IT is a notion more Platoni­call than reall for a private man to thinke he can arbi­trate Imperiall differences, and it is rather an act of Fancie than Iudgement, a policy of Imagination, than State, for the soule of one is of no just latitude nor com­prehension for a designe of that bredth, as the Pacifi­cation of a Kingdome, and when the judgement proves too narrow for the designe, the designe must needs fall short of the requisite proportions; and further, they that would intervene in such controversies, and mysteries of high Accommodations, must be situated geometrically for both sides, and stand upon so much vantage ground, as he may have a full prospect over all particulars, whether springing or full blowne. As [Page] for instance, if you would compose the King and Par­liament, you must either have a right and cleare cogni­zance of both, and see almost the veriest atomes in the state of both, or else you shall doe right to neither; for the least things are of moment in States, and Poli­tickes, and I doe beleeve it is impossible for any to be so qualified an Arbitrator for our supreme disputes, being so full of new Revolutions, and Interpositions, especially now, when an Almighty power seemes to mingle, and incorporate his owne Interests with ours, and engage us upon new Fundamentals.

And though Accommodation bee such a subject as will gaine both Readers and parties, yet it is of dange­rous consequence, to write unto the spirits of men, of things that may retard and stay their publick pursuits; especially now in a time of an Irish Accommodation; for there are few in such haste after their enemies, but they will stay a while and talke with any that can par­ley and discourse of Peace; and the musick of Pacifi­cation is so sweet, as many could willingly let their en­gagements fall out of their hands to hearken and fol­low such tunes: we should be farre better Statesmen for these times, if wee first laboured to finde the true elevation of things, for when we have such intrinsecall variations in our State and Church, it cannot bee an act of commensuration to weigh designes at the beam of old Politicks and Conveniences, and they that would now place us upon old bottomes, are such in whom the old interests prevaile more than the new, and if we take hold of them to guide us, they will at length bring us backe into as bad a condition as we have forsaken; although they may seeme to lead us about a while [Page] through some new and pleasing conceptions to enter­taine us from observation. It was a smooth fallacy of the Prophet, who led his enemy so farre, as he suffer­ed him not to see the mistake, till he had brought him into the midst of Samaria. The peace and prosperity we have had, have wrought in us such principles of ease and indulgency, as makes us industrious in proje­ctings after Pacifications, never looking forward at inconsistencies, nor behind at consequences, nor about us, at the season, and other circumstances.

For Accommodations in the latitude of the notion, are of such a contexture, and intermingled constitu­tion, as they usually take in various and equall prin­ciples from both. Now I appeale to any whether the others Principles either Religious or Civill be con­sistent with ours now, and whether they be such as can dwell together, or incorporate, whether their essen­ces and operations be not divers, and being so contra­riant as we see, and having wrought out each others interests into severall independencies and stations al­ready, how shall these be reconciled! unlesse wee at­taine hereafter to live under those heavenly and pro­pheticall influences, where Antipathies and Contra­rieties are made friends, Where the Lion and the Lambe lye downe together, and the children play with the Coc­katrice.

Againe, Accommodation is the putting an untime­ly period to our Reformation, which by that must ne­cessarily be prevented in the period it aimed at, because it seemes to be met in the halfe way, and we bespeake it to stop, and bring with us a new designe rather of diversion, than advancement or propagation.

