The League Illegal, Publisher to the reader – Letter 2
The Publiſhers foreign, OR INTRODUCTION To the enſuing BOOK.
SEcond Cogitations are reputed the wiſer and better, becauſe we carefully weigh them in the ſcales of ſolid judgement and ſerious diſcretion. The miſery of our late and waſting Maladies we have not forgotten: for our Land was ſufieted with bloud; and our garments were rolled in bloud: we carryed our lives in our hands; and our Eſtates were expoſed to rapine: Hereſies and Schiſmes did eat like a Gangrene; and Religion was near loſt in the Atheiſm, Blaſphemy, Epicuriſm, and Liberty of thoſe looſer times. But Undè hoc repentè commentum? Whence aroſe this ſuddain fury? Whence ſprang this Epidemical Madneſs, Apoſtacy, and Ruine? Perditio tua ex te, ô Iſrael, ſaith God by his Prophet:Hoſ. 13. 9. O Iſrael, thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf. And moſt true it is; for as in general our crying ſins pulled down the Vengeance, and juſtifyed the Revenger: ſo there was ſomething in particular of Covetouſneſs, Ambition, and cunning Malice which contrived and managed our Civil Wars; but cannot juſtifie the Contrivers.
Not to touch upon thoſe State affairs which were meerly ſuch; it may well become us now, as Chriſtians, in the pleaſant bowres of our quiet ſolitude, to ſit down and re-view that pretence of Divinity, and regulating of our Conſciences, which plotted and fomented our Rebellion; and put a gloſſe upon our Inſurrections. To this purpoſe we finde in the Preface to the Covenant, That the Noblemen, Barons, Knights, Gentlemen, Citizens, Miniſters of the Goſpel, and Commons of all ſorts in the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, called to minde the treacherous and bloudy Plots, Conſpiracies, Attempts, and Practices of the enemies of God againſt the true Religion, and Profeſſors thereof, &c. eſpecially in theſe three Kingdoms, &c. and how much their Rage, Power, and Preſumptions were of late, and at that time, increaſed and exerciſed. But who were theſe enemies? Papiſts: 'tis granted. But were theſe the only enemies? Suppoſe they were (which yet cannot be yielded) how muſt they be ſuppreſſed? By a National and Solemn League and Covenant: for thus we were taught by our Neighbour Nation. I need not therefore enquire, Who compoſed our Covenant? or, By what Authority it was Impoſed, and preſſed? Let it ſuffice that This Covenant was concluded to be the way, and the only way to advance the glory of God, and the Kingdom of Chriſt; the honour and happineſs of the King, and his Poſterity; and the true publick Liberty, Safety, and Peace of theſe Kingdoms. Here were indeed ſpecious Pretences; and fair hopes, as full of confidence as the ſimple people could be hugged and dandled with.
—Virgo formoſa ſupernè.
But did the Phyſick work as the Phyſicians promiſed, and the Patients expected? Did it produce any of thoſe ſaving effects, which the grave Dictators aſſured us it would? Surely no. It may well therefore now become us their Patients (who ſuffered many things of many Phyſicians, Mar. 5. 26.and ſpent all that we had, and were nothing bettered, but rather grew worſe) to enter into a ſerious conſultation about that which they contrived to be the Methodus medendi: and (ſince it pretends to Divinity) to enquire whether it were indeed either lawful, or proper? If we truly deſire a Sober, Judicious, and Solid Reſolution; I preſume that the enſuing Book will anſwer our doubts, and inform our Conſciences.
