committee of estates; but also received the act of
indemnity,(331) and laid down arms, in obedience to the king's majesty,
without so much as mentioning or acknowledging the committee of estates,
as is to be seen in a paper subscribed by them,(332) and in the
remonstrance of the commission of the General Assembly, dated at Perth,
Nov. 29, 1650, the words whereof are these: "Your lordships should
likewise consider, whether it doth not encroach upon the present
constitution of government of this kingdom, and will not involve your
lordships in the guilt of these men's sin, if you shall accept of their
laying down of arms, merely upon the profession of obedience to the king's
command, without any expression of their respect and obedience to the
committee of estates, or any acknowledgment of their sin and offence,
which we hope you will look upon as a most unnatural and unseasonable
rending of the kingdom, in the time of this heavy oppression by a common
enemy, and exposing the kingdom to all misery and ruin."(333) Second, It
may be remembered that in the first model of the agreement which was made
at Breda,(334) that clause which doth concern the determining of civil
matters in the interval of parliament, by such as are authorized by
parliament for that effect, and the king's majesty hearkening to their
advice, was wholly left out; and any who are acquainted with expressions
and inclinations of sundry great ones in the land, are not ignorant of
their dislike of a committee of estates, and their desire to have the
administration of matters, in the interval of parliament, wholly devolved
upon the king's council. And the same spirit that would draw business from
the committee to a cabinet council, would at last draw them from the
parliament itself, because that is also, if not more, crossing to private
interests and designs than a committee of estates. Third instance. There
is a party in the land who as in their hearts they do envy, and in their
tongues do traduce men that have been steadfast and faithful in the
covenant and cause of God, so do they endeavour to the utmost of their
power, to bring them into disgrace and contempt, and to get them removed
from power and trust, and, upon the other side, study with no less
diligence to get places of power and trust, in the army and elsewhere,
filled with such as either have been open enemies or secret underminers.
Fourth instance. Are there not many who oppose the kingdom of Jesu