A Phoenix, Declaration
A Declaration by the Kings Majeſty, to all His Subjects of the Kingdomes of Scotland, England, and Ireland. Printed at Edinburgh, 1650.
Sect. 1. HIs Majeſty taking in conſideration, that mercifull Diſpenſation of Divine Providence, by which he hath been recovered out of the ſnare of Evil Counſel; and having attained ſo full perſwaſion and confidence of the Loyalty of his People in Scotland, with whom he hath too long ſtood at a diſtance; and of the Righteouſneſſe of their Cauſe, as to joyn in one Covenant with them, and to caſt himſelf and his Intereſts wholly upon God; and in all matters Civil, to follow the Advice of his Parliament, and ſuch as ſhall be intruſted by them; and in all matters Eccleſiaſtick, the Advice of the General Aſſembly, and their Commiſſioners; and being ſenſible of his duty to God, and deſirous to approve himſelf to the conſciences of all his good Subjects, and to ſtop the mouthes of his and their enemies and Traducers, doth in reference to his former Deportments, and as to his Reſolutions for the future, Declare as followes.
Sect. 2. Though his Majeſty, as a dutiful Son be obliged to honour the memory of his Royal Father, and have in eſtimation the perſon of his Mother; yet doth He deſire to be deeply humbled and afflicted in Spirit before God, becauſe of His Fathers hearkning to, and following evil Counſels, and His oppoſition to the Work of Reformation, and to the Solemn League and Covenant, by which ſo much of the bloud of the Lords People hath been ſhed in theſe Kingdomes; and for the Idolatry of his Mother, the Toleration whereof in the Kings Houſe, as it was matter of great ſtumbling to all the Proteſtant Churches; ſo could it not but be an high provocation againſt him who is a jealous God, viſiting the ſins of the Fathers upon the Children: And albeit HIs Majeſty might extenuate His former Carriages and Actions, in following of the advice, and walking in the way of thoſe who are oppoſite to the Covenant, and to the work of God, and might excuſe His delaying to give ſatisfaction to the juſt and neceſſary deſires of the Kirk and Kingdome of Scotland, from his education, and age, and evil Counſel, and Company, and from the ſtrange and inſolent proceedings of Sectaries againſt his Royal Father, and in reference to Religion, and the ancient Government of the Kingdome of England, to which He hath the undoubted Right of Succeſſion; yet knowing that he hath to do with God, He doth ingeniouſly acknowledge all His own ſins, and all the ſins of his Fathers Houſe, craving pardon, and hoping for mercy and reconciliation through the bloud of Jeſus Chriſt. And as he doth value the conſtant Addreſſes that were made by his people to the Throne of grace on His behalf, when He ſtood in oppoſition to the work of God, as a ſingular Teſtimony of Long-ſuffering, Patience and mercy upon the Lords part, and Loyalty upon theirs; ſo doth He hope, and ſhall take it as one of the greateſt tokens of their love and affection to Him and to His Government, That they will continue in Prayer and Supplication to God for Him; That the Lord who ſpared and preſerved Him to this day, notwithſtanding of all His own guiltineſſe, may be at peace with Him, and give him to fear the Lord His God, and to ſerve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind all the dayes of his life.
Sect. 3. And his Majeſty having, upon full perſwaſion of the Juſtice and Equity of all the Heads and Articles thereof, now Sworn, and ſubſcribed the National Covenant of the Kingdome of Scotland, and the Solemne League and Covenant of the three Kingdomes of Scotland, England, and Ireland, doth declare, That He hath not ſworn and ſubſcribed theſe Covenants, and entred into the Oath of God with his People, upon any ſiniſter Intention and crooked Deſign, for attaining His own Ends; but, ſo far as Humane Weakneſſe will permit, in the truth and ſincerity of His heart: And that He is firmly Reſolved in the Lords ſtrength, to adhere thereto, and to proſecute to the utmoſt of his power, all the Ends thereof, in his Station and Calling, really, conſtantly and ſincerely, all the dayes of his life. In order to which, He doth in the firſt place profeſſe and Declare, That He will have no Enemies, but the Enemies of the Covenant; and that He will have no Friends, but the Friends of the Covenant: And therefore, as He doth now deteſt and abhorre all Popery, Superſtition and Idolatry, together with Prelacy, and all Errors, Hereſie, Schiſme and Prophaneneſſe, and reſolves not to tolerate, much leſſe allow any of theſe in any part of His Majeſties Dominions, but to oppoſe Himſelf