greater difficulties and to follow the LAMB more fully then ever We nave had a breathing time while our Brethren have been bringing forth the deliverance of IRELAND through sore pangs And now the Symptomes of travelling pain begin to take hold upon us and as that glorion birth hath been thus far brought forth in IRELAND through the Prayers of the Saints so we are encouraged to believe while we finde the spirit of Prayer crying earnestly for the accomplishment of CHRISTS designes thorow all these dark dispensations that the Close will be the bringing forth of Zions deliverance And to that end deat Friends we are hold in the Name of our Lord whom ye love to provoke you to fervent Prayer at this time for the clear manifestation of the presence of Christ with us in whatever service he shall call us unto We are now again alarm'd by him to come forth into the field but both our Work and the Issue is onely and wholly known to himself Pray for us that we may not â—ant that Pillar of five before us and the Cloud behind us and that we may be found faithful Servants waiting onely upon our Lords good pleasure and ler both you and us be instant in Prayer for the uniting of the hearts of all that fear the Lord in this and our Neighbour Nation of SCOTLAND that there may not be found any of the generation of the Just joyning Issue with those that support the Beast and oppose the advancement of the KINGDOM of our LORD JESUS CHRIST the King of Saints But that some special and signal discovery of the good Will of God to his people may now appear in separating the pretious from the vile both in their counsels and actions And it is most earnestly desired that â—ervent Supplication and Prayer be made for all such of us as shall be called to the management of Publick Affairs that the Lord would make his way plain before us That so in all our undertakings we may be subservient to the affairs of Jesus Christ and walk in love as becometh Saints towards all dissatisfied Brethren both in ENGLAND and SCOTLAND that our indeared affection to them as to the lot of Gods inheritance may appear in all our demeanors towards them and in theirs towards us That so the enemies of CHRIST may be disappointed and these Clouds of Division scattered to the abundant Glory and Praise of God and comfort of all his people Who knows but yet after the late too great Unchristian Differences between the Children of the same Father this may be the day wherein shall be begun the fulfilling of those glorious promises which God hath made to his people in the last days And I will give them one heart and one way Jer. 32.39 and That Ephraim shall not envie Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim Isa 11.12,13,14 And that we may be active and constant in the work of the Lord we farther provoke you to be earnest with him on the behalf of all the Saints and particularly for us that our hearts may be taken off from the poor low things of this world That we may not seek our selves nor great things for our selves but the glory and honour of JESUS CHRIST who hath so gratiouslâ— owned us and manifested his glorious presence with us through all the many temptations and tryals that we have been exercised under and the sore trouble our eyes have seen All which he hath done that he might humble us and that he might prove us to do us good in the latter end And for all these ends the Lord hath stirred up our hearts to set apart the Fifth day of the next week being the Thirtieth of this present Moneth May 30. 1650 as a solemn time to seek his Face in and about this work Wherein hoping you will joyn with us we defire that both you and we may be humbled before the Lord for all our former and latter evils that we have commiâ—ted notwithstanding the multitude of his tender mercies towards us It may be since we have been at ease we have contracted rust the Lord make us every one sensible of the plague of his own heart and grant that this may be a cleansing day that he would both reprove and enable us to turn at his reproof that so what employment soever the Lord calleth us unto we may go to it leaving our sins behind us And let us with all fervency of spirit pray that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ would so pour out his Spirit upon us that thereby our hearts being purged from all filthiness of flesh and spirit our holy conversation may declare us to be the people of the Lord yea the Army of the LAMB who is King of kings and Lord of lords whose followers are called Chosen and saithful And since the Lord hath taught us that to hang down the head as a Bulrush for a day is not such a fast as he hath chosen we do further therefore lay it upon our own hearts and yours that if any either Officer or Souldier be guilty of any prosaneness to the scandal of the Gospel discovery thereof may be made and such course therein â—…ken as may be agreeable to the Gospel and Discipline of the Army Further that we use our utmost endeavours in our several places to reform those gross Enormities of Drunkenness Swearing open Prophanation of the Lords day and contempt of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ which are too much to be sound in the Army that so as much as in us lyeth we may purge out every accursed thing from amongst us Dear Brethren let us labour through the power of the Spirit of Christ to sanctifie our selves and the Camp for the LORD that is in the midst of us is a holy God let us not too much presume upon our former mercies but well consider what the Lord hath said to his own people that were as neerly related to him as we can be Josh 24.19 The Lord he is a holy and a jealous God he will not forgive your transgressions and your sins if you forsake the Lord and serve strange Gods then he will turn and consume you and do you hurt after that he hath done you good and again Josh 7.12 13. Read the words as also Isaiah 63.8,9,10 Read the words Oh let these Scriptures and others to the same purpose deeply â—ffect us that so whilst we are used as a Rod of iron in Christs hand to dash his enemies in pieces we our selves may serve him with fear and rejâ—yce with trembling All that now seem to be on Christ's side will not hold out unto the end Be we faithful unto death and Christ will give us a Crown of life Dear Friends we shall earnestly long to hear from you to the end we may know how the Lord is pleased to affect your hearts with these things and what impressions of his Spirit he shall through his Word set upon you after
