Englands Remedy of a deadly Malady The VVise-womans SAVING THE CITY ABEL BY Delivering the head of SHEBA who was a Traitor to the Common-wealth of Israel Which serveth as a pattern whereby the City of London may be saved by the wise endeavours of the Citizens therof like this Wise-womans which are upon divine record both for our learning and imitation even by delivering up to Law justice the Traitors to the Common-wealth of England Otherwise if they under the colour of defending themselves Parliament or City do any longer shelter such wicked men as vipers in their bosomes or take up armes against our renowned Army or any having their commission for such a just reasonable and lawfull demand will they not manifest to the world that they themselves are not onely Traitors to the Common-wealth both in partaking with the wicked and condemning the just but are guilty of whatsoever bloudshed ruine or desolation may possibly come upon them and their posterity And the malady consisteth in the Parliaments injustice of all sorts self-interests and grinding the faces of the poore such as their illegall sentences unjust imprisonments burning by the common Hang-man the just Petitions of all the free Commons Liberties detaining the hire of the labourers not duly regarding widdowes fatherlesse nor maimed Souldiers variable Votes forced Covenants and time-serving Ordinances even to justifie the wicked and condemn the just and so to make all free-borne English People the worst of slaves after they are brought low by all sorts of oppressions and delusions under severall notions and have both done all their best endeavours and payed all beyond their powers Printed in the Yeere 1647. THE WISE-WOMANS saving the City Abel by delivering the head of SHEBA 2 Sam. 20 16 c. who was a Traytor to the Kingdome of Israel Which serveth as a patterne whereby the city of London may be saved by the wise endeavours of the Citizens thereof like this Wise-womans who is upon divine record both for our learning and imitation even by delivering up to Law and Justice the Traitors to the Common-wealth of England Otherwise if they under the colour of defending themselves Parliament or City do any longer shelter such wicked men as vipers in their bosomes or take up armes against our renowned Army or any others having their Commission for such a just reasonable and lawfull demand will they not manifest to the whole world that they themselves are not onely Traitors also to the Common-wealth both in partaking with the wicked and condemning the just but are guilty of whatsoever blood-shed ruine or desolation may possibly come upon them and their posterity Jonah 1.15 Prov. 28.28 14.34 11.10 So they tooke up Jonah and cast him into the sea and the sea ceased from her raging When the wicked rise men hide themselves but when they perish the righteous increase Justice exalteth a nation but sin is a shame to any people In the prosperity of the righteous the city rejoyceth and when the wicked perish there is joy SO soon as the Kingdome of Israel was delivered from Absolons treason there arose another Rebell against King David whose name was Sheba who tooke occasion from the emulation and hot contention which was between the ten Tribes 2 Sam. 2â— concerning the bringing back of the King to Jerusalem even to blow the bellowes and kindle the fire of division between them whiles the coles were hot and to proclaime with sound of Trumpet in the name of all the ten Tribes We have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the Sonne of Jesse to your Tents O Israel So that by the instigation of this one wicked man there was a great division made between many thousands of Brethren and Friends who discended all of one stock even a revolt of the ten Tribes and so a rent of Davids Kingdome As this Sheba being here described by his brethren and kindred to be the son of Bichri and of Benjamins Tribe as King Saul was so was he of Saul spightfull disposition still retaining the bitter taste of the old caske of Sauls Court which is also noted of Shimei by his reviling of David when he was driven away by Absolon both which old Courtiers had not yet layed aside their old grudge against David and the State of his Kingdome The vigilancy and activity of this treacherous Sheba is thus noted that when he seeth David at the weakest then he taketh most advantage in the pursuance of his designe to be strongest draweth the ten Tribes into his faction and betaketh himselfe to Abel a strong and walled City whereof Joab the chiefe Captain of Davids host having intelligence he presently layeth siege to the City destroyeth and casteth downe the walls thereof being as it seems provoked thereunto by the Citizens standing out against the siege in a wrong cause even in defence of the Ttraytor Sheba under colour of defending their City Whereas Joab it appeares had no quarrell at all to the City it being a branch of the King his Masters Kingdome but onely as it was an obstruction to hinder his pursuit against one Rebell and his faction in the City who had thus highly offended the King so that there is a distinction here to be made between the Citie it selfe and the traiterous faction of conspirators which were sheltered therein whereof this Sheba was the head Upon this fierce assault by Joab thus provoked in his zeale for the weale of the Kingdome and for avoiding of further strife and division it pleaseth God in his tender compassion of the City to move a woman of the City to cry from the wal to Joabs Souldiers that Joab would come near and speake with her by this her desiring a parle and the event