thereto, and to endeavour the Extirpacion thereof to the utm…ſt of his power; ſo doth He as a Chriſtian Exhort, and as a King require, That all ſuch of his Subjects, who have ſtood in Oppoſition to the Solemn League and Covenant, and Work of Reformation, upon a pretence of Kingly Intereſt, or any other pretext whatſoever, to lay down their Enmity againſt the Cauſe and People of God, and to ceaſe to prefer the Intereſt of Man to the Intereſt of God; which hath been one of thoſe things which hath occaſioned many Troubles and Calamities in theſe Kingdomes, and being inſiſted into, will be ſo far from Eſtabliſhing of the Kings Throne, that it will prove an Idol of Jealouſie, to provoke unto wrath him who is King King of kings, and Lord of lords. The King ſhall alwayes eſteem them beſt Servants, and moſt loyal Subjects, who ſerve Him, and ſeek His Greatneſſe in a right line of ſubordination unto God; Giving unto God the things that are Gods, and unto Caeſar the things that are Caeſars: And Reſolveth, not to love or countenance any who have ſo little Conſcience and Piety, as to follow his Intereſts with a prejudice to the Goſpel and Kingdome of Jeſus Chriſt, which He looks not upon as a duty, but as flattery, and driving Self-Deſignes, under a pretence of maintaining Royall Authority and Greatneſſe. Secondly, His Majeſty being convinced in Conſcience of the exceeding great Sinfulneſs and Unlawfulneſs of that Treaty and Peace made with the Bloody Iriſh Rebels, who treacherouſly ſhed the Blood of ſo many of His Faithful and Loyal Subjects in Ireland, and of allowing unto them the Liberty of the Popiſh Religion; for the which He doth from His heart deſire to be deeply humbled before the Lord: And likewiſe conſidering how many Breaches have been on their part, Doth Declare the ſame to be void, and that His Majeſty is abſolved therefrom; being truly ſorry that He ſhould have ſought unto ſo unlawful Help for Reſtoring of him to His Throne, and reſolving, for the time to come, rather to chooſe Affliction than Sin. Thirdly, As His Majeſty did in the late Treaty with His people in this Kingdom, agree to recall and annull all Commiſſions againſt any of His Subjects who did adhere to the Covenant and Monarchical Government in any of His Kingdoms: So doth He now Declare, That by Commiſſionating of ſome perſons by Sea againſt the people of England, He did not intend Damage or Injury to His oppreſt and harmleſſe Subjects in tha… Kingdom, who follow their Trade of Merchandize in their lawful Callings, but onelyonly the oppoſing and ſuppreſſing of thoſe who had Uſurped the Government; and not only bar Him from his juſt Right, but alſo exerciſe an Arbitrary Power over his people, in thoſe things which concern their Perſons, Conſciences and Eſtates: And as ſince His coming into Scotland He hath given no Commiſſions againſt any of His Subjects in England or Ireland, ſo He doth hereby Aſſure and Declare, That He will give none to their prejudice or damage; and whatever ſhall be the Wrongs of theſe Uſurpers, That He will be far from avenging theſe upon any who are free thereof, by interrupting or ſtopping the liberty of Trade and Merchandize, or otherwiſe, That He will ſeek their good, and to the utmoſt employ His Royal Power, That they may be protected and defended againſt the unjuſt Violence of all men whatſoever. And albeit His Majeſty deſires to conſtruct well of the Intentions of thoſe (in reference to his Majeſty) who have been active in Council or Arms againſt the Covenant; yet, being convinced that it doth conduce for the Honour of God, the Good of his Cauſe, and His Own Honour and Happineſſe, and for the Peace and Safety of theſe Kingdoms, That ſuch be not employed in Places of Power and Truſt, He doth Declare, That He will not employ, nor give Commiſſions to any ſuch, until they have not onelyonly taken, or renewed the Covenant, but alſo have given ſufficient evidences of their Integrity, Carriage and Affection to the Work of Reformation, and ſhall be declared capable of Truſt by the Parliament of either Kingdom reſpective: And His Majeſty, upon the ſame grounds, doth hereby recal all Commiſſions given to any ſuch perſons; conceiving all ſuch perſons will ſo much tender a good Underſtanding betwixt Him and His Subjects, and the ſettling and preſerving a firm Peace in theſe kingdoms, That they will not grudge nor repine at His Majeſties Reſolutions and proceedings herein, much leſs upon diſcontent act any any thing in a divided way, unto the raiſing of New Troubles, eſpecially ſince upon their …ious and good deportment, there is a Regreſſe left unto them in manner above expreſs'd.