The Fifth Monarchy OR KINGDOM OF CHRIST In opposition to the BEAST'S Asserted By the Solemn League and Covenant several learned Divines the late General and Army viz. in their Declaration at Muslebrough August 1650. wherein the Old Cause is Stated Appeals made the Scotish blood spilt and the Banners yet in Westminster-Hall witnessing the great decision then given on Christs side Also by a Letter from the Officers of the Army in England to their Brethren in Ireland the 11 of May 1653. justifying on Christs accompt the Dissolution of the Parliament and consonant thereunto the Generals Speech to those that succeeded in the Government the fourth of July following With a short Application and some brief Proposals grounded on Scripture in order to a lasting Settlement in this hour of distraction the Foundations being out of course Luk. 17.32 Remember Lots Wife Zach. 12.23 Behold I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all people and in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it LONDON Printed for Livewel Chapman 1659. PREFACE IT being manifest that very many formerly engaged in the work of God with their lives in their hands in much appearing zeal and self-denial have as their own expression is warped aside soon forgetting his works with their vows and promises in the day of distress and falling in love with this worlds glory the profitable pleasant things thereof have some of them in the last past years set themselves in opposition to such as plead for the prosecution of the Lords work and full following of him therein sometime loading them with reproaches of discontented giddy fanatick Munster-spirited people It may not be unseasonable when the least ground of hope is given that they are not wholly fallen under the Lords displeasure so as no more to be owned in his work in sincere and unfeigned love to present to their view if the Lord please to improve and bless it for their further recovery what was held forth formerly by the Parliament and Army and some who in those days were esteemed Seers consented unto also in solemn Engagements by the dispersed throughout the Land lovers of God his Ways and People in asserting The Cause then contended for unto blood and which still remains as an Obligation unto others to be pressing after Englands Engagement by all sorts in the Solemn League and Covenant WE Noble-men Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts of the Kingdom of England Scotland and Ireland Having before our eyes the Glory of God and the Advancement of the Kingdom of JESUS CHRIST Each of us for himself with our hands lifted up-to the most high God do swear that we shall sincerely really and constantly through the grace of God in our several places and callings endeavour The Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the Example of the best Reformed Churches and that we shall in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy that is Church-Government by Archbishops Bishops their Chancellours and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresy Schism and Profaneness and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound Doctrine and the Power of Godliness lest we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues and that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdoms c. And this Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty God the Searcher of all hearts with a true intention to perform the same as we shall answer at the great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his holy Spirit for this end and to bless our designs and proceedings with such success as may be deliverance and safety to his people and encouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of the yoke of Antichristian Tyranny to joyn in the same or like Association or Covenant to the glory of God the enlargement of the KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST and the peace and tranquillity of Christian Kingdoms and Commonwealths And consonant hereunto the Army in their Declaration of Muslebrough tell the Scots We did many of us rejoyce at the Covenant because we found in it strains towards these ends viz. the destruction of Antichrist the advancement of the KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST the Deliverance and Reformation of his Church in the establishment of his ordinances amongst us according to his Word and the just civil Liberties of English men although some being more enlightned did apprehend it to be so mixt with worldly interest that they justly seared the INTEREST OF JESUS CHIST would be but onely pretended to and the interest of this world and of Antichrist himself carryed on in a vizard as we have since had abundance experience of And let us in the presence of the Lord further assure you that we have already examined our Conscience as before the Lord and have a clear assurance in our hearts that he will countenance us in this action and that we do not break any Covenant which we have sworn before God Angels and Men but would be content should we not thereby idolize the Covenant to march to any Engagement with you if called thereunto by the Lord with the Covenant on the tops of our Pikes and let the Lord judge who hath observed the ends of the Covenant best we or you In Mr. Burrough's Sermon before the House at the publick Thanksgiving Sept 7. 