thereof she is called as she truly deserveth a wise woman because she taketh the wisest and best course to preserve the City as doth appeare also by the effect Whereas if she had not by her wisdome broken off both the folly of the Citizens and the furie of the Adversaries it might have possibly been turned to ashes and by that meanes many thousands therein who knew not the right hand from the left as well as others of greater age might have been brought to great miserie if not speedy destruction So that to stand out in defence and maintenance of Traytors and Enemies to the common weale under the specious pretence of defending a City and not render them up to justice upon just and lawfull demand is enough to provoke both God and man to punish the whole City for so many wicked and traiterous Sheba's as be sheltered therein We read of this very Tribe of Benjamin formerly Judg. 19.20 21. Chap. that for their unjustly maintaining and not justly punishing that horrid fact of those sons of Belial amongst them who abused the Levites Concubine to death all the other Tribes of Irael rose up in armes as one man and revenged it upon them to
their destruction though they were their brethren and that for their wicked obstinacy in that hainous sin without any repentance or godly sorrow so that of five and twenty thousand mighty and valourous men onely six hundred escaped to tell newes And if for want and refusall of doing justice in such a particular case the ten Tribes rose up and destroyed almost a whole Tribe and that by the Commandement of God himself seeing those who were guiltless took part with the guilty and so the whole lump leavened alike then how is a whole Kingdome engaged to take revenge of any part thereof which doth labour and maintaine notorious Traytors and malicious Enemies to the Common-wealth when justice is demanded of them For as God hateth all wickednesse injustice tyranny and oppression amongst particular or private men so how much more doth he hate treason and treachery against a whole Nation or Common-wealth But howsoever whether they either forbeare or doe their endeavour though hand joyne in hand the wicked shall not be unpunished such grievous designes doe never go scot-free but are revenged of God or his instruments without speedy repentance to prevent such deserved judgements and no Nation in the world can shew more famous examples in this kind then England it being so often attempted to be betrayed both by strangers and others but still preserved of God to his everlasting praise Insomuch that a famous man said of England Regnum Angliae Polydor. Virgil. Regnum Dei the Kingdome of England is Gods Kingdome for none taketh any true of reall care of preserving it but God only One word by the way the Author of this Dictaum living in England did well observe what a carelesse wicked and selfe-betraying State it hath ever been consisting of a mixt people gathered out of severall Nations and therefore he attributed to God alone the many and miraculous deliverances of this sinfull Nation as we have far greater cause now then he had then to acknowledge in all these seven yeares Occurrences especially by the miscarriage of that bloody Petition which should have been delivered by thrice forty thousand armed men for which the wars began the deliverance at Edge-hill Newbery Brainford when we should have been absolutely betrayed had not God onely been on our side and shewed himselfe to be the Lord of hosts and God of battells in so mightily rescuing and delivering us out of the jawes and clawes of all our mighty and strong enemies who were ready and bent at all those occasions to devoure and swallow us up from being a people any more But to adhere to our intended purpose this wise-woman taketh courage and speaketh to Ioab Was not this a wonder that there was never a wise man in this City But God who oftentimes saveth both by weake instruments and despised meanes was pleased to make this woman the instrument of thus using the meanes in saving a besieged city in Israel from all the power and forces of a great King even as he made that poor wise man spoken of by Salomon Eccles 9. the instrument of delivering another City who therefore declared that wisdome was better then weapons of warre and yet no man regarded much lesse rewarded that poore wise man As Abigail the wife of Nabal was a happy instrument to pacifie the fury of King David and all his followers against her husband for his churllishnesse 1 Sam. 25. so was this woman to asswage the fury of Ioab the chief Captain of all his forces here against this city and it pleased God so to blesse the means which those two women used that both the King and Ioab hearkened to their good counsell and were contented to depart in peace without offering injury or violence to any So that it is good not to sleight the wholsome advice of an inferiour more then an equall or a superiour If Naaman the Syrian had despised the good counsell of his own wise servant and not washed himselfe in Jordan 2 King 5.19 according to the direction of the Prophet rather then in the rivers of Damascus he might have returned home and died in his leprosie yea and besides he had not been so well confirmed and perswaded in his faith against his former ignorance and impiety which he confessed upon his cleansing and thankfull returning to the Prophet who cured him If King Ahab had not hated Micaiah and prejudged his wise and good counsell 1 King 22. against his going up to Ramoth-Gilead he had not lost his life and kingdome but he following the wicked advice of false Prophets who stirred him up to make a