Sect. 4. And as His Majeſty hath given ſatisfaction to the juſt and neceſſary Deſires of the kirk and kingdome of Scotland, ſo doth He hereby aſſure and declare, That He is no leſs willing and deſirous to give ſatisfaction to the juſt and neceſſary Deſires of his good Subjects in England and Ireland: and in token thereof, if the Houſes of Parliament of England, ſitting in Freedome ſhall think fit to preſent unto Him the propoſitions of Peace, agreed upon by both kingdoms, He will not only accord to the ſame, and ſuch alterations there: anent, as the Houſes of Parliament, in regard of the Conſtitution of affairs, and the good of his Majeſty and His Kingdoms ſhall judge neceſſary, but do what is further neceſſary for proſecuting the ends of the Solemne League and Covenant, eſpecially in thoſe things which concern the Reformation of the Church of England, in Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline and Government; That not only the Directory of Worſhip, the Confeſſion of Faith and Catechiſm, but alſo the Propoſitions and Directory for Church-Government, accorded upon by the Synod of Divines at Weſtminſter, may be ſettled; and that the Church of England may enjoy the full Liberty and Freedome of all Aſſembles, and power of Kirk-Cenſures, and of all the Ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt, according to the Rule of his own Word: And that whatſoever is commanded by the God of Heaven, may be diligently done for the Houſe of the God of Heaven; and, whatever heretofore hath been the ſuggeſtions of ſome to him to render his Majeſty jealous of His Parliament, and of the Servants of God: Yet as He hath declared, that in Scotland He will hearken to their Counſel, and follow their Advice in thoſe things that concern that Kingdome and Kirk; So doth he alſo declare His firm Reſolution to manage the Government of the Kingdome of England by the Advice of His Parliament, conſiſting of an Houſe of Lords, and of an Houſe of Commons there; and in thoſe things that concern Religion, to prefer the Counſels of the Miniſters of the Goſpel, to all other counſels whatſoever. And that all the world may ſee how much he tenders the ſafety of his people, and how precious their bloud is in his ſight, and how deſirous he is to recover his Crown and Government in England by peaceable meanes; as he doth eſteem the ſervice of thoſe who firſt engaged in the Covenant, and have ſince that time faithfully followed the ends thereof, to be Duty to God, and Loyalty to Him; ſo is he willing in regard of others, who have been involved in theſe late commotions in England, againſt Religion and Government, to paſſe an Act of Oblivion, excepting only ſome few in that Nation, who have been chief Obſtructers of the work of Reformation, and chief Authors of the change of the Government, and of the Murther of his Royal Father. Provided, That theſe who are to have the benefit of this Act, lay down Armes, and return unto the obedience of their lawful Soveraign.
Sect. 5. The Committee of Eſtates of the Kingdome, and General Aſſembly of the Kirk of Scotland, having declared ſo fully in what concernes the Sectaries, and the preſent Deſignes, Reſolutions, and Actings of their Army, againſt the Kingdome of Scotland: And the ſame Committee & Aſſembly having ſufficiently laid open publick Dangers & Duties, both upon the right hand & the left; It is not needful for His Majeſty to adde any thing thereunto; except, That in thoſe things He doth commend and approve th…m, and that He Reſolves to live and dye with them, and his loyal Subjects, in proſecution of the Ends of the Covenant.
Sect. 6. And whereas that prevailing party in England, after all their ſtrange Uſurpations, and inſolent Actings in that Land; Do not only keep His Majeſty from the Government of that Kingdome by force of Armes, but alſo have now invaded the Kingdome of Scotland, who have deſerved better things at their hands, and againſt whom they have no juſt quarrel; His Majeſty doth therefore deſire and expect, That all his good Subjects in England, who are, and reſolve to be faithful to God and to their King, according to the Covenant, will lay hold upon ſuch an opportunity, and uſe their utmoſt endeavours to promote the Covenant, and all the ends thereof; and to recover and re-eſtabliſh the Ancient Government of the Kingdome of England, (under which for many Generations, it did flouriſh in peace and plenty at home, and in Reputation abroad) and Priviledges of the Parliament, and Native and Juſt Liberty of the People. His Majeſty deſires to aſſure himſelf, That there doth remain in theſe ſo much confidence of their duty to Religion, their King and Countrey, and ſo many ſparkles of the ancient Engliſh Valour, which ſhined ſo eminently in their Noble Anceſtors, as will put them on to beſtir themſelves for the breaking the Yoak of thoſe mens Oppreſſions from off their Necks. Shall men of Conſcience and Honour ſet Religion, Liberties and Government at ſo low a rate, as not rather to undergo any hazard, before they be thus deprived of them? Will not all generous men count any Death more tolerables than to live in ſervitude all their dayes? And will not Poſterity blame thoſe who dare attempt nothing for themſelves, and for their Children, in ſo good a Cauſe, in ſuch an Exigent? Whereas if they gather themſelves, and take courage, putting on a Reſolution anſwerable to ſo Noble and juſt an Enterprize, they ſhall honour God, and gain themſelves the Reputation of Pious men, worthy Patriots, and loyal Subjects, and be called The Repairers of the Breach, by the preſent, and ſucceeding Generations; and they may certainly promiſe to themſelves a Bleſſing from God upon ſo juſt and honourable undertaking for the Lord, and for his Cauſe, for their own Liberties, their Native King and countrey, and the unvaluable good and happineſſe of their Poſterity. Whatever hath formerly been his Majeſties guiltineſſe before God, and the bad ſucceſſe that theſe have had who owned his Affairs, whilſt he ſtood in oppoſition to the Work of God; yet the ſtate of the queſtion being now altered, and His Majeſty having obtained Mercy to be on Gods ſide, and to prefer Gods Intereſt before his Own, He hopes, That the Lord will be gracious and countenance his own Cauſe, in the hands of weak and ſinful Inſtruments, againſt all Enemies whatſoever. This is all that can be ſaid by His Majeſty at preſent, to thoſe in England and Ireland, at ſuch a diſtance; and as they ſhall acquit themſelves at this time in the active diſcharge of their neceſſary Duties, ſo ſhall they be accepted before God, endeared to his Majeſty, and their Names had in remembrance throughout the World. Given at Our Court of Dunfirmlin, the ſixteenth day of Auguſt, 1650. and in the ſecond year of Our Raign.
FINIS.