Good English: or, Certain reasons pointing out the safest way of settlement in this kingdom; drawne from the nature of the aims and interests of the severall parties ingaged; and as the case now stands, this second day of May. 1648. A peece of serious observation, wherein the secrets of every party, as they stand in a probability of complyance, or opposition to His Majcsty [sic], are fully discovered.

III. Reasons drawn from the Interest of the Presbyterian Party in England.

WHence it was, and for what ends, the designe of Presbytery was first brought into this Nation, Time the mother of Truth hath at length fully manifested: for, as the pretences of it were high & glorious, so the issue hath been fallacious & dishonorable, and to it we must ascribe the

originall cause and continuance of all our miseries.

That it arrived to such a hight in the opinions of many, as to be cryed up for the onely pattern of Government under the Gospel, must be imputed to the blind zeal of some, and the deceitfulnesse of others, rather then the intention of its founder, Master Calvin: For it doth not appear that he ever stretcht his model so far, as the necessity and universality of a divine right; but seems onely to have hewen part of the building out of the rock of the Scriptures, according to the literall signification, and pieced up the residue by politick and prudentiall rules, such as he conceived might sound neerest the Text, and serve most conveniently to cement the disjoynted members of that broken and tumultuous Common∣wealth of Geneva, into an entire and well compacted body.

It was no sooner lick't into form there, but (as it is the fate of all things new) it began to be much extol'd and admired, and the fame thereof spreading it self in England (as well as in other parts) wrought in many of our Country-men an itching desire to go thither, and observe the manners and customes of the Government; where, of Spectators they soon became Proselites, and returning home with new affections and opi∣nions, had an evil eye upon the ancient Apostolicall government of Epis∣copacy, which they prosecuted with invective Libels from the Presse and Pulpit, as Antichristian; in the mean time extolling their new Diana, in hope to bring better advantage thereby unto themselves, then they could hope to attain under the government of Bishops: and in processe of time, their Doctrines being brought into reputation by the addition of an artificiall and counterfeit piety, they stole away the hearts of many well-meaning people throughout the Kingdom, whom they poysoned with disaffection to the present Government. So here was the rise of the old Presbyters, which passed heretofore under the names of Non conformists, or Puritans.

Manifold were the Bickerings which they had with the Bishops during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King James; yet the Faction was then kept under hatches by great care and policy, as it was likewise all the for∣mer part of the reign of our gracious Sovereign CHARLES, though the humours began to work more strongly then ever; insomuch, that having gained a party in every Parliament; which presumed to insist upon very high particulars of Government both in Church and State, and questi∣on such Officers of both as stood in the way of their designe, his Majesty was necessitated, by reason of those audacious and factious proceedings, to a frequent dissolution of Parliaments; which though they publikely ex∣claimed against, yet inwardly they were glad enough of it, working

advantage thereby, to scandalize his Majesty, in the opinion of the peo∣ple, as one utterly disaffected to Parliaments, and that intended to govern altogether by an arbitrary power.

This and other Scandals were treasured up against the time, wherein they hoped to have occasion to use them; but having often tryed their own single strength to be too weak to shake the Government, then the Grandees of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, not knowing otherwise to repair their broken for∣tunes, began to have recourse unto the Scots, a people as needy as them∣selves, and who (it was presumed) would be glad to entertain any oc∣casion to mend their Fortunes, and establish an Interest in this Nation: Be∣sides, their hope was the greater to thrive among the Scots, because they were a people that had been discountenanced and discontented by the Bishops, and had embraced the same form of Government that was aimed at by themselves, and therefore could not but be willing to contribute their best assistance toward the settlement of it in England.

Therefore the motion was no sooner made from hence, but it found joyfull entertainment in Scotland, and Counsels were mutually imparted by the grand Presbyters on both sides; and in fine it was agreed, that Re∣formation should be the stalking-horse to the whole Design. The aime of the Scots therein, was the gaining of Treasure, and an union of interest with England: The aime of the English Presbyters, was the quelling of their Oppsites at Court, and supplanting them in their Offices, the destruction of Episcopacy, and with it, of Monarchy; and the enriching of themselves with the Wealth of the Kingdom, the Revenues of the Crown, and the Goods of the Church; all which become a prey unto that monster of Presbytery, till it was wrested out of their jawes, by the new brethren of the Independent party.

By which brief draught of Discourse it appears, that as a great part of the Commons of England have been drawn in upon religious pretences to the faction of Presbytery, to serve worldly ends; so now that the hypocrisie and dissimulation of those proceedings is manifest unto the world, with∣out doubt the true interest of all honest-meaning Presbyters in England is the very same with that of the Nation in generall, to seek peace and ensue it, to quit all considerations of siding or faction, to open their eyes and see how they have been deceived, to loath the vanity, and prevent the mise∣ry of all engagements in and for Presbytery; to endeavour simply the re∣storing of his Majesty, and to joyn with any for that end, but with none that are contrary; and also to content themselves with a regulated Episco∣pacy, for these following Reasons.

First, seeing it is most true, that there can be no settlement in this

Kingdom, but by a compliance with the royall interest, it is altoge∣ther impossible to expect peace, if a design be still cherished for the establishing Presbytery because of that absolute antipathy (or incom∣possibility) betwixt Monarchicall and Presbyteriall Government, as I have manifested before: God and Belial, light and darknesse may as soon agree together; and therefore it must not be expected, that his Ma∣jesty should yeeld up his Honour, Conscience and Crown, in sacrifice to so pernicious a rivall in his Prerogative.