new warre was one cause both of his owne and his posterities ruine As false Prophets are known by many other bitter fruits so chiefly by these two speciall marks First they are alwayes eager and thirsty after blood both like their father the Devill that murderer from the beginning and that Whore mentioned in the Revelation And next they are no wise so hot for just peace as for unjust warre Was not Jerusalems destruction the more deserved because they hearkened to false Prophets that spake lies in the name of the Lord and despised the true Prophet Ieremiah who spake as the Lord immediately directed him And did not that zealous King Iosiah himselfe after all his matchlesse reformation receive a mortall wound for going out inconsiderately to battell against Pharoah Neho king of Egypt as is likely without advice either of God 2 Chron. â— 34 35. or Ieremiah the Prophet yea and distrusting that Pharoah came not forth against him but his enemies the Assyrians and though his intention was just and good even to defend his own Land yet for this his trespasse of temerity and rashnesse he was punished with temporall death but being so worthy a King there was more mourning and greater lamentation for him then any King that ever was in the world Oh for such a good King as Josiah and such a grave Parliament as the Elders of Judah and Jerusalem were in his daies then we should have a blessed and glorious Reformation not only in word and shew but in deed and substance to some purpose But to proceed this woman is not like too many now adaies who claime unjust titles for she well deserveth her title to be called wise because she is so indeed in that she thus loveth a just peace and hateth an unjust warre which is the main end and scope of her parle with Joab and is she is very excellent in the pacifying of Joabs furie by forcible arguments so is she no lesse active and resolute in perswading the people of the City by sound reasons to yeeld to her just desires both for their own safety and that which is their bound duty even to deliver the head of Sheba that Traytor who so troubled the Common-wealth of Israel And therefore as God blessed her as a peace-maker in prevailing with Joab so also with the people for they
finding her reasons to be just and right ordered to cut off the head of Sheba and to cast it over the walls to Joab which accordingly was done so Joab blew the Trumpet retired from the City and every man to his Tent Thus by the meanes of those unto whom God giveth wisdome to order things aright how contemptible soever they be in the eyes of the world both good duties may be timely performed evill consequences wisely prevented yea and heavy judgements removed as we see also by the happy issue of Phineas his zeal in the execution of Zimri and Cosbi even in the very act of their hainous sin of Adultery And without the execution of justice here demanded by Joab there is no peace with Joab yea no peace with God for if he the Lord of Hosts be offended and no meanes used nor followed whereby his anger may be asswaged as he is a just God and the true owner of vengeance he must needs be revenged and hath all the creatures at his call alwaies to execute his Will as by one Angell hee smote a hundred fourscore and five thousand of Senacheribs Army in one night howsoever wicked men who he oftentimes catcheth in the very same snares which they lay for others thinketh that he hath neither number enough of instruments nor magazine great enough of judgements to catch them in the height and pursuit of their sins What a vaine question was that of Joram to Jehu Is it peace Jehu What peace answered he so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iesabel and her witchcrafts are so many God would have justice done upon the bloody house of Ahab and upon Iesabel for Naboths blood what peace can be then till this be done So here was a wicked Sheba a Traytor to the State who with his strong faction intended the overthrow of Davids Kingdome which was a type of Christs Kingdome and likewise to nullifie the priviledges and liberties of the free-born people for his owne coverous and ambitious ends This wise woman likewise professeth her selfe to Ioab to be one of them that are peaceable and faithfull in Israel and this she doth not for her own private respects only but much more for the common-weale of Abel her City To bee peaceable is very commendable but especially in one who also is faithfull for peacablenesse hath most respect to man but faithfulnesse both to God and man to God in holding forth his truth and to man in giving good example by holy conversation that men seeing the good workes of faith which are wrought by love may glorifie God and through his grace become of the same profession And faithfulnesse also to man doth consist in the discharge of all duties especially of that trust which those who have undoubted power do commit to the charge of those whom they chuse and the other do not onely undertake but faithfully vow and promise to performe with all their power for the publike good and herein if they be either remisse corrupt or false doe they not falsifie their faith and betray that great trust by bending all their affections and imploying all their studies for their own private ends so that by this meanes they transforme themselves from being any more Trustees but become a faction of Traitors to the people who deputed them not to advance themselves as masters but the Common-wealth whereof they are servants excepting so farre as their owne share is included This faithfulnesse both to God and man finds so little favour and entertainment