[Page]And again, these times are such as the infuosins are stronger, and the principles too, being inabled not only by many divine influences and providences and concur­rencies; but carried on with Arguments, and reason, and treatises, which the contestations of former ages in this Kingdome never knew; each party assuring their side with a more learned Artifice, so as men are now acted aswell by conscience as passion, as well by Iudgement as resolution, and this is one reason with me that not any such pacification can well be transacted, for both sides have been so Argumentatively and rationally in­formed, and have taken in their owne fundamentalls so deeply, and in so much divinity, and assurance, as it is not possible nor probable to mediate a reconcilia­tion till you have loosened and unhinged the one; and therefore these Maxims of Moderation & Accommoda­tion are rather the issues, and ingenious experiments of Melancholy spirits, who please themselvs and others in these stormes, and gloomy seasons, by painting twi­lights and calme enterludes; or else the subtill incan­tations of some that are no right wishers to the cause: and doe wee not further see how the wars and broyles of preceding ages, left alwayes a turbulent and infla­ming remainder in the dispositions of men? so as the old differences and effusions did onely forsake the broader and wider passages of Battailes, and sought out straiter, those of Emulations, Duells, and Quarrells, and men have rather fought the great Contentions over againe in the Abridgements afterwards, so as the warre was still the same in such unsound Pacificati­ons, onely the method was new, and the bloud of those warme distempers flowed downe onely in nar­rower [Page] channels, and thus when civill contentions, and Nationall flames are forced backe againe by the hand of an immature Pacification, they brake out in as many particular combu [...]tions, as summ'd up, would make a competent destruction. And besides all these consi­derations, the Parliamentary party have obliged them­selves by Vowes and Covenants, and so are not such ma­sters of times and circumstances, as their enemies are; (having given up their owne relations and selfe policy, and involved them in more universall and sublime ends) but their enemies (whose interests are of a lighter and easier, and more sequacious constitution) are ready to turne with all advantages of State, and every civill or gainfull emergency; and though they be men of ob­ligations, and Covenants too, yet their Covenants are rather like engines of Policy and Religion, to open and shut at pleasure, and to set down and take up their soules and affaires to the necessities, conveniences, and occasions of State: and this overthrowes the very substratum and fundamentall of this new Oath; for when there hath beene such private landing places and secret Posternes in their owne Covenants, to goe out and come in at, it is most likely that if they finde not the like liberty againe in another, they will force it; it being now made by wicked Counsellors one branch of the Prerogative to be transcenden [...] to Obligation, and Protestation, and Covenant, and to make the supre­mest violations and evasions lawfull, but the woe will not fall so directly upon the Covenanter, as upon those that have mistaught him, and drawn out his good intentions into the labyrinths of their owne art, these are the ministers of seducement, & by such are the best [...] [Page] carried on, (having made some virtue their friend for a time, or some peculiar disposition of their master at their first insinuation.)

And though the Author of the Pacificating Oath would perswade us of the terrours, and judgements, such Oathes would cast upon the violators, as if the violation brought with it (like a boding Comet) the sparklings of an heavenly indignation; yet wee must know that Princes as they are exalted into the divine notion of Gods, so their Favourites make them beleeve that their politicall deitie can secure them; and then there are ever some State Casuist at hand too who can heale their distempers with many a blandishment and evasion, so as I know not whether to admire more the glory, or infelicity of a Crowne, for there is a Divi­nity which is calculated meerly for the Meridian of Princes, and will fit no lower condition; and there is an order of Prerogative Divines, who onely study the disinteressings and disobligings of their Prince: now I would gladly know what remedy he hath reserved for us in case of violation (it being too apparant how the supremest may be misinstructed and abused,) all I can find out, is an heavenly indignation & revenge; and he must know, this is not an immediate judgment which treades alwayes on the heeles of a transgression, but may be powred upon the next succeeding Throne, or at least in the evening of the offendour; for there are certaine graduall effluxes of the Divine Wrath, and ma­ny stayes and periods which his Infinite Wisedome makes, and is not accountable to our Tribunals; and what shall a State doe then in this space and intervall to judgement? for being then made passive againe, it [Page] becomes a subject to as much, if not more Tyrannie, than before: and usually the revolt of Prerogatives, and the Relapses are more dangerous than the first ex­cesse: as the wrath of Pharaoh and Saul after some particular violations grew more implacable and vio­lent: and as we see in civill Stories of our owne: and the reason why a relapsing power becomes more vindi­cative, because there is a capacity of revenging reco­vered, and there seemes to lye nothing in their way to breake the stroake.