I confeſſe that this Book might have ſlept ſtill in private, and ſhould not have grown publick (eſpecially at this time), if the ſpirit of contradiction were not now ſo prevalent, and malice ſo induſtrious. The troublers of our Iſrael enter upon the ſtage again: and furious men whom nothing will ſatisfie, joyn in a new and lawleſs Corporation; and ſend up their Burgeſſes upon the errand of ſcurrilous and factious Libelling. Is this their Divinity, Sen. de benef.to be thus unthankful? Malè collata malè debentur, faith the quaint and Divine Philoſopher. Hath our God of peace ſo lately beaten our Swords into Plough-ſhares, and our Spears into Pruninghooks; and muſt we go to the uncircumciſed Philiſtines for a Smith to reduce them into weapons again? Hath he not once again ſent us a King in mercy, and fitted an incomparable head to the ſhoulders of our Kingdoms? Are not our Scorpion ſcourges gently removed; our Sequeſtrations taken off; our Religion reſtored; our good old Lawes revived; and our propriety and juſt liberty recovered and enjoyed? Do we not ſeem to be bleſſed with a well-grounded hope, that both King and People, Church and Common-wealth, will peaceably repoſe and ſolace themſelves in thoſe glorious and mutuall tyes of a righteous Government, and a dutiful Obedience; a Religion pure and undefiled; and ſuch Love and Loyalty as may never be interrupted? What meaneth then this bleating and lowing of theſe ſheep and oxen, and the hideous braying of unclean beaſts, in our Chriſtian ears? Muſt our Muſick ſtop upon a fret, and our Harmonie be diſturbed by ſuch harſh and unwelcome diſcords? Are we already ſick of our eaſe, and weary of our mercies? Will Jeſhurun kick as ſoon as ever he waxeth fat? Alas, alas! the moth endeavours to eat into our Garments again; and the canker into our pureſt Gold. We daily ſee how theſe diſcontents of ungrateful and irreligious Spirits endeavour to blaſt our faireſt hopes, by diſturbing our Peace, and renewing our contentions. The ambitious are diſcontented, and want promotion: the malitious are troubled; and want revenge: The needy ſufferers are impatient and want preferment: the heretical are vexed, and fear a Curb: and the ſchiſmatical are unquiet, and ſuſpect a ſettlement. Too many forget the miſeries of war: too few are thankfull for peace and truth; and the full ſoul loaths the honey-combe. That fooliſh fowl which ſaved the Capitol, hath moulted her ſicker quils; and the unwiſe turn them into gaping penns, to ſcrible ſedition.
I have therefore awaked this book, that it may tell the deluded world how unſafely we formerly credited the croaking of ſuch Egyptian Frogs: and hope that are-view of our former contentions, grounded upon the Covenant, will make us repent, and be Wiſe. Deliberandum eſt diù quod ſtatuendum eſt ſemel, ſaith Seneca: We ſhould ſeriouſly conſider before we certainly decree; Pſal. 126. 5.and with good advice ſhould make war. Thoſe that ſowed in our tears by their haſty Covenanting, may thank themſelves if they reap not in our joy. If their League was Illegal, and made their grapes ſo ſowre; certainly to revive it (except in their ſorrow) is the way to continue their teeth on edge. Aug. Serm. de Johan. Bap.Juravit David temerè, ſaith the Father, ſed non implevit Jurationem, majore pietate: David was a grievous ſinner, when he became ſo raſh a ſwearer: but he ſhewed more piety when he broke his Oath. Although ſome few do ſeek our diſturbance, and thoſe none of the beſt; yet we ſee and rejoyce that many Learned and Conſcientious Covenanters retract their Errours. Some there are whoſe judgements are convinced by the ſyllogiſme of Conſcience: ſome who are calmed by the gentleneſs of Remiſsion: and ſome alſo who are reclaimed by the Royal care and indulgent tenderneſs of our moſt gracious Soveraign; who maketh the Children of the Bond-woman, Heirs with thoſe of the Free-woman. I preſume that I need not to commend the enſuing Book to any of theſe, unleſs to confirm them in their converſion by ſtrength of Arguments; that as their repentance is viſible, ſo their reſolves may be conſtant. But I greatly ſuſpect the inflexibility and pertinacious obſtinacy of ſome few of our diſſenting Brethren; whom peradventure nothing will content but an illimited Power to Lord it in their Pariſhes; and (aſſiſted with their Confederates) to make their Conſiſtories as well the Benches for ſecular Caſes, as the Tribunals for Eccleſiaſtical; and all under a notion of The Power of the Keyes. To theſe in particular (if ſuch there are) I do friendly recommend this following work; hoping that when they feel the force of Argument in their ſtrong convictions, they will not be aſhamed to confeſs their miſtakes, and ſtudy to be quiet.
The Author of this Book was known to be a burning and a ſhining light, untill malice and miſchief ſhut him up in a Priſon, and put out his Lamp. His Speech in the Aſſembly againſt this Covenant was at that time ſo diſtaſted, that his impatient and too zealous Brethren ſuffered him not to render thoſe his Reaſons in defence of Epiſcopacy which are added to this Work. When they therefore haſtened to ſwear the League, he retired to his houſe to grieve and to pray. Y from that time forward he was neither ſecure in his ſtudy, nor ſafe in his houſe. It was his ſeeming ſin that he ſo freely delivered his conſcience; and his puniſhment was Plundring, Sequeſtring, Impriſonment, and Death. While he continued a Priſoner he compoſed this Book at the requeſt of a friend, and the importunity of his Letter wherewith it begins. I ſuppoſe that none will gain-ſay the obſervation of the Father,Cyprian Se…n. l. 4. de im nort. Conflictatio in adverſis probatio eſt veritatis. He was not aſhamed of his chain, becauſe he endured thoſe preſſures as a faithful Son of that true Church whereof Caſsiod. in Pſal. 1. ſaith, Novit Eccleſia beneficia Domini; triumphat de ſuis cladibus; afflictione ſemper augetur; ſanguine martyrum irrigatur; triſtitiâ magis erigitur: anguſtiâ dilatatur; fletibus paſcitur; jejuniis reficitur; & indè potius creſcit undè mundus deficit. Let the judicious and impartial Reader cenſure it as he pleaſeth: I ſhall end this Introduction with the words of Horace,
—Si quid noviſti rectius iſtis,
Candidus imperti: ſi non, his utere mecum.
