A DECLARATION Of the Commander in Chief of the Forces in SCOTLAND, Also another DECLARATION Of the Officers of the ARMY in SCOTLAND To the Churches of Christ in the three NATIONS, Together with Three LETTERS from the Lord General MONCK, Commander in Chief of the Forces in Scotland, and one of the Commissioners by Act of Parliament for the Government of the Army of this Commonwealth, VIZ. 1. To Mr. SPEAKER, 2. To the Lord FLEETWOOD, 3. To the Lord LAMBERT. EDINBURGH, Printed by Christopher Higgins, in Hearts Close, over against the Throne Church, 1659. A DECLARATION OF THE COMMANDER in Chief of the Forces in SCOTLAND, HAving, to the great grief of our hearts, been informed of a most unhappy difference lately fallen out betwixt the Parliament and some Officers of the Army at London, which hath occasioned the displacing of sundry of the said Officers; And also the in interruption of the Members of Parliament in the discharge of their Duty, We therefore, having earnestly besought the LORD to direct us in this great and weighty Affair, wherein the Liberty and Peace of these Nations, and the Interest of the Godly and Faithful therein is so nearly concerned, do find it our duty to Declare, and we do hereby Declare, That we shall use our Christian endeavours to the utmost for the begetting of a Right understanding and Reconciliation betwixt the Parliament and the said Officers of the Army. And we do also Declare, That we shall, through the strength of God, assert and maintain the Freedom and Privileges of the present Parliament, the so often, and lately acknowledged Supreme Authority of these Nations, and not suffer the Members thereof to be illegally interrupted or molested in the discharge of their Duties; And we do solemnly avow to all the world, that our only intention in doing this, is to preserve the Rights of our Country, and to protect and encourage all the Godly and Faithful therein, according to our Declaration to the Churches, lately emitted and published; and likewise to establish the Peace of these Nations, and the Government of a Free-State or Commonwealth, To which we stand obliged by several Vows and Engagements, made before GOD and many Witnesses: And as we have within us the Testimony of sincere hearts and consciences to encourage us in these our Undertake, so we doubt not of the concurrent assistance of all the unprejudiced Faithful in the Land, for whose sakes principally we are drawn forth to this Engagement. And we therefore invite all our Brethren of the Arnws, and of the Militia, and all others that profess love to GGD and His People, and to their own and their Posterities Liberties, to come and give us their cheerful aid in this Work, whereunto the Lord hath called us, lest they be made a Prey to the Lusts of Men, and then bewail the loss of this opportunity which God hath put into their hands. Signed in the Name and by the Consent of the Commander in Chief and the Officers of the Army in Scotland. WILLIAM CLARK, Secretary. A Declaration of the Officers of the Army in Scotland to the Churches of Christ in the three Nations. ALL the great works the Lord Jesus hath been doing in these three poor Nations, hath been to make his Churches in them a glory, that he might establish Jerusalem a praise in the Earth, and we are confident his heart will never be at rest, nor his providences shortened till upon this Glory he creates a defence, and that so strong that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it; the establishing of his Churches we conceive to stand upon a double foundation, Truth, and Peace, the Defence he will create upon it, is his own presence with them in Christ, and the instruments in his hand which he has raised to be a shelter to them in the worst of times. Of this latter we may speak it to the praise of freegrace, that no persons in their capacity have been more instrumental in the hand of God than the Army, through whose faithful endeavours for Christ and his Ordinances, and the Liberties of his people, God has been pleased to redeem the precious privileges of his Saints, (upon whose account all other Rights are only valuable,) from mixture in their Ordinances, from unjust and Antiscriptural usurpation upon their consciences, to a State of Freedom, to profess and practise any thing that is warranted by the word, though diversely interpreted according to that measure of the spirit, which Jesus Christ the head is pleased to dispense. The prosecution of which, while God gives us an opportunity to serve our Generation, we must still hold forth to be the principle and practice of the Army, however different they may seem in the ways they pitch upon to promote it. The blessing also that has followed it, though it is not the alone motive to make us at this time declare it to you, because we know Christ's work is wages (let it be sucessed how he pleases, by sowing in tears or reaping in joy) Yet it is enough to encourage us as to the issue let it be what it will, the work carrying in it acceptance with him whom we would only please, and engagements of yourselves, as to your prayers coincident with the end of all his glory, which the Churches are to hold forth in all ages. In order to this we do (as in the omnicient eye of our dear Lord Jesus who walks in the midst of you) declare. First, That we own and assert the Authority of this present Parliament which is now through sad mistakes and misapprehensions interrupted; and principally, because We do judas that a well regulated Commonwealth is the safest Government to secure the just Liberties of all the Churches of Christ though in differing forms, and to balance the Lamented and circumstantial differences (whose wounds are yet bleeding) in the great scale of Christian and spiritual Love, and as far as we know our own hearts, the security it may give to our civil rights as men, are dear to us only as they relate to this most desired and promised unity amongst God's people though very divers in their judgements. Secondly, That to this end, if the Lord again please out of reserved mercy to his poor Churches, to unite the Parliament and Army together, We do declare, that we shall assert it as the undoubted right of the Churches, and humbly represent it to the Parliament as our great request, that an impartial and just countenance according to the Word, and the nature of their Privileges, may be afforded to all that may encourage the Ministry of the Churches, and that may hedge about the flock of Christ, that they may feed quietly in all Godliness, and this with the largest allowance that God's word will admit of both to Pastors and people in what way soever constituted and congregated. Thirdly, As further conducing to this end, We do profess ourselves to be persons that would follow Truth in Love, and therefore can readily and hearty allow that in affection to all who profess Christ, and