CERTAIN OBSERVATIONS UPON The two contrary COVENANTS, LATELY PUBLISHED, AND Shortly to be offered by one side or other to the whole KINGDOM.  
OXFORD, Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD, Printer to the University. 1643.   

Certain Observations upon two contrary Covenants.  
THat malignant and ill affected party which hath of late years so disturbed the peace & tranquillity wherein this Kingdom had long before flourished, and hath with their contagious preaching and writing infected many of the Kings formerly loyal subjects with litigious & rebellious opinions, it is composed of two sorts of people. Those who have contrived and do manage their whole design, knowing what they do, and wherefore they do it; and those who by the specious pretences of the former are inveagled and drawn in to act they know not what nor why. The first are engaged for their several & respective ends against their Consciences, as some for Ambition, some for Covetousness, some for Vainglory, some for Malice, and some for Revenge: The others are engaged by their misinformed judgements; over those nothing but Force can prevail: among these Reason may find entertainment. These two thus differing do yet so agree, that they do equally conduce to one end, and (like the judicious eye and brawny arm of an Archer) one without the other can never hit the mark they aim at. Since therefore the rectifying of either of these, will rectify both, and so settle the Kingdom in statu quo prius: It is certainly as easy to convince the misled, by Reason, as to subdue the mis-leaders by the sword. Whilst others therefore strive to do the later, I will endeavour to do the former; taking occasion by these two opposite Covenants lately published, and shortly by one side or other to be offered to the whole Kingdom, because the most powerful convincement in the world is to judge a man out of his own mouth; if therefore I can prove (as I make no doubt but I shall) that that which in this Covenant this Malignant party doth swear to do, is contrary to all their former pretences, & discovers their malicious intentions, I hope it will make some Proselytes. I desire every one therefore to consider well of both these Covenants, as it behoveth him to do before he taketh either, and to compare them together, and then as the Prophet Eliah said, 1 King. 18.21. How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. So will I put it upon this issue, (though howsoever the cas● is disputable) that if it shall appear to any man, that with a clear and unsophisticated judgement considereth these Covenants, that the  malignant party doth principally and chief endeavour the establishing of the true Reformed Protestant Religion, the preservation of the King's Person, the privilege of Parliament, the propriety of the Subject, and the Laws of the Land, & the settling of peace and quiet among us, without preferring their private ends, then let him enter into Covenant with them against his King: But if he shall find that it is the King who endeavours all that is aforesaid, and that in them it is but pretended, not intended, let him take heed that he Covenant not with them, for it is a fearful thing to mock God so solemnly. Let not fear induce him to it, but let him keep faith and a good conscience, and trust God with the rest; and if he find that he hath been hitherto seduced, let him not be ashamed to profess his conversion: for it is the greatest honour to a man in the world ingenously to confess his error.  
But lest every man should not so circumspectly look into these Covenants as I do, the better to help him, I will here set down 5. Observations which I have taken.  
The first is, that in the Covenant composed by this Malignant party, the preservation of His Majesty's person and just Rights, is not at all mentioned amongst other pretences, as it hath heretofore been in all their writings, wherein their motives to begin and prosecute the war have been named, by which I gather this, that their plausible pretences having served their turns in helping them to raise an Army; they do (like horse-stealers, who having ridden one horse as far as he can go, turn him lose and take another) shift or change their pretences from Protestant Religion, etc. to whatsoever is for the good of the Cause; so that their Army that was raised for the defence of the King and Parliament, is maintained to fight against the King's Army, his own Person not excepted: Going back from their first principles, as best fitteth for their purpose, (like trees that shed their beautiful blossoms when their fruit begin to appear) whilst the King's Covenant still mentioneth the privilege of Parliament in the number of the causes wherefore he proceedeth in this war: But howsoever those who are contrivers of this wicked and malicious design, take this liberty to themselves; let not those to whom I address myself (that is, such who have been persuaded hitherto by their misinformed consciences to all that they have done) consent with them, and so lose that which is their only plea both before God and man, and let them take special care not to pin themselves so upon the others sleeves, as to think their wisdom's infallible, or honesties indisputable; but as a man will believe his own eyes before another's, so let him always have recourse to his own breast, and ask counsel there: for by his own conscience shall he be judged.  
