thefe Mens Ambitions and Lufts have kindled And I would fain know of any Man what A& it is that I have done? Or what is it that was proved in the High Court against me, that makes me guilty of Scotland's Blood? Did I ever invite the Scots to invade England? What Man doth lay that to my Charge? Did I ever encourage the English Army to invade Scotland? What Action is it that I have done that makes me guilty of that Blood? Indeed this I have done, and this I have, and this I do ftand to; I have, as a private Man, prayed unto God many a Day, and kept many a Fast, wherein I have fought God that there might be an Agreement between the King and the Scots, upon the Interest of Religion and Terms of the Covenant: Now, by what Confequence can this be ftrain'd, to charge me with Scotland's Blood? For my Part, I was but only at one Meeting where the Question was propos'd (Fafts only excepted) what fhould be thought fit to be done to promote the Agreement between the King and the Scots? and that was moved in my Houfe: And to that End, when there were fome things there propofed which they call'd a Commiffion, or Inftructions to fend to Holland; as foon as ever I heard them, I did declare against them. I did declare that it was an Act of high Prefumption for private Perfons to commiffionate; an Act of notorious Falfhood, to fay it was in the Name of the Presbyterian Party, when none knew of it (that I know of) but only thofe few then prefent. Now this is only a political Engine to make the Presbyterian Party odious, who are the best Friends to a well or der'd Government, of any fort of People in the World.

I am accufed likewife to be a Man of a turbulent Spirit, to be an Enemy to the Peace and Quiet of the Nation. Now, as to this, let my Congregation and my Domeftical Relations judge for me, whether I am not a Man that would fain have lived quiet in the Land: I am as Jeremy was, born a Man of Contention; not actively, I contend, I strive with none: But paffively, many strive and contend with me. God is my Witnefs, my Judgment hath put me upon endeavouring after all honourable and juft Ways for Peace and Love among the Godly. The Grief of my Heart hath been for the Divifions, and the Defire of my Soul for an Union among God's People. But when I fpeak of an Union, I would not be misunderstood, I do not mean a State Union, to engage to the prefent Power, that is against my Principles; that is to fay, A Confederacy with them that fay, A Confederacy: That is, rather a Combination than a Gofpel Union: O join not with them, left ye be confumed in their Sins; they who get Power into their Hands by Policy, and use it with Cruelty, will lofe it with Ignominy. It was faid of Pope Boniface, He did enter into the Popedom like a Fox, reign'd like a Lion, but died like a Dog. Beloved, the Union for which I plead, is a Church Union; to wit, Love among the Godly; for this the Defires of my Soul have ever been, that thofe that fear God might walk Hand in Hand in the Fellowship of the Gospel, both in Truth and Love: If this Union be not, I am afraid, through our Divifions, a Company of loofe Libertines will arife, who will endeavour not only to overthrow the Doctrine of Faith, and the Power of Godliness, but even good Manners alfo. I remember an Obfervation of holy Greenham's, giving his Judgment upon the State of England, faith he, There is great Fear that Popery

is coming into England, and I fear it too; But (fays he) I fear more the coming in of Atheism into England than the coming in of Popery; and truly, that is my Fear alfo. Thus as to my 'Practice: A

Word now as to my Principles.

I am accus'd to be an Apoftate, to be a Turncoat, to be this, to be that, to be any thing but what I am: In the general, I will tell you, I blefs my God, a High-Court, a long Sword, a bloody Scaffold, have not made me in the leaft to alter my Principles, or to wrong my Confcience: And that I might difcover to you my Principies, I hope I fhall do it with Freedom; I will irritate and provoke none; what I fhall fay, fhall not be an Irritation or Provocation of others, at least not intended by me; but only as a genuine and clear Manifeftation of my own Principles how they ftand.

