their prayers How long Lord holy and true will it be ere thou aveng c. Amongst other causes of this complaint to speake in the words of Solomon 30. Prov. 22. it is because of a servant when he reigntch Your trading I heare in the City is become and likely to continue so dead that men who have not good stocks are ready to shut up shop But your Condition in the City I beleeve is made better then ours in the Country in respect both of Landlord and Tenent the one can scarcely get any rent because the other cannot raise it Farmers prosesse they must give up their Farmes because the profit will not ballast the charge of tillage and Taxes It was the vaine brag of Cajus Marius that hee sate in the ruines of Carthage and is it not the disgrace of our grandees that they are grown great by the ruines of their Country he was a Heathen and died mad they are either Christians or hypocrits and may be more miserable How doth that heathen Romane Cato shame and out-strip our pretended Christian Patriots he was as Anxious for the safety and freedome of Rome as they are solicitous for themselves he was as reall a refuge for afflicted virtue as they are oppressors of it They engaged their lives and souls to get gain but he laid down his life for liberty choosing rather to be his Countries Sacrifice then Caesars Slave Dear Friend were all our Courtiers either Christians or Cato's they would rather Conquer for their Country then for themselves but oh for what he dyed to preserve they live to spoil and prey upon the blood of a whole War the price of Widdows prayers and Orphants tears proclaims their game to be their godlinesse oh these are sad fruits of our fourteen years fighting poverty and oppression are very uncomfortable fruits of Reformation but dominion impiously got must be impiously kept one sin must maintain another yet let us with comfort consider that Jehovah is greater then the king of feirce countenance and understanding dark sentences although he may for a time which we hope is neer an end by policy cause craft to prosper in his hand and think to change Times and Laws yet his Dominion shall be taken away c. Did not our Lord in mercy cast the late Kings yoak from off our necks After that darknesse was dispell'd did not the light of liberty dawne untill tempestuous clouds arising from the filthy fogs of falshood and treachery impostumated in the Braines and Bosomes of some few instruments in the work of Liberty we were environed with a more Egyptian darknesse then ever hath not their treachery and our ingratitude urged God to repent of his favours he sent us light but we loving darknesse rather than light shut our eys against the Sun-beams that we might with more modesty sin in secret He began to restore liberty but we rather chose servitude why should we then complain that we are enslaved in unlimitted Monarchy whilest by a shamefull kind of villenage we bow our servile necks under the basest yoak and pay our Homage to the most matchlosse monsters of mankinde that ever any noble Nation truckled under Yet dear friend fear not freedome will yet fall upon its sect in the interim pious and publique spirits may be foiled but not defeated great and good designes are carried on by orderly additions but sudden elevations soon decline like aboutive Embrions believe it our Lord will blast their base enslaving designes and nipt their Mushrom honours in the bud Hypocrisie may a little longer act vices part in vertues apparrel but shall at last fall head long from its greatest height A tyrants Conscience knows no night of rest blood in despight of Poppy breaks his sleep the fears and fury of his fantacy fix deaths unerring symptoms in his face despair not a Tyrants death is the people Antidote in his own good time our God will cure the Courtiers itch and avarice let greatnesse held by force fear a fall height and preciptance stand tottering and know no Mediums in their Declinations Whosoever observes the Orthodoxall maximes of our dayes need not marvel that our Marshalists have ravish'd Astrea and pull'd justice down but Christ Jesus will come quickly and bring his reward with him the Saints shall sit and see his righteous judgments Nay Mr. Feak Mr. Rogers c. shall judge their Oppressors and Persecutors but I doubt our State professors who have set themselves over us do no more believe this truth then Pilate when he was judging Christ did believe he was Condemning his judge or the Jews when they were whipping persecuting and imprisoning the Apostles did thinke to see them sit on twelve Throns judging the twelve Tribes of Israel do you not know saith Paul That the Saints shall judge the world 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. Oh that our carelesse Courtiers and Army men who with wings impt with the plumes of Oppression and Perjury soar over us like Eagles of a true Ayrie whilest indeed they are Birds of prey not of Paradise would be now of the same mind as they will be when they shall see the heavens passe away with a noise and the Elements melt with fervent heat c. But when all is said The wicked will do wickedly but the wise shall understand and the prudent shall keep silence Dear Friend farewell and let us hold fast till our Lord come Amen Yours co-expectant in the deliverance of Syon Ro. Bl. Novemb. 24. 1655.
