TWO LETTERS FROM THE PRESBYTERY OF CARRICK-FERGUS, to the Lord Ards, and his anſwer to the firſt of them.
THE preſent ſtrange alteration of affaires, moves us to write our minde freely to your Lordſhip; eſpecially ſince (as it appeares now clearely) you have been the chiefe Author of all thoſe calamities: We would firſt put your Lordſhip in minde of the hazzard you were in, before the Covenant was renewed, and how yee complyed with us then, for your owne ſafety, with ſolemnity and forwardneſſe ye renewed the Covenant; Ye your ſelfe firſt moved and framed a Declaration in oppoſition to Malignant2 courſes, and all the preſent enemies of the cauſe of God. In the Propoſitions to be offered to〈◊〉King, you agreed that theſe concerning Religion ſhould be firſt offered, and if theſe were not granted, no other ſhould be preſented: Your Declaration alſo beares very large profeſſion, both in generall, that ye would doe nothing in reference to Religion, without our conſent and advice, and that leaſt God ſhould leave you to fall in errour, and particularly that ye would acknowledge the Kings Demands, when he ſhould give ſatisfaction in ſecuring Religion, before he were admitted to the exerciſe of his Royall Power, you all along ſhew your ſelfe ready to ſubſcribe all Orders againſt Malignants, and ſo by ample profeſſions, engaged us the more deeply to give credit to your Declarations, and truſt your faithfulneſſe: Yet nevertheleſſe your Lordſhip hath had ſecret dealing to bring in Malignants, and had correſpondence with them, and all this time has been dealing ſubtilly in your heart, profeſſing one thing, and intending another; which has beene a moſt notorious deceit, to inſnare the people of God to advance your moſt ſyniſtrous ends; Who cou••have beleiv'd that your Lordſhip would have avo••ed a Commiſſion from the King, when he yet•••••ſes as much as his Father, to ſecure Religion,〈◊〉followes wicked counſell, and ſo avowedly to violate that Article of your Declaration; or that yee would owne a wicked aſſociation of Iriſh Papiſts, and under colour of ſtrengthening, ſhould have betrayed that Garriſon of Belfaſt. We muſt be faithfull in warning your Lordſhip (though the Lord knowes what heavineſſe it is to us) that the Lord will reward3 you if you repent not for ſuch a betraying of the faithfull ſervants of God, who would have plucked out their eyes for you, and the Lord will viſit your Familie with ſudden ruine, and irrepairable deſolation for that you have beene ſo grand an inſtrument to deſtroy the worke of God here. We exhort your Lordſhip in the Name of the living God, to whom ye muſt give an account, in haſte to forſake that infamous and ungodly courſe you are in, and adhere to your former profeſſion, otherwayes all the calamities that will enſue, will be laid on your ſcore. The Lord himſelfe and all the faithfull will ſet themſelves againſt you, and we will teſtifie of your unfaithfulneſſe to the World ſo long as the Lord ſhall give us ſtrength, we ſhall yet continue to pray for your Lordſhips converſion, and ſhall expect your Anſwer, remaining.