1641. for the peace concluded betwixt England and Scotland he hath this passage Page 44. God in this latter age is about to raise himself a glorious Name in the world to set up his King upon his holy Hill to make Jerusalem the praise of the whole earth This that hath been already done viz. by the Scots and Parliaments Conjunction against King and Bishops is a preparation for a fore-runner of and a furtherance to this great and glorious work of God and blessed are those men whom God shall please to make instrumental herein The greatest-blow that ever was given to the Antichristian Government is that which now it hath had Babylon is fallen is fallen so fallen as it shall never rise again in power We hear a noyse not onely from many waters but from the thunder saying Hallelujah the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth Rev. 19.6 The voyce from the many waters was from the people but that was despised contemned but the voyce from the thunder is from those in places of dignity and power and this voyce is terrible to the Adversary Mr. Thomas Goodwin in his Sermons many years since at Antholins
you have sought his face with us about the same that so we may further know through you his will concerning us And we shall not fail in this and all other opportunities to seek the Lord for you that you may be preserved from every evil to his glorious Kingdom that you may be kept blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke And we beseech you in the spirit of love and meekness to stir up all that fear God amongst whom you converse yea though of different judgments as to the form of Church-government to seek the Lord with us in these things for sure it cannot but be the desire of every one that is a living member of Christs body that the work of Christ should prosper and that all that fear the Lord may be of one heart and one mind in the things that concern his great affairs in a time when his work is to establish his own Kingdom in the ruine of BABYLON as in the apprehension of many of his people it is this day Thus presenting our most indeared affection to you we heartily recommend you into the Bosome of Jesus Christ and rest Your Christian Friends and fellow Souldiers White-hall May 20. 1650. To all our dear Friends and fellow-Souldiers that fear the Lord. Will. Constable William Roe Rich. Saâ—key Griffith Lloyd T. Harrison He. Haynes Will. Style Stephen White Nath. Rich W. Stane Tobias Bridge Nic. Lockier Edw Whalley Will. Goffe Jo. Merreman Thomas Hancock Charles Fleetwood Azariah Husbands Will. Gough George Joyce Tho. Pride John Blackwel Edw. Orpin Tho. Else Math. Tomlinson Jo. Mason Robert Barrow Tho. Bayley John Okey Jenkin Lloyd Samson Larke Isaac Knight Paul Sismey We desire that what Return you make hereof be directed to Colonel Barkestead at White-Hall to be by him communicated to the Officers at the Head-quarters A DECLARATION OF The English ARMY now in SCOTLAND TO The people of SCOTLAND especially those a mong them that know and fear the LORD We the Officers and Souldiers of the English Army do send Greeting AT the beginning of the great and wonderful workings of GOD in these two Nations of England and Scotland we the Under-Officers and Souldiers of the English Army now in Scotland were most of us if not all men of private Callings and not at all interested in matters of Publick and State-affairs but yet very many of us in whom the Lord had begun to reveal himself in the Face of Jesus Christ were sensible of the ANTICHRISTIAN Tyranny that was exercised by the late King and his Prelates over the Coxsciences Bodies and Estates of the true Spiritual Church of Jesus Christ namely those that were born again and united to him hy his Spirit who were then by that Antichristian crew termed Puritans Sectaries Schismaticks c. and for not conforming to all the Canons and Ordinances of their Nation-Church were frequently imprisoned banished and otherwise grievously molested at the pleasure of those that then ruled amongst us Under these sad sufferings of the people of God our souls mourned and understanding by the manifold gracious promises in the Word of God that a time of deliverance was to be expected to the Church of CHRIST and destruction and ruine to BABYLON Our hearts together with all truly godly in England were exceedingly stirred up to pray to the Lord even day and night that he would Arise to dectroy ANTICHRIST and to save his people Whilst this Spirit of Prayer was poured forth upon Gods people in England attempts are made upon Scotland to bring them to a conformity in religious Worship by endeavouring to impose upon them a Popish Service-Book which was through the great goodness of God by his people in Scotland rejected which made the wrath of the late King and his Prelates wax so hot against them so as Scotland had no other way to preserve it self but by coming into England with an Army which the godly in England did not then count an Invasion to destroy England no more then they do this our present march for the ruine of Scotland but rejoyced to see some appearing against that ANTICHRISTIAN power that had persecuted the Saints and were assured That the LORD was come forth to answer the many Prayers and Tears that were then poured and pouring forth for that purpose and therefore so far as we had any opportunity farthered the designs of that Army some of us hazzarding our lives by spreading their Book intituled The SCOTS INTENTIONS and pleading for the justness of their Proceedings Let us remember how the Lord was pleased gratiously to answer the prayers of his people at that