Exhortation to Taking the Solemn League and Covenant, Text 3
A DECLARATION Of the Kingdome of SCOTLAND, For Information and Satisfaction to their Brethren of England, concerning the preſent Expedition into ENGLAND.
ALthough we have reaſon to beleeve that the bloody and barbarous attempts of the Papiſts and their Faction, both in England and Ireland, and the manifold oppreſſions and miſeries endured by thoſe that ſtand well affected to the Proteſtant Religion, and their Countries Liberty, have made way in the hearts of men for the ready entertainment of aſſiſtance from their Brethren, whoſe earneſt deſire it is, and whoſe utmoſt endeavour it ſhall be, to preſerve and reſtore both unto them: Yet knowing how induſtrious the malice of the Devill and his inſtruments are, in raiſing Prejudices, and fomenting jealouſies betwixt them whoſe hearts and mindes ought to be one, becauſe their happineſſe is the ſame, and particularly betwixt us and our Brethren of England, that by dividing us from each other, they might deſtroy us both: And that this our ſecond Expedition into England (which we doubt not but God will bleſſe, to the advantage of that Nation, as he did our firſt, to the happineſſe of our owne) in ſteal of wonder and oppoſition, may finde the cheer ull concurrence of all thoſe who together with us deſire, The Preſervation and Reformation of Religion: The honour and happineſſe of the King; The Peace and Libertie of the Kingdoms: We thought fit to permit this ſhort, but free and ingenuous Declaration, of our Grounds and Intentions in this our preſent undertaking, that ſo we may meet with none but ſuch as we may either finde peaceable or leave inexcuſable.
Whereas there ore the greateſt queſtions that are like to ariſe in this buſineſſe, may be reduced to theſe three particulars, viz. The juſtneſſe of our Cauſe: The lawfulneſse of our calling thereto: And The faithfulneſse of our carriages therein. We ſhall hereby endeavour to give ſatisfaction in them all, and doubt not to doe it, unleſſe there remain ſome whoſe inve…erate malice hath produced in them a reſolution to be unſatisfied.
As for the cauſe and ground of this undertaking, we are not ignorant with how much earneſtneſſe the ſons of ſlander and perdition (whoſe cuſtome is to traduce thoſe proceedings which they know not how to diſappoint) do endeavour to poſſeſſe the hearts of our Brethren, that we are coming to fiſh in the troubled waters of England, to ſeek and take our own advantages in the midſt of your neceſſities. But ſuffer not your e…res, much leſſe your hearts, to be open to any ſuch deluſions, whereof we truſt your eyes ſhall ſhortly witneſſe the falſhood. For as here after we doubt not to appeal to our carnages and your conſciences, beſides your late experience of our Religious obſervance of our former Declarations of this kinde; ſo in the meane time give us leave to appeal to the great ſearcher of hearts, who knows; That had not the love of Chriſt, requiring Chriſtians to beare one anothers burden; and the Law of nature challenging our utmoſt care and endeavor, for the prevention of our own danger and ruine, which an ordinary underſtanding will eaſily ſee to be wrapped up in our neighbours, And our dutie, and deſire of reſcuing the King from the dangers wherein he is involved, by the company and pernicious Counſell of thoſe who are enemies to Religion, his Majeſties happineſſe, and Peace of his Dominions, Called and compelled us to this Service, we could with far more content and ſatisfaction to our ſelves, have enjoyed with quietneſſe our dry morſell, then entred into your houſes full of ſacrifices with ſtrife: Which yet ſince we are required and neceſſitated to, by that juſt Calling, hereafter to be mentioned, We profeſſe before God and the World, that our hearts and thoughts are clean and free from any other Intentions then thoſe expreſſed in our ſolemn League & Covenant, in which we are confederate with England, viz. The Preſervation and Reformation of Religion; The Honour and Happineſſe of the King; and, The Peace and Liberties of the Kingdoms. All which we now apprehend to be deeply endangered, by the Councels and Confederacies of Papiſts, Prelats, Malignants, and their adherents, ſo prevalent in England and Ireland: And we ſhall no otherwiſe deſire a bleſſing upon our endeavours, then as they ſhall be directed to the conſervation and eſtabliſhment thereof.
And becauſe it is not ſufficient to be ingaged in a good Cauſe, unleſſe by a good calling, we do hereby further declare, That though the inſeparable intereſts of both Nations in their Religion and Liberties, which having the ſame common Enemies, muſt look to ſtand and fall together, might have given us ſufficient warrant to have endeavoured the prevention of our own ruine, by preſerving our Friends and Brethren from deſtruction: yet that we might be the more fully and formally obliged to this Chriſtian duty and ſervice, and ſo the mouth of ſlander and malice be ſtopped, God hath ſo ordered things in his wiſe and juſt providence, that the Parliament, of England, who (beſide, their intereſt in the Preſervation and Reformation of Religion, and the defence of the Lawes and Liberties of the Kingdome, to which our help is requited) have a particular obligation upon this Nation (As we have formerly declared our Intentions publiſhed before our laſt Expedition) for refuſing to countenance or maintaine a Warre againſt us, in the yeere 1640. have thought fit by their Commiſſioners enabled to that effect, to deſire a firm Vnion with us; and this juſt and neceſſary aſſiſtance from us.