HAD not the ſtrange and treaſonable Libell of the Scots Presbytery at Belfaſt, by them there publiſhed, the 15. of Feb. laſt, prepared that ſimple people to put on the yoak, who are alwayes ready to be fired by ſuch Boutefeux, and led by thoſe Demagogues from their duty, and their Intereſt, to their ruine, there had not been at preſent, that ſtrange alteration of affaires in the Province of Ʋlſter; nor the Miniſters of the Presbytery at Carrick-fergus (the ſame men, or ſome of them who were at Belfast) had beene furniſhed with an occaſion to write ſo freely to his Lordſhip, and to tell him that he hath beene the4 chiefe Author (though themſelves were the pri••ones) of all theſe Calamities: That Libell of theirs againſt the Parliament of England, the Supreame Authority, under whoſe protection theſe Incendiaries lived, hath been Declared againſt by Parliament, and alſo examined by a private Pen, and the Treaſon of it layd out to the World, before theſe effects were viſible to all, though they might then have been foreſeen, and were ſo in the tendency of their cauſe. They then muſt needs cry down the Sectaries, that is (as themſelves interpret) the Parliament of England) and will determine that the Fundamentall Government of England and Ireland is by King and Parliament, and ſtirre up the people, not to depart from it; beleeving (like cleare ſighted men) that Charles the ſecond, the haſtily proclaimed King of Scotland would moſt readily imbrace, and Cordially maintaine their Idoll Covenant: Yet he that could ſee but as farre as a Batt at Noone, may very well judge (though hee ſhould onely take the ground from the people that are about him) that Cu••. loves the Covenant, as well as a Scotch Prieſt loves a Biſhop: But their obedient Sonne Montgomery, the Lord of the Ards, is ſo well Catechiſed with that Doctrine of the Claſſes, that he accepts a Commiſſion from the ſame Charles the ſecond of Scotland, which he yet conceales; going firſt, out into Rebellion with the moſt of his Nation there (if not all) upon the account of the Covenant, to prevent thoſe dangers from the wicked Sectaries, of which he had ſo zealous and pious warning from his received Ghoſtly Fathers: Meane while thereby (beſides their owne Rebellion) giving ſuch a Diverſion to thoſe forces of5 the Engliſh Nation in Ʋlster, as held faithfull to their duty, that they were not able to contribute any aſſiſtance to Collonell Jones for reſiſtance of Ormond, and Inchiquine, and the reſt of the Iriſh Rebels that now entred Colonell Jones quarters, tooke in many out Garriſons, and among other, Drogheda, and Beſieged Dublin it ſelfe, which alſo had been in great danger to have been loſt, had it not beene with great prudence and foreſight cleared of all ſuſpected Vermin within, and with much Courage, and Gallantry defended againſt all efforts without, by that worthy Governour Colonell Jones, now Leivtenant Generall of the Horſe in Ireland, who ought to be loved, and honoured of all true Engliſh, that would promote the Intereſt of this Nation. Thus theſe Sons of Bichri, have blowne a Trumpet of Rebellion to all that Kingdome, which themſelves (poore men!) now ſee is not like to ſtabliſh their bleſſed Covenant, or their Canonical Presbytery. For whil they had thought their well taught Son of their Kirk, the Lord of Arder had been onely in Armes againſt the Sectaries; He, though a young man, yet was too old for them, he conceales his Commiſſion from C. S. till George Monro with his Brigade of Iriſh from Ormond was come to Carrick-fergus, and then he declares himſelfe, what Authority he was cloathed with; and what help the poor Covenant and Presbytery is like to have from him, being Commiſſioned from him, whoſe Leivtenant Generall profeſſes to maintaine the Chriſtian Religion in the large Extent, and not under a ſtrict notion of new invented Names, themſelves begin to ſuſpect; and George Monro was no Diſſembler with them, when they lately at Carrick-fergus asked him, whether6 he would take the Covenant or not. He•••••ed The Devill take the Covenant and you too. Theſe are the ſweet effects of that Conſiſteriall Libell, which yet by accident, and no thankes to them, may in time proove of advantage both to England and Ireland. But no more of that now: It is worth the obſerving how theſe Backſliders from their duty, are filled with their owne wayes. And t'were good that others of that Tribe would give over their trade of Intermedling with Civill affaires, for they finde that Young men can over reach them.
T'were perhaps good that their Brethren of Scotland would for their better information conſider what may be their caſe, if Montroſſe ſhould bring but a ſmall ſtrength into the North of Scotland, to joyne with the malignants there; or if George Mo•r•Having ſeiled his buſineſſe in Ʋlſter ſhould tranſport thither his Iriſh Brigade, might there not be found, men enough in Scotland to bring things there once againe to the condition they were in, before the•••tell of Kilſyth (conſider it!) And tis ten to one, Montroſſe hath made ſo good Obſervtaoin of the cauſe of his miſfortune at Phillips-bough that you would never take him in that condition againe, deceive not your ſelves, you that are the conſcientious Preſbitery in Scotland (if any ſuch there be) either your Civill or Kirke ruine is inevitable in the way you now goe, you may yet eſtabliſh hath if you will; there is one way, and it cannot be hid from your eyes, but who can helpe it if you will not ſee, He had need be a good ſwimmer that dare imbrace a ſinking man.
