Concerning the Engagement Intended to be Imposed for Subscription

The humble Proposals of sundry Divines within the Kingdom, Concerning the Engagement intended to be imposed on them for their Subscriptions.

W E Ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who have all of us from the beginning faithfully served the Parliament, and have in pursuance of those great and honorable ends of just Liberty and Reformation, suffered many and grievous things in our Names and Estates from the common Enemy: and to this day have adhered to our first Principles, and do still promise in our Places and Stations to maintain the Peace of this Nation, and to pay obedience to the Laws thereof; conceiving it our duty in such a time as this, in all ways of meekness and humility to endeavor the Preservation of our inward Peace and outward Safety, being straightened in Conscience upon the case of the present Engagement, do humbly offer these ensuing particulars.

1. That although we hold ourselves bound by our former Solemn Covenants and Engagements, in that sense of them wherein they were by public Authority imposed on us, yet being convinced of the necessity of civil Government in a Land, for the preservation of Human Society, and prevention of all those Evils which the outrages of wicked men unrestrained would produce, and upon mature deliberation considering, That when the wise and holy Providence of God (whose judgments are unsearchable, and ways past finding out) shall at any time so shake the foundations of States and Kingdoms, as to disable one Government from affording protection and preservation, and to admit any other to obtain it; it is not then strange to the will of God, light of Nature, judgment of the learned, and practice of Christians in former ages, nor to our own principles or former Engagements, to live quietly and peaceably in our places and callings, and to submit to such things as are imposed upon, or required of us, by the powers which are in actual possession, being things in themselves lawful and necessary to the preservation of ourselves and others, (for this we conceive may be done without disputing the right or title of those that are in place of Magistracy) we do upon these premises declare that we will accordingly behave ourselves.

2. That we do humbly conceive that there is a great difference between these things and a Subscription to this Engagement, in the words wherein it is required, and that in divers respects.

First, This Subscription (as to our Consciences) doth imply an approbation of the present establishment, as effected by a full and a free Authority.

Secondly, An active concurrence, and as it were a ratifying consent of the people thereunto, it having been declared, that the original of all just power is in the People.

Thirdly, An obligation, to act an all times, in all places and capacities; to the promoting and strengthening of it, & not only of it (but by a parity of Reason) of any other, which by the possible advantage of power, may at any time hereafter, even to the prejudice and ruin of this, set up it self, and then require of us the like subscription.

3. Being by this Engagement bound up to these particulars, as the words seem to import, we further conceive, That we shall by this subscription, violate those former Engagements, in Oaths, Protestations, and in the Solemn League and Covenant, wherein we were by the former Commands of Parl. obliged, in which last particular, if the time we entered into it be considered, viz. In the day of our extremity, or the Religious solemnity, with hands lifted up to the most high God; or the matter of it, which is comprehensive of things Sacred and Civil, and particularly of the Rights and Privileges of Parliament, and the Liberties of the Kingdom: or the sense wherein we then took it; or the asseveration, that we would never be drawn from it, by any Terror or Combination whatsoever; or the durable obligation which we brought upon ourselves by it, even all the days of our lives; or the Considerations which we had before our eyes in the taking of it, namely the Glory of God, the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Happiness of the King and his Posterity. These things being duly considered, do leave such an awful impression on our Consciences, that anlesse the consistency thereof with this Engagement be made unquestionably clear unto us, it cannot but render our Consciences trembling & doubtful, & so the act of Engaging, by the Apostles rule, to us unlawful, as by a parity of Reason it would have been undoubtedly inconsistent with our Covenant, to have subscribed an Engagement to the King and Lord's, without the Commons of England, if it should by their Agreement and Authority, have been required of us.

4. These things being considered in the nature of the Engagement, and in the full relation to which it stands to former Engagements, cannot in our judgments but minister matter of general scandal and offense to multitudes of men, both good and bad, many of whom being not able to make, or happily so much as understand subtle distinctions, whereby guilt may either be evaded or palliated, will look upon us as breakers of our Oaths and Covenants, as prevaricators of the most sacred and solemn things, as men of ductile spirits, and prostituted Consciences, led by principles of fear or interest: which prejudice (though we would grant, were more founded in the ignorance and mistakes of these men, then many solid and just reasons) would yet grossly wound the Gospel, expose our Ministry to scorn (the honor whereof ought to be dearer to us then our lives) endanger the reputation, and so weaken the power of it in the Consciences of our hearers (who though through fear or other private ends may themselves have subscribed, yet retain low thoughts of us, as if we acted on the like principles) as that we cannot but believe, but Christ would be a greater looser by our subscription, then the state can any way be a gainer by it; we desire always to keep in mind the noble resolution of the Apostle, who would not in case of scandal use his own just power, but chose rather to suffer all things, lest he should binder the Gospel of Christ and concluded, it was better for him to die, then that any in that behalf should make his glorying void. Upon these and such like grounds, purely conscientious, and not out of any private interest or design, contrary to the peace of this Common-wealth, we are 〈◊〉 to forbear Subscription, until either by solemn debate of the Engagement (as of the Covenant) or otherwise, our Consciences shall be cleared of important scruples.

So we humbly crave leave further to represent▪ that our former Governors (not duly considering that men even in highest authority as well as others, are by the doctrine of the Scriptures concerning scandal, bound to avoid the laying of shares and stumbling-blocks in the way of their Brethren) 〈◊〉 not only attempted (as in their late Canon • to impose an 〈◊〉 Oath, but also enforced Subscriptions on many godly and learned Ministers, to the utter undoing of themselves and Families, and that with such vigor▪ that the beginning of K. James his Government, was with the deprivation of 3. or 〈◊〉 of them: and though we shall not take upon us to charge upon that severity of theirs the consequences which have followed, yet we may offer this observation; that sundry examples may be given of Gover •••• s, who have laid the unhappy foundation of ensuing evils to themselves and their people, in the beginning of their Government.

And therefore we do presume that those in present power (according to their professed Principles and Resolutions, to have respect to tender Consciences) will not 〈◊〉 us to the sad Dilemma of choosing either sin or affliction, and hope that the many years experience of our quiet behavior and faithful service, may give them a better assurance and security for our peaceable conversation, then the feigned Subscriptions of very many; who profess themselves not engaged by this Engagement; but use •• s a protection of their Estates, and a cover under which they hide and keep warm their former malignity, and who certainly would rejoice at, and take the advantage of that sad division which is likely to ensue amongst those who have co-operated in the common cause of Reformation and just Liberty.

We being at present shut up under such considerations as these, do humbly beseech those in present power, not to compel us (whose reputation is as necessary for others, as a good conscience for ourselves) to draw reproach upon Religion, and vilify the reputation of the Ministry, by which the service of Jesus Christ is advanced, and cause others to think we esteem Oaths as changeable as opinions; and so brand us with the odious mark of 〈◊〉 and prevarication, subject us to the contempt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all, as men of loose and uncertain principles, lay foundations to ourselves of subscribing anything hereafter upon the same grounds, and that unto these things we may not be enforced by so high and heavy a penalty 〈◊〉 to be outlawed of our Birth-right, which is a punishment too heavy to be inflicted for no crime, and as we conceive, can hardly be exampled to have been inflicted on any but persons of infamous note, with whom (we may speak without vanity) we have not deserved to be numbered, until by willful violation of the Laws, we deprive ourselves of their protection, forfeit the benefit of them.