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same, was, because the king was of a contrary mind, and refused to join in
the covenant, and ratify the same by his authority, which also is false,
for there were several other grounds and causes of so doing besides this.
We shall name a few, leaving the rest to a further scrutiny (1.) The
natural enmity that is in the hearts of all men against the Lord and his
anointed, his work and his people, and the power of godliness which doth
effectually work in the children of disobedience. (2.) An enmity against
the power of parliament and laws. (3.) An enmity against the union of the
kingdoms. (4.) An enmity against the power of presbyteries, and the
discipline of the church, to which are opposed, a sinful desire of
breaking the bonds and casting away the cords of the Lord and his
anointed, a desire to establish an arbitrary power and unlimited monarchy,
a desire to establish a lordly prelatical power in the persons of a few,
or to have the government of the church wholly dependent on the civil
power, a desire to dissolve the union of the kingdoms, that they may be
thereby weakened and less able to resist malignant designs against
religion and liberties, a desire to live loosely without bands in regard
of personal reformation.

II. It supposeth something that is at best doubtful, to wit, that the king
hath really joined unto the cause of God, there being small evidences of
it, and many presumptions to the contrary, especially, 1. His bringing
home with him into the kingdom, a number of eminent, wicked and known
malignants; his countenancing of, and familiar conversing with such in
this nation since his coming,(337) and correspondence with others of them
abroad, his deserting of the public councils of the kingdom, to join to a
party of bloody and wicked men, raided in arms with his knowledge and by
his warrant. 2. His not being convinced of any guilt in his father,
because of his opposition to the cause and covenant, notwithstanding of
all the blood of the Lord's people shed by him in that opposition. For
verifying whereof, we appeal to the knowledge of some noblemen and
ministers, who have occasion to know his mind and to be serious with him
in this thing.

III. It supposeth something that is of very dangerous consequence. 1. That
these men's zeal to the cause or against it, doth ebb and flow according
to the king's being against it or for it. Since they follow the cause not
for itself but for the king, will they not dese