THE best endeavours, and greatest workes wherein the hand and providence of God have been most evident and sensible, and the hearts and intentions of men called to be the instruments most pious and sincere, though they found approbation with the wiser sort, and such as are given to observation, yet they have ever been subject to be misconstrued by blind suspition, to be reproved by cavilling censure, which maketh place for it self to enter where it findeth none, and to be condemned of the ignorant, and of such as are at ease, but most of all of the malicious, who can not be pleased even when God is best pleased, and when men seek to approve themselves to eevery ones conscience; But in their hearts wish rather that the Temple should not be built, Religion never reformed, and they themselves coutch betwixt the two burdens, then that they should be in their worldly projects or possessions opposed or troubled. The deliverance of the people of God of old from the Egyptian servitude; The redemption of the Kirk by the Son of God, and the planting of Christian Religion by his servants, and the vindication of Religion from Romish superstition and tyranny, which are the greatest and most wonderfull works of GOD, have been most bitterly calumniated, and spitefully spurned against by the wicked.

The nature and quality of this great Work, wherein the Lord hath honoured us to be Agents, and the experience which we have found of continuall opposition, since the beginning, may teach us, if we be not as the horse and muse which have no understanding, that we are to expect the gainsaying of sinners; and that nothing can be hatched in hell by Satan, or prompted by his Supposts on Earth, which will not be produced to make us and the cause of God, which we maintaine odious to all men, but most of all to our Neighbours and dearest Brethren. When we shall now enter into England, it will be layed to our charge, that we minde nothing but invasion, and that no lesse hath been intended by us from the beginning, then under the pretext of seeking our Religion and Liberties, to enrich our selves with their possessions and goods: But our peaceable carriage many yeares past, before the time of those late troubles, our Informations, Declarations, and Remonstrances published to the world, wherein we have cursed all Nationall invasion, and our willingnesse when we were in Armes, to lay them downe upon the smallest assurances of enjoying our Religion and Liberties, will be conceived by the wise and well affected, to bee more plaine and sure evidences of our meaning, then all that malice can devise, or calumnie can expresse against us.

Neither have any new emergents altered, but rather confirmed our former resolutions. for although both before and since the late pacification, wee have beene highly injuried by some Papists, and Prelats, and their adherents there, who have beene, and are still seeking no lesse then that wee should no more bee a Kirk or a Nation, and therefore themselves can not thinke, but we must accompt of them as Gods enemies and ours; yet above all the favours wee have received from the good people and Body of the Kingdome of England, One there is, which hath highly honoured them before the world, and endeered them unto us more then before, which shall never be forgotten by us, and wee hope shall be thankfully remembred by our Children, and Childrens Children after us, to all generations; That when upon mis-information, the Councell of England had concluded to use force against us, when the Parliament of Ireland had offered their Persons and Estates for supply against us, when all plots and policies were set on work, and publick Declarations by authority were made, and the Parliament called for this very end, when we had been traduced and proclaimed as traytours and rebels at every Paroch Kirk▪ yet so wise, so grave, so just was that High Court of Parliament (to their everlasting honour be it remembred) that no threatnings, nor feares, nor promises, nor hopes, could moove them to decerne a Warre, or grant any Subsidie for a Warre against us; but rather by their speeches, complaints, and grievances paralell to ours, did justifie the Cause which we defend.

This rich and recent favour doth so binde our hearts, that were our power never so great, we should judge our selves the unworthiest of all men, and could look for no lesse then vengeance from the righteous GOD, if we should moove hand or foot against that Nation, so comfortably to us represented in that honourable meeting. In this our than full acknowledgment, wee desire that the City of London may have their owne large share, as they well deserve by the noble proofes they have given of their constant affection to Religion, and the peace of both Kingdomes, notwithstanding the continuall assaults of the mis-leaders of King and Court living amongst them, and alwayes sounding the trumpet of Sedition in their eares: And if this which doth so convince us, shall not be thought sufficient to satisfie all the good people of England, VVee now before GOD and the world, make offer in generall, and will make offer to so many of them as will require it in particular, of the strongest and most inviolable bond of our solemne Oath and religious attestation of the great Name of GOD, who is our feare & our dread, & from whom we hope for a blessing upon our Expedition, that we intend no enimitie or rapine, and shall take no mans goods, nor ingage our selves in blood by fighting, unlesse we be forced unto it, which we may look for from the Papists, Prelats, and others of that faction; but that any such thing shall come from godly men, or good patriots who love the trueth of Religion, or the Kings honour, and their owne Libertie, both the rule of charity, which entertaineth no suspition, where there is no evill-deserving, and the rule of wisedome, which teacheth, that both Nations must now stand or fall together, doe forbid us to apprehend.