A Letter from a Christian Friend in the Country to another in the City WEE had lately sent downe into the Country Declarations from the Protector so called and his Councel holding forth the grounds and reasons of their proceedings as they pretend for securing the peace of the Common wealth a thing very plausible to palliate their assumed Power over us and our Posteritie We may wonder in the first place at their Nick-naming us a Common-wealth we being as under the yoak of an Arbitrary power no better then ear board Russian Slaves they having by a seeming necessity absolutely overthrown the honour interest and Freedom of the people of England by the abolishing of Parliaments frustrating our Fundamental laws Usurping a Law-making power leavying of money and Forces Commanding War and Peace by Land and Sea and making themselves the onely determiners of guilt or innocence of life or death of law or liberty as in the Case of the Caveleers Sequestration to a Tenth and Fifteenth part of Rents and Goods their Hellish rule of proceeding doth very much dissatisfie the Country notwithstanding all their small Reasons urged in order to a pretended securing the peace of the Common wealth as they most miserably miscall us upon occusion of the late Insurrection and Rebellion against themselves the greatest Rebels and most lawlesse Usurpers that as yet any History ancient or modern ever made mention of whereby they are becom odious to us notable and abominable all Europe over and I wish it were as affectually convincing as accusing in their own Consciences that they have crucified the Cause of God and their Country bet wixt these two State Thieves Usurpation and Oppression But our Lot dear Sir is fallen into that Age and part of the world wherein the mistery of Iniquity is working spiritually 2 Thess 28 9 10 He is now revealed whose comming is after the working of Sathan with all powers and signs and lying wonders and withall deceivablenesse of unrightenesse c. If we do but take a serious view of Antichrist either as he is the whole body or as he is this or that part we shall finde him in no other garbe then the form of a glorious Saint not onely deceiving the blind and ignorant world but as far as is possible even many of the very Elect themselves that which is the fore runner or rather occasion as I may so say respecting the concurrences of Gods permissive providence is mens not receiving the love of the Truth not the profession for how many have professed fairly upon a civill and Gospel account How many like Jehu have marched furiously that are now fallen off and have with Demas embraced the world How many have declared for Liberty against Tyranny who are now become as great Usurpers and oppressors as any How many seeming self deniers are become incomparable self-seekers How have they in a Saint-like simplicity seemed to slight the glory and greatnesse of the world who cannot now be contented with lesse then Principalities and Powers Nay even with the very Attributes of God himself what specious pretenders were they for the kingdom of Christ who are now become the Imprsoners and Persecutors of the Professors of it and divers other true and faithfull Patriots I mean Mr. Feak Mr. Rogers Lt. Gen. Ludlow M. G. Harrison M. G. Overton Col. Rich Mr. Cary Quart M. Gen. Courtney Coll. Allured c. and others who by their means have been laid or laid themselves aside as Collonel Okey Coll. Sanders Major Wiggam c. Do they not in their Declaration declare one a designer the other designed indeed the Moderation of the words was designed is remarkable it being disproportionable to the policy they steer by so tenderly to touch their reputations whose ruines they reach at their malice being sufficient to have proved them such offendors if they could but the service and sufferings of these men are Arguments invincible of their innocence untill by a fair and legall Tryall we be convinced of the contrary in the interim words will not make the world believe what was not neither will their reputation by such means be so soon blasted especially when they confesse in their Declaration they onely think them offenders But suppose those Englishmen had designed some endeavours for the making good their ingagements and calling off the yoak of Tyranny suppose they had invoked or invited the Army backslidden from the Cause of God and their Country to return to their obedience for the confirmation of our just Fundamental laws and Liberties for the right placing of the Soveraign power of the People in a lawfull Representative for relieving the oppressed and imprisoned who groan for deliverance from the bondage of these most mercilesse Task-Masters had they not hereby approved themselves brave and publique spirited Patriots will not such one day be received with a well done good and faithfull servants where their and our Oppressors shall stand with pale-faces and accusing Consciences before that God who will render to every man according to his works who will appear as witness against the swearer and forswearer who will make Inquisition for blood who will call the Apostates and Hypocrites to account for all their perjuries and oppressions hath not this Ell shaddy the most high God ever signally appeared against the proud and tyrannical Nebuchadnezzars of the world with all their projectors and Parasites In the interim dear Friend we may behold as in a glasse our present deplorable condition under a Government as they call it where the Will and interest of a State Junto is both law and evidence At this rate who may not be a designer and offender and accordingly declared and punished who would have believed about eight or ten years since we should have seen such lawlesse and imparrallel'd Impious proceedings who would have imagined that such publique spirits as the persons prementioned should so causelesly be kept prisoners by their fellow-servants who pretended themselves promoters but have proved perverters of piety and publike liberty persons of the same spirit with Strafford Canterbury c. Nay far worse who would have imagined that our Assertors of Law and Liberty would without Baise or Mainprize not onely incarserate the Bodies of our asoresaid Friends but also deny some of them the comfort of their nearest and dearest relations a sad requitall for their severall faithful services and sufferings they may in policy pretend what they please but are not these things most abominable in the eyes of a righteous God who although he hath an absolute soveraignty over the world punisheth none before they have sinned contrary to the laws of the Land and the very practise of Heathens who allowed Paul whom they accounted more dangerous and seditious then our Friends enemies can say they are the enjoyment of his friends 24 Act. 23. And he commanded a Centurian to keep Paul and to let him have liberty and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance much