And perhaps ſome would ſay t'were no bad counſell, if I ſhould adviſe ſome of our hyper-poly pragmons,7 the St. politiques of the Pulpit, to meddle only with their proper worke, leaſt they doe like their poore ſilly Brethren at Belfaſt, raiſe more ſuch Devils then they can conjure downe: If they be up, they will breake into their Circle; there is nothing ſo ſacred, which theſe they plead for will not proph•••e, Oathes, Covenants, Prieſts, Pulpits, any thing, take heed you raiſe not a new Warre, for if you doe, 'twill be moſt miſerable to your ſelves.
So much of the Alteration of affaires, and the cauſe thereof.
[Wee would firſt put your Lordſhip in mind of the hazzard, &c.] Why doe you not ſpeake it once, it may be his Lordſhip knowes no ſuch hazzard, and how was it avoyded; by renewing the Covenant? That ſame can admirable Panpharma•on, it cares all diſeaſes infallibly: But what〈◊〉was he in danger to looſe his Eſtate in Ireland to the Sectaries, becauſe he was a Religious Preſbyterian; I doe not heare that any of them have ſuch opinions: Certainly he is in danger to loſe it now to the Common-wealth of England for his Rebellion, to which you his Ghoſtly Fathers inſtigated him; you tell him of his Declaration, that he would doe nothing without your advice, leaſt God ſhould let him fall into errour ▪ Pray where learn't he, that your advice was like to be ſo ſure a preſervative, was it not from〈◊◊〉? (his•••telous Ʋncle could have taught him better; he hath no ſuch Hyperbolicall opinion of you) Are you not aſhamed thus obliquely and〈◊〉to inſinuate your owne infallibility? Doe you•〈◊〉think you have led him ſufficiently into errour, when you led him into••bellion againſt the Common-wealth of8 England, he muſt needs be a wiſe man that gives up himſelfe to your leading: When the blinde leads the blinde, you know the event; and this is like to prove a woefull one to you both.
[Your Lordſhip hath had ſecret dealing with Malignants, &c.] And you have openly been ſo, unleſſe Treaſon, Rebellion, and to stirre up to it, be Anomalous, and excepted from that Generall rule. And with what face doe you tell his Lordſhip of his diſſembling, and ſubtile dealing, profeſſing one thing, and intending another, to enſnare the people of God to his ſiniſtrous ends; why may not his Lordſhip doe it as well as you, whoſe whole courſe is nothing elſe, but masking under the vizard of the Cauſe of God, and reformation of Religion; to impoſe upon all who have the weakneſſe to truſt you, while you carry on your owne ends. But to your Expreſſe, His Lordſhip were beſt conſider whether there be not ſomething of an Omen in it; perhaps while he purſue the Courſe you put him into, his END may be SINISTROUS. It ſeems incredible to you, he would take a Commiſſion from the King, while he refuſes as much as his Father, to ſecure Religion, and follow wicked Counſell. Why may not the King of Scotland follow other mens wicked Counſell, as well as your wicked Counſell; for who ſhall aſſure us, you will give him better then you gave the Lord of Ardes, when you put him into Rebellion againſt the Common-wealth of England.
But becauſe you talke of ſecuring of Religion, tell us what that ſame Religion is, that needs to be ſecured by Kings? was't not that true Religion that once grew and ſpread in the World, and made a Conquest9 of the Roman Sword, againſt all the power of the Empire, ſet on worke by the Devill to oppoſe and endeavour to root it out: Religion properly ſo called, can maintaine it ſelfe without Externall power; 'tis their Religion that calls for defence from the ſecular Arme, that is not able to defend it ſelfe from the appearance of truth, which is great, and will prevail over all Antichriſtian forms and clouds. But [you will be faithfull to his Lordſhip now] 'tis well you will at last, you ſhould have been ſo, when you put him into Rebellion. For your denunciation and Propheſie, we will not much contradict it; your Grand-ſire Caiaphas hit it once, and ſo did that ſhadow rayſed by the Witch of Endor, when he told Saul, that to morrow, he and his Sonnes ſhould be with him; but if this be his doome for his Rebellion, what will become of you that put him on to it.
