments cannot pretend to be built upon a surer foundation let it be piously and prudently considered whether the same Engines by which the Covenanteers would subvert the Government of the Church will not be of equall ●trength and fitnesse to pull up the Government of the State Suppose neither King nor Bishop were of divine Right certainly Parliaments are not Suppose both Kings and Bishops faile in the performance of their trust is there no expedient but the Government must be abolished Sure it is not impossible for Parliaments to be guilty of a like defailer must they be exposed to the like justice No Bishop no King is granted to be an old received truth by d one who was none of the best friends to either Government When I consult with history and experience and behold the example of some Neighbour Nations I say no more but Vestigia terrent A strict account must one day be given for every drop of Christian blood that has been shed in the common Cock-pit of Europe these fourescore yeares last past III. If it were as certainly true as it is prodigiously false that Episcopacy were an Antichristian invention and therefore fit to be abolished yet it would concerne our Reformers to provide us of another Government before they take this away If Christ did indeed prescribe one set Forme to be perpetually and universally observed in his Church and Episcopacy be not that one as we contend it is let our adversaries first agree amongst themselves what it is and we shall then know how to proportion our conformity to the authority and reasons of those that enjoyne it Or if it were left at large in the power of the Church Catholique or particular to ordaine what Forme she shall think most convenient we still demand who that Church is and what that Forme must be here in England In the meane time this is certaine in it selfe and generally acknowledged on all hands an absurdity so grosse as cannot fall into the imagination of any Christian that Christ should at any time be thought to have a Church without any Government or that it should be in the power of any man I doe not except a Parliament to extirpate the present and so leave the Church voyd of all Government I e read indeed of a Law amongst the Persians that after the death of the King there should be a five dayes Cessation of all Law and Government {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that the People by that want might learne to know what a great blessing it is to enjoy the Ki●g and the Law As the end was good so in a civill State the thing was not injust But in a Church the case is quite otherwise The time was when the House of Commons took it for an imputation cast upon them by Malignants against whom they remonstrate to the Kingdome in these words f They inf●se into the People that we meane to abolish all Church-Government and leave every man to his owne fancy for the service and worship of God absolving him of that obedience which he owes under God unto his Majesty whom we know to be intrusted with the Ecclesiasticall Law as well as with the Temporall to regulate all the Members of the Church of England by such rules of Order and Discipline as are established by Parliament Were that House now turned Covenanteers I should say those Malignants if they were bad Counsellours were good Prophets Is not all that a present Truth which is here laid down as a false aspersion When the Government by Arch-bishops Bishops Chancellours Commissaries Deanes Archdeacons and all other Ecclesiasticall Officers is according to the tenour of this Covenant utterly extirpate if all Church Government be not taken away let them shew us what remaines if every man be not left to his own fancy for the service of God let them say what other rule the Covenanteers have to walke by while they are in expectation of a new Directory If the rules of Order and Discipline by which the Bishops did governe under the King be established by Parliament and no other so much as pretended so to be if his Majesty require obedience to these Rules according to those Lawes with the execution whereof next under God he is intrusted when the Covenanteers not onely refuse

losse of the Head or by consumption of the inferiour Members these are scruples which others may resolve But if Treason be a charge which a Parliament cannot be capable of as they n declare it is and I believe it to be true because perhaps as some Romish Doctours have asserted the Popes infallibility teaching that he cannot erre as Pope for if he do he ceaseth to be Pope so if the maior part of one or both Houses shall consent unto approve or command any treasonable Act they thereby cease to be a Parliament who are presumed in Law to be no lesse than they professe His Maiesties faithfull and loyall Subiects Then if the Members at Westminster by raising Warre against the King o by forging a new Great Seale and declaring the old one by which they were called and do sit to be of no force by calling in an Army of strangers or by any other Act or Vote of theirs be trul● guilty of that charge ●hey are no longer to be looked upon as a Parliament Lastly if the equitable sense of the Law may take place here which has been pressed so much in other cases it must be acknowledged that the Essence of that great Councell does not consist in the place but the persons for the place may be changed yet the Parliament remain