Gospel of Peace when they stirred up strife and prepared for War and in stead of assisting in Government been the disquieters of mens minds disturbers of publick Peace hinderers of Rulers in the making and due execution of Righteous Laws have not this sort of men been the causers of Sects Schismes Heresies and Divisions and the means whereby Governours and Governments have been changed with great hazard charge and trouble to you when not suitable to their dispositions and intentions and is not this their compliance with and pretending to assist Magistrates and do good to peoples Souls their great Engine of Deceit whereby they invent and contrive your Troubles and carry on their subtil and crafty Designs under specious pretences solemn formalities and ceremonies without spirit or life Now let the wise in heart judge who in Authority or otherwise have received any good by them or their Counsels and whence else should your troubles have had their Rise the King have so raised his Army or came by his Fall as he did and others in somewhat a different manner before and since and contrarily what peace and concord was in the Parliaments faithfull and unanimous Army in scorn called New Noddle when this sort of men had least to do therein most imployed themselves in railings thereat Doth the Lord God change or do changes in Governours or Governments alter his mind or the way of his Worship and Service or is his fear truly taught by the Precepts of men or are his Ministers subject to changes as Governments change from Popery to Prelacy from Prelacy again to Popery to Protestanisme Presbytery Independency c. hurrying people as it were headlong sometimes one way and sometimes another thereby driving all as into confusion and causing such to become sad sufferers that follow them not therein Consider whether these will be sufficient Arguments to justifie before the Lord Jesus Christ at his appearing in his glory and pure power to render to every man according to his Deeds it is most manifest that Christs Ministers would have rather suffered and do willingly suffer at this day the spoiling of their goods imprisonments and bodily death rather then yield to any such vile affections in themselves or others Consider also who enforced any of this sort of men or what necessitated them to become such violent persecutors of consciencious men by the names of Puritans Precisians Separatists non-Conformists Brownists Anabaptists Seekers Quakers c. to commence and prosecute such and so many vexatious suits against their Patrons Parishioners and others to hast so earnestly into each others livings and turning Wives and children forth of doors to get augmentations unto their former Benefices to run from a lesse to a greater Benefice to seek and take Pluralities to intrap men by Oaths and Covenants to revile and speak evil of persons in Authority to force mens goods from them without consideration or such contract made with them or such mens owning them in their deceitfull practices to cause such and so many disturbances in the Nations or to become so Nabal-like that a man may not speak to them what Rules or directions are to be found in Scriptures which they say is their Rule for these things c The restraining of this sort of men from making disturbances by medling with State matters or otherwise from a forcible taking of mens goods that for Conscience sake disapprove of their practises and leaving the said men in equal condition with others to prove their Doctrines by their deeds according-to the Scriptures as also clearly ascertaining your other Rights and Liberties and securing you therein might be a safe speedy and honourable way of proceeding in the cure of the yet unhealed wounds Ruptures and distempers of this Common-Wealth And now to your Omen herein about others concerned consider soberly of your respective wayes and workings to accomplish your own ends what your aims are and how evilly you have required the Lord God and this people of these Nations for all the good things done for you your Wives and Children for I deal plainly with you in love to your souls and bodies and desire to manifest that I have no hatred to any mans person nor can be free to let sin lie upon your souls but put you and others in mind of your former miscarriages and reprove you soberly as the onely Lord God the righteous Judge of all the earth hath commanded me who is now shaking not the earth onely but the heavens also that the things which cannot be shaken may remain wherefore deal plainly truly and faithfully with him and your souls be willing at last to hearken to the voice of Christ in his true light in your Consciences bring all your deeds to that light which never did doth or can deceive you in any thing but as diligent heed is taken thereto will shew you plainly all your deeds done in your mortall bodies of what sort they have been and are with all your most secret thoughts thereupon and intentions therein with what you should do and what you ought not to do for that would bring you to true Repentance not to be repented of teach you to walk honestly as in the day to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the Flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof c. Hearken to that voice of the wel-beloved Son and wait for his appearance that he may hearken unto you and receive you graciously before the doore of Mercy be shut against you sorrow shame and sadnesse overtake you and so seise upon you that you find no place for repentance though you may seek it diligently with tears for there is such a day of black and thick darknesse hasting upon many evil doers that harden their hearts against Christ and would not he should reign over them though that of him in all Consciences shews how to come to him and learn of him who was lowly and meek holy and harmlesse which is your duties in an especiall manner lest after so many his warnings he leaves you to your hardnesse and hearts lusts and say why should they be smitten any more they are turned to Idols let them alone and then you justifie your selves and Act yet greater and greater abomination in fighting against God stirring up strife amongst the people and belying the Lords Servants his truth and true Church that is without spot blemish wrinckle or any such thing and what will you do in the end thereof There hath been a time of ignorance which the Lord God hath seemed to wink at but now calls upon all men every where to repent and believe in his onely begotten Sonne whose Gospel never came in word onely but in plain demonstration of his spirit and of power nor doth the faith of Gods Elect stand at all in the Wisdome of man but in the pure power of God as Abraham believed God and followed him not knowing whither he went so do they that are
