An Olive Branch Found After a Storm in the Northern Seas, Letter 2
TO THE Truly Noble, Faithfull, Vigilant and Valiant, William Batten Eſquire Captaine of His Majeſties Ship the St. Andrew, and Commander in Chiefe of the Fleet at Sea; for the ſervice of the King and Parliament.
Moſt Honored and Noble Sir,
I Shal deſire to wave all Apologeticall expreſsions in relation to my ſelfe and the weakneſſe of this piece: You know that the quiet repoſe of the ſpiirit is the meanes to produce to the world, ſuch births as may inrich it with admiration and delight, which my floating condition denyed mee the happines to injoy, having my intellectualls ſo Searummaged that they returned me but darke & unrefined notions: the product wherof are theſe poore expreſsions, void of all perfection, unles the heat of your affection and Noblenes pleaſe to hatch them to ſome formed beauty worthy acceptation: and to reduce the Chaos of my confuſions to a ſerenity worthy the worlds meditation: Hover therefore (I duplicate page duplicate page beſeech you) with the wings of your protection over theſe feeble, but ſyncere indeavours, to promote, in this Iuncto of time, with his Majeſty for a ſetled and well grounded Peace: for which I have eſteemed my life as a trifle in way of purchaſe, and have for ſome yeares paſt; waded through variety of difficulties to this end. And although the inacountable and uncontroleable waters, with their independent ragings, ſunke me to the eye of ſenſe; yet God provided ſomething like a Whale, that by a ſtrange providence, caſt me on ſhore (to behold) that which I beleived; and believing maintained; Our Brethren of Scotland their integrity to Our mutuall Covenant and the Kingdomes ſafety: and to act that which I never expected, as a poore meſſenger from the Prince of Peace, to ſalute his Majeſty juſt before the comming of our Right Honourable Commiſsioners, as a providentiall preparation to their invitation of him to take the Covenant, and in this now of time to accept of the Olive Branch of Peace, the beſt fignall betwixt King and Parliament; if well grounded. For whoſe experience doth not informe him, what diſmall confuſion is, as the worſt of plagues, upon us? Even amongſt thoſe I meane, who profeſſe themſelves to be Children of Gods owne Family?Since the breach of the bond of Love amongſt our ſelves how diſpicable are Paſtors to their ſheepe? how are the prophane and Irreligious ſtrengthned in their impiety? how doth the common adverſary of Gods Truth jeare at this our folly? and ſecretly as ſpectatours behind the curtaine, make themſelves ſport to ſee us ſo violently and induſtriouſly acting for them what they could never effect, with all their helliſh plots for themſelves to this day, ruine (if God prevent not) to our ſelves; and open a gap for them to enter and injoy proſperity. It hath ſeverall times affected and afflicted me to ſee ſo many dying and wounded bodyes conveying out their ſoules in ſtreames of bloud; but it hath lately afrighted me to ſee the very heart of true Piety vulturated ſince our fiery zeale to Chriſts honor is Monopolized into a conſuming fire of envy, malice & undermining (in zeale to our owne private ends) each others honour. And although I have never made Arithmatick my ſtudy, yet I eaſily may ſum up what all our diviſions, ſubdiviſions, and ſad contentions amongſt our ſelves (when all profeſſe to be Children of him of whom the whole Family in heaven and earth is named) will amount unto. viz. To Chriſts Kingdomes diſbeautifying; Satans inlarging by impiety, ſuperſtition, aad hereſie.For what ever it coſt, I would not have the Family want ſolid and ſweet-refreſhing fire; yet would I not have any to be affected meerely with ſuch blazes as are not ſerviceable but to ſet the whole houſe on fire: which to prevent let us open the floud-gates of our ſoules, and turne the ſluces of our eyes heaven-ward; & implore the great God to ſettle Goſpell Peace and Truth in his Majeſties three Kingdomes; and his Majeſty in Truth, to bee an happy inſtrument for the ſpeedy ſetling that peace, which may be for Gods glory; his peoples ſettlement, his Kingdomes inlargement; his owne felicity and all good to his poſterity; This Sir is the prayer of him, who is
Yours faithfully, In the ſervice of the Goſpel, and for the good of his country as obleiged SAMUEL KEM.