Nor let the Author of the new Oath thinke he can be more ingenious in contriving, than some Ministers of State in eluding, nor so exquisite in the forme, as they in their suggestions and infusions for violation:Cap. 29. and whatsoever he tels us of the ancient transaction in such cases, I must answer him, that if hee can revive the Tanti nimirum est Re­rump: fir­ma & va­lida fun­damenta poni, quo­ram non postremum hoc fuit, ut fides ac iura­mentum civitatem regerent. Liv. ancient reverence and simplicity and faith of those ages with the ancient transaction, then I shall allow more to his president: but he knowes that the Prin­cipi nihil iniustum quod fructuosum; Expediret autem fingere contrarium atque ita iuramentum conci­pere, non afficiam populum iniuriis. Lib. 5. pol. c. 9. Ma­chiavillisme of later times have made a Maxime in the science of Politickes, how to overwit their owne ob­ligations, and have made it one part of the perfection of a Statist, Sic Julius 11 Pontifex ia­ctare ausus est, turpissimo hercule exemplo se foedera & societates cum Gallis Ger­manisque non aliter contrahere quam fallendi gratia. to be too wise for engagements: and though the wisedome of the first coalition in this State made it their surest designe to seale the Inauguration by an Oath, yet we see there is no infallibility in such counsels and acts; no protection from the violence of evill counsell: and such hath beene the declination of States of late, that Oathes were but in the reputation [Page] of Politicke formes with many, unlesse it be with those who drive on a holier designe, as that of Reformation, and with such, Covenants and Oathes have their just reputation, as it appeares in the late transactions of Scotland, and other Reformed Kingdomes, and of England now; and this appeares to be the opinion of this Authour too, for in his sixt page, he urges much the stately and sanctimonious forme or solemnity, as of necessity amongst Plebeians, so as by that very notion, he pleads the Pompe and Ceremony of an oath so as if he would have it by that accesse of some glorious lustre, to dart the people into an obligation, as well as the Prince; when as there are many safer, and more naturall meanes to becalme the jealousies of Subjects, even a reall application to their affections, in the mo­tions of Iustice,Quale e­rat Athe­niensium & hodie multorum principum viro popu­lum nul­lis iniuri­is affe­ctum iri, Plebs e­nim iura­mento hoc contenta, & veluti secura de reliquis non ad­modum erit solli­cita, eti­amsi postea magnis iniuriis afficiatur. and Peace, and Religion; and that people shall never take umbrages, where the goings of the Prince are cleare and discerneable, and not shaded by the crowde of Privadoes and bad Ministers; but in a word, when the first and Primitive oath which is the highest and most supreame rise of an obligation, is not inviolable, nor includible, what strength and as­surance, can be in derivatives and supplementals of the same nature?

Nor do I think it a designe of that happy and whol­some constitution as some take it, I mean an oath of Pacification, for satisfaction of jealousies, for there is an art to take away all jealousies, and in the roome bring delusions of assurance, and so thicken and in­crassate the satisfactions, that people shall in time forfeite their liberties in a mist, and scarce believe they are oppressed, till they be oppressed almost be­yond a remedy; and this nation hath been ever easily carried on into such an incredulity and misbeliefe, and [Page] have often served many yeeres apprentiship both of ignorance and bondage.

Nor will any wise man suppose that to bee a good condition for any State, especially for a government so mixt as ours, which ought ever to be looking to the just Interests of one another, especially after a season of encroachment and exorbitation: for to take in such a remedy as shall leave no Iealousie behinde it, is to take in such a quantity of Opium as will rather bring a Lethargy than a kindly rest, and rather make a King­dome stupid than peaceable; surely those remedies are best, which keepe States waken and sensible, and the eyes of the Kingdome open. And as there is a jealou­sie in some which is but a virtuous luxuriancy of love and affection, and tends onely to the preservation of honor and propriety in the suspected party, so there is in the best States: & sure there is no such way to keep things in their owne rights and priviledges, but such a sollicitous and carefull vigilancy, and wise suspition.

That which I now conceive to be the only Interest of our Reformation, is not a Pacification but a Peace. For a Pacification is a more proper and safe notion for forraigne States than our owne, for a Pacification is but the accommodating of a difference, and a meet­ing of severall principles, and a resolving to agree with one another, without any further incorporation, but this cannot be intrinsecall nor naturall enough for us of the same kingdom, this is no such indistant com­plication as we should now aim at, and as our new & holy fundamentals cal for: our purest & soundest peace would be from a succumbency & invalidity, when on the worse part the opposition is spent & exhaled, then [Page] there is no feare, that there will breake forth any fresh and mutuall Contendings, and there must needs be more security in that peace where all possibility of resistance is taken away, than where there lives two natures of proportionall abilities and passions, which would prove like the two men in the Fable, who being weary with beating one another, tooke truce for an houres refreshment, and fell fresh to their blowes againe.

A Peace then and not a Pacification is our assertion, and I hope all who value a Reformation according to their Covenant, will pursue those things which make for that, and suffer themselves not to be taken off their holy and famous resolutions for Peace, by any faire or specious argument for Pacification, Pacification be­ing but the halfe way to Peace, and this I conceive is the Peace which will make both England and Scotland happy, not so much by inventing any new engines to binde our Kings in chaines, and our Princes in fetters of iron, but by endeavouring such an extirpation of Po­pery, Prelacie, and malignity, as our Peace may be rather secured by a disability of contending, than by any new Oath or possibility of resisting.

For any further Criticisme upon the Author I have none; I confesse he reasons well upon many particu­lars, and makes his inke rise high, and dash handsomly upon those that stand about the Throne, and had he rea­ched further with his pen even to a Peace, and writ but beyond a Pacification, he had writ well.