now adayes that it is accounted rather a vice then a vertue except onely among such as be also faithfull and well-principled and although though they who hate faithfulnesse and faithfull men doe in word and shew pretend peace yet in deed and substance they hunt after warre like to those deceitfull Prophets that bite with their teeth and cry peace but he that putteth not into thir mouthes they prepare war against him even as now their brethren those popish Priests and English tythe-mongers doe still in these sad daies of Englands misery And as this wise woman is peaceable so she is faithfull and so peaceable and so faithfull that the peace she seeketh is so just and the faith she manifesteth is so true that she permitteth neither of them to putrifie by resting at home with her selfe but so imployeth them in the works of love that they extend themselves and run like cleare rivers abroad unto others and that not to a few friends neighbours nor familiars but to the whole City where she liveth Another point of her wisdome may be observed first in the wise and sure foundation of her arguments from Gods Word and next by the judicious stating thereof by way of interrogatories or questions as the most choice and pregnant wayes to daunt the fury either of friends or adversaries and that even by giving them some hint of their own fault in their vehement pursuance of revenge otherwise as it seemeth then by due order especially when there is no other forcible nor probable means of resistance as appeareth by the story She chargeth Ioab as it seems with a breach of Gods Law where it is forbidden Deut. 20.10 11. to fight against a City untill peace be offered unto it which belike he had not done and therefore apprehending his own ignorance or negligence was touched by the truth sense and force of her words as also she thus pleadeth as if she should say howsoever others may out of their unadvisednesse make some resistance to Ioab and his Army contrary to her mind and will yet she not being able to amend nor hinder them for her own part is one of them that are peaceable and faithfull in the City yea and a mother in Israel and therefore why would hee presume or offer to destroy the inheritance of the Lord The sad apprehension of which words made such a deep impression in Ioabs heart that he very soberly and discreetly cleared himselfe by the reality and integrity of his intentions saying God forbid God forbid it me that I should devoure or destroy it the matter is not so but a man of Mount Ephraim Sheba the sonne of Bichri by name hath lift up his hand against the King even against David deliver us him onely and I will depart from the City and the woman said Behold his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall Then the woman went unto all the people with her wisdome and they cut off the head off Sheba the Sonne of Bichri and cast it to Ioab then he blew the Trumpet and they retired from the Citie every man to his Tent and Ioab returned to Jerusalem unto the King To prevent an Objection here in the wise womans speech to Joab she saith thus they spake in the old time saying they should aske of Abell and so have they continued now whether she meaneth onely the place mentioning the same by the name that those who besiege a City as
the City Abell ought first to offer peace to that City as is formerly observed of that Joab and his souldiers ought to have asked of the City Abell whether or no they would deliver Sheba and to have offered them peace upon deliverie of him and not to have broken down the wall without any such question or condition contrary to the Law of God common sense and custome which may be drawne from these words of her speech and so have they continued or that they should aske concerning the person Abel calling to mind his innocent blood alluding to the people in the City who had not procured such an assault by any misdemeanour proceeding from themselves either of which senses or interpretations may be pertinent enough to the scope of what she intended in her dispute or speech to Ioab And the reason why Ioab was so easily pacified from all his fury and getting justice onely against one Traytor though there were a number of others in the City he himselfe declareth in the Historie that the intent of his coming was to have justice onely against one man and the cause was formerly shewed even that he was the ring-leader to all the rest in rebellion according to the old true proverb which a Member of the Parliament for once repeating in the House where oftentimes truth hath no place nor admittance pereat unus potius quà m unitas it is better that one or a few perish then a multitude Corporation City or Nation was commanded to the barre and committed to prison where he continued for a whole yeare at least Now all that is to be inferred from what is here spoken doth briefly tend to this effect there are many opinions concerning the intentions of our renowned Army especially for their advancing to this City Why what 's the matter Doth it not consist of very rationall men And doe not you think but they have many strong reasons and both weighty and urgent causes for what they doe We not only know by report but feel by experience that there is not only one Sheba among us but too many ring-leaders of rebellion incendiaries of sedition and raisers of anew warre which the Army doe demand and persue that they may be delivered up to the law and tryed according to justice which is the first and most speciall and effectuall meanes to recover both our Lawes peace and liberties out of which all the free-born people of England