A REMONSTRANCE AND RESOLUTION OF THE KINGDOM OF SCOTLAND.  
Showing the Lawfulness of the second coming into England to take up Arms against all those that shall oppose the PARLIAMENT.  
Published with the advice of the Council of SCOTLAND.   printer's or publisher's device 
Printed first in Scotland by Robert Bryson, and now reprinted at LONDON for G. T. 1642.   

THE LAWFULNESS OF our expedition into England Manifested.  
AS from the beginning till this time, we have attempted nothing presumptuously in this great work of Reformation, but have proceeded upon good grounds, and have been l●d forward by the good hand of God, so now, from our own persuasions are we ready to answer every one that asketh us a Reason of this our present Expedition, which is one of the greatest and most notable parts of this wonderful work of God beseeching all to lift up their m●nds above their own particulars▪ and without prejudice or partiality to lay to heart the considerations following.  
I. As all men know and confess, what is the great force of necessity and how it doth justify actions otherways unwarrantable: So can it not be denied, but we must either seek our peace in England at this time, or lie unde three heavy burdens which we are not able to bear. Fi●st, we must maintain Armies on the Borders, and all places nearest to hazard, for the defence and preservation of our Country, which by our laying down of Arms, and disbanding of our Forces should be quickly overrun by hostile Invasion, and the incursions of our enemies. Second●y, we shall want all Trade by Sea, which would not only deprive the Kingdom of many necessaries, but utterly undo our Burrougheses, Merchants, Mariners, and many others who live by Fishing, and by commodities exported, and imported, and whose particular callings are utterly made void, by want of commerce with other Nations and Sea-trade. Thirdly, the Subjects through the whole Kingdom shall want administration of justice; and although this time past, the marvellous power and providence of God hath kept the Kingdom in order and quietness, without ordinary Judicatories sitting, yet cannot this be expected for afterward, but all shall turn to confusion. Any one of the three, much more all of them put together, threaten us with most certain ruin, unless we speedily use the ten edy of this Expedition. And this we say not from fear, but from feeling; for we have already felt to our unspeakable prejudice, what it is to maintain Armies, what to want traffic, what to want administration of Justice. And if the beginning of those evils be so heavy, what shall the the growth and long continuance of them prove unto us; so miserable a being all men would judge to be worse than no being.  
II. If we consider the nature and quality of this Expedition, it is defensive, and so the more justificable. For proof hereof, let it be remembered: 1. The King's Majesty misled by the crafty and cruel Faction of our Adversaries, began this years' War, not we. When Articles of pacification had been the other year agreed up●n, Arms laid down, Forces and Castles rendered, an Assembly kept and concluded, with the presence and consent of His Majesty's High Commissioner, the promised ratification thereof in Parliament (contrary to the foresaid Articles) was denied into us. And when we would have informed His Majesty by our Commissioners, of the Reasons and manner of our proceed, they got not so much as presence or Audience. Thererafter His Majesty being content to hear them; before that they came to Court, or were heard, War was concluded against us at the Council-table of England, and a Commission given to the Earl of Northumberland for that effect: The Parliament of Ireland and England were also convocat for granting of Subsidies unto this War against us, as it n●t●●ur●: plots have been hatched and military preparations made against us; many invasions by Sea, which have spoiled us of our Ships and Goods; Men, Women, and Children killed in Edinburgh by His Majesty's Forces in the Castle: Our enemies therefore the authors and beginners of the War, and we defenders only. 2. We intent not the hurt of others, but our own pe●ce and preservation, neither are we to offer any injury or violence: And therefore have furnished ourselves according to our power with all necessaries, not to fight at all, except we be forced to it in our own defence, as our Declaration beareth. 3. We shall retire and lay down our Arms, as soon as we shall get a sure peace and shall be satisfied in our just demands. Upon which ground, even some of those who would seem the greatest Royalists, hold the Wars of the Protestants in France, against the King and the Faction of the Guisians to have been lawful defensive Wars, because they were ever ready to disband and quiet themselves when they got assurance of peace, and liberty of Religion. Now this present Expedition being in the nature of it defensive; hence it appeareth, that it is not contrary, but consonant to our former Protestations, Informations, and Remonstrances: In all which, there is not one word against defensive War in this cause; but strong reasons for it▪ all which militat for this Expedition. Our first Information sent to England this year, though it accurseth all offensive or invasive War; yet showeth plainly, that if we be either invaded by Sea or Land, we must do as a man th●t fighteth himself out of prison. If a private man when his house is blocked up, so that he can have no liberty of commerce and traffic to supply himself and his Family, being also in a cotinuall hazard of his life, not knowing when he shall be assaulted by his enemies, who lie in wait against him; may in this case most lawfully step forth with the Forces which he can m●ke, and fight himself free. Of how much more worth is the whole Nation▪ and how shall one and the same way of Defence and liberation be allowed to a private man, and disallowed to a Nation?  