still the same When we see farre more of the Lords with his Majesty than at Westminster when we finde upon strict account that the maior part of the Commons are either driv●n away or have deserted that Cause when we observe how many Members of either House do daily hazard or have already spent their lives in the service against it when we weigh their qualities abilities and estates with those of their opposites and finde them to be men of the best ranke in their Countries of known integrity for their lives of unspotted zeale to Religion of sound judgement and knowledge in Law of publique thoughts to the good of the Kingdome as well as loyalty to the Ki●g which hath engaged them in this Warre by which they have lost more already than the opposite Faction ever had and expect to gain nothing but the testimony of a good conscience when we consider how many of those that are most active at Westminster by reason of their undue election had never any right to sit there and suppose that many others still remaining are not alwayes carried along with the streame when we remember by what meanes the Bishops who are acknowledged by Parliament to represent one of p the three Estates of the Realme were thrust out contrary to the Fundamentall Law and how by that meanes all succeeding exorbitancies have been falsly fathered upon the Parliament we cannot but pronounce upon these premises that the Parliament is in truth for that cause which is owned by his Majesty and not for that which passeth under the false usurped name of King and Parliament CHAP. XII The true End of framing and enjoyning this Covenant the bringing in of the Scots absolutely unlawfull HAving done with the many specious and pretended Ends of the Covenant we are come to the true End of Covenanting at this time which the Schooles would call Finis applicationis finis operantis This in particular persons may be divers as the desire of advancement in some the hope of impunity in others but the main general End which first set the Contrivers on worke about framing this Covenant and keepes them still at it by pressing it upon this Kingdom was the bringing in of the Scots a The Covenant is one of the postnati of that Kingdome it was begotten and borne in Edinborough onely our English Commissioner● played the Midwives and helped to licke it over into some fashion Vnlesse the Faction in England would engage themselves and their Adherents in such a Combination those conscientious Brethren of Scotland refused to assist in this Rebellion as they are now ready to do being upon their march to invade us A thing so repugnant to the Weale of this Kingdome that no true English heart but will abhorre the mention of it and so unjustifiable in respect of them that no Scot who has any sense of Religion to God of gratitude and duty to their native King or of brotherly charity to this neighbour Nation will ever dare to draw his sword in this quarrell I. First how farre it may endanger the being of this Kingdome to admit an Army of strangers into her bowels none such an infant in discretion or History but is able to descerne The calling in of forreigne Force if it were not Treason by Law is a thing so odious in Nature to any that is touched with affection to his native Countrey that his Majesties greatest Enemies could not suggest a calumny more malicious against him nor more powerfull to steale away his Sub●ects hearts from him than by giving out that he intended to make use of forreigne aide when they supposed they had brought him to so low an ebbe that he would never finde sufficient succour from his own Subjects They are now driven to as great an exigency and make no scruple of acting that course which no necessity would suffer to enter into the Kings thoughts Such was his tender care and fatherly affection to His people He chose rather to run the hazard of His owne ruine then owe his preservation to any hands but such as God should raise up in his defence among His owne Subjects These waies of the Covenanteers doe both justifie the Commission of Array against all their former objections which grant it lawfull in the comming in of strange enemies and if His Majesty should follow their example and hire an army to assist him from some other Nation whatever were the consequents of it they must beare the blame that first led the way and he would be clear before God and man II. Secondly this intended invasion is so injust in respect of the Scots that all who heare of it must cry shame upon them who at the same time enter into a solemne Vow inviolably to observe the Articles of the late Treaty of Peace betwixt the two Nations and to endeavour that they may remaine conjoyned in a firme peace and union to all posterity and that justice may be done upon the wilfull opposers thereof and at the same time seise upon Berwick and put a Garrison in i● contrary to an expresse Article of that Treaty of Peace so lately concluded and setled by both Parliaments and are now upon the poynt to power an Army into this Kingdome whereby it appeares that though we made peace with them they made none with us and we conclude as a former b Parliament did against them that it were better for us to be at open war with them then under such a feigned peace III. They cannot say nor doe they pretend that any one Article was violated upon our part unlesse it were by those whom they come to