are like to bee stript naked and so are in a most dangerous capacitie of slaverie and miserie And if there be such treacherous enemies to the Common-wealth and betrayers of there trust concerning the recoverie and defence of our Lawes and liberties detained sheltered and maintained in and about the Citie of London as that Rebell Sheba was in the Citie Abell is there so much as my shew or colour of reason to the contrary but that the whole people of the land as one man if it were possible should seek all lawfull and timely redresse for justice as in the case of the ten Tribes against that of Benjamin before cited and of Achan Iesabel and many others Therefore whosoever or how many soever shall oppose them in so lawfull and needfull apursuit will manifest themselves to be as great Traytors and enemies to the Commons of England as the other who are thus impeached yea and if it were in the way of revenge failing of ordinary justice as this act of Joabs pursuing Sheba may seem to be it is neither cruelty nor war but rather a seeking of justice and consequently of peace in so following after it One thing is to be feared and another to be wished the first is that the Citizens are not so diligent to treat with the Parliament for doing of justice as they are with the Army for yeelding to peace without justice for this woman was as carefull to deale with the Citizens as she was with Joab so soon as she knew his mind And the next is that neither Parliament not City permit their Clergie any more to preach war in the City and peace in the Army nor that such Incendiaries nor deceivers as those Priests and their followers be suffered any more to intice and poyson yea and undermine the weaker sort of the Army but be quite returned As this wise woman undertaketh begineth procedeth and prospereth in this great businesse as appeareth by Ioab and the Citizens both hearing and following her councells because they all attend to justice so by that most powerfull effectuall and commendable meanes which she useth it pleaseth God so to order the businesse that thereby justice is duly and speedily executed and so all is made quiet even as when Ionah was cast into the sea the powerfull raging thereof was changed into a great calme But in regard the matter is historicall and needeth litle illustration or scarce any application it being so suitable to our present condition therefore I will adde a simile for conclusion this whole Kingdome at the begining of this Parliament may be parallelled with Gedions Army of two and thirty thousand when he went to battel against the Midianites not in regard of our greater quantity or number but rather of our quality and nature this Nation being a mixed people like Gideons Army of good and bad souldiers able and unable whereof the greatest part were the open enemies of our peace and so verie unfit to fight for our lives Lawes or Liberties at least whilest they were under that banner But those two and thirty thousand being fined and a party singled out from amongst them extending to ten thousand which were not altogether so timorous and therefore somewhat more likely to carry on the worke in the day of battell this party is like our mixed Parliamentary multitude being chosen by all sorts or rather several dispositions of people as appeareth by the fruit and effect proceeding from the cause and as every living creature doth naturally produce and bring forth others both of the same kind and similitude And these ten thousand of Gideons Army who were thus fined being still unfit for the intended businesse notwithstanding therefore they were refined to three hundred which may be accounted those military members of valourous and victorious Souldiers of our Army by whom as the Lord hath done great works to his endlesse praise so our hope is that the same God will do yet greater works against both our open and secret enemies yea and pretended friends to his owne glorie and all our comforts who trust in him either by them or others We blesse his divine Majestie that like this wise woman he hath made this City so wise as to send forth some of their Aldermen and other ancients to parle with that renowned Army concerning the present expedition of whose wisdome and fidelity both to the City Parliament and Common-wealth as they have had already very sufficient so shall they have no doubt abundant satisfaction yea and will we hope crown
but the word to vote would have been deceived by them as they have cheated the Common-wealth But to be short because we are all like to be assaulted with a stronger temptation then ever we were heretofore and that very speedily we have great need therefore to cast our greatest care and confidence on God and then we need not care nor feare what man can do we will be dealt withall either by flatterie or force if not by both to go up as it were to Bamath-Gilead and prosper even to take up armes against our owne beloved brethren and countrey-men flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone that most terrible Army with Banners who through God have done valiantly in subduing all our open enemies but we must altogether refuse upon whatsoever tearms offered or pretended least in obeying the lusts and arbitrary wills of wicked covetous ambitious and time-serving men who thirst after blood thinke to escape in the presse and still fish in troubled waters we fight against God be traytors to our Countrey guilty of much innocent blood absolve the wicked condemne the just and shew our selves both by evill example and otherwise both unjust and unthankfull even in rendring evill for good as now