A PREPARATIVE TO THE TREATY: OR, A short, sure, and conscientious Expedient for Agreement, and Peace; tendered to the two Houses of Parliament. WITH An Appeal to the Assembly of Divines. ALSO, An Admonition to the People, concerning the present Engagements.  
By Da. J. P. N.  NUMB. 30.2. 
If a man vow a Vow unto the Lord, or swear an Oath to bind his Soul with a Bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.  JOSH. 9.20. 
Lest wrath be upon him, because of the Oath which he swore.  
Printed in the Year, 1648.   

A short, sure, and conscientious Expedient for Agreement and Peace.  
THe KING and the two Houses of Parliament declaring mutually, that they took up Arms for the same reasons, intents, and purposes, 'tis a wonder how at first they fell out, and a greater wonder that hitherto they are not reconciled.  

The Declarations of the two Houses of Parliament.  
They have the precedency, 
The Declarations of the two Houses of Parliament.  because they were first in Arms.  
In the conclusion of their Declaration of 26 May, 1642. apprehending very justly, that their expressions there would beget at least a great suspicion of their Loyalty, they say, They doubt not but it shall in the end appear to all the world, that their endeavours have been most hearty and sincere for the maintenance of the true Protestant Religion, the KING's just Prerogatives, the Laws and Liberties of the Land, and the Privileges of Parliament, in which endeavours by the grace of God, they would still persist, though they should perish in the work.  
In like manner, June 2. when they published their Propositions for bringing in Money or Plate to raise an Army, they declared, That whatsoever is brought in shall not at all be employed upon any other occasion, then to maintain the Protestant Religion, the KING's Authority, and His Person in His Royal dignity, the free course of Justice, the Laws of the Land, the Peace of the Kingdom, and the Privileges of Parliament. Infinite are their Declarations and professions in this kind.   

The KING's Declarations.  
June 16. 
The King's Declarations.  His Majesty published a Declaration to all His loving Subjects, exciting them to bring in ready Money and Plate, and to furnish Him with Horse, Horsemen, and Arms, for defence of the Protestant Religion, the preservation of His royal Person, the Laws, Liberties, and Peace of the Kingdom, and the vindication of the Privilege and Freedom of Parliament.  
In His Declaration to all His loving Subjects concerning the proceed of this present Parliament, Aug. 12. His Majesty says, That nothing, but the preservation of the true Protestant Religion, invaded by Brownism, Anabaptism, and Libertinism, the safety of His Person, threatened and conspired against by Rebellion, and Treason, the Law of the Land, and Liberty of the Subject, oppressed, and almost destroyed by an usurped, unlimited, arbitrary Power, and the Freedom, Privilege, and Dignity of Parliament awed and insulted upon by force, and Tumults, could make Him put off His long Robe of Peace, and take up defensive Arms.  
And in pursuance of these ends did His Majesty offer Propositions accordingly, 
The King's Propositions conform to his Declarations.  at all Treaties, where He might propose any thing.  
But concerning the Propositions of the two Houses of Parliament, at the Treaty at Uxbridge, 
The Propositions of the two Houses differing from their Declarations.  His Majesties. Commissioners truly observed, That after a War of near 4 Years for which the defence of the Protestant Religion, the Liberty and Property of the Subject, and the Privileges of the Parliament, were made the cause and grounds, in a Treaty of 20 Days, nor indeed in the whole Propositions upon which the Treaty should be, 
They altar the state of the war.  there hath been nothing offered to be Treated concerning the Breach of any Law, or of the Liberty and Property of the Subject, or Privilege of Parliament, but only Propositions for the altering a Government established by Law, and the making new Laws, by which almost all the old are, or may be canceled.  
I will not here dispute the Power of the two Houses of Parliament separate from the KING, but  
That they cannot assent to any thing in Parliament, 
What the two Houses cannot do in respect of the King and Crown.  that tends to the disherison of the KING, and His Crown, whereunto they are sworn, is acknowledged by the Lords and Commons in full Parliament, 42 Edw. 3.  
And, that they neither meant, nor had power, 
The Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy.  to hurt the KING's Prerogative, is declared by the House of Commons at the passing of the Petition of Right, 3 Caroli.  
Besides, 
What they are bound to do for the King and the Crown.  by the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy they are bound positively, to defend and maintain His Majesty's royal Person, with all the Prerogatives, Privileges, and Preeminencies belonging or annexed to the imperial Crown.  
And they have bound themselves by the Protestation, 
The Protestation.  with their Lives, power, and Estates, to defend and maintain His Majesty's royal Person, Honour, and Estate; together with the power of the Privilege of Parliament, and the lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subject: And to their power to oppose all such as shall by force, counsel, conspiracy, or otherwise, do any thing to the contrary of any thing in the Protestation contained: And that they will not for hope, fear, or other respects, relinquish this Promise, Vow and Protestation.  
And by the Solemn League and Covenant, 
The League & Covenant.  In the preservation of Religion and Liberties, to maintain and defend the KING's Person and Authority, without diminishing His just Power and Greatness: And that they will all the days of their lives continue in this Covenant against all opposition whatsoever.   

