A REPLY TO THE FUNERAL OF THE Good old Cause, OR COVENANT.  
As truly spoken in the House, as was that to which this does return.  
Printed in the Year, 1661.   

A Reply to the funeral of the Good old Cause or Covenant, &c.  
Mr. Speaker,  
I Perceive it sticks with some, that this House should declare so high against the beloved Covenant; for which the Gent. that spake last hath modestly moved a Reprieve. He is to be liked much the better that he never took it himself; and as he never approved the pressing it upon others, so I hope in himself he never approved it at all. But since he would be content with an Act of Oblivion for it, I presume he will not conceive but that to burn it, is a very good way to forget it. So the Roman did with the Letters that he would not have remembered to the prejudice of those that writ them, or of the parties that they did concern. When Towns or Forts have been Authors of extraordinary mischief, to prevent a future evil we leave them all in Ashes. When the Christian Religion came once to plant in Ephesus, those holy Saints and mildred promoters of it, nere thought an Amnestia onely was sufficient: but to devouring flames they bring their curious Books. In the Country where this Covenant first was born, the Law condemns a Witch to death by fire: and under the effect of this, we now see plain there was a fascination. Some men that meant well( by the sense that others put upon it) were hooked into that which at first they nere intended. It was worthily acknowledged by the Gent. that the aim of it against the Prelacy, was the sacrilege of their Lands and Revenues. And can you think it deserved to slide in silence to the pit, whose battery razed the Government which the constant succession of 1500. yeares had glorified through the Christian World?  
But he is pleased to offer you some Reasons to incline you to a mollification. One is, that it was instrumental to bring in our King. Truly if it did this, it would merit a pardon as well as a Reprieve. Every pin conducing to that work would be set in Gold and preserved. But sure enough what ever it did to the Son, it destroyed the Father; and was the price of more blood, then the Nation that first bread it was worth. If it obliged them to defend the King, how came they to preach up a War against him, to give thanks when he was beaten, to drive him from all his own, to contribute for the pay of those that fought against him; and to ravish with a violent hand from all that did refuse to join with them? If it did not oblige his defence, how comes it to do it now? I fear if we should go to search, the very design was ruin. Indeed to do the Scots right, they sent it in plain terms, though I doubt whether with any better intent. I would fain ask whether it were taken to preserve the King, or to gain assistance against him; whether it were not the Consultation of Sion, once to have left out what related to His Majesty; and when that was not thought handsome, it was contrived in such terms as might signify nothing, or at least leave them so at liberty as in seeming to be Saints, they might cheat in the people to their aid; and yet themselves escape out Fiends of a blacker die and temper. And admit it did at last do what the Gent. would have us believe it did. Since with the satire it can blow both hot and could, I hope this Assembly will be of the Husbandmans opinion, never to suffer it to harbour within their walls. I doubt it will be found their weariness of Tyranny and Taxes, the loss of their Trade, and the want of having their will without him, more then their Conscientious Zeal for the Covenant that induced them to invite home the King. And to confirm this, let but also the endeavours be considered how they would have pinioned the wings of our Eagle before he should have flown among us.  
Another Reason is given to avoid scandal to the Protestant Religion, both at home and abroad. But how this, we are to inquire. At home it cannot be, the Church of England never stooped to own it. It can no more blemish the true Protestant Religion, either in taking on't or pleading for't, then a heresy or Error of a Factious party can do a true Church. But now if it should not be condemned, it justly might be held to do so; so that to avoid scandal at home, 'tis fit it be now declared against.  
Nor can it be scandal abroad, it being there decried already, and by all the Reformed Churches abroad, refused to be joined in the Learned and the Reverend Diodatus, plainly returning answer and advising, That they would repel this horrible scandal which so extremely wrongs Christianity in general. By them it is paralleled with the Holy League of France, wherein as in this, they Covenant for Religion and a King, and to keep it as they did here; they turn their arms against their King that striven to uphold their Religion.  
Besides, the taking of it was either lawful or unlawful. If it were lawful, let there be any President shown either in Divinity or State, where there ever was a Covenant taken without and against the consent of the lawful Prince and adjudged lawful. In the old Law, if a Child did vow a vow, and upon the Parents hearing of it, a disapprovement passed upon it, 'twas then not held to bind, but became both Null and voided. And surely the Prince who is the general Parent of his people hath a Prerogative of as large extent upon his Subjects, as a natural Parent is allowed to have over his Children.  
If it were not lawful, why was it taken at all? or why should it pleaded at all to bind? Since unlawful oaths are best of all kept by breaking them. If one man shall swear to kill another, surely there is none so wild to think he is bound to keep or perform his Oath. So that the keeping of an unlawful Oath is a double scandal, the one in the taking, the other in pursuing it when taken.  
Nor can I see how those that have taken this Covenant can pled for the obligation of it,— when they themselves have given example of the violation of others they have taken that are far more binding then this can be proved to be. Before they did take this, they took the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy; and many of them the promissory Oath of caconical obedience. Yet by preaching up the people into Rebellion, by setting up a Power above the just Supremacy, by exploding the Hierarchy of the Church, and by invading the Rights and Revenues both of Prince and Church; they have infringed and Cassed both the one and the other. When it cannot be denied but all of these were lawful in themselves, and Legally and Authoritatively taken by them. And if they could so dispense with these ordain●d and established by the Law of the Land, and the Legal Authority of the Prince: And think it no scandal to wave such sacred Sanctions both of Church and State; I doubt not but it will be far less to them to foregoe this when they cannot longer hold it. The truth is, this Great Assembly I conceive hath done well and honourably, to doom it as they have done, to deter men from the like hereafter, and that those who would be friends to it, may know what they have to trust to, may see their error and repent: and leave their hankering after this Sister of jesabel, who painted but to delude. And indeed, they are beholding to this Honourable House for taking this burden off their shoulders, for vindicating this splendid Church, that by their Faction and Ignorance they had smutted round with scandal. And for showing to all how great and just it is for them to detest it into the Hangmans hand, like the sinful World at last to be purged with a cleansing flamme. And since as the Salamander it was born and hath lived in the fire of Contention; let it also expire in that Material one which will consume it. That from its dry Ashes the Memory thereof may perish, and nothing ever after may come to rise up like it.   
FINIS.