Secondly, If we consider the nature and quality of this Expedition, it is defensive, and so the more justifiable. For proof hereof, let it be remembered—
1. The Kings 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 upon, Armies laid down, Forts and Castles rendered, an Assembly kept, and concluded with the presence and consent of his Majesties High Commissioner, the promised Ratification thereof in Parliament (contrary to the foresaid Articles) was denyed unto us, and when we would have informed his Majesty by our Commissioners, of the reasons and manner of our proceedings, they got not so much as presence or audience. Thereafter 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.
1. The Parliaments of Ireland and England were also convocate, for granting subsidies unto this war against us, as is notoure, Plots have been hatcht, 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 Majesties Forces in the Castle: Our enemies therefore are the authors and beginners of the War, and we defenders only.
2. We intend not the hurt of others, but our own peace and preservation, neither are we to offer any injury or violence: And therefore have furnished our selves 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 downe Armes, 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 factions 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 militate for this expedition.
Our first information sent to England this year, though it accurseth all offensive or invasive war, yet sheweth plainly, that if we be invaded either by Sea or Land, we must do as a man that 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 Traffick to supply himself and family, being also in continual hazard of his life, not knowing when he shall be assaulted by his Enemies who lye in wait against him, may in this case most lawfully step forth with the Forces which he can make, 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 whole Nation?
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 expediency of it, for the glory of God, for the good of the Church, for advancing the Gospell, for our own peace: after seeking of God, and begging 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, unanimous Resolution upon it, scruples removed out of minds where they were harboured, encouragements to atchieve it from many passages of divine providence, and namely from the proceedings of the last Parliament in England, their grievances and desires being so homogeneal and akin 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 premeditate nor affected by us (God knows) but our enemies have necessitated and redacted us unto it, and that of purpose to sow the seeds of National Quarrels; 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 coming into England (so much wished and desired by our adversaries for producing a National quarrel) shall so far disappoint them of their aymes, that it shall link the two Nations together in straiter and stronger bonds, both of Civil and Christian love, than ever 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 proceedings 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 Reformed the very first and smallest Novations, which entered in this Church. But so it is, that this back trade leadeth yet further, to the Prelacy in England, the fountain whence all those Babylonish streams issue 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, then 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.
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 Kings Majesty, and the Common Enemies of both Kingdoms. We perswade our selves, that our Brethren and Neighbours in England, will never be so evil advised, as to make themselves a party against us, by their defence and patrociny of our Enemies among them, as sometimes the Benjamites made themselves a party against the Israelites, by defending the Gibeathites in their wicked cause, Judg. 20. We pray God to give them the wisdom of the wise Woman in Abel, who when Joab came 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. 20. As touching the provision and furniture of our Army in England, it shall be such as is used among friends, not 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 denyed bread to Gideons 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 our Declaration sheweth, 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 Countrey, or to give them bread and 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.
Fifthly, The fifth Consideration concerneth the end for which this Voyage is undertaken. We have attested the Searcher of Hearts, It is not to execute any disloyal act against his 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 our selves 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 of Israel the firebrands of Hell, the Korhas, the Baalams, the Doegs, the Rabshakahs, the Hamans, the Tobiahs and Sanballats of our time, which done, we are satisfied. Neither have we begun to use 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.