The Expedient for Peace.  
Now let the Lords and Commons at the Treaty proceed, 
The expedient for Peace.  not according to their strengths and successes, but according to their Declarations, and their legal and voluntary Oaths (i) with Religion, Privileges, and Liberties; Let them maintain and defend the KING, the Crown, His Majesty's Honour and Estate, His Authority, Power, and Greatness; And an Agreement and Peace will follow thereupon. An Oath being the end of all strife, Heb. 6.16.   

An Appeal to the Assembly of Divines.  
And I appeal to the Assembly of Divines (for their Assent, 
An Appeal to the Assembly of Divines.  or Answer) whether in point of Religion and Conscience they may proceed otherwise then according to their Declarations, Protestation, and Covenant? And whether they are not guilty of disloyalty and perjury proceeding otherwise? 
The Parl. and the Army have altered the state of the war.  as the two Houses have done hitherto by their Propositions divesting the KING, and the Crown of the chief Power and Government, and establishing it in themselves: And as the Army did by their last Declaration, Resolving to settle the Government without the KING, and against Him, and against all that take part with Him.  
And hence our late Petitions for His Majesties Return to His Parliament and Government (being contrary to their sense) were so unwelcome to them, 
Why our late Petitions were so unwelcome to them.  that the Petitioners from Surrey and Kent were chastised by them.   

An Admonition to the People concerning the Engagements.  
And to involve the People in this damnable Apostasy from their faith and allegiance to GOD, and the KING; 
The present Engagements.  and the better to carry on their designs against the King and the Crown, have they framed an Engagement for us, to adhere to the authority of the two Houses of Parliament, (i) to Renounce the KING, His Protestation, and Government, and to submit to the usurpation and domination of the two Houses of Parliament, and to serve them: And this Engagement is carried on at this day in the several Counties, Cities, and Corporations (silently, and covertly) for increasing and strengthening their Confederacy, and for enlarging and establishing their Dominion privily and insensibly.  
There is also another Engagement on foot (of the same nature with the Negative Oath) Not to assist the KING in this War (for Recovering His Rights and Prerogatives) and not to do any thing to the prejudice of the affairs of the two Houses of Parliament (in prosecution of their designs against the KING and the Crown.) And when any become liable to them, they are forced to take this Engagement before they can get off from their Delinquency.   

The People in their several Parishes to consult their respective Ministers about the Engagements.  
But I would have the people of the Kingdom to remember when they took the Oath of Supremacy, 
The People in every Parisa to consult their respective Ministers.  That they promised from thenceforth to bear faith and true Allegiance to the KING's Highness, His Heirs, and lawful Successors; and to their power to assist and defend all Jurisdictions, Privileges, Preeminences, and Authority granted, or belonging to the KING's Highness, His Heirs and Successors, or linked and annexed to the Imperial Crown of the Realm.  
And when they took the Oath of Allegiance, That they swore to bear faith and true Allegiance to His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors; and Him, and them to defend to the utmost of their power, against all conspiracies and attempts whatsoever, which shall be made against His, or their Persons, their Crown and Dignity.  
And I would have the people in the several Parishes (in the City and County) to consult their respective Ministers, whether considering the Oaths aforesaid they can engage or comply with the two Houses and the Army in manner aforesaid without high disloyalty & manifest perjury? or whether considering their Obligations by those Oaths and by the Protestation & Covenant, they ought not rather to oppose, and fight against them for the defence and maintenance of the KING and Crown, and the established Government of the Kingdom?  
I Counsel thee to keep the King's Commandment, and that in regard of the Oath of God, Eccl. 8.2.  
[It is a pernicious Doctrine to teach Subjects they may be discharged from the Oath of Allegiance.] Mr. Pym, p. 17. of his Speech or Declaration delivered after the recapitulation or summoning up of the Charge of High Treason against the E. of Strafford; and published by the Order of the House of Commons.   
FINIS.