The second is, that they vow never to lay down arms so long as the Papists now in arms against the Parliament (as they say) shall be kept from the justice of it; that is, till the King's Army be overcome. This is the most irreligious and inhuman Vow that can be imagined, for it excludes all hopes of Accommodation and peace by Treaty, and it evidently showeth that the settling of Religion, Laws, and Liberty is not the thing they aim at, for the Kings Purry are sworn by their Covenant that that shall be their first endeavour, whilst these Vow to entertain ●o Treaty (for so fare doth the sense of their vow reach) and indeed if we had not this evident proof of their averseness to peace, it were a great folly to think otherwise of them; For wherefore took they up arms? Not for the Establishing of the Protestant Religion etc. no, for than they would have laid them down again upon the King's Oath and promise to be as forward to that as they: But they say we cannot confide in the King's Oath, for my part, I think that without repentance they will be damned for saying so, because they have so little charity, I am sure they never durst venture to Treat for fear he should be as good as his word. If it were not for this, wherefore was it then that they took up Arms? Marry that I think none but God knoweth (besides themselves) who in his good time will bring it to light: But in the mean time, as I can judge by a man's countenance and other sympt oms that he is not well, though I know not directly what he aileth; so by these Observations out of their own Covenant, and the rest that I shall make, one may find that their intentions are not for good, though he knoweth not the particular Mischief that they aim at; which may suffice to make every honest man, heitherto misled by them, to desert them as well as if he had discovered their whole design: and besides they may chance to be for sworn as those 40 men were, who bound themselves under a Curse that they would neither eat nor drink till they had slain Paul.  
The Third is their Combination to stick to one another in these words. And I will likewise assist all other persons that shall take this Oath in what they shall do in pursuance thereof. This is a thing which was never done in a lawful war, but in conspiracies, and confederacies, which denotes that theirs is so, and besides, it betrays their inward guilt when they take such care for the protection of their several persons, and showeth who were their teachers, even their Brethren the Scots; in the other Covenant I find no such thing, of which I shall make only this use, to desire every honest man to consider, which side maketh the just war, and have the clearest consciences, and with them to join himself.  
The fourth is, that their covenant is to be constrained, and that the Kings is Voluntary. This in the first place is contrary to God's law, to constrain a man to take a vow, which with a safe Conscience he cannot keep, or else he sure to be plundered and undo ne, so that to add to the public Miseries that they have brought upon us, they do by this draw particular men into such an exigency, that either their bodies or souls must be ruined. In the second place this showeth that they trust not much to the justice of their Cause, for if they did, they would rather choose to trust to a few, and those such whose hearts they know to be with them, as well as their bodies, then to have their strength bound with that weak bond of constrained consciences, which will find twenty ways to unloose themselves, but they fear if they should trust to that they should not have so many men as were slain t'other day at Brackly.  
My fift and last Observation is, that they entered into Covenant first, and after them the King's Party, of which I shall make this use, to prove that theirs is the Offensive, the Kings the Defensive Party, which is a thing of the greatest advantage to the King, and disadvantage to them that may be both before God and Man, before Man, because that surely they will never take part with them whom they believe to be the causers of all the miseries that have fal●en unto them, and before God because all the innocent blood that hath been, or shall be spilt in this bloody war will be required at their hands that were the Causers of it; and all the Rapes and Roberies that have been, and will be committed during the same, will be laid to their charge. As therefore every man in the managing his worldly affairs, taketh heed not to engage himself so for other men as to be forced to the payment of their debts besides his own: so let him more especially take care that he put himself not in the number of those, who at the day of judgement will have more laid upon their score, than they can be able to make satisfaction for. Let not any man therefore for any worldly persuasion whatsoever, be induced to take this aforesaid oath of covenant, especially if it be against his conscience.  
