AN Appendix TO THE AGREEMENT FOR THE PEOPLE. Published for the satisfaction of Tender Consciences. By A. P. January 24. 1648. Imprimatur JOHN DOWNAME. LONDON, Printed for G. Calvert, and are sold at the East end of Paul's. 1648. An APPENDIX To the AGREEMENT for the PEOPLE BEfore I come to speak to the other Paper. I shall answer for my own. Whereas some may be apt to object against it as needless, thus 1. Master Ashurst a Parliament man of known integrity, and of eminent repute for Piety, in his Reasons against agreement with a Paper entitled The Agreement of the Peopl hath sufficiently done this work. 2. It is likely that many of those who have stuck to the Parliament, will be forward of themselves to reject the new Module, when they see it coming from those heads and hands, by which so many Members of Parliament have been violently detained from the exercise of that trust wherein they have been eminently active for the People's freedom. 3. It is not imaginable that the business will proceed to subscription, seeing it is inconsistent with the Declaration of the Honourable House of Commons, set up by their Command in the Parish meeting-places. To the first Objection I answer, That though Master Ashurst hath handled the subject both as a Christian, and as a Statesman, with invincible Reasons; Yet seeing that Price is not so common as it deserves to be, it may be the Lot of this paper to come to such hands as miss of that, and so this may do some good, though not so much as the other To the second I answer, that the new Module coming from men who have done much good service in another kind; and being penned with so much artifice, it is probable some men of honest affections may be surprised into a subscription, if they be not forewarned of the danger; for their sakes therefore have I undertaken this. To the third I answer, the provocations of this back-sliding Kingdom are so great, that we know not how fare Providence may (in God's just judgement,) permit things to be swayed contrary to our apprehensions, as we have seen by late and unexpected experience; it will therefore be wisdom to fear the worst, and provide a timely remedy, which I desire to do in few words; not meddling with those circumstances which make the new Module practicable, nor many things which are material in it; my purpose not being to give an ample answer, but to put in a sufficient caution against it; by showing that the main things in it, and those that seem to be most intended by it, are such as (so fare as I can see, having compared them with the Law and the Testimony,) cannot be subscribed unto by most of the Parliaments Partakers without Perjury; nor by any subject of this Kingdom without sin. The things most considerable in that agreement are two. 1. The alteration of the Civil Government from King, Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, to new Representees in stead of a Parliament. 2. The vast Toleration of heresy, schism, idolatry, and other sins immediately against the God of glory. Upon these two branches I shall proceed. That the new Module cannot be subscribed by most of the Parliaments friends without Perjury, I argue thus. For any men to subscribe to things contrary to their own Oaths, is perjury; but most of all the Parliaments friends have taken the solemn League and Covenant, wherein they have sworn constantly to endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest uniformity in Religion and Form of Church-Governement, and to endeavour the extirpation of superstition, heresy, schism, and to preserve the Rights and Privileges of the Parliament, and the King's Majesty's Authority, that the world may bear witness with their consciences of their loyalty, and that they have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Majesty's just Power, and that they shall with all faithfulness, endeavour the discovery of all such as shall be evil instruments, by hindering the Reformation of Religion, dividing the King from his people, or one Kingdom from another, that they may be brought to condign punishment: therefore it is perjury for most of the Parliaments friends to subscribe to the new Agreement, which gives Toleration to superstition, heresy and schism, and which takes away Rights and Privileges of the Parliament, and the King's Authority, and divides the King from his people, and obstructs uniformity in Religion and Form of Church-Government, and is likely to divide this Kingdom from one or both of the other. The Oath of Allegiance and the Protestation which many of them also have taken, obliges them expressly to some of the forementioned particulars, which are contrary to the new Agreement. Let me therefore beseech all those which have taken either the Oath of Allegiance, or the Protestation, or the Covenant in the fear of God, to consider these texts of Scripture, Psal. 15.1, 4. Lord, who shall dwell in thy holy hill? he that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not, Eccles. 8.2. I counsel thee to keep the King's Commandment, and that in regard of the Oath of God, Ezek. 17.19. Thus saith the Lord God, as I live, surely mine Oath that he hath despised and the Covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head. This I hope will be sufficient to make every one that fears an Oath, to take heed how he give it under his hand, that he is resolved to break his Covenant. Now in the next place I shall hold forth unto you that the new Agreement cannot be subscribed by any Subject of this Kingdom without fin; in regard of the two chief branches above mentioned, viz. The alteration of the Civil Government, and the Toleration about matters of Religion. Concerning the Civil part of the Agreement, I argue thus; It is sinful in any subject to subscribe to that which is contrary to the duty of a subject; but to alter the supreme Government of a State, is contrary to the duty of a Subject; therefore it is finfull in any