Secondly, if there be a fresh engaging for Presbytery to crush Inde∣pendency, what more hope of peace have we when this prevailing party shall be down, and the other up again? are we not where we were before? shall not his Majesty remain as lyable as ever to the old vex∣atious Popositions? and have not the Presbyters of the Kirk told us plainly beforehand, that they are resolved, he shall sign all their de∣sires before his resolution to the exercise of his Regall power? what then may we expect from Presbytery, after all the miseries and deso∣lations of a second War, but that his Majesty shall remain in durance, as he did at Holdenby, or does now in the Island, without all hope of remedy to himself, or end of those intolerable oppressions lying upon this afflicted Kingdom?

Thirdly, it being cleer, that the design of a Presbytery hath been carried on meerly for the private ends of particular men, what mad∣nesse is it for men that pretend wisdom, Religion and godlinesse, to ha∣zard themselves and their Estates, to draw on the guilt of innocent blood by embroyling their fellow subjects, and infringe their Obli∣gations to their Soveraign, by prostituting their consciences, purses and endeavours, to serve the ambition of a few, whose practises (when they are invested with power) will be (as they ever have been) to make them share with others in the common calamity at present, and intaile slavery upon their Posterity for ever?

Fourthly, Presbytery wheresoever it settles, is destructive of liberty, by reason of that popish trick taken up by the Presbyterian, in drawing all secular affaires within the compasse of their spirituall jurisdicti∣on: and this they do by means of that awe wherein they hold the consciences of the Magistrate and People; the one being lyable as well as the other, by excommunications and suspensions, to be exploded as scandalous sinners, when they please to pronounce them such; as appears by that large extent of their Authority in judging of scanda∣lous sins, which reaches almost to every action of humane life: so that

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all the rest of the Kingdom, besides their favourites (from the King to the Beggar) must stoop like asses, to be ridden by a few ambitious Priests, and Lay-ignoramuses.

Fiftly, a regulated Episcopacy must be the onely government for this Nation, in regard it is most suitable to the constitution of the Mo∣narchy, and the Lawes of the Land (whereto through continuance of time it hath a very neer relation) and also to the humours and good liking of the people, insomuch that the Brethren of the contrary way after all their art, industry and perswasion, have found by experi∣ence, that it is impossible to force any other upon them; therefore without all controversie, a Bishop mortified and pruned of his super∣fluities, moderated in the jurisdiction of his Court, and the compulsive power, and assisted by the Clergy of his Diocesse, will in the end ap∣pear to be the most excellent Governour.

Sixtly, if any Presbyter object, that he hath sworn to the extirpa∣tion of Bishops, he may do well to consider the unlawfulnesse of such an Oath, it having never been enjoyned by any lawfull authori∣ty, but expresly without it, and against it; and moreover, to the de∣struction of that which is lawfull, viz. the government of the Church, confirmed by the Lawes of the Land; which appears also by the undoubted testimony of ancient Records and later Histories, to have been continued with an universell, uninterrupted, unquestioned suc∣cession in all the Churches of God, and in all Kingdoms that have been called Christian throughout the whole world, for fifteen hundred yeers together, without any considerable opposition made against it; and which, if it be not of divine right, hath a fairer pretension, and may lay a juster title and claim to a divine institution, then any other form of Government can do: and therefore it having been wor∣thily of such esteem in all Times and Places, and established by Law, certainly an Oath binding to extirpate it without Law and against Law, is utterly unlawfull, and so rather to be repented of, then stubbornly maintained.

Seventhly, by standing out for a Presbytery, they give the more hopes and encouragement to the Independent party, to persist in a way of obstinacy against his Majesty, and oppression of the Subject; because it will be a means to hinder a cordiall joynt engaging betwixt the Presbyters and the Royall party, and enflame the old enmity, to the de∣struction of each other, whilest Independents gather strength and op∣portunity to triumph in the ruines of their division; whereas by a

speedy compliance with his Majesties interest, they may quell the pride of Independency, and either fetch them down to a composition with his Majesty; or in case they continue perverse, be surely enabled to ex∣pell them out of the Kingdom.

Lastly, by a sincere, absolute close with his Majesty upon rationall grounds, they do no more then what the prevailing party among their Brethren the Scots, pretend to engage for (and truly, if their intents be otherwise, they will finde but cold entertainment in England;) therefore if the Presbyters of England would but acquit themselves like reasonable men, the work of restoring his Majesty might be done without the Scots, and all those miseries and inconveniences be a∣voyded, which must certainly follow the admission of a forreign Army; which, besides the pressures that they must bring upon the exhausted Northen parts, will expect a large retribution of Treasure for a reward of their engaging, and (perhaps) not depart in quiet, but upon such Termes, as may be exceedingly prejudiciall and dishonourable to the English Nation.

From hence I once again infer, the true interest of the Presbyters, is to counter-work the Independents in their interest, which they now drive against his Majesty; and to this end, to quicken themselves to a joynt engaging with the royall party, as the onely means to beat down the ambition of the ruling Grandees of the Independent party, to prevent the miseries of a long-languishing War, with the in conve∣niences of a Scottish incursion; and also to procure the speedy settle∣ment of the King in his just Rights, and the Kingdoms in firm peace and tranquility.