III. Thirdly, we are called to this Expedition by that same Divine Providence and Vocation, which hath guided us hitherto in this great business. We see the expedience of it, for the glory of God, for the good of the Church▪ for advancing the Gospel, for our own peace, after seeking of God, and beging light and direction from Heaven, our hearts are inclined to it; God hath given us zeal and courage to prosecute it, ability and opportunity for undertaking it, Instruments sitted for it, unanimous resolution upon it, scruples removed out of minds where they were harboured, encouragements to achieve it from many passages of Divine Providence; and namely from the proceed of the last Parliament of England, their grievances and desires being so homogenecall and a kin to ours, we have laboured in great long-suffering by Supplications, Informations, Commissions, and all other means possible to avoid this Expedition: It was not premediate nor affected by us (God knows) but our enemies have necessitate and redacted us unto it and that of purpose to sow the seed of Nationall quarrel, yet as God hitherto hath turned all their plots against themselves, and to effects quite contrary to those that they intended; so are we hopeful, that our going into England, so mucwished and desired by our Adversaries, for producing a Nationall quarrel, shall so fare disappoint them of their aims, that it shall link the two Nations together, in straighter and stronger bonds both of civil and christian love, than never before.  
And that we may see yet further evidences of a calling from God to this voyage, we may observe the order of the Lords steps and proceed in this work of Reformation. For, beginning at the gross Popery of the Service Book and Book of Canons, he hath followed the back trade of our defection, till he hath reform the very fi●st and smallest Novations▪ which entered in their Church. But so it is that this back trade leadeth yet farther to the Prelacy in England, the fountain whence all those Babyl●nish streams issued unto us: The Lord therefore is still on the back trade, and we following him therein, cannot yet be at a stay. Yea, we trust that he shall so follow forth this trade, as to chase home the Beast, and the false Prophet to Rome, and from Rome out of the World. Besides, this third consideration resulteth from the former two; for if this Expedition be necessary, and if it be defensive, than it followeth inevitably, that we are called unto it, for our necessary defence is warranted, yea commanded by the Law of God and Nature, and we are obliged to it in our Covenant.  
IU. Fourthly, the lawfulness of this Expedition appeareth, if we consider the party against whom; which is not the Kingdom of England, but the Canterburian faction of Papists, Atheists, Arminians, Prelates the misleaders of the King's Majesty and the common enemy's o● both Kingdoms. We persuade ourselves, that our Brethren and neighbours in England, will never be so evil advised, as to make themselves a party against us, by the defence and patrociny of our enemies among them as sometime the Benjamites made themselves a party against the Israelites by defending the Gibeathites in their wicked cause, judges 20. We pray God to give them the wisdom of the wise woman in Abel, who when joab ca●e near to her City with an Army, found out a way which both kept joab from being an enemy to the City▪ and the City from being an enemy to him, 2 Sam. 21. As touching the provision and furniture of o●r Army in England▪ it shall be such as i● used a●●ng friend's, n●t among enemies. The rule of humanity and gratitude will teach them to furnish us with necessaries, when as beside the procuring of our own peace, we do good offices to them, They detest (we know) the churlishness of Nabal, who refused victuals to David and his men, who had done them good and no evil, 1 Sam. 20. And the inhumanity of the men of Succoth and Penuel, who denied bread to gideon's Army, when he was pursuing the common enemies of all Israel, judg. 8. But let the English do of their benevolence what humanity and discretion will teach them; for our own part, out Declaration showeth, that we seek not victuals for nought but for money, or security: And if this should be refused (which we shall never expect) it were as damnable as the barbarous cruelty of Edom and Moab, who refused to let Israel pass through their Country, or to give them bread or water in any case, Numb. 20. judg. 11. and this offence the Lord accounted so inexpiable, that for it he accursed the Edomites and Moabites, from entering into the Congregation of the Lord, unto the tenth generation, Deut. 23.3, 4.  
V The fift consideration concerneth the end for which this voyage is under-taken. We have attested the searcher of hearts; it is not to execute any disloyal act against the King's Majesty▪ it is not to put forth a cruel or vindictive hand against our Adversaries in England, whom we desire only to be judged and censured by their own Honourable and high Court of Parliament: it is not to enrich ourselves with the wealth of England, nor to do any harm thereto. But by the contrary we shall gladly bestow our pains and our means to do them all the good we can, which they might justly look for at our hands, for the help which they made us at our Reformation, in freeing us from the French, a bond of peace and love betwixt them and us to all Generations. Our Conscience, and God who is greater than our Conscience beareth us record, that we aim altogether at the glory of God, peace of both Nations, and honour of the King, in suppressing and punishing in a legal way of those who are the troublers or Israel, the firebrands of hell, the Korahs', and Balaams, the Doegs, the Rabshakahs, the haman's, the Tobiah'sses, and Sandballats of our time, which done, we are satisfied. Neither have we begun a Military expedition to England, as a mean for compassing those our pious ends; till all other means which we could think upon have failed us, and this alone is left to us as ultimum & unicum remedium, the last and only remedy.  
VI Sixtly, if the Lord shall bless us in our Expedition, and our intentions shall not be crossed by our own sins, and miscarriage, or by the opposition of the English, the fruit shall be sweet, and the effects comfortable to both Nations, to the Posterity, and to the reformed Kirks abroad: Scotland shall be reform as at the beginning, the Reformation of England long prayed and pleaded for by the Godly there; shall be according to their wishes and desires, perfected in doctrine, worship▪ and Discipline; Papists, Prelates, and all the members of the Antichristian Hierarchy, with their Idolatry▪ Superstition▪ and humane inventions shall pack them hence; the names of Sects, and Separatists shall no more be mentioned, and the Lord shall be one▪ and his Name one throughout the whole Island, which shall be glory to God, honour to the King, joy to the Kingdoms, comfort to the Posterity, example to other Christian Kirks, and confusion to the incorrigible enemies.  
FJNJS.