The Lord of Ardes Anſwer to the Presbytery at Carrick-fergus.
I Cannot but with unexpreſſible griefe reſent the bitter expreſſions, and ill grounded wrong aſperſions you are pleaſed to caſt upon me in your Letter, as if I had ſecretly brought in Sir George Monroe his party into this Countrey, and ſo have been the chiefe Author of all theſe preſent diſtractions; whereof God, the ſearcher of hearts is my witneſſe, I am free (notwithſtanding of the jealouſies raiſed upon ſome expreſſions in that Letter of Sir George Monroe to Sir Robert Stewart which was intercepted)10 and that among other, many prevalent reaſons and motions (too long here to expreſſe) induoing at this time, to owne his Majeſties Commiſſion. It was not the betraying, but the ſecuring of theſe Garriſons from Sir George his party; which in our diſtracted and disjoynted condition, for want of Authority, and by reaſon of the Souldiers affection to their former Officers, were likely to be rendered to him. The Lord he knowes, that the preſervation of the eſtabliſhed Church-government, your peace, the good and quiet of this poore corner, and the advancement of Religion, according to the Covenant (all which by private underminers, to your owne knowledge, were in apparent hazard of ruine) are the chiefe reaſons which induces me to this courſe, of making uſe of that Authority, as the onely meane to ſecure us, (being ſo united under command) from the violence of oppoſers hereunto. It requeſt you therefore, and untill my carriage (after that now I am cloathed with Authority) may witneſſe whether my intentions and reſolutions be not according to my profeſſion, you would be pleaſed to have more charitable thoughts of me, and reſt aſſured that I am,
THE poore Thunder-ſtricken Lord anſwers with the humility that becomes a good Son of the Kirke, he now ownes〈◊〉his Commiſſion, and thereby confeſſeth himſelfe guilty of Treaſon to the Common-wealth of England, but dare not owne his juggling11 with George Monroe, and Sir Robert Stuart, becauſe perhaps that might be Treaſon againſt the Presbyterie, and Covenant, which may not be forgiven him, neither in this World, nor that to come; neither dares he tell the reaſons why he did not declare his Commiſſion till then; nor is it convenient for me to tell them, though they cannot be unknowne to him that is acquainted throughly with the ſtate of thoſe affaires: The poore Man hath learned from them to appeale to God too; take heed my Lord, you know who was wont to doe ſo, and the World hath ſeen that God will not be mocked, nor is an〈◊〉, but an Omnipotent, and Omniſcient God, that judgeth in the Earth, whether the New Rebels of Ʋlſter beleive it or not. But now your Lordſhip is clothed with Authority, we ſhall ſee how Georg Menro will give you leave to uſe it, which the Preſbytery have told you in their next Letter, they doe not beleeve will be for the good of Religion, and the Covenant, being Aſſociate with the Enemies of them both, indeed your Lordſhip is in bad tearmes with them, and with all men elſe, you had better been ſtill perſevering.