All the designe of both Kingdomes is, for the trueth of Religion, and for the just Liberty of the Subject; and all the devices and doings of the enemy are for oppressing of both, that our Religion may bee turned into Superstition and Atheisme, and our Libertie into base servitude and bondage: To bring this to passe, they have certainly conceived, that the blocking up of this Kingdome by Sea and Land, would proove a powerfull and infallible meane: for either within a very short time shall wee through want of trade, and spoyling of our goods, bee brought to such extreamity, poverty, and confusion, that we shall miserably desire the conditions which wee now despise and declyne, and bee forced to embrace their will for a Law, both in Kirk and Policie, which will bee a precedent for the like misery in England, taught by our example to be more wise. Or upon the other part, we shall by this invasion bee constrayned furiously, and without order, to breake into England, which we beleeve is their more earnest desire, because a more speedy execution of their designe: For we doubt not but upon our comming, clamours will bee raysed, posts sent, and Proclamations made through the Kingdome, to slander our pious and just intentions, as if this had been our meaning from the beginning, To stirre up all the English against us, that once being entered in blood, they may with their owne swords, extirpat their own Religion, lay a present foundation with their own hands for building of Rome, in the midst of them, and be made the authors both of their own and our slavery, to continue for ever.

But in this admirable opportunity of vindication of true Religion and just Liberty, if divine providence bee looked upon with a reverent by, and men fearing GOD, and loving the Kings honour, and peace of both Kingdomes, shall walke worthy of their Profession, although the enemies have obtained so much of their desires, as by coards of their own twisting to draw us into England, yet may their maine designe be disappointed, the rope which they have made, brought upon their owne necks, and their wisedome turned into foolishnes, which we have reason to hope for from that Supreame wisedome and power, which hath in all the proceedings of this VVork, turned their devices upon their own pates that plotted them.

In our Informations, Remonstrances, and the True Representation of our proceeding; since the late pacification, we have so farre expressed the wrongs which wee have sustained, and the distresses which wee suffer, as may make manifest our pressing necessity, to take some other course for our present relief, then such Petitions, Supplications, and Commissions, as we have used before, with lesse successe, then could have beene expected of a Kingdome from their own native King. Before we stirred so much as with a Petition, wee endured for many yeares, not onely the perpetuall opposition of the trueth and power of Religion by Prelats and Papists, but also the violation of all our Liberties, and almost the totall subversion of our Religion, which was our comfort in the sight of God, and the glory of this Nation in the sight of other Kirkes, who by the testimony of their Divines, made our Reformation the measure of their wishes, and would have redeemed it with their greatest worldly losses. When grosse Popery was notoriously obtruded upon us in the books of Canons and Common prayer, without consent or knowledge of the Kirke, and the plot of the Prelats and Papists wholly discovered, how to settle it in both Nations, wee added to our former sufferings, no other Armes but Prayers and teares unto GOD: and Petitions unto our King, which were utterly rejected; The books and corruptions against which we petitioned, highly exalted, and by the insolent advice of those who governe now his Councells, and labour to establish their own evill acquired greatnesse, upon our oppression, and the ruines of our Religion and Liberties, we were forbidden to insist, under the pain of high Treason. When wee found our selves thus opposed and borne downe, still insisting in our humble desires, we solemnely renewed our Nationall Oath and Covenant, for preserving of our Religion and Liberties, and of his Majesties authority, knowing the violation of that Oath, to bee the guiltinesse which had procured our woes, and that our repentance and turning to GOD, were the meanes by his blessing for good successe. VVhen contrary to our deserving and expectation, His Majesty was moved by wicked counsell, to march toward us with an Army, we were very soon pleased, and choosed rather to neglect such courses, as might serve for our humane safety, then to fall in seeming disobedience to our King, Or to give the smallest distaste to our dear Brethren in England: And therfore disbanded our Forces, delivered all holds which were craved in testimony of our obedience: and so farre complyed with his Majesties pleasure, that notwithstanding the determination of our lawfull former Assembly called by his Majesty, we were contented that a new free Assembly and Parliament should be appointed, where all things both concerning our Religion and Liberties, might again be considered and established. VVhen matters Ecclesiasticall were determined in the Assembly, according to the constitutions of the Kirk, in the presence, and with the consent of his Majesties Commissioner, and the Parliament was conveened for perfecting the VVork, although we walked therein so warily, that no just provocation was given to his Majesty, yet contrary to the Lawes and custome of this Kingdome, the Parliament so certainly promised, when his Majesty was free of those bad Counsellours, was by their evill advyce prorogued; which, to shew our invincible obedience, we were content to suffer, and did sent up our Commissioners to London, to render the reasons of our demands. When our Commissioners and Petitions of the Parliament, called by his Majesty, were so farre rejected, that they were never seen nor heard, we send up our Commissioners again with our Propositions, which contained nothing but what was necessary for the good and peace of the Kingdome, and was granted unto us before, under his Majesties hand, yet could they finde no answer at all, which will be wondered at, and hardly beleeved by so many as are strangers at Court, and know not that the Bishop of Canterbury, and the Lievtenant of Ireland, with the assistance of the too too powerfull Faction of the Papists, labour to show their zeale for his Majesties greatnesse, by the oppressing the just Liberties of the Subjects, and the Reformed Religion in all the three Kingdomes. But in place of the gracious answer which we expected, Our Commissioners were restrained, and one of the Noblemen imprisoned; Garrisons of strangers set over our heads, in an insolent and barbarous way, exercising their cruelty even against women and children; Our ships and goods taken and sunke, and the Owners stripped naked, and more inhumanely used at the commandement of abused authority by the subjects of our owne King, then by Turkes and Infidels. And great Armies prepared against us, with a terrible Commission to subdue and destroy our selves, our Religion, Liberties, Lawes and all.