time in their deliverance from the Army raised by the late King and his Prelates for the destruction of all the people of God in England and Scotland insomuch That soon after Scotland sits in Peace enjoying their former Liberties without being imposed upon by the Antichristian Prelacy in England and England obtains a Parliament to whom they have opportunity to complain of their grievances and through the great goodness of God so constituted that grievances are heard and overtures made to the late King for their redress which was so irksome to his Oppressing Tyrannical and Bloody Spirit that he again betook himself to overthrew the Parliament by force and to that end entertains the Officers of the Army that had gone forth against our Brethren of Scotland and withdrawing himself from his Parliament an appearance of a Civil War begins which being made known to us the inseriout Officers and Souldiers of this Army then in our private Callings we found our hearts extraordinarily stirred up by the LORD to assist the Parliament against the King being abundantly satisfied in our judgments and consciences that we were called forth by the Lord to be instrumental to bring about that which was our continual prayer to God viz. The DESTRUCTION of ANTICHRIST and the deliverance of his CHURCH and PEOPLE And upon this simple accompt we engaged not knowing the deep policies of worldly Statesmen and have ever since hazarded our lives in the high places of the field where we have seen the wonders of the Lord against all the opposers of this work of Jesus Christ whom we have all along seen going with us and making our way plain before us And having these things singly in our eye namely the destrustion of Antichrist the advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ the Deliverance and Reiormation of his Church in the Establishment of his Ordinances amongst them in purity according to his Word and the just civil Liberties of Englishmen we did many of us rejoyce at the Covenant because we found in it a strain towards these ends although some being more enlightned did apprehend it to be so mixt with worldly interest that they justly feared the interest of JESUS CHRIST would be onely pretended to and the interests of this world yea of ANTICHRIST himself carried under a vizard as we have since had abundant experience
displeasure VVe desire it may be known to you our Brethren of Scotland that we are not Souldiers of Fortune we are not meerly the servants of men we have not onely proclaimed Jesus Christ the King of Saints to be our King by Profession but desire to submit to him upon his own terms and to admit him to the exercise of his Royal Authority in our hearts and to follow him whithersoever he goeth he having of his own good will entred into a Covenant of Grace with his poor Saints and be assured it is he that leadeth us into Scotland as he hath done in England and Ireland And therefore we do in the spirit of brotherly love and of the fear of the Lord beseech you to look about you for our Lord Jesus is coming amongst you as a refiners fire and as Fullers sope and blessed are those in whom the least dram of sincerity shall be found VVe have a Paper directed to us from the people of Scotland it having been publickly made known to us at the head of our Regiments wherein we are first desired to consider the lawfulness of our marching into Scotland We bless God we did that before we came and are abundantly satisfied that we are brought hither by the Lord nay many of us lying under temptations of flesh and blood and going about to frame excuses to take us from this march found that to have staid behind had been to have turned our backs upon Jesus Christ and to have deprived our selves of much sweet communion with God that now through his goodness we do enjoy VVe have also considered the Arguments by which you go about to weaken the grounds of the Parliaments and our Superiour Officers leading us into Scotland and must needs give you this Return That we are still abundantly established in this belief that what the Parliament of England hath done in sending us into Scotland hath been of absolute necessity to preserve themselves from being destroyed in their Religion and Liberties which they have been at so much cost both of Blood and Treasure to purchase and preserve and therefore by the way we must needs tell you that we cannot endure to hear them called A pretended Parliament which we desire you to take notice of that if you write to us again you would speak more reverently of the Authority of our Nation or else we shall easily think you will upon every occasion be ready to invade England that you may set up an Authority which you may call lawful And let us as in the prefence of the Lord further assure you That we have already examined our consciences as before the Lord have a clear assurance in our hearts That he will countenance us in this action and that we do not break any Covenant which we have sworn before God Angels and Men but could be contented should we not thereby idolize the Covenant to march to any Engagement with you if called thereunto by the Lord with the Covenant on the tops of our Pikes and let the Lord judge who hath observed the Ends of the Covenant best you or we Yet we do acknowledge we have not been the exact Performers though not the wilful breakers thereof our consciences also bear us record we do above any thing in the world desire the Union of the two Nations and it is our prayer dayly That those that fear the Lord in England and Scotland may become one in the hand of the Lord and joyn together in the advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and throwing down and trampling upon the Seat of the Beast VVhy should not Scotland as well as England rejoyce to see the horns of the Beast cut off that