WEE received yours, wherein you with greife reſent our bitter expreſſions, and ill grounded wrong aſperſions, (as much as to call them falſe) which you ſay we caſt upon your Lordſhip. Truely our expreſſions flowe from the bitterneſſe of greife and ſorrow, and not diſaffection towards you: You have often knowne our aboundant affections, and endeavour to ſerve your Lordſhip in our ſtations. Theſe which your Lordſhip cals wrong aſperſions, are the words of truth and ſoberneſſe, Intercepted letters from that party, together with Colonell12 Conawayes diſcovery of that which is now clear, w••many other circumſtances of your Lordſhips latter carriage, and the exact correſpondence betweene Colonell Monro's motions and yours, does evince the reality of our aſſertions, as well as his owne Letter, which we beleive ſpake neither affection, nor a conjecture of your Lordſhips deſigne, being written to ſuch a cloſe friend. It is a ſad jeſt to your Lordſhip to tell us that it was the ſecuring of theſe Garriſons from Colonell George Monroe that moved you to put on that commiſſion; wheras by the conjunction of your Lordſhips forces and command, he lyes before this Garriſon to deſtroy it. It were a good proofe of the reality of your purpoſe, if yee ſhould with your whole power urge him to remove, which if yee were cordiall in, were eaſy to doe. Neither know we how to beleive that your Lordſhips preſent courſe is intended for the good of Religion and the Covenant, when yee are not onely aſſociate with the enemies of both, but your commiſſion, as we are informed, ſubjects you to the immediate commands of the Marqueſſe of Ormond, whoſe infamous and irreligious peace made with the Rebels, may eaſily tell us what eſtabliſhment to the Covenant, or Preſbyteriall government we may expect from his Orders and Authority, his owne printed ſpeech to the councell of Kilkenny, explaines to us his reall reſolutions concerning Religion, to maintaine Chriſtian Religion in the large extent, and not under a ſtrict notion of new invented names, and beſides the King yet refuſing to ſecure Religion, how ſhall you eſtabliſh it, except ye doe very far tranſgreſſe the limits of your commiſſion: which we beleive you deſire no man to thinke. In a word your Lordſhip hath but reaſſumed the old quarrell which the Engagers the13 laſt yeare, and before them, James Grahame and the Malignants in England were of old purſuing: Neither we are confident, will it proſper better in your hands nor it did in theirs. The Lord in Juſtice hath declared his diſpleaſure againſt that courſe, & will do ſo againſt all them who ſeek to advance the King againſt Chriſts throne, and even while he refuſes to give Chriſt his due firſt. We would therefore yet againe as lovers of the ſtanding of Chriſts Kingdome and of your Lordſhips ſalvation, as the Meſſengers of God beſeech your Lordſhip before you run a further hazard of the Lords wrath, to leave of that ungodly courſe, and take better meanes to effectuate the good of Religion. Remember thoſe who honour God he will honour, and thoſe who deſpiſe him, ſhall be lightly eſteemed of: Whereas your Lordſhip deſires our charity towards you; truely as we have ever teſtified a due reſpect to your ſelfe and family, we ſhall yet continue ▪ but you have involved your Lordſhip already ſo far in the guilt of unfaithfulneſſe to the cauſe of God and your owne ſubſcriptions, that we cannot but teſtifie againſt the courſe you are in, and denounce judgement upon your perſon, family, and all your party, till the Lord perſwade your heart to return, which ſhall be our fervent deſire, and ſhall remaine,
TO the reply of the Presbytery, there remaines little to ſay, they here diſcovered his falſhood, and tell him by whom, and all his humble and calme language gaines him nothing of credit with them, they now ſee, he that could be drawn from his fidelity to the14 Common-wealth of England, by the Presbytery at〈◊〉may alſo be drawne from them, by the glorious•••miſes of a pretended King; they will truſt him no〈◊〉they are inexorable. And ſo doe the Preſbytery〈…〉deale with thoſe that will not ſerve their turn〈…〉ſhadow of it here in England, though they want a〈◊〉- ſtory for the forming thoſe dreadfull Thunder-bolt,〈◊〉they make the Pulpit ſerve for a ſhift, to blow the Tr••pet to Rebellion, and a new War; what would our〈◊〉doe, if they had the power of the Kirk of Scotland; T••poore Viſcount Montgomery lyes under their Propheſies and Fulminations, which may be like〈◊〉come upon him, though he ſhould repent his ſ•ule•gainſt the Covenant.
And for a cloſe of all, I ſhall aske them onely theſe Queſtions. Whether it be not as dangerous for〈◊◊〉of men, as for another, to ſet up themſelves againſt the Throne and Power of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? And whether it be not a great part of his Kingly office, to rule in the underſtandings, and conſciences of Men? Whether the true light that lightneth every one who commeth into the World, may not give out that light in what•••ner and meaſure, and by what meanes he pleaſeth? And whether they doe not uſurpe his Throne, that ſeeke to oppoſe thoſe beames, or limit and preſent the〈◊〉
And whether the Presbytery be not every where more imployed in this worke, then is for their ſafety, if the wrath of the Lambe be kindled?