I have here set down the Text with the Comment giving the priority to those to whom for their shame, not their honour it belongeth.  
A sacred Vow and Covenant to be taken by the Armies and Kingdoms.  
I A. B. In humility and reverence of the Divine Majesty declare my hearty sorrow for my own sins, and the sins of this Nation, which have deserved the calamities and judgements that now lie upon it: and my true intention is by God's grace to endeavour the amendment of my own ways; and I do further in the presence of Almighty God declare vow, and covenant, that in order to the security, and preservation of the true Reformed Protestant Religion, and liberty of the Subject, I will not consent to the laying down of Arms, so long as the Papists now in open war against the Parliament, shall by force of Arms be protected from the justice thereof, and that I do abhor and detest the said wicked and treacherous design lately discovered, and that I never gave, nor will give my assent to the execution thereof, but will according to my power and vocation oppose and resist the same, and all other of the like nature: and in case any other like design shall hereafter come to my knowledge, I will make such timely discovery, as I shall conceive may best conduce to the preventing thereof: And whereas I do in my conscience believe that the Forces raised by the two Houses of Parliament are raised and continued for their just defence, and for the defence of the true Protestant Religion, and liberty of the Subject, against the Forces raised by the King; that I will according to my power and vocation, assist the Forces raised and continued by both Houses of Parliament, against the Forces raised by the King without their consent, and will likewise assist all other persons that shall take this Oath, in what they shall do in pursuance thereof, and will not directly or indirectly adhere unto, nor shall willingly assist the Forces raised by the K●●● 〈…〉 the consent of both Houses of Parliament; and this Vow and Covenant I make in the presence of Almighty God, the searcher of all hearts, with a true intention to perform the same, as I shall answer at the great day, when the secrets of all hea●●● shall 〈…〉.  
A sacred Oath or Covenant to b● 〈…〉 majesty's loyal Subjects, for the maintenance of the true Reformed Pr●t●●●●●●●●●●●ion; his Majesty's just Rights, and the P●●●●led●● o●●●●liament.  
I Resting fully assured of his Majesty's Princely truth and goodness, do freely and from my heart promise, vow 〈◊〉 protest in the presence of Almighty God, that I will to the uttermost of my p●●●●●, ●●d 〈◊〉 the hazard of my life maintain the true Protestant Religion established in chiliarch 〈◊〉 ●ngland, his Majesty's sacred person, his Heirs and lawful Successors, his M●j●s●i●●●●st power and privilege, and the just power and privilege of Parliament against the Forces under the conduct of the Earl of Essex, and against all other f●●c●●hat●oever, contrary to his Majesty's command, and I do believe that the raising ●●d employing of forces by his Majesty for the purpose and cause before mentioned, to be most just and necessary; and I will do my utmost endeavour to procure and re-establish the peace and quiet of the Kingdom: and that here in his Majesty's subjects may fully enjoy their liberty and property according to the Law of the land, and will neither divulge nor communicate any thing to the said Earl, his Officers or to any other, to hinder or prejudice the designs of his Majesty, in the conduct or employment of his Army, and I do believe the Subjects of England are not obliged by any Act of State, Vote, Ordinance, or Declaration made or to be made either by the King's Majesty solely; or by the Lords and Commons singly or jointly, without his Majesty's express consent, saving such as are, or shall be in execution of, or according to some known Law, Custom of the Realm, or Statute enacted by the King, Lords and Commons in Parliament, and I do further protest and vow in the presence of Almighty God, that I will not take nor bear Arms, but by the express warrant of his Majesty, or by Authority justly derived from his Majesty's immediate Warrant.  
FINIS.