walk 〈◊〉 him as they have received him, which we may not possibly in Judgement; for as far as we have attained we would walk up, and where we think not the same things, we shall till God reveal further, pray for a Spirit to practise that which is unquestionably revealed, that we love one another even as Christ hath loved us. Fourthly, We do further Declare, however the present exigent may enforce us to the restraint of some of our Brethren and Friends, whose mistakes about their way to this end, appear to our consciences to be such as we cannot reconcile either by the Word or the promises and protestations to such a purpose as we Declare for, That it is not upon the least account out of disrelish of their Judgements as to any profession of Christ, which they hold forth, but only to preserve the civil peace and unity of the Army, that there may be a due time left to the Parliament the supreme Authority of the Nation, to put in Execution the forementioned Ends which they have promised and obliged themselves to, to settle this birthright, which we have asserted in the possession of the Churches, as a fundamental we prise and value as part of the Testament in the blood of Jesus Christ, and we should account it a greater mercy to have it as free born sons of Christ's visible Kingdom, than whatsoever we as mere Subjects of this Commonwealth may challenge were our outward Liberties never so much advantaged. Of which, that we may see the Topstone as well as the foundation, We would desire all the Lords Remembrancers to give him no rest till he makes Zion a praise in the Earth, and shall account it no small encouragement to our endeavours, let what difficulty soever attend them, to have your prayers as our strength in the Lord, whose cause and work we hope we own: however we can truly say we really intent it, and shall believe God will pardon the upright in heart, and if we be mistaken so ought you: forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Edinb. Octob. 23. 1659. To the SPEAKER. Right Honourable, HAving received notice, that there was a Force put upon the Parliament on the twelfth of this Instant, I have sent this Messenger to your Lordship, to know whether that force doth continue; for I am resolved by the Grace and Assistance of GOD, as a true Englishman, to stand to and assert the Liberty and Authority of Parliament; And the Army here (praised be God) is very courageous and unanimous, and I doubt not but to give a good account of this Action to You. I have, according to your Act of the Eleventh instant, being constituted a Commissioner of the Government of the Army, put out such persons as would not act according to your Commission: I do call GOD to witness, That the Asserting of a Commonwealth is the only intent of my heart, and I desire, if possible, to avoid the shedding of Blood, and therefore entreat You, that there may be a good understanding between Parliament and Army; But if they will not obey Your Commands, I will not desert You, according to my Duty and Promise. Which is all at present from Edinburgh, Octob. 20. 1659. Your humble and faithhful Servant, GEORGE MONCK. To the Lord FLEETWOOD. Right Honourable, I Have sent this messenger to your Lordship, to let you know that we have received notice that a part of the Army have put force upon the Parliamènt; which they so lately called together, and owned with the greatest Testimonies of Obedience and Repentance for their former Apostasy from them; I hope your Lordship will not abet an Action of such a dangerous and destructive Consequence; I know that you love the Liberty and Peace of England so well, that you will use your best Care, that Attempts of this nature be suppressed. I do therefore humbly entreat you that the Parliament may be speedily restored to that Freedom, which they enjoyed on the eleventh of this Instant, otherwise I am resolved by the assistance of God, with this Army under my Command to Declare for them, and to proseeute this just Cause to the last drop of my Blood; I bless the Lord, that the Officers here are very unanimous: and for such, whose hearts fail them, or which will not act according to their Commissions from the Parliament, I having Authority as one of the Seven Commissioners appointed by Act of Parliament, Do constitute such as cheerful for this Good Old Cause, till the Parliaments pleasure be further known; And I do plainly assure your Lordship, that I was never better satisfied in the justice of any Engagement than in this: You cannot but remember that God hath already showed Himself glorious in it, and determined the Quarrel on this side, against Arbitrary power of raising Money without the People's consent first had, and the management of the Militia by any other than the Parliament, I desire your Lordship not to be deluded by the specious pretences of any ambitious persons whatsoever, and do not bring all the blood that will be shed upon your own head; My Lord, Consider how you will answer to the dreadful God for the ruin of three Nations, for to serve a lust, or to gratify a passion: For my particular, I am ashamed of these Confusions and Changes that we have made, that we are now become a scorn and a reproach to our very friends, and designed to Ruin by all our Neighbours. I take God to witness, that I have no further ends than the establishing of Parliamentary Authority, and those good Laws that our Ancestors, have purchased with so much blood, the settling the Nations in a free Common wealth, and the defence of Godliness and godly men, though of different Judgement; And I take myself so far obliged, being in the Parliaments Service, to stand though alone in this Quarrel, and doubt not but your Lordship, having the fear of God in your heart, will carefully consider of this matter Which is all at present from. Edinb. Octob. 20. 1659. You Excellencies humble servant, GEORGE MONCK. To the Lord Lambert. Right Honourable, HAving notice, that part of the Army under the Parliaments Command, have, contrary to their duty, put force upon them; I have therefore sent this Messenger to your Lordship, to entreat you to be an Instrument of Peace and a good understanding between Parliament and Army: for, if they should continue this Force, I am resolved, with the assistance of God, and that part of the Army under my Command, to stand by them, and assert their lawful Authority. For Sir, the Nation of England will not endure any Arbitraray Power, neither will any true Englishman in the Army, so that such a Design will be ruinous and destructive; Therefore I do earnestly entreat you, that we may not be a scorn to all the world, and a Prey to our Enemies, that the Parliament may be speedily restored to their Freedom which they enjoyed on the 11. of this instant. Which is all at present from. Edinburgh, Octob. 20. 1659. Your Lordship's humble servant, GEORGE MONCK. FINIS.