Firft then, my Principles, as to Civil and Religious Affairs, I do declare that I die with my Judgment fet against Malignity, I do hate both Name and Thing; I ftill retain as vehement a Deteftation of a Malignant Interest as ever I did; yet I would not be misunderstood: I do not understand, nor count the godly Party, our covenanting Brethren in Scotland, to be a Malignant Party; nor the Scots defending their Nation and Title of their King to be a Malignant Intereft, but an honest and justifiable Cause.

Secondly, Tho' I am against Malignity, yet I am not againft, but for a regulated Monarchy; a mixt Monarchy, fuch as ours is, I judge to be the beft Government in the World: I did, it's true, in my Place and Calling, oppofe the Forces of the late King, but I was never against the Of fice; I am not only against Court-Parafites, who would fcrew up Monarchy into Tyranny, but against those who pull down Monarchy to bring in Anarchy.

Thirdly,

Thirdly, I was never for putting the King to death, whofe Perfon I did promife in my Cove nant to preferve: It is true, I did in my Place and Calling oppofe his Forces, but I did never endeavour to destroy his Perfon. There is a Scandal rais'd of me, that in a Sermon at Windfor, I fhould have these Words, that It would never be well with England, till the King were let blood in the Neck-vein; which Speech I utterly deteft, profeffing, as a dying Man, in the prefence of God and of you all, I never fpake fuch Words, as relating to him: Tho' my Judgment was for bringing Malignants, who did feduce him and draw him from his Parliament, to condign Punishment; yet I deem'd it an ill way to cure the Body-Politick, by cutting off the political Head.

Fourthly, I die with my Judgment abfolutely fet against the Engagement; I pray God forgive them that impofe and fubfcribe it, and preferve thofe. that refuse it.

Fifthly, I would not in the next place be look'd upon, now I am a dying Man, as a Man owning this prefent Government; I die with my Judg ment against it; It is true, in a Cafe of Life, I did petition the prefent Power, and did give them the Titles they take to themselves, and that others give them; but herein I did not wrong nor thwart my Principles; there are many Inftances in Scripture to juftify this: Hubai did give the Title of King to Abfalom, tho' Abfalom had no Right to that Title; for David was the lawful King: And David himself gave him that Title as well as Hubai. And Calvin he gave the Title to the French King, calling him the moft Chriftian King, yet we know he was a Papilt: And we give a Title to King Henry VIII. and call him the Defender of the Faith, and yet he had no Right to that Title; for he was an Oppofer, not a Defen

ed

der of the Faith; that Title was given him upon an evil ground, because he oppofed the Faith; he opposed the Doctrine of Luther, therefore the Pope gave him that Title, The Defender of the Faith; and yet none did fcruple to give him that Title that was then commonly given him.

Sixthly, in the next place (I discover my Judgment, I provoke none, only tell you what my own Thoughts are, that fo after I am dead and gone, I might not be belied, for I dare not now bely my Principles) my Judgment is against the Invafion of the Scotifh Nation by the English Army. They, who gave us a friendly Affiftance, who are joyned with us in the fame Covenant, who drew a Sword with us in the fame Quarrel, fhould I live a Thousand Years, I fhould never draw Sword against them; but the English Army have forget the Brotherly Covenant: So that Scotland may fay as Edom, The Men of my Confederacy, who were at Peace with me, have rifen up and prevailed against me: Becaufe Scotland will not be a Commonwealth, they fhall not be a People; because they will not break Covenant, fome Men would have them broken; because they will not lay their Confciences wafte, their Land must be laid waste.

Laftly, and fo I have done, (only with a Word of Exhortation) I die cleaving to all thofe Oaths, Vows, Covenants, and Proteftations that were impofed by the two Houfes of Parliament, as owning them, and dying with my Judgment for them; to the Proteftation, the Vow and Covenant, the Solemn League and Covenant. And this I tell you all, I had rather die a Covenant-keeper, than live a Covenant-breaker.

I am now come to the third and last part of my Speech, and fo I fhall have done, and commit my Soul to God who gave it. My Exhortation firft fball be to this to this great City, unto the godly Mini

101

try