Errours and Heresies as they said and labouring with the Parliament for an Ordinance to inhibit privat Meetings they called Conventicles as the late Bishops had done which they had oft before sought for when the former Armies were at a distance from London and they supposed the time seasonable but as oft prevented by some considerable losses in the Army or forces when in any measure the Parliament incline to such persons therein And who about the same time stirred up those called the Clubmen in many parts of the Land and some priests with them under colour of defending themselves and estates from plunderers even when this sort of men saw the Parliament like to prevail and their ends not accomplished 14. Whose designe was it to have the late King carried to the Scots when the whole Nation was even brought almost into obedience of the Parliament and great hopes of a speedy settlement As supposing themselves sure that way to make their own market by and with him and who were they that so earnestly perswaded to have the said Army speedily Disbanded when the King was bought and brought back againe from the Scots and nothing else seemed to stand in their way perswading there was then noe need of that Army and noe way would serve to Disband it but by troops companies apart one from another before due satisfaction given them or any satisfaction of them in what they had done or any the Rights and liberties for which so much blood had been spilt and Treasure spent so much as ascertained much lesse setled and established unto you and them arguing that the great Taxes might then be much abated bloody Ireland relieved by these that should after be enlisted under other Commanders for that Service some souldiers goe back to their former imployments and others of their chusing be imployed here by this meanes to have broken all in pieces and set one party against another rather then to fail of their intendments further pleading how dangerous it was to continue that army or to send them together for Ireland under their own Officers how soon they would so conquer Ireland and fill that land with sectaries and then how should they be dealt with here at that armies return when their doctrine should likewise further spread over England some saying though they could not but confess that God had manifestly appeared in and by them and they had done great services they were not to be continued and therfore nothing could satisfie but such a disbanding as might disperse discourage them c. whereupon some officers of the said Army and souldiers having notice of the design the designers prevalency and evil consequences thereof to the whole Nation advised together how to draw up a Petition to their then General for satisfaction in a few particulars whereof some of the said persons got intelligence and without any certaine knowledge what the said Officers intended to Petition for first had an Order got to suppress the said Petition and thereupon a Theme to preach of and cry out of dangerous principles in the Army and designs to oppose the covenant labouring to have the Petitioners censured as enemies to the State and how then and by whom did the slanderous libels and Pamphlets fly abroad divers Officers of the Army imprisoned and after released without being told the cause of their commitment and when in much mercie to this Nation they were prevented therein how did some prevaile with divers Londoners to prepare a Remonstrance against the army and then stirred up Refarmado Officers and others to enlist men and there got up another Army and prevaild so far as to have the Militia there taken out of the hands of faithful men and put into other hands to carry on their designe by heading forces against the Army and set on foot a new war which might have proved more bloody and terrible then that before but the Lord of all the earth pleased to turn their counsels like that of Achitophels into foolishness and direct the Army in obedience to the Parliament to do their duties soberly so as that in a mild way of prevention things were brought back into their former condition of peace and the said Militia againe into safe hands 15. Who in the next place procured the said Reformado Officers whereof some had been disbanded some cashiered and some served the King with divers Londoners to force the Parliament to pass several votes c. which was so great a breach upon the priviledges of Parliament as that the Speakers and members of both the then houses were necessitated to repaire to their said Army for safety and when returned at their then next free sitting to recal these votes so by these pastwhile under that force and also dispersed these Offisers so made use of to put that force upon them but the many Contrivers Abettors escaped though much then spoken of because of the State of affairs at that time but rested they here or did they not rather wait for other oppertunities wherein the Lord by his wise providence prevented them sundry times yet for all this they were not willing to see his hand stretched out against them and turn to him neither do they yet seem willing now all you that in any measure are turned into the light brought into the fear of the Lord and did see his mercy and marvelous works in these times forget not all his benefits his deliverances in your low estates from intended deaths when that Army was so despised and railed on by scorners that oft sought their lives to take them away low and weak in their own esteem then did the Lord strengthen and put courage into his servants that truly trusted in him and believed his salvation cleaving unto him and one to another with all their hearts Yea truly then blessed were they while many others before mentioned were exercised in cursing them and sorrowing at their safeties and successes and when the Lord enabled ten to chase hundred and a hundred to put a 1000. to flight for that was the Lords doing marvelous in the eyes of many beholders being in order to the great war manifestly begun between Michael and his Angels and the Dragon and his Angels in this day of God almighty to the terror and amazemen of all enemies that would not Christ should reign over them but stand in the enmity equally fearing and hating the goodniss wisdome and mighty power pf God in his sons and daughters 16. Who and what men were they that in the heat and height of these Military affaires and taxes upon you were so restless until they obtained an ordinance for tythes with trebble damages or value for non-payment fo far prevailing that those who had not wherewith to pay should be imprisoned c. he that remembers these things need not be farther advertised of that sort of mens practices or prevalency that could obtaine such an ordinance never before heard of at