In this extreamity for us to send new Commissioners or Petitions, were against sense and experience; those that governe the Kings Counsels being far from any inclination or intention to satisfie the just desires and grievances of the Subjects, as they have made manifest by breaking up of the Parliaments in both Kingdomes. To sit still in senselesnesse and stupiditie, wayting for our owne destruction at the discretion of our mercilesse enemies (which were it not at this time joyned with the cause of God, would move us the lesse) is not onely against Religion, but Nature; teaching and commanding us to study our own preservation. To endure continuall threatnings, and so great hostility and invasion from yeare to yeare, which is the professed policie of our enemies, is impossible; and when wee have examined our own Strength, more then we are able to beare. We have therefore after much agitation and debating, with, and amongst our selves, resolved to have our proceedings, which have been canvassed by so many, and brought to some point of determination in our own Parliament, to be better known to the Kings Majesty, and the world, and especially to the Kingdome of England, that against all false and artificiall relations, they being nakedly seen to be what they are, wee may obtaine a better grounded and more durable peace, for enjoying of our Religion and Lawes: and as wee desire the unworthy authors of our troubles, who have come out from our selves, to be tryed at home, and Justice to be done upon them, according to our owne Lawes: So shall wee presse no further processe against these pernicious Counsellours in England, the authors of all the miseries of both Kingdomes, then what their own Parliament shal decerne to be their just deserving.

When we look back upon this Work of Reformation from the beginning, and perceive the Impressions of the providence of God in it, wee are forced in the midst of all our difficulties and distresses, to blesse God for his Fatherly care and free love to this Kirk and Kingdome, and to take courage and spirit to proceed in patience & perseverance, whither he shall goe before us, and leade us on. When the Prelats were growne by their rents & lordly dignities, by their power over all sorts of his Majesties Subjects, Ministers, and others, by their places in Parliament, Councell, Colledge of Justice, Exchequer, and high Commission, to an absolute dominion & greatnesse, and setting their one foot on the Kirk, and the other on the State, were become intollerably insolent, even then did the Work begin, and this was the Lords opportunity. The beginnings were small, and promised no great thing, but have been so seconded and continually followed by Divine providence, pressing us from step to step, that the necessity was invincible, and could not be resisted. It cannot be expressed what motions filled the hearts, what teares were powred forth from the eyes, and what cryes came from the mouthes of many thousands in this Land at that time, from the sense of the love and power of God, raysing them as from the dead, and giving them hopes after so great a deluge and vastation, to see a new world, wherein Religion and Righteousnesse should dwell▪ When wee were many times at a pause, and knew not well what to doe, the feares, the furies, the peevishnesse, and the plots also of our dementat adversaryes, opened the wayes unto us, and taught us how to proceed; and what they devised to ruine us, served most against themselves, and for raysing and promooving the Worke. Although neither Councell, nor Session, nor any other Judicature, hath been all this time sitting, and there have beene meetings of many thousands, at some times, yet have they been keeped without tumult or trouble, and without excesse or ryot, in better order, and greater quietnesse, then in the most peaceable times hath been found in this Land. VVhen we were content at the pacification, to lay down Armes, & with great losse, to live at home in peace, our wicked enemies have been like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt, and will have us to doe that which it seemeth the Lord hath decreed against them. The purity of our Intentions f • rre from base and earthly respects: The bent and inclination of our hearts in the midst of many dangers: The fitting of instruments, not onely with a desire and disposition, but with spirit and ability to overcome opposition, and the constant peace of heart accompanying us in our wayes, which beareth us out against all accusations and aspersions, are to us strong grounds of assurance, that GOD hath accepted our worke, and will not leave us. VVee know that the Lord may use even wicked men in his servic • , and may fill their sailes with a faire gale of abilities, and carry them on with a strong hand, which should make us to search our hearts the more narrowly: But as this ought not to discourage his own faithfull servants, who out of love to his Name, intend his honour, walk in his wayes, finde his peace▪ comforting them, his providence directing them, and his prefence blessing them in th • ir affaires; So it cannot be any just ground of quarrelling against the work of GOD.

