The Snare is Broken, Title page – Prefatory letter
The Snare is broken. Wherein is proved by Scripture, Law and Reaſon, that the NATIONALL COVENANT and OATH was unlawfully given and taken: And whatſoever may be probably pretended or objected for it, is fully anſwered, and refuted. HERE ALSO Is vindicated the PARLIAMENTS later proceedings: Shewing the Grounds and Principles of the LONDON MINISTERS to be weak and unſound, and ſo their Accuſations and Charges againſt the State, falſe and ſcandalous. Moreover ſomething is ſaid Againſt Violence in Religion, and the duty of the Civill Magiſtrate about Worſhip and Church-Government.
By JOHN CANNE.
1 Sam. 15. 22, 23.
Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and ſacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better then ſacrifice: and to hearken, then the fat of rammes.
For rebellion is as the ſin of witchcraft, and ſtubbornneſſe is as iniquitie and idolatry.
Publiſhed by Authority.
LONDON, Printed for M. Simmons in Alderſgate ſtreet. 1649.
To the Right Honourable the COMMONS of England Aſſembled in Parliament.
SIRS,
As ave obſerved the ſeverall Actings of ſome men againſt you: ſo I have endeavoured to find out the riſe and ground of their evil working to blaſt and diſ…oner your lawfull and good proceedings. With one particular I have here dealt, and done you and the Nation (I hope) ſome good ſervice in it: and (by the good band of God aſſiſting me) the reſt ſhall ſpeedily follow. For it would be a great ſhame and diſhonour to the well affected partie, if they ſhould not manifeſt as much zeal to God, thankfulneſſe and love towards you, by letting the people ſee the juſtneſſe of your Adminiſtrations: as ill men, and diſaffected, are ſtudious and diligent to make You and your well-deſerving ſervices odious and diſtaſtfull to the Nation. The truth is, the deſire of the upright and meek ones every where, and their fervent prayer daily poured forth to God, is, that ſeeing many do watch for your halting, the Lord in mercy will be pleaſed, ſo to direct, guide and counſell You, as You may cut off occaſion from them that deſire occaſion, and all iniquitie may ſtop her mouth.
For the Nationall Covenant which is the ſubject of this Diſcourſe: I have onelyonly one requeſt to move unto You about it. How You are traduced and vilely abuſed by ſome mens looſe tongues and pens, for not advancing it more, and more preſſing the keeping, in their ſenſe, I need not ſpeak of it, You know it too well: And therefore I humbly conceive ſeeing it is here manifeſtly proved, that the Oath was unlawfully given and taken, and ſo not binding the Conſcience, neither to be kept, there is great cauſe and reaſon that the whole Kingdom from your Houſe ſhould publickly underſtand ſo much: For ſo doing, God ſhall have much glory by mens repenting of it, You cleared from many foul aſperſions, many treacherous and dangerous deſignes prevented, and ſuch … have not taken it, preſerved from the ſnare thereof.
You know well enough, and are very ſenſible, what a ſtir is kept, what a controverſie and adoe there is made, between partie and partie, Kingdom and Kingdom about this Some have compared the Covenant to an old Almana…k out of date but it was never in date: not good the firſt yeer when it was made.Nothing, every ſide juſtifies it ſelf, and chargeth the other with a breach: And without doubt the contention about this Covenant will continue, yea I fear riſe higher, and break out into a greater flame, if the right way be not wiſely taken: for ſo long as the lawfulneſſe of the Oath is not queſtioned, but rather a pleading for the keeping of it, the differences can never be reconciled or taken up: But if the other way (which is Gods way and ſo to follow him) be practiſed, there is reaſon to hope that a bleſſing and much good will ſpeedily follow.
I am the more encouraged to ſpeak thus unto you, becauſe among other abuſes reformed, You have aIn the Oath mini ſtred to the preſent Lord Mayor.lately (and very well) done ſome thing this way; But under favour this Oath being National… and more preju…ciall, it ſhould therefore be rather minded, and ſomething the more done in it, to remove ſo great an evill and crying ſin from and off the Land.
You have formerly declared and ſtill do, that your Houſe and heart ſhall be ever open to receive and hear P…itious: Gentlemen … Addreſſe here to you is for God, for Chriſt, for So…s: and …ſy… hear me▪ … f…fil my joy.
It is ſaid of one Terenti… a great Commander under Va…e…s a… Arrian Emperour, being returned from Armenia with a mighty victory, bTheod. li. 4. c 32. hiſt. E cc.Emperour bid him ask what he would for a reward of his ſervice: Whereupon he deſired, that the Orthodox Chriſtians might have a publick place in the City of Antioch to meet in, for the worſhip and ſervice of God: the Emperor diſpleaſed hereat rent the Petition, and caſt it to the ground, wiſhing him to ask ſome other thing. Terentius firſt gathered up the pieces, then afterwards replyed: I would (ſaith he) have accepted this as a full reward, but being denyed I ſhall defire no other thing. I have no fear nor cauſe to fear, that this Petition of mine ſhall be denyed: But if it ſhould, and lye torn and ſeattered in Your Houſe, and I were bid to ask ſome thing for my ſelf, I would even take up the pieces & be ſilent: & not ſpeak there for my ſelf, where I could not be heard for my God. But how ſoever it be, this ſhall be my comfort, I have herein diſcharged my duty, and quitted my ſelf from the guilt of blood.
Neither let the weakneſſe, meanneſſe, unworth…neſſe, or what elſe may be applyed to your Petitioner be any cauſe that You ſhould the leſſe reſpect the matter which is not his but Chriſts. Great wiſe men in times paſt have not diſdained to follow the advice of ſimple men. It is reported of Zenophon, that be cZenoph. Expeded. Cyr. 3. & Cyr. 4. d Saluſt. bell. Iugurth. … Philip. Comin▪ li. 7.gave order to his Attendants to awake him if he were aſleep, whenſoever any one brought him news: and he would never refuſe to hear the counſell of any private Souldier. And of Marius it is ſaid, d that taking the adviſe of a common Souldier, he won a ſtrong Caſtle in Numidia. Whereas on the contrary, Charles the laſt Duke of Burgundie frefuſing to hear a priſoner, and doing all things upon his own head, without admitting any relation or counſel of others, fell into the traps of Campo…achos treaſon, was defeated by the Switzers, and by them miſerably ſlain at Nancy.
For concluſion, were I not confident and moſt certain of the truth by me here aſſerted, I ſhould not du…ſt have moved this matter to You with ſo much boldneſſe: and for the proof I refer You to the Arguments and Reaſons in the Treatiſe: and ſo I reſt, and am
Yours, to ſerve You in and for the Truth: John Canne. Bowe, April 21. 1649.