to do to you for your good but will indeed have your portions in this present evil world you shall not onely have leannesse in your Souls but these things wherein you take delight and which your hearts lust after shall be dead comforts but living torments to you and your blood be upon your own heads when Christ shall say Depart from me I knew you not ye are workers of iniquity Go to the gods that you have served and to the men and things that you have trusted in c. And now all you people I say again hearken to the voice of Christ in your Consciences wait and watch there that you may come to see how far you have been guilty against God and occasioners of your own troubles and sufferings as evil-doers for it is written that God moved David to number the people because he had a purpose to destroy them even so were the able men amongst you numbred before the late Wars and when so God will find out instruments though such may be imployed by the evil one to their own ruine These things before mentioned were not all done in a corner nor you remembred thereof to disquiet your minds or to raise displeasure in you against any person but as afore is said for their admonition and your satisfaction and future caution wherein take diligent heed at all times and stand clear of these men for you may be like to meet with tentations such as you are not yet aware of here is the true cause of your troubles and trialls for you to make the right use of and as any of you become diligent observers of your duty to God you will discern things rightly savour the things God and fee them as they are and use them as you ought and then shall no man need to say to such Depart from the Tents and Ware-houses of such wicked men or enter not into the Idols Temples lest you defile the Temple of God For if any man defile the Temple of God him will God destroy There is now no serving two Masters no partaking of the Table of the Lord and the Table of Devils Stand therefore in the daily Crosse unto that and in that which is contrary to mans own will desires affections Reasonings and words of Wisdome and so abide faithfull unto him that hath so called who will also do it c. but then look to be made a by-word amongst others a derision to them that are round about you and it is also like the Devil may cast some of you into Prison and tribulation you may have which according to the integrity of your hearts and cleannesse of your handâ— shall be to your spirituall advantages whereby to become wiser then your enemies as continually refreshed and strengthened in the inner man by the ever-springing fountain of Life and love that runs through the earth to accomplish that for which it is sent which many of you yet see not because your eyes are shut Christ Jesus came to open the blind eyes and right blessed are their eyes that see and receive the inheritance amongst them that are sanctified through faith in him though derided falsely accused and set at naught as the good way of the Lord his service and servants have been and are cruelly persecuted said to be troubles as Elijah was even by many of those men that oft have and yet do strive to trouble and overtop the whole Common-wealth as others of that sort of men before them though in somewhat a different manner c. Have not some such men done more mischief in a few weeks or dayes then could be amended in much longer time besides your sad sufferings thereby by causing as it were the foundations of the earth to be turned out of course occasioning changes in Governments and Governours and is it not evident that they who can so far prevail as to have set up again and pulled down at their pleasures can also throw the same down again by like means when that serves not their ends whereof not onely histories but your own experience do in part make manifest and discover by whom and in what way confusions of mens minds and manners changes of Religion Laws and states as also was spilling the blood of the Saints and other miseries to mankind have come in all ages of Antichrist Some speaking in your cases will say that the late Bishops were an inconsiderable number of men had not many more assisted and led on others also as the multitude to act and carry on their Designs And as for the late King he was but one person and therefore his evil Councel and assistants were all along chiefly charged rather then he and will also say that you the people desired peace rather then War and a quiet living untill incited stirred up and provoked to strife and Intestine Wars one part against another and therefore certainly there be yet some men justly to be esteemed great offenders therein the guiltiness of whose cause and Consciences cannot be separated and yet have so fox like lurked in their dens vnder the shelter of one Authority after another as that they have escaped the hand of Justice and not been dealt with if discovered although at some times crying out against Authority and at other times to authority to help them and defend them from but being soberly spoken to It is not here said what such men deserved or do deserve for all these their sundry sorts of services when particularly discovered with their respective deeds nor what is become of the Magistrates that hitherto have taken such for their Counsellours and patronized them These are things that the righteous Judge of all the earth will yet further call to account who hath looked down from the habitation of his holiness and glory and taken his peoples cause into his own hands and appears therein with affection to them as being afflicted in all their afflictions and indignation against his enemies who if they so continue but a little while shall become like Bell and the Dragon Empty Idols seem they now never so great in this world so that all others sh 〈…〉 see whereof they are made for the Lord God of Glory will speedily â—read down Sathan under the feet of his Saints that art dear and precious in his sight what ever others deem of them The fourth Moâ—â—h 1659. THE END