Yet all those our encouragements, which have upholden our hearts in the midst of many troubles, could not make our • ntry into England warrantable, if our peace, which we earnestly seek and follow after, could be found at home, or elsewhere. Where it is to be found, we must seek after it; and no sooner shall we finde it, but by laying down our Armes, and by the evidences of our peaceable disposition, wee shall make it manifest to the world, and especially to the Kingdome of England, that we are seeking nothing else, and that our taking up of Armes, was not for invasion, but for defence. No man needeth to plead by positive Law for necessity: it is written in every mans heart by Nature, and in all Nations we find men have received it by practise; That Necessity is a Soveraignitie, a Law above all Lawes, is subject to no Law, and therefore is said to have no Law: where Necessity commandeth, the Lawes of Nature and Nations give their consent, and all positive Lawes are silent and give place. This Law hath place sometimes to excuse, sometimes to extenuat, and sometimes to justifie and warrand actions otherwayes questionable. And no greater necessity can be, then the preservation of Religion which is the Soule; of the Countrey which is the Body; of our Lyves who are the members, and of the honour of the King who is the Head: All those at this time are in a common hazard, and to preserve and secure all, wee know no other way under the Sunne (and if any man be so wise as to know it, wee desire to heare it, and shall bee ready to follow it) but to take order with our common enemies, where they may be found, and to seek our assurance where it may be given. The question is not, whether we shall content our selves with our own poverty, or enrich our selves in England, that question is impious and absurd. Neither is the question whether we shall defend our selves at home, or invade our Neighbours and dearest Brethren, this also were unchristian and unreasonable: But this is the question, whether it be wisdome and piety to keep our selves within the Borders till our throats be cut, and our Religion, Lawes, and Countrey be destroyed: Or shall wee bestirre our selves, and seeke our Safeguard, Peace and Liberty in England: whether we shall doe or dye; whether we sha • l goe and live, or abide and perish: Or more largely to expresse all, whether we who are not a few privat persons, but a whole Kingdome, shall lye under the burden of so many accusations, as scarcely in the worst times have beene intended against Christians, Receive the Service booke, and the whole body of Popery, Embrace the Prelats, and their abjured Hierarchy, Renounce our solemne Oath and Covenant, so many times sworne by us, lose all our labours and paines in this Cause, and forget our former slavery and wonted desires of redemption at the dearest rate, Tickle the mindes of our enemies with joy, and strengthen their hands with violence, and fill the hearts of our friends with sorrow, and their faces with shame, because of us, Deserte and dishonour the Sonne of God, whose Cause we have under-taken, whose Banner wee have displayed, and whose Trueth and Power hath been this time past, more comfortable unto us, then all that the peace and prosperity of the world could have rendered, and draw upon our selves all the Judgements which GOD hath executed upon Apostates since the beginning; Or shall we fold our hands, and waite for the perfect slavery or our selves, and our posterity, in our Soules, Bodies, and Estates, and (which is all one) foolishly to stand to our defence, where we know it is impossible; Or shall wee seeke our reliefe in following the calling of GOD, (for our necessity can bee interpreted to be no lesse and entering by the doore which his providence hath opened unto us, when all wayes are stopped beside?