the Parliament doth to us For as this Army when former Armies could not have been the chiefest instruments of delivering us from regall oppression so they are the most hopefull worldly power to free us from Parliamentary corruption to see the time of each Parliament limited and how often to be called just libertie for tender consciences provided just Lawes made and executed unjust Lawes abolished our just Petitions received read and granted our grievances redressed this Parliament from all corrupt Members purged all our just Liberties recovered all who are unjustly imprisoned justly released and their illegall sufferings of all others since the Parliament began legally repaired the great accounts of the publike Treasurie required widdowes fatherlesse maimed souldiers and all other sorts of poor maintained just men advanced to places of trust both in Parliament and Common-wealth and unjust men deposed and punished so shall it bee well with us and our posterity throughout all Generations But if otherwise we yeeld now to wicked mens desires for their owne covetous and ambitious ends and no good to us when we have done all we can yea and past the bounds of our abilities we shall have no more thanks nor reward then now we have of the Parliament for all our unspeakable both actions and sufferings but be made such kinde of beggars and slaves both in our spirituall and temporall conditions as we shall bee a proverbe and a hissing to all Nations even as Gods owne peculiar people the Jewes were who had many happie opportunities and gracious influences of Gods speciall favours to have made them the most renowned famous yea and invincible people that ever were upon the face of the earth An Appendix containing divers worthy particulars belonging to the premises which doe most consist in Objections and Answers IF any doe demand why the Remedie is placed here before the Maladie it is done because there be too many maladies and too few remedies and therefore I place here first what is rarest and last which is oftenest or most frequent as the Prophet Nathan had his cure and remission ready to pronounce for Davids sins before ever he by his wise parable convinced him thereof And whereas some may object that our Army under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax have not such power and authority of King nor Kingdome to demand those eleven Members of the House of Commons to be secured and delivered up to justice as Joab had of King David or his Kingdome to pursue Sheba or besiege a City for him It is answered that the Captaine Generall of our Army hath as much power and authority at least to doe what he hath now undertaken as Ioab the Captaine Generall of King Davids Army had for what he undertook for as the one tended to the well and safety of that Kingdome so the other tendeth to the well and safety of this Kingdome which is and alwaies should be the maine end both of all wars and governments If either the Citizens of London had offered or the Army of England had desired the heads of these eleven Members as was both offered and accepted concerning Sheba rather then that so reasonable a demand to have their persons only to bee alive secured untill they be tried it might have imported severity in the one and cruelty in the other but since neither were so much as once mentioned wherein then is the Army unjust unreasonable unequitable or any wise cruell as both Parliament-men who have so bad a conscience that they cannot indure triall and others would suggest and surmise to the rude people even by their base Queries and other aspersions which they imploy such as themselves also to divulge If it be objected that the Citizens of London are not so able to solicite or importune the Parliament of England for justice in this kind for the Army as the wise woman and Citizens of Abel were to procure justice of such forces belonging to the ten Tribes as did accompany Sheba to that City in this his rebellion It is answered that the Citizens of London are more able not only to solicite but even to prevail with the Parliament for those eleven men for divers respects which may be easilier understood then the Citizens of Abel were with the ten Tribes concerning Sheba yea and the ten Tribes of Israel were as great I suppose for that City to deale with though within the walls thereof as the Parliament of England is to this City which is so near adjoyning If others doe object that our Generall hath not a Commission from the Commons of England for whose Liberties he and his Army now stands to go against the Parliament upon whatsoever colour or pretence It is answered that he and his Army have as faire a Commission at least of the Commons so to doe as Joab and his souldiers had of King David or the Kingdome of Judah and Israel for what they did but what out Army doth is no wise against but altogether for the Parliament in generall as having relation to the well-being or better subsisting thereof chiefly by expulsion of corrupt and rotten Members who have lately crept in and over-voted the well-affected party in the House like so many drons in a hive so that the Army onely leadeth their helping hand to the Commons of England in this case for purging their House of Commons as they most powerfully and valiantly assisted both them and the Parliament formerly in another case by subduing all their open enemies which neither of them could do even by all their former Armies And if any would have further satisfaction herein if they will compare the 19. and 20. Chapters of the 2 Sam. concerning Joabs Commission in that his so faithfull service to the