lesse wise and children to minister or come unto him yea further saith Festus the 25. chap. 27. v. For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not withall to signifie the crime laid against him If we must after this manner exchange our just fundamental laws for their fundamentall reason I believe when it is too late we may take up the Lamentation of the Prophet Isai 59. 14 15. And judgment is turned away backward and justice standeth afar off For truth is fallen in the street c. yea truth faileth and he that departeth from evill maketh himself a prey But let us comfort our selves in this that our God will cause the pride of the arrogant to cease lay low the haughtinesse of the terrible and cut off all that watch for iniquity that make a man an offender for a word and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate and turn aside the just for a thing of nought but say our friends adversaries These men are seditious fastious fellows Railers and Levellers c. so are all who will not sell and sacrifice themselves to work wickednesse Let a man be of what principle or opinion he please he is too high or too low if he cannot play the parasite if he be sincere he is a Sectary if a lover of liberty upon a publique account he is a Leveller But was not the Protector so called and many honest men more in the Army and Nation such when the Army refused to disband at New Market I cannot I profess but admire that the Protector so called his Councel or Officers can without blushing make the least mention of levelling when they themselves are the most monstrous levellers that ever yet bore the name of Englishmen Have they not levelled Church and State King and Parliament Proprietics Laws Liberties nay what not Do they not levell and lay low whatsoever stands in the way of their Arbitary interest have they not made the most honourable Army in Europe a crew of mercenary Cut-throsts or Janizarics have they not under pretence of preserving the publique Peace cantoniz'd the Countries appointing so many Major Generals as they call them to play Empson and Dudleys part to run in the same path of Opprestion untill perhaps they arrive at their reward Now for those men to call Levelling a crime brings them under the condemnation of Paul Rom. 2. 1. 3. verses Therefore thou art inexcusable ô man whosover thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest doest the same things And thinkest thou ô man that judgest them which do such things and doest the same that thou shalt escape the judgement of God Thou hypocrite first cast the Beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the Moat out of thy Brothers eye Mat. 7. 5. But the Protectors so called great Plea for all his nefarious practises is Necessity but I suppose this Cloak is worn so thrid-bare upon all procedures that even those who are but half-sighted may see through it how vertuall their necessity hath been since the purging of the old Parliament let us a little consider First for dissolving of that Parliament they derive their necessity as they say from the Parliaments designing to perpetuate themselves whereas the truth is they dissolved them because they were passing a Bill for a New Representative as some Members our Country-men do to this day affirm The Necessity for dissolving the Little Parliament was because they would have regulated the Law or framed a new Modell more proportionable to the genius of a Common-wealth and consistent with the interest of Christ and done many other good things for which the Officers of the Army had both Petitioned the former Parliament and railed against them all the Nation over because they neglected the doing of them how truly have they hereby manifested their necessity to be but hypocrisie Nay is it not plain from the consequence that these changes were onely designed to ushel in a greater did they not by the reproaches they cast upon the old Parliament and by their electing men of contrary principles in the other endeavour to insinuate a necessity for discarding that form of Government But suppose we should grant a necessity for dissolving the Parliament yet what necessity is there upon the Nations account to perpetuate an Arbitrary unlimited power in a Protector to inslave three Nations by a standing Army of above 60000. men and an ignoble Militia of 10000. Horse in England doth not true necessity arise from the peoples safety but how is that made good when they have no other security for their Lives Liberties and Properties then the will of single Person flancked and fortified with a mercenary Army and who either is or may be a Tyrant Again what other necessity have they to keep down all Parliaments but to keep up their boundlesse ambition what necessity was there when the Nation was almost exhausted by Taxations to spend 18 or 19. hundred thousand pounds in a fruitlesse expedition to Hispaniola which they are again attempting notwithstanding the Arm of the Lord hath of late been apparently made bare against them in that businesse Or what necessity is there to imprison and continue imprisoned without tryall contrary to the Laws of God and this Nation their own voluntary Oathes and ingagements the faithfull servants of God and their Country May we not hence plainly perceive they make their necessity as boundlesse as their Ambition as destractive as their desire of Domination What necessity is there to multiply unparaleld Taxes and Impositions save in pursuance of their private plots and projects to pick our pockets and purses that they may the more easily oppresse us we are constrained say some by oppression and poverty to bind the people unto peace and union but is not poverty too poor a plant for such fair fruit as love and union to grow upon doth not war rather then peace spring from want which like an armed man is the Herauld or Fore-runner of Innovations surely they that will keep a people peaceable must not make them poor by oppression we are apt with others wounds to salve our own plenty stuns men in secure reposes but oppression makes a wise man mad Cataline would never have contrived his Countrys ruine but to prevent his own oh that there were no such Catelines in our new Court or rather that we had neither Court nor Cateline nor any of that spirit for which the last Parliament so called was pretendedly dissolved viz. For that they had an aking 100th against the godly party The Cryes and complaints of the oppressed in this Nation I perceive grown great according to that of the wise-man Prov. 29. 2. When the righteous are in Authority the people rejoyce but when the wicked beareth rule the people mourn men of all rancks and capacityes Army Officers and Courtiers excepted make this addition to