Our enemies at first did shroud themselves so farre with the Kings authority, that they behooved to stand and fall together, and that to censure them, was treason against the King. But we have showne, that the Kings Crowne is not tyed to a Prelats Mitre; and that the one may be cast unto the ground, and the other have a greater lustre and glory then before. Now they take themselves to another starting hole, and would have men thinke, that to come in to England, and to pursue them, although legally, is to invade the Kingdome where they live; As if the cutting away of an excrescence, or the curing of an Impostume, were the killing of the Body. Let them secure themselves under the shelter of their own phantasies; But we are not so undiscerning, as like mad men, to run furiously upon such as they first meet with, and come in their way. For although it cannot bee denyed, but the wrongs done unto us; as the breaking of the late Peace, Crying us down as rebels and traytours, The taking of our ships and goods, The imprisoning of our Commissioners, The acts of hostility done by the English in our Castles: Had they beene done by the State or Kingdome of England, they might have beene just causes of a Nationall quarrelling: Yet since the Kingdome of England, conveened in Parliament, have refused to contribute any supply against us, have shown themselves to be pressed with grievances like unto ours, have earnestly pleaded for redresse and remedy, and a Declaration made, that his Majesty our of Parliament will redresse them, which might be a cure for the grievances of particular Subjects, but Nationall grievances require the hand of the Parliament for their cure▪ for preventing whereof, the Parliament was broken up and dissolved. Neither doe we quarrell with the Kingdome for the Injuries which we sustain▪ nor can they quarrell with us, for taking order with that prevalent Faction of Papists & Prelats, the Authors of so many woes to both Nations, let all who love Religion & their liberty joyn against the common enemies, and let them be accursed who shall not seek the preservation of their Neighbour Nation, both in Religion and Lawes, as their own, as knowing that the ruine of one, will prove the ruine of both.

And as we attest the God of Heaven and Earth, that those and no other are our Intentions; so upon the same greatest attestation doe we declare, That for atchieving those ends, we shal neither spare our pains, fortunes, nor lyves, which we know cannot be more profitably & honorably spent: That we shal not take from our Friends & Brethren, from a threed even to a shooe latchet, but for our own moneyes, and the just payment, that wee come amongst them as their Friends and Brethren, very sensible of their by-past sufferings & present dangers, both in Religion and Liberties, and most willing to doe them all the good we can. Like as wee certainly expect, that they from the like sense of our hard condition, and intollerable distresses, which hath forced us to come from our own Countrey, will joyne and concurre with us, in the most just and noble wayes, for obtaining our just desires: And when our own moneyes and meanes are spent, we shall crave nothing but upon sufficient surety of repayment, how soon possibly it can be made, what is necessary for the entertainment of our Army, which wee are assured so many as love Religion, and the peace of both Kingdomes, will willingly offer, as that which they know we cannot want, and in their wise fore-sight will provide the way to furnish necessaries, and to receive the surety. This course being keeped by both sides, will neither harme our Brethren, for they shall bee satisfied to the least farthing; nor our selves, who look for a recompence from the rich providence of God, for whose sake we have hazarded the losse of all things. The escapes of some Souldiours (if any shall happen) we trust shall not be imputed unto us, who shall labor by all means to prevent them more carefully, & to punish thē more severely, then if done to our selves, & in our own Country. Our professed enemies the Papists & Prelats, with their adherents, & the receipters of their goods & geir, we cōceive wilbe more provident, then to refuse us necessary sustentation, when they remember what counsell was given by them, for declaring all our Possessions to be forfeited, & to be disposed of to them, as well deserving Subjects. We shall demand nothing of the Kings Majesty, but the settling and securing of the true Religion, and Liberties of this Kingdome, according to the Constitutions and Acts of the late Assemblies, and Parliament, and what a just Prince oweth by the Lawes of God and the Countrey, to his grieved Subjects, comming before him with their humble desires and supplications. Our abode in England shalbe for no longer time, then in their Parliament our just grievances and complaints shall be heard and redressed, sufficient assurance given for the legall tryall and punishment of the Authors of our evills, and for enjoying of our Religion and Liberties in peace, against the invasion of their Countreymen. Our returning thereafter shall be with expedition, in a peaceable and orderly way, farre from all molestation; and wee trust the effect shall be against Papists the extirpation of Popery, against Prelates the Reformation of the Kirk, against Atheists the flourishing of the Gospel, and against Traytours and fire-brands, a perfect and durable Union and Love between the two Kingdomes: which, he grant who knoweth our intentions and desires, and is able to bring them to passe. And if any more be required, God will reveale it, and goe before both Nations; and if he goe before us, who will not follow, or refuse to put their necks to the Work of the Lord?