we may joyn together to hate the VVhore and to burn her flesh with fire The Lord is our witness whom we fear we come not to oppress you or shed your blood we have cryed to the Lord again and again to prevent it we have sent you our Declaration of Love to the People of God in Scotland which some amongst you though they pretended to answer yet do most injuriously and unchristianly keep from their sight nay most falsly mis-representing us as a people come with intentions to destroy the poor inhabitants and that we are left of our God to be destroyed but we have made our prayer to the Lord and made known before him their sayings who have told the people of Scotland that God hath forsaken us and therefore bid them persecute and take us for now the Sectaries day is come c. But the Lord is still with us he is our Refuge and a present help in trouble ready to be found we do believe the cry of the oppressed in Scotland will be heard and wo to those that are the Cause thereof Our Quarrel is still against Malignants the Root whereof is now through the evil policy of some Statesmen become the head of Scotland VVe dare not quarrel with those whose hearts are upright with Jesus Christ and faithful and loving to England but with those who are most treacherous and false to both and therefore we daie not any of us though tempted thereto by your papers be so carnally wise as to desert the Cause and VVork of Jesus Christ in which we have hitherto been so long and so miraculously carried on Do you think we are men so weakly principled as to be perswaded without the least strength of Argument to desert the interest of out own Nation and expose thousands of the precious Saints of Jesus Christ to be trampled upon as the dirt in the streets when the Lord is about to put on their beautiful garments and to make them a praise in the earth Or can we think you betray our superiour Officers in whom we see so much of the sweet Spirit of Jesus Christ into your hands whose mouths are opened wide to devour them VVe pray you not to wait for such a thing The Lord hath brought us hither by his Providence and upon him we shall with confidence depend till we see a glorious Issue which we humbly and heartily desire may be without the effusion of any more blood and if it be the Will of God both speedy and comfortable to you and us that we may return with joy into England and leave Scotland rejoycing that an English Army hath been amongst them which possibly may be the sooner effected were you and we suffered to confer and open our hearts one to another we do believe much of the bitterness of spirit would be allayed in our Brethren of Scotland did they know how exceedingly we are slandered by the pens and tongues of many of your Kirk-men concerning our Religion and faith towards God which though we may not vainly boast of yet according to the Apostles direction we are ready to give an answer to the meanest Christian in Scotland that shall ask a reason of the faith and hope that is in us with meekness and fear And
indeed we account our best way of contending with those slanders is to pray the Lord to make our hearts sound in his Statutes that we be not ashamed that so we sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts and having a good conscience they that speak evil of us as of evildoers may be ashamed whilst they falsly accuse our good conversation in Christ And thus have we in the naked plainness of our souls opened our hearts unto you our dear Brethren that fear the Lord in Scotland where ever you be found whether in the highest Councils or the pooest Cottages who though you now be scattered the Lord will in his due time bring you together and bind you up as his Jewels and make you one with those that fear the Lord amongst us which the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and in him our God and Father also bring to pass in his due time and in the mean time make both you and us wise to understand the things that concern the exalting of Christs Kingdom That in all our undertakings we may be subservient to the Affairs of Jesus Christ and above all things take heed how we stir up any of the powers or strength of this world to destroy one another The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace be with you Amen From the Leaguer at Muslebrough August 1. 1650. VVhich said Declaration was sent to the Scots inclosed in a Letter of the General to this purpose viz. That the under-Officers and Souldiers in the English Army had desired him to send to them this their Declaration which he tells them was not a crafty politick one but a plain simple spiritual one such as it is God knoweth and God also will in due time make manifest And do we multiply these words as men Or do we them for the Lord Christ and his peoples sake c. concluding Your humble Servant O. Cromwel And further in their Declaration Agust 16. in answer to the Paper of the general Assembly they conclude thus We shall close with our hearty supplications That the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ would in due time cast down all the Earthly Combinations of all sorts of men that set up themselves and their own corrupt interest in the room of that Scepter of Righteousness which he hath given into the hands of his Son Published by the special appointment of the Council of State For the Right Honourable Charles Fleetwood Esq Commander in chief of the Forces in Ireland to be communicated to our dear friends the Officers under his Command Right Honourable and our dear Christian Friends WHen we consider the many and wonderful things which the Lord hath of late years brought to pass in these three Nations in the subduing of great Armies and casting down all the strong Holds of the Enemy in pouring contempt upon Princes and great men that have not kissed but