Subject to subscribe to alter the Supreme Government. That it is contrary to the duty of a Subject to go about to alter the Supreme Government of a Kingdom wherein he is a Subject, is evident in many Scriptures, whereof I shall here produce a few, Prov. 24.21, 22. Fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change, for their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruin of them both? Rom. 13.1, 2. Let every soul be subject unto the Higher-powers, for there is no power but of God, the Powers that be are of God; whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the Ordinance of God, and they that resist receive to themselves damnation, 1 Pet. 2.13. Submit yourselves unto every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake; whether it be to the King as supreme, or unto Governors, as unto them that are sent by him. Concerning the other branch in the Agreement about Religion; wherein there is protection made for idolatry, heresy, and other the like abominations, I argue thus; That whereby Provision is made to protect idolatry, heresy, or any the like abominations is sinful; but by subscribing to the new Agreement about Religion, Provision is made to protect idolatry, heresy, and the like abominations: therefore subscribing to the new Agreement about Religion is sinful. That to make Provision to protect idolatry, heresy, or any the like abomination, is sinful, the Scripture abundantly shows; yet I shall now produce only two or three witnesses, Zech. 13.2, 3. it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the Prophets and the unclean Spirit to pass out of the land; and it shall come to pass that when any shall yet prophesy, than his father and mother that begat-him, shall say unto him, thou shalt not live, for thou prophesiest lies in the name of the Lord, and his father and his mother that beg at him, shall thrust him through when he prophesieth, Tit. 1.10, 11. there are many deceivers, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, Rev. 2.20. I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman jezebel, which calleth herself a Prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants, to eat things sacrificed to idols. Having thus shown you my grounds against subscribing this new Agreement; I shall proceed to answer an Objection or Querie, and remove a double temptation. The Objection which a democratical spirit is apt to forge, runs thus. If that Oath which we have taken, for the maintaining of the Parliaments Privileges, and the King. Authority be to maintain an usurped power, and if we be persuaded that the supreme power is seated in ourselves, what hurt would it be to lay aside our Covenant? I answer, though this supposition be made up of fancy, rather than reality: yet if there were as much truth in the supposition, as there is confidence in some men about it: yet by no means may such an Oath or Covenant be broken; though in humane probability, the flourishing or freedom of a Kingdom might be attained thereby; and for this case I shall give you a parallel, Ezek. 17.12, 13, 14, 15. the King of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the King thereof, and the Princes thereof, and hath led them with him to Babylon, and hath taken of the King's seed and made a Covenant with him, and hath taken an Oath of him, he hath also taken the mighty of the land, that the Kingdom might be base, that it might not lift up itself, but that by keeping of his Covenant it might stand; but he rebelled against him in sending his Ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much People: shall he prosper, shall he escape that death such things? or shall he break the Covenant and be delivered? The temptation to subscription, from this consideration, that this new Module is commended to the People from an armed hand, though not in an armed way; may be a snare two ways. 1. By way of humane confidence. 2. By way of humane fear. 1. Some who otherwise would not be induced to subscribe, may be alured by thinking that if they do subscribe they shall have the more special protection from the Army: 2. Some who otherwise could not be persuaded to subscribe, may be wrought upon by fancying, that if they do not subscribe, they may be liable to the displeasure of those, who have power to do them an ill turn. These humane temptations might be answered by humane considerations; but I wave them; having some pieces of armour of proof, and weapons that are not carnal, but mighty through God; which I shall commend to every poor soul, that may be assaulted with either of the forementioned temptations. And first to that temptation of humane confidence, I shall return these Scripture meditations, Isa. 31.3. Now the Egyptians are men and not God, and their horse's flesh and not spirit; when the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both be that helpeth shall fall, and he that is helped shall fall down, and they all shall fall together, Ezek. 17.17, 18. neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty Army, and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts and building up forts to cut off many Persons, Seeing he despised the Oath by breaking the Covenant, (when lo he had given his hand,) and hath done all these things, he shall not escape. To that other temptation of humane fear, I shall return these Scripture considerations, Isa. 51.12, 13. I even I am he that comforteth you; who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the Son of man that shall be made as grass? and forgetteth the Lord thy Maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the Oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy, and where is he fury of the Oppressor? Heb. 1.3.5, 6. he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man can do unto me. Christian Reader, if by what thou hast read, thou hast gained any Resolution, I have my aim; however I have discharged my conscience. FINIS.