And whereas it is too obvious an Objection, That the Kings command or conſent being no ingredient, our Calling is thereby rendred deficient: We anſwer, That though, through the injury of miſchievous Councels, both his Perſon and perſonall Commands are withheld from us: Yet his Honour, his Happineſſe, his Poſterity, his great Councel, and the welfare of his Kingdoms, call importunately to us for this timely interpoſing. So that unleſſe we can (which God forbid) blot out of our thoughts the ſence of Piety and Religion toward God, of Honour and duty toward our Soveraigne, and of Gratitude toward the Parliament and Kingdome of England, we can in no wiſe reſiſt our preſent Call to this undertaking.
And laſtly, for what concernes the manner of the purſuance of this juſt Cauſe and lawfull Calling: Although the many fruſtrate Petitions and Remonſtrances from both Kingdoms preſented to his Majeſty, have left us onley this way, which yet is not intended againſt his Majeſties Perſon, not any of his good Subjects, but thoſe Enemies of the King and Kingdomes, and whom no other meanes can prevailed Yet we ſhall diligently endeavour ſo to order the Affaires of our Army, that all Inſolencies, Rapines, Plunderings, and thoſe other calamities that uſually attend upon Warre, may be prevented. And herein as with no ſmall content to our ſelves, ſo with no leſſe ſatisfaction to you, are we able to refer you to the experience of out former Expedition (when our own neceſsitie drove us into England; as now yours do call us) to conſider how little damage was occaſioned by out meanes, how little diſorder was committed by us in any place where we came: And we hereby promiſe the like care and diligence ſhall be renewed, and if poſsible doubled to that effect.
And that we may not be looked with the prejudice of Strangers, which we hope the firme Union of this mutuall Covenant will weare out, There is a Committee of your owne Nation, the moſt of which are Parliament men, ſuch to whom you have committed the truſt and care of your Religion, Laws and Liberties, joyned with us, without whoſe concurrence nothing that concernes you is to be tranſacted. And to free you of all unjuſt ſuſpition, which if your mindes are not ready to conceive, yet the malicious mouthes of our Adverſaries and yours are ready to ſuggeſt, That notwithſtanding this Declaration, we have ſome ſiniſter and ſecret ends which may prove prejudiciall to your Rights and happineſſe: Be it hereby made knowne unto you, that we have freely ingaged our ſelves, by an Article of the late Treaty betwixt the Nations, to give the publike Faith of the Kingdome of Scotland unto the Kingdome of England, that neither our entrance into, not continuance in that Kingdome, ſhall be made uſe of to any other ends then expreſſed in the Covenant, and that Treaty ſubſcribed to us by the Commiſſioners of both Kingdomes, which we are reſolved, to the honour of God and of this Nation, to keepe inviolate.
And as our Friends and Brethren may looke for actions conforme to the expreſſions of this Declaration, ſo muſt the Malignants and implacable orpoſers of the ends declared in our Covenant, expect nothing but an impartiall and vigorous proſecution of the ſame: In which, if any evill befall them, we are confident that the judgement of wiſe and indifferent men will reduce it to themſelves, as the wilfull Authors thereof.
And finally we declare againſt all falſe and artificiall relations) that we are ſo farre from deſiring harme or loſſe to any of our Brethren of England, that our ſincere and reall intentions are not to adde fuell, not bring oyle, but water to extinguiſh theſe lamentable combuſtions and fires, which we have with ſo much duty and love laboured to quench: That our taking of Armes is not to make Wars (if we be not neceſsitated) but to obtaine a better grounded and a more durable Peace, for enjoying of our Religion and Liberties in all the three Kingdomes: And that the wicked (who are the unworthy authors of all our troubles) being removed from our King, a right underſtanding may be eſtabliſhed betwixt his Majeſty and his people. And as we have ſolemnly ſworn to protect and defend all who ſhall enter in, and adhere to this Covenant: So doe we certainly expect, that all our Brethren in England, who are zealous for the true Proteſtant Religion, loyall to the King and faithfull for their Country, will joyne and concurre with us in the moſt noble and juſt wayes of procuring theſe juſt deſires: Which being obtained, we ſhall be moſt willing and ready to returne to our native Country eſteeming it our greateſt happineſſe, that truth with Peace may be eſtabliſhed in all His Majeſties Dominions.
Arch Primeroſe.
FINIS.
End of the text · Philip Nye, Exhortation to Taking the Solemn League and Covenant (1644)