opposed the Lord Jesus in the work he hath been and is still carrying on in the World and in taking down and altering forms of Government that have been in these Nations both Civil and Ecclesiastical we cannot but cry out Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thy judgments are made manifest As you were witnesses of and active in some of those great changes that have formerly been made so we doubt not but you have though at a distance felt the late Earth-quake and have heard of the suddain Dissolution of the Parliament which yet being so great a Revolution we thought it our duty to send you this Letter to the end we might therein let you know the frame of our hearts and how desirous we are that you and we may in the midst of the great dispensations of God still continue stedfast in one spirit that so if it be the Will of t he Lord we may be further instrumental in bringing about those things which may be to the glory of God the good of his people and the peace and welfare of the Commonwealth It would require more time then we have now to spare to give you a particular and full account of all the grounds and reasons upon which this great Action was undertaken and therefore therein we shall refer you to the Declaration of the Lord General and his Council of Officers of the 22 of April last and to your own observations concerning the ill management of Affairs by the late Parliament onely we shall say that this last dangerous remedy of a Dissolution was not used till all other ways had been by us assayed and by them rejected And therefore after four years expectation since the change of the Government finding no performance of those things that tend to the settlement of the Commonwealth in Peace and Righteousness and being abundantly satisfied upon long experience That the Parliament as it was constituted were so far from being the instruments of perfecting the work of the Lord that this whole Cause was in great danger to perish under their hands for which there hath been so vast an expence of Blood and Treasure After much seeking the Face of God taking counsel one with another it was generally apprehended that the only way left us was To endeavor a speedy Change in the Supreme Authority that so the perpetual fitting of the Parliament may be prevented and the Government laid upon the shoulders of such men as might hopefully give us the fruit of all our Labour and Blood and encourage good men to be still willing to hazard their lives against the common Enemy which as things lately stood many had little heart to do And it was in our hearts to seek this thing in such a way that the Parliament might have had the honour of it but it pleased not the Lord to give them an heart to incline to the Motions made in order thereunto by the General in the name of himself and his Officers many of which were present but rather to endeavour a hasty and inconsiderate passing of an Act for a new Representative the danger whereof was very evident and was by the General at a Meeting with many of the Members of Parliament and Officers of the Army abundantly demonstrated to them which yet the next day was so earnestly and precipitantly persisted in that it was found necessary to put them to a sudden Dissolution which also we hope the Lord will make the Medium to future good of which there is the more expectation because it hath pleased God who hath the hearts of all men in his own hand so to order the spirits of men that not onely the Army and Fleet do most unanimously concur and agree but also the generality of all sorts of people do rejoyce therein insomuch that there is not the appearance of the least disturbance And it is the continual and fervent prayers of
the Kingdom and Interest of Jesus Christ and Supporters of the Throne of the Beast been with all their Adherents by Sea and Land engaged with vanquisht and subdued broken like Potters vessels and the righteous judgments of God executed upon many of the heads of them as Traytors and Rebels Was King and Kingship as standing in opposition to the Kingdom of Christ being as was said one of the ten horns of the Beast Rev. 17. taken away Was the Parliamentary Authority defaced garbled purged and at last utterly broke as Obstructers hereof and that by the Army at their desire and to the great joy of most of the godly in the Land as having lost the Spirit of the Cause and so far degenerated into a selfish and persecuting Spirit that there appeared an enmity thereto And lastly was there another people called eminently by the Lord to own assert and carry on this cause and interest of Christs Kingly Authority to whom all due subjection was promised for Christs sake as to an Authority God had set over them to such an end 1 Quest Whether it will not necessarily follow that either the Parliament Army Ministers and others that have thus stated asserted engaged in such a cause as Gods and Christs and founding it upon the Word of God to the shaking and breaking all visible Rule and Government which for so many hundred years hath in Church and State been over us in these Nations have either been grosly deluded and so become guilty of all the blood that hath been spilt in this quarrel and consequently a company of Munster-spirited Tyrants Traytors and Murderers as it hath been reflected upon them and so ought to repent in dust and ashes and to endeavour all due satisfaction possible to Cavaleers Scots Prelates and Presbyters or if stated upon sound principles of Truth and Righteousness which the Lord hath eminently owned and led to step by step and that all this shaking overturning that hath been made in Church and State in order to the pulling down of Babylon and exalting the Kingdom of his Son is warranted and justified by the holy Scripture then doubtless ought this Cause to be owned adhered