TO My Reverend, and much eſteemed Friend, D. F.
SIR,
THE Winde is ſtormy, and the Sea troubled; and we are to cut a way through a narrow paſſage between two dangerous Rocks, wherein if we ſteer not warily and evenly, it cannot be avoided but we ſhall make ſhipwrack on the one ſide, or on the other; on the one ſide of Loyalty, and a good Conſcience; on the other of Liberty, and our Eſtate. In this caſe to whom ſhould we rather have recourſe, then to an antient and skilful Pilot, who hath ſounded the depths of Theological Controverſies, and heretofore hazarded his life to ſave others from drowning in the Sea of Errors. Moreover, none in my judgement ſo fit to reſolve a Caſe of Conſcience, and that of greateſt importance, as a faithful Miniſter of the Goſpel, who hath ſuffered for Conſcience. I pray Sir be not ſhie of your beſt advice; for if we miſcarry through want of your Direction, all your excuſes will prove unexcuſable before God. What though you have reſolved to conceal your ſelf, and you lie hid at this preſent in the dark? Yet like a Chryſolite or Carbuncle glowing with. Divine fire, you ſhine the brighter. I intreat you therefore of all loves to caſt a careful eye upon the late Covenant; and in the ſieve of the refined judgements of the ſubtileſt Caſuiſts to ſift it to the bran; and ſend the reſult of your thoughts upon it to
Your Ancient And true affectionate Friend E. G. From London this 12. of February 1643.
TO My Noble, and much Honored Friend, E. G.
Worthy Sir,
IN this tempeſtuous ſeaſon (like that in Rome, when as Livie relateth it rained bloud for many dayes) the beſt counſell I can give is, That you and all who are like you, (from whoſe Prayers offered up with ſtrong cryes heaven ſuffereth violence) would cry aloud with the Diſciples (when the ſhip was covered with waves) Save us, Mat. 8. 24, 25.Maſter, we periſh: that ſo he being awaked by our watchful devotion, may rebuke the winds and the Seas, and reſtore unto us our former calm and Halcyonian dayes. For particular directions how to ſteer your courſe between the Rocks you mention, upon which you are in danger to ſplit either your Conſcience, if you enter into this New Covenant; or your Eſtate, if you enter not into it; you cannot expect them from me. For though I have for many years ſtudied the Compaſs of Gods word; yet I am no Pilot. I have ever lived under the hatches, and never ſate at helm in Church or Common-wealth. And if I ſhould take upon me the office of a Steerman; and you following my advice ſhould miſcary; and be daſht in pieces, or ſunk in your fortunes; in ſtead of thanks from you, I were like to receive curſes from your family and poſterity. Yea but I am (ſay you) a diſpenſer of the myſteries of ſalvation; and it is required of a Steward, that he be found faithful: and I have ſuffered already for the teſtimony of a good Conſcience; and therefore ought not for any fear or terrour conceal my judgement, or ſtifle the truth. I cannot deny my function; neither will I betray my innocency; neither am I afraid of any thing ſo much herein as this; That if you make me your Caſuiſt, your caſe will be ſoon like mine; and by gaining the truth you will be a loſer. But I check my ſelf in theſe thoughts with the words of our Saviour,Mat. 16. 26. What will it advantage a man to win the whole world, and loſe his own ſoul? What will it avail the maſter of a Ship to ſave his whole fraight, if he loſe that pretious pearl which the rich Merchant ſold all that he had to buy?Mat. 13. 46. This peerleſs pearl no plunderer can rob us of: this affordeth me a comfortable light in the thickeſt darkneſs of melancholy thoughts. Save for this, I account my ſelf nothing worth at all. No carbuncle (as your love overpriſeth me) but a dead coal now reſolving into aſhes: and as I lie hid in the dark, ſo I deſire from this obſcure ſtate to ſteal into heaven; and in the mean while Ita vivere ut nemo me vixiſſe ſentiat; ſo to paſſe through theſe angry and working ſeas, that none may diſcern the print of my Keel. Notwithſtanding, becauſe you charge me ſo deeply by all the ties of Chriſtian charity, which is the bond of perfection; I will freely open my ſelf concerning the Engagement of our Conſcience in the New Covenant; and return you not ſo much a punctual, as a poignant reſolution.
Yours to ſerve you in the Lord D. F.