unto and prest after with all zeal and fidelity and they are to be esteemed Apostates Revolters and Backsliders that shall decline or turn aside herefrom 2 Quest Whether the Army who in so much seeming light and love to God bringing this glorious cause into the hands of his people having broken down the National constitution with a declared subjection to them for Christs sake are not guilty of most dreadful Apostacy and Rebellion against him his Crown and Dignity First in breaking that Assembly so by the Lord in that eminent manner called together whilst in the faithful prosecution of the said cause Secondly in setting up their Apostate General and afterwards his Son even in contradiction to all the Lords wondersul works amongst us as heads of Church and State and to whom were made all those blasphemous dreadsul Addresses Oaths and Engagements to the licking up their vomit again owning and establishing all the Pride Tyranny and Idolatry under new names and pretences that had been so contemptuously cast down amongst us viz. Kingship Peerage and Prelacy under the terms of Protector an Other House and Tryers who being set up and an assay made to confirm all by Parliament their Counsel being confounded so that they could not bring about their Enterprises as a further fruit of backsliding the Army have sought out another invention to withstand the true heir the Lord Jesus and kept him from his right by calling together such as formerly were by them dissolved for want of spirit and being in opposition to the Lords work and that it was so in truth have not very many of them given sufficient evidence by being Principals in the late Apostacy and the generality such as stuck not to lift up their hands to the most High that they would be true and faithful to the now deposed Usurper And those few of renown amongst them whose integrity was tryed it 's to be feared in the conclusion may serve for little more then to give countenance to what further their deceived hearts are lusting after of which some proof is already given in their votes for continuing the oppression in paying Tythes keeping from sale Hampton Court and White hall but more especially their Act of Indempnity sufficiently justifying the wicked and consequently condemning the righteous 3 Quest Whether they who have owned the Lord in all his dispensations in the midst of all these oppositions and declension of others ought not to be esteemed the well-affected to the Cause of God his people and this Nation rather then slanderously reported Munster-spirited and fanatick Obj. What would these people have The Cavaleeres old and new with the Commonwealths-men have somewhat to offer but these neither know what they say or whereof they affirm Answ Were it granted they were so weak as not to be able to hold forth some well-composed Model of Government being still it may be better at pulling down as is said page 24. line 10. then building up and establishing works is this a good Argument to slight any rational dissatisfaction to what is now set up If Episcopacy had never been taken away until some well ordered Church Government had been offered to succeed it by the Puritans who were then esteemed as ignoraut giddy and fanatique because they did not would it not have remained to this day But for further satisfaction there are four things in the Assirmative wherein there seems to be a general agreement amongst this people tending much to settlement upon a righteous Foundation 1. In reference to their Soveraign That the Lord Jesus Christ in whose Name and by whose blessing and strength the mighty works have been effected amongst us against Tyranny in the Civil and Antichristianism in the Ecclesiastick State may be publickly owned Our only Lord and King from whom as the head all Power Rule and Authority in Church and State is to be derived in opposition to every other Title without which alteration since the Foundations are out of course it will be utterly impossible there should be any subsistence for that the Image-Government or fourth Beasts constitution must as certainly be overturned and broken to give way to this Fifth Kingdom as the other were broken to give way to the fourth Dan. 2. 1 Tim. 6.15 He is the blessed and onely Potentate King of kings and Lord of lords John 5.27 And hath given him Authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of man Isaiah 9.6 The Government shall be upon his shoulders Obj. How can Christ be said to be our King is he not in heaven Answ God was Israels King of old though heaven was his habitation 1 Chron. 29.23 Solomon sate on the Throne of the Lord 1 Chron. 29.23 2 Chron. 9.8 When Israel would imitate other Nations in making them a King they
did not reject Samuel but the Lord from raigning over them 1 Sam. 8.7 And Gideen said unto them I will not rule over you neither shall my Son the Lord shall rule over them Why therefore should it be thought strange that Christ Jesus should be admitted to his regal Authority though in Heaven to whom the Father hath given all power in Heaven and Earth And why may not Christ be owned Head of the State as of the Church there being hundreds of Congregations through grace in these Nations that admit of no other Head or Law-giver in the Church And why may he not as well Rule over and amongst us as suffer with us all the time of Antichrists Reign all that is done to his being done unto himself And these things are asserted in the Covenant but more fully by the General and Officers of the Army in their fore-mentioned Letters and Declarations 2. In reference to Laws That the Laws of this great King as they are recorded in the Old and New Testament remaining in force since his death be the declared Laws of this Nation in opposition to the Heathenish Tyrannous and Popish Laws yet in force amongst us Isai 8.19 Should not a people seek unto their god to the Laws to the Testimonies Isa 23.22 The Lord is our Law-giver he is our King he will save us Jam. 4.12 There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy Deut. 4.8 What Nation so great as hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this Law set before you Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdome and understanding in the sight of the Nations which shall hear all these statutes and say Surely this generation is a wise and understanding people Deut. 17.18,19,20 And it shall be when he sitteth upon the Throne of his Kingdom that he shall write him a copy of this Law in a book and it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren It 's a Maxime in the Law asserted by Finch the great Lawyer Cook and others that no Act of Parliament or Law repugnant to the Law of God is of any force but how well our Law-makers have lived up hereto read Mr. Boon's Examen legum Angliae who comparing our Laws with the Scriptures finds 68 Laws expresly contrary to the Scriptures Read that excellent Letter of Eleutherius to King Lucius page 8. what light herein was declared for in that day 3. In reference to the Administrators That the people most read and best practicers of this excellent and perfect Law be chosen out to the Administration thereof under Christ in opposition to the ignorant prophane and scandalous and all both old and new Malignants that have visibly opposed him in his Word and Works and not given some suitable testimony of repentance Exod. 18.21 Num. 11.16 Deut. 1.13 Thoushalt provide of all the people able men such as fear God men of truth hating covetousness and place such over them to be Rulers 2 Sam. 23.2,3,4 The Spirit of the Lord spake and the Rock of Israel said He that rules over men must be just ruling in the fear of God Isai 1.26 And I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning Which principle is further asserted 1. By the Armies Petition 13 August 1652. who pray that only men fearing God and hating covetousness should be put into places of Authority and Trust and that all prophane scandalous and disaffected persons should be outed and the neglect hereof given as one of the grounds of the Parliaments dissolution 2. By the present Assembly at Westminster in their Declaration May 9. 1659. That all such as shall be in any place of Trust and Power within this Commonwealth be able for the discharge of such Trust and that they be persons fearing God that have given testimony of their true love to all the people of God and of their faithfuiness to the cause of this Commonwealth according to their Declaration of the seventh of May 1659. in which Declaration they further say That they shall vigorously endeavour the carrying on of Reformation so much desired and so often declared for to the end there may be a godly and faithful Magistracy and Ministry upheld in these Nations to the glory and praise of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the reviving and making glad the hearts of the upright in the Land But how well these good words are put in practice look within their own walls and may you not finde divers of the late Tyrants Council that persecuted and imprisoned so many of Gods people for their faithful witness to the Cause Is not their Speaker one of the new upstart Lords and are there not many others of the same stamp that sate in the Other House How many are there that swore Allegiance and fidelity both to the deceased and late deposed Protector How many scandalous persons How many unworthy Mercenary Lawyers And will these men pass for men fearing God true Lovers of Gods people and faithful to the Cause Are such like to carry on a vigorous and thorow Reformation so much desired to the glory and praise of our Lord Jesus Christ and making glad the hearts of the upright 4. In reference to the Ecclesiastical State 1. That a thorow Reformation be prest after according as is exprest in the Covenant agreeable to the Word of God and best reformed Churches 2. That such a Ministry may without restraint go forth as are faithful and have received the Spirit and gifts from on high for such a work and that are made able Ministers of the New Testament accepting Christs work out of love to souls together with such wages as he hath left in his word 3. That all Ecclesiastical Officers and Offices so called depending upon the Hierarchy may be extirpated root and branch whether Parsons Vicars Curates Patrons c. with their Maintenance Tythes Offerings Oblations Obventions Tenths First-Fruits as deriving their Rise and Authority from Antichrist supported by the Beast and for which there is not the least footing in the Word of God 4. That the Magistrate intermeddle not in the matters of Christs Church or Spiritual concernment imposing either Ministry maintenance or forms of worship suited to his interest which hath been the ground of all body and soul-oppression These being faithfully observed will administer equal and impartial justice to every one and tend to the recovery of the primitive and prophesied to be restored Ordinance of Magistracy making it a terrour to evil doers and a praise to them that do well so that none in well-doing of what perswasion soever can have cause to doubt of being protected in their persons and proprieties from such as shall attempt upon any pretence whatsoever to invade the same or of being in an equal capacity with others qualified for electing or being elected to a participation of Rule as any ability for the same may be given to them Page 23. line 35. for politick read publick Page 25. line 16. for thereby read then by Page 33. line 8. for petitioned for read pretended to There are other lesser faults but